Long time

Continuing to just let her head rest on Jason's shoulder Katie thinks about his question. It was a hard one to answer. Part of her screamed yes she wanted it to wear off, but part of her was telling her no.

"I...yes, but no. I want you to be able to heal without the constant strain. I want to do whats best for you. Maybe we should ask Rick?"

Katie looks up at Jason a little bit. She was worried and she did hate being separated but she had to do what was right for Jason too. It wasn't always just about her.

As Susanne turns in his arms and slips her own arm over his shoulder Chuck can't help the small chill he got down his own spine. Even if it was something small and simple for Susanne it was a big step and Chuck was pleased.

"I think...hopelessly romantic suits me best."

Taking Susanne a little closer in his arms he leans her back into a dip and just holds her like that. Just looking down into her eyes Chuck's own reflected his emotions. Oh the feelings he felt, weather fast, or not he didn't care. What he felt now was true.

"Forever is a long time, but I think I'm willing to spend it with you."

Wildcat

Chuck's voice was so sweet and soothing. Susanne closed her eyes for a few moments, a smile spreading across her lips. Had he just made up those words? She wasn't sure but it was awfully cute.

"Oh, Chuck..." She sighs deeply and gives his hands a little squeeze as he tightens his arms around her. "You make it sound as though you're ready for the rest of our lives together, when you still hardly know me at all. I could count on one hand the times we've seen each other, and you already make it seem as though you want me forever." She would expect that from someone who had been dating for a year, not only a few days.

She cocks her head to glance up over her shoulder at him before turning around within his grasp and slipping her arms up over his shoulders. Looking up at him in the moonlight, she studies the features that still gave her goosebumps.

"Are you so blind that you would rush headlong into a future with someone you hardly know... or just that hopelessly romantic?"


Watching Ryan walk away, neither man tries to stop her. Eli wanders to the window as he hears the squeal of tires and he sighs. Turning around, his facial expression was not a happy one. "Alec's gonna pay for this," he mutters.

Carson folds his arms and sighs. "Hopefully. But it better not be by your hand or your sister's unless you want to get killed in the crossfire."

"I know."

"Keep an eye on her, will you?"

"As much as I can. But caging a wildcat only breeds more fury."

Without much more to say, Carson and Reese leave, heading back to TJY to begin an official investigation and get eyes on the lookout for Carson's car. Alec might have been cocky enough to steal it as a bold statement, but it would also serve as a mistake they could use. Wherever Carson's car was, that's where Alec was and that was their best bet in finding him.


"Got your stuff?"

"Mm-hmm." Yvette checks herself in her compact mirror, making sure she was all put back together again before taking one last glance in the car.

Alec rummages in the backseat, putting his shirt back on and grabbing his duffel bag. Moving to the other waiting car, he tosses the bag in that backseat instead and takes one last look at Carson's car. Looking to his palm where the lone car key was, he flicks it onto the gravel shoulder of the road where it lands near the front tire.

"Fingerprints?" Yvette questions.

Alec throws her a withering look. "As if they'll check the key and not all over the inside of the car."

She smirks. "I guess they'll find two sets then won't they?" She puts a hand to the side of her face, pretending to be shocked. "What ever shall we do?"

"I don't know, but be my guest if you wanna clean out your prints. Don't forget the back window."

"Nah. Let 'em wonder." Yvette wanders up to the other car. "We'll lose them after this anyway."

"Yeah." Alec squints into the setting sun before pulling down his sunglasses again. They'd made it the whole day without getting caught - that wasn't something just anybody could do. Lighting up another cigarette, he slides in behind the wheel. "Grab the map. I want to get there on time."


"Hey..." Jason's voice was soft as he ran his fingers through Katie's hair as she rested on his shoulder. He didn't need to feel her to see how upset she was. "It'll be okay." It had to be, right? He was in an awful lot of pain right now the way it was, but he felt worse for Katie and what she was enduring.

"Do you want to let the antidote wear off?" he asks quietly.

Susannnnnne

Just keeping his arms wrapped around Susanne Chuck liked the feeling of her leaning into him. Though he felt the tremble his arms tightened just a little bit. He wanted her to feel safe in his arms, and he wanted to be able to let her know he would protect her all he could.

"If you mess up I will continue to care just as much as I do now. It's not your acts that make me care for you, its who you are that makes me care. Sooner or late this prince is bound to fall as well. But as long as his princess is willing to work through it, the prince can do the same."

Leaning his head on top of Susanne's Chuck looks out across the water his eyes just watching the reflections of the might sky, as the bull frogs song there songs somewhere, and the soft sound of water lapping filled the air. Natures providing the perfect mood as Chuck just swayed a little before a soft sweet sound came from him.

"Susannnnnnne, I might not be a perfect man, but I'm me. I don't always have the perfect plan Susannnnne. Put I'll do my best to be all I can be. I'll give you the moon, I'll bring you the stars, the world is a big open space and its ours. So when I fall, I'll do the best I can Susannnnnnne to get up again and show you how much you still mean to me. I'll leaned you my hand when you need it the most, I'll chase away all those wondering ghosts. Susannnnne, never has to worry about letting me down, because I'll still think she is the best woman around."

Letting his words die off Chuck gives Susanne's head a kiss before tighting his arms around her just a little more to keep her close. He really did feel that way about her. She ment a lot and in his eyes she was a princess and much much more.

Letting her eyes go between Carson and Reese again Ryan's eyes fall on Carson. He'd told her not to do anything dumb knowing she would. If they were going to think Alec had gone back to the Agency than she needed to investage herself. After being with Alec every day, sometimes morning noon and night as they cuddled on the couch Ryan new he wouldn't have gone back. Or had he fooled her so well too? It just didn't seem possible.

"When you figure whatever out, let me know. I'm going to go for a walk. Sorry Bro don't feel much like going to the beach anymore."

Slipping the necklace into her pocket Ryan makes her way around Carson and Reese heading for the door. Jumping off the porch and aiming for her car Ryan gets in revving the engine and squealing her tires a little bit as she pulled out of the driving way.

Letting her mind wonder as she drove Ryan didn't know where she was going she was just driving. Tonight she was happy there was no race her mind wouldn't be on it and she probably wouldn't go anyways. She needed to find information about how to get a hold of the Agency. If she could get in herself maybe she could figure out what happened to Alec. But how?

Squeezing Jason's had a little more and studying his eyes. She new this time it wasn't going to be easy. There was going to be ups and there were going to be downs. But this was going to be a time they needed each other like no other.

"I'm in it with you even if you told me not to be. I'd never turn my back on you."

Leaning forward and giving Jason another kiss on the lips Katie leans her head on his shoulder for a long moment. One small tear finally seeming to slip but she only lets that one holding the others at bay still.

"I know you love me J, and I love you so very much too."

Remain here

Acting like an idiot? Eric was about to argue, but something makes him hold his tongue. Maybe it was the look of warning that gleamed in this officer's eye. Or maybe it was her eyes themselves that held something... something alluring, even if that was the farthest thing from his mind.

Deciding to just shut up, he does as he's told, knowing good and well that he'd come out clean. Two tickets weren't surprising but it still made him mad. Back in his truck again, he watches the police cruiser pull away and shakes his head. Well, that was that. Next time he had to come this route, he'd take the next highway over.

Pulling back out onto the road, he checks the clock then his map. After his next stop, it was on to Phoenix. Hopefully his rig would make it that far without breaking down.


Hearing that they'd been given the antidote, Jason was a little surprised. He hadn't thought Katie would do that. But then... he wasn't sure just how bad of an episode he'd been having. Apparently it had been a bad one, and from the pain he was experiencing now, it must not have done him much good. But still... Katie had chosen to be separated? For his sake?

His fingers curl a little tighter around hers. "It's okay. I'm sure you did the right thing."

Growing a little more alert and being able to focus his eyes again, he searches Katie's gaze. She was worried - he could tell. So was he. "I'm... I'm in it for the long haul, if you are. I don't think I'm gonna be able to do this without you... not this time." He didn't want to admit that this time it was different, but it was. There was something very wrong, and he had a feeling that Rick might not have the answers this time. "You know I love you, right?"


Eli bristles at what's being said, but seeing his sister upset, a hand goes to her shoulder, trying to convey that he was there for her. The news angered him and seeing Ryan like this just made it worse.

Reese and Carson exchange glances. Neither were surprised at Ryan's response, but they couldn't agree with her - not with this evidence and Alec's past history. Reese looks at her a little more gently as he shakes his head slowly. "There's not a very big chance that it was a setup, but we're keeping an open mind. Our first step is to find him and figure out exactly what's going on."

Carson eyes Ryan carefully, trying to read her. He saw that look of determination and knew she had the guts to do just about anything. "It would be best if you remained here," he suggests strongly. "Go about your normal activities. That way, if Alec does try to contact you, he won't have a hard time locating you."

"In the meantime, I'll get an APB out on the car," Reese adds. "It hasn't been that long so with any luck, we should be able to trace it pretty quickly." He nods at Ryan. "If Alec does contact you, please let me know immediately. There may be a perfect explanation to all of this but... if it's what we think, it's very dangerous."


"Mmm, nice ride."

Alec looks over the top of his sunglasses out the open window of the car. His face bore no smile as he took in the woman's features. "Don't get used to it. We're ditching it."

"Figures." Yvette moves around to the passenger side and gets in, eying him suspiciously as he says nothing. "No hi, how are you? Good to see you? That's what I get for coming all the way out here to meet you?"

Alec turns his head, his expression dry. Reaching out, he grabs her shirt collar and yanks her close to him, pressing a rough, long kiss to her lips before releasing her again. "You look fine to me."

Yvette grins and runs a thumb along his lips to smudge off some lipstick. "So do you. When I got the call that you were back, I went right to the top to be put on the same case." She reaches into her purse and pulls out a pack of cigarettes to toss at him.

Alec catches them with one hand and turns them over to see the brand. "You never forget what I like."

Yvette's grin turns sly and her hand crawls to his leg. "Never."

Alec's eyes lower to her hand, then travel up her arm and to her face again. "Down, girl. We got a lot of road to cover before we get to our first stop."

"And your point is?" She scoots closer.

He lifts the pack of cigarettes. "I'm gonna need a light."


Feeling Chuck come up behind her and place his hands on her shoulders, tingles shot down Susanne's spine. Her breath quickens slightly, especially when his hands slide down her arms then move around her waist. She wouldn't have thought she'd let him do that, but something about it felt safe. Instead of feeling threatened, she felt like she'd just been wrapped in a warm blanket of protection. She felt herself leaning back into him a little bit, almost experimenting with what it was like.

His whispered words were so sweet, she really did feel as if she were in a dream. Chuck was reading straight from a fairytale - he had to be. He was just too perfect.

Starting to respond, Susanne stops as she realizes his face has drawn near over her shoulder and one of his hands had moved in order to tilt her own face towards his. She stares into his eyes, her own a little wide. She wasn't really scared... much... He'd kissed her before. But something about this setting made it seem all that much more real... that much more romantic.

As Chuck's lips brush hers for the first time, another chill runs through her. Frozen in place, she doesn't resist but is surprised when he comes back again, this time lingering longer. His lips felt... warm... soft... nice.

Her heart beat faster and her hand found his that was still around her waist, her fingers curling around his just as little. As he draws away again, she realizes that she's trembling, though she tries to hide it.

For a moment, her eyes are caught with his until she blinks and looks back out at the pond again. What was she supposed to do after a kiss? Saying something might break the moment. But was the moment over? What was proper? She could feel heat in her face all over again and she shivered - but not from cold.

She slowly, hesitantly, leans her head back to rest against his shoulder, her face close to his again while her back pressed against his chest. She held his arms around her waist. "I don't know if I can live up to being a princess," she mentions quietly. "What if I mess up? I couldn't bear to be the one to screw it all up."