Two More

Left alone, Carson sat for the longest time, just staring at the floor. Katie had calmed him, but his soul was still in so much turmoil. What was going to happen now? Nothing? Were he and Misty really supposed to never have a relationship again? He didn't want to think about it, but if he really wanted to know how she felt, all he had to do was recall that look she'd given him. Not only was she angry, but she blamed him. He knew it without asking. Without her saying so. 

How badly had she wanted a child? How many plans had she made? What hopes and dreams had she developed around having a baby? Had she been scared? Looking forward to it? He hadn't a clue what any of those answers were. All he knew was that deep down, he'd looked forward to being a father again...a father to the product of his and Misty's love. He didn't feel like father material, and he was struggling to connect with Mackenzie - raising a baby was something that, quite frankly, scared him. But he would have done it. He would have accepted it. He would have figured it out somehow and would have loved his child. Their child. And now...that was all gone. Maybe the baby would have helped reunite him and Misty. That chance was now gone. Just like that. 

The Agency had won again. 


"Thanks, Hero." The nickname rolled so easily off Jason's tongue that he hardly even realized he'd said it as he took the water and cloth from Katie.

Dabbing his lip, he rolled his eyes. "Well now... that was exciting. Is he tearing apart the waiting room?"


Alec shook his head and reached up with his free hand to brush Misty's cheek. "If you want to sleep, then sleep. Nobody will mind. You just need to rest so you can get out of this place, okay?" 

He cared. Oh, how he cared. And oh how much his heart ached. For more reasons than one. "Misty, I..." He stopped as his eyes fell. "I'm sorry." He swallowed hard. "If I woulda stayed inside a while longer or would have been more alert..." He shrugged. "I just...I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. None of this should have happened. I should have paid more attention and...I didn't. I wouldn't blame you if you thought this was my fault." 


Garret's arms cried out to hold Victoria. But, as always, he kept himself in check. Instead, he could just enjoy the brief moment her hand brushed against him. "I'm not sure what's going to happen now," he admitted. 

Reaching to the side, he picked up another rifle before handing it to her. She wasn't dressed for combat, but around here, it would not be strange to see her involved in checking weapons - at least while no important social events were happening - so this would give her some kind of excuse to stick around for a few moments. "Here. Look busy." 

He continued to work with his own gun, although his eyes kept track of every little movement in the near vicinity. "Your grandfather wanted that mother and child for some very specific plans. To have the child of Carson and Misty Banks...that would give him not only a good bloodline, but certain power, too." The names of Misty and Carson were nothing to sneeze at around here. They were well-known adversaries that Medridge loved to toy with. "And even though Misty lived, it doesn't look good for having another child of theirs in the future. As far as what's going to happen now..." 

The shots still echoed in Garret's ears. Two shots. Two lives. Two more, added to countless others. "The idiots have been taken care of." His voice had turned cold. It was the only way he could handle the stress - to let his coldness take over. "And your grandfather would rather see his adversaries dead than let them win."

His peripheral vision was the only gaze he'd afford to Victoria. "Which means he'll either tag the Banks family to get rid of them, or find new and exciting ways to torture them."