Blinded

At some point, Rosalyn had forced herself to get to her feet again, but she found herself wandering aimlessly only to return to the same tree again. She knew she'd need to face the music again, but never had she felt so unprepared. 

Suddenly hearing Chad's voice, she wasn't surprised. She'd known that sooner or later, he would probably come looking for her, if her dad hadn't killed him, that is. 

Chad's words send tingles down her spine, and his gentle touch makes her heart flutter. But no smile came to her lips. Silent, she leans her face into his hand before turning and lightly kissing his palm. At his apology, her eyes rise to meet his. Her own were dry now, but there was evidence of the hard crying she'd done. 

"There's nothing to forgive," she responds quietly. "You didn't do anything wrong. On the contrary, you were quite a gentleman to have let me stay all night without trying anything." She shrugs lamely. "It was my fault for asking to stay in the first place. I knew I'd probably fall asleep... I just didn't care. I should have though. We didn't do anything wrong, but it wasn't right either, and it was because I came, not because you invited me." 

Pushing off the tree, she wanders a couple feet away, her back to Chad. "I've always trusted my dad. I've never had any reason to doubt him." Her eyes roam the land, her thoughts so very far away. "You know how I was raised not knowing he was my father. But he was always so kind... always caring for us, even if he was protecting us by staying away. Then when the truth was out, he was the dad I'd always wanted. I haven't had many years to be close to him, but they've been good years, and I have no doubt he loves me."

She pauses and swallows hard, still not facing Chad. "Then being with you is so easy. You make me feel so good... like for the first time I know what it feels like to be a woman." New tears form in her eyes, but she holds her voice steady. "But to be honest, I'm not sure I could say no to you for anything, no matter what you asked of me. And I'm scared I'm being blinded by my heart. My dad is someone I trust, and I'm completely ignoring him. What does that mean? Is being with you the right choice or just something I want, regardless of consequences?"


Tucking in his shirt and buckling his belt, Eric sighs at Angel's suggestions. He knew she was right. With this leg's history, he couldn't be too careful. It was a weak spot he'd just have to watch from now on. But tomorrow was when he was planning on going to town with Stacy, Ashlee and Dylan. After that was Sunday, then the next day he'd be on the road. He really didn't want to skip tomorrow, especially since Ashlee had seemed so disappointed he was going to be gone for a while. 

Sitting on the table, he gives Angel a weary look. "Well...  I guess Static won this one then." He shakes his head. "A few years ago, I woulda knocked Jim's block off, but now it seems rather pointless." 

He purses his lips and thinks for several moments before nodding in surrender. "I'll make sure Static's taken care of, then put my leg up for the rest of the day." He knew he'd be icing it on and off as well. "I was.... s'posed to have a day out with the girls and Dylan tomorrow... If I don't do anything today, then take it easy tomorrow, you think it's still a high risk for me?" 


As soon as Grace enters his room, Jared perks up a little bit, shutting off the television. Her hug was a little bit of a surprise but... he didn't mind it, and almost wished he could keep his arm around her for another few seconds or so. 

Giving her a crooked sort of grin, he rolls his eyes. "You can't help it, can you? Bringing in the sunshine on a gloomy day." He nods to the window. "Help yourself. Fair warning though, I'm not gonna be moving around too much. I know I promised I'd be ready for therapy today, but I sorta had an unexpected meeting with the floor the other day." 

He gives her a silly smirk. "The floor won. My shoulder lost. Surgery is this week." He gestures to his right shoulder. "So much for having a go at getting to the hallway without the wheelchair on my own." 


The kitchen table was deathly quiet. Two pairs of eyes remained locked together in challenging stares. Only one set glistened with tears. It was round eight. And no one had given up yet.

"Come on, Jason!" Mackenzie pushes the bottle of hot sauce closer towards him. "He's gonna win!"

"Hey, whose side are you on?" Alec complains, giving his niece a teasing thump on the arm.

Mackenzie giggles. "Anybody's?"

Alec grins, cocking his head at Jason. "Well? I had mine. You going again?"

Jason clears his throat and grabs another tortilla chip from the bowl. "Right. Sure. No problem." He blinks a tear from his eye and shakes the designated ten drops of sauce onto his chip before putting it in his mouth. Cringing, he swallows it down before coughing and looking at the glass of water that had not yet been touched.

Alec tries not to laugh. "Want a drink?"

"No, no.... I'm good." Jason clears his throat again and glances over at Misty with a smirk. "Why didn't you warn me he could handle spicy stuff?"

"She did," Mackenzie interrupts. "But you didn't listen." She turns back to Alec. "Another?"

"Of course!" Alec grabs a chip and the bottle, shaking on ten drops, pausing, then putting on several more. "Just for good measure."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Jason shakes his head as Alec easily eats the chip. "I'm so not gonna let you win this."

Alec snickers. And three rounds later, he was waiting on Jason to take his turn again. He pushes the water towards him.

Jason wipes sweat from his brow and finally relents, grabbing the water and taking several long swallows.

Mackenzie laughs and nibbles on a plain chip. "You look terrible."

"I feel like my insides are gonna blow up."

At that, she and Alec both crack up.

Jason rolls his eyes then wipes them with his sleeve. "You're not even the least bit affected! Do you have a mouth of iron?"

"Naw. It's just the..." Alec glances at Mackenzie, deciding not to mention Agency drugs. "Um...my taste buds aren't what they used to be."

"You mean to tell me that you just sat there and watched me burn my mouth out when you knew good and well it wasn't going to bother you?"

"Eh. It tingles a bit."

Mackenzie bursts into giggles and Jason nudges her shin under the table before taking another sip of water. "Good thing Katie can't feel me anymore."

Alec quirks an eyebrow. "How come?"

"'Cause she'd never forgive me for this. I used to either have to warn her when I was gonna eat something spicy, or shut her out for a while. Otherwise she'd be gulping down water right along with me."

Alec chuckles and grabs another chip with some more hot sauce. "I can just see her giving you a hard time."

"Mm..." Jason gets lost in thought for a moment before standing and wandering over to the stove, slinging his arms over Misty's shoulders. "So... are these tacos gonna be ready soon? 'Cause if not, Alec's gonna kill me with that hot sauce."

It had been a fun evening already. After work, Jason had come over to Misty's to join her and Alec and Mackenzie for supper. Tacos were on the menu, but the guys had started goofing off after one of them had mentioned hot sauce, and the competition had begun.

Back at the table, Mackenzie watches Jason and Misty interacting for a moment before catching Alec's eye. "Have you...seen my dad lately?"

Alec's eyebrows rise, and he carefully contemplates his answer. He knew this was a touchy subject, and Mackenzie hadn't talked about Carson for quite a while. What had triggered the question tonight? His eyes glance over to Jason and Misty too, and he wonders if that's what had started the young girl thinking. "Yeah, I have."

"Is he okay?"

"Well, sure. Why wouldn't he be?"

"I dunno." Mackenzie shrugs. "Justin said he was all alone and... I just hope he's okay."

Alec frowns, wishing he had an answer. At least Justin had told her that the other woman was no longer in the picture, and Alec trusted that he'd explained more than that to the girl so she wouldn't think her father had truly cheated on his wife. "He is," he assures. "I'm gonna see him tonight."

Mackenzie's eyes light up. "You are?"

"Yeah, I get to help him clean the kitchen at Mom and Pop's. Great job, huh?"

She giggles, but falls silent just as quickly. "I'd like it...so I'd get to see him."

Alec sighs. He wished he could just take her with him, but he knew her family's decision and would not risk his own contact with her by rebelling. "Anything you want me to tell him?"

"Just that I miss him."

"That I can do." Alec grabs another chip and puts one drop of hot sauce on it. "In the meantime..." He holds it out to her. "Prove to me you're a Banks."

Grinning, Mackenzie accepts the challenge.