Long Day

Feeling Eric's arms go around her Stacy smiles. She new it was him just by the way he smelled. Even on a day he had been working his butt off there was still just something that told her it was him.

   "Of course I will...as long as you leave the hat home so I can look into your eyes tonight."

Giving a smile and kissing one of Eric's hands Stacy loved seeing the soft color that came to his cheeks. And truth be told even if Eric showed up tonight with his hat on she would still have saved a spot for him. She enjoyed his company and new Ashlee did too how could she turn him away.

Getting up from the edge of the bed and opening the door Katie gives a little smile seeing Hunter. She wasn't sure if he would go straight to the mess hall or come get her first. She was happy he had come so they could walk together. 

Katie got along ok with the other people at the ranch but she just didn't feel close to them. With Hunter she would almost say it was safe to call him her best friend. Even if the news of Jason calling got her down seeing Hunter still made her smile.

   "Look at you. After a long hard day or work you sure do clean up nice don't you."

Turning around and shutting the light off in her room Katie takes her cell phone from her pocket and looks at it for a long moment. Finally she throws it on the bed shutting the door behind her. No one was going to call or text and Hunter was here so there was no point in carry it. If someone did she could return it later.

   "Alright...ready to eat?"

Watching Alec walk away Misty's heart broke for him. She could see the pain he was in, she could tell so much was bottled inside that he just wouldn't let come out and it hurt she couldn't help him more than she had. There was no magic wand...only time.

Finishing up the last sip of her tea Misty gives a yawn. It had been a long day and she was feeling it now. Standing and putting her cup in the sink Misty heads into the living room. Placing a hand on Alec shoulder she gives a small smile.

   "I am happy you will be staying. It's gonna be ok Alec, Maybe not today, or not tomorrow but it will be ok."

Giving a soft pat Misty had done all she could tonight to let him know he was not alone. She cared for him, and even if other didn't show it, or know how they did too. Maybe tomorrow things would be just a little bit better.

Trying to Hide

Watching Katie walk away, Eric gets the funny feeling that he'd just made the second mistake for the day. Were his niece and Jason so much at odds that she was upset even to know he'd called? Maybe he shouldn't have said anything. 

Feeling badly, he turns around to go back into the barn and put the leadrope away where it belonged. Ashlee had been helping him most of the day, aside from her riding lesson, and she'd really given him a bright day. She was a quick learner and Eric planned on taking her out on the trail soon for the fun of it to give her a taste of riding outside the fence. At least he could feel good about that... he'd try and see if Katie was smiling later, and if not, he'd try and fix that. 

Deciding he should clean up before supper, he wanders towards the bunkhouses, spotting Stacy heading for the mess hall. Taking a detour, he comes up behind her, slipping his arms up and around her shoulders in a hug from behind, stopping her in her tracks. Grinning, he snakes his head around to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Save me a seat at supper?" 

Yawning, Hunter sits on the edge of his bed to put his shoes on after he'd washed up. Despite his nap, the day was apparently catching up to him. He still had in mind to see if there was anything he could help with in the barn after supper though. 

Glancing at the clock, he wonders if he should head over to the dining hall or wait or... 

Shrugging, he heads outside and takes a look around. Ambling down to Katie's bunkhouse, he didn't know if she was here or already at the main building or somewhere else, but he might as well check here first. He still felt just a little lost around here without her. 

Stepping up on the porch, he gives the door a light knock with his knuckles. "Katie?" 

Leaning against the counter, Alec's eyes drop and remain glued to his plate while Misty talks. He'd never broken her trust? He'd broken everybody's trust - didn't she see that? He might not have done anything to her directly, but he'd sure done enough to others that she knew. Why didn't she take it personally? 

He picks a piece of pepperoni off a slice of pizza and chews it slowly, although his depressed mood was making it hard to eat, no matter how hungry he was. 

Reminded of the Agency, his heart sinks a little. She was right about them... about what they did. Alec had been given a false sense of power while involved with them, but at the time, it had felt anything but false. Yet there had always been a feeling of hopelessness somehow intertwined in there too. No one got into the Agency without some amount of damage to the mind and heart. But it was never seen until one tried to get out. The Agency itself was like a habit-forming drug, always trying to pull its victims back in again. 

Was he really learning? Was he really doing the right things now? Was he really deserving of getting the chance Misty was giving him? 

The hot tears that had been building behind his eyes start to sting. He wanted to thank Misty. He wanted tell her she was right and he appreciated everything she was doing for him. He wanted to make sure she knew he wasn't ungrateful. But with the threat of breaking down right in front of her, he couldn't find the words. 

"Thank you." His voice was almost a whisper. "I'll stay." 

Still having not looked up once, he takes his plate and trudges to the living room, sitting down on the couch. Setting his plate on the coffee table, he takes a bite of pizza, only to feel a tear finally trickle down his cheek. 

Swiping it away with his palm, it's only followed by another, and he despises it. Managing to chew and swallow his bite, he rubs his eyes, trying to will the tears to stop. But it wasn't easy - not with the roller coaster ride his emotions had been on all day. Feeling so out of control with this thing, it made him feel weak... like a loser. He'd taken Misty's words to heart. He appreciated what she'd said. He did want to stay here - more than anything. Why couldn't he just say so? Why did he feel like this? Why did he feel like a little boy that just wanted to curl up and cry? He hated it. And he hated it that he'd so rudely walked away from Misty in order to hide himself. Why couldn't anything just make sense?

Ping

Giving a smile and nodding Katie watches as Hunter walks away. There really was so much more to him than anyone saw but she kept getting glimpse of it and the more she saw the more she liked who Hunter really was underneath the pain and bitterness. 

Turning around and almost running into Eric Katie stumbles backwards a little bit. That will teach her to watch where she is going. Giving a smile and a nod of apoligie she was about to step around him when she stops again at his words.

It was almost as if for a moment she was stunned. A sickening feeling formed in her stomach as the nice day seemed to get a little darker. It wasn't Eric's fault and she was thankful he told her even if at the moment she was wishing he hadn't.

   "Oh, ok thanks Uncle Eric."

Turning around Katie makes her way to her bunk now. She was going to see if anyone needed help in the mess hall but now...now she didn't much feel like it. Once back at the bunk she sinks down on the bed and lays on her back.

Many things ran through her mind and it was hard to just find one to fall on. The only thing she kept coming back to was Jason had called, he hadn't called her, or texted her, he's called the ranch directly and avoided talking to her all together. It sent a strange pang to her heart as a tear slipped out of her eye and rolled down her cheek making its home on her pillow. 

   "Say you'll do it or I will think you don't like me anymore."

Giving a soft smile to Alec Misty pushes off the counter and grabs the tea pot. Filling it with water she places it on the stove. It was warm out today but a nice cup of coffee would help her relax enough to sleep tonight that much she new for sure. And after all the events that happened today she was going to need something that would just relax her mind.

Hearing Alec's words Misty is quiet for a second. Maybe the simple answer just wasn't going to work with Alec. Than again he was a Bank's and sometimes the simple answers just didn't get through there thick skulls.

   "Everyone deserves to have someone who cares about them and you have never broken my trust so why should I not be?!"

As the tea pot whistles Misty turn and takes her cup pouring the water into it and than place the teabag in the water. Coming around to the other side of the counter she pulls out one of the other stools and sits down next to Alec holding the hot liquid.

   "Ya know Alec, I know what The Agency does to people. They twist there minds, make them feel like there is no way out. Gives them power, feeds there desires, and give them no hope. I've been there, and I've made many mistakes myself in the name of the Agency."

Taking a sip of the hot drink Misty just lets it slide down her throat. It felt good, and it warmed her a little bit. Tea always had the affect of relaxing her no matter the situation.  Even in a tense conversation like now.

   "Everyone deserves to get out and have a second or third chance. The fact Alec that you here when all hope was lost and not back in the "safety" of the Agency tells me something. It tells me your learning, and even if you have a lot of learning left to go, thats ok because we all do."