Introductions

"...So I thought I'd go see her and tell her about Trey."

Reese nods thoughtfully at Jason as they sit in his office the next day. "I know you want your mother to know, and so do I, but do you think-"

"I don't want to wait." Jason had thought about it all night - he needed to tell her. It was only right.

Reese sighs and studies Jason for a moment. "You shouldn't even be here today."

"I'm fine."

"You don't look-"

"I feel fine." Jason rolls his eyes. Yeah, he was tired, and yeah he kinda got dizzy every now and then, but he needed to come back to work. He couldn't stay cooped up another day. "You're changing the subject."

"I guess I am." Reese folds his hands and finally shrugs. "And I guess I can't tell you what to do with your own mother. Just don't spread the word yet around here - for Trey's sake. Okay?"

"Okay."

"You've got your time off - how ever long you need. Katie going with you?"

"Don't know. Haven't talked to her about it yet."

Reese chuckles. "That's a first."

Jason finally grins a little as he stands up. "I'll be in my office if you need me."


Eric slings his arm around Dana and smiles before giving her a quick kiss as they wait at the front door.

She leans into him, but question fills her gaze. "Do you think they'll respond better than the others?"

"I think so." He nods his assurance. "Katie's a sweetheart and Jeff and Trent, well, they get along with most everyb0-" He cuts his sentence short as the door is opened by Ryder. "Hi."

Ryder smiles and opens the door wider. "G'day. I heard you were coming. Come on in."

Stepping into the house, Dana leans closer to Eric, whispering to him. "You didn't tell me he was from Australia. What an adorable accent."

Catching her not-so-quiet comment, Ryder stares at the door for a moment before he shakes his head and closes it. He'd let that one slide.

Walking into the living room hand-in-hand, Eric spots Katie first and gives her a big smile and wave. "Hey, Katie!"

Jeff and Trent both get up from their seats on the couch to greet the newcomers. "Eric. Glad you made it."

"Yeah. It's an easy trip." Quiet for a slightly awkward moment, the tug on his hand reminds him about introductions. "Oh, everybody, I'd like you to meet my... fiancé... Dana."

She smiles broadly and hugs his arm, giggling a little. "I love it when he says that."

Eric grins, his cheeks growing warm and he clears his throat. "Um... yeah, so that's Katie and Ryder and Jeff and Trent." He points each one of them out.

Dana cocks her head and finds Thirteen standing closely to Ryder. "And who is that?"

"Oh yes. That's Jasmine. Trent's daughter."

"Ah yes. Your other niece. The one that-"

"Yes. She lives here with Katie and Ryder lives upstairs."

"I see." Dana smiles again. "Well... this is rather exciting, isn't it?"

Trent and Jeff exchange uneasy glances, even though they politely return smiles. Neither had missed her uptown clothes, high-heels and makeup. Her hair looked just about perfect, as did her painted nails. But looks weren't everything right? It was the inside that counted and Eric surely had found a sweet woman... right?

A queer sort of silence ensues as no one really knows what to do next. Ryder looks to Katie, not knowing if she preferred to take the lead or if she wanted him to.


Though Carson's eyes roam the table instead of Herb's face, his ears and mind are open, listening and processing. Love... was it true? Was that really what Mackenzie was feeling? Was that really what was torturing his own heart? It seemed to be an awfully strong word.

Would she still contact him again? Come looking for him? Write to him?

"I don't even know why it bothers me," he thinks aloud. After taking a sip of his coffee, he sighs wearily. "She's just another kid... never should have come to be in the first place. I don't know her from the next kid on the block. She's got a good family now. I got a life I like the way it is. I'm in no position to do anything as far as she goes. I have nothing in common with her. And the times we have seen each other, it's been a mess." He shrugs. "So why does it bother me when I have to say goodbye?"


Alec turns around to smirk at Ryan. "Cute." He rolls his eyes. "Stop me next time before I get to that point or I'll ruin my reputation."

Returning the lemonade to the fridge, his face is hidden for a moment. And in that moment, perhaps his eyes reveal that he really wasn't all that annoyed. "At any rate, I don't even know what Mackenzie's doing in town. Carson wasn't expecting her, that's for sure. Last time she showed up, she'd run away from an orphanage or something and got him in a heap of trouble - he didn't even know she existed before that." A snicker slips out. "I can just imagine the look on his face."

He didn't know all the details about that situation, but he knew enough. He couldn't help but be curious now. Was Carson going to get in trouble again? Had Mackenzie run away again? Would she end up sticking around this time? Was there a chance Carson would keep her? Did she have another family now? She hadn't looked all that good - was she being taken care of? It was none of Alec's business, but he was definitely curious.

Just about to turn around when Ryan takes him from behind, he smiles and takes her hands, looking over his shoulder at her. "Oooh, sexy, huh?" He gives a playful growl. "I can still play a bad guy if you want," he teases.

Shifting around to face her, he slings his arms over her shoulders and sways back and forth a little. Leaning his head own, he gives her a lingering kiss, softer this time. "I think I rather like being the good guy though," he muses quietly.

Letting her go, he ambles back to the living room to find his boots and put them on, lacing them up as he sat on the edge of the bed. "I'll follow you to supper in my bike. I got a stop to make before the races, so we can split up after we eat and I'll meet you there before it starts."


Justin stops his pacing and grins a little, even though Beth couldn't see it. He really did need to shut up, so he resists babbling any more.

"I... don't think I need anything around here. Nothing that can't wait anyway. I'm planning on being well enough by tomorrow that I'll have the energy to run some errands. And if I'm not... things will just have to wait another day."

Wandering to the window, he looks out to see the dogs playing. "So I guess I'll see you later then."


"Mm, kinda." Mick replays his conversation with Reese in his mind. "He seemed to have someone in mind, but he didn't say who. Asked if I cared if it was a female agent, so I'm guessing whoever it is is a woman." He shrugs. "Guess we'll just have to wait and see what he comes up with. In the meantime..." He stands up from the desk. "I want to tell Dylan - it's only fair he knows it was the Agency and that we'll have someone here to keep an eye out."