Old Memories

Laura smiled and shook her head. "That girl. She amazes me every day. Although I gotta say, I maybe wish she wasn't so drawn to someone like Garret. But...he seems different with her. Gentle, almost. It's like..." She turned back to the stove and shrugged. "I don't know. There's just something special inside him, deep down. I just hope it can be unlocked." She glanced over her shoulder at Nate with admiration. "You're being more than a handler. You're being a friend. And I don't care what anybody else things...you're doing a good job with him."

She put the lid back on the pot and wiped her hands on a towel. "Okay. You go talk with Maggie. I'm going to check on our feverish house guest and see if he needs anything before I put supper on the table."

Wandering down the hall a couple minutes later, Laura tapped lightly on the bedroom door that was almost closed. "Garret?" No response. She paused a moment then just decided to go on in. Seeing him seemingly asleep with such a pale face and still shivering, she frowned with compassion. She couldn't imagine being sick and not having anybody to help care for her. She'd always had her brother, then Nate.

Taking his jacket and cap, she set them in the extra chair, and grabbed a second blanket. She thought she was careful in spreading it over him, but she wasn't quite careful enough. Without even time to blink, she was on her back on the floor, with Garret on top of her. It took all of her might not to scream or kick as she felt her shoulders pinned to being the floor. "Garret," she said sternly but calmly. "It's just me. Laura."

Garret had been half asleep when he'd felt someone leaning over him and had reacted without even thinking. Now suddenly realizing his mistake, he instantly rolled to the side and sat up, putting his hands to his throbbing head. Wincing at his own pain, his eyes were half open as he looked at Laura picking herself up. "Are you okay?"

Was that...compassion in his voice? Laura tried to hide the fact that she was trembling all over. "I'm fine," she lied. "It was my own fault. Come on. Back in bed."

Garret sighed and closed his eyes. He felt absolutely horrible about physically reacting to Laura. He could have really hurt her. What would Nate say? "I shouldn't be here."

Laura swallowed her fear. "Enough whining. Get back in bed."

He opened one eye. "After that?"

"I've had worse." She leaned down to take his arm and prompt him back up and into bed once more before putting a hand to his forehead. "You're burning up. I'm going to bring a cold cloth, okay?" Even though he didn't respond, she went to the bathroom and soaked a washcloth in cold water before wringing it out and bringing it to the bedroom. She wasn't going to make the same mistake twice though.

"Garret?" She remained a couple feet from the bed until he looked at her again to prove he was awake. Only then did she approach. "Here. Lie on your back." When he didn't move, she threatened him. "Hey. Do I have to call my husband?"

Something close to a smirk emerged, and he rolled over onto his back.

"Thank you." Laura put the cloth on his forehead, then pulled up the blankets.

Even though he didn't respond, Garret wasn't sure anything had ever felt as good as that cold cloth.

Laura finished and sighed. "Think you can manage something to eat in a while?"

He shook his head.

"Have you had anything to eat all day?"

He shook his head again.

"Well... you need to eat something. I'll have some brought in in a while. Just rest." Leaving him be, she closed the door and returned to the kitchen. Once there, though, she just leaned on the sink and tried to keep the tears from coming. How could he have been so stupid? She'd just finished warning Nate to tell Maggie to be careful, and what had she done? Left her self completely vulnerable. She didn't blame Garret. She blamed herself. But being pinned to the floor had brought on an old wave of terror she had tried so hard to forget. That wasn't Garret's fault either, but now she wasn't sure she was going to be able to hide her fear. But she had to. For Garret's sake. For Maggie's sake. She could fall apart later, but not now. It had been a long time since old memories of Bryce had surfaced - she needed to stay in control of this.

Gritting her teeth, she wiped her eyes and went to check on the soup and waited for Nate to return. She just wanted to make sure Maggie knew not to touch Garret unless she knew he was aware of her presence first. 


A knocking made Reese spin around in his chair and look to the door. "Come in."

It was Kirk. He'd been trying all day to talk to Reese, but had been interrupted countless times. It was evening already, but he had to do this. He had to finish this case. "Got a few minutes?"

Reese's eyes narrowed. "That depends."

Kirk pursed his lips and finally entered, closing the door behind him, then taking a seat in an empty chair. "This should be my last day here."

"Then forgive me for any excitement that might slip out."

Kirk gave him a dry smile. "I know this hasn't been easy. I have to finish my final report though, and I need some straight answers."

This wasn't sounding good. Reese picked up a pen to play with and cleared his throat. He'd like to boot Kirk out on the street, but that would only make things worse. "How bad is it?"

"It's not great."

"Well you've already terrorized half my staff. What more do you want?"

"Terrorized would seem a rather strong word."

"Not to Scott." Reese had heard what had happened and was not pleased.

Kirk shook his head. "I'm here to do this job to the best of my ability, and sometimes that requires stepping on toes." Before Reese could respond, he spoke again. "Where's Garret tonight?"

Reese sighed. "He's in Nate's custody."

"Where?"

There was a long pause. "At his home."

"You see?" Kirk frowned. "This is what's harming you guys the most. Garret -"

"He's sick, and Nate thought he would recover faster in a more suitable environment."

"You don't have medical staff here? He belongs in a cell, and you not only let him loose to run the building, but you actually release him into the public with nothing but the hope he won't kill someone." He paused. They'd been over this countless times just within the short period he'd been assigned here, and nothing had changed. "What if Garret was the only thing between you and an actual future for the Elite? What if you could have a real chance at the Elite surviving all this scrutiny if you simply sent Garret to prison where he belongs?"

Reese swallowed hard. Despite his anger, he knew he was at the mercy of the FBI. "With everything I've heard from you, I find it hard to believe that Garret's presence is the only thing you disagree with."

"Answer my question."

Reese wasn't sure he could. "Is that what it's going to come down to? Are you going to recommend we shut down, unless I send Garret to prison?"

"What if I did?"

"Then...I would give Garret the option. And if he didn't want to be sent to prison then... I guess I'd turn in my badge."

Kirk lifted an eyebrow. "You'd give up everything here? Your job...livelihood...passion... your wife's job? Your son's job? Your niece's job? All for the sake of an assassin?"

"No. I'd give it up all for the sake of a man who just needs a chance to show the world what he can become."

"You realize compassion doesn't keep law enforcement branches alive right?"

Reese took a deep breath. "Just make sure when they decide to kill us off, that they do it quickly, alright?"

Kirk leaned back in his chair and cocked his head, just studying Reese. "This place used to lie a lot to stay under public radar. Old habits die hard. Are you still withholding information from the board in order to protect your agents?"

The question was offensive to say the least, but Reese did his best to keep his cool. "If you're asking me if I lie in my reports, the answer is no."

"What about leaving out certain particulars? Like...oh, I don't know...the recent killing of a man during a rescue mission - committed by none other than your aforementioned prisoner."

 Reese's jaw tightened. "It was in my report that it was found to be self-defense."

"Even though you don't believe that's true."

"Are you going to take me to court over this? If not, why don't we move on to something other than Garret?"

Kirk made a note on his notepad while shaking his head. "Okay. You have one agent who is your son, one who's your niece, and you're married to another. How does that affect the structure of this establishment?"

Reese bristled. "What are you implying?"

"Well you can't tell me you treat them the same as anybody else. You're only human."

"I try to treat everyone here as equally as I can," Reese answered sternly. "Everyone here is different and has different needs. But as a whole I think I've done a pretty good job."

Kirk frowned as he flipped through some notes. "Isn't it true that you're basically chief of the Elite by default? I mean...no one really appointed you, correct?"

"I...it... no one was opposed to the idea."

"Except Jason."

"We worked that out and in the end he agreed I was the better man for the job. There was no way he was even close to being ready to manage this place, maturity wise or experience wise. He-"

"I don't really care how you and Jason compare. I'm just pointing out the fact that...you've been leading this place on the assumption that no one else should be able to handle it."

"Carter disappeared. Austin walked away." Reese's face was growing red. "There was no one else to pick up the pieces. I did what I had to do in order to keep this place running for the sake of innocent lives."

"What if you found out that your agents would really prefer someone else be their leader?"

Was that true? Reese sat back a little, as his heart dropped. "Then...if that's what they wanted... I...would step down."

"You'd just give up all your power?"

"It's hard to run something without the support of your staff. So...yes. I... I would do anything for the good of the Elite."

Kirk stopped writing and looked up at him. "Anything?"

Reese swallowed hard. "For the good of the Elite."

"Why?"

"I..." Reese wasn't sure what the question meant. "I don't understand. Why what?"

"Why would you do anything for the good of the Elite?"

"Well because. It...it's a cause I believe in and-"

"Not good enough." Kirk shook his head before looking Reese square in the eye. His voice was stern. "You better do a heck of a lot better job convincing me why you're so willing to put your neck on the line than just 'I care.'"

Reese's expression turned into a scowl. "Do you know how many lives the Elite has saved? Do you know how much good this organization has done since it's very beginnings? We've gone beyond the call of duty. We have gone beyond just the cases that deal with the Agency. Case after case has been dumped on us by local law enforcement just because we don't have the luxury of saying no. These agents work their tails off and are on call twenty-four/seven just to keep people and their families safe. They risk their lives just as much as any policeman, fireman or FBI agent, and I dare say sometimes their job is more dangerous because we're working against a crime organization that is barely even recognized as being real." He paused to catch his breath. "If I'm the problem here, then take me out of the equation. But don't you dare let this place take the fall for mistakes I've made. I know I'm a crappy leader. I was a cop and a private investigator - and I wasn't all that great at either one. When I joined the Elite, I had no intention of ever being in charge. It was dropped in my lap and I have done my best ever since to do what I felt has been right for this place. These people. This family." He was shaking, he was so upset. "Shame on the FBI for even thinking about ending the careers of these people rather than utilizing the astounding talents that exist here. We were not named the Elite for no reason. We are an elite team. And if you let us die, heaven help society as the Agency takes over civilian lives."

...It was several hours later. The sun had just set. It was a little chilly, but not too chilly to wear a jacket and sit on a park bench. And that's exactly where Kirk was. He'd changed out of his dress pants and shirt, and back into more comfortable jeans and tshirt, and his old brown leather jacket. He hadn't been back to the office though. He hadn't had a nap either. And he had yet to write his final report so it could be on Barnes' desk by morning. And he felt...stuck.

Movement on the little pond caught his eye, and he realized it was just a duck. He sighed. He really should eat some supper, but he wasn't all that hungry. Not when so many people's livelihoods were riding on the words he would choose to use.


Travis smirked at Ashlee, but handed her the kitten. "Okay, fine. But when I'm better, I'm gonna go up there 'cause that's the best seat in the house any day." 

Standing with her, he stopped her before she walked away. "Oh. Wait." A new grin emerged and he reached over to pluck a piece of hay from her hair. "There. Now you're good to go." 


"I don't know what to do." Lane cupped a coffee mug between his hands and looked at his sister across the table in the main house while breakfast was being cooked. "Chance said the threat here is over, but...is it with me? Or Travis? I don't know where to go from here, or if I should move, or...what." 

He sighed. "I thought finding him was the answer to everything, and now I'm just as lost as I was before. What would you do?"