What happened?

Susanne is genuinely surprised at Chuck's response, and her raised eyebrows prove it. Watching him walk away, she tries to shrug it off. For as bold as he'd been, it seemed odd he wouldn't go along with the idea just so he could have gotten her to dinner... not to mention, if her reason of him being hot wasn't good enough to go, then what was his own reasoning for asking her out? Maybe she'd just read him wrong from the get-go. Men. They all seemed alike. And Darlene wondered why she didn't date? Absurd.

"Thank you," she replies lamely. Well, at least she might get the music she wanted. Finally turning around again, she aims for the door once more and this time makes it all the way outside. As she walks to her car though, a wave of guilt washes over her and even more embarrassment than that. She really had just acted quite foolishly, even if she tried to blame the man for it all. He may have jumped the gun on asking her out, but her request really was degrading, no matter how bold he was. Only now did she realize just what she'd asked of him, and she felt pretty close to rotten. She hadn't meant to imply she wanted to use him but... that's how it had come out.

Stopping at her car, she looks at her reflection in the window. And maybe... wanting to use him had been the only thing she could think of to actually make herself say yes to going out. She always said no, and by now, people had given up asking. She finally had a dashing man ask her to dinner and not only had she refused, but she'd completely twisted it around and probably made him feel stupid in the process. What kind of woman must he think she was?

Looking back over her shoulder, Susanne considers going back in and apologizing. But would it really do any good? She'd already made quite the fool of herself... again. Darlene was right. She was hopeless.

Finally getting into her car, she starts the engine, but still sits for several minutes longer. Why this whole thing was getting to her, she didn't even know. The guy was probably some criminal anyway, out for more than just dinner. What man in his right mind would have asked her out so quickly anyway? It was silly. The whole thing was. He was silly, she was silly... it was all just.... silly.

Perhaps though, she didn't want to admit that looking into those soft eyes and believing for just a moment that he might find her attractive was a warmth that struck a much deeper longing than anyone knew. But she would always end up saying no. She never said yes. It just wasn't safe.

A lump rises in her throat and her fingers knead the steering wheel. Why couldn't she just break out and do what she really wanted? Inside the shop, she'd made a royal fool of herself, yet she still couldn't look a man in the eye and simply agree to dinner. Maybe it was good that she was able to surround herself with Elite work every day - it kept her from thinking she could actually have a life.

Swiping at her eyes and feeling moisture, she growls at herself and pulls out into the street. She was losing it - plain and simple. Never had she felt so idiotic. Now she almost hoped that the music she wanted would not be found and that way she wouldn't ever have to face that man again.

By the time she gets back to TJY, she'd managed to put the episode behind her, at least for the rest of the work day. Getting inside, it's chaos all over again and she sets to work right away, throwing herself into her tasks like normal. She would probably end up working late tonight. She was supposed to leave at five, technically, but with so much to do... she'd be here until at least seven. Who cared that her friends would be having a great time about then and she'd be at work? She loved her work. She wanted to work. She... sighs and stars at the paperwork on her desk. Well, it had to be done.


Kip jumps as his phone buzzes in his pocket, signaling a text message. Drawing it out and looking at he sighs. He looks at his mushy cereal then back at the text, then back and forth one more time. But his heart just wasn't in it this morning. Karla would know for sure something was up.

Typing a reply, he sends it back to her.

Thanks. Sorry, still don't feel good. Tell the bagels hi.

It was lame, but the best he could do at the moment. Rising from the table, he dumps out the ruined breakfast and heads back to his room, leaving the door open, but flopping down face-first on his bed. It was a rare day when he lacked energy.


Letting Beth move off his lap, Justin's arms slide from around her and he offers her a warm smile at her apology. "Naw... it was okay."

Her thanks only makes him shake his head. "I didn't do anything Beth," he replies softly. His eyes roam her face, finding it different to see her in this light. Never had she been so... relaxed as she was right now. "You did it all yourself."

Though there's an odd temptation to remain, Justin forces himself to stand up, breaking the moment. Stretching tall, he yawns again, his muscles thanking him for getting out of their cramped positions. "I should probably get going... my girls probably wonder where on earth I am. First though..." he glances down the hall and around, unsure which door was up. "Um...." He grins almost sheepishly. "Bathroom?"


Following Misty to the house, Alec finds it a nicer part of town than he'd expected. He'd often wondered where the apartment was but had figured if he'd snooped, someone would have gotten him into trouble for it.

Parking his bike next to Misty's car, he follows her inside, picking up the small talk, though it did feel a bit awkward. Once inside, he sheds his leather jacket and wanders behind her to the kitchen, his eyes roaming the inside of the apartment and taking in the details. So this was where his brother lived. It seemed almost too... normal. And Carson actually liked it?

Not sure what to do with himself, he stands in the kitchen still feeling out of place. Her hope of him liking spaghetti, brings a wry grin to his face. "Tastebuds, remember? I'll eat anything."

Being handed a task to do, for a moment, he looks at the meat. Come to think of it, he'd never fixed meatballs before... he really hardly cooked at all. But this was easy, right? He glances to Misty then shrugs, accepting the job. He sets to work, not sure if the meatballs were the right size or not, but figuring it wouldn't matter too much.

While working, his eyes catch some scribbled notes on scratch paper lying on the table. It wasn't the words themselves that caught his attention, but rather the handwriting. Finishing up the meatballs quickly, he then wipes his hands on a towel and picks up one of the notes. That handwriting was so familiar. Where had he...

Then it hits him. His eyes widen and he looks to Misty, then back at the note. "No way. This is Carson's handwriting, isn't it?" He shows her the note to confirm before looking at it again. "It was him..." The spiral notebook he'd found several years ago. What were the odds?

"Poems? Carson?" He looks to Misty again, baffled. "I found a notebook, but... A hired killer of the Agency created some of the most romantic writing I've read? Tell me I'm crazy."


Strange, quiet but steady beeps. Voices in the distance. Odd whirring noises. Pain. Fog.

Gage's eyes slowly crack open. His eyelids felt like they weighed five pounds each. His whole body felt like one big dead weight. For a moment, he thinks he's at his own apartment, perhaps waking up late on one of his days off. But as a few things come into focus, he realizes that he's certainly not at home.

His head pounded like nothing else and he squints in the dim light of the hospital room. Hospital? His mind strains to remember why he was here, but he can't. His hand moves and though his remained barely cracked open, he sees the thin tube that ran up to an IV bag.

Swallowing is painful his mouth and throat were so dry and he cringes. Why was he here? What had happened? The last thing he could remember was being at work. Had there been an accident? He didn't feel injured other than his head hurting.

Licking his lips, he then manages to turn his head. His eyes still almost shut focus on the figure next to the bed. Sapphire? Why was she here? She looked tired. Sad? His confusion rises. He had no idea that he'd been here several days.

He opens his mouth and at first no sound comes and he coughs before trying again. "Saph?" he asks hoarsely. "Where am I?" His eyes roll shut then slit open again. "What... what happened?"