So much it hurts

"Tomorrow," Jason agrees. "And it's no trouble. If it was, I wouldn't have offered."

He cocks his head looking at Destiny for a moment. Though seeming to be on the mend herself, there was still such a sadness about her that continued to make Jason feel as though he wished he could do something more to help. But there still was not. He probably shouldn't tell her that Chance had dropped off radar either... that was in the notes he'd read just this morning. Reese was less than happy but no one could explain how Chance had slipped out from under them.


Eli looks across at Scarlet for a moment and seems to shift gears a little. He clears his throat and sits up a little straighter as if trying to be more casual about the whole thing. Perhaps he'd expected a different kind of response but... he shoudn't have, right? It wasn't like he and Scarlet were joined at the hip here... she obviously wanted him to accomplish what he wanted so... he shouldn't have thought she'd react any other way, right?

"I hope so," he answers, his fingers slowly turning his glass as his eyes drift down again. "I mean, I got a lot here, ya know? Ryan... you... and Florida was alright, but never was my cup of tea."

Glancing back up again, the questions linger in his eyes. "Of course... I don't know... I might not wanna go and risk some other charmer to come along and steal you away."


Rick chuckles and heads for the front entrance. "Well come on then."

Ty hangs back a moment and grins, giving Libby's hand a squeeze. "You'll have to help me with the menu," he muses. "No lying though. I don't wanna end up with something like cow brains or something."

It wasn't cow brains he ended up with, but rather a nice large steak, the same as Rick. The restaurant really was nice, but even though they might not have been quite as nicely dressed as most of the patrons, it didn't seem to matter, and Rick made sure of that. It was rather a fun evening - very different than what was usually experienced back at TJY. And though Rick was the older leader, he did a good job at entering into conversation with both Ty and Libby. The food was good and the laughter was even better...

"...I don't think I'm gonna need to eat for a week," Ty moans. He doesn't move, still lying on his back, sideways on Libby's hotel bed.

"Ty, you coming?" Rick calls from the adjoining room.

"Uh-huh." Ty's eyes fall shut and he still doesn't move. "If you come drag me in there," he finishes, too quiet for Rick to hear.

Opening his eyes, he finds Libby and grins at her. "But I suppose I should leave you be anyway. I just didn't want to wait another eight hours to see you."


"Mmm... maybe forever can be wrapped in one single moment at a time." Sparky smiles again and finishes his piece of chicken before sitting up and taking a sip from his water bottle. For a few moments, silence is invited into their little scene until he speaks again.

"You know... a while back when Mick and Rosetta raised my pay and all, um... well I guess they talked a little more and... they're giving me a piece of land. Kinda like some of the others around here... you know, if I wanted to stick around here at the ranch and all. Finally have my own little spot that I can call mine."

He looks down and plucks a blade of grass. "I chose this spot and Mick approved." Glancing up, his eyes roam the clearing as if imagining what it might look like in the future. "I was thinking about a house over in that corner there." He points to the far corner. "Maybe even plant a few of my own fruit trees or something... but keep all these nice trees around so it's still secluded." It really wasn't that far of a walk through the trees back into the heart of the ranch, but it felt like it was far away. "I was thinking maybe a log cabin... rustic but nice."

Sparky gives Faith a sidelong glance before shifting and crawling over the blanket to take a knee front of her so he's at her eye-level, and removes his hat. Reaching out, he takes her hands in his, noting as he often did, how soft they were compared to his own. But today, his own were shaking ever so slightly. "Thing is... even with all that... it wouldn't mean much if... if I was all alone."

His eyes pierce hers, staring, searching, hoping. Swallowing hard, he lets go of her hands and fishes in his jeans pocket, pulling out a little velvet box. For a moment, he stares at it as he wonders if perhaps Faith can hear his heart, it was beating so loudly.

Opening the box, he turns it around and holds it out to her. Nestled inside was a dainty diamond ring, small but lovely, sparkling in the sunlight. It seemed to sparkle even a little more, his hand still trembled. The words seem to get stuck in his throat, but he forces them out. "I'm... tired of being alone. And you... you make things brighter and you give me more purpose than I've ever had, and... and I love you so much that some days it hurts."

He swallows again, knowing that he had so little to offer. He felt so strongly about Faith, but did she feel that way for him, too? To this degree? He didn't know what he'd do if she said no.

"Faith... will you... will you marry me?"