Imagination?

"Beautiful." Hunter gives the bike some gas before putting his foot back where it belonged as he shoots down the way Katie had told him. They were closer to the ranch than he'd thought. Sad that the ride was coming to and end, but good that they wouldn't have to walk. He wouldn't ever admit that the gas tank was closer to empty than he'd planned. He hadn't been paying enough attention to it, and was glad that he'd noticed it before it had actually run dry. 

Getting back to the ranch, Hunter slows the bike, downshifting before turning into the driveway. Riding slowly up to the garage, he parks and finally cuts the engine. Taking off his helmet, his hair is matted and a little sweaty as he runs his fingers through it. Looking over his shoulder at Katie, he smiles. "Thanks... I needed a good ride and... your company made it even better." 

Biting his lip, he turns back around, waiting for her to dismount before he did, so he wouldn't kick her. 

Sitting inside the dining hall near the window, Jay had been enjoying conversation with some of the family, catching up on on what had been happening here at the ranch and sharing about his own family. He was so happy that everyone had welcomed him here with open arms, just like Rosetta. His fear of rejection had been silly... and he realized that now. 

Across from Rosetta at the table, he finishes off his glass of lemonade before movement outside catches his eye and he sees Hunter and Katie returning. Watching them for a moment, he then looks back to his sister with curiosity. "So... there more between them than just friendship, or is it just my imagination?" 

Dani rolls her eyes and nods. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Hurts something awful, but I think my pride is more bruised than my toe." 

Shaking her head, she looks closer at her foot that was propped up on the coffee table. She sure had whacked it good. "I suppose some ice might be wise, but we have to get some pie first." 

Using Dalton's hand to pull herself up, she stands, cocking her foot so her toe didn't touch the floor. Starting to hobble forward, she thinks better of it, and grabs Dalton's arm. "I think you better come with me before I fall and break an ankle instead." 

Still feeling incredibly silly, a new giggle slips out and she turns to bury her face against Dalton. "You better not tell anybody about this."

Having Misty come over to his side of the table, Jason slides his glass over to make room for the phone. Leaning closer to her so he could see the small screen, he nods. "I'm not in the mood for a love story either, so that narrows it down." 

Squinting, he leans down a little more, his shoulder bumping Misty's. "Looks like the reviews of the super hero one are pretty good. Not that I go by those, but it can't be too horrible. I'm good with watching some good ol' kick butt action if you are." 

Turning his head, he hadn't realized how close they were as he looks into Misty's eyes, just inches away. He grins. "But only if we get some popcorn." He couldn't believe he was thinking of food after just having finished such a meal, but what was the fun of going to the movies without getting a snack? "By the time it starts, I'll be hungry again," he teases.

Oh no Mr.

Misty's cheeks turn a slight shade of red at Jason's comment though she didn't feel awkward. Maybe it was because she had known Jason for so long and though they never acted on it there was always an unspoken attraction there that now was aloud to come out.

Though Misty's heart still ached at the loss of her Husband she refused to let it get her down to the point of not functioning even if she did miss Carson. Jason was doing a good job though of filling that gap she felt. He helped her feel like she was ok, and it was Carson's loss not her own. Even if Jason didn't know it he made her feel a lot of things and reminded there was nothing wrong with her Carson was the one who had a problem.

   "Yeah I have to say this is the closest I have found to the real food they have in Greece. Some places say its Greek but as soon as you bit into it you know its not. This is great though."

Finishing up her meal and ordering a helping of Baklava Misty insisted Jason taste it too. This Greek dessert was one that she loved the most and there was no way he was going to get away without trying it. 

Looking across the table at Jason as she eat she listened to the movies. She wasn't sure what sounded good and what didn't. At this point she had such a nice time if she picked something crappy she didn't know if it really would rune the night or not. Just being with Jason was nice enough.

   "Oh no Mr. I picked where we went to eat...and the movie I said we could pick together. You're not going to get out of it that easy."

Placing the last bit of her dessert into her mouth Misty slides out of the booth and comes over to Jason's side sliding in next to him. Turning the phone around and looking down at it and thinks for a moment before looking up.

   

   "I don't know about you but I am not really in the mood for a love story flick. Does the super hero one have good reviews?"

Giving a another laugh and shaking his head Dalton does his best to maneuver around Dani and the table not falling himself. Holding his hand out to Dani Dalton helps her up with ease and lets her sit down on the couch. Lifting her foot he looks at it. A nice black and blue mark had formed already with a little bit of swelling but it didn't look broken.

   "I think...its going to be sore for a little bit but you will survive My Lady."

Reaching out and pushing a peace of hair behind Dani's ear Dalton gives a smile. He hadn't meant to laugh at Dani's pain but he was laughing with her, not at her. The whole ordeal had just been silly.

   "So now on a serous note...are you going to be ok?"

   "How could I not think happy thoughts at the moment?!"

Katie's comment had no need to be answered as they took off again. It pretty much spoke for itself on what she mean and she new that Hunter would know as well. He was smarter than most people though.

Leaning into Hunter it was like second nature that Katie just moved like he did on the bike. Making sure to stay low to him, lean when he did and yet still enjoy everything around them as it wized by. The warmth and cool mixed together was so refreshing, and it took the edge off the heat. It was perfect.

   "Running out of gas on a day like this could be a bad thing that I would like to avoid."

Knowing they really did have to get back Katie looks left and than looks right getting her bearing where they were. It didn't take long before Katie taped Hunter's leg a little bit.

   "Go left here, straight for about four miles, take a right and go straight. The ranch will be on the right hand side."

Happy Thoughts

"Ha!" Jason laughs outright before taking another bite of food. "Can you imagine Reese pulling me into his office and locking the door? I can just see those big Papa Bear eyes boring holes into me as he reminds me how special his niece is." 

Cocking his head, Jason gives Misty a softer grin. "I don't think I need that reminder though." Returning to his food, he sighs with content. "I think this is gonna be a new favorite place of mine." 

Being able to relax was perhaps something Jason had taken for granted for too long. But feeling so at ease tonight, he appreciates it so much. He had his other friends. He had his old buddies, and he had Sandy. They were all fun. But Misty knew him well, she knew his history and she knew more about what he was going through than anybody else. She was helping him heal... and he knew it. 

Sitting in the restaurant lingers even after they were both finished eating. Just letting their food settle for a while felt good and it helped spend the time before any movies would start anyway. 

"Okay..." Jason looks at his phone after he'd looked up showtimes on the internet. "We've got... a comedy that looks really stupid... a love story that I haven't heard of... another comedy that might be okay... something that looks like a family drama.... and an action flick with super heroes." 

Looking to Misty, he reaches his phone across to her so she could see. "Take your pick." 

Dani's giggling only increases as she's poked, tensing as Dalton's finger tickles her. "Yes! Yes, I'm gonna make it. Stop poking me, ya big galah." 

Realizing she'd just sounded like Carson, she scrunches her nose, another giggle slipping out. Finally lowering her hands so her flushed face is exposed, she rolls her eyes. "Help me up. I think I broke a toe." 

Smiling at Katie's directions to Neverland and feeling her arms tighten, Hunter brings a hand to hers, giving it a squeeze before gripping the handlebars again. "Think happy thoughts..." Maybe they really could fly. 

Turning right, Hunter just keeps on driving. It was a gorgeous day and if they hadn't  been on the bike, jackets certainly wouldn't be needed - but that was his rule. Long pants, jackets and helmets. He might be a risk taker, but he never compromised on those. Even so, the wind was cool, keeping the two riders from feeling the full warmth of the sun. 

Time seemed to stand still for a while as curves were taken and hills were conquered. Eventually though, Hunter knows they needed to head to the ranch. Slowing at another intersection, he stops and sighs. "Gas gauge says we need to start aiming to the ranch. But I really am lost now so you're gonna have to tell me which way to go." 

He chuckles and reaches back to give Katie's leg a teasing tweak. "Unless you want to run out of gas and have a nice long walk." 

Miss Graceful

Heading down the road about as fast as they had come Katie once again enjoys herself very much. Though she wasn't scared of riding, or going fast Katie tightens her grib around Hunter slightly because she simply can. Leaning with Hunter around the twist and turns Katie can't help the small laugh that slipped out. Free...this is what it felt like, to be free and fly.

Coming to the intersection Katie looks left, and than looks right. She new left would be on the path back to the ranch but was she ready to go back? It wasn't a bad thing she wanted to have a little more fun and just get away from everything right?

   "Right and straight on till morning, go and never look back. Right sounds good to me."

Katie gives Hunter a little squeeze to indicate a little hug. Life was to short for regrets there was only looking forward. From something bad, comes something good and having Hunter to make her feel better was something good. 

   "Hey no its not my fault I like food. I'm big boned you know."

Dalton gives a cheese grin as she starts to sit up himself. As Dani starts to trip and whacks her food Dalton does all he can to try and catch her but it was to late and the way he was sitting there was just no way.

Blinking Dalton trys to hold a laugh in but can't. A chuckle slipping out he peeks over the one caution of the seat. Trying his best to not keep laughing he gasp for air.

   "Are...are you ok babe?"

Dalton know Dani must be royal embarrassed he would of been too for sure. But he wanted to make sure she was ok and didn't hurt her foot to horrible bad. Reaching his hand down and poking her belly Dalton does it a few times.

   "Hey...Hey you...Miss Graceful...ya gonna make it?"

Misty laughs as she takes a sip of her water and looks across the table at Jason. A twinkle in her eyes as she couldn't help but have a good time. Jason's sense of humor, his laugh was infectious and she couldn't help but have a good time. Dinner, no movie yet and she was already having a blast.

   "Ah so now your secret has been given away and if I get kicked under a long table, I'll know who it was."

Going back to her food Misty moves the salad and cheese around on he plate alone with some stabbing a peace of meat. Putting it in her mouth and savoring the taste once again. 

Hearing Jason's phone go off she looks at him inquisitively. Hearing it was her uncle she can't help but chuckle as she leans back in the chair. Reese always had great timing and this just proved it once again. Finishing the food that was in her mouth Misty whips her lips before speaking.

   "Maybe he saw us leave together and wants to have the talk with you!"

Just for Spite

Hunter laughs and steers the motorcycle in the opposite direction from where they'd come earlier. "You might not get lost, but I might, and I'm driving. So technically we can get lost." 

Driving amidst traffic for a few minutes, Hunter eventually gets onto a road that takes them out of town. It seemed to be a nice quiet road with some leisurely curves and hills. Perfect. Not knowing or caring if they were heading back towards the ranch or not, he shifts gears, pushing the bike to a higher speed. And within seconds, freedom was again felt. 

Bent forward, Hunter couldn't imagine anything that could feel better. Top speed on a motorcycle... with Katie hanging on to him. And he smiles. 

Eventually he's forced to slow as they approach a new intersection and he brings the bike to a stop, balancing it with one foot on the ground as the engine idles. "Okay, navigator... left or right now?" 

"I'm beginning to think food in general is your weakness," Dani teases. Grinning, she finally rolls off of Dalton, sliding from the couch. What she had in mind was gracefully rolling over to set her feet on the floor and stand up. But what happens in reality is one foot slamming into the coffee table and not only sending pain through her toes, but throwing her off balance as well. 

Just halfway to standing up, she gives a little wail before her arms and legs go flying. In the end, she's on her back on the floor between the couch and coffee table, wide-eyed and almost dazed. Until she starts to giggle. Then laugh. 

Covering up her red face, she can't regain enough control to even sit up, let alone face Dalton after that royally embarrassing move. Though her foot throbs, all she can do is lay there and laugh. 

As Jason's foot is bumped, he looks up quickly then grins at her apology. "It's okay. I'm used to it. Not because it's other people's fault though. It's me and my idiotically long legs." 

He slides his foot forward until he feels Misty's again, giving it a teasing nudge. "It does come in handy though when there's more people at a table and I can reach just about anybody but they don't know who just bumped them and nobody's brave enough to ask." 

It wasn't often that Jason was self-conscious about his height. Or... maybe it was just that he hid it well when it did bother him. Having someone like Misty never draw attention to it though did help, whether she knew it or not. 

Hearing his cell phone start to buzz, he rolls his eyes and retrieves his phone from his pocket. "It's the office..." Thinking for a moment, he shakes his head. "I'm off duty." Ignoring the call, he puts the phone back away again and picks up his fork once more. "Besides, if Reese found out I was at dinner with his niece, he might give me extra paperwork tomorrow just for spite." 

The shed was far from clean, though Alec had made a nice dent in the work at least. He'd taken Misty's note seriously and even though he'd slept later than planned, he'd started work as soon as he'd been awake enough. There was a bunch of old stuff out there... old tools... and mostly junk. It looked like maybe Carson had started cleaning it out at one time or maybe started to use it for his own tool shed, but for some reason, the project had been abandoned. A couple windows were broken... there was running water but work needed to be done on the pluming. At least the lights still worked, which had helped. After most of the day had been spent out there, Alec guessed maybe a third of the work cleaning was done. Maybe. It was a larger task than the backyard had been, for sure.

Now though, after he'd quit from sheer exhaustion, it was getting late in the evening and he was bent over the bathroom sink. The water swirling down the sink is crimson, stained from Alec's bleeding palm. He'd cut it on something out in the shed earlier - some rusty old tool or something - might have been that saw blade he'd found. No matter what it was, at the time, he'd just wrapped an old rag around his hand and kept going. But now that it had been a few hours, it was throbbing quite nicely. And once he'd started to clean it, it had started bleeding again - and much more than anticipated.

Grimacing as he tries to make sure he has all the dirt cleaned out, it really did hurt like the dickens. Even worse was that it had cut right through the old scar from Carson's knife. Reminded of the infection thereafter and how sick he'd been, Alec digs a little deeper with the washcloth, gritting his teeth against the pain.

Eventually shutting off the water, he grabs several tissues to hold against the wound to at least contain the blood while he hunted for some antiseptic or anything similar, and something to bandage with.

Half an hour later, sweat was running down Alec's neck - more from frustration than anything. He'd found the antiseptic - which had burned like no tomorrow - and he'd found a box of bandaids. But the bandaids apparently weren't enough, and after soaking several of them through, he'd finally given that up and folded several paper towels from the kitchen and taped them to his hand with some scotch tape he'd found in the drawer. It was a mess, for sure, but it was the best he could do without scouring the whole house and he really didn't feel comfortable looking through Misty's things for bandages.

Even more exhausted now, Alec finds himself on the couch, rather than at the refrigerator like his stomach wanted. He'd skipped lunch already but he was too tired from this stupid fiasco to try and find supper. He could survive until breakfast. For now... he just wanted a nap.