Lost

Although the rose garden was not private, Garret wasn't too surprised when Victoria shows up. He knew half the property had probably heard the fight. Sitting up straight, his eyes remain downcast, focusing on the stones that made up the path through the garden. Feeling Victoria's hand in his, he curls his fingers around hers as a silent gesture of affection.

"My shoulder will be okay," he responds softly, his voice strained with mixed emotions. "It's not too bad. I'll go get it taken care of, soon as I cool down."

Letting his jaw muscles work out some of his tension, he's quiet again for several moments. "Yeah... heated is a good word. He won't execute me yet though - at least I don't think so. If he does, he'll at least be rid of one more thorn in his side." He shakes his head. "Five men dead - two were ours. Three men wounded, including me. And for what? A little more money? A little more power?" Its takes restraint to keep his tone quiet so as not to alert anyone to their presence here. What he'd just said wasn't the half of it though. There was more. A lot more.

"I blamed Medridge's plan... but it wasn't him. It was me. I told him there was a flaw - that things went wrong. But it was me that was the flaw." But it hadn't just been an innocent mistake. It hadn't been a misinterpretation of plans. That's what Medridge and the others would be told, and what they would believe. But Garret knew the truth. And it was too dangerous to even tell Victoria.

Finally turning his head to look at her, his eyes catch hers, falling into her gaze and wishing beyond hope that one day they'd awake from this terrible nightmare to find a life of peace and freedom. "If you ever get word that I'm a traitor, you deny ever having known me more than an acquaintance. I'll not have you hang with me." Though he whispered, his tone indicated how serious he was. But why he might be accused of such a thing, he would not say.

Without warning, his hand moves behind Victoria's head, pulling her closer to him while he also leans in to close the gap. His kiss was quick, but it was deep... passionate... rough. It wasn't the same gentle affection he usually showed.

Letting her go abruptly, he stands up and heads down the path to exit the garden...

...It would be many hours later, after the moon had risen, that Garret would be seen again. Tucked away in the safety of their hiding place, he waits, not knowing if Victoria would come or not. He didn't sit on the swing tonight though... seated on the ground beneath the tree, fallen leaves and pine needles created a soft bed. Leaned back against the rough bark, his eyes were lifted to the sky, searching the moon for anything that was beyond these walls. Though now cleaned up and having gained an hour or two of sleep, there was a new weariness about him. A new kind of despair. He had tempted fate today and had lost.


To: Katie
From: Hunter
Feeling pretty good. Ive been putting a
little weight on my leg and it hurts but
not quite as bad as I expected. Only
prob is I dont have u to lean on! Idk
yet when Ill actually be able to get on
my bike but hoping soon.


Looking to the side at Misty, Jason purses his lips in thought. "Yeah... maybe. I just don't even know what to say to her. I mean, who's to say anything has changed? Last I knew, she thought I was a liar and not worth sticking around for. If that's still the case, I'm not so sure I really can work with her. If she doesn't trust me, we'd make a poor team anyway."

Sighing deeply, Jason wished he could figure out what he was feeling. It had been so much easier lately to tell what his emotions were, that he'd been feeling as normal as he had in a very long time. But right now, what he was feeling was too mixed up to try and decipher. Then again... no matter how normal he was, if his emotions were this messed up, maybe anybody would have a hard time figuring it out.

Leaning down and cocking his head, Jason gives Misty's lips a long tender kiss before pulling back again. "Whether it's been a rocky road or not though, at least one good thing has come out of all this." He gives her a smile. Finally being able to allow their natural fondness grow was what was keeping him sane.