Shock

Jason leans back against the tree, his fingers running through Katie's hair. He'd shut his cell phone off on purpose, having no intention of having Reese call him back to the office.

Glancing down at Katie, a smile creases his lips. He knew sometimes she missed the ranch, and he couldn't blame her. "Texas vacation, huh?" He breathes in the fresh air deeply, leaning back again and closing his eyes. "I might be able to do that. I don't think Reese wants me to go anywhere right now though. Might have to wait a while."

He resumes running his fingers through her hair. "I don't mind if you take off though, if you wanted to go sooner. I don't know how I'd survive, but I'd manage." His emotions are just a little silly, wanting Katie to know that he'd miss her, but he wouldn't protest her leaving.


Relaxing in the chair next to Destiny, Chance lets himself dry off from the swim. Thought it would be easy to close his eyes and doze in the warm sun, he forces himself to sit straight and keep an eye on the pool and their surroundings.

Hearing Destiny's thanks, he turns to her, squinting one eye in the sunlight. A grin emerges. "No need to thank me. Not like I've hated getting out of the house for a while."

He nudges her arm back. "I some ice cream might be in order though. My treat... if you'll let me."


The phone in Alec's pocket beeps to let him know a text message has arrived. Glancing to the side, he sees Hal giving him an odd look. "What?" Reese had asked Hal to babysit Alec for a while in the control room and Alec was bored and just about ready to walk out. "Problem?"

Hal quirks an eyebrow. "Since when do you have a phone?"

"Since I got one."

Hal holds out his hand.

"Aww, no."

"You can't tell me Reese approved that."

"I've had it for a week and nobody noticed! Come on, Hal... just let it go, huh?"

"Give it here."

Scowling, Alec knows he doesn't have much choice. Digging the phone from his pocket, he slaps it in Hal's palm grudgingly.

Hal flips it open and reads the message. Scanning the words, a little snicker slips out. "Hot stuff?"

"Give me that." Alec snatches it back and reads the message from Ryan, knowing it was about getting Roth's car back to the garage.

"You know, Reese could think that was an Agency encoded message, right?"

Alec scoffs. "As if I'd have them contact me by cell phone."

"So what do "Ry" and Eli need an extra pair of hands for?"

Alec's eyes narrow, his voice lowering. "I wouldn't want to shock you." Getting up from the chair, he leaves the control room without permission to head downstairs. Once on his cot, he flips the phone open again to reply to Ryan.
Gotta shake the dogs. After dark. Your place. I'll be there.


Justin's eyes scan his computer screen, the words blurring after hours of reading. The story was the same though, every time he found it.

Shutting his laptop, he leans back in his chair, his hand automatically falling to the side and landing on Danitza's head. So that was it. That was what Beth's past was all about. Losing both parents. A murder and suicide. And Sarah had been there and that's why she was now at Brookshire. If Beth had been there that night too, she probably would be in a hospital as well.

Justin heaves a weary sigh. It was late and he needed to head to bed. It was hard though, realizing all that Beth must have gone through. It had been a tragic enough story that it had made headlines for a week. It hadn't been some little hurt in Beth's life that had made her feel sorry for herself. It had been more, just like his uncle had implied. Had Justin known, he would not have said the things he said... eventually maybe, but not as soon as he had. It was obvious now why she had responded negatively.

Standing up, Justin wanders into the kitchen for a glass of water before bed. Now what? Beth was an even tougher case than he'd thought. What did he want from her? A friendship? Acquaintance? More? Less? He had thought that if he could get her to trust him, then they could form a friendship. But maybe that was simply too much to ask. She was set in her ways... used to being alone and like she'd said... she liked it that way and had no time for letting other people into her life.

Taking a swallow of water, he sets the glass in the sink and looks out the window at the dark yard. He'd dealt with trying to help people before, looking for friendship and hoping for that trust one day. But all it did was cause strain and frustration on a relationship that never would be. He wasn't going to do that to himself again. It looked like it was going to be a surface relationship with Beth after all. And he'd just have to be satisfied with that. If she moved forward, so be it. But if not, he wouldn't push.