Beating

Trey's comment makes both Pete's and Ariel's eyes snap towards him. Was he still upset over the whole thing? Was he still bitter that they hadn't been entirely honest with them?

Ariel isn't sure what to say, but seeing Trey stumble over his next few words, she realized that he hadn't meant for his previous statement to sound mean. Maybe he was trying after all. Maybe.

Shaking her head, she pretends not to have noticed his awkwardness. "You guys are all alike."

"Whoa!" Pete holds up his hand. "You're putting me in the same category as your brother? That is so not fair."

Colt snickers. "Maybe she thinks you're immature."

Pete was, by far, the oldest of the group, and his eyes narrow playfully. "And your point is...?"

"Pizza!" Dani comes to the table carrying the first of the pizzas.

"Oh, bless you." Colt gives her a wide grin. "You have no idea how many lives you just saved."

Dani blinks as she sets down the pizza. "That hungry?"

"No. But Pete was going to strangle me. Now he'll be too busy stuffing his face."

Dani laughs. "Glad I could help."

"Help me more by joining us." Colt feigns desperation. "If but one more soul is added to my side, my heart shall remain beating!"

Ariel's eyes widen. "Somebody had too much caffeine tonight."

Dani shakes her head, giving Colt's shoulder a pat. "Nice try, cowboy. I belong to someone else's table."

As she walks away, Colt sighs. "All the good ones are taken."

"Nah." Pete grabs a slice of pizza. "You're just not smart enough to find the free - ow!" He jumps as a boot hits his shin. "Play nice!"

Ariel rolls her eyes again and grabs a plate for herself. Glancing to Trey, she winks. "Welcome to the crazier side of us."


"No thanks necessary." Rick gives Katie a little wave, watching her leave the infirmary. After a short sigh, he turns back to his work. He was worried about his two friends, even if he wouldn't tell them so. But he did have confidence that they would be okay. The odd Agency connection was still a mystery, and how it worked was beyond medical science. Despite that, he still believed that what he'd said to Katie was true - that she and Jason would just have to adjust. Nothing was "wrong." They would simply need to get used to this new way of feeling things...

Over the next few weeks, Rick kept a close eye on them, whether they knew it or not. He checked up on Katie several times, and talked with Jason when he'd come in for check-ups with his knee. Thankfully, that was the least of Rick's worries. Without the Agency influence in Jason's system, there was nothing eating away at his weaknesses, and therefore, his knee was healing well and much more quickly than anticipated. By week three, he told Jason he could leave his crutches behind and wear a brace as long as he didn't overdo it yet and continued to put it up when he was sitting and continue his therapy as well. But despite time and the occasional laugh from Katie and Jason, Rick was kept very aware that the two young agents still had a lot of adjusting to do yet...

"I'm fine." Jason spits out the thermometer and shoos Rick away from checking his pulse. "Isn't it about time I didn't have to come in here every other day."

"Twice a week," Rick corrects. "And I suppose so." He retreats, leaving Jason sitting on the table in the infirmary. "How's, um... how's things with you and Katie?"

Jason pulls on his t-shirts and lifts his eyebrows. "Huh?"

"You and Katie." Rick comes back and leans on the table beside him. "You two doing alright?"

"Well, yeah, sure." Jason shrugs. "I mean why not?"

"I don't know..."

Jason eyes him suspiciously. "What are you getting at?"

"Nothing. I was just curious."

Jason's gaze lowers a little. He thinks back over the last couple weeks. He and Katie had spent almost every evening together... just like they always did. Except... things still weren't the same. They didn't... talk much. They didn't... do much. A movie here... a pizza there... but nothing... fun. Or maybe it was fun and Jason just didn't know it. But last night... last night they'd cuddled on his couch and even fallen asleep for a while. And when Katie had left to go home, they hadn't kissed goodbye. Jason wasn't sure why... they always did... and he didn't think either had forgotten. It just didn't seem... necessary. It had been an okay evening and they weren't mad at each other. But... they just weren't... close.

Rick sees the turmoil behind Jason's eyes and knows there is much being unsaid. "How about you two taking some time off? Visit Texas? Or just go to the beach. Go hang out with friends. Do you do anything like that anymore?"

Jason shrugs. "Not really."

"Why not?"

"I dunno. Guess we didn't want to." Jason runs a hand through his hair. "Look... I don't know what you've been told, but apparently you've noticed Katie and I haven't been that close lately. And if you really must know, I don't know why it is. I just... I don't feel much of anything anymore, and..."

Rick waits. "And...?"

Jason wasn't sure he wanted to say it out loud. "And I guess... It's... well, what if the connection was the only thing Katie and I really had? I mean... what if we never really loved each other? What if it was just our connection amplifying everything and now that it's gone... "us" is gone?"

"Aw, Jase..." Rick shakes his head. "I don't think that's true. You and Katie always had more than just being able to talk to each other from miles away. You just need to give this time."

"That's what you said in the beginning."

Rick sighs. "I don't pretend to have all the answers... but I still believe that the both of you will adjust. I know it's hard. But you gotta hang on."

"To what?"

Rick's shoulders drop. He wasn't getting anywhere. "To what's in here." He touches Jason's chest over his heart. "How do you feel right now?"

Jason smirks. "Honestly? Depressed. But I don't want anything to-"

"I'm not trying to cure you with pills," Rick cuts him off. "You feel bad, right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Jason... you're feeling. It may be negative, but you know what it is. You couldn't do that two weeks ago. One of these days, you're gonna probably feel angry. Or irritated. Or upset. And then one day you're going to have fun. You're going to feel happy. Or joy... Or love." He tries desperately to get his point across. "I know what you feel now sucks. But it's a good thing. The more you try to understand those faint feelings, the better you'll become at it, and pretty soon, it will all be natural again. Please... trust me."

Jason swallows hard, his eyes glued to the floor. He nods though. Maybe Rick was right. He did feel right now. He felt rotten, but Rick did have a point - at least he really was feeling something, and that was an improvement. Maybe the negative was just easier to recognize than the good right now. "Okay... I'll give it more time."

"Good."

Jason heads out of the infirmary, limping just a little. He goes down the hall to his office and shuts the door. Easing down behind his desk, he puts his feet up and grabs his tennis ball. Throwing it at the wall, he plays catch with himself, his mind whirling with paperwork, his mother, Wes, and Katie.


Dylan wasn't used to this kind of treatment, but opening his eyes again, he sees it's true that Stacy really was going to help him. While it felt rather childish, at the moment, he was too weak to fight, and maybe deep down, that little boy still existed that needed to just be loved.

Finally able to get some soup in him, it felt good. Dylan does give Stacy a lame kind of look though at her comment. "Nice try," he responds hoarsely. "It's not the spoon... it's me."

With half the soup finally down, he can't handle anymore, and refuses another bite. Sinking back a little, he sniffs his runny nose and rubs his tired eyes with his hand, only to withdraw more sweat. Shivering, he pulls his blanket up again.

Looking at Stacy, his eyes seems to be far away. "I'm... I'm doing it... right? I'm... I'm beating it?"