One minute

Susanne keeps her back turned, not really sure how to respond. She can't help a little laugh, muffled by her hand at Chuck's comment of kicking his butt. Sniffing and turning around, she looks at him again, even more sheepish than before. "Oh, Chuck..."

She shakes her head and takes a step forward to pick up the CD and look at it. Wiping her eyes with her sleeve, she sniffs again. "I don't know how a woman could ever think badly of you. You are... Prince Charming... in a leather jacket."

Laughing at herself, she the sighs and looks up at him once more. "I just told you over the phone that it was over. I don't understand why you don't give up. You're even more stubborn than my boss."

Taking a couple more steps forward, she nears Chuck until she's just a foot or two away. Her heart was pounding so loudly she figured he could hear it, and her face was so hot, she figured it might burn up right there. His words about this being her own decision and letting others choose for her, hit harder than she thought it might. She wanted so badly to go with him... was it really that bad of a decision? She could tell him no over the phone, but not to his face. I just didn't seem possible.

"I... I'll... I..." Her eyes drop as her heart and mind battled it out. "I'd love to go with you," she admits softly. There. She'd said it. But there was one more thing.

"But... but wait just one minute." Moving to her phone, she dials a number, putting it on speaker phone. If Chuck heard the entire call, he might understand a little more why she'd been so hesitant this past week.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Darlene, it's me."

"Sue! Hi. What's up?"

Susanne crosses her arms. "I just wanted to tell you a little something. You see, Chuck is here, asking me out on a date tonight."

"Oh, Sue... what did you tell him?"

"Well, remember all those things you told me? About how he was probably no good? How he was probably just after one thing?"

"Of course. He'll still break your heart, you know that."

Susanne sighs. Though there was a part of her that still wanted to listen... it was time she lived. "Right. And you remember everything - all the little warnings and advice during our last couple calls?"

"Well, yes."

Susanne nods. "Could you do me a little favor?"

"Um... sure, I think. What is it?"

"Take everything you can remember about that... and stick it all in your ear."

"Wha-"

Susanne hangs up on the call, cutting off Darlene mid-word. She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, looking back over to Chuck. "Well now... I feel better." She manages an embarrassed kind of smile. "We can go now... if... if you really... really mean it."

Looking back up at him, she tries to believe him, she really does. "And I'll try to be more civil with you. I'm... I'm sorry for the way I've acted."


Alec doesn't answer Ryan for a long time. He felt rather silly to let the whole thing bother him. He really did need to forget about it. What had happened to him that he'd let something like this get to him anyway?

He sighs and kisses Ryan's cheek, tightening his arms around her just a little more. "Carson threw me out of the restaurant today. I just had a delivery for him and I needed some lunch. But his daughter was there again... Mackenzie."

His eyes squint at the sun reflecting off the lake water. It had been a strange stirring in his heart when he'd seen his niece again. It was something he didn't recognize, but it somehow made him feel weak.

"He didn't want me around 'his family.' So... I guess I just need to forget about it. I guess being a half brother isn't a brother at all."


As the door opens and Katie enters, greeted by the others, Dylan looks up from his book. Everyone around here liked her. He couldn't think of anyone ever saying anything bad about her. It was a little strange, thinking of her as his cousin. But he supposed she was, even if it wasn't by blood. He wondered what it must feel like, being liked by everyone here and missed when she was gone. They might be cousins by marriage but they might as well be strangers. Going back to his quiet supper and schoolwork, he lets the activity go on around him.


Seeing Katie, Mick smiles warmly, especially when he sees how excited BJ is. The boy loved his family and Mick liked it that way. He might not have a "normal" home setting, but he was surrounded by love and that's what Mick wanted for him. He throws Katie a wink and a wave, glad to see her too. She'd grown into a sweet young woman who was welcome here any time.


"Katie!" Jeff stands from a nearby table, his smile a wide one. He didn't know why she was here, and he and Trent had seen her several days ago, but it didn't matter - he was always glad to see her. A surprise visit was the best.


Jason drives down the lonely little lane, away from the ranch and around the bend. As the familiar house comes into view, he felt a strange little pang in his heart. Even though he hadn't grown up here, it did feel like home. And even though he wasn't a hundred percent comfortable with Wes being his stepfather, without him here would seem rather strange. Parking in the driveway and walking up to the door, he knocks, hearing soft footsteps inside. He hoped he hadn't come at a bad time, and that his mom would be okay with a surprise visit like this.

Cindy takes one last glance in the living room to make sure Kaylee was staying put with her blocks, before she hurries to the door. Odd. It was rare anyone stopped by this far out, and usually anyone from the ranch called first.

Opening the door and realizing who it was, her face immediately breaks into a huge smile. "Jason!" Reaching out, she doesn't even stop to think before taking him into a hug.

Jason grins and returns the hug, giving her an extra tight squeeze and even a kiss to the top of her head. "Hi, Mom."

She draws back, still beaming. "What are you doing here? Why didn't you call?" Searching his eyes for a moment, her smile fades just a little. "Is anything wrong?"

"I..." Jason forces himself to keep smiling as he takes her hands. "I wanted to surprise you. Had some vacation time built up so... here I am."

"Well come in, come in." Cindy backs off so Jason can come in with his duffel bag.

"Ja!!!"

Jason glances down just in time to catch Kaylee who had tried running but had wound up falling headlong towards his legs instead. Sweeping her up into the air, Jason spins her around. "Kaylee! My goodness, you're getting heavy."

Kaylee giggles and squeals, hanging on for dear life as she's swung around.

Jason laughs at her reaction. "Something tells me you're used to this. I bet Daddy swings you around, doesn't he?"

Kaylee giggles again and points to the living room. "Daddy!"

Jason quirks an eyebrow. "In the living room?"

Cindy grins and shakes her head. "No, but a picture of him is. She drags that thing all over the house. I finally had to have a copy made and I put it in a cheap frame so she could bang into things and drool on it all she wanted."

Jason chuckles and goes to set Kaylee down but she shrieks and clings to his arms. "No!"

Surprised, Jason lets her stay. "Well okay then."

"I think she missed you." Cindy sets a loving hand on his arm. "So have I."

"I've missed you guys too." Jason sighs deeply, doing his best to keep a lid on some of his emotions for Katie's sake. This was his rollercoaster ride - he didn't want her to have to deal with it all at once like he was, especially when he knew she was back at the ranch trying to have a good time.

It wasn't until after supper and Kaylee was put down for the night that Jason and Cindy really had a chance to talk. Sitting in the living room though, silence seemed to have more of a presence than planned.

Cindy takes a sip of her hot tea and cocks her head, studying her son's faraway look. "What's wrong, Jase?"

Jason looks to her quickly, offering a wry grin. "That obvious?"

"You kidding? I'm your mother. It doesn't have to be obvious."

Jason chuckles softly and leans back in the corner of the couch, just watching his mother at the other end for several moments. He was glad they'd always stayed close. Even after his abduction when he'd been distant, somehow they'd managed to keep a close relationship. "I guess I'm just trying to figure out how to tell you what I came to say and I just don't know how."

Cindy tries not to become too worried, but it wasn't easy. Her fingers tighten a little around her cup of tea. "Are you okay? Are you sick?"

"No... no, it's nothing like that."

"Well, Rick said you hadn't been doing well with your-"

"Rick?"

Cindy nods slowly, giving him a look of love. "He's called me a few times to let me know how you are. He admitted he's been a little worried about you and some of the bouts you've had lately."

"Oh." At this point, that really seemed a trite subject. It might normally have upset Jason to know that Rick was telling his mother these things, but tonight it just didn't seem important enough to get upset. "Well, no... it's not about me... directly anyway."

Cindy waits but after several long moments, she prompts him. "So what is it, Hun? You know you can tell me anything." She wasn't used to him having a hard time talking to her. It wasn't like him at all. "Is it Katie? Something about the two of you?"

"No." Jason almost laughs. "We're really good, actually. Closer than ever."

"I'm glad to hear that." She smiles. "I always liked Katie."

"Mm-hmm." Jason pulls his knees up on the couch as he sits sideways, and folds his hands, still trying to figure out how to say things.

"Come on, Jason... just say whatever it is. I'm ready."

She wasn't. She couldn't be, and Jason knew it. No one could ever be ready for something like this. He had to tell her though. It was only right. He bites his lip and looks her in the eye, finally giving in, while at the same time, ensuring this conversation was private as far as his emotions went. "There's a guy at TJY right now... he's Angelica's cousin... well, adopted cousin, from Mexico now, though he was born in the US. He um... well, his adoptive family is involved with drug dealing. They got scared for his life so they sent him to Nevada. TJY agreed to keep him in custody for a while until things blew over or whatever."

Cindy listened, but her brow was furrowed, confused as to what any of this had to do with her.

Jason goes on. "Rick was... filing blood samples or something and... saw something odd in Trey's blood. Something... familiar. So he and Misty did some more tests and..." How could he even say it? His emotions started to bubble again, and his palm began to burn. Clenching his fist shut, he closes his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. He couldn't have an episode... not here, not now.

Cindy watches her son with new worry and she sets her tea aside, reaching over to lay a hand on his. "It's okay." At this point, she was already fearing the worst, though she couldn't imagine what it was. "You can tell me whatever it is."

How? Jason swallows hard and opens his eyes again. "Do you... remember when I was born?"

Taken completely by surprise, Cindy blinks and sits back in her corner again. "Well... as much as I can, yes. I mean, I remember the experience. Why?"

"Do you remember there being anything odd? Anything like something you weren't being told or... or anything like that?"

"I... don't think so." Cindy shakes her head. "I was in labor for several hours... they put me under... when I woke up, there you were." She blinks again. "I don't understand."

"Neither do I." Jason sighs. "But the only logical answer right now is the Agency. No answers to why yet, but it's the only thing we can come up with."

"The Agency? You being born? A guy from Mexico?" Cindy tries not to seem too confused, but she was. "Can we start over?"

Jason shakes his head. Moving closer to her, he takes both her hands in his and bravely returns his gaze to her eyes. "The blood test that Rick and Misty did..." His breath seems to catch in his throat and a silent prayer is uttered in his mind. "It... it proved that Trey... that Trey and I... we're... we're twins."

Cindy's heart leaps into her throat and for several moments she forgets to breathe. Her eyes are as wide as saucers as her face begins to pale. She could barely feel Jason's hands on hers. If it were anyone else, under any other circumstances, she would have laughed and called them crazy. But she knew Jason too well for that. "How?" she whispers. "What... I... I don't understand. That's impossible."

"We think the Agency abducted Trey at the hospital when we were born. Maybe all it was was their adoption racket - he did get adopted to that family in Mexico. I was just... the lucky one that got to stay with you."

"Twins?" Cindy retrieves one of her hands and puts it to her forehead. She felt quite dizzy all of a sudden.

"Mom... Mom?" Jason moves closer only to see Cindy's eyes roll back in her head. Scooting off the couch and kneeling in front of her, he rubs her hands, still talking to her. "It's okay... you're okay, I'm okay... can you hear me?" Tears form in his eyes as his emotions churn even more. Realizing his palm was against her skin, he jerks back quickly before he injures her. Frustrated and angry, he goes to the kitchen to retrieve a cool cloth, returning to see her already coming to. He puts the cloth to her forehead anyway and makes her sit still for several moments.

Cindy would have felt quite foolish, had she still not been in shock. "I... I don't know what to say."

"Neither do I."

"Twins..." She shakes her head numbly and waits for Jason to remove the cool cloth. "I..."

Feeling utterly helpless, Jason sits on the couch with her again, his face revealing all of his worry and heartache. "I'm sorry... I wish there was an easier way to say it."

"No... no it's not your fault. I just... I never would have..." She'd been carrying twins all those months? All those months she'd read stories and hummed to her unborn child... she'd really been carrying two? And when she'd held Jason in the hospital and looked at him for the very first time... there had been another? Then a thought strikes her and her eyes widen even more. "Does Derek know?"

"We don't know, but we doubt it." Jason purses his lips. "We don't think anybody knew."

"Then how did the Agency know? I mean, I never had one doctor's visit... how did they know?"

Jason tries to keep his tears at bay. The anguish on his mother's face was enough to tear his heart out. "Maybe they would have just taken me if I'd been the only one."

That thought alone sent a tear trickling down Cindy's face. To think of life without Jason... It had been bad enough when he'd been taken from her as a boy, lost for a year... but to think of never seeing him grow up at all... She sniffs as another tear emerges. "Is he... Trey... I mean... what kind of a man is he?"

Jason sighs. He didn't like Trey at all. His attitude stunk, and he'd been running with drug dealers all his life. What kind of a man did that make him? "He's... a little rough around the edges."

Cindy can tell that Jason is making it sound better than perhaps it really was. As more tears come, she reaches behind her for a tissue. But dabbing her eyes didn't do much good. Just crying for several moments, she finally sniffs and looks back to Jason again. "Does he know?"

"Yes and no. Pete told him they found his birth mother and a brother but... he didn't want to know any more than that."

Cindy nods. "I suppose I wouldn't either. If I knew I had a brother who had a better life than me, I'd probably wind up bitter, too."

Jason quirks an eyebrow. He hadn't really thought of it that way before. A new respect for his mother was growing. She took no offense at Trey not wanting to know who she was - Jason would have though she'd be upset over that. "Yeah... I guess so."

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Cindy dabs her eyes again. "Well... this is all... rather exciting." Feeling a bit foolish, she manages a laugh to which Jason laughs too. "I just um... I don't know what to do now. I can't believe the Agency had their claws in so early... leaving me with only half of what was mine." She grits her teeth in anger. "Someday, Jason... someday they will pay."

"I know." Jason reaches out and takes her hand once again. "They will."

Cindy takes another few moments of quiet, trying to settle her nerves. What could she do now? She had another son. It was almost too much to believe. What did he look like? What did he sound like? Had he been taken care of as a child? Was he happy? Was he safe? Leaning back in the couch, she sighs. "Does he look like you?"

"A little. We're not identical though." Thank goodness for that. Jason inwardly rolls his eyes. It was bad enough knowing Trey was his brother - at least he didn't have to walk around looking like him too.

"You know I can't just... just ignore all of this, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"I can't just ignore my other son. Now that I know he exists... it wouldn't be right, would it?"

Jason can feel a new sort of emotion starting to rise. Poor Katie was probably going mad, feeling just bits and pieces without him allowing the whole situation to be clear. He tucks a little bit of the emotions away still not allowing her to receive a full dose. He knew she'd understand.

Thinking about his mother's question, he shrugs. "I don't know."

"Well, that's what Derek did to you, wasn't it?"

Jason cringes a little. Yeah, he remembered the hurt and anger he'd felt, learning the truth that his father had known of his existence yet had never tried to contact him. It hadn't been a good feeling. But Trey was different! He was cold-blooded and cocky without respect for anyone. Maybe getting knocked down a peg or two was what he needed, not a hug from his mommy.

Glancing up, Jason meets Cindy's eyes that make him feel guilty for his thoughts. "I got what you're saying."

Cindy nods, but lets that thought be for now. She wasn't even sure what she intended to do. "Thank you... for telling me, Jason. I know this probably isn't easy for you."

"It's... a bit hard," he admits. "But I guess me finding out I have a brother can't be worse than you finding out you have another son."

"Hey." Cindy takes his hand. "You can't just ignore how you feel."

"Oh trust me." Jason rolls his eyes. "I can't ignore my feelings."

Cindy chuckles. "I guess you're right. But what I mean is, just because you view my time tougher than yours, doesn't mean your own feelings aren't valid. Yes, this is hard for me and I'm gonna be in shock for a while. But it's hard for you too. Just promise me you'll take time to work through things too, okay?"

"I will," he promises. "I will."

By the time Jason went to bed, it was quite late. He fiddled with one of his guitars for a little while, softly strumming and unknowingly putting Kaylee to sleep down the hall. It helped calm his nerves a little bit too, but not enough to sleep well. Later as he lay awake in bed, he stares up at the ceiling, watching the shadows of tree branches dancing on the ceiling, cast in front of the moonlight.

He couldn't tell if Katie was still up or not. She might have been tired enough to hit the sack, or she could have stayed up late with the others. If she was asleep, he didn't want to wake her. And if she was up with the others, he didn't want to bother her.

So instead of sending her a clear message, he simply sends along some warm, loving emotions - his way of saying goodnight. And rolling onto his side, he tried to get some sleep, despite how uncomfortable his negative emotions were.


"Thanks for coming in, Stacy." Chief Brown leans forward on his desk, fiddling with a pen in his hands. "Have a seat." He gestures for his officer to sit in one of the empty chairs on the other side of his desk.

"You may or may not know that I have been keeping my eye on personnel files of various officers for the possibility of nomination for the Elite. Obviously, the need only the best anyone has to offer as they often times deal with cases where the utmost skill is required. You also may or may not know that your file is one that I've been watching closely."

He reaches for some papers and lets his eyes scan them again. "You've had high marks ever since the Academy. You've done very well on cases you've been involved with, as well as serving with good judgment on the streets." A little grin sneaks out. "I see that you've also gained the highest number of tickets on the highway than many of our other officers."

Setting the papers aside again, he takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "But I haven't called you in here only for a pat on the back. I have an offer for you. It's unique, and I am not going to pressure you one way or the other - I'm going to leave it completely up to you."

He pauses again, thinking as he studies her. "Your name is, in fact, on a short list that I did send to the Elite for recommendations. They've been undergoing a lot of adjustments lately and are still dealing with a flux of workload and agents and therefore have not yet taken advantage of adding to their team. However, a recent situation came up that caught Chief Reese's attention. There is... a ranch... in Texas."

Brown reaches to the other side of him for a file on the R/M Ranch and hands it over for Stacy to see. "It's your run-of-the-mill horse ranch, but on top of that, it's a ranch for those in need, or troubled individuals in need of guidance. It's run by a family - well, two families, actually, combined by marriage and by common ground. The heads of the families have battled with the Agency for almost as long as they can remember - you may or may not be familiar with the tactics and brutality of the Agency, for which the Elite was started in the first place."

He leans back in his chair, taking a moment to straighten out his thoughts. "Reese has told me that while there have been no direct attacks to the ranch for quite a while, and though the Elite has removed a lookout post, apparently a young man - the ranch owner's son - has been tagged by the Agency and may well be in danger of manipulation, or worse. It seems he tangled with the Agency not all that long ago, not realizing that's who it was." He waves a hand in the air. "That's a very long story in itself, the details of which you don't need to know at this point. The bottom line is that those at the ranch fear they cannot keep a good enough watch while doing their day-to-day tasks and taking care of their families. Reese has recommended to them that they accept a security guard that can help keep an eye on things and do the worrying for them."

Brown folds his arms, still studying Stacy. "Whoever takes the job will be transferred to the Elite, becoming one of their agents in their own ranking system, regardless of previous law enforcement rank. They will be stationed at the ranch to live and act as a security guard. Allowances will be made for daily living, of course, but their main duty will be frequent checks of the grounds and keeping a good eye out for anything suspicious. They'll be required to sign on for at least a year, after which time they may choose to stay, should the Elite desire it, or request a transfer, at which time they may be replaced by a new security guard."

It was all official talk, and all taking way too much time, even though it had to be said. Brown sighs, giving Stacy a knowing look. "You know I'm asking if you would like this position. But like I said, I won't pressure you. I know that you have to think about your daughter too, and I don't know if you'd want her living on the ranch or not, or living near a risk of Agency involvement. The only problem is that I'll need an answer fairly soon. The ranch wants an agent as soon as possible, and Reese is trying to make it happen within the next month. I know that's very short notice as far as moving arrangements go, so please understand that whoever takes the position will be assisted by the Elite, for transportation, moving expenses and the like."

He leans forward again to rest his elbows back on his desk. "And if you want more than just the basic facts that are in that file, just ask. You'll have to be interviewed by Reese himself anyway, should you accept, and I'm sure he'd have many more answers than I would." He shrugs. "That's about it."