No joke

Though wanting to start in on the plans already forming in Ty's mind, he sticks close to Libby, seeing that she was nervous to be here in a strange place. He doesn't mind when she holds his hand or when he has to sit on the edge of the bed so he isn't too far away. As long as Misty didn't kick him out, he'd stay.

Once Misty is through, he offers Libby a gentle smile. She looked horrible - like she'd been beat up. But she looked better than earlier. "Lookin' good, Champ." He reaches over to softly brush aside some stray hair from her face. "You get to just rest here a little while, okay? I'm gonna go talk to someone, but you're safe here... I promise."

He looks into her eyes, showing her that she had nothing to fear. "I'll be right down the hall if you need me... I won't be gone long." He gives her hand another little squeeze before rising from the edge of the bed. "Just rest."

Once confident she would be okay, Ty turns and heads out of the infirmary. Just as he reaches the hall though, he almost runs right into Rick.

"Whoa, Ty. What are you doing here this time of day?"

"I brought someone in." Ty thumbs to the infirmary. "Please though... don't ask any questions... not yet. Misty took care of-"

"For crying out loud." Rick throws up his arms. "How many times do we have to look after people here who we can't know anything about?" He moves towards the door, cracking it open. "Time and time again..." His voice trails off as his eyes land on Libby a little further in on the bed. His gaze snaps back to Ty.

Ty swallows hard. "She's my girlfriend, Rick. Please just let her be for now. She's been through enough."

Compassion takes over and Rick sighs. "Okay. But answers come later, got it?"

Ty nods. After everything was settled, the truth would work its own way out. "I'll be right back... you and Misty keep an eye on her, okay?"

"Wait, Ty... just one question... is she in enough trouble that she'd get caught here?"

"No." Ty shakes his head. "Nobody knows she's here."

"Alright. I'll leave the door unlocked then."

"Thanks, Rick."

Rick watches Ty take off down the hall, and shakes his head. What next? Entering the infirmary, he wanders to the counter, looking over his shoulder at Libby, offering her a friendly smile. "It's not every day we get a pretty lady in here," he comments. His eyes drift to Misty, then back to Libby and he chuckles. "Besides Misty, of course. I just can't go around saying it, or else her husband would have my head."

Wandering just a little closer, he can see now that a lot of damage had been done to this girl. No wonder Ty wanted him to lay off the questions for now. Rick could see now that it was best. "I'm Rick," he introduces himself warmly. "What's your name?"


Ty walks quickly down the hall, stopping at the main floor and scanning the cubicles for faces. When he'd told Libby he'd bring a friend, he hadn't been sure who it should be.


Alec gets inside TJY, getting down to the main floor, by way of the elevator. As the doors open and he steps out into the room, he's spotted by two very keen eyes.

Trooper had been standing obediently at Jason's side as his master had stood at Katie's cubicle, talking to her. He'd whined a little bit when he'd seen Ty come in with Libby, but Jason had told him to stay put. Now hearing the elevator again, his ears perk and he looks across the room expectantly. The person he sees though, is not a friendly. He's someone who wasn't supposed to be up and about.

The hair on Trooper's neck stands up and he sniffs the air, catching a whiff of Alec's scent. Turning his head, he sees Jason is still busy and not paying a bit of attention.

Trooper looks back to Alec who was walking towards them and his teeth start to show. A low growl escapes and without warning, he bolts.

Alec is just walking down between the cubicles when Trooper comes out of nowhere. He barely has time to back up three steps before the massive dog is jumping up on him and knocking him flat on his back.

Screaming bloody murder, Alec covers his face with his arms, feeling Trooper's hot breath on his neck. "Get him off!" he yells. "Call of this dog! Get him off! Get him off!" He tries to roll away but Trooper's thick paws dig into his shoulders, pinning him down as he gives a vicious bark, flashing his teeth menacingly.

Alec's shouts of panic echo through the big room. "No! Call him off!!!"

As Jason hears Alec's first shout, he spins around, realizing what was going on. He leaves Katie hanging and sprints down to where Trooper had Alec pinned. He saw though that the dog was far from tearing Alec's throat out, but was still quite agitated. And for a moment, Jason thinks the scene is funny. All of a sudden, Alec wasn't such a big shot. He really was freaking out, and a grin slips onto Jason's face. They're right by Nate's cubicle and Jason looks over to him and rolls his eyes.

Alec is still wriggling to try and get free, hurling a curse at the big dog and yelling out again for someone to call him off.

Finally Jason gives a shrill whistle through his teeth. "Trooper... let him go."

Trooper has to think about it for just a moment, but obediently backs off, his mouth relaxing to hide his teeth again, and the hair on his back settling down. He leaves Alec be and trots a few feet away, though keeps a close eye on what's happening.

Breathing heavily with heart pounding, Alec scoots backward as he sits up, staring at the dog, then looking up to see Jason... who was grinning. He thought this whole thing was funny, and it transformed Alec's fear into rage.

Getting to his feet, he glares at Jason, walking a few steps closer. "Laugh it up, Hotshot," he hisses.

Jason shakes his head and really does try not to laugh as he folds his arms. "Sorry. You did look pretty funny though." He chokes on a laugh. "Can't handle a little puppy dog?"

Without even thinking, Alec lashes out. And without warning, Jason doesn't even see it coming. Alec's knuckles connect with his jaw at such a force that it knocks him off his feet and sprawling to the floor. Unfortunately, it's just what Trooper was waiting for, and he lunges, this time getting ankle between his teeth.

Alec cries out in pain and instincts kick in, bringing his other foot slamming into the side of Trooper's head. Trooper yelps and lets go, but now the fight was on. Jumping up, he knocks Alec into Nate's cubicle wall, sending him flying onto the floor, actually hitting Nate and his chair on the way down.

Realizing that Nate was right there and not wanting to bite him, Trooper doesn't follow into the cubicle, but remains in the doorway, growling viciously.

By now, Jason is getting his senses back, and he calls off Trooper again, seeing that the dog really meant business now. "Back off," he orders sternly.

The dog gives a last growl and a low woof before deciding to turn around and walk back to his master. Jason gets to his feet and brushes his jeans off, rubbing his jaw gingerly. Having been down on the floor, he hadn't even seen all his dog had done this time around.

Alec is still on the floor in Nate's cubicle and had pressed himself back in the corner, pulling his knees up to his chest like a little kid who was hiding from a school bully. His face had gone completely pale and his lower pantleg was starting to show blood from where he'd been bitten. To him, this was far from funny. He'd lashed out at Jason, because to him, this was not something to be laughed about. Alec had stayed away from Trooper from the beginning and he hadn't been kidding around when he'd said he hated dogs. Getting pounced on just now had brought on some of Alec's worst memories and the fear that was in his eyes now was very real. He only had a few weak spots, but this was one of them, and he wasn't fooling.