Hot chick

Carson lifts an eyebrow and looks at Ryan quickly before she corrects herself. It was the first time he realized that perhaps his physical similarities to Alec weren't helping things any.

Getting out of the car too, he fills up the tank with gas before he wanders in with Ryan to find something to eat and grab a large coffee to keep himself awake. More driving came after. A phone call in to Ty revealed that another murder had taken place, and that Alec and Yvette were on the move again. They'd be on the road at least one more day than planned.

Another day of driving, another night in the car, followed by another. It seemed almost like a bad dream, but with the intel coming in from Ty, Carson knew that they were closing in...

...Parked at a small rest stop, Carson stands outside the car and chews on an energy bar. They were far enough north that it was chillier here and he was glad he'd brought his jacket. Stretching their legs a bit, Carson would call Ty again and find out where things stood. Apparently Reese had found out Carson and Ryan were on the road through Eli making a stink, and he was none too happy... but Carson had opted to keep going anyway. Reese still didn't know just how much Ty was helping them - at least that he knew of - and they decided to keep it that way. Ty was in enough trouble just for getting them started in the first place.

Glancing over the car at Ryan, Carson sighs. "So... when we do catch up with Alec, I want to try and find a time when we know he's alone to go in and talk to him. You... sure you're ready for that?"


"...I know, I know!" Ty throws up his arms. "What do you want me to do now? Leave them on their own?"

Reese folds his arms and looks at Ty sternly while in his office. "First I find out you helped Carson and Ryan take off, and now today Hal tells me that you've been talking to them regularly and giving them updates!"

Ty frowns. "If Eli hadn't made such a big deal, it-"

"This has nothing to do with Eli and you know it. Not only are you distributing classified intel, you're helping two people walk into a lion's den. What were you thinking?!"

Ty looks at the floor, upset with the whole thing. "I was thinking about helping Alec I guess. And it was better than having Ryan go try things on her own - which she would have, and you know that."

Reese sighs and flops down in his chair. "I don't know what to do with you, Ty. You should have come to me from the start."

"We can't stop giving information to Carson... if we do, then he and Ryan will just find their own way and that could make things worse."

"You think I don't know that?" Reese shakes his head. "I've got two agents in the area where Alec is now, coordinating with the local authorities there. They'll be moving in on Alec soon - I don't want Carson and Ryan caught in the crossfire."

"Then let them do what they want first - give them a chance. If Alec doesn't cooperate, then the cops will be right behind."

Reese sighs again. "You've all got me stuck between a rock and a hard place, you know that? I don't like this, Ty. I don't like it one bit. Mark my words, when Carson gets back, both of you will endure a nice talking to from me. And as of now, you're suspended."


Wyatt walks slowly up to Hope's porch, having to stop a couple times and encourage Domino to come with him. It took a few light tugs to the leash, but she eventually follows, sighing as she climbs up the steps.

Wyatt would pick her up, but his arms were already full with her bed, food, and bag of toys. Ringing the doorbell, he waits for Hope to come, offering her a smile. "Good afternoon," he greets as cheerily as he can. He really was glad to see her, and he really did hope that she could provide Domino with a little more attention than he could. "I've got your roommate here."

Domino looks up at Hope and sniffs before wandering closer and putting her paws up on her leg and giving a little whine.


Susanne thoroughly enjoyed the motorcycle ride... she really did. Maybe allowing herself to enjoy her time with Chuck wasn't so bad after all. She even secretly was glad he took the long way around town.

Once they get to the movie, Susanne splurges to get some popcorn and something to drink before they sit down. Then settling in about halfway back from the large screen, she sits next to Chuck, nibbling on some popcorn before the movie starts.

"Now don't cry through the mushy scenes," she whispers teasingly. "I only brought enough kleenex for me."


"For fun?" Rocky kicks the refrigerator door shut after retrieving the carton of fruit juice, the cordless phone cradled between his chin and shoulder. "Eh, you know me. I got Cryptic, I work and that's the story of my life."

"You alright?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Oh, I don't know. You just seem a little... something."

Rocky chuckles and pours his juice into a glass on the counter. "Maybe just wishing I had a life, that's all."

"A life? You kidding me? You know how many people would pay to be in a band like Cryptic? I would."

Rocky grins. "You always wanted a piece of that action, didn't you, Derek?"

"Hey, my son's in a band, my pseudo son is in a band..."

"At least we play some of your music, which, by the way, we still love."

"I guess that's good enough. I get the fame without the hard work."

Rocky chuckles and moves to the living room where he flops down on the couch. "Yeah, the rest of us get to work our buns off hauling equipment and setting up concerts."

"Yep."

Rocky lets a pause linger, his thoughts wandering for a few moments.

"So what's with you wanting a life all of a sudden?"

"Hmm? Oh, I don't know. Just feeling down in the dumps or something."

"Well, how come? That's not like you."

"I don't know." Rocky takes a sip of his juice and shrugs, even though he can't be seen. "Maybe I do. But it's stupid anyway."

"Tell me about it."

"Don't you have work to do or something?"

Derek laughs. "It's my day off and the house is empty. I'm all yours."

Rocky sighs, though he grins a little. "Just having trouble filling my free time. When there's no band and I'm off work, it's me, my couch and I. Just... gets a little tiresome."

"Well, what did you used to do?"

"I don't know. Hung out on my computer. Or the phone or whatever."

"Yeah, you used to stay in pretty close contact with your cousin, right?"

"Brianna. Yeah."

"Don't you still chat online with her?"

"Off and on." Rocky burrows further down into the couch cushions. "That's... less than it used to be."

"How come?"

"Don't know." Rocky shrugs again. "She's just... not around as much. Life, I suppose. We used to spend hours chatting online or she'd call me and we'd just shoot the breeze about every other day. Then out of the blue a couple months ago, she had a block of time to give me and that was it. It was like she stuck me in a compartment. If it wasn't during that certain block of time, I just wasn't thought of anymore. If it wasn't for Cryptic, we wouldn't hardly have anything to talk about anymore either."

"Did you ask her about it?"

"Oh, sure. She didn't seem to think anything was different at all. Said she was just doing other things - priorities I guess. Reminded me she had a life of her own - kinda stung at the time. But it was like... I don't know. She just quit talking to me like she used to. No more phone calls unless it was important. If I don't catch the right block of time when I'm online, I wait until the next day to see if I can catch her. She admitted she's not online as much but it's like I'm just not important anymore. I'm just not... a priority anymore. Nothing bad. Nothing wrong. Just... very different. Hard to get used to."

"She got a boyfriend?"

"Yeah, but she has for a long time." Rocky fiddles with a throw pillow, feeling silly. "I know, it's stupid, but she's always been more like a sister than a cousin since she spent so much time at our grandparents when I was growing up. We've always been tight. And now... It's like I'm sitting back and just waving as she moves on with life." He sighs. "I need a hobby."

Derek chuckles. "So is that the whole problem? Your cousin filled your free time?"

"I suppose she filled a lot of it. It just always worked out that way. Like I said, there's nothing bad or wrong, and I know she's got a life. I just..."

"You miss her."

"Yeah. It's like she's still there, but at the same time, she's not. I get to chat with her, but it's not the her I used to know. Feels like I lost something. Like I lost a sister."

"I wish I knew what to tell you. Sounds like maybe your lives are just going two different directions, forcing you to give up some of that time you used to spend together."

"I suppose." Rocky takes another sip of juice before setting the glass down on the coffee table. "Just kinda makes it hard not to get upset when it appears I'm the only one that notices a difference. I just wanna say thanks, guess I never meant that much to you in the first place if you don't realize we're drifting apart. Like I said, I need a hobby. Something to fill my time away from work and the band."

"How about a girlfriend?"

Rocky snickers. "Right. That's the cure-all."

"Maybe." Derek laughs. "You never know."

"Mmm... I don't think so."

"What about finding something to do with music away from Cryptic?"

"I've thought about that. I know I could get a few gigs of my own if I really wanted, but I don't wanna steal time away from Cryptic either."

"I know what you mean. None of the guys in the band have free time?"

"Not much. Apparently they're better at filling their time than I am," Rocky muses wryly.

"Maybe you just need to get out of the house and away from your phone and computer more. Do you sit around waiting to hear from Brianna?"

Rocky rolls his eyes. "Of course. It's stupid, but I still do."

"You got a lake nearby, right?"

"Yeah."

"So go start spending some time out there. Just you, the air and God. You've got a loss... a hole... fill it with something that's truly fulfilling. And maybe you'll find some hot chick on the beach."

"Derek!"

Derek laughs again. "Sorry. Okay, no hot chick. Just you, the air and God. You do see what I'm saying though, right?"

"Yeah, I do." Rocky grins and shakes his head. "Guess I just feel trapped in my same old routine, but I'll work on it."

"You better, or all our phone conversations are going to be like this."

"Well, it's only once a month. You can handle it."

Derek chuckles. "We miss having you guys around. Say, is anyone planning to come back up here for Christmas?"

The phone conversation shifts to talking about plans for the holidays, family, then music. By the time Rocky hung up the phone, it had been longer than anticipated, but he didn't mind. On his day off, it was nice to hear from Derek and find out how everyone was. The band had spent just enough time in Wisconsin when they'd picked up Axel that the Stevenson family had just become all of theirs really. Maybe it was especially nice for Rocky since he didn't have any other family.

Yawning, he glances over at the clock. The lake, huh? Derek's suggestion stuck with him. Maybe that wouldn't be so bad. He looks at the time again. It was almost six o'clock. Brianna might be showing up soon with her usual instant message. Rocky's eyes look over to his laptop on the corner table.

Getting up, he wanders over to it slowly and pauses a moment before shutting the lid. He knew his cousin didn't get it and she'd wonder where he was but the more he sat around and waited, the harder it got to walk away when he should. Grabbing his keys and wallet, he aims for the door. Maybe some fresh air really would do him some good. Maybe Derek was right.

An hour later as he sat on a rock that jutted out into the lake with the wind blowing through his hair, his mind plays over his most recent song and one of Derek's too. The lyrics of both seemed fitting for the way he felt lately. There was more though... there was more...

More... Rocky fishes in his denim jacket pocket for his little notepad and pencil. There's more... yes... he might be lonely but there was more out there somewhere...

Maybe things are different now,
I tried to tell you so.
You seem blind to what I see,
But what’s the use in arguing?
I let you go,
You walk away.
You’re taking your own path.
It’s not bad, I’m proud of you.
But as you turn, I have to, too.

Rocky hums as he jots down the words, a tune and lyrics flowing through his mind. The gentle slosh of water on the rocks seemed to add to the tranquil melody.

When I close my eyes, I see,
Something out there just for me.
When I close my eyes, I feel,
There’s more out there for me.
Somewhere beyond that...

He falters, pencil hovering above the page. "Somewhere beyond that... beyond that what?" he mutters. Not even noticing as a jetski zooms by a short ways away, his mind is completely overtaken by the birth of the new song. "Red horizon!"

Somewhere beyond that red horizon,
There’s something waiting,
Something more.
There’s something more than this hurt,
Something more than this pain.
Something more than loneliness.
When I close my eyes, I see,
There’s more.

Maybe things are different now...

Rocky pauses again, feeling a little pang in his heart. A bit of melancholy settles over him and he looks out across the lake for a moment or two. He didn't hear anyone else on the nearby beach or notice when any cars left or came to the parking lot. His pencil starts to write again.

I tried to change them back.
It’s my own feelings that I have,
So what’s the use in arguing?
I see you leave,
You walk away.
You have your life to live.
It’s not bad, I’m sure you’re right.
But as you turn, I have to, too.

When I close my eyes, I see,
Something out there just for me.
When I close my eyes, I feel,
There’s more out there for me.
Somewhere beyond that red horizon,
There’s something waiting,
Something more.
There’s something more than this hurt,
Something more than this pain.
Something more than loneliness.
When I close my eyes, I see,
There’s more.

It’s okay, I’m not mad.
I’m just taking my own path.
Say goodbye, it’s okay.
We’re just growing up.

With the final chorus changed just a little, Rocky rests his arm on his knee and reads the words as he sings them softly to the music only he could hear.

When I close my eyes, I see,
Something new just for me.
When I close my eyes, I feel,
There’s more out there for me.
Somewhere beyond that wide horizon,
There’s something waiting,
Something more.
There’s something more than emptiness,
Something more than this pain.
Something more than loneliness.
When I close my eyes, I see,
There’s more.
I can feel,
There’s more.

Sighing a deep sigh, he closes the little notebook and leans back against a cool rock. Maybe being here could clear his mind, but it was still lonely.