But

Dylan tries his best to focus, thinking on Dan's words. The last time Dylan had been caught, he'd been much angrier at the world, trusting no one, and locked up at the McClain ranch. This time he was angry at some but not everyone, he was mostly angry with himself, and he had a small few people he could trust. But in the end, because this time it had been completely his choice to go back to that way of life, he felt he must be the stupidest person alive. All he'd wanted was to get away from here... forget about the world... find someone who believed in him rather than never trusting him. But all he'd found was misery and a bunch of people that couldn't care less about him.

Staring at the outstretched phone, then glancing up to see Dan's eyes, Dylan blinks back new tears. Mick already knew? It shouldn't be a surprise. But was Dan right? Would Mick really not hate him? What if he got mad though? Yelled at him? Turned his back on him?

Though he feared the worst, somewhere deep down, Dylan knew better. And somewhere deep down was that little boy that still hoped his daddy would rescue him.

"Okay," he finally relents quietly. "You win."

Taking the phone, he hand shakes but he makes the call... "Dad? ... I...I'm at my bunk... Can... can you come?"

It takes mere minutes for Mick to arrive. He didn't know what was going on, but he had a feeling what it was about. Sure enough, when he walks in, the scene didn't surprise him. Dylan's state was all too familiar.

Kneeling beside Dan, Mick studies Dylan's face. "What's up, hmm?"

Dylan shivers. "You... you already know."

He did. And it was killing him inside, despite his calm demeanor. "When was the last time?"

Dylan looks to Dan for reassurance before answering. "Day before... before yesterday."

Mick reaches out and feels Dylan's warm forehead. "I need to know, Dylan... what was it?"

Dylan doesn't have the energy to lie. "Same as last time."

"Heroin?"

"...Yeah."

Mick sighs deeply. He wanted to wring Dylan's neck and hug him at the same time. "Okay... well... now we have a start. Come on up off the floor and back into bed."

With Dan's help, Mick gets Dylan back in his bed with an extra blanket over him. Standing near the door, Mick sets his hands on his hips, trying to think of what should be done. He looks to Dan, grateful. "Thanks... for all you've done. I want to move Dylan to the house - the next couple days are gonna be rough and it'll be easier to take care of him. I gotta talk to Rosetta first though. Would you stay here and keep an eye on him for just a while?"

...Leaving Dylan in good hands, Mick heads to the office quickly, hunting down Rosetta. Finding her at the desk, he was glad. "Hey, Babe..." His face was wrought with worry. "Dylan finally hit bottom. He's starting to go through withdrawal and is already pretty bad. Dan's with him now, but I'd like it if I could bring Dylan to the house. I wanted to check with you first though. If it's anything like last time, he'll probably get desperate in another day or so and it could get ugly. I won't bring him here if you don't want me to."


Looking quickly to the side as someone sits next to her, Ariel can't help her surprise. Trey was the last person she'd expected to see here tonight, and the look in her eye proved it. "Hi... Trey..." She wasn't upset he was there, but she was rather confused.

Seeing the flowers, then eying Trey rather suspiciously, she finally understood why Pete had been so insistent about tonight. Now he really owed her. Her hands remain cupped around her glass, her expression remaining rather dull but not upset.

Trey was apologizing? Surprise number two. She looks back at the flowers. They really were lovely, and it really was a sweet gesture. Interrupted by the bartender, she doesn't get a chance to respond, but simply continues listening to Trey, giving him time to say whatever he wanted.

His rather romantic words make her cheeks flush slightly and she finds herself glancing back down to her fruit punch before looking back at the flowers again. She had to admit that he was making her feel special whether she wanted him to or not. She hadn't thought he had it in him to say things like that. Surprise number three.

When Trey seemed to be finished, Ariel finally looks back up at him, just studying his face for several moments. Though the music was loud and more people were milling about, it felt kind of quiet in their corner at the end of the bar. She gives Trey a small smile before fingering the flowers and picking up one of the daisies to smell. Nodding, she places it back with the bunch.

Taking a deep breath, she folds her hands, cocking her head at him. "Thank you... Trey. The flowers are lovely and... I accept your apology and forgive you."

Pursing her lips, she thinks for another moment or two. "I'd like to tell you it'll all be okay now and we can just go right back to hanging out at the beach." Looking into Trey's big dark eyes, it was hard not to melt right on the spot. "But I guess I just don't know." She had to be honest. "I do still want you as a friend. I never didn't. And I know that when I told you about the truth of why I started spending time with you, that it hurt your feelings. But when you got so upset..."

Her eyes glance down for a moment. Her palms suddenly felt clammy. "...I saw something in your eyes that, quite honestly, scared me. It wasn't just what you said... it was how you said it. There was almost a hate in your tone and..."

She looks back up at him again. "...and I wasn't sure anymore what kind of a guy you were. Then when you showed up at my place drunk... It wasn't so much why or that you came - I was rather glad you'd come to me instead of going and jumping off a bridge or something. But the guy I thought I'd been hanging out with, I wouldn't have pegged for someone to go and drink away his problems and... I'm not so sure I could handle that again."

Ariel bites her lip, a little smile quirking, and she shakes her head. "Then you go and give me those great big puppy dog eyes and I don't know whether to slap you or hug you."