Searous

Standing when he see Dani Nate could see the look of worry on her face and it pained his heart. He'd always dont what he could to shield people from pain, to try and help but this was just another wake up call they he couldn't always play the hero and sometimes just being there, and being a friend was the best form of help he could offer.

   "We haven't been told anymore other than he is still in surgery. The did one last night when he came in, and than this morning they had to do another emergency surgery."

Gesturing to one of the chairs for Dani to shit down Nate didn't mind standing. He'd been sitting since they had gotten here, standing for a little bit might be nice now. 

And as the hours seemed to pass on one would go fast, and one would go slow but the time did move. Nate moved around lots but it was all he could do to keep himself from going crazy, he window, back to the door, down the hall and to the window again till finally he leaned against one of the walls in the waiting room a silent prayer moving through his mind.

It wasn't till a Dr entered the waiting room and came up to the group that Nate moved again. Coming closer to everyone he extends his hand to the dr giving it a shake before looking from Reese, to Dani and than back to the Dr.

   "Is anyone here Dalton Heathrow's family?"

   "Reese, and I work with Dalton, and Dani is his girlfriend. We are the only family he has."

Giving a nod the Dr. understood and at least Dalton had people here who cared and looked at him like they were his family. It always made Amanda happy when she saw friendships, or coworkers who worked together like that. Though this sad time they would need each other.

    "Dalton made it through both surgery. One of his lungs was punctured, we went in took the bullet out and than repaired it. Through out the night though it collapsed and we had to open him up again, re-inflating it, and repairing it once more. He's breathing on his own at the moment and stable but he is far from out of the woods. With his other health issues the next few days he is going to have to fight for his life and not give up. If you guys want to see him I can let you for only a little bit. He's not coherent but he will be able to hear you if you want to talk to him."

Hearing about Dalton Misty could feel her blood almost run cold. She'd interacted with Dalton before and even if it was only a little bit he'd had an impact on her. There was just something about him that no matter what he seemed to touch someone in some way.

   "Jason...I am so sorry that happened. Is Reese going to keep you up to date on everything going on?"

Leaning forward a little bit Misty lays a hand on Jason's shoulder. He looked so stressed and filled with emotion she felt so bad for him knowing this had to be rough.

   "Are you ok?"

 Letting out another sigh Ryan shakes her head a little bit just looking upward again. Pulling her one leg up and resting her other on top of it. She wasn't sure how to talk about it or what to say. It was pretty much the same thing she had said before and there was still so much confutation attached to it.

   "While I was at the store I saw Alec again. He was with his neice this time, she's a cute kid and Alec seemed so different with her. He was softer in a way. Than she asked if I could drive them home and I couldn't say no to a child so I did."

Ryan stops for a second before continuing trying to collect her thoughts. Why this bothered her so much she didn't know but in a way she hated the feeling.

   "After I dropped them off Alec gave me a kiss on the cheek. I hadn't expected it and...I don't know how to feel about it. I just feel...confused."

Fault

Reese stands behind his desk, arms folded as he tried to figure out if he needed to be upset or not. When Jason had called him a short while earlier, he'd been informed that things had gone sour and Dalton had been shot. That was the extent of his knowledge though - until now. And even after Nate's brief explanation, he was still rather confused. 

"So you're telling me that all this was due to-" He stops short as Jason and Con finally arrive as well. "Nice of you two to show up," he greets curtly.

Jason doesn't bother covering up a glare. "Nice, my butt. This whole thing was a mess from the start. Either we got some bad intel, or we're the stupidest bunch on the planet. And if we're not, we certainly look like it now." 

Reese frowns, not appreciating Jason's tone. But first thing first. "What's the latest on Dalton?" 

Jason shrugs. "I don't know any more than Nate. He's in critical condition with a shot to the chest. I'd go up to the hospital now, but I got my own job at Misty's." 

"What about the other men who were shot?"

"Cops met us and took over - they were gonna get the guys cleaned up, then taken down to the station. Everybody was gonna be fine, except the one that was killed." 

"Yes, about that..." Reese looks to Con. "Nate said there was some miscommunication. What happened?"

Con swallows hard. There was anger in his stare, but also a strange form of surrender, making for a confusing combination. "These to say Dalton told me to watch his back. I never heard it, so I wasn't looking where I should have been. By the time I saw somebody on that side of the building, it was too late. Dalton had already been shot." 

"I see." Reese sighs deeply and rubs a hand over his face. None of this was good. They'd at least brought in the men they were after, plus one, but it still had not gone own well. And unfortunately, Jason was right - something with their intel was wrong, or they had not adequately prepared. "What about the guy that was killed?"

With no response, he looks to Jason. "Well?" 

Jason shrugs. "He tried to escape. Con took him out." 

"He tried to escape? Was there no other way to stop him?"

Con looks away, his grip on his rifle tightening. 

Reese's stare becomes harder. "Answer me, Con." Without a response, he raises his tone. "Conrad Gibbs, was lethal force necessary?!" 

Con finally glances back at him, and for a moment, the office is eerily quiet. "No." 

"Dang it, Con!" Reese slams his hand down on the desk. "Do you know what kind of trouble you could get yourself into for this? What am I going to say in my report?" He looks between all three men. "We have to answer to other people now, guys. We're not playing the same game we used to. I understand that it wasn't your fault things went bad out there tonight - it happens and I'm not blaming you. But if we don't pull our act together, we're not going to have a team anymore." 

Con fingers his rifle before turning to leave. "I'm putting away our gear." 

Watching him go, Reese doesn't stop him. Sighing deeply, he finally grabs his keys and badge. "I'm going to the hospital, Nate, you come with me. Jason, go ahead and go to Misty's - we'll keep you informed." 

"Right. Anything else?" 

"Yeah..." Reese stops at the doorway and thinks a moment. "Call Scott."

Jason's heart sinks a little but he nods. "Okay."

"And see if you can get a hold of Dani."

...Getting to the hospital with Nate, Reese isn't told much, other than what they already knew - Dalton was in critical condition, and had been rushed into surgery with massive damage from his chest wound. Nobody would say what chance of survival they were giving him, but it was obvious that none of the nurses had high hopes. 

Sitting in the waiting room, Reese is quiet, once in a while making conversation with Nate, but avoiding talk of the botched mission for now. He knew his men had done their best, mistakes or not, and he'd rather go through it all later after they knew what would happen with Dalton. 

It had been at least an hour when Dani finally shows up. In the early morning hours, it was obvious that she'd been wakened by Jason's call. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she had on an old pair of baggy jeans and t-shirt, her feet quickly slipped into her flipflops and an old jacket thrown on. Car keys still in hand, she hadn't even bothered bringing her purse. 

Worry coursed through her eyes as she finally finds Nate and Reese. Biting her lip, she tries to keep her emotions in check. All Jason had said was that Dalton had been shot and was in bad shape.

"What's happening?" She comes into the waiting room, looking between both men. "How is he?" 

Even though it was a late hour, Jason wasn't surprised to see a light still on at Misty's. He hoped she hadn't waited up, but he knew she probably had. Entering the house quietly, he sees the light is coming from the kitchen, and heads that way, finding Misty at the table. 

He knew he looked a mess. He was still half-geared up from the mission, and blood stained his shirt and hands. His eyes were tired and full of concern, his shoulders bending under the weight. 

"Hi." 

"Dude, you look terrible."

Jason looks back over his shoulder quickly to find Alec yawning and rubbing his eyes, obviously wakened from his sleep on the couch. "Thanks."

"What happened?" 

Jason looks to Misty again before sinking down in a chair and putting his head in his hands. "Mission got botched. Got our guys but Dalton was shot. He's at the hospital now in critical condition." 

Alec can feel shock hitting his veins. Dalton, of all people. He'd been out on a mission? Shot? It... didn't seem possible. And for a brief moment, he remembers how Dalton had been one of the few people to give him a chance. And now he... might not make it?

Sitting up in bed, Scott holds Domino in his lap, stroking her head slowly. Sensing her master's stress, the little dog lays quietly, licking his hand every now and then. 

In the dark, Scott's eyes focus on nothingness. His mind played over and over a silent prayer for Dalton, while memories flashed by. Somehow, somewhere along the way, the giant of a man had become his best friend. He'd supported Scott through thick and thin and had never let him down. He'd been there, even when Scott hadn't wanted him to be. And when Scott had come back to work, he'd welcomed him like a brother. Yes, Dalton was even more than a best friend - he really was like a brother. 

Leaning his head back against the wall, Scott's heart ached. He didn't want to lose Dalton... not now... not like this.

Back at TJY, the lower level was dark. All the lights were off, and the only sound was the soft buzz of security cameras as they slowly turned one way then the other. Guns and other gear had long since been returned to their places, but Con was still there. 

Sitting on the floor, just inside the rec room, Con wrapped himself in the darkness. He should be home. Jamie would be worried about him. But he hadn't called her. He hadn't told her the mission was over or that he was back at TJY. Or  that he was still here, unable to get himself to go home yet.

 Tonight's events played over and over in his mind. And over and over he saw Dalton's body just lying there on the ground, his life being bled out of him. The sound of gunshots made him cringe even now. 

It was his fault Dalton was lying in the hospital now. It was his fault for not paying enough attention. For not being more prepared. For not hearing Dalton's orders. 

Not hearing...

Gritting his teeth, Con closes his eyes tightly, pressing his emotions back down deep. He was in a lot of trouble right now - but it was for shooting one of the drug dealers, not for being negligent on the job. Reese had been gracious enough not to put him under the spotlight. But it didn't matter. Dalton's life hung in the balance right now.

And Con knew it was all his fault.

Eli grins, appreciating it when Ryan could see their dad in him. If there was any man he'd ever admired or wanted to be like, it was their dad. He often wondered if he'd be proud of them today. 

"Yeah... yeah, he always did seem to hold all the answers. Funny thing though... so often he had us figure out the answer ourselves, while knowing it all along. Like he knew we'd choose the right answer eventually, but wanted us to be able to stretch our own minds instead of him just telling us what to do."

Cocking his head, Eli studies his sister again. What was it that was so heavy on her mind? He wondered if he knew, but he didn't dare voice it. "He always said it helped to talk things out..."

Low Down

Standing and placing a hand on Mick's Rosetta gives him a smile. She new what it was to want, and to wait....she had done it for a while before her heart could finally get what she wanted. It was hard but it was also a test of strength and it made her realize where her heart belonged and with who. She never would want to trade that experience.

   "I think letting Chad stay is an ok move and if Jim has a problem with it till well than we can tell him we made the desition and ultamitly it is ours to make. Maybe we just tell Jim the truth in it all. Chad has done nothing wrong and till we see he has he can stay as a paying guest."

Rosetta never liked using force like that before but it was a simple fact that they had no right to tell Chad to leave. Not to mention She'd seen Rosalyn with him and she smiled, a real smile and that was something she hadn't see from her niece in a long time. She had a good shoulder on her head and new if something went wrong she would let someone know before it get out of hands.

Still on her back and shifting her head again to look up at the cracks on the wall Ryan ponders the question for a moment. How was she doing? It was a hard question to answer honestly because she wasn't all that sure. She just new inside she felt so confused.

   "I'm...ok. Just have a bunch of stuff on my mind is all."

Turning her head again to look at Eli tonight he looked like there father. She couldn't help but smile and on nights like this she missed him but to see Eli it was nice to see him.

   "You sure do look like dad tonight. I don't mind when you do, it makes me smile. I miss him a lot sometimes. He always seemed to know the answers to everything."

   "Enough both of you, we can talk about that later. Right now we need to worry about getting Dalton help."

From than on it was crazy how everything happened. The paramedics came, and picked up Dalton alone with the others who had been shot. There main priority was Dalton who had passed out. He had major blood loss and who knows when else had been hit in his chest.

Loaded into the ambulance and on his way it would be hours before anyone would hear anything. Dalton would need surgery and his contrition was hazy. As much as Nate wanted to head to the hospital but he had to go to the office first.

   "I'm not sure what happened outside! Dalton said something, didn't conferm Con heard, he didn't hear and there was snack attack. Anything more than that your going to have to ask Con and wait for Dalton to pull through."

Nate stood in Reese office giving him the low down on everything going on. They would be heading to the hospital soon but needed to get this settled. It was now or never so they might as well not stew on it much longer.

Missed

Forcing himself to move his sights from Dalton's downed figure, Con swings his rifle back to the front of the building just as the drug dealers scatter. Leg shots took them down quickly, and once all of them were on the ground, Con stands up, watching as Nate heads for Dalton. "Goin' blind, guys. I'm coming down." Slinging the rifle strap over his shoulder, he heads quickly for the fire escape ladder. 

Jason follows Nate out of the building, keeping an eye on their prey - who were all laying here and there on the ground, some forced there by wounds, and a couple spreading their arms in surrender, not daring to even try standing. Keeping a gun aimed at them anyway, Jason backs up quickly to where Nate had found Dalton. Seeing all the blood and receiving Nate's order, Jason doesn't hesitate to retrieve his cell phone and dial. First 911 then Reese. 

By now, Con was back on the ground and sprinting across the street to them. Joining Nate, he takes a knee next to Dalton, his heart racing as he saw the condition of their partner. "No.... Dalton... Dalton, can you hear me? Come on... don't do this." 

Movement catches his eye and he turns just in time to see one of the guys had managed to get to his feet and had started to run. Moving quicker than the eye, Con lifts his rifle to his shoulder, aims and fires. The man goes sprawling in the street from the shot in the back. 

At this point, Jason was off the phone, and seeing what had just happened, mixed with his upset emotions from Dalton's condition, he was furious. "Con!" he barks. "What do you think you're doing?!"

Con stands up to face him just as angrily. "He was getting away!"

"Since when do you shoot somebody in the back?!" Jason gives him a hefty shove. "Reese is gonna be all over you for that one!" 

"Yeah, well then have him come down here and watch Dalton get shot, then have him tell you he'd do differently!" 

Jason glares at him in the dim lighting, his emotions churning. "What happened out here? 

"I was watching the front just like I was supposed to!" 

Jason's eyes widen. "Dalton told you to watch his back!" 

"He did not!" 

"Yes he did!"

"No he didn't!" 

Both men's voices were raised to shouting as they argued, and Jason shakes his head. "He told you to watch his back! Nate and I both heard it plain as day!"

Con is about to rebuttal when he suddenly recoils instead. He'd missed something. He'd missed something Dalton had said. And now... His eyes drift back to where Dalton lay, and his stomach twists. 

Approaching sirens interrupt the scene, and Jason goes to gather up the five thugs that were alive so they could be taken care of then taken downtown to the police station. As for the dead one, Con was going to have to answer for that one. 


Eli smiles at his sister and nods. "Yeah. Yeah, everything's okay as far as I know. Got the ol' Scarlet's-out-of-town blues, but nothing new." 

Looking down at his hands for a moment, he rubs a stain on his finger that he'd been unable to wash out at work. "How 'bout you?" He finally looks back up at her again, studying her eyes and wondering about what he'd seen earlier... and what he'd seen so much lately. He wouldn't pressure her, but he was concerned. 


"I know." Mick sighs and leans back against the counter, shaking his head. "And I don't want Chad to leave anyway. I know he's a lot older than Rosalyn and he's got a past - but even that's nothing horrific." He shrugs lamely. "Maybe if I was her father, I'd feel differently. You know what I did with Dan. But... I don't know... I guess when I was giving Rosalyn all those letters, I saw something in her eye - a spark that I'd never seen before. And I guess I don't want to take that away  from her. Maybe I put myself in her position and saw that she's really been a real trooper, living and working here without a life outside the ranch. I mean, we all do it, but even Jade's got Dan, and Clint and Wendy have their own family. I guess I never saw it like this before, but maybe Rosalyn hasn't had enough chances in life and..." 

He shrugs again, feeling as though he was going in circles. "I dunno. I want her to have her own choice about this. Personally, I think Chad's okay - I don't think he's gonna pull any stunts with Rosalyn. At least that's what my gut says and I hope I'm right, since I sent them to town. But I also know Rosalyn's smart, and she wouldn't go with him if she thought anything was even remotely questionable." 

Tucking his hands in his jeans pockets, Mick looks back at Rosetta, just studying her eyes. He didn't know how Rosalyn and Chad really felt about each other... whether it was just a short-lived romance without anything more than a physical attraction, or if they really did have deeper feelings for each other. But he knew what love felt like, and if anybody had chastised him for wanting to be with Rosetta, he would have been very hurt and angry. He adored Rosalyn as his niece and just couldn't bring himself to make this harder on her. If she made a mistake, so be it - she'd been duly warned by her father. Mick didn't want to just sit back and watch her fall, but everything that needed to be said had been said - and now it was up to her. 

"I just can't tell Chad to leave," he concludes. "But I don't know what that will do to Jim."

Fuzzy

Moving twords the building Dalton has no idea of the danger, or the other assent that had gone unseen. The danger that await was not even thought of till the shot was heard. Ducking his head to was instinct as Dalton turns but a warm dagger hits his chest as everything instantly becomes numb. The last thing he saw before looking up at the sky was the shooter going down as well.

Now on the ground and looking up at the sky things were quickly becomes hazy. There was a warm sensation that pooled around him and yet his body felt numb. Had he been hit? The lack of movement said yes, but there was no pain, it didn't hurt, but it didn't feel normal either.

 Hearing the shot Nate looks to Jason his eyes going slightly large. There was not much time to thing though as the dealers start to scatter they new that they had to act fast and they did so. Ducking flying bullets of there own and returning fire it was haywire and crazy. Breaking away from Jason though Nate comes from behind at least trying to startle them to run outside and the plan worked.

   "CON, BE READY...THEY ARE COMING YOUR WAY."

Following behind but not to close Nate has Jason follow them out. He new Dalton was down but first they needed these guys taken care of. Once they are outside more shots ring out and the dealers drop to the ground. Not dead but unable to move from there own positions. 

Looking around and seeing Dalton at the far end Nate's heart races. He'd asked for him to come on this mission even though he had little field work, now he hoped it hadn't been a mistake. Running over to him and seeing all the blood Nate's heart races even faster as he slids down next to him.

   "Hang in there Dalton we are going to get you help stay with me buddy ok?"

Lifting Dalton's head a little bit he places his hand on the wound but dosn't push down in case the bullet was still inside of him. The small stream of blood that ran from his mouth was not a good sign and for the first time in a while Nate was scared.

   "Jason get over here...call 911, or anyone quickly."

Feeling Nate's hands Dalton takes in a rigged breath wincing a little bit. Things were becoming slightly fuzzy and the noises around him were becoming softer. Shifting his eyes a little to see Nate he gives a few coughs.

   "I never saw the other guy come up behind me...I should of ....I should of been more careful. Tell...Dani...I love her."

The night moved on and it was a relaxing one. Ryan was thankful for that, and was happy she got to spend it with two of her favorite people. Walking Tal to the door when it was his time to go Ryan gives him a soft kiss on the lips before seeing him out. 

Coming back into the living room and sits down on the couch and gives a stretch before looking to the side at her brother. Something seemed different with him today and she couldn't help but wonder what it was. 

   "Hey, everything ok? You seemed a little more quiet than normal tonight."

Standing in the kitchen with her husband Rosetta hands BJ his shoes helping him tie them as she listens to Mick. She'd heard bits and peaces all day about what was going on with Rosalyn and Chad but it was just now that she was finally getting the full story.

   "Wow...I would never think Jim would get that upset over this. I mean I can understand where he is coming from but I would think he'd also relize that Rosalyn has a head and would never start anything she couldn't handle."

Finished with BJ shoes Rosetta gives him a pat on the head telling him to head out to the dinning hall and they would be following. Turning back to Mick once he was gone Rosetta could see the look of worry in his eye. This was one of those things that was going to be pretty touchy.

   "So what are we going to do if he dosn't calm down at all? I respect his wishes but Chad is a paying customer and unless he has done something wrong we can't really tell him to leave."