So Much More

Misty's kiss was lighter than expected, but Jason rather liked it. Maybe she really was okay with a bit of softness and not all rough and tumble. Maybe she really was okay with the way he was.

Returning the kiss just as lightly, he smiles as she pulls away. "Yeah... you'll see me." Would they make plans together for lunch or supper again? Probably. But he'd wait until tomorrow.

"Goodnight, Misty." Waiting until she was in her own car and driving away, Jason follows her out of the lot before turning the opposite direction to go home. This had been one... good evening. It had been a long time since he'd felt like this, and it was extremely encouraging as far as his emotions went. He really was feeling a lot more now - or feeling the same but recognizing so much more. Had it taken someone new to help him recover, or would he have been able to get this far with Katie? Now he wondered... and he'd never know.

Arriving home, Jason is greeted with enthusiasm by Trooper and spends a little time with him before sacking out on the couch for a while. He was tired, but not yet ready for bed. His mind was still too full.

As the TV drones, he finds himself looking down at his scarred hand. That had been Katie's hand, belonging only to her. But... not anymore. The scar was just a scar and nothing more. No more pain. No more destruction. It had been made soft tonight. Was this just one evening of forgetting loneliness for a little while? Or when he walked into work tomorrow, would he be greeted with that same sparkling smile? Would Misty's hand rest in his again, feeding him the emotions he'd been longing to feel? He wondered. And... he had a feeling that this was only the beginning.

Smiling to himself, he hugs a throw pillow to get comfortable, turning his focus back to the late night show on TV.


There. Alec finally had the folded paper towel taped to his palm. Why it had been so hard this second time, he didn't know, but he felt like somewhat of an idiot. Cleaning up the bathroom sink the best he can, he stuff the bloody paper towels down further in the waste basket, hoping Misty wouldn't notice. He didn't need to burden her anymore with worries about him. That was the last thing he wanted to do. By morning, it should be better anyway, and he'd ask if there were any bandages in the house.

Shuffling to the kitchen in his bare feet, he gets a glass of water to drink then aims back for the living room. Just as he reaches the couch though, he feels something wet and looks down at his hand, only to discover that the paper towel was soaked through.

"No!" Growling in total frustration, he went back to the bathroom sink once more. This was ridiculous! When he'd cut his hand in the first place, tying a rag around his hand had done the trick, and now nothing was working to stop the bleeding. Had he torn it open more when cleaning it? Was that why it wouldn't stop now? He didn't know, but it was making him mad, and the madder he got, the harder it was to know what to do or get his fingers to work well enough to do anything anyway.

Throwing away the makeshift bandage, he sits on the edge of the bathtub and uses his thumb to put pressure on the wound. Maybe if he held it long enough, it would eventually stop or at least slow enough to attempt another bandage.


Hunter smiles as he walks, returning Katie's squeeze to his hand. He did find her answers interesting though - particularly the one about her mother. He knew her mother had died quite a while ago... she must be thinking a lot about the past to have that wish come up like this. And absolution? Another interesting one. She was a deep thinker for sure... she was deep in many ways, as Hunter was discovering.

"Me?" He chuckles and shakes his head. "I dunno." Or... perhaps it was that his true desires hurt too much to say out loud.

"I guess I've got most anything I want." Oh but there was so much more to it than that. There were so many pains he wanted healed. So many hurts he didn't want to feel anymore. So many questions he wanted answered. So many dreams he dared not voice.

Realizing his eyes had been glued to the ground, he glances to his side and gives Katie a new grin. "Not that long ago, I mighta said I wanted a true friend... but I think I've found that one already."