Court

The courtroom held quiet murmurings of those gathered on this gloomy day. Rain pattered against the windows and the people, few in number, shift in their uncomfortable seats. One in particular though, feels the discomfort more than anyone else. He sits slumped in his chair at the front of the room, his wrists bound in handcuffs. His head hung, his eyes dim like a candle that had been snuffed out. The knee of his jeans was torn and his navy long-sleeved t-shirt wrinkled... it was the best they had for this day. His hair had grown too long, and he needed a shave - perhaps when he'd looked at himself in the mirror this morning, he'd been satisfied that his appearance reflected what was happening on the inside.

As the judge comes in and everyone stands, Alec grudgingly gets to his feet. He' been poked, prodded and pushed by Justin, he'd been interrogated and raked over the coals by Reese, and he'd been advised by Angelica. Yet he had refused to let them in... he had refused to allow them to know what he'd decided to say in his own defense - if he was to defend himself at all. A sidelong glance to his side met Angelica, though his expression remains the same. Able to sit again, he slouches and looks with little interest to the bench as the case is presented, lawyers briefly state their cases and the judge reminds the court that this is not a normal hearing. The Elite was special and proceedings never could be quite the same as those with normal law enforcement. The judge had already read all the reports and received all the details about the case. So today, the Elite had a chance to defend themselves as well as Alec. The judge also reminds the court that not only was Alec's future at stake, but the future of the Elite's rehabilitation program for Agency victims was as well. If Alec had gone bad, would others?

"...Yes, Sir... I... I did see a change in Alec." Gage swallows hard and shifts his feet around the legs of his chair as he sits on the witness stand. He didn't like this, but Reese and Angelica had asked him to be here. His eyes roam the other eyes in the room that were staring at him, making him squirm all the more.

The judge leans forward, taking the liberty to ask questions himself. "In what way? What makes you say he had changed from the Agency killer he'd been trained to be?"

Gage chews on his lower lip. "He... well..."

Alec looks on, trying to ignore the faint tug on his heart. He'd treated Gage pretty poorly most of the time. Surely this was a weak line of defense.

"I guess I watched him," Gage resumes. "He was always trying to get around the rules... like a dog that's chained up but never gives up trying to break his chain."

Alec fidgets with his hands.

Gage eyes the judge. "But I saw the effect of friends... of people who cared. I saw Alec change into... into someone who maybe still didn't like the rules, but he was learning to live within them anyway. We didn't talk much but... I owe a lot to him."

"In what way?"

"Well, the job I've got. He went out on a limb, really. I guess I didn't know enough or... maybe just didn't have the guts to go after something more than what I had. But he did... for me. Now I've got a job as a janitor and I've got art classes too - something I'd never though I'd have." Gage pauses and looks down for a moment. "That takes someone with a good heart, Your Honor. It wasn't just a job he got for me but... but he knew what my passion was and cared enough to help me go after it." His eyes rise to land on Alec. "Even if he'd never want to admit it."

Alec looks down. Maybe he really had cared more about his fellow Agency-recovered man than he'd let on.

The judge nods thoughtfully. "Anything you'd like to add?"

Gage thinks for a moment, then shakes his head. "Just that I know after having been given a second chance, I haven't always made the right choices either. But... I'll always be grateful for those who gave me a third and fourth chance, and... I'm glad there's someone out there like the Elite, willing to help people like me."

"Thank you. You may step down." The judge glances over some papers before they call for the next testimony...

...Carson sits straight in the chair, unafraid of being on the stand. Sighing as the prosecutor complains that he's Alec's brother, he shakes his head and dares to interrupt the squabble with the judge. "Look..." He manages to cease both men's voices. "I may be Alec's brother. But that doesn't mean I'm afraid of saying he's a ruffian."

The judge raps his gavel loudly and points to the prosecutor. "I will allow his testimony."

After watching the lawyer flop down in his chair, Carson rolls his eyes. "I'm not one to lie just because there's family blood on the line. I'll be the first to tell you that Alec's nowhere near an angel, and anybody would tell you that our past record certainly hasn't shown any trust between us."

Alec feels another faint pang and he stares down at the table in front of him. Some witness Reese and Angelica chose. Carson was going to crucify him. And somehow... that thought brings on a little-known emotion: humility.

Carson sighs deeply. "But..." He shrugs. "That doesn't mean I didn't see what the Elite did for him. It wasn't all that long ago that I was the murderer... I was the ruffian no one trusted. Maybe I learned my lesson about staying on the right side of the law a little quicker, but that doesn't mean Alec's a lost cause. I may not like him... but I can't say I didn't see a change. I don't know what happened with this latest incident... but before that, I saw a man who just needed a goal - something to work for. He needed love - something foreign to him. He needed patience from those working with him - something he'd never been given before."

Pausing, Carson looks over to Alec, but his brother's eyes were downcast. "I had my reasons to avoid him. But I'll admit now that I think I failed as a brother... and as someone who had been given all the chances a man doesn't deserve and should have passed on. Maybe I didn't trust him... maybe I still don't. But what right have I to say he shouldn't have a second chance at life? Nobody really deserves second chances... but that's where humanity comes in. The Elite saved my life - truly. I can't sit here and deny someone else that same life."

Alec could feel a slight bit of heat crawling up the back of his neck. Carson cared? Really? For a split second, he thinks of Mackenzie. If he went to prison and the Elite program failed and past cases were brought back to court... she might lose Carson for good...

"...You are a counselor by profession, is that true?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"And what is your professional opinion of Alec's mental state?"

Justin sits calmly, his hand folded in his lap. "My opinion is that Alec has a very strong mind and his mental state is stable."

The prosecutor quirks an eyebrow. "Killing people is stable?"

"You don't have to be insane to pull a trigger." Justin eyes him with quiet confidence.

The lawyer checks his papers. "As Alec's counselor, do you feel he is a threat to society?"

"No."

"How can you sat that, when he just murdered innocent lives?"

"If you think he's a threat, why did you ask?"

The judge raps his gavel as a warning to both of them and addresses the prosecutor first. "This isn't a trial. Please refrain from badgering the witness. Mr. Hawks, please simply answer the questions."

Reese refrains from a sigh. No, they weren't on trial... not yet. If it came to that, they'd be eaten alive in here and Alec would never stand a chance. Today was a rare occurrence in these courts.

The prosecutor takes a moment to regroup. "Taking into consideration that Alec has murdered, do you still believe he is fit for society?"

"Yes."

"And what brings you to that conclusion?"

"I believe his story," Justin states flatly. "I believe that he started with good intentions and that plans fell through by no fault of his own. Any man that survives the Agency and comes out alive is lucky - Alec is fortunate to be here today, and I firmly believe that given a second chance, he would not disappoint society or the Elite."

"Is it not true that there was another man, Scott Johnson, kidnapped by the Agency, then later so mentally disturbed he had to be placed in an institution?"

Justin bristles for the first time. "Scott Johnson is one of the strongest, bravest men alive. What does this have to do with-"

"Please answer the question," the judge intervenes.

Justin sighs. "Yes."

The prosecutor nods. "You just claimed that you believed Alec was mentally stable. But taking this into consideration, could we not assume that Alec's mind is unstable as well? We just heard from a man that seemed to be stable, but what are the odds? Couldn't Alec turn out like Scott and not like Gage?"

Justin hadn't been prepared for this line of attack, but he was quick to ready an answer. "Scott Johnson underwent a treatment by the Agency they call assimilation. They hooked him up to a bunch of computers and infiltrated his mind, forcing data into him like you'd choke a kid with a spoonful of peas. He endured torture, humiliation, and a whole list of abuses on top of the assimilation process. He came back to the Elite as a mere shell - a shadow of the man they'd once known." His tone remains steady and firm and he leans forward to be nearer the lawyer. "If you'd like to experience his past first hand, I'd be glad to take you to him sometime and have him relive it all for you. Alec's short time returning to the Agency cannot even compare to what Scott endured. How dare you try drag Scott's name through the mud, using him while trying to get me to say things which I don't believe are true. "

Reese was shocked the judge hadn't interrupted. He wanted to stand up and clap, and almost had to sit on his hands not to.

The prosecutor stares at Justin, his mouth slightly open. He clears his throat and sifts through his papers, obviously shaken from his original plan of attack, and only a few more questions follow.

It doesn't take long until Alec is finally being called forward. So far, everyone that Angelica and Reese had found had made pretty good arguments on his behalf - something he hadn't expected. Sitting down in the stand, he stares at his handcuffs. Relent or fight? Give in or refuse?

Finally looking up, he looks around the room for the first time, seeing the faces of all who were there. There weren't many. He knew some. Some were on his side and others were trying to shut down the Elite's program. Then his eyes land on someone he had never expected to be there. Surprise flashes in his gaze as his sights lock with Ryan's. She'd come? Why? Was it because she supported the cause, or because she wanted to see him put away? The blank expression on her face told him nothing. He blinks, but she doesn't disappear. A chill runs down his spine and his heart thumps in his chest. "I hate you." The last words he'd spoken to her echo in his mind. But today... today he'd never be able to convince himself that hate was what he felt.

"...Mr. Banks?"

Alec's attention snaps back to the judge, not having heard a word. "Huh?"

Reese rolls his eyes and leans back in his chair beside Angelica, sighing. It was a risk, putting him on the stand, but they had to. Now it was all up to him.

"You're free to give your opening statement if you please," the judge repeats.

Alec's eyes flit between Reese, Angelica, Carson, Ryan, Justin and Gage. How badly did he not want to go to prison? How badly did he not want to see others' lives ruined too? He clears his throat. "I... I want to start by saying I'm sorry." He swallows hard. Perhaps the acidic taste in the back of his throat was the remnant of humble pie that battled his stubborn pride. "I'm sorry that after all the Elite did for me, I made such a big mistake. I know now that I had other options, but at the time, I was blinded by my own desperation to keep those I cared about alive."

He pauses and looks down at his hands. "I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt, let alone killed. I tried to keep it from happening. I was taken in by the Agency against my will as they had threatened the lives of my family and friends if I didn't cooperate." He shrugs lamely. "You've seen the report. You've seen why I did what I did. I know it might seem stupid now but... at the time, I panicked. I didn't want to lose the people I cared about, and I didn't want them to suffer because of me."

The prosecuting attorney eyes him skeptically. "Didn't you say that you had been planning this fiasco from the beginning? Ever since you first were arrested by the Elite?"

Alec grits his teeth and looks up bravely to meet the man's stare. "I lied."

"Why would you lie about something like that? Your own brother and girlfriend, at the time, gave you the perfect opportunity leave the Agency and yet you treated them as enemies, threatening their lives."

"The Agency isn't just some half-witted gang. They're a devious organization that sucks the life out of people they claim as their own. I didn't have a choice but to stay, and the only way to keep Carson and Ryan from getting their fool heads blown off was to reject them."

The prosecutor shakes his head as he glances as his papers in-hand. "Is it not true that you entered into a relationship with an Agency felon while on this little killing spree of yours?"

Alec's eyes narrow. "First, it wasn't a killing spree, and second, I didn't enter into a relationship with anybody." He sits back, mumbling. "I'd already been in a relationship with her."

"I'm sorry. What was that?"

Alec raises his voice. "I said I'd already been in a relationship with her! What's that got to do with anything?"

The lawyer smiles. "You were obviously a friend of the enemy." A list of questions ensue to try and back Alec into a corner. Questions about his motives, how he felt about the Elite and if he'd go back to the Agency. Alec grows more and more tense, wishing the interrogation would end. He couldn't deny the things he'd done or his guilt. But he wouldn't back down from his claim that his intentions had been pure.

The prosecutor pauses in between questions, feeling mighty fine, now that he had Alec on the defense. "Do you realize that the people killed had families? That you have successfully ruined lives?"

That was the last straw. Alec's cheeks were burning and his eyes were dark and cold. "I'm sorry," he hisses. "I'm sorry that people died. I'm sorry that I was stupid enough to think I could fix things on my own." His voice begins to rise. "I'm sorry that I thought I was smart enough to figure things out the right way. I'm sorry that I'm not the man everyone wants me to be!"

He rises to his feet, despite the judge's gavel banging to get him to sit back down. "I'm sorry that I want to be free. I'm sorry that I'm confused about where I fit in life. I'm sorry that I never learned what love was until it was too late! I'm sorry that I never had the chance to live with a loving family to teach me right from wrong!"

"Mr Banks! Sit d-"

"I'm sorry that I never had a father around to be a role model! I'm sorry that all I ever do is screw up! And I'm sorry that I was ever born!"

"Sit down!" The judge barks and hits his gavel one more time.

Alec finally relents and sits back down before he's thrown out of the courtroom. His eyes glisten. "I don't know what you people want," he concludes more calmly. "I'm sorry for a lot of things but I can't go back and change what I've done. If you wanna shoot me, just do it now - I deserve it. The Elite... and others... they've all cared and tried to show me they care, but I never have figured out why. They're sticking their necks out for me and I don't even deserve it. So if you're gonna send me to prison, at least let them keep on with the program, 'cause it's my own fault I screwed up, not theirs."

A strange quietness settles over the room. Justin rests his elbows on his knees and folds his hands under his chin. It was pity he felt... pity for someone like Alec who was bound by his own chains.

Reese sits and dares a quick glance at Angelica. He hadn't expected an outburst like that and was a little bit surprised. He guessed maybe he'd never thought about Alec's family life or him not understanding the right way to live even before the Agency.

Carson swallows hard as he watches his brother suffer. Alec had been stupid, but no one deserved this kind of torture. Carson could relate... boy could he relate. He'd been given another chance - why not Alec?

The prosecutor slowly backs away from the stand. "I'm done," he concludes quietly.

The judge purses his lips grimly. "There's been a lot of information shared here today..." He goes on to give his opinions about what had been said, and explain his train of thought. "...and in the end, I don't want to see a program like the Elite destroyed because of one man's mistakes." The judge nods. "I hearby sentence Alec to six months of community hard labor, continuing to be a ward of the Elite. During that time, the Elite may adjust his services and requirements accordingly. After the six months are up, if there has been no further incident and it is proven that his record is clean, I may renew his sentence for another six months. I reserve the right to adjust his sentencing at that time as I see fit. At the end of that six months, if his record is clean, the Elite may release him on probation."

A few murmurs ripple through the room. Reese is washed with relief - hardly able to believe the judge had actually come to that conclusion. The judge's own neck would be on the line for this one - letting a murderer walk. But Alec would stay... the rehabilitation program would be safe. Under the table, he squeezes Angelica's hand.

Alec felt so sick to his stomach, he wasn't sure if he was relieved or not. He just sits limply in his chair, feeling utterly drained.

"However..." The judge makes sure everyone is still paying attention. "...if at any time during the next year, he is found to be at fault against the law, and I feel he is uncontrollable, he will be sent to prison for life, no questions asked." He eyes Angelica and Reese sternly. "You will be reporting to Chief Brown, who will be reporting to me. I expect the reports to be accurate."

Reese nods. "Yes, Your Honor."

As court is dismissed and people begin standing and filtering out of the room, Alec is guided from the stand to be brought back into Reese's custody. His eyes roam the faces, bouncing back and forth until he finally lands on Ryan again. And all he can do is stare.


A flashlight is pressed up to the window pane before it's turned on. The dark figure remains in the shadows, squinting against the glass to peer inside the apartment. Nothing. No movement. No life. Curtains hung on most of the other windows, closing out the world. Shining the flashlight's beam upward, a few cobwebs are illuminated. There was no one here. It had been a little while since anyone lived here.

Shutting off the light, he turns to stand with his back against the side of the building. A deep sigh is all he's motivated to express. He'd come this far. Did he dare tempt fate further by continuing his search? And in the end - would it really bring resolve, or would it just bring even more haunting memories? He was escaping Elite and Underground radar for the moment - would his visit here prove to be his demise? Yet even without them watching his every move, the mere fact of needing to remain hidden was suffocating.

Chance looks up at the night sky. It appeared more vast than it used to... almost as if he were realizing just how small he really was. Though the feeling of insignificance was growing more and more common.

Finally pushing off the wall, he ambles to his car and sits behind the steering wheel for a while, just fiddling with his keys. He knew the way. He'd only been there once, but he knew. But... was it worth the attempt?

Eventually, Chance pulls away from the curb and heads to his third destination. If she wasn't there... he'd have to risk his exposure to find her, but he'd decide that when he had to.

Luckily, he didn't have to. Driving up to the house, he saw lights on and a car he recognized. His heart skips a beat. Did he really want to do this? Yet if he didn't, this entire trip would have been wasted.

He doesn't know how long he sits in the car. But by the time his nerves are collected, he's sure he's worn the grooves out of his car key from fidgeting with them so long. Stepping out of the car, he shuts the door quietly and slowly approaches the house. Tucking his keys in his leather jacket pocket, he wanders up onto the porch and holds out his thumb to hover over the doorbell. What if she wasn't really here? What if she shut the door in his face? He knew he didn't look very good... come to think of it, he really looked terrible with his messy hair and a face that needed a shave... and clothes he'd slept in the last three days. But he was here... and that was his point, disheveled or not.

Swallowing hard, Chance rings the doorbell and takes a step back to stare at the door. As he waits, his hands fidget restlessly at his sides to hide the slight tremble. His gut was twisting in knots and part of him just wanted to turn and leave. But he plants his feet, willing himself to stay.

When the door finally opens though, words escape him as his heart leaps into his throat. A chill runs down his spine as his gaze locks with the same eyes that had lured him closer to love than he'd ever been before. He shifts his weight uncomfortably. "Destiny..." His voice is hardly above a whisper. "I..." The mouth that would always show a smile, even in awkward or desperate times was missing on this night - it was as if it had been lost, somehow, leaving his expression vacant. Yet there was something there... something few would see. The fire was gone, but a small ember still glowed, hanging on to the last thread of hope that somehow, some way, he could fix what he'd broken. "I just... I had to see you... again."


"I'm headed out for a while, Mom." Jared grabs his keys and checks himself in the hall mirror one more time.

"Okay," Lydia calls. "Will you be back for supper?"

"Uh..." He tucks a strand of hair back in place. "Yeah, probably." Supper yes. After that, who knew?

"I will keep leftovers in case you are late."

Jared rolls his eyes and mutters under his breath. "Of course you will." He moves from the mirror and heads for the door. "Alright, sounds good," he calls back.

Hearing the front door shut, Lydia waits until she also hears Jared's car. While wiping her hands on a dish towel, she wanders to peer out a front window to make sure he was really gone. Returning to the kitchen, she picks up the phone and dials the number on the napkin. But it was a man that answered, and he knew no one named Beth. Hanging up and feeling flustered and embarrassed, Lydia stares at the number again. Moving to the light of the window, she squints at the writing. And only now did she see that a 6 used to be a 5. And immediately, her heart sinks. She couldn't tell what other numbers had been changed and she didn't want to make guesses and call more wrong numbers.

Crumpling up the napkin, she throws it away. Sighing, she finishes cleaning up the kitchen before heading to the living room. Spying her purse on the couch, she mumbles something in Greek to herself and rolls her eyes at her forgetfulness. Picking up her purse to put it where it belonged, she carries it to the hall table. But as she sets it down, she notices something she should have seen before but never had.

Pulling out the napkin, she's surprised to find a duplicate of Beth's phone number. A smile creases her lips. "Beth Parker, you are a smart one." Beth must have known there was a chance Jared would interfere, so she'd dropped her number in Lydia's purse too.

Lydia shakes her head and returns to the kitchen phone. This time, it was a female voice that answered. "Beth? This... um... this is Lydia Hawks. I... I have some time... a couple hours probably that I am alone." She bites her lip, thinking of consequences. "You're probably busy, but if you want to come over to have some coffee, you can."


"So... you gonna come over again tonight?"

Jared grins over his small glass of scotch and stares at the tall blonde across the table. "Maybe."

She leans back and tosses him a sly look. "Or did Mommy find out you'd been a bad boy?"

Jared chuckles and sips his drink. The club was noisy and crowded, but he preferred this atmosphere. "It really is sad," he muses. "I'm just like a teenage kid sneaking out at night. But I think she turned off her motherly radar about ten years ago so it's a whole lot easier now to fool her. The poor dear isn't the brightest match in the box."

The woman laughs. "Why not just tell her and let her be shocked?"

"Aw, if I did that, she might kick me out."

"Mmm... Then what? You'd lose a fortune?"

Jared squints a little as he finishes his drink. "I don't think we know each other well enough for such a personal conversation."

"Even after last night?"

Jared grins. "That was just an introduction."

"Oh, I see." The woman reaches across the table to trail her fingers over his hand. "Well, maybe we need a second introduction."

Jared's eyes drift up to the neon clock. "Midnight at your place?"

She chuckles. "I'll leave the porch light on."


Jason smiles a little, always glad for Katie's graciousness. "Okay. Feel free to stay... if you want." He didn't want her to think she couldn't stay at his place just because his mom was here. If she'd feel awkward, he wouldn't want that, but he wanted to make sure everyone got what they wanted at this point.

Sighing deeply, he tries to remain alert for everyone's sake. "I'll see you after work, Babe. Drive safe."


Kip gives Karla a bit of a grin and swings her hand around as they walk. "Yeah, well... I can play the keyboard too," he admits sheepishly. "...And the drums. Not like, fantastic or anything, but... yeah."

He falls silent for a moment, lost in thought about the scene they'd just left behind. Why couldn't he have guts like that other guy? Why couldn't he get it together like him? Why did he keep floundering like an idiot?

He sighs and tries to refocus, changing the subject before Karla read his mind. "So yes... ice cream. I'm thinking something with chocolate... lots of chocolate... and peanut butter."


Quinn's mouth breaks into a smile as he sees Anastasia. Ceasing his playing, he looks to her, his eyes sparkling. "Well... yes, I was waiting for someone, but if they decide not to show, it's their own fault, right?"

He bends to lay his guitar in its case. "I mean, if a fairytale princess just happens to stroll by, what's a fella to do but have that coffee with her?"

Straightening again, he grins at her. "And I only see one princess around here, so... I think I better take you up on your offer." Picking up his guitar case, he ambles closer and slings an arm around Anastasia's shoulders. "Let me put this thing in my car and we can walk to the coffee shop if you want."


Seeing Stacy glance his way, Eric locks eyes with her for just a moment before she looks away again. She had a pretty smile... it was-

He stops his thoughts abruptly and finally looks down at his food to finish eating. It was stupid. Not her smile. Him. His thoughts. Or something. He rolls his eyes at himself and thinks about his truck to get his mind back on track. Later though, his brief stare to Stacy's table would be his demise... or at least it felt that way...

"Hey, wait up."

Eric halts his route to his bunk after he'd finished supper and filtered out with several others. Jeff 's voice makes him turn. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry... I gotta ask..." Jeff's grin is almost hidden in the evening darkness. "Where do you know Stacy from?"

Eric quirks an eyebrow and stuffs his hands in his jacket pockets. "Who said I knew her at all?"

"Oh come on. I saw you looking at her at supper tonight. Looked to me like history."

Eric could feel his cheeks growing warm, but he didn't let his expression change. "What do you care?"

Jeff shrugs. "Me and Clint, we-"

"Uh-huh." Eric smirks. "I forgot about the gossip around here, though it ain't usually the guys that are flappin' their jaws, it's the ladies."

"So you do know her, then."

Eric shakes his head, knowing it was useless. "She pulled me over."

"She... what?"

"Pulled me over. You know - a ticket? I was speeding through Nevada, she was on duty, and the rest is, as you so lovingly said: history."

Jeff can't help the snicker that slips out. "And that's all?"

"That's all. Now you can go tell your pseudo nephew that's all the juicy details there are."

"Well... Mick was kinda wonderin' too."

"Great." Eric's eyes narrow. "Can I go to bed now?"

"Oh, sure thing, Partner." Jeff gives his shoulder a playful whack. "Sweet dreams." He ducks to miss a flying hand aimed at his head.


It was a couple days later, and not much was different at the ranch. Things had been quiet, but after the incident with Dylan, quiet was a good thing.

Sparky wanders around the side of the barn, finally finding who he was looking for. Approaching the pasture fence, he joins Stacy. "Hey... been looking for you. Had a question."

He nods towards the barn. "Just had a talk with Dylan. He and I are going saddle shopping on Saturday, so I'm assuming you'll be coming too. He didn't want to go with you as his shadow, but... I told him Jeff was coming too, and Eric needs a new hat so he's tagging along. I think it helped Dylan a little, knowing it wouldn't just be him in the spotlight."

Sparky shrugs. "At any rate, I wondered if you'd feel comfortable with all us guys, or if you preferred something different."

Pretty Interesting

Walking with Kip, Karla enjoyed it. Even if they didn't talk much, it was ok with her. They didn't need words to speak. Much could be said through the unsaid with them.

Hearing the soft sound of music, Karla's eyes follow Kip's. Seeing the man with the guitar, a small smile spreads across her face. He had guts to be out there in the open, and good.

Feeling Kip's hand in hers, Karla stands and follows close behind him. Drawing close, the music sounded even better. As the man greets them, Karla smiles and gives a nod, her cheeks growing a little rosy. She still had yet to get over being shy to new people.

As the man gives Kip his guitar to play, she can't help but be a little surprised. She never knew Kip could play anything else, but now she was more than willing to listen.

The music playing, Kip's soft words - Karla couldn't help but sway a little. The free style was amazing. Once it stopped, Karla's smile was large as she clapped softly. Giving another nod to the man, she knew she could keep this promise. She would do all she could to not let Kip quit. Who knows - maybe tonight's encouragement did him some good.

Leaving with Kip, Karla pulls herself closer to him. The comment of ice cream sounded good to her. "That sounds great. And you sounded wonderful, by the way. I had no idea you could do that."


Closing the shop doors and locking them, Anastasia couldn't help but smile as the soft sound of music hit her ears from down the road. Quinn was really waiting for her.

Looking to her car for a second, she slips the keys in her pocket. It was too nice to drive - walking would be better. Nodding to a couple as they passed her, Anastasia kept her hands in her pockets of her leather jacket.

"Hey, Mister, you play pretty good. Care to get some coffee? That is, if you're not already waiting for someone."

Anastasia cocked her head a little, the humor dancing in her eyes, a soft smile on her lips.


Sitting in the dining room and enjoying the conversation with the others, Stacy felt content but on guard with the event of today.

Giving a sweep of the room, making sure all was well still, Stacy stops for a moment as her eyes meet Eric's. This was the second time she found him watching her. Not that she minded - he was good to look at too. Giving a little smile, she looks away but lets her peripheral vision continue to watch Eric and the room. He was pretty interesting.


Excusing herself from the table, Ashlee heads outside and takes in a deep breath. The fresh air here was amazing and she never tired of it.

Stepping off the steps she puts her hands into her pockets. Just walking across the yard and enjoying the night, her mind wandered. She noticed tonight Eric watching her mom. Did he like her? It would be cute if he did, but she knew her mom and she would come up with some reason why she couldn't. Ashlee just wanted her mom to be happy, and Eric was a nice guy. She couldn't help but think about what could be done.


Hearing her phone ring, Katie can't help but smile, seeing it was Jason. She always liked hearing from him. Now that their connection was broken, the phone was the next best thing.

"Hey, Sweety. I was just thinking about you."

Hearing Cindy had come to see Jason, she was happy but sad at the same time. She was happy she had come though.

"Thanks for letting me know. Enjoy the time with your mom. I'll be over after work to say hi."