The least of these

Quinn's eyes never leave Anastasia's face as she speaks. Her words hit way too close to home, but he doesn't move his gaze, nor does he allow himself to become agitated. When she finishes, silence reigns, but his eyes remain on hers for several moments more until he finally glances down to sip his coffee.

"Wow." He clears his throat and grins a little, leaning his elbows on the table. "You, um... are quite..." He searches for the right word. "Intuitive."

He swirls around his coffee for several seconds, thinking about what she had said. "I... always believed my brother was guilty," he admits. "The evidence, the witnesses, everything... it all pointed to him, and the only lame excuse he could come up with was that maybe he was sleepwalking and didn't know what he'd been doing." Quinn scoffs and shakes his head. "Even if that baloney was true, it still shows his true character." He sighs. "Naw... Axel said over and over again he was innocent, but who wouldn't? DNA proved it was him, so..." He shrugs. "That's the kind of brother I wound up with."

Sipping his coffee again, he continues to think, looking back at Anastasia once more. "God, huh?" He cocks his head. "You speak pretty strongly about that." He searches her eyes to find if she really believed what she spoke, and it was apparent that she did. "Refreshing. Usually I get a load of crap about destiny and fate."

Continuing to work on his coffee, he nods slowly. "I... am staying in town only because I was too shocked to say anything else to the person I gave my number to. Had I thought it through... I woulda kept right on driving. But I'm a man of my word, so I'll stick around the few days I promised. Not that Axel's going to call me... I think he probably feels about me the same way I feel about him. It's probably best the whole thing has just been buried and left behind."

Quinn's eyes lower as he runs his finger around the rim of his cup. He glances up again with a new look in his eye: fear. "You're right though." It was hard admitting it aloud, even to a stranger. "Part of me does want to see my brother again. I guess that's what scares me the most - knowing deep down that God's got his hand in this - there's too many coincidences - ... and if he does, he'll see to it that I don't leave town without at least talking to Axel. I just can't believe God wanted me here just so I could have another Ricky Nelson record."

He tries to grin, but it comes out a tad crooked. "Or maybe... he just wanted us to meet so I could hear again about who's really in control." He nods to her. "Thank you... Anastasia. You've helped "the least of these" tonight and... I'm grateful." He meant it too. She'd provided him with a distraction and a good reminder as well.

Taking another swig of coffee, he sets it down to cup it between his hands, feeling the warmth. A soft laugh comes out and his eyes rise once more to hers. "I'm enjoying your company too much to want to leave yet, but my coffee is almost done. How about you tell me how you got to be so smart, and I'll drink slowly?"


Jason gives Destiny a kind smile. "I promise I won't leave. And I always keep my promises."

He nods. "We can go to your parents' house tomorrow and you can do whatever you need to - even take a hot bath." He smiles again. "Let's just take it one day at a time, okay? Things will change, and you will get your life back - I know you will. It's just going to have to be gradual."

Giving her an encouraging wink, he opens the door. "Come on. I hear the discount store in the mall calling our names."

You too

Laughing at the comment about her not axeing him Anastasia holds up her hands and looks at her fingers. Turning them over and looking under the nails before putting her hands down again to take her coffee cup.

"I must of done a good job at cleaning up this time than."

Looking over her coffee cup as she took a sip her eyes sparkled in the light of the coffee shop and danced they way they always did when she was joking around. It was nice having someone who understood her humor and didn't look at her strange. To see someone teasing her back in the same manor.

Letting her cup come down to the table and hearing the tone in Quinn's voice change Anastasia could tell now he was becoming a little more serous in what he was saying to her. Revealing the past, and letting her know another peace about him. Maybe because he might never see her again it was a little easier to not care what one might think.

Hearing Quinn's reason for his brother being in jail Anastasia's expression doesn't change other than a normal blink now and than. She continues to just listen taking everything in, and thinking her own mind. Her eyes only leaving Quinn's face now and than to take a drink of her coffee.

"I guess the first questions would be I have is....did he really do it? That topic can be so touchy and is often used as a way to get out of trouble for one person involved."

Thinking again for a moment Anastasia was quiet again continuing to just think and take everything in. She did feel bad for Quinn in a way with everything he was dealing with right now and the shock of knowing his brother was here was almost like and overdrive for him. But maybe there was a bigger explanation to this picture that right now only one person new.

"You don't want to see your brother but your staying just in case he calls. I think somewhere deep inside for that reason alone, you do want to see him. Out of all the places you could end up next you end up here, in Nevada where your brother happens to be and you just happen to bump into someone who knows him so you can give him your number. Thats a lot of just happens. I think God has a bigger plan here."

Anastasia wasn't sure if Quinn believe in God or not but if he didn't maybe this would be good for him to hear, and if he did maybe it was a good refresher for them both.

"I think a very big picture is being painted here, and it wont be till the end that we understand no matter the outcome. But there is a reason your sitting here in Nevada, found out your brother lives here, are in that booth, sitting across from a woman you never met before. Just don't give up in trusting God and what he has planned. For all we know maybe all he wanted was for you to know your brother is well, met a new friend and find a Ricky Nelson record. Whatever it is, we need to have faith in him on whats happening."

Continuing to look out the window Destiny might of looked like she wasn't listing to anything Jason was saying but she was. The wheels in her mind were turning, trying to make scene of everything as her eyes just watched the passing scenes.

"It feels so empty, yet...full at the same time. I do want to get out of this ditch its just...hard gluing yourself back together."

Finally looking away from the window and turning to Jason Destiny gives a little sigh though there is a little bit of surprise for what Jason had been though as well. She never would of guessed something like that had happened to him. He seemed to have gotten past it, and was doing great now. Did that mean she could too in time?

"I...don't want to be stuck in this hole forever. I just want to start life again and its hard having someone there all the time but...Maybe I can give it just a little while longer till I am feeling better I guess. Everything is just a mess inside me right now."

Things seemed so complicated almost like the last bubbles of life she had been on had poped and now she was drowning. But if she tryed to put some faith in Jason, tryed to mend her wounds with him around could she really get back up onto another bubble?

"Maybe...tomorrow can we go to my parents house? I...still don't know if I am going to sell it or not and I think sitting in the hot tub is a must at this point."

Trying to give a smile as they stop in the mall parking lot Destiny lets out another sigh her eyes still tired, and still full of emotion but she had to at least try right?

"I'll be pashent with me....if...you can be too? I know its hard to be around me right now, but just...don't you leave too.....ok?"

Not the kind of reason

Listening as he drives, Jason sighs.

I want to help her. I try to just be myself but I don't know if myself can cut it.

Jason's mind takes him back to a time that he now didn't like. At the time, he'd thought he was perfectly content. But now he'd come so far that remembering back then was just a little painful. But he pulls up the emotions anyway.

"You know... I hate that feeling. I... have felt that way, Destiny, believe it or not. There was a time I thought I could do everything on my own. I had so much pain built up inside me that I didn't want to have anything to do with anyone else. And at the same time, I... was terribly lonely."

Still thinking as he drives, Jason decides to avoid some traffic, so it would take a few extra minutes to make it to the mall. "You probably don't know that when I was just a little kid, I... was abducted and... held and... abused for about a year." He takes a right at a stop sign. "Didn't think it affected me... didn't want to believe it had. When I got older though, I started to realize that in order to survive, I needed someone to help me. Not... help me like be my therapist but just... someone to be my friend... someone I could talk to and lean on without worrying about what they thought of me. Without worrying about whether or not I was being weak."

Forced to stop at a line behind a red light, Jason steals a glance at Destiny. "Problem is... when finding someone like that, it just hurts all the more because we're forced to think about what's really hurting us. So our reaction is to pull away, and it starts this back and forth tug-o-war that leaves us exhausted until one day... we realize that surrounding ourselves with loneliness is what's hurting us the most."

Pausing, he taps his fingers on the steering wheel, making sure that his emotional stream didn't include audio... if asked later, he wanted to tell the truth that this had been a private conversation. "I'm not upset that you want to be alone, Destiny. I understand that feeling. I'm just upset that you'll let that control you and eventually, hurt you more."

The light turns green and they move again, still headed for the mall. "If you stay in the safe house for a while longer, I'll be there. If you stay and you want changes made, I'll help make it happen so you're the most comfortable. If you want to move back to your own apartment again, I can help set something up so you're still protected for a while. And if you want to move back to your own apartment with no Elite presence, then... there's nothing I can do about it."

The mall was coming up and Jason glances to Destiny once more. "I'm not just trying to keep you safe from physical harm. I care... and I want you to be okay inside, too. But you're the only one who can decide whether or not you want that."

Just a couple more turns and Justin pulls the truck into the mall parking lot and finds a space a ways from the front entrance. Shutting off the engine, he shifts in his seat a little to see Destiny more clearly. His voice becomes softer. "Just be patient with yourself... don't rush to be alone. I know you're stronger than that."


Axel grins as Jess hugs him from behind, and he just watches her as she leans against the counter and looks at him. His eyes lock with hers in a stare so mellow... so cryptic... so full of care.

The beeping microwave interrupts the silent exchange and the evening moves on with popcorn and a movie. Settling in on the couch, the movie plays and the mood is lightened by the comedy.

Two hours later though, the movie was done, but the living room was silent. Axel was stretched out with Jess half on top, half beside him, their legs a tangled mess, one of Axel's arms around her, the other hanging off the couch. He was sound asleep, his chest slowly rising and lowering with each breath, his heart thumping softly under Jess' head.


Quinn laughs at Anastasia's humor, both before leaving the cafe and when they've arrived at the Coffee Bean. She had a wit that matched the sparkle in her eye.

Following her inside and ordering just a cup of black coffee, he joins her at the table, getting comfortable as well. "I have to agree that a good cup of coffee is good for just about any occasion. And... by the way..." He glances at her hands, then back up again. "You don't have blood under your fingernails either. I kinda doubt you would have axed me."

Grinning, he takes a sip of his drink and lets the hot liquid just slide slowly down his throat. Leaning back, he eyes the shop. Five ceiling fans... four paintings on the wall... only one other customer... the lights were nice... the list of today's coffee and sandwich specials looked good. And across from him... His gaze returns to Anastasia... Was a very kind, insightful young woman who had a peace about her that seemed to beckon one's innermost feelings.

Quinn shakes his head and looks down into the almost-black liquid. "Ya know... what you said back there at the other place... about a reason for me finding myself here... It, um..." He pauses, rerouting his train of thought. "You ever been afraid of the reasons for something? Like you knew what the reason was, but it wasn't what you wanted to happen?"

He searches her eyes, knowing now that it was too late to back out. He owed her at least as brief explanation. Besides, she'd been kind to him, showed him around, took time out of her evening to talk with him... he might as well make it worthwhile. "I have a brother," he finally admits. "I haven't see him in about seven years. He was um..." There was no pretty way to put it. "He was sent to prison for raping a girl." Would Anastasia's opinion of Quinn change now? "I haven't seen him since then - thought he was still behind bars. But... I found out today that he's been out and he lives around here."

Quinn takes another sip of coffee, not really even sure why he was sharing any of this with her. But maybe he really did need to just get it off his chest. "I had no idea he was here so I was pretty shocked. Wound up giving my number to someone who will give it to him, should he want to call me but..." He shrugs. "I don't even think I want to see him, so I'm kinda hoping he doesn't call. That's... about the only reason I'm sticking around here for a day or two... because I said I would."

Staring into Anastasia's eyes, he wonders just what type of woman she really was. "It's not the kind of reason I really want to be here. I'd rather the reason be simply that I added to my collection of records. But... my gut tells me otherwise."

Hits the spot

Continuing to look at Jason for a moment Destiny lets out a sigh before turning her head again and looking out the window. Alone...did she really want to be alone? No...the answer was no. She was still scared, but she was even more scared to ask Jason to stay. Did she dare get close to him again?

"I don't want to be alone, not yet. I have the rest of my life for that. But being around people make it all hurt that much more."

Destiny does move her head as she keeps looking out the window her hands in her lap. She didn't look Jason in the eye because she didn't know what she would find. Things seemed so messed up and her emotions so crazy it was hard to sort thought them.

Giving another laugh Jess shakes her head and goes to the cupboard and pulling down two cups. Thank opening the fridge and getting the juice Jess takes them to the other room before retuning again. Slipping behind Axel Jess wraps her arms around him giving him a hug before moving to the counter and leaning against it.

"Juice is all ready, and I think you get the pick the movie today. I did last time."

Jess smiles as her arms are cross over her chest while she looked at Axel. Spending time with him was always the best, and making him feel better made her feel good. The warm fuzzy feeling was always nice and it made her feel special.

"I'm always bold, you just happened to catch me at work and I try my best to be semi decent there, and your far from a murder. There is no blood under your finger nails."

Anastasia gives a small laugh as she takes the last sip of her drink. Hearing Quinn would come with her she gives a nod. The coffee shop wasnt far from here, and it wouldn't take more than five minutes driving.

Heading out and getting into her car Anastasia waits to make sure Quinn if behind her before she pulls out. Seeing him she starts to head down the road. No more than five minutes like she had said they were at the Coffee Bean.

Getting out and waiting for Quinn to join her she give a smile and motions to the shop.

"Really we could of walked but I didn't want you to think I'd axe you in half."

Once inside and sitting at there booth with there coffee Anastasia turns sideways and brings her one leg up on the booth seat in a relaxed position but turned just enough to still see Quinn. It was nice to have someone alone to one of her favorite spots. Some people liked to go out drinking but that wasnt for her. A good cup of coffee was her high. Taking a sip she smiles.

"Now that hits the spot better than anything."

I'll follow

Jason slides in behind the steering wheel and starts the engine, listening to Destiny speak. He disagreed on just about every point, but he bites his tongue. Backing out of the driveway, he keeps his eyes on the mirrors.

"Okay."

It was all he could say without saying something argumentative. Once on the street, he aims the truck to the mall, keeping an eye on traffic and staying alert but not tense.


Grinning as Jess turns around, Axel brings her closer to him. It was rare he let himself fall into something more than soft affection, but tonight he returns the passion through his returned kiss. He lets her break it first, his grin is back as he hears her words. Her kiss to his cheek then his ear bring out a contented sigh as if he'd like to just stand here forever.

"I think... popcorn and juice is a fantastic idea." He pauses. "After once more kiss." Moving back to her again, he kisses her on the lips with passion as his arms tighten around her, cocking his head one way, then the other. Finally though, he breaks away, giving her a last teasing kiss to the neck along with a silly growl.

Releasing his hold on her, he slides over to the cupboard to grab the popcorn. "I'll microwave. You get the juice."


Dark cloud, huh? Am I that obvious?

Well, you must be. Either that, or she's psychic.

Or just insightful.

Just as dangerous.

She just wants some company is all.

Red flag, man. She wants you to talk. You don't want to talk.

Don't I?

Quinn studies Anastasia's face, mulling over her offer in his mind. He knew that it was written all over his face that something was bothering him. But it could be anything. Why did she seem to know it was something that was screaming to be let out?

"Mmm... Getting a little bold, aren't we?" he questions. "I could be some maniac killer or something with dead bodies in my trunk."

Spinning his glass around in his hand, his same faint grin returns to the corner of his mouth, making it quite obvious he was teasing. But what about the offer? She said they didn't have to talk, so he was safe if he wanted to keep his own business to himself. On the other hand, she was a perfect stranger who he'd never see again, so whatever he told her would have no future consequence. Either way, at least he wouldn't have to go back to the hotel yet.

"Alright. I enjoy a good cup of coffee. I'll follow you."