Suprise Visit

Once Susanne was gone Chuck lets out a breath of air and turn around leaning against the counter. Watching the door where Susanne had left Chuck just stood lost in through for a long moment his mind just wondering. Finally snapping out of it though Chuck let out a sigh and before turning around starting the search for the CD.

...Getting back to the shop and giving Quinn a kiss on the cheek Anastasia gives a wave as he drives away. They had made plans to meet later for dinner and Anastasia would show Quinn where he apartment place was she was talking about.

Giving a smile and letting out a long sigh Anastasia heads back inside the little bell on the door tingling on the way in. Looking around for her Uncle to let him know she was back Anastasia didn't see him finding it a bit strange.

"Uncle Chuck, I'm back."

Popping his head up from the far far corner of the room. Seeing his neice was back a small smile forms on his face thought his eyes still held he was thinking about much.

"Hey Ana, I thought you would be gone with your friend a little while longer."

Going back down and rummaging around more Chuck talked to himself a little as he was searching. He had checked the inventory log and it said they had one copy in but now came trying to find where it was at.

"You haven't seen the Jackson Turner cd laying around have you? I know we have it but where I am not sure."

Looking across the room at her Uncle Anastasia cocks her head a little bit. Something seemed different, he was himself but there was just something about how he was acting that seemed odd. Going to the counter and putting her stuff behind it Anastasia walks over to where her Uncle was and looks over the counter at him.

"You mean this one here?"

Reaching down to the shelf she was leaning on she holds it up to Chuck with a little giggle. He must be far away if the cd had been right there and yet he'd missed it.

Looking up at his niece Chuck rolls his eyes and stands up again taking the cd from her. Turning it over to look at the back of it his gives a laugh again before heading to the counter. Pulling Susanne's number from his pocket and putting it on the counter.

Cocking her head and taking a look at it Anastasia can't help but wonder if this was why her Uncle was in a funny mood.

"Who's number is this?"

"A woman who came into the shop looking for this cd."

"Was she pretty?"

"Extremely!"

"Did you ask her out?"

"Yes."

"Did she say yes?"

"No, but than she said yes only to show her friends she could get a hot looking guy for a date."

Letting her train of though come to a halt for a moment. She'd only been joking around but seeing the flicker in her Uncle's eyes she could tell he was not.

"So...your going out tonight than?"

"No, I'm not there is no one to close the shop."

"You know I can do it. Why would you say no when your the one who asked her to go out?"

"You have plans tonight Ana, I don't want to mess them up even if I don't think it safe. Anyways she would only be going to dinner with me because she wasn't to prove something not because she wants to try to get to know each other."

Raising an eyebrow again and leaning against the counter Anastasia looks at her Uncle and just blinks. What she really wanted to do was slap him over the back of the head, but she didn't.

"Sooo...maybe something more would come out of it. Your always telling me to watch myself and who I go out with but Quinn is a great guy and God has a plan. If I never took that first step than I wouldn't have known him. Maybe now you need to forget the rules a little and just go for it. No matter what your gonna have a nice time with a hot lady."

Tapping his fingers on the counter he looks down at the cd for a moment. When Susanne had walked into the shop this afternoon he had a strange pull to her. It was odd and not like something he'd felt before. Was it a higher power that had been at work? Was God setting up a plan for his own life.

Reaching across the counter and brushing a peace of hair from his neices face he gives a smile and than a small shake of his head. It was almost like yesterday he was still changing her diapers and now she was so grown up.

"Your to smart for your own good sometimes. I know I shouldn't worry about you but I do."

Giving a sigh and bringing his hand down again he takes his cell phone along with the peace of paper and slips it into his pocket again.

"You'll close the shop for me? It won't mess up your plans?"

"No it won't now go before you miss out."

Giving a smile and Anastasia's nose a tap Chuck grabs the cd and heads out of the shop before coming back in and to the back grabbing his nieces helmet.

It didn't take long to get to TJY Chuck has passed the building before and new how to get there. Not sure if there was security or not he was happy to find out he could walk right in. Heading down the steps he could only guess where he was going but making it through one more door and seeing all the cubicles he now was lost as he glanced around but did not see Susanne.

Ignoring the looks he was getting Chuck walks forward and catchs sight of Susanne finally in one of the room. He didn't know if that was her office or not and the last thing he wanted was to barge into someone elses. A crocked grin forms as he waits from someone to answer on the other line. Hearing Susanne's voice his own trys to stay calm as he talks.

"Hi Susanne its Chuck from Disc O Round. Listen I found the CD for you and I changed my mind about dinner. I'd like to go after all. But I do have only one question now. What office room is yours?"

As her own phone goes off again Karla reads the message and can feel a pang inside. Sure he wasn't feeling good but it was strange for him to still not want food. Continuing her way to the coffee shop she just shakes her head a little bit. Maybe after coffee and her own breakfast she would go over and see how Kip was. Right now all it seemed like he wanted was space and she didn't want to crowd him.

Beth gives a sleepy smile as she stands and gives her own little stretch she still felt bad she had left Justin here all night but on the same she felt so rested, and just good.

"Its down the hall there and to the right. There are fresh towels in the cabinet in there if you want to take a shower."

Watching him as he walked down the hall Beth sank down onto the couch again. It felt strange waking to someone in her house and her heart was racing. Only now willing to pay attachen to it. Beth wasn't sure if it was an excitement, the joy of having someone who cared or if it was the fear of bringing someone close.

Choosing to believe it was the first on Beth tryed to push the fear away. She was trying to get her lift back, starting to move on she couldn't let the fear dampen that.

Standing again and going into the kitchen Beth pulls the coffee pot out and starts some coffee. She new Justin would have to get going, and she had to get up to the hospital to see Sarah but maybe they both could at least have a cup of coffee for the road.

Finishing with the meal balls Misty puts them into the oven to cook part of the way before turning around and coming back to the counter where Alec was looking at the paper. Giving a smile hearing his comment she nods a little bit.

"He did write those. Mr big and bad has a soft spot. From the moment I met him he started to say poems to me. Even if your from the wrong side of time there is still good inside, and a desire for something more."

Taking a bread knife and than the loaf of bread Misty cuts the bead up. Silent for a moment before looking up at Alec again.

"How are things with you are your girl going?"

Sitting next to the bed Sapphire had been dozing in and out. The days seemed long, and the nights seemed short. Just waiting for Gage to wake, work was missed, and she new Reese wasn't happy but she really didn't care. Gage meant the world to her being by his side just felt right.

Hearing a faint voice Sapphire thought maybe she was dreaming but hearing it again her head snaps up and she stands looking at Gage. Her smile spreads across her face and tears formed in her eyes. Her head raced.

Leaning down to give Gage a kiss on the head Sapphire sits next to him on the bed. She new Dr. would be in soon to check on him so she wanted to get in what she could now.

"Oh Gage...you were taking pills to keep yourself away and your body shut down and you went into a coma. The Dr's weren't sure you would wake up at all and I was so worried for you."

Sapphire couldn't help the tears that streamed from her eyes. She had been so worried and now she was so happy to see Gage awake again. If she lost him she didn't know what she would of done. He meant the world to her.

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?"