Deserves better

Jason's hand that had been rubbing Katie's arm, comes to an abrupt halt, though he doesn't move. His eyes go to the television instead of Katie's face and his jaw muscles tighten. Did he have to report everything to everyone now? First Rick, now Katie... did they think he wasn't smart enough to make a change if something happened? Did they both think he was irresponsible enough to sit back and die, should he have an attack or what?

"Yeah." He sighs. "Well, whatever. It's up to you. I'm tired of choosing what everybody else wouldn't."

He didn't mean to be so grouchy, he was just... tired of this whole thing.

Wriggling her shoulder, he prompts her to sit up so he could get off the couch. "I'm gonna go take something for this headache. I'll be back."


Alec's hospital room remained quiet, except for the machines and an occasional doctor or nurse checking on him. The hours dragged on with no changes. But despite the time seeming to stand still, it did indeed move on, and the sun did indeed rise the next morning. The day moved on, despite heavy hearts, until once more, the sun began to sink towards the horizon...

Alec's eyes crack open. Dim light seeps through to his sight and he has no idea where he is. His body hurt... a lot. He felt sick to his stomach, a headache pounded in his skull and there was a numbing pain all over. A quiet, rhythmic beep hits his ears first, before he begins to pick up other sounds - distant conversations, footsteps and calls for doctors over an intercom. A hospital... he was in a hospital. But why?

Trying to shift and sit up a little more, his arms are met with resistance. Managing to get his eyes open a little wider, he sees that both of his wrists are handcuffed to the bed rails. And then it all comes back to him. Everything. The Agency, the running... the shootout. The shootout... he shouldn't be here now. He should be dead. They'd saved him.

"No!" Wrenching both his arms, he tries to break free from the cuffs, which of course is futile. Swinging his gaze to the side, he only now realizes he's not alone. Seeing Ryan, time pauses long enough for ire to flash in his eyes. A string of angry profanity is hurled in her direction, sparing no name or curse. "Get out of here!" Pulling against the restraints again only serves to send severe burning pain through his chest and shoulder.

As his blood pressure spikes, one of the machines screams its warning and without time to even react, a doctor and several nurses are in the room. "Calm down," they urge, trying to hold Alec still as his wound begins to bleed. "Easy, easy."

"Let go of me!" Alec thrashes against them as more curses are flung in every direction. "I'm supposed to be dead!" His eyes swing about the room wildly until they land on Ryan again. Too weak to fight off the others anymore, he stops thrashing to catch his breath. Glazed and dim, his eyes narrow. "I hate you," he hisses.


"Naw, she's up at the hospital with Alec." Eli takes a small sip of beer and leans back in the couch, watching as a commercial played in between the football game on television.

Tal quirks an eyebrow from where he sat in the easy chair. His thumb picks at a corner of his beer bottle label. "Cares a lot about him, huh?"

Eli shrugs. "Yeah...." He sighs. "Yeah, she fell pretty hard for him I guess. I think it's over now though. After all the things that happened..." He shakes his head. "She cares enough to not want him to die alone or to be there if he wakes up, but I'll be glad when they don't see each other anymore."

"That bad?"

Eli scoffs. "If cheating with another woman, killing people and running off to one of the most dangerous criminal organizations counts as bad, then yeah."

Both of Tal's eyebrows rise this time. "Sheesh. He went all out, didn't he?"

"You could put it that way."

"A woman like Ryan deserves better than that." Tal nods decidedly before taking a swig of beer. "I'm surprised she let herself get taken for a ride like that."

"Me too. But..." Eli thinks for a moment, the football game going ignored for now. "I don't know... I guess I didn't think he was that bad either. He was a crook to begin with, but I guess even I thought he'd changed. I have to admit, it seemed he was really turning his life around. I always had my reservations about him, but lately he was starting to grow on even me."

"Hmm." Tal lets his eyes travel to the ball game for a few minutes. "She had another boyfriend before though, didn't she? Wasn't it Leo Barnsworth?"

Eli nods. "Yeah. They dated for a while. He's got himself another girl now though - pretty steady as far as I can see. Seems happy. I always thought he'd be good for Ryan, but the girl he's got now is awfully sweet and they've got more similar interests I think. Why?"

Tal shrugs. "No reason. Just sucks when you get a messy breakup and then don't have someone to fall back on."

"Hey, what am I? Chopped liver?"

Tal laughs and shakes his head. "Brothers are different."

Eli feigns annoyance. "Oh? And how so?"

"I don't know, they're just... brothers?" Tal laughs again. "It's different and you know it. I'm just saying it sucks when a woman doesn't have a... a man..." He gestures to Eli before a comment can be thrown back at him. "Not a brother... to... you know... just... be there." He halts, ponders, then rolls his eyes. "I think I stopped making sense somewhere in there."

"Yeah, you better just finish that beer so I can give you a second one," Eli teases.

Both wind up laughing and the topic is dropped as their attention goes back to the football game. It was a simple diversion from the reality of life, if only for a little while.


"I'm sorry I didn't set up this meeting sooner," Reese apologizes. "We've had some... stress around here lately." He sighs a little, tired, but trying to make it through a few more cases before he could relax. The whole thing with Alec had been the worst. If he could get someone out to the R/M ranch, that would at least be one thing he could quit worrying about.

"I've looked over a list of files and I think you're the best candidate for the security job at the R/M ranch and Brown told me you'd like to accept." He looks across his desk at Stacy, cocking his head. "The ranch has ups and downs like any place. Sometimes it's full of people and activities and there are other times that they barely have a visitor or client for weeks. Sometimes it's as quiet as a mouse and sometimes it's busy and obnoxious."

He leans back and fiddles with a pen. "I see you have a daughter. I imagine there will be a few kids her age in and out of there - some with problems, some without, but most only there for a short while at a time. A lot of the time, she'll probably wind up the only kid her age. There's the potential for danger as well."

Reese studies Stacy, curious, serious and almost challenging but not quite. "So...tell me what makes you want this job so much that you'd put your daughter in that position." He wasn't implying anything about her role as a mother - it was a simple question to which he wanted the answer.

Real idoit

Looking up at her brother and searching his face Ryan new Eli didn't agree with her desition but she was happy that he let it up to her and didn't try to make a big stink about it. Giving a slow nod Ryan thinks for a moment. It was nice of Eli to offer a ride, or someone to sit with her but it would probably be better if she went alone.

"Thank for the offer Eli but I think if it best if I go alone."

Giving her brothers shoulder a pat, and standing Ryan heads into her bedroom to grab some new clothing. Than heading to the bathroom she takes nice long shower. Just letting the warm water run over her and skin and more tears seeming to mix with the water. Getting her tears out now would be good, than she wouldn't have to worry when she left.

About an hour later Ryan was making her way through the hospital. With little direction Ryan finds the room and stands outside it for a long moment looking at both the guards. Stating who she was and showing some ID Ryan finally slowly enters the room.

Looking around at all the masheans that were hooked up to Alec Ryan draws closer and just looks down at him. He looked at peace while he was sleeping yet at the same time seeing he was fighting for his life he looked rather small. Ryan couldn't help but wonder though if he was dreaming or not. Giving a little shake of her head and closing her eyes Ryan just trys to contoll her emotions for a moment her voice coming out a little shaky.

"You a real idiot you know that?"

Spotting a chair on the far side of the room Ryan goes over and grabs it moving it close to the bed. Sitting down and pulling a few magazines from her bag Ryan just starts to read them. She had nothing else to say right, so she might as well do something that keeps her from thinking, and crying more. Thats the last thing she wanted anyone to see.

Just listing to Carson talk Misty keeps her hand with his. She new this had to be hard for him. He might not have liked his brother but he had still been family and there might even be some emotions that rushed back to Carson about his own attempt to take his life.

Standing as Carson does Misty follows him over to the sink placing a hand on his back and giving it a little rub Misty offered all the comfort she could.

"I know you guys weren't close but he's still family and thats probably they hardest thing. Everything is gonna work out though Carson, its in God's hands."

Giving another smile and slinging Carson's arm over her shoulder and leaning into him a little. She was tired and the idea of bed sounded nice.She'd just wanted to stay up with Carson at least for a little whole so she could be there for him.

"I think bed sounds good. Maybe the best idea I heard all day."

Sitting with Jason on the couch Katie shifts a little to look up at him. She couldn't help but worrier it was part of caring for someone. She just didn't want any more damage to come to Jason.

"I guess we can go off it, but if you can't handle it I don't want you to try and hide it I want you to let me know so we can go back on."

Searching Jason's eyes Katie new if she had his word he would hold to it. Hearing Jason talk about how many Rick was wrong Katie could only hope. Though the reality of it was Rick was hardly wrong and before being on the antidote she could feel something was different.

"Lets hope Rick it wrong. I don't know what I would do without you J."

That thought alone made Katie cringe inside, and made her feel like she wanted to cry. Since she and Jason had gotten together he's been everything to her. Thinking of him being gone before he should was terrifying.