Comfortable

Giving a laugh Misty heads into the other room giving a shake of her head. Getting into the living room Misty looks around for a moment before hearing Jason's comment. She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face again. This should be intrusting.

   "Well I guess I will than, better do it now before I become to fat I squish you."

Setting the cup down on the table next to the chair Misty gives a smile and eases herself down on Jason. Getting comfortable she grabs the remote putting her arm around his neck and flips the tv on.

   "Alright lets see what we have here. You comfortable?"

Moving her legs to let her brother sit down Ryan gives a small laugh before swatting her brother's hand away from her knees. She wasn't ticklish in many places but that was one of the spots where it really did get her the most. 

Letting out a sigh Ryan looks over at her brother and gives a soft smile. She new her brother felt bad and if he could take everything away he would. But this was something she would have to work though. It was her feelings that were all messed up and maybe just maybe a little more time and things really would be ok.

   "Thanks Eli, for always being there for me. Ya know I really think you take after dad more than you'll ever know."

Sitting up completely Ryan sits a little closer to her brother and puts her arms around his neck in a hug and giving him a kiss on the cheek. She was happy he'd come and stayed with her, having him here just made things better and she loved having her family close again. Even if her heart felt like it was breaking she new if she asked Eli would make sure no one messed with her again.

   "If he keeps bothering me I'll let you know. Cross my heart ok?"

Not a pretty sight

Listening to Ryan, Eli holds his tongue a little longer. He could sense the confusion in his sister and he saw the pain in her eyes, which in turn, caused a pain in his own heart. He couldn't stand to see her hurting - it was the worst kind of torture for him. 

Watching her carefully, one of Eli's worst fears seemed to be surfacing. Ryan didn't even have to say it... she wouldn't hurt like she did, if she didn't still have feelings for Alec. How deep those feelings ran, Eli didn't know. But they were there, and he knew it. 

Realizing, though, that Ryan really was close to tears, he rises slowly from his chair. Coming over to the couch, he reaches down and lifts up Ryan's feet before sitting down, then letting her legs rest over his lap. He wriggles her knee teasingly, just like he used to when they were kids and he'd wanted to annoy her with tickling. 

With a deep sigh, he leans his head back on the couch, letting his mind think before he ran off at the mouth. He knew Ryan didn't deserve his wrath no matter how mad he was. "Please don't cry," he requests. "'Cause then I want to cry, and watching me do that is not a pretty sight." The attempt to lighten the mood was lame, he knew. But it was all he had.

"I'm sorry, Sis... just that this is happening. I wish I could make it better. I wish I could... erase everything that happened. I wish I could..." He bites his tongue along with another sigh. "Ah well... you know how I feel about Alec."

Giving her leg a pat, he falls quiet again for several minutes. "If he upsets you this much though... I mean it about me stopping it. I don't want him to hurt you any more than he already has."

Grinning, Jason isn't so sure he believes Misty that he always knew what to say, but if she thought so, he'd let her and... it did make him feel good. Watching her with the tea, he also rises slowly. Joining her at the counter, he takes one of the teabags, letting it bob up and down in the steaming water. "TV sounds alright as long as Alec doesn't mind." 

"I don't," comes a mumbled voice from the living room. 

Jason can't help his laugh. "Stop eavesdropping." He knew his previous conversation with Misty had been much quieter, so he didn't fear Alec hearing them talk about him. "I thought you were asleep," he hollers into the next room. 

"Not hardly. Not with this headache." 

Jason smiles and winks at Misty, picking up two of the cups and heading for the living room. "Well maybe this will help." 

Alec props himself up and accepts the hot drink, setting aside the ice pack for now. "Thanks."

"Mm-hmm." Jason looks around for a moment, glancing to the couch, to the floor, to the easy chair and back again. "Well... Misty, I guess we're stuck." He chooses the big comfy chair, careful not to spill the tea. "You're just gonna have to sit on my lap." 

Alec snickers, not moving his legs from being stretched out over the couch. "Now this I gotta see." 

Cry

Hearing Eli's reply and the silence that was what gave him the way the most. No ball, no sigh, no heavy breathing there was just nothing. Finally lowing the magazine again Ryan looks over her legs at her brother for a long moment. The whole thing did bother her but was she going to admit that?

   "I...I don't know if it will keep up or not. I don't think its anything harmful maybe just a thank you? I...it did upset me, when he came, and when he sent me the flowers I just...idk Eli."

Letting out a sigh and putting her hands behind her head Ryan lets out a long sigh. She new what she wanted to feel and what she should feel and yet there was something else that lingered. But was she ready to talk about that yet?

   "I don't know Eli, I don't know. Maybe he wont bother anymore? I just...hurts ya know. I love being around Tal, and I don't want anything more than him but Alec is around...it makes me hurt all over and I just...want to cry."

Feeling Jason's hand on top of hers Misty can't help but smile. Looking up at Jason he really did make her feel good and she can feel her cheeks getting slightly red. He's never know how good he really made her feel. She felt special, like worth a million words in his eyes.

   "You just know the right things to say at all times don't you?"

Bringing Jason's hand up and giving it a kiss Misty stands going back to the whistling tea pot. Taking it and pouring the water into the cups Misty dunks the tea bags before looking to Jason.

   "Want to help me with this? Maybe we can find something on tv to watch for a little bit."

Nip It

Alec knew that Misty might never even realize what her simple touch did to him, but it was indeed a comfort to him. Left alone again, he eases back down on his side, keeping the ice pack pressed to his head. Someday... someday he'd feel better. Someday the nightmares would be gone. Someday the stress and heartache would be gone. Someday...

Jason nods, understanding what Misty was saying about the Agency. Thankfully he'd never experienced it himself, but the truth of the matter was very evident in those he knew and worked with. It was a shame that they had to go through these kinds of things... and yet, it was a natural consequence of a life they had chosen. 

"Yeah..." He was glad Alec was accepting help as well. A few months ago he couldn't have cared less. But now... after spending some time with the man Alec was now... it did make a difference. 

"He's pretty fortunate to have you in his life," Jason comments softly. "If he didn't, I can't imagine where he'd be now." Most likely homeless or in with the wrong crowd just to survive. 

A smile comes to his lips and his hand slides over to Misty's. "You're just a pretty special woman." 

Listening to Ryan, Eli has a hard time concentrating on the tennis ball, but he keeps it up, just letting her talk. He bristles at the mention of Alec though. He'd had a feeling this all had something to do with him, but he just hadn't been sure how. Who was to say Alec hadn't genuinely needed to go to J&J's though? And he hadn't asked for Ryan specifically, so no one could begrudge him service. Although she just admitted it had upset her. 

Thump... Thump... The ball continues to bounce off the wall as Eli stands to the side with Zidan. 

When the flowers are mentioned though, the ball comes whizzing back into Eli's hand, stopping short as it smacks his palm. His eyes jerk towards his sister as a new tension grips his spine. Though letting her finish, he could already feel himself growing livid. His hand squeezes the tennis ball tightly to relieve his anger and keep him from yelling at Ryan, who was innocent in this whole thing. 

Finally tossing the ball to Zidan, he then wanders to his chair and sits down, leaning back and rubbing his chin, not even realizing it was exactly what their father used to do when upset and trying to keep cool. 

Looking over to Ryan, he sees the back of the magazine instead of her face. "Flowers, huh?" He purses his lips, still thinking. Going to the shop for business was one thing. Sending Ryan flowers... that was a blatant sign of interest, whether Alec had been saying thank you or not. And in Eli's mind, it had been completely uncalled for. 

"You, um... expecting Alec to keep this up? 'Cause I'll nip it right in the bud - you just have to say the word, and he won't dare come near you again."

Letting Us

Standing and walking past him to the kitchen Misty lays a hand on his shoulder giving it a little squeeze. She new how hard it must be for Alec to just trust someone and let them take care of him. Being on you own for so long its kind of like a shock to your system. But she was happy he was trying to let her.

  "Alright, a small cup coming right up."

Heading into the kitchen Misty gives Jason a smile as she pass him and heads to the cubord. Pulling out three cups she also turns the tea pot on. It could be at least 10 minutes before it was ready so that was a little more time to chat with Jason.

   "Mmmm...Yeah I think he will be. He just had a bad dream, another symptom of the Agency for one reason or another."

Sitting down and letting out a small sigh Misty was happy Jason had come over tonight. Even if it wasn't the quiet late night date she was looking for him being close was still nice and she new things would be ok. Jason just had something about him that Misty was comfortable with. She never had to worry about intention or reason with him.

   "Once you get out for those who are lucky enough its hard to actually break away completely. Your past will always haunt you, faces will always invade you mind, and the deeds of the past will always be remembered. It just takes a strong person to keep going... I'm happy Alec is letting us help."

Laying on the couch with her legs bent and crossed to hold up her car magazine Ryan lowers it for a moment to look at Eli as he talks about running into Axel. Bringing her magazine up again Ryan gives a small little shrug. It was strange for him to ask about her but she new why he was and she couldn't blame her brother for wondering what might be going on.

   "Oh..Um...yeah things at work are ok. Alec came in the other day and asked if I would take a look at his bike. We he didn't ask if I would but the guys pawned it off on me"

Pausing for a moment Ryan new Eli probley wouldn't be to happy with this new bit of information. If he had any thought that Alec might be bother Ryan he would be after him in a heart beat. Ryan didn't know what she felt about the whole thing. It was hard to desypher what she was thinking for feeling. She new she liked Tal alot, and wanted to be with him but there was something about Alec, she couldn't put her finger on it but there was something.

   "So I looked over his bike and fixed it for him. I guess Axel saw I was a little upset because he wanted to know if I was ok and I told him I'd survive....and...Alec sent me flowers as a thank you and that was something I had no expected."

Ryan really hadn't mean to tell her brother all that stuff but it was just so easy. Eli was a easy person to talk to and one of Ryan's best friends. If she couldn't talk to him who could she talk too? Not to mention she never hid stuff from him even if he'd be upset.

   "So...thats probley what it was about."

Usually Doesn't

Alec sighs, but nods. Even though he felt a bit embarrassed, he knew Misty was right. It was just a dream, and he would be fine. Sometimes the dreams were about the bad things the Agency had done to him. And sometimes they were about him doing the bad things. Either way, it was a nightmare. The Agency was truly like a drug. As a drug would have terrible side effects and could ruin people's lives, they would still crave it and need it and enjoy it when they took it. The Agency could treat its agents terribly and even torture them. But they also gave their people a false sense of purpose and power - that which was addictive. No matter who you were, if the Agency kept you long enough and allowed you that sense of purpose and control, they would have you hooked... as Alec had been. 

Lifting his eyes to Misty again, he shakes his head a little, then it turns into another nod. He wasn't normally a tea drinker but... maybe tonight it would be a good thing. "Yeah, okay... just a small cup...." 

He glances down then up again, his eyes so tired. "Thanks." For so long, he could depend on no one. But he knew he could depend on Misty. 

In the kitchen, Jason waits until Misty comes. "He okay?" he asks quietly. 

"Ran into Axel at the gas station today." Eli tosses a tennis ball at the living room wall, catching it as it flew back at him, too far over Zidan's head for him to catch it. It was an easy way to keep himself occupied, along with the dog, without having to deal with a slobbery ball. 

Eli glances to the side at the couch where his sister was. It was late evening and Tal had just left for home after spending supper with them. "He asked me how you were," he continues, letting another pause linger before he concentrates on his tennis ball again. "I know he's a friend and all, but he usually doesn't ask," he muses. "Kinda made me wonder if things at work had been alright..."