Who?

Victoria gives a smile to Garret as she runs her hand down the side of his face. She new why Garret has stepped infront of the gun he didn't have to tell her. It was not for anyone but her that he did it. And she was honored to know he would do whatever it took to save her from anything.

   "Maybe you'd make a good body guard after all for me."

Taking Garret's hand and giving it another kiss Victoria new she time had come to an end. The rest if the house would be waking soon and she could not be caught here. Though she wanted to stay she just couldn't.

Standing and taking the cloth from Garrets for head Victoria puts it back from where he got it and returns to his side. Leaning down and giving him a kiss she whispers softly.

   "Get some rest and I'll be back when I can."

...It was house later after the house had come alive, servants where coming back and forth cleaning, cooking, taking care of minor things. Agency where everywhere and Victoria could only guess it was due to what happened last night.

Entering her grandfather's office Victoria gives a small smile as she walks over to him. Giving him a kiss on one side and a kiss on the other. It was her formal greeting she had always been instructed to do when seeing him no matter who was or wasn't around.

   "Any luck yet on finding out who was responsible for last night? I want to know who is at fault for not checking the guests good enough for guns."

Victoria looks at her grandfather from across the table. Her eyes lacked much emotions and a look that she was rather annoyed. She really didn't understand how this had happened. They were always so careful when holding something like this...but this time it had backfired.

   "I keep wondering if the shooter had been after me or Harkens. I don't know why but its just...bothering me."

As Justin goes jumping into the water after his pole Beth's eyes widen. She new he loved fishing but she had no idea that he was that into his stuff that he would jump into the water after it. Seeing him pop out of the water she can't help but give a laugh and shake her head at him.

   "Really? You might have got your pole but I don't think your going to get anymore fish for the rest of the day."

Shaking her head again Beth leans back on her arms and just watches him with amusement. It really was funny watching him struggle in the water pole and all. Why she didn't know it just was a funny sight to watch. 

Mighty Splash

Despite feeling so lethargic, somewhere in his mind, Garret knew the truth of Victoria's words. Spoken discontent of any kind could just be asking for a death sentence. Not that he'd mind right about now. He felt like crap. He'd been shot before. Usually while out on cases though. And usually just in an arm or leg - nothing too serious. The last time he'd been shot, he tied his own bandage around his arm, finished the mission and didn't get the sewed up until the next day. Tonight though... tonight he could tell he'd be out of commission for a little while. Which could be good or bad. And yet... despite the severity of his wound... there were other factors that made this so much more uncomfortable. He wanted more than a cool drink of water, and he blamed Medridge. But Victoria was unaware - as Garret preferred, so he wouldn't lead on.

With Victoria's help, he manages several long swallows of water and nods his content. "Thank you..." Resting his head back into his pillow, he gives her a glazed kind of stare. "I'm glad you're okay. I coulda... coulda cared less about that Harkins guy."

Sighing slowly, it hurts and he shakes his head. "Stupid though... We must have a leak somewhere, and it isn't me." Finding Victoria's hand with his once more, he just holds it for a moment, taking advantage of these few minutes alone. "Ask... Medridge. I couldn't tell if..." He pauses to cough again. "...if the guy was after Harkins or... or you."

Flipping open his phone again, Hunter reads Katie's last message and opts not to reply. Maybe she had just needed to vent a little bit. He'd leave any further action in her hands. 

Tucking away his phone, he sips his beer, opting to stay here a little while longer. He only lived three blocks from Micky's Bar, and he'd walked, knowing that by the time he left, he should probably not be driving. He didn't want to get too drunk... he was just bored and wanted to take off the edge enough that when he got home, he could sleep instead of sitting around and thinking about things he'd rather not.

Finally letting Beth go, Justin follows her gaze to the water. He had certainly not planned on this conversation today. On the contrary, he'd still been withholding any hints in that direction. But... having her talk about Zach... and thinking about what his mother had said the other day... If there was anybody he could take a chance on, it was Beth. Perhaps it really was time he trusted someone with his heart again. And maybe down the road they'd discover they were meant for something else. Maybe Beth would go out with Zach next week and decide to continue dating him. Justin didn't know. But while he felt a bit silly and a bit awkward now that he'd said what he had... he wasn't sorry. Surprisingly, it felt somewhat like a relief. Like this had been on the tip of his tongue for too long and he'd finally admitted that he felt more for Beth than he'd let on. 

Glancing to her out of the corner of his eye, he can't help a grin. She'd come so far. They had come so far. He suddenly feels the urge to lean a little closer, but he resists. He'd withhold any affection until she'd decided, and he didn't want to pressure her one way or the other. It was her choice, and he respected that. 

A clattering sound turns his eyes to where his one fishing pole a ways away still had a line in the water. He'd forgotten all about setting it up earlier The bobber had gone under, and the pole was being dragged through the grass. Justin's eyes widen and he jumps up to sprint the short distance. "No... no, no!" 

Seeing the rod go into the water and then the reel, Justin dives head first. And with a mighty splash, most likely every fish in this area was scared away. 

Coming up spitting and sputtering in the knee-deep water, Justin holds up his fishing pole. He'd saved it. However... he was now wet and muddy from head to toe. Blinking away some water, he looks over to Beth, not even knowing what a pitiful sight he made. "Well... I saved it..." 

"So what's up?" Con sits across from Jason at Mom and Pop's and cocks his head.

Jason quirks an eyebrow. "We decided to come here and have lunch?" It was the next day and he'd only seen Katie from a distance at work that morning. He hadn't dared talk to her, for fear she was still upset with him, so he'd just let things be for now. Wanting to get away from the office though, he'd convinced Con to have lunch with him.

Con smirks. "You think I can't tell something's bothering you?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Isn't it always obvious to me?"

"Is it?"

"Are we gonna stop asking questions?"

Jason grins and shakes his head. "Aw I don't know. Just a rough day."

Con sits back and takes a sip of his pop as they wait for their pizza. "Well, I'm here if you wanna talk."

"Yeah, I know. Thanks. It's just... complicated."

Con chuckles. "Try me."

"Katie and me."

"Ah. Now that is definitely complicated." Con grins. "I've noticed things aren't so great between you two lately. Figured it was the whole thing with your emotions."

"It is... and it isn't. I don't know." Jason slouches in his seat and sighs. "We're just... having a hard time. I feel like we're... drifting."

"I'm sorry." Con studies Jason's face. "What's been going on?"

"Oh, I don't know. You know those friends I told you I hooked up with?"

"Yeah."

"Well apparently Katie is jealous..." Jason goes on to explain what had been happening and how both him and Katie had become frustrated. "...so I mean... was I right? Isn't Katie wrong to be seeing Hunter like that?"

Con chews his pizza thoughtfully, contemplating the whole situation. "Well... I don't think it's right. Although I think it could have been prevented."

Jason frowns. "What do you mean?"

"Well, on the one hand, I can see where it could potentially be a bad thing. I mean, Katie obviously feels left out of your life and when that happens, sometimes judgment is clouded. She isn't doing anything sinful but it isn't necessarily a good thing either." Con pauses in thought. "I can understand you not liking it, and it's not bad that you do. I wouldn't approve of Jamie spending time with another man either - even if we weren't married."

"So why can't-"

Con holds his hand to stop him. "However... if she went spending time with another man, I'd start trying to figure out what I did wrong and what I could do to keep her closer to me instead. I'd try to figure out what she was needing that I wasn't giving her."

Jason picks at his pizza crust. "So you think I drove Katie to it."

Con shrugs. "It's not wrong that you're spending time with your friends. You and Katie aren't joined at the hip, and it's not necessarily fair to you that she's gotten so upset about it. You're not married, and there are parts of your life that can be just yours and you two don't have to share. If you don't invite her to join in, that's up to you and she needs to accept that you're an individual with your own life."

Jason's brow furrows. "So... you don't think I drove her to it."

"Then again, there's always the side that says to be sensitive to your girlfriend and maybe compromise with extra special time with her or not quite as frequent time with your other friends - so Katie knows she's still important to you. She obviously needs something you're not giving her anymore."

"So you're saying it's my responsibility to change things."

"And yet, her going off and hanging out with Hunter is no way to solve anything. If she has any respect for you at all, she should probably try to change things on her end too since she knows it upsets you. Not that she has to give up that friendship, but perhaps it needs to be tempered a bit as well. She can have any guy friend she wants... but spending time alone with him like that just has too much potential for things to go wrong."

"So...." Jason shakes his head. "Who's responsible?"

"Both of you."

"Who's right?"

"Both of you."

Jason sighs. "You're not making any sense."

"Yes I am." Con reaches for another slice of pizza. "There's no cut and dry answer here, Hotshot. You're both hurting, you're both trying to feel again, you're both pulling away from each other and you're both trying to hang on to each other, all at the same time. Neither one of you is necessarily right or wrong." He catches a string of cheese before it falls in his lap. "She's not right to make you feel guilty about spending time with your friends. But you're not right for ignoring her. She's not right to go hang out with another man when she's lonely. But you're not right for leaving her lonely."

Jason's eyes rest on the table as he tries to process everything.

Con purses his lips in thought. "I think you two need time... you need time alone and you need time together. When was the last time you had a real date with Katie?"

Jason shrugs. "I don't know... other than lunches or supper at my place? It's been a while."

"So go take her out. Go somewhere nice and make her feel special again. She needs that. You've got your needs too, and that's okay. But don't forget about hers in the process."

Sighing, Jason nods. "Yeah... I guess you're right. All this time I've been trying to find somebody to blame but I guess it's both of us and none of us at the same time."

Con smiles. "Pretty much. Not that I'm an expert or anything."

A grin surfaces and Jason finally takes another piece of pizza. "Jamie's taught you well."

Con laughs, his eyes twinkling. "Maybe so... but I don't mind."

Sooner or Later

Sitting on the edge of the bed Victoria continuing to hold Garrets hand. She could tell he was in pain and rightfully so. He had just been shot after all. She'd hoped the medics had done what they could and they would continue to do so.

Listing to him talk it was odd to hear him say the things he was. They had talked about it before but never in the open like this. Only in the privacy of there own space where they new they were alone. In a way it made Victoria worry because she didn't know if he would continue like this once she was gone or not.

    "Shhhh...I know Garret, I know. You can't talk like that now though or you will lose your head."

Leaning forward a little bit Victoria feels Garret's forehead. It was warm like she would have guessed from the sweat. Giving his hand another kiss she lets go for a second and goes over to the basin that was by the window. Feeling the cool water she grabs a washcloth and dips it in before wringing the water out of it and coming back over to the bed to place it on his head.

   "Here you go this will help cool you off a little bit. Let me get you something to drink."

This time leaving his side and going to the bathroom she grabs on of the cups and turns the sink on to fill it up before going back to his bedside and holding the cup for him so he could take a drink. She'd make sure he was taken care of even if she had to come in, in secret every night she would be there for him.

Seeing Hunter's first message it throws Katie off a little bit. Dump Jason? That...she didn't know if she could or would ever do that. Jason might have been a jerk but that didn't call for a dumping right? They were just going through some rough stuff at the moment. 

LoL...I'll keep waiting for the sunrise it has to come sooner or later.

Putting her phone down and leaning back on the couch Katie lets out a sigh. She didn't drink but at the moment she wouldn't mind going out and just sitting at the bar with a water. She'd made a promise to Jason though to wait at home. Now she had to be held to it. It wasn't fair sometimes.

Giving a small smile to Justin Beth nods a little. She hadn't planed for this to happen and it made her heart race. She had to make sure, and because Justin understood she new maybe it wasn't a bad thing. But to be sure it would make this how thing seem more real and would leave the wonder out.

   "I wont let you hanging for long...I promise."

Giving another smile Beth looks back to the water for a moment as the water glistened. It was strange this one thing it felt like a weight had been lifted. She could breath again and things were becoming more clear, and falling into place.

Madness

Garret struggles to keep his eyes open, but it isn't easy. He's just ready to slip back into a strange sort of sleep when his ears pick up a soft sound. Someone walking... tiptoeing. His eyes felt like dead weights. Then he heard the sweetest sound on earth. Her voice. Relief sweeps through him. He had been so afraid she had been hurt as well. But she was here.

"Vic?" His throat hurt and he wasn't sure why. Feeling her pick up his hand, and her soft kiss, his lips form a small smile. He's finally able to crack open his eyes and he swallows hard. "It wasn't silly," he manages hoarsely. "I'll get..." Coughing, he winces. "...get promoted for... saving Harkins." 

Coughing again, pain shoots through his side and his grip on Victoria's hand automatically tightened. He wouldn't say it, but he hoped he was being well taken care of. There were no hospital visits for people who worked or lived here. There was too much risk in security for that. 

Closing his eyes again, he can feel the sweat trickle down his temple. "Of all the stupid... One day.... one day I'll get paid for... for something more than-" Choking on another cough, his body warned him not to keep talking. "...more than saving lives of... of pompous targets." His fever had loosened his tongue, putting him in a dangerous position. "It's madness... pure... madness." 

Forcing his eyes back open, he could just make out Victoria's face in the dim light. "You're the only thing that makes sense..."

You could always dump him. 

After sending his reply, Hunter wasn't so sure he should have. Taking another swig from his bottle, he types out another quick text. 

Sorry. We be thick headed most of the time. 

Id buy u a drink but u dont drink.

Every morning always has a sunrise. 

Just wait for it. 

Hitting "send," Hunter rolls his eyes. Finding his bottle empty, he waves for another one. Every morning always has a sunrise. That had been something he'd been told once... a long time ago. He'd quit believing it. Yet now he was passing it along. Did that make him a hypocrite? Or did he, deep down, still believe it? 

Kaylee gives Trey a hug around his neck and a sloppy kiss on the cheek, giggling for reasons only she knew. 

Having Trey pull her close too, Cindy returns his hug warmly. For the first time, she was holding the son she had not even known existed. And nothing could replace that feeling. "Yes... I'll call you." 

It wasn't until she was driving back to the hotel that the tears finally spilled over. She wasn't sure whether there was more pain or gladness in her heart right now. No matter. She must go on. She must go home. She must survive. 

Justin doesn't let go of Beth's hand yet and he gives her a soft smile. Seeing that shy little look in her eye made his own eyes twinkle. Maybe he'd known all along that she'd been waiting, and that's what had scared him the most. It felt rather silly now. 

"Yeah, you make sense." He nods. Lifting one hand, he rests his palm against her cheek. "I'm not disappointed," he reassures quietly. "I'm proud of you... no matter what you decide." He meant it too. He was jealous, and he did care for her, and he did want more than friendship, even if he hadn't been able to admit it until now. But... in the end... even if she opted for Zach... he'd be proud of her. 

"Just don't leave me in limbo too long, okay? I've got a weaker heart than most people know."

Dangerous Meeting

As her grandfather places his hand on her shoulder Victoria turns a little to look at him. Her face still held almost no expression but anger was on her face. She agreed with her grandfather that someone should pay for this. That anyone would let this pass over there eyes, and someone she cared for, loved was now laying in a pool of his own blood and there was nothing she could do about it.

   "They better, that could of been you or I that got shot. I guess its a good thing you have Garret around to protect us. Lets hope he pulls through to continue doing so."

Tuning Victoria walks away leaving the medic to look after Garret. She couldn't stand there any long and just watch him bleed out without having a reaction. She could do that with anyone but someone she loved, someone she had gotten to know of the last several years she just couldn't do it. Garret was different he was her weak spot.

...Moving quietly through the halls Victoria didn't need light. She new these rooms and halls like the back of her hand. Her bear feet softly padded on the floor as her night gown long and flowing, her gold threaded bathroom laying over top kept the light materiel from making any noises that might alert anyone.

Victoria had hardly slept as she waited for the medics to leave the room Garret was in, and everyone else to turn in for the night. Stepping through the shadows she moved around the guards undetected. One might thing this dangerous task was foolish and to much work but she had to know Garret was ok and thank him if even for a moment.

Getting to the door Victoria looks left, and than right making sure no one had seen her. Giving a soft knock she opens the door and quickly closes it behind her before anyone saw. She didn't know if Garret was awake or not yet so softly she calls.

   "Garret..."

She new he would know it was her. Her voice was unmistakeable able and he had a nack of even if she didn't say anything he new it was her. So drawing closer to the bed Victoria's heart beats faster. Seeing Garret laying there she could make out the bandages on his side.

   "Oh Garret...I am honored you stepped infront of that gun, but why did you have to so something so silly. Thank you my love!"

Taking Garret's hand in her own Victoria brings it up to her lips and gives it a kiss. She wouldn't have much time here, and it was dangerous to be in this room like this with him but she had to come, she had to make sure he was ok. She couldn't forgetting him all together and what he had done.