4/12/12

Rare

The apartment was quiet. And very suddenly. So suddenly that for a moment, Alec wonders if he'd imagined this whole thing. But no.... no, his sides hurt... his arm hurt... his face hurt. And each tender spot was from Ryan's fist. But it wasn't even the physical pain that tormented Alec now. 

Going to the door and closing it, he slowly locks it again. Trudging to the window, he looks out to see Ryan buried in Eli's embrace. Brother and sister. Both hurting. Both angry. Both giving the other the shelter they needed. 

Alec glances over his shoulder. His living room was empty. His life was empty. His heart was empty. The sight of Ryan's tears haunted his thoughts. Her yelling at him. Her angry strikes. What had he done? Had he truly thought that beating up Tal would win her over? That she would accept him for doing that? Had he really believed that violence would bring her back? That even if she did break up with Tal, that she would even want anything to do with him? How? How could he have ever thought that? She hated him - to the core. She wanted to hurt him, not love him. She wasn't scared of him - she was angry with him. She wasn't intimidated - she was courageous out of righteous anger. How could he have ever believed that going after Tal would solve anything? 

Sinking down on the floor once again, the weight on his back seems to have grown ten fold. His eyes find the now-crumpled paper on the floor and it makes his stomach turn. He hadn't done the beating this time. He hadn't wanted it to be this bad. But he'd done it the first time - he'd hurt Tal enough for him to remember it. And he'd hired Cutter. Whether he'd intended it to just be a minor assault or not... it wasn't Cutter's fault. It was his own. And the entire thing had backfired. 

All of a sudden, Alec felt as if he were waking up from a terrible dream. Since returning, he'd been so full of anger and vengeance that he had completely blinded himself to the truth - the truth that Ryan didn't love him anymore. And he'd been so very upset and jealous that he had been willing to do anything to get her back - even harm someone she loved. It had made perfect sense before. And now it seemed the most ridiculous notion he'd ever had. 

But that realization had come too late.


Once outside, Eli hugs Ryan close. They weren't usually physically affectionate towards each other, so it was rather rare, but Eli didn't even hesitate. When his sister hurt, he hurt - it was just the way it was.

"I know," he answers softly. He'd blown up at Alec too and lost control. He knew exactly how she'd felt. Pulling away, he looks his sister in the eye, brushing back some hair from her face. "I'll follow you to the hospital, alright? We're just going to let this go for now and concentrate on Tal recovering, okay?"

Giving her a last squeeze, he nods his reassurance. They didn't have much of a choice right now, and so there was no point in trying to go after Alec again yet.


...At the hospital, Tal still lay in sleep, closely monitored, though visitors were allowed. 


Carson lets his eyes fall shut and he murmurs his approval of Misty's hand running through his hair. He could stay like this forever. 

"Dizzy spell huh? Sounds like you're too stressed at work." 

Hearing about supper, he opens his eyes and gives her a little nod. "Yeah... yeah, I'm hungry. I haven't eaten anything all day." He usually at least had a bite for lunch in the kitchen, but today he'd had a sour stomach. "Meatloaf sounds really good." 

Reaching up, he takes her free hand in his and kisses it lightly. "But can we just stay here a few minutes?" It was rare when he just wanted to sit and be with Misty. Usually he'd go for more than that. But tonight... tonight, he was quiet. And all he wanted was to feel her touch... and soak in her company. 


"Trey?" Reese knocks on Trey's door and waits until he has permission to enter. Coming in a couple feet, he pauses and nods to Trey. "Good morning." 

It was the next day at TJY, and things had been quiet, thus far. For that, Reese was grateful. Yesterday had been a nightmare. "I just wanted to come talk to you for a minute." His tone wasn't business-like as usual, nor was he upset with anything Trey had done. On the contrary, he held a somewhat soft air about him this morning. Something he usually didn't let Trey see.

"Actually, I wanted to apologize." Folding his arms and remaining standing, he purses his lips. "I, um...well, I don't think I have been very fair to you since you've arrived. I could blame the system, but... it's probably my own fault." 

He clears his throats, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "When you came here, I honestly didn't know for how long it would be and... I was worried about putting anybody else around here in danger. I realize the situation in Mexico was not good and I did want to help keep you from harm. But... someone reminded me yesterday that I probably could have done more than keep you here like one of our prisoners." He needn't say who that someone was.

If Trey's attitude had remained the same as when he'd arrived, Reese wouldn't be saying these things now. But there was no need in pointing that out. He didn't need to rub it in that Trey had given everyone a bad impression to start out. Now though, Reese did acknowledge a change in the young man. It was obvious that the chip on Trey's shoulder had shrunk. 

"That said... I've made some calls, and it seems the level of danger has reduced in Mexico. It's still not good - but it's not as bad as it was. I don't know if you were planning on returning or not, but if you want to, we'll make it happen. If you don't..." 

Reese nods slowly. "Then the Elite will help you find a place of your own around here and assist you for a reasonable amount of time until you can support yourself. It hasn't been fair to you, making you live here. You deserve your own place." 

Father

As Alec puts his arms around Ryan to stop her from hitting him her tears continue to fall as she fights against him trying to get free. Now being to tired though she can't break free. His arms around her takes her to when that use to be a gesture of love, a time when she'd welcome those arms and just fall into them. Now, now she didn't want them around her or anywhere near her. He's cheated, lied, and beat a person she cared very dearly for within an inch of his life.

Ryan didn't know how long Eli had been there but when she hears his voice a bit of her was happy. She taken herself to a dark place she didn't like and if he hadn't shown up Ryan wasn't sure what would of happened.

As Eli comes over and takes her from Alec she welcomes her brothers strong arms around her. In so many ways Eli had reminded Ryan of there father. Caring, strong, ready to stand for his children and always trying to keep them on the right path. Weather Eli new it or not he had pick up the finer trats.

Finally getting outside Alec's apartment the tears still streamed down Ryan's fast as she buried her face into her brother chest. Crying was not something Ryan did not since a long time ago and now that she was she hated it even more. Lifting her head a little bit she looks up at Eli.

   "I...I don't know what happened. I just wanted to yell at him and than I saw him and I...I just snapped."

Leaning into her brother again Ryan had no excuse for what she did, she had no what ifs or and ways to get out of it. If someone asked her would tell them it was her and she would of done it again too. Not that it was over though she did feel a little guilt. This wasn't her, she wasn't a bully, and beating on Alec, it was uncalled for.

   "I think I am going to go sit with Tal at the hospital. I'd like to be there if anything else happens."

Just continuing to sit there and rub Carson's back Misty got a strange feeling in her stomach. Something was wrong she could feel it and to not have Carson tell her about it made the worry grow even more. It was very unlike him to not share what was on his mind. Having the subject switch for a moment Misty pushed her feelings aside. The last few days she'd felt strangely maybe all this, was just a part of that.

   "Oh I'm doing ok. Had a dizzy spell today but it was nothing big. Just the lack of sleep I think. The rest of the day went well though."

Shifting a little so she was under Carson's head Misty sets his head in her lap. Just running her fingers though his hair. Maybe he was just having a hard time with something he didn't want to share right now but she didn't have anything to fear right? When he was ready he'd let her know.

   "I made meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans for dinner if your rehung."