Two Weeks

Gage grins slyly as Sapphire nudges his foot. Like lightning, he rights himself, grabs her arms and pulls her down onto the floor with him, using himself as a cushion. On his back with her on top of him, he puts his arms around her so she couldn't leave.

"All you gotta do is be around and you're useful," he teases. "Keeping me company is a big job."

Lifting his head, he kisses her lips softly before resting back on the carpet again. His eyes twinkle as a laugh makes her bounce on his stomach. "But I suppose I have to let you go, don't I?" It was his day off tomorrow, not hers.

Not receiving a solid answer from Misty, Jason lets the matter drop. Eventually, everybody would find out what happened - he just wanted to make it the easiest on her as possible.

Pausing at the door, he nods. "Yeah. If I don't see you at work I might give you a call or something." For the first time in too long, he had someone else to focus on besides himself and his own worries. Looking down at her for a moment, his eyes linger on hers until he finally pries himself away. "Goodnight, Misty," he comments over his shoulder as he steps out onto the porch. Stopping at the bottom of the steps, he glances back, throwing her a half smile. It was all he could do.

Driving home he takes his time, his mind full of the day's events. Never would he have guessed this would happen.

The next morning when he goes to work, he doesn't make mention of any of it to anyone, still unsure how Misty wanted to handle it, and not wanting to overstep his bounds. He did keep an eye out for her though, wondering if she'd make it in or not.

Scott smirks at Hope and shakes his head. "Naw, I got a file folder full of phone numbers." He taps his head. "One of these days I'll get a cell phone again too - just gotta figure out what my finances are gonna allow once I start working again." The Elite had been helping him because of the original cause of his situation, but once he began work, that extra support would greatly lessen - as it should. He just wasn't sure what all that would mean.

"I'll, um... I'll see you tomorrow then." Giving her a little wave, he turns to leave. He'd spent a bit of time with her lately... lunch sometimes... going to the park... things like that. Each time though, he just wasn't so sure about where they were going or what she expected from him. Would he ever feel ready for more than friendship? He just didn't know.

"Look, um..." Carson shifts his weight from one foot to the other, leaning back on the counter at Mom and Pop's. It was late morning and Dani had come in just for a little while before taking a lunch break. She didn't usually get to have a normal noontime meal out so she'd taken advantage when Carson had said it was alright - especially when she got to see Dalton. Carson had asked her to wait before going though, so he could talk to her. She'd asked him a lot lately if everything was okay and so far, he'd told her nothing. But after moving yesterday, she needed to know. She had a right to know.

Dani waits, feeling an odd little churn in her stomach. It wasn't like her brother to beat around the bush, and he'd been acting so strangely lately. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"I just... I need to tell you that... I've moved."

Dani blinks. "I don't understand."

"I, um... Misty and I... we're... we've separated."

Dani's eyes widen and her jaw drops slightly. "Separated?" She couldn't believe it. "I'm so sorry. I didn't even know you guys were having problems." She reaches out to lay a hand on his arm. "Is it serious?"

Carson swallows hard. He turns away and starts to clean the counter with a towel, even though it had already been cleaned. "I've moved in with another woman, Dani."

The silence that followed seemed to last an eternity. Dani couldn't believe she was hearing this. Carson... her brother... was living with another woman? It was absurd! "You mean to tell me that... you left Misty... for another woman?"

Carson keeps his back turned and nods. "Her name is Jaz. I just... wanted to let you know in case you heard something from somebody else. I can get you the address tomorrow if you want it." Hearing no response, he finally looks over his shoulder, only to be met with the most piercing glare he'd ever received from his sister.

"Why? Why, Carson?! How could you do that?"

He sighs and looks back at the counter. "It's a long story."

"So tell me!" Dani gives his arm a whack. "Are you stupid?! How could you just up and leave your wife? For another woman?! What is she, another one of your long lost tramps?"

Carson whirls around, now with a glare of his own. His hand balls into a fist as he fights the urge to physically react. "Jaz is not a tramp," he hisses. "Things happen, alright? I know you don't approve and you probably think I'm a jerk, but it's my life. I didn't tell you so you could blow up at me. I told you because I respect you and I wanted you to know before hearing it from someone else."

Tears cloud Dani's gaze as she unties her apron. "So that's it, huh? You just met another woman and Misty's out?"

"It's not like that," Carson defends, his frustration rising. "It's just... it..."

"How long have you been cheating on your wife?"

The question hurt. Carson's eyes narrow. "I'd rather not go into details."

"I bet you wouldn't." Dani shoves her apron at him. "So much for showing your daughter what a happy family is all about, huh? So much for trying to change your life around. You just couldn't resist, could you? You just had to go back to your old ways."

Carson turns to catch the apron. Now was not a good time to tell her she was gonna be an aunt again. "C'mon, Dani... let it rest, okay? Just... leave it alone. I don't need a lecture."

"No... no, you need more than that. You need a good hard lesson and I'll be hanged if I'm not the first to start." She stalks over to a nearby table and grabs her jacket off the back of a chair. "I'll see you tomorrow, Carson. And when I do, I'll be giving you my two weeks' notice. I can't work under a man like you."

"Dani, wait." Carson starts after her. "Don't go like this, please! It has nothing to do with you! It-" The door opens and closes again with a jingle of bells that was far from cheerful today.