Something

Though Susanne's eyes are still down, another little smile does slip through. "I still can't decide if you're serious or if you're just an expert at flattery."

She looks up and studies his eyes. "But I guess either way, you make me feel good."

Giving a little sigh, she cleans up the small mess from supper, gathering her wrappers to throw away later. Pulling her knees up, she wraps her arms around her legs and looks out at the pond, not knowing what Chuck had planned now, if anything. It was a little strange, feeling as content as she did. A few hours ago, she was ready to go back to being alone without any excitement in her life at all. And now... What had happened since Chuck had shown up tonight? What had finally broken down that barrier in her heart?

She rests her chin down on her knees, a few stray strands of hair blowing gently in the breeze as the sky grows dimmer and dimmer. Maybe she'd simply made up her mind to not allow her fear to dictate her. It still existed, but maybe after seeing how determined and genuine Chuck was had finally convinced her that it was worth the risk. No matter the reason...

Her eyes drift across the softly rippling water.

...it was a nice feeling now. It would take a while for her to be completely relaxed and to let Chuck see who she truly was, but perhaps tonight was the first step in the many to come.


Cindy tries to stay out of the way as she watches the others gently take Jason to the car. Her heart screamed at her to go to him but she knew that there was nothing she could do and she knew she shouldn't interfere.

Once he was out of the house and Angel looks back at her, Cindy nods. "I'll... I'll get Kaylee ready and take her to Wendy and Clint, then I'll come over to the office to be with Jason."

It happened as planned - Cindy made sure that Kaylee was taken care of, and took her bag along with clothes for the next day, unsure what would be happening at that point. She always trusted Wendy and Clint though - not only were they close, but Cindy saw how they were with Chase and she trusted them with Kaylee.

At Angel's office, Cindy finds Jason in the back room in bed, Katie sitting beside him, and an IV hooked up to keep him nourished and hydrated. It brought tears to her eyes, even though she tried to be strong. He just looked so weak and pale... such a contrast to the normally healthy, strong son she was used to. He was always the strong one... always the one to conquer and be the best at anything. And now he was here, simply at God's mercy...

...Morning light streamed through the window and Cindy stirred in her chair. Her neck was so stiff it hurt when she moved and she tries to sit up a little straighter. She didn't know when she'd fallen asleep, but she hadn't slept well. It wasn't because of the chair though - it was because of her worry. All night, she had hoped Jason would wake, but he hadn't. Even now as she looks over to the bed again, he hadn't moved at all. Was he really resting a peacefully as it seemed? Was he in pain? Would he wake at all?

She sighs and stands up, rubbing her arms a little to warm up. Wandering past Katie, she gives her hair a loving little stroke before reaching the window and looking out at the morning. It was her favorite time of day. But today she felt so very alone.


Rick grumbles to himself as he flips through the pages of his medical diary. Sighing deeply, he rubs a hand over his face and glances out the Elite jet window. Nothing much could be seen though, through the thick clouds. It's how his mind felt at the moment.

Looking back at his personal notes, he tries again to find the answers.
Jason's first signs of something more than normal emotions. His and Katie's connection. Jason's flashbacks.
Rick remembers telling Jason that the emotions needed a way out, so they'd chosen his worse memory - his abduction. That was then. Was it still true?
Periodic episodes, some worse, some less. Katie's presence a real need. The antidote. The decision to cease the antidote. The worst episode in their history.
That had been a nightmare. Rick leans his head back, remembering the team returning and the scars on Jason and Katie's palms that would forever be a reminder. It had been chemically induced. What about now? Was that the key? Was it that point in time that things had changed?
Jason and Katie had improved. Stronger connections. Ease of communication and control. Jason's episode at the safe house.
That had been brought on by memories of his abduction. It had also been the first episode since he'd been shot with those chemicals. It had rendered him ill for days. Rick rubs his chin thoughtfully.
Katie's help eased the symptoms. Jason's latest episode.
That one had been different, brought on by mere shocking news. Even so, it had also rendered him quite ill - weakened for a worrisome amount of time. No flashback though... no conduit for the emotions to go through. Just simple, raw, dangerous emotions that were once again subdued by Katie.

Then there was this time. From what he gathered from Cindy it was not a flashback that had contributed to this episode - she hadn't mentioned that at least. So was there even a connection? Were they even related? Was any of this connected at all?

Rick slams his journal shut and growls. There had to be an answer. He knew that Jason would probably experience bad bouts the rest of his life - it was an unfortunate truth. But Rick had thought it would be limited to flashbacks, triggered by circumstance. The last two times though... neither one were connected to flashbacks. That meant Rick had missed something. But what?

He racks his brain. One episode with a flashback. Two without. He scribbles on a new page in his journal. So at the very least, it meant that his flashback theory was still relevant - Jason's worst memory still provided a release valve for his emotions. And apparently he had other triggers now as well.

What if Jason's first flashback since the chemically induced blowup triggered an anomaly, that in turn triggered some kind of new response system that caused episodes without the aid of a flashback? Rick shakes his head. His brain hurt. He had to be missing something. There had to be something he could do... something... something...