Bug Spray

Jared's ears listen, signaling Grace had drawn nearer his bed - not walked away. Remaining still, her words seem to drive straight to his soul. She didn't care who he'd been... she really did want to stay his friend. Was she right? Was he really different than he had been? Was caring about her really a sign he didn't have to be who he'd been? 

Finally opening his eyes and turning his head again, he looks up at Grace. His eyes glisten with the tears of a thousand emotions. Never had he felt such guilt... such shame. To think of all the wrongs he'd done... He deserved for no one to ever want to be around him again. He didn't deserve any second chances with as many horrible things he'd done. Yet here was Grace... telling him she would not abandon their friendship. 

He tries to swallow the lump in his throat as one of the tears escapes to trickle down his face and be absorbed by his pillow. "I... I don't really want to be alone," he admits softly. "I just... I don't deserve a friend like you." 

Watching his daughter's face turn red, Jeff can't help his grin. While he trusted both Katie and Hunter, and knew they'd probably just been having a good old fashioned make-out session earlier, it was just too easy to tease. "Ahhh, I see..." He folds his arms and nods. "Yummy smelling stuff, huh?"

Hunter chokes on a laugh he was trying to swallow. 

Jeff quirks an eyebrow. "I've got a cure for that." He nods. "Bug spray. Haven't found a women yet who likes the taste of that. They could just as easily call it hickey repellent." 

Hunter can't help his laugh. "That might work. Although..." 

Jeff waits. "Yes?"

"Never mind."

"That's what I thought." Jeff gives him a backhanded whack to the arm for good measure. "Just don't get too carried away. We have what we call boyfriend repellent around here as well."

Hunter holds up his hands in surrender. "You have my word. Of course if I get all the blood sucked out of me, it won't make much difference."

"You have a point." Jeff points as finger at Katie. Though he was teasing, there was just a slight bit of fatherly chiding in his tone. "Don't suck out all his blood. We want to keep him alive." He tosses her a wink before finally moving on to his own table. 

Having felt Katie's kick to his shin, Hunter takes the opportunity now to return it by kicking her own leg lightly. "See all the trouble you got us into?"