Picked the wrong day

As Kip walks, he hesitates before answering his phone. He knew he needed to though, so no one would worry or come looking for him.

Hearing Karla, he bites his lip and musters up a cheerful tone. "Oh, yep, sorry. I shoulda called. Everything's fine. I just decided to stretch my legs a bit."

His eyes remain on the sidewalk as his feet trudge wearily. For once, he didn't feel like walking off any energy at all. But it seemed the only route to take right now. "Just tell the others I headed back to the house. Grabbing some fresh air or whatever. I'll catch up to you later for supper or something if you want."


It was a little unusual that Misty would call him in the middle of the day, then hearing her reasoning, Carson furrows his brow. Stepping around the corner from the kitchen and stretching the phone cord, he finishes the call in the privacy of the hallway. "Alec... You want Alec over for supper while you're home alone?"

He was a bit surprised. She was smarter than that. "For family interaction?" He couldn't help the are-you-kidding? tone of his voice. He shrugs though. "I guess whatever you want," he relents. She was more sociable than he was, and he knew that sometimes what seemed foreign to him was really a better option that he just didn't see because of his introverted nature.

"Just be careful, ay? Brother or not, I don't trust or like him - you know that. But if you think it's a good idea, then go ahead." He did appreciate her checking with him first. Not that she needed permission to do things, but something like this, that she knew he'd be leery of... he was glad she'd asked. "I know you can handle yourself. Just don't let him fool you." Alec had already done that with Dani.

The sound of a clattering pan in the kitchen makes him jump. "I gotta go. Love ya, babe. I'll call you later."

Sitting and waiting for Misty, Alec tried to tell by the look on her face whether or not Carson had said yes. Surely he hadn't. The brute didn't like him any more than he liked Carson. Besides, even if Carson liked him, any man wouldn't appreciate his wife hanging out with a guy alone for dinner, right?

Still swiveling a little back and forth, Alec waits to see what would happen. Perhaps he didn't even realize that deep down, he wanted Carson to say yes.


Looking up at Beth from the table, Justin studies her eyes for a moment. He knew this was a big step for her. She'd had him over for another meal - that alone was a step. Now she would be taking another journey into the past and it probably wouldn't be easy.

He nods kindly. "Sure. I'm all yours." He smiles, waiting and unsure if they would remain in the kitchen or go to another room.


Quinn nods his enthusiasm. "Sounds great. Checking out the apartments and meeting up with you tonight."

Grinning, he finally digs into his food, only now realizing that he really was hungry. "Now... we just need to figure out a way to convince your uncle that I'm okay."


Heading down the sidewalk in a bit of a hurry, Susanne glances at her watch. She only had a few minutes of a break before Reese needed her back in the thick of the chaos, but she was bound and determined to get some fresh air. Though she hadn't had lunch yet, it wasn't food she was after, but a certain music CD she'd been looking for. It was a few years old and she hadn't been able to find it in any of the other stores, so the Disc O Round was her last resort. She didn't usually run personal errands on her work breaks, but today had been too stressful, so getting outside was what she needed.

Almost to the door of the little shop and right in front of the window, a young man coming from the other direction runs right into her, their shoulders crashing harshly. Susanne stumbles back, annoyed, only to feel her arm being grabbed.

"Give me your purse lady," the man hisses, "and I won't hurt you."

Susanne's annoyance turns into pure irritation and she glares up at the man without fear. "You've got to be kidding me. Trying to rob a woman on the sidewalk in broad daylight - you've got problems in your head. Now let me go."

The man's grip tightens around her arm and his other hand flashes a knife blade. "Give me your purse first," he demands.

"Oh, you really are stupid." Susanne might just be a secretary, but she was still Elite and had still been trained. "You picked the wrong day to mess with me." In no mood for games, Susanne wrenches her arm free and sidesteps to avoid the knife stab. Giving the man's stomach a swift kick then a nice chop to the neck, he doubles over in pain, the knife dropping to the ground. Still irritated, Susanne turns to give him another kick to the behind, sending him stumbling away from her before she reaches down to grab the knife herself. Waving it in his direction, she challenges him. "C'mhere, boy. You wanna keep this up?" She shouldn't have been surprised when he ran off down the alleyway.

Scoffing, she turns and throws the knife into a nearby trashcan. Brushing herself off, and tucking her hair back behind her ear, she huffs a frustrated sigh and continues her route past the shop window and to the door.

Entering, the little bell rings and she takes a look around, not sure where to start searching, especially with so little time.