Stupid

As Katie stands up, so does Jeff, not wanting to see a fight, but just as willing to stand up for their family. Thirteen was their family, and as far as he was concerned, Ryder was now too. Jeff might not want a shouting match, but he wasn't going to tell his daughter to stop.

Seeing Katie rebuke Dana, Ryder glances down, only now seeing how withdrawn Thirteen had become, along with her tears. That angered him more than any insult flung at himself - to insult her... it was unfair and uncalled for. Bending down, Ryder pulls Thirteen up to stand and puts an arm around her shoulders, holding her close. Whether Dana knew it or not, Ryder knew that the words said had been very hurtful to Thirteen.

Dan's jaw drops as Katie starts in. She stands now as well and blinks, appearing shocked by the outburst. "Well, I am... you have... I..." She stammers, as her hand start to shake, her heart racing. Giving a little gasp, her eyes widen slightly. She'd been a bit uneasy coming here in the first place, but suddenly that uneasiness seemed to increase. Her eyes narrow at Katie. "I just call it as I see it, honey," she hisses. "I wouldn't threaten me if I were you."

"Hey, no one is threatening anyone," Jeff intervenes.

"Sure sounds like it to me," Dana argues. "I knew you were a close-knit bunch, but I didn't expect y'all to defend moral discrepancies."

"Moral discrepancies?"

Jeff looks quickly to Trent, surprised his brother had stepped in verbally.

Trent's eyes roam to Thirteen, seeing her so upset, then back to Dana. His face was red and he steps up beside Katie, his shoulders square. "You accuse this family of moral discrepancies, at the same time you waltz in here and have the nerve to be so rude?"

"I was invited," Dana defends. She shifts her weight uncomfortably as she wrings her hands without even realizing it. "You go around blaming me for being a bad guest and you'll upset Eric. You want that to happen?"

"I don't care what he thinks!" Trent raises his voice.

"Well if this is the way you people treat guests then-"

"Stop right there." Ryder points a finger at her, his tone firm. "I don't care if Eric brought you here or not." His grip around Thirteen tightens slightly. "You are no guest if you're going to talk to us like this."

Dana's eyes widen even more. "Excuse me for being honest. Apparently this family likes to tell each other lies to cover up all their little secrets. Oh yes, I know plenty about everyone here."

"Then apparently you don't know enough," Trent defends. "Because otherwise, you'd know a little bit more about our love and respect for each other. Or are you just that stupid and blind that you don't see it?"

"Stupid?!" Dana finds herself backing up and around to the other side of the couch as her slight tinge of fear seems to increase all on its own. "I am hardly stupid. If I were, I would have thought that this entire situation was innocent. I'll have to talk to Eric about this one." Her eyes snap back to Katie. "You like to defend your little cousin - bravo. But you might try defending someone who deserves it for once."


Alec's eyebrows rise and he gives a little jump to the light whack on his bottom. He grins as Ryan walks away and cocks his head just watching her for a few feet. "I don't know, but I think that luck runs both ways. Mmmm."

Still grinning, he finally heads to his bike. "You lead," he calls.


"You could say that." Carson gives Misty a wry grin. Closing his eyes for a moment, he just lets himself enjoy her fingers running through his hair. She always knew how to get him to relax after a hard day.

"Saw my daughter, met her adopted father, told my daughter goodbye." He sighs, his eyes still closed. "Yeah... yeah, it was a long day."

He takes her free hand to bring it to his lips and kiss it lightly. "I'm glad I got at least one stable thing in my life. You're always my rock."

Just remaining right where he was, he tells Misty the full story of the day, including his confusion about his feelings for Mackenzie and Herb rescuing him from doing anything stupid. "So... that's that. Again." He shifts his head in her lap and looks up at her. "Half of me hopes it was the last time, and half of me hopes it wasn't."


Gram answers the phone in the living room, surprised to hear Karla's voice. She leans back in the couch, her tone soft and kind. "Oh, Karla... I know this is hard on you. It's never easy watching those we love go through something like this."

She sighs. "Kip's doing okay. He talked to me a little bit earlier and told me some more. I... I know you feel like he doesn't want you here but... but if you can, come see him. He may not respond well, but it's just gonna take some time. He needs all the love he can get right now, even if he's not willing to say so."

She looks to the hallway, her eyes filled with worry. "He also needs to take care of himself and there's only so much I can do. If you could get him to eat some supper, that would help a lot."