Offended

"Okay, sounds good." Scott really wasn't paying a whole lot of attention, but he'd caught what Hope had said. "I'll meet you there in about half an hour, okay?"

Bringing the call to an end, he sets the phone aside, still absorbed in his photo project. Only Domino's bark to be let outside a while later reminded him that he needed to go.

Getting to the restaurant, he was a few minutes late and he finds Hope already there. Wandering over to the table, he leans down to give her a quick kiss before sitting across from her. "Hi. Sorry I'm late." He had his contacts in today, with one to cover his blind eye... proof he was hiding from the world again. "Did you order yet?"


Axel lifts an eyebrow, a little surprised and annoyed at Ryan's sharp remark, but after she continues, he decides to let it slide this time. Her change of subject made it apparent that she didn't want anything to do with deeper topics right now.

"Jess is good. We spend a lot of time together, even if we have to do it at band practice. The guys love her though so we have fun." His voice trails off as movement in the window catches his eye. Had someone just walked by? Odd. His question was answered though as a shadow appears from the open garage door behind the car Ryan was working on. Axel eyes the man with mixed emotions, wondering at his presence.Wasn't he supposed to be in Elite custody?

Alec wanders into the garage and catches Axel's eye, putting a finger to his lips to keep him quiet. Ambling up behind Ryan, he looks over her shoulder into the engine. "This heap of metal is what's kept you from visiting me? I'm offended."


Leo is a little surprised that Cassy had come to him for this kind of help. But then, sometimes it was hard getting a hold of friends to do things like this. He shrugs then nods. "Yeah... yeah, I could swing by to give you a hand. I don't have anything going on tonight... I get off about six, if you wanna tell me where to be."


JT sighs a little, then shakes his head. "No... no, I don't think your parents will try anything again. First off, if they do, we're legally safe now - nothing can happen. And two, David and Angelica are digging enough that once the truth is out in the open, the situation will be resolved."

He shrugs lamely. "People do crazy things in the name of money, Bree. Your mother... she wasn't always like this. But once she got into money... she changed. I don't even know who she is anymore. But you don't have to worry, okay? From here on out, we're safe. We did it the right way this time."


Ryder chuckles at Thirteen. "I don't know - Carson's pretty picky about his kitchen. You can ask him when he gets back though, if you want. Can't hurt. I know he's happy with how you've been handling customers though. But maybe he'd let you spend a little more time back here at least."


Sparky sits on the deep window sill of the hospital room, his back leaning back against the cold glass as rain pelts against it. It had been raining for three days straight and now matched his spirits. They were approaching two weeks... two weeks that Faith had been in a coma. No family. No one to make decisions. And the doctors were already hinting at the possibility of taking her off life support. They'd removed all of the tumor - so on one hand, the operation had been a success. But the downside was that as a result, Faith had lapsed into a coma soon after the surgery. Sparky had told her he'd see her again... and he had yet to see her eyes after they'd disappeared behind the O.R. doors. She was still... and peaceful. But so very quiet.

Sparky had not yet returned to the ranch. Others had made sure he had clean clothes and anything else he needed, while he'd spent his days and nights between the chair Faith's room and the couch in the waiting room. A prayer was constantly on his mind, running over and over and over. Please, I beg you to not let me lose her now. Don't deprive me of the love you just so recently put before me... but your will be done.

Fingering the neck of his guitar, he picks out a soft tune, the melody filling the room with mellow tones. The songs of choice had varied... usually it was just the music and him remaining silent or humming along. Once in a while he would sing softly. Today a song was on his tongue - one that had been on his heart for a while now, and on paper less than twenty-four hours.

Love is a choice and I choose to love you.
No matter what the world may say.
I love you and will forever.
Forever... forever and a day.

Calling me a fool,
The world thinks I'm crazy.
Maybe they are right.
I'm crazy over you.
Oh, they don't see what I see,
A heart that's pure and true.
Oh, they don't hear what I hear,
The love in your voice.

So love is a choice and I choose to love you.
No matter what the world may say.
I love you and will forever.
Forever... forever and a day.

They just can't see past their,
Fenced in little world.
They don't seem to listen,
To the inside of a man.
Oh, they don't see what I see,
A spirit free and soaring.
Oh, they don't feel what I feel,
A heart that's beating strong.

Love is a choice and I choose to love you.
No matter what the world may say.
I love you and will forever.
Forever... forever and a day.

Miracles don't happen,
At least that's what I thought.
Then God sent me an angel,
To open up my heart.
They tell me to walk away.
They tell me to just forget it.
They tell me I'm being foolish.
But I have chosen.
I have chosen.
Forever and a day.

Love is a choice and I choose to love you.
No matter what the world may say.
I love you and will forever.
Forever... forever and a day.

The notes slowly die away and Sparky is still looking over to Faith's quiet form. Leaning on his guitar, he takes a deep breath and lets it out in a sigh. Forever... he didn't want it to end so quickly. He didn't want to have to wait until death for forever to begin. But the more hours that went by, the closer they were to saying goodbye.


Eric takes a sip of soup after blowing on his spoon. "Mmm." He smiles at Wendy in thanks for her bringing him his lunch. He couldn't believe how long he'd been cooped up in this bunk house, but it was better than what the alternative could have been.

His infection had worsened to the point where Angel and Jim were ready to take him to the hospital, but only by the grace of God had his fever begun to lessen. It had been a severe enough condition that he'd been unable to even sit up for days, but slowly, so slowly, the infection had begun to dissolve. Being able to sit up now and actually have lunch for the third day in a row was a treat, though the color in his face hadn't quite returned yet. He didn't remember a whole lot about this last week or so, but he was told that he'd come awfully close to what no one wanted to think about.

"Thank you, Wendy." The chicken soup hit the spot. "You can tell your mom I was a good boy and ate something." He winks at her. "Then neither of us will get into trouble."