I'll do anything

Maybe Kip didn't want to digest Karla's words or take them seriously, but they did sink in. It was a strange little feeling when she said the word "love." Whether he just hadn't expected it or had a hard time believing it was unclear, but her affection didn't go unnoticed. He'd much rather stay here and continue this now, but he knew she was right about eating. The last time he went a whole day without food, he'd passed out and Twila had just about clobbered him.

Raising up on his elbow, he gives Karla a sleepy sort of smile before giving her lips a quick little kiss. "Okay, fine. But only because you insist." Backing off and sitting up, he grabs the bag of food again and noses inside this time. "Mmm... whatcha get?"

Remaining quiet while eating was easy since there was reason not to talk, and Kip takes advantage of it, even if he usually did chatter during meals. Once the food is gone though, there's not much reason to sit in silence and Kip knows it, but he'd rather not go back to their previous conversation, even if he knew Karla would make him.

With the bed cleared off and the food sack in the garbage, Kip flops onto his back, staring up at the ceiling as his toes nudge Karla's leg for no real reason. "Thank you for the food... it hit the spot."


"Breathe. Right." Susanne lifts her head while her fingers curl around Chuck's. Giving him a sheepish grin, she blushes. "You'd think I'd never been out with a man before. Oh, wait..." She smirks a little. "Fact number one about me: I don't do things like this."

Huffing a short sigh, she rolls her eyes and lets go of Chuck's hand to grab her menu again. Talk about herself? What was there to talk about? "Quite honestly, I really don't know what to say about myself," she admits as her eyes roam the meal options. "I work for the Elite. Assistant to the chief - not out working cases or anything exciting like that. I, um..." She thinks for a moment, truly at a loss. "I like flower gardening and... listening to music and..." She racks her brain and throws Chuck a worthless sort of glance. "That's about it. Oh, I do have some pet birds."

Setting her menu aside, she nods. "I'm going to be boring and have pizza. I'll get a personal size unless you want pizza too then we can split a bigger one."

Taking a sip of her water, she has to remind herself to quit chattering so much and just calm down. This was ridiculous. After another deep breath, she dares to look over at Chuck once more, finding her insides melt all over again as soon as she sees those dark eyes. "And... and what about you? Say something so I don't keep rambling and making a fool out of myself."


Ariel quirks her eyebrow at Trey's hesitance, but she doesn't give him a bad time about not wanting her to pick him up. "Well.. before we leave tonight, let's pick a place and I'll meet you there then. That will make everything so much simpler."

Grinning, she takes a step forward so her feet get wet from the lake water and she wriggles her toes in the sand. Trey's question makes her laugh and she shakes her head. "What? You don't like the night life?" She gestures around them. "This dead quiet isn't exciting enough for you?"

Still smiling, she makes sure he knows she's teasing before she gives him a real answer. "I don't do an awful lot myself, really. I mean, if you're the party type, go find Dirk and ask him - he gets around the most of any of us probably." She shrugs. "Me, I come here... go to movies sometimes... I go to concerts every now and again... I like to walk downtown and window shop or spend way too much money." She laughs. "There's a zoo a couple hours away that's a nice one. Hiking is always fun - we got some foothills where there are great trails and places to camp. Um..."

Turning to Trey, she shrugs again. "There are bars and nightclubs too but I'm not usually around that scene. Although I do get a kick out of our karaoke cafe sometimes."

Bending down, Ariel rolls up the legs of her jeans up to her knees and steps further into the water. Throwing a smile over her shoulder, she quirks a challenging eyebrow at Trey. "Can't enjoy the water if you don't get your feet wet."


Mornings always seemed to be the longest part of the day. Today was no different. But, like every other day, Dylan gets himself up, quietly slips himself a small breakfast while avoiding the others who might be gathering to eat, and takes a half cup of coffee to drink on his way to the barn. His timing was always the same - right after Sparky opens up the barn, but before Mick arrives. That way, he couldn't get blamed if anything was amiss since he wasn't the one opening up, but he wouldn't get in trouble for laziness either since he would arrive before his dad. It was always the same...

"...Dylan?"

Tossing another hay bale aside, Dylan stops at the sound of his father's voice. Turning around, he eyes him cautiously. Half the morning was over - a little chat was not the norm. "Yeah?"

Mick takes his gloves off, pausing his own work to talk to him. "Just wanted to make sure you remembered school on Monday. Jeff said he'd drive you for now."

Dylan swallows hard. He remembered. He could buck it, but there were already issues since he wasn't starting the school year when he should have. Whether he showed it or not, he was grateful his dad had worked it out with the school system so he didn't have to start when everybody else did. Of course, the reasoning was the trouble he'd been in, but still, it had postponed everything at least. Unfortunately, late or not, Dylan did not want to go. He was afraid to go, and for good reason in his mind. But no one would understand why - nobody but Dan anyway. "Can't I drop out?" he asks, his eyes falling to the dirt floor. "I'll get my GED... I'll do anything. Just... why do I have to go?"

Mick sighs and sets his hands on his hips. "We've been through this, Dylan," he reminds calmly. They'd already gone around and around about this twice with the same begging and alternatives from Dylan. "You know the deal."

"But I'll work," Dylan pleads, hoping that this time maybe his father would listen. He finally raises his eyes to beg Mick. "I'll do more than I am now even. I'll study at home. Anything."

Mick shakes his head, not understanding. "What is it with you anyway? This is the third time you've tried to get out of this. I know you don't like school, but come on - it's not like it's something new, and you know the reasons. Your mother and I both agreed to put you back in school to ensure you graduate in two years."

Dylan bites his lip. "Please," he begs one more time.

"Why?"

"I just... it's complicated."

"Well then I'm sorry, my decision stands."

"But please, Dad! You don't understand."

"All I understand is that you're acting like a spoiled kid that just doesn't want to do the work of studying and going to school like everybody else has to." Mick looks at him sternly, but keeps his volume low. "Now if you can't give me a good enough reason to let you drop out, then I'm sorry. If you want to live here, you have to go to school. It's a good school and I know you'll make new friends in no time."

"Can't you just...." Dylan knows it's no use, so he stops mid-sentence, not even bothering to finish as he shrugs lamely. He was done for. "I'll be ready."

"Thank you."

Left alone again, Dylan flops down on a hay bale and groans. The nightmare would come again, he just knew it. There had to be a way to convince his dad to let him drop out. There just had to be. Suddenly, a thought strikes him and he sits up straight. There was one person that could get his dad to do anything.

Looking around to make sure he wasn't needed at the moment, he slips out of the barn and heads for the main office. Sneaking a glance in the window, he sees Rosetta at the desk inside. Skipping up the porch steps, he knocks once then enters slowly. "Rosetta?" Making sure she saw him and was okay with him there, he approaches the desk and bypasses the chair to kneels down in front and rest his elbows on top. Staring up at her across the desk, his eyes hold a desperate look. "You've got to get my dad to let me stay out of school. Please. I'll do anything."

Breath

Walking hand in hand inside Mom and Pop's with Susanne Chuck wore a smile on his lips as his eyes were lite. One might thing he was a good actor, but someone who new him well enough would know the look on his face was the real thing and he was happy to be here with Susanne.

Sitting down and getting comfortable Chuck gives a smile and nod to Susanne as she comments on going into the bathroom. He though she looked perfect, but he understood how women like to clean up when they could too. He'd lived with Anastasia long enough to have leaned that one quickly.

Once she was back Chuck straightens a little and gives a smile to her. Taking his own menu and looking at it he scans everything. It all looked so good, and it was so rare he went out to eat he wasn't sure what he wanted.

Hearing the male voice Chuck looks up and gives a smile to Carson along with a little nod of hello. He'd never been here before, but so far it looked good, and everyone seemed friendly.

"I'm well, thank you."

Looking over at Susanne as she fumbles over her words on the introductions Chuck does his best not to laugh though his eyes do twinkle. He though Susanne was very cute trying to explain everything and fumbling. It really was like high school again and it made him feel young again.

"The Elite huh? Well its good to meet you Carson."

Once Carson was gone Chuck looks over at Susanne and gives a little shake of his head a little. He wasn't upset with Susanne, or laughing at her. He only though she was so cute he couldn't help it. Reaching his hand across the table Chuck cocks his head a little bit to catch Susanne's eye.

"You don't have to keep saying sorry. Take a deep breath, and just relax, act like your with one of your friends. Tell me about yourself, ask me questions but rule number one is breath and keep breathing."

Looking back into Kip's eyes as his thumbs ran over his cheeks Karla could still see the far away look and it pained her heart. He really was the glue that held her together she just didn't know how else to tell him.

"You are good enough still, and you are the glue if for no one else you are for me."

Being pushed back on the bed and having Kip just cuddle in next to her Karla smiles a little and wraps her arms around him. She could tell he was hurting and beating himself up and she hated it. If she could take away his pain she would do it in a heart beat.

"Your not like the others because than I wouldn't love you. Your prefect the way you are for me and I love everything about you. It's you I love not them."

Feeling the kiss to her cheek Karla can't help the chuckle that escaped her lips than feeling his kiss move down to her next what sounded almost like a hum escaped as her arms tightened around him a little more. Hearing his stomach growl again though Karla finally laughs a little. She couldn't help that it was a tad bit funny.

"My goodness Kip, you can't go all day without eating. Sit up and get something in that stomach before it starts eating itself. Maybe after we can pick up where we left off here."

Karla hadn't forgotten the conversation but for now she would let it lay a little bit and than bring it up again. She wasn't ready to let Kip get away that easy.

Turning a little as Ariel comes along next to him Trey study her in the moonlight for a moment. She was pretty, her features were fine, and not face. She was different from most women he'd met, and she was pretty in a different way. Maybe because she was real and not covered up.

"Well...I if you give me your number I can see about borrowing a car, and if I don't call than we can just meet somewhere."

Why he wasn't taking the ride he didn't know. Maybe it was the fact she would be picking him or, or maybe because of where he did stay. Either way he'd rather pick her up or meet here some where.

"What kind of food do you like? I've always been parsheal to Mexican but I guess...thats a given. I'm up for anything though really. So I can let you choose. I am sure you know whats good around here and whats not."

Looking back out across the water and than up at the sky the stars twinkle. A sick feeling seemed for form in Trey's stomach. He'd never been away from home for this long before, and now that he was...he missed his parents, his dog, he missed a lot of things. Feeling still for those feelings though he shakes his head a little.

"So, what other fun stuff is there around here to do? Like...in the day light?"