Hang in there

Eli stares blankly at the wall as he hears his sister's tone and what she has to say. What on earth was going on? "You mean you... wait... I don't understand. Why... why are you so upset with Tal? I thought you two were getting along. After last night..."

He realizes that he had yet to tell his sister he'd seen her making out with Tal. Though Tal may have told her. But Eli didn't know if he had or not. "I mean... what did he do??"


Knowing Katie was coming only serves to frustrate Jason more. He had to stop this. There had to be a way. If he could just hold this off a little while longer... keep Katie safe... keep himself from getting worse.

But the emotions had already reached their boiling point. Having been held back, shoved around, and finally intensified by the stressful day, they were going to come out one way or another. Seeing Katie come into the infirmary, it barely even registers.


Rick looks up, grateful she's there. "I'm sorry, but we need to put you two back on the antidote. This is getting out of control and we need to slow things down so we have more time to-"

Jason doubles over as a new wave of pain washes over him and he rocks back and forth, tears starting to stream from his eyes. He'd tried so hard... this couldn't be happening. It just couldn't. A scream slips out. "Katie!"

Everything becomes a blur and he can't tell who is with him or who's not. The room spins and nothing makes much sense. It was worse than a nightmare. Worse than a flashback. His senses grow dim and numb and he fights to stay conscious, needing to be laid down on the table so he doesn't fall to the floor. He balls his fist tightly, not seeing the lights flicker and not hearing the nearby vials burst, throwing glass everywhere.

He feels Rick prepping his arm and he yanks it away. "No!" he resists. "No, leave me alone!"

"Jason... settle down." Rick fights with his arm while holding the syringe with the antidote. "Just stop and let me help."

"No!" Jason's eyes roll back in his head as he fights and thrashes. "Too much... too much... no, don't." He hits Rick's arm, knocking the syringe to the floor.

It's only then that Rick realizes that Jason might have just saved his own life. It's only then that he remembers the night he and Katie had been brought in with burning hands and uncontrolled emotions. And it's in this moment that Rick feels the most helpless and useless. Grabbing the syringe again, he moves to the counter to prep something else instead. He wipes sweat from his brow and works in haste. "The antidote will hit him like a freight train... he needs to settle down first. Misty!" He gestures for her help. "We need to make our own cocktail and make it fast. We need to get a sedative in him and a mild dose of the antidote to start him off before giving him the full dosage. He needs something to calm his body and something to take the edge off his emotions."

Feeling the only light that existed, Jason knows Katie is near, even if he can't manage to speak to her. His fingers lock hers in a vice grip, unwilling to let go. He was slipping and he knew it. But without warning, his whole body starts to shake uncontrollably and his consciousness is lost.

His grip on Katie's hand grows limp.

Rick whirls around and leaves Misty with the needles. "He's having a seizure. Katie, help hold him still and keep his head up," he orders. "Misty, get the antidote in Katie too." He couldn't have both of them go down... not now... not like this. "Hang in there, Hotshot... hang in there."


Mick smiles and nods at Stacy. "I have a feeling you're right. I think you and Ashlee are going to do just fine here." A part of his smile is given to the girl as well.

Throughout the rest of the meal, small talk is offered. Some of the others come and go, talking a little bit with Stacy and Ashlee both, being friendly and making an effort to let them know they were willing to welcome them here. A few people start to drift out for the evening and the crowd becomes less and less...


...Dylan still sits at the same table, struggling to finish up his schoolwork before he went back to his bunk. There were only a few people left in the dining hall now. His eyes glance up to see Mick talking with Stacy... Ashlee was there... Becky was in the kitchen washing dishes... and a couple other people were starting a card game it looked like. But that was about it. He'd been alone since he'd sat down here, but that was the norm.

He sighs and looks back at his book. Almost done.