Kidding?

Parked in the driveway of Scarlet's place, Eli didn't really want to call it a night, but he knew they had to. It had been a great day with Scarlet though... it always was, but especially when she'd come home from a trip. Eli didn't like it when she was away, but it did make their time together just that much sweeter. 

Straddling his bike as he talks with Scarlet, his eyebrows shoot up in surprise. She'd mentioned a while back that maybe sometime he might get to come along with her, but rarely had he had the time, and even more rare was her own opportunity to invite him. He knew that most of the time she did very interesting - though sometimes intense - work, and every once in a while he got wind of a few scrapes she'd been in - he could just imagine. He often teased her about being Indiana Jones, and while he knew her job was far from it, he also knew that there were times he'd most likely get in her way and be more of a hindrance than a help. This time though... 

"France? Are you kidding?" He blinks, still surprised. Usually she was within the United States, but it wasn't unusual for her to travel internationally. The surprise was that he was invited on one of the international trips - expenses paid, to boot.

"Really?" Realizing how silly he sounds, he laughs. "Well I'm not really sure how I could even say no to that one. I mean, how could I turn down a free trip to France? And besides... I couldn't let some other guy go along and play boyfriend, now could I?"

Dismounting his bike, Eli grabs Scarlet around the waist and pulls her against him roughly before wrapping his arms around her. Smiling, he looks down at her with a twinkle in his eye, then leans in for a passionate kiss on the lips. "I'll get the time off work somehow... when do we go?"

Where had he gone wrong? What had he done? Had he moved too fast? Too slow? What had happened within an hour's time to make Ryan push him away? One minute she was returning his kiss after admitting she still loved him, and then she was telling him to back off. It didn't make sense. He didn't understand. He'd told Ryan he would leave her alone if she asked, but that was before she'd said she was looking forward to seeing him again. Which part was true? That she still loved him or that she really didn't want him around?

These questions had bombarded Alec all day. And now that he was trying to sleep once again, he was no closer to any answers, making it nearly impossible to rest. Tossing and turning for several hours, he knew this had to stop. He had to know. He had to look Ryan in the eye and have her tell him exactly what she wanted. Not over the phone. Not in a note. Face to face. He had to know which was true - did she love him? Or did she want him gone forever? Tomorrow... tomorrow he would find his answers.

"Knock knock." Tal raps a knuckle on the side of the car Ryan was working on. He hadn't told her he was coming this morning, or that he had the day off. He'd been thinking last night though... about a lot of things. About him and Ryan... about things Eli had said. About how he really felt. So on his way to run a couple errands, he'd opted to stop by the auto shop and see the woman he'd missed spending time with yesterday evening.

Waiting for her to look up, he gives her a smile. "Morning... A beautiful woman like you wouldn't have a couple moments to spare, for a common man like me, would she?"

"...Are you sure that's what this means?"

"Yeah." Carson sighs and leans on the back of a chair in Reese's office. He'd shown Reese the note after having spent the night dwelling on it. "They haven't contacted me or Jaz... nothing has happened with Misty... I'm sure something will come up again eventually - Medridge doesn't leave for good. But for now... I think because the damage was done, they're finished. Medridge has messed up my life, Jaz's life and Misty's life. If his goons stuck around much longer, he'd get bored. So yeah... yeah, I do think the note means we're as safe as we usually are at this point." 

Reese purses his lips in thought and slowly nods. "Okay. I trust your judgment. I'll have an eye kept on Misty for a few more days and if things remain quiet, we'll ease off. What are you going to do?"

Carson shrugs, his eyes showing his weary depression. "I dunno. Get back to the restaurant I guess and... see if I can pick up the pieces of my life."