How much longer

Tal returns Ryan's light kiss and as she looks up at him with so much thought, a grin appears on his lips. He returns the deep stare, and his hands slide down to her waist where they seemed to fit perfectly. "There you go again," he mentions quietly. "Talking magic." Still smiling, he bends to kiss her forehead. "I think you're the one with the magic."

Just watching her for a few more moments, he finally shakes his head and lets her go. "I suppose you can't cook if I keep holding you here."

...By the time they sat down to eat, Tal wondered if he were feeling more special than Ryan was. The food was great and he told her so. He thoroughly enjoyed himself and he told her that, too. Eli's steak had been good, no doubt... but Ryan's cooking was awesome as far as he was concerned. Talking with her was easy... it was mostly smalltalk that circulated. He told her some about work, his dog and the puppies that were coming - as he grew more animated, it was obvious he was quite passionate about that topic. The only thing he didn't talk about was himself.

By the time dinner was over, the atmosphere was so relaxed that Tal didn't have trouble saying yes to staying a while longer. He did insist on one thing though. Ryan had done all the cooking and all the work, so she deserved the pampering afterward. So without taking no for an answer, he makes her lie down on the couch while he sits cross-legged at the other end and takes her feet in his lap. And as the movie plays on television, his hands gently rub her feet in an attempt to disperse any tiredness or soreness.

Catching her eye once, he just smiles.


Katie's offer brings a new little smile to Jason's lips and he slowly slides around to get his feet out of bed. He nods. "The sooner the better as far as I'm concerned." Though fully dressed, his shoes were several feet away, and he wasn't quite sure leaning over that far was a good idea at this point. He gives Katie a tired sort of grin. "Hey, nurse... I seem to need help with my shoes."

It didn't take long after for Jason to be ready to go and he was more than willing to lean on Katie for support as they walked down the hall, Trooper in tow.

By the time they got to Jason's house, he was exhausted, though tried not to let it show too soon. He gets his mail, sorts through it, finds a few things in the fridge that needed to be thrown out, and gets Trooper taken care of. But after that, Jason just couldn't stay on his feet any longer. Trying to be casual about it though, he simply wanders to the couch in the living room and slowly sits. But his head felt so very heavy.... he leans back and looks up at the ceiling, wondering how much longer he'd be dealing with this.


Watching Katie and Jason head down the hall to leave for the day, Rick stands in the open infirmary door. For some reason, he felt as if he were watching Jason walk away for good. As if the hope was beginning to wane.

Sighing, he turns back inside and returns to the counter where he'd been going over analysis printouts. But the more he looked at them, the more frustrated he grew. His mind reeled with the recent events... Jason's attacks... how sick he'd been... how close to death he'd been... and every time, Rick had been unable to find a cure. Every time, he had felt more and more helpless. It wasn't fair that Jason was suffering. It wasn't fair that he was slowly dying. He was so young - it was way too soon for him to have to go through this. Being out on the job and getting shot was one thing - but being killed from the inside out by an invisible sickness... it simply wasn't fair.

Rick's hand slams down on the counter as his frustration gets the best of him. Without saying a word to Misty, he leaves the infirmary.

Twenty minutes later, Rick's wrapped fists slammed into the punching bag in the rec room, rattling the fixtures. Sweat ran down the sides of his face and his eyes held a determined, cold stare.

Why? God, why are you letting this happen? I don't understand. I hate it and I don't see any reason you would let this happen!

His fists continue their attack on the helpless bag. Memories drifted through his mind. He remembered the first time he'd met Jason - a cocky teenager with a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas. Rick had warned Austin about taking him on as an Agent, but Austin had insisted Jason would be one of their most valuable players in a short amount of time. Rick had even gone to Carter, bringing up Jason's attitude, age and traumatic past. He'd thought the only reason they let Jason stay was because he was family. But in the end... Rick had been proven wrong.

Did you just want him here to solve a few cases or what? Did you just bring him to us so we could watch him grow up and then take him away from us, allowing the enemy to win?!

Jason had started training when he was still in school. He'd come in every day and work with Austin, learning how to shoot, learning how to fight and being trained for undercover work. He was just a kid, but the department had ever seen a kid with as much determination or drive as Jason had. He had something that most adults didn't even have - intelligence, quick wit and a mind that caught on amazingly fast to what he was being taught.

Rick continues to attack the punching bag as he becomes soaked with sweat. All of his pent up frustration was pouring out with physical aggression.

The first time Jason had been shot, he'd taken it like a pro, never complaining or whining. Forcing him to take a few days off work almost took Rick sitting on him to keep him down. Jason never took no for an answer. He'd quickly earned the name "Hotshot" for a reason. And to Rick's surprise, he'd also earned respect from almost all the other TJY agents. Despite his young age, he'd risen quickly and no one wanted to mess with him, and everybody trusted him in and out of the field.

With arms aching, Rick pauses to catch his breath, bending over and gasping for air.

Jason had been cocky, for sure, but he'd always been able to back it up with his smarts. Rick had always thought for sure one day he'd get shot down on the job, but he'd always managed to use his brains and get out of sticky situations. And then one day... Rick had seen a change. Jason had returned from a surveillance job with a different glint in his eye - one that would grow and slowly begin to hold his feet on the ground. The change that had sparked would continue to help Jason mature and would ultimately shape him into a man from the boy he'd started out here as. And that spark's name was Katie.

Standing straight again, Rick takes another swing at the punching bag. His anger and frustration were more heightened than his physical strength at this point.

A boy with a traumatizing past had risen against the odds, taken life for all it was worth and had strived to be the best man could be. Through a connection with Katie that had once been a curse, Jason had learned to embrace their new life and use it to their advantage. He had found God and grown even more, proving to be a more valuable Elite Agent, and man in general, than even Austin had ever predicted.

And now you're just going to let him die? You're just going to watch as he's slowly tortured and killed by this thing we can't even see? For what? For what good could you allow this?!

Totally exhausted, Rick sinks down to his knees. The worst part of all of this was his inability to find a cure. It was his job to keep the agents well... it was his job to look after everyone and make sure they were healthy. To dig out the bullets and keep them alive. To make sure they took care of themselves and followed his directions to staying well. And now... when Jason's life was at stake, he could do nothing. He was utterly helpless and wasn't going to be able to save an agent... a friend.


Eric's eyes drift to his door as he hears the knock followed by Rosetta's voice. He shouldn't be surprised. But he sighs anyway.

It hadn't taken him but a few minutes to get inside, throw his bags in the corner, grab his ice packs and settle in on top of his bed. Though sitting up, his sore leg was stretched out with the three ice packs around his injured thigh. He didn't feel good. His leg hurt. His stomach wasn't right, and his mind... well, that hadn't been on track for a long time. And Rosetta wanted to welcome him home?

He had a couple choices. He could send her away and make the rift bigger. He could invite her in and let her see how he was hurt and miserable. Or he could cover up with a blanket and pretend everything was fine. Unfortunately, his mood was such that it wouldn't allow the third option. And he really didn't like the first option.

Sighing again, he calls to his sister. "Yeah... it's open." Watching Rosetta come in, he looks her in the eye for just a moment before his gaze drops. "Hi." His left hand slowly slides down by a blanket to hide his empty ring finger.


Dylan is just scraping the last bit of food from his plate when Ashlee startles him. Giving a little jump, he looks over at her quickly, and just as quickly relaxing since it was only her. "Hey." She might not have seen him, but he'd seen her. What did she want now? Did she have an agenda? Was she just lonely? It didn't really seem to matter.

Pulling his legs up from being stretched over the top step and sitting cross legged instead, he waves his fork at the now-empty spot, in case she wanted to sit.

"It's going," he responds vaguely to her question. "You? Figured you'd be at supper with everybody else."