Late

Having Dalton suddenly be so romantic, Dani gives him a shy sort of smile, not sure where all his words were coming from. It did make her feel good though... to be loved... accepted... needed. What she didn't understand was why Dalton seemed rather nervous. Was something wrong? Did he know something from the doctors that she didn't? 

As the little box is revealed, her heart skips a beat. No... surely not... he... it....

Her eyes are wide and she blinks, her mouth opening slightly in shock. So completely taken aback, she hardly hears Dalton's actual proposal, so it takes several moments for her to process that he had just asked her to marry him. 

Prying her gaze from the ring to Dalton's eyes, Dani's own start to glisten with tears. She'd thought about marriage... a few times... she'd envisioned what it might be like to spend the rest of her life with Dalton... and she had wondered if maybe someday he would ask. But she had not expected it now, let alone this moment while he was in the hospital.

"Oh, Dalton..." Her voice quivers and a giggle escapes as her emotions bubble over. Unable to find her voice again, she nods vigorously. Standing to lean carefully over the bed, she places a long, passionate kiss on Dalton's lips before burying her face into his neck. "Yes... yes, I will marry you." 

Pulling back, she doesn't notice the tear that trickled down her face as she turned again to look at the ring. "It's just beautiful... oh, Dalton...." Another laugh comes out and her cheeks flush red. "You sure do know how to surprise a girl, you know that?" 


Leaning back against the kitchen counter, Jason thinks for a moment, then shakes his head. "Where would we look? If Alec wants to disappear... unfortunately, he's good enough he can. And since his bike's gone, I doubt foul play."

Jason didn't like seeing Misty worried... though deep down he was a bit concerned himself. Last he knew, Ryan had told Alec to back off a couple days ago and since then, Alec had seemed unsettled and depressed. Misty seemed to think he wouldn't do anything too stupid... but was it the truth? Jason honestly didn't know. 

"Come on... lets just hold down the couch for a while, okay?" He moves to sling an arm over Misty's shoulders to guide her to the living room. "I'm sure he's fine and will be back any minute."

Minutes turned into hours and by the time the movie on television was over, it was quite late and there had still been no sign of Alec. Jason was going to spend a couple more nights before giving up the security watch, so he was still there, cuddled with Misty on the couch as the movie credits rolled. 

Then his ears pick up the sound of an engine, and a light shines in the widow from the street. "Sounds like Alec's bike."

It was. Alec pulls into the driveway and cuts the engine, sitting for a moment before removing his helmet. Looking at the front window, he saw a few lights on and the shine from the television. Jason's truck was here too. And Alec really didn't want to deal with anybody right now. 

Parking his bike an dismounting, instead of going inside, Alec walks around the side of the house and out back to the shed. It was almost done... he'd be able to move out here soon... Getting inside he stands and looks around, wondering if he'd ever be in a better place than this. Or was fighting just his lot in life? Always chasing but never achieving. Always running but never reaching his destination. 

Tossing his jacket aside, he moves to the small window and grabs a piece of sandpaper to continue work around the frame where he'd left off yesterday. 

Inside the house, by now, Jason was looking out the back door. A light had gone on in the shed, but Alec had not made his presence known. Glancing down at Misty, he searches her eyes. He'd go see what was going on himself, but he had a feeling Alec wouldn't welcome him. If there was anybody Alec would talk to, it would be Misty.