Fly solo

"Mm... well then, if you miss me that much, maybe it'll just make my coming home that more special." Eric grins and gives Stacy's hand a squeeze. 

"For now though, let's talk about going to town this weekend."  Now with her knowing about his job, he'd just as soon move on to another subject and think about hitting the road later. It would make for a much more pleasant morning anyway...

It wasn't long before breakfast was over and the rest of the day had to be faced along with the work that awaited...

...Keeping a close eye on Ashlee and Moonbeam, Eric rides alongside, letting Static pick the pace. It was a nice afternoon - perfect for a ride out in the fields. He'd only had Ashlee out of the corral a couple times, but pretty soon she'd be just fine on her own. Which was a good thing, unless she wanted lessons from someone else while he was gone. He wasn't sure what she'd decide about that one - he'd been working with her almost every day since getting her on a horse and she didn't seem to be tired of it. 

"So... I was telling your mom today about some things I'm gonna have to be doing soon." Straightening out his reins he pulls Static's head back over to keep him from munching on some leaves as they rode alongside a wooded area. 

Eric glances over at Ashlee, pleased that he hadn't had to remind her about keeping her posture yet today. "I've signed on to a couple truck driving jobs." She knew he used to be a truck driver, and he was sure that this news wouldn't bother her in the least. He'd only be gone a week or two at a time, and he'd only signed on for two runs. Of course... what he knew was that driving truck wasn't something you easily hopped in and out of. You were either in or not, and there was a good chance he'd be on the road even after these first couple runs. He also knew that even though he and Stacy hadn't talked about that aspect, that she was well-aware of it too. 

Regardless, he was still sure that Ashlee wouldn't mind as much as her mother thought she would. After all, there was plenty here to keep her busy, she could ride by herself now, there was a lot in the barn to keep her occupied, and she still had Dylan to hang out with too. His absence would surely not disrupt much in her daily life. 

"I take off Monday for the first run and I'll just be gone two weeks is all. Then I'll have a few days back here and the next run won't be quite as long." Nudging Static with his heels, he chides his horse for wanting to veer off the path. "You're doing great with your riding, so while I'm gone you can either get some tips from Sparky maybe, or fly solo, that's up to you." He tosses Ashlee a grin. "I bet Dylan would ride with you too." 

"Hmm..." Clay just nods, paying more attention than his body language showed. He'd heard some about the Elite through Rick and local talk, but he really knew very little about it and what they did. He wasn't so sure who this "Agency" was either, but he wasn't going to ask questions right now. 

Finishing his orange, he stands and walks gingerly to the waste basket to throw away the peel. "Well... for what it's worth... I'm glad you're on this side too. Thanks for patching me up." 

"Alright, Clay. You ready to go?"

Clay turns too quickly and winces, putting a hand to his side. "What? Yeah. I thought you were gonna make me stay here longer." 

Rick shakes his head as he comes in, approaching both him and Misty. "Naw, I'll take you home and keep an eye on you there."

"Okay. Well..." Clay gives Misty a little wave. "Nice to meet ya." 

Rick also nods to Misty. "Thanks for your help. I'll be back to work in the morning."

Seeing Destiny come to the door, Chance's heart skips a beat. He couldn't read the look on her face. He'd obviously surprised her, but... was it a good surprise? Bad? Her eyes were so cryptic. Or had he just been away that long that he could no longer read them? 

"I..." His attempt at answering her initial phrase disperses as he's quite suddenly overtaken by Destiny's embrace. Almost stumbling backward, the flowers are dropped as his arms automatically wrap around her. Her words cut him to the quick and he holds her closer, feeling as though he'd committed yet another crime against this fragile heart. 

"Shhh... it's okay," he comforts. "I'm here now. I'm okay." She did care. She did want to see him. His embrace tightens. 

"They've had me in isolation to ensure maximum security. I had to help pinpoint Underground activity in exchange for being kept in the clear by the Elite. It took longer than we thought and I kept asking to contact you but they wouldn't let me for your safety's sake." 

He kisses the top of her head several times, continuing to hug her tightly until finally prying himself away just far enough to see her face. "I missed you so much," he whispers. "I thought for sure you would have given up on me again." 

Con sighs before rubbing his tired eyes and shoving the newspaper across the kitchen table. Nothing. No jobs that he could do. What was he supposed to do now? 

Rising, he heads for the living room where he flops down on the couch instead. Out of habit he plants his head in a throw pillow with his better ear up. Reaching around, he removes his hearing aid, tossing it onto the coffee table. It helped...but having it in his ear also drove him insane - one of the reasons he'd rarely worn it to work. Not to mention, he couldn't wear it on missions anyway because he couldn't wear that and a communication earpiece at the same time. Nothing worked anymore. And it was all the Agency's fault. 

He recalls becoming so very sick due to the Agency poison. It was then that his hearing had been mercilessly attacked. And slowly...slowly, it had worsened up until this point. Deaf in his left ear and a loss of hearing in his right. And because he hadn't given up sooner, someone had gotten hurt. 

Rolling onto his back, he stares up at the ceiling. He needed to find a job. He needed to earn money. He couldn't let Jamie take the full financial burden. It wasn't right. It was his responsibility. And he felt as though he were failing miserably.