Notebook

Gazing into Katie's eyes, Hunter's gentle smile remains. He really had grown to care for and respect her over a short course of time. It felt a little strange at times. And at other times, it felt so natural, he wasn't sure what it was even like before he'd met her. His life had been okay. But it just felt as though Katie had found a missing piece that was slowly being put back into place.

Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, he shakes his head a little. "We're only gonna be apart a week maybe... two tops. And I expect to be getting texts from you during that time," he teases. "And who knows.... maybe your boss will tell you to take a few more weeks and we won't have to travel separately at all." He doubted it, but it was worth the hope...

...The rest of the day is pleasant. Hunter finds himself alone for a little while, but occupies himself with the orphan kitten in the barn. His conversation with Mick keeps coming back though, along with continuing thoughts of the river, the voice, and his own past. Every day the thoughts became a little more persistent, but he just wasn't sure yet what to do with them in order to resolve whatever issue was going on inside of him. At moments, he wished he could just open up and spill his heart, while at other moments, he was quite content remaining silent and keeping his mixed feelings to himself.

By suppertime, he was ready to just chill for a while and quit thinking so much. It felt a little strange to be going to Mick and Rosetta's house. Even though it was right there next to the main building, it was still their private home. He'd told Katie he would meet her there, so after showering and changing clothes, he makes his way over, still hobbling slowly on his crutches. He doesn't even have to knock though, when Mick is already at the door.

"Hey, Hunter." Mick smiles and opens the door wider for him. "Come on in. Last I heard, the lasagna would be done in just a little bit."

Hunter grins as he enters the house and the scrumptious aroma hits his nose. "Mmm... I don't know if I can wait that long." Seeing into the kitchen, he gives a little wave to Rosetta. In a way, it felt odd being in here without Katie, but... for some reason... it also felt... like home. There was a peace here - the same as what the entire ranch had, just... more intense here. He really didn't feel on edge at all like he'd expected.

"Here, you can come get off your feet," Mick offers, showing Hunter to the dining room table.

"Oh, thanks." Hunter sets his crutches aside before settling in at the table. Glancing around the room, he took in the homey simplicity of it. It wasn't luxurious, but not dingy. Not extravagant but not too simple. It was... tasteful. Warm. Seeing movement by the hall, he catches sight of BJ. "Yo, Beej man, what up, dude?"

Chuckling, Mick sees Hunter is just fine, and he quietly returns to the kitchen. Coming up behind Rosetta at the stove, he stares over her shoulder just to bug her. He loved their family nights. He liked spending time with everybody else, but just being home for supper, walking around in his socks and having special moments with his wife and son... that made these evenings worth having. "Is it done yet?" He teasingly prods Rosetta in the ribs, knowing she was ticklish. "You've got three starving men in the house, you know."

Filling another trash bag and pulling out some more junk, Alec was on the last corner of the shed. It was a good task to tackle today, while his mind was quite a ways away... across town to be more exact. He knew that he would receive no confirmation one way or the other if Ryan had gotten the flowers. She might like them. She might hate them. He just didn't know. But he'd done his best to thank her for her kindness. Because of her, he didn't have to walk everywhere anymore, and he still had his little bit of saved money.

Reaching down behind an old garbage can, Alec retrieves a spiral notebook. It didn't look like it had been here as long as some of the other items - as if it had been tossed in here fairly recently, or set somewhere only to fall down behind other things out of reach.

Blowing off some dust, Alec flips through a couple pages out of curiosity. What he saw though, surprised him. He... recognized this. He had seen it somewhere before but... how? 

Reading some of the handwritten words, his eyes scan several more pages until he finds the poem that he had once recited to Ryan as they'd fooled around in the lake. This was the notebook he had found in an old locker at one of the Agency locations. But how on earth...

Just taking a few minutes to read a few more of the passages, the poems and deeply romantic lines were quite moving, really. But why was this here? How had it gotten here? And why here, of all places? Then all of a sudden it dawns on him. He hadn't known before who had written these things - but now... now he recognized the handwriting. Carson had seriously written this? He had really penned such deep thoughts? Such romantic thoughts? It was very hard to believe. Yet Alec knew that this handwriting was indeed his brother's. He'd almost think that Carson had copied these passages, yet there were too many scribbles, crossed out places and eraser marks for that. No... it was obvious that these works were original. All these years, Alec had never known whose poetry he had memorized. To discover now it was Carson's was quite a surprise. But... how had the notebook ended up here again? That was a mystery. 

Turning towards the trash can, Alec aims, but something stops him. Looking at the notebook again, he thinks for a moment, then sets it aside. He wondered if Misty even knew about it. If she did, she probably wouldn't ever want to see it again after what Carson had done. And yet... maybe he just wanted to read a little more of it himself. 

"...and we can't handle it all!" Wyatt throws up his arms as he paces Reese's office. "Sapphire is great, but when you start putting her in the field with me instead of here to back us up with data, something's wrong." 

Reese sighs deeply and leans back in his chair, trying not to get as riled as his son. "I'm sorry, Wyatt. What do you want me to do? We're swamped. Rick hasn't given Jason the go-ahead yet for full-time field work and Katie's still out. That leaves us two agents down and I can't help it."

Wyatt sets his hands on his hips and takes a deep breath, calming himself. Today had not been a good day. It wasn't Sapphire's fault that a routine check across town had ended up in a foot-chase down by the railroad tracks. He'd ended up with a skinned knee and bruised shoulder, but they'd gotten the guy - not Agency, but a drug dealer at least, so they had something to haul him in for. At the same time though, it was frustrating not having someone who was used to that kind of work. They depended on Sapphire's knowhow back here - but Reese was right... being shorthanded was the problem. "When's Katie coming back?"

Reese shakes his head. "Not sure. I was hoping I'd hear from her by now. If I don't by tomorrow, I'll call her." 

Wyatt knew Katie had he reasons for leaving, but he was also anxious for her to return to work. "Yeah, okay. I just..."

"What?" 

"Oh, nothing."

Reese cocks his head. "What's on your mind?"

Wyatt sighs. "I guess it just seems like people around here let their personal lives interfere with their work a lot. I know it happens and I'm not trying to be mean, I just... I know Katie and Jason are two of your favorite agents - I get it and I'm okay with that. But it just seems like there are others here who work a whole lot harder than they do but get a far worse deal out of it." 

Reese understood what his son was saying, and he knew that there was a very fine line there that he had to find almost every day. "Well... then I guess I'm glad you don't have a whole heap of problems that keep you from your work. I'm sorry it feels unfair. Maybe it is. But Jason can't help his injury, and I already approved Katie's time off. I'll let you take some vacation days if you want some time off too." 

"No..." Wyatt shrugs. "I don't want to leave you in a bind. I suppose I'm just venting." 

"I know. We're all under a lot of stress right now. Hang in there... I'm hoping things will change soon." 

Lips

Katie can't help the even bigger smile that spread across her lips. Looking into Hunter's eyes she could tell he really meant what he said. It made her feel good and though she was nervous about going home and seeing people he'd given her the confidence that things would work out how they should.

   "No trouble till you get back ok, got it. No getting hurt while I am away either, I don't think I could kiss you again if I new one of my family members lips had been on yours."

Giving a laugh Katie takes her free hand and pulls Hunter closer to her. Letting her lip brush his for a moment Katie backs away before coming closer again and giving a longer deeper kiss this time. Just letting the moments mix together time was endless at this point and Katie didn't care.

Finally pulling away and setting her head against his Katie closes her eyes for a long second. She had so many emotions that ran through her right now and it was a different feeling. She didn't know what they all where but she could tell what most of them were. 

   "You are way to good of a kisser for that to happen, so...yeah."

Opening her eyes again and looking into Hunter's Katie just study's them for a long moment. Letting her hand run through his hair at the back of his neck. If someone had told her in a month Hunter and herself would of gotten closer, and started dating she would have called them crazy. But it had happened, and it really was amazing.

   "I'm going to miss you Hunter."

Jealous

At Katie's comment, Hunter's eyebrows rise with a bit of surprise. Furrowing his brow, he cocks his head until she looks at him. 

"I'm only gonna tell you this once." His fingers curl, interlocking with hers. "When I decide I like a girl, I mean it. I don't go around calling everybody my girlfriend, and as far as I'm concerned, there's no difference between here and Nevada." He wasn't putting on airs for Katie's family here, nor would he care what anybody thought back home. "So as long as you don't change your mind..." 

Leaning in closer, he smiles before letting his lips brush hers then return for a passionate, deep kiss. Drawing back, his eyes twinkle. "I'm all yours and proud of it. Just don't get in any trouble til I get home. I'd be jealous." 

Girly

As Axel wonders over Ryan gives a small grin at his comment. He was always there, he always had her back, any of there backs and he never complained about it. Axel fit into the roll well of being the leader of the group and no one minded. He was the one with the best shoulder on his head, and Ryan on days like today was thankful for that.

   "Yeah, they sure don't huh?"

Looking back over at the flowers for a second Ryan can't help but second guess herself. Had fixing Alec's bike yesterday really been a good idea? She'd been trying t be friendly and nice, was there more to it or had she led Alec on to thinking there was more? Ryan couldn't help the thump in her heart as she thought about it. 

   "Maybe they'll quiet down in a little bit. If they don't thank you can go ahead and tell them to knock it off."

Turning back to the car Ryan just study's it for a long moment almost like where she had forgotten what she'd been doing. Giving a sigh though Ryan leans over the engine again starting her work. Not looking back to Axel again she does call over her shoulder.

   "Thanks Axel."

He was probley the only one that saw how girly she was underneath everything. No one else as the shop saw it or even new and Ryan would like to keep it that way. It was just easier to work just being one of the guys. It's how it always had been and how she'd like to keep it going.

Katie gives a nod to Mick with a smile. She'd stop by the office a little later and see if Rosetta wanted her to bring anything. She new she didn't have to but it might be nice for her to just have one less thing to worry about cooking if Katie could help out. It would make her feel good too if she could help a little bit.

Looking to Hunter Katie's expression changes just a little bit. Thinking about leaving Hunter for a little bit so she could head back to work. She wish they could go back together but Hunter had to continue to heal and maybe being here a little bit longer would make the process a little faster.

   "Yeah I have to call Reese and talk it over with him. I'm thinking about heading back in a week or two as long as its ok with him."

Looking down at Hunter's hand Katie runs her finger over his own and around his palm. She wanted to continue to see Hunter and she hoped that it would work out that way. She really did care about him.

   "It's gonna be rough leaving you for a little bit though. Did you still want to see me after we get back? Because...I...I'd like to try and make it work."

Knock it off

Interested in the little commotion over Ryan, Axel pauses a moment in his work on a pickup truck and glances over at her. Flowers, huh? He had a feeling that even if Ryan was a tomboy, she probably still appreciated such a sweet gesture. Though the other guys were prone to merciless teasing, he refrains, just grinning a little at her reddened cheeks. 

When she turns and catches his eye though, something startles him. Something wasn't right. Her smile wasn't... complete. Had he been wrong? Did she really not like receiving flowers? He almost wondered for a moment if perhaps things were not good between her and Tal. Last he'd heard, things were going great, but... that look in her eye sure said something else was happening here. Those flowers were from Tal, right? 

Turning back to his work, Axel tinkers in the engine, trying to get his mind off of Ryan's personal business. It was none of his nevermind, and he had no right to be trying to figure it out. It might just be his imagination anyway. But as he glances over his shoulder to see her putting the flowers in water, that same feeling came back. It wasn't necessarily that something was wrong... but it wasn't right either. 

Chided, the other guys just grin, Jed letting out another low whistle before a rag from Leo lands on his head. "We don't get any entertainment around here," he complains. "We can't pass up this perfect opportunity to razz our girl!" 

"Right right," Miles agrees. "It's not every day this oil and grease mingles with the sweet aroma of roses." He puts his hands over his heart and bats his eyes before quickly returning to work before Ryan really did beat him up.

Needing an extra tool, Axel wanders over to the work bench behind Ryan's bay to rummage through one of the toolboxes. "Children," he mutters teasingly under his breath. "They just don't know when to leave a girl alone, do they?" 

Finding the wrench he was looking for, he turns around to walk past Ryan, pausing just briefly at her car. "I'll tell 'em to knock it off if you want me to," he offers quietly.

Mick shakes his head. "Nah, you don't need to bring anything." He pauses in thought. "Well... I guess you might want to ask Rosetta." He chuckles. "Since she's the one cooking." Rising from the table, he gives Katie and Hunter a nod. "I'll see you later then. Say... seven o'clock for supper." 

Once Hunter is left alone with Katie again at the table, he gives her hand a returning squeeze before turning his head to look at her. Giving her a little smile, he leans in to place a soft kiss on her lips. "So..." He'd caught what she'd said about going back to work, and he'd figured out that she'd probably be leaving before he could. They hadn't talked much about it thought - maybe both were just avoiding it. 

"...calling the boss man, huh? When are you planning to leave?" 

Kick Butt

Working like normal the day before still was in Ryan's mind but it wasn't thought of as much. When Alec wasn't around she was able to push the thoughts from her head it seemed just when he was around it was a lot harder. Now though it was tucked away and the good deed went unknown for now. She'd done something nice, and it was one less thing to make Alec come back.

   "Hey Mile's your slacking....come on now man..."

Ryan's words trail off as she looks up at the delivery man. It was an odd scene to think about. No one ever delivered anything here unless it was some car parts. Hearing they were looking for her Ryan's eyes widen just a little bit before she finally notices what he was holding. Flowers? Her friend thought was Tal and she thought it was super sweet.

Taking the flowers and looking down at the little card Ryan's smile faded slightly. Her heart beat in her chest very loudly though. Had Alec really send her flowers? He'd never done that before, this was something completely new and it took her off guard.

   "Umm..thanks."

Turning Ryan could feel her cheeks go slightly red. She felt valnarable, and embarrassed in front of the other guys. Letting her eyes lock with Axel's for a second Ryan wondered if he new what she was thinking while the others were having fun with the whole thing and making there comments.

Not saying anything else and looking away Ryan goes to her table and grabs an empty jar. Pouring some of her bottled water into it Ryan sticks the flowers. She might as well enjoy them now that she had them. There was no point in throwing something this pretty away. 

Turning around and still hearing all the guys Ryan sets her hands on her hips looking at each of them. Quirking and eyebrow she shakes her head and rolls her eyes.

   "Yeah, and I can still kick you butts any day so if you know whats good for you get back to work."

Hearing Mick's invitation Katie gives a big smile. She liked spending time with her Uncle, Aunt, and cousin. It was a special time and it was always very enjoyable and peaceful. To turn that opportunity down would be rather silly, specially when she would be leaving again soon.

   "Yeah, thats sounds great to me. Only thing I have going for me today is spending time with Hunter and giving Reese a call about going back to work."

Katie had talked to Hunter about heading back to Nevada a little bit the other day. She wanted to continue there relationship and hoped it would work out while he was still recovering here. Though they hadn't talked about it much she hoped maybe soon they could.

   "Is there anything you want us to bring? Salad, a dessert? "

Looking to Hunter and taking his hand Katie gives it a little squeeze as she smiles. This was a confirmation to her that her family really did like Hunter and she was happy. She didn't know much about his family but she could only guess it wasn't good. And if that was so she was happy her family accepted him.