Late with a reason

Axel listens quietly, then says goodbye to Ryan as she leaves. Left alone again, he stares at the closed door for a while. Ryan was a true friend. It had surprised him a little bit to hear her mention God... he hadn't known she had a faith, but it was nice to hear. Perhaps she was one who just needed to embrace a stronger relationship with God and revive one that already existed but had waned.

He shakes his head. His mind always took that route - seeing to the spiritual needs of others. He knew it was the Holy Spirit's doing, and quite often it was a reminder of what was really important in life. His troubles with his brother... compared to someone needing the Lord... perhaps the trial didn't seem quite so bad. It was still painful though.

Wandering to the living room, Axel flops down on the couch - is usual hibernating location. The television remained off and his mind begins a journey back years before when he'd been a child. It would be several hours until Jess came - several hours for his mind to remember, relive and pray.


Quinn chuckles lightly and nods. "I think you're a lot of things, Princess."

Her question about his brother brings another sigh and he walks with her to her car. "Yeah... it's him. Unless there's more than one Axel Thornton in town, which I highly doubt." All he can do is shake his head. "What are the odds?"

Pausing at the passenger door, he just marvels for a moment before getting in and buckling up. "Don't be sorry - I know you didn't know. And besides, just because he works at the shop doesn't mean I'll even see him, so we're fine. I'm sure if he sees the paperwork anyway, he'd make sure he didn't have to deal with me."


Leo stares into the engine and grumbles to himself. "This just doesn't make any sense!"

Jed leans back from his own car and lifts an eyebrow. "Trouble?"

"Mm-hmm..." Leo tinkers again but gives up once more. "Won't start. And I cannot find one thing wrong in this engine."

"Maybe it's electronic."

"I already put it on the computer. Nothing came up."

"Try again?"

Leo sighs. "That's all I can do. I'll be toast if I can't figure it out though - the guy's from out of town and I promised we'd have him back on the road." He shakes his head and keeps trying.


Outside, the low rumble of a motorcycle engine approaches. A couple of the guys look up to see out the bay doors to watch an older bike come into the lot. It looked like a motorcycle that needed a little TLC, but could be very sharp once it was in shape again - the engine sounded good.

The driver has a full-face helmet on and pulls right up to the open door behind the car Ryan was working on. Cutting the engine he pulls off his helmet, a sly grin on his lips. "Hey!" he hollers. "I'm looking for a woman who hasn't eaten lunch yet. Anybody around here like that?"

Alec's eyes spark in the sunlight as he grins. The only reason he was so late for lunch was because he'd been wheeling and dealing to get this bike. It needed work, but it would be his project. With a little help from Eli, he had Ryan's helmet with him, along with one of Eli's old leather jackets.

Sitting back with both feet planted on the ground, he waits for Ryan, waiting to see her reaction.