Safe house

Mm-hmm... I'll be in tomorrow. Got to go over stuff with Reese and clean up yesterday's episode. After that who knows.

Jason had gotten so used to communicating with Katie silently that sometimes he didn't even realize he wasn't using his voice anymore. Giving Katie a last little hug, he guides her to the door and watches until her car is out of sight. Sighing deeply, he finally shuts the door and locks it then heads towards bed.


Gram's smile doesn't fade, her eyes twinkling at Alice. Nodding, she motions Alice to the sink. "You can help me wash some of these glasses so we've got more for everybody - I'm afraid my dishwasher is busy yacking with the other young'uns."

Kyle chuckles, grinning. To him, it was more than Gram just getting some help while Gramps was in the other room. Gram didn't let many people in her kitchen, let alone to help. It was a good sign that she was inviting Alice into her space, and it made Kyle smile even more on the inside. He was more than happy to have Alice get to know his family.

The next hour or so is spent settling in and finding space for everything and everybody. The basement is suitable for the group and a sheet is hung up on one side to separate the guys from the girls. There's quite a bit of teasing about it, but in the end, it's Twila who puts her foot down, even though she and Theo banter back and forth and she winds up chasing him around more than once.

Eventually though, everyone is tired enough that they know they need to sleep - they need to let the older couple get sleep too. By the time the house is quiet though, the kitchen light is still on. After saying goodnight to his gang, Kyle had padded back upstairs to find his old seat still there, and the listening ears still there as well...

Gram smiles at Kyle, her hands cupping her warm coffee mug. Hearing about all he'd done and all the places he'd been she listened with interest. "I'm sorry for all you went through with Break Out," she comments softly. "And I'm sorry for your friends there too."

"Yeah." Kyle sighs a little, taking a sip of his own coffee. "Stuff like that is never of or from God, but He used it for good, at least in my case."

"Because without it, you wouldn't have your own band now?"

Kyle grins. "Yeah."

Gram smiles again and she reaches across to put her hand on his. Glancing down, she lifts an eyebrow. "You wear a ring now."

Kyle looks down too and fiddles with the sterling ring on his right hand's middle finger. "Oh... just something I picked up after Break Out." All it had was a scripture reference engraved on it. "I guess it's a reminder... that everything's in God's hands, not mine."

Gram's smile widens. "And that's one of the most important things you could ever remember."

After telling all that had happened with the band, being at the grand Wiley estate and landing the deal to come back to Nevada, it was Kyle's turn to ask the questions. "So... what's new back here?"

Gram takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Well... let's see... what was the last you heard?"

Kyle has to think back quite a ways. "It's been a while... not much was happening that I know of. I guess I lost touch with Jen and Phil. It was just the concert I found out about and you know I want to go there tomorrow night."

"Mmm..." Gram nods thoughtfully. "Did you know Jen been back in a wheelchair?"

Kyle's eyes widen. "No, I... I didn't. How long? What happened?"

"She started having some pain... it was doctor visits for a while again. She'd been on her feet and was doing well, then she turned her ankle going up some steps and fell. she has some feeling but... not enough to keep her going again." Gram purses her lips. "So... she's managing the best she can. It's been a couple months now."

Kyle swallows hard, his eyes drifting downward. He'd had no idea. "Oh, I see." He remembered when he used to be the one to carry her around... help her in and out of vehicles... push her wheelchair. Phil did a lot too, but Kyle had always been the main help. He remembered missing it when Jen had been able to walk again. And now he felt even worse that she was back in her wheelchair.

Gram cocks her head, seeming to sense what was going through his mind. "She and Mike have put things on hold as well."

Kyle's gaze shoots up again. "What? Why?"

"Not sure." Gram shrugs. "They are still close and it doesn't seem to have interfered with JetStream at all. But... I'm not sure what happened. I think maybe things started moving a little fast. Jen wasn't sure what her future looked like after her fall... Mike is the head manager at the music store now and his hours got long... I think maybe they just decided they needed some time to think... needed some time to sort out priorities and figure themselves out again before trying anything more serious." She smiles softly. "But that's just an old lady's speculation."

Kyle chuckles. "Oh, I think your speculation is pretty wise, Gram. It always has been."

Gram studies her grandson thoughtfully for a moment. "I see something new in your eyes. What's wrong? Worried about Jen?"

"A little. She's strong but... she's had so much to go through and things were looking so good." Kyle shrugs lamely. "I shouldn't have lost touch. I... I know she wanted to keep writing or at least a phone call now and again and I just... I don't know... I guess I was so wrapped up in trying to find me, that I forgot my family was part of me too."

Gram gives his hand a squeeze. "We all need to find ourselves sometimes, Kyle. Don't guilt yourself. Without finding your own path, how could you have found your way back here again? Jen doesn't blame you. She has missed you something awful, but she doesn't blame you." Her smile broadens. "She's going to be so surprised to see you."

"I hope so."

Gram tilts her head down to find Kyle's eyes. "You sound doubtful."

"Oh... I guess maybe I'm not so sure it's going to be a great reception." Kyle takes another sip of his coffee, remembering back over a year ago. It seemed like a lifetime. "Jason and I weren't on great terms... me and Phil were having trouble... Jen and I, well... we were growing apart." He shrugs. "Maybe me showing up might not go over too well."

"Don't worry about that... I'm pretty sure they'll be happy to see you." Gram offers him a wink. "It's getting late... why don't you go down and get some rest, hmm?"

"I'm sorry - I've kept you up too late."

"Oh hush. I could stay up with the best of them. It's just your grandfather. If he wakes up and doesn't feel his hot brick next to him, he'll get up and whine until he finds me."

Kyle laughs and shakes his head. "I love you, Gram."

"I love you too, Kyle. I'm glad you're home."


The morning dawns bright and clear. After so many cloudy days, the sunshine was welcomed. But even while outside it was warm and friendly, inside TJY, there was turmoil.

"I tell you it wasn't needed, it was murder!"

"It was not! That scum deserved to-"

"We could have had a way in!"

Susanne cringes as the argument continues in Reese's office. Alec and Jason had been called in to continue yesterday's incident at Destiny's apartment, and it was very clear that Jason thought Alec was in the wrong for killing one of the Agency men. Reese was just trying to sort it all out, and Alec wasn't backing down.

All of a sudden, Jason stalks out of Reese's office, slamming the door behind him. His stride is long and deliberate, his anger boiling. He was hot enough that he had to keep a lid on his anger, lest he blow something up, but it was very uncomfortable and surely painful for Katie. He just couldn't understand the way Alec was thinking, and he couldn't understand Reese's lack of reprimand towards Alec.

Continuing his fast trek, he passes by Katie's cubicle without stopping. Turning the corner into the hall too quickly, he runs right into Chance.

Chance stumbles backward and looks up with surprise, willing to at least try and laugh it off as a smile comes to his lips. "Good morning to you too, Jason. Sorry - guess I better learn the locomotive routes around here so I don't get run over."

Jason glares down at him and simply shoulders past. "Shut up, newbie."

Chance doesn't turn around, but his smile vanishes, replaced by an expression of irritation and defeat. Newbie. Nice low blow. Nice low blow. Sighing, he continues his route to Reese's office, only to realize there was a loud conversation happening there between the chief and Alec, and that was something he didn't want to walk in on either. Great. Now what?

A bit discouraged, he heads back to the hallway. He'd seen Reese already earlier this morning and had been told where the safe house was. If nobody was going to help him, he would do this on his own.

Getting to the spare room's door, he knocks quietly. "Destiny? Are you up?" He pauses, listening. "Thought we could go check out that safe house if you wanted... do any running around you needed to do too."


"Alright... I haven't showered since working outside earlier or building props at the studio, I am beat and dead on my feet, but as long as you can still stand me, I'm here." Leo grins at Cassy, swaying a little on her dance floor as the music plays.

He holds out his hands, knowing even if he was tired, he had a promise to keep. He'd been here earlier to work on the eaves, and as arranged, he'd returned after dark. "Looks like you're getting steadier by the day. I'm not so sure you even need me," he teases.