Every Night

Hunter wasn't surprised when Katie sat down. She could read him all too well and he knew it. How she did it, he'd never know, but she was good at it. He'd never be able to lie to her - she'd see right through him. 

Her question lingers on the air for several moments. Though falling quiet again, Hunter searches her eyes. He'd figured that she had observed him being tired the last handful of mornings. There were a whole lot of reasons he could give her. But as he'd just concluded... she'd be able to tell they were just excuses. 

Taking a deep breath, he lets it out slowly before leaning his head back against the railing and closing his eyes. "I've been having nightmares," he finally admits. Keeping his eyes closed while telling her was easier. He felt like a little kid afraid of the boogie man. 

"Well... one, actually. Every night... for about a week... and... I can't ever sleep any more afterward. Or if I try to, I just have the nightmare all over again." 

Even now, he was having trouble fending off the frightening images of water and darkness. Opening his eyes again, his gaze was so tired. So weary. He looks back to Katie. "Don't know why, 'cause I didn't think anything was bothering me. I mean I've been having a great time here - not like I'm under a lot of stress or something." He shrugs lamely. "I just can't seem to shake it. Even if I try to take a nap during the day, the dream comes back." He wasn't sure if he wanted to describe it to her or not. He felt rather silly about it - it wasn't even anything really tangible. Drowning in a river. Really? Stupid. 

Sighing again, he finally unfolds his arms, bringing one knee up to his chest. "Brain keeps wandering to the past too, but I don't even know if it's connected or why. None of it makes any sense, other than the obvious - and that's I'm not getting enough sleep." He rolls his eyes. "Maybe there's just something wrong with my head."

Jared's lips upturn into a new smile and he shakes his head. He wasn't sure if Grace really knew the answer or not, but he'd let the matter drop. 

"Okay... yeah, lets go for a ride. I wanna see if that car's a smooth a ride as it looks." He gets his wheelchair backed away from the table and turned around, ready to go. 

"I think my mom's got the keys hanging on the wall in the hallway."

"Fruit, I've got." Justin abandons his bagel for now, going to the fridge. "Let's see.... grapes... strawberries... watermelon... apples... oranges..." Fruit and veggies he always had on hand. "Um... got some pineapple too that's already been cut, and... ah. Peaches. Yeah." He pops back out of the fridge and opens the door wider. "Here - help yourself to whatever you want." That would probably be easier. 

Moving aside, he lets Beth take a look at what she wanted. "You gotta work tonight?"