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."

Skunks

As an extra person shows up, plans quickly shift. Con wasn't sure now how the other three would handle the situation, but he knew his position. Surveying the situation from his vantage point, he couldn't see clearly enough to know which man was whom on the ground level, but they looked tense. Whatever that fifth man was for, it appeared this was not quite the casual meeting they'd assumed. 

"Looks like maybe we need to take it a step slower," Jason advises as he peers carefully out the window while speaking quietly. He knew Nate was in charge, but he also knew he didn't mind his input. "Let's take up our spots behind those crates like we planned." He gestures in the dark warehouse interior. "I wanna hear what all this is about and why we didn't know about this fifth guy."

Shifting his weight on his elbows, Con fiddles with his scope setting as Jason and Nate converse. Wait... had someone else just said something to him? He stops and concentrates on listening, hearing Dalton say, "Let's do this." Okay, that was all. Right. And his job was to watch the front, making sure no one got out that way or to alert the others if any more unexpected visitors showed up.

Without having heard Dalton's words to watch his back around the corner of the warehouse, Con focuses on the front door again, counting the men enter the building. Five. And his scope remains in that position in case he was needed. He hoped not, but he was ready if things went sour. What he didn't see was a sixth figure in the shadows moving towards Dalton's unprotected position.

And just when the first five men enter the building, a shot rings out. 

Inside, behind the stack of crates with Nate, Jason looks to him quickly, his eyes wide. But by now, the targets were inside and they couldn't speak without giving themselves away.

The five drug dealers all come to a sudden halt in the dimness, seeming to be just as surprised.

 Outside, Con's eyes whip to the side, his gaze coming to rest on the shooter - and a downed body. Adrenaline surges through his veins and without hesitating, he takes aim and fires. The shooter goes down. 

As the second shot is heard, the five men start to run back for the door. Jason steps out from the shadows with Nate, taking aim, though risky, in the dark. "Police! Freeze!" 

No one listens, and instead, gunfire comes in their direction, forcing them back behind the crates. "Con, what's going on out there?" Jason shouts, ducking another bullet. No answer. "Con! Dalton? 

Con's voice finally comes through - angrily. "Dalton's down... repeat, Dalton's down. Get those skunks outta there so I got some targets!"

Tal grins and shrugs, not having much of a comeback. Ryan was right... he did hang out with Eli all the time. And it wasn't nearly as bad as he joked about. If anything, he and Eli were getting to be as close as brothers - and both liked it, even if they drove each other crazy sometimes. 

"Well, your brother wanted to watch a movie. I wanted to try out the new video game. Then we wanted to rent that new action flick but they were all out. So then we thought about catching a football game, but we don't like either team, so then we went back to fighting about finding a movie here or playing the video game, so we arm wrestled for it." 

Eli snickers as he grabs some steak sauce from the fridge.

Tal throws him a look before glancing back at Ryan. "Yeah, you know how that went."

Coming to the table, Eli flexes his bicep. "So what movie are we watching?" 

Tal finally laughs. "Let Ryan pick. I don't care anymore." 

Supper was pleasant, and the steaks were good. With a little bit of banter, laughter came easily. Even though the three hung out a lot, it never seemed to get boring. By the time a movie was chosen and the evening moves on, Tal winds up on the couch with Ryan as usual. Tonight though, it felt like just a little something was... off. Tal couldn't put his finger on it, but for some reason, he felt as though he needed to hold Ryan a little extra tight, as if he might lose her if he didn't. Kissing her goodnight later, he found himself not wanting to leave, but he knew he had to. 

Still sitting in his chair and watching the last of the movie credits roll, Eli keeps to himself as Tal leaves. He'd pushed aside his questions about Ryan, but now they were coming back again. He knew better than to ask her what had happened before she'd come home earlier, but as her brother, he was worried. It seemed too many things had been upsetting her lately and he didn't like seeing her like that. 

Rosalyn finds herself smiling again, though just a little sheepishly. Here Chad was doing his best to give her an enjoyable evening and she wasn't exactly making it easy. "Yeah, okay." 

Withdrawing, she pops another shrimp in her mouth and grins. "One good thing... If it weren't for a fight, I probably wouldn't have gotten to go on a date with you."

"...and Jim's so hot that he didn't even finish up the chores. Becky came looking for him and I was the one that had to tell her about Rosalyn and Chad." 

Mick sighs as he washes his hands at the kitchen sink, cleaning up before he and Rosetta and BJ would head over to the dining hall. Things hadn't gotten easier after Chad and Rosalyn had headed to town, but Mick was just as glad that they were gone. Maybe it was just postponing more conflict, but deep down, he wanted to give the couple a chance. He didn't know Chad personally, but he knew Rosalyn was smart, and he wasn't going to assist in stopping her from being her own woman. 

Shutting off the water and grabbing a towel, Mick turns to give Rosetta a worried look. "It's been a long time since I've seen Jim that mad."

No answer

   "Dalton stay for a second on your position. We have another car that just rolled up. Keep an eye out to see if anything changed and let us know."

Giving a glance to Jason Nate kept his composure but there was a little worry in his eye. It wouldn't be unusual to get the wrong lintel but it would be strange that after doing so much research to back it up the could be wrong. This could be a game changer for the whole mission after Nate new it.

Standing around the corner of the one building Dalton looks up to see Con in position still. Than looking back to the building he watches the car. Once parked, and seeing a man get out and head into the building he starts the count that was one. Not to much longer after another car pulls up and three more men get out. That was four...there was one more than planned. If Con was awair that there was on more than things could still go smoothly.

   "Looks like there is just one extra guy but the others we need are here. Not sure why they all came together but him but we should be ok still. Con just make sure you cover me...alright?"

Getting no answer Dalton though it was a bit odd about to talk again he takes note to what time it was. They had to start this now or lose there chance. They were already a few minutes behind. He could guess Con had heard him since he'd pretty much heard everything else. It was now or never.

   "Alright guys, its show time...lets do this."

Seeing the pure sparkle in Ariel's eyes Trey could feel his head pick up even more once again. So soft, so light, but full of so much emotion in a way it was almost overwhelming, but he welcomed this new feeling and liked it. 

Hearing Ariel's response Trey felt a little bit of disappointment but a smile remained in his face anyways. He would respect her wishes and not push the line. He didn't want to lose what he'd just gotten to experience.

   "I'll be calling you tomorrow to set up our next date. This time you get to pick what we do though."

Letting his fingers lock with her for a moment Trey new he better let her go. Letting his fingers slide from hers he gives a smile and a nod. It had been a good night, a great night and for the first time since coming here he felt like he belonged. 

Retuning Tal's kiss Ryan gives a smile as she moved a little bit more into the kitchen. Giving another laugh she shakes her head. Leave it to the boys to worry about her when it should be the other way around. Catching her brothers eye Ryan does her best to remain normal but she new she was horrible at hiddig how she felt when it came to Eli. She was happy he hadn't said anything though.

   "Ah come on he can't be that bad can he? I mean you are the one who keeps hanging out with him."

Slipping past Eli and Tal to the counter to grab some plates Ryan does her best to try and clear her mind. She was with Eli and Tal now, two people she loved and she should be concentrating on them now and thats what she was going to do.

  "So did you guys figure out what move or game you wanted to play while I was gone or what?"

Isn't something...

"Okay." Jason nods. "Con, you make the coffee." 

Con tosses him a smirk, but heads for the door. "Hope you like it strong." 

It would be several hours later before the four men would head out for the warehouse. By now, they knew what each of their targets looked like and what to expect by learning about the past failed takedowns by the police department. There was no doubt the crooks would be armed, and they were considered dangerous. It shouldn't be hard for the Elite team to take them down, but all knew better than to relax...

..."Con, you settled?" Jason stands with Nate inside the warehouse near one of the windows until they would take up different positions. Receiving no response, he taps his mic and whistles. "Yo, Conrad. You fall off the roof?" 

"Naw, I'm here, I'm here." Con fiddles with his earpiece, grimacing a little as he tries to get it situated. Lying on his stomach on the rooftop across from the warehouse, he takes his rifle and looks through the scope, checking out the surroundings. "Peekaboo." 

Jason squints out the window, trying to see Con's position. "Can't see you - streetlight's in the way." 

"Can't see me?"

"Nu-uh."

"Good. That means no one else will see me either." Con fiddles with his earpiece again until giving up. It would do. 

Jason sighs and is just about to converse with Dalton too, when a set of headlights appear. "Whoa, guys... we got company. Either intel was wrong or somebody likes to be early." He glances to Nate, hoping he'd tell Dalton to stand down until they had all four men here. It would be a failed mission if they didn't bring in all of them.

Trey's touch sends a light shiver down Ariel's spine and she locks eyes with him as he nears. Her cheeks grow warm and she can feel her pulse quickening. His eyes were too soft to fear. His hand too soft to flinch. The tantalizing scent of his cologne drifted in the evening air, and she felt herself leaning slightly into his palm. 

His question makes her smile as unexpected feelings flutter in her stomach. Lifting her hand, she gently places a finger over his lips, keeping him just inches away. "It would be okay," she answers him in almost a whisper. "But I'd rather save that moment for after a few more dates. A kiss isn't something I take lightly."

Still smiling, she backs away a little, letting her finger slide from his lips so she can reach up and take his hand. Giving it a squeeze, she tosses him a wink. "I expect to hear from you soon.

"Ryan!" Eli turns from the stove and lifts up a platter that had three cooked steaks on it. "Just in time." He throws Tal a look. "See? I told you she was still alive." 

Tal rolls his eyes before standing up and greeting Ryan with a kiss. "I was just a little worried, that was all." 

Eli smirks as he sets the steaks down on the table and points a finger at his sister. "You better teach this boy not to worry so much. He's gonna give himself and ulcer." Reaching over her shoulder, he snoops in one of the sacks to find the six pack she'd brought. "Ahhh... come to papa." Grinning at her, he suddenly catches something in her eye that made him lose his smile. Had she been... crying? 

"Yeah, well when all I got to do is sit around with you, it's no wonder I was anxious for her to get here," Tal retorts. 

Eli finally drops his gaze from his sister, before simply giving her shoulder a pat. He didn't know what had gone wrong where or with whom, but he wouldn't ask - not now anyway.

Is it ok

Nate looks between the two men and gaves a shake of his head at the comment. To be honest it was slightly funny when Con didn't hear something right and it just came out wrong. Though Con had his good days and his bad days everyone had gotten pretty use to his lack of hearing and compensated for it.

   "Not to early but I would like to get there at least an hour before hand."

Looking to Dalton he gives a nod leaning back on his desk and giving a quick thought. He'd need to set everything up and though one might think there was a lot there really wasn't and it might take a half hour but he'd rather have to much time than not enough.

   "Ya, that should be ok."

Giving a nod and standing up a little straighter Nate sucks in a breath for a second thinking about everything. Pretty much everything was covered, they would have to do a little more research but nothing major. It had been a while since something a little bit bigger had gone down and now that it had Nate wanted it to go smoothly as it possibly could.

   "Alright as long as an hour works with you guys than we are good to go, and I agree about the coffee."

Turning a little to look back at Ariel Trey gives a smile. He really had, had a nice time with Ariel, who would of guess a nice clean night would be his cup of tea after all. But he'd had fun and just something about Ariel that made him want to continue.

   "Thanks for the nice night Ariel."

Bringing his hand to the side of Ariel's face Trey lets his finger run over her cheek for a moment. She skin was so warm and soft he enjoyed the way it felt under his fingers. Moving a little and pulling himself in closer to Ariel he could feel his heart start to race a little more. Coming within inches of her lips Trey could feel her breath on his skin.

   "Is it ok...if...I kiss you?"

Pulling in the driveway Ryan new she was late after taking the long way home...later than she was in the first place but her eyes were try now and she'd gotten her crying out. Her emotions were...not in check but calmed for now. Her aching heart had much to think about but for the moment she just wanted to enjoy some time with her brother and boyfriend.

   "Hey Guys I'm back...sorry I'm late. I got almost all the way home before I realized I needed to go back to the store, than on my way back I took the long way. I didn't miss dinner did I?"

Chad couldn't help the smile that grew just a little bit more on his face. Having Rosalyn say she wanted the same thing it made him feel good. She was special to him, very much so and he'd stand and tell anyone that, that tried to say differently.

   "Ok, that sounds like a fair trade to me. Now how about we eat before it gets cold."

Is too

Jason looks over Nate's shoulder and shrugs. "Naw. I don't see a much better way of doing things. If we time it right with a little bit of surprise, it shouldn't be too hard of a job."

As there's a pause, Reese nods and picks up his papers. "Looks like you guys have it under control. This is your deal now - report to me after you've got those thugs locked up downtown at the station." 

Jason gives him a sloppy salute. "You got it." 

Once the four is alone, Con stifles a yawn. "I'm thinking.... coffee." 

Jason smirks. "Yeah, we don't want you falling asleep on the job."

Con turns his head towards him with a raised eyebrow. "I am not a slob, thank you."

"I didn't say slob." Jason laughs. "I was agreeing with you. I said job... we don't want you to fall asleep on the job." 

"Oh." Con gives him a sheepish grin. "Right." Standing up, he stretches before looking to Nate once more. "Well... if the showdown's at midnight, what time do you want to be down there? I'll need a few minutes to get up on that other roof, but... otherwise, I wouldn't think we'd need to be too awful early." 

The walk at the lake had been a nice ending to a very pleasant evening, and by the time Trey got Ariel back to her house, she was looking forward to crawling into bed.  It was a good kind of tired though... one that would enable her to fall asleep without much trouble, so she could get up early and head to work the next morning. As far as the evening itself had been... she'd had more fun than anticipated, and was looking forward to more like it.

Sitting a moment in the car, she turns to give Trey a soft smile. "Thanks for the evening. I had fun."

Stepping up on the porch and unlocking the door, Alec opens it wide and relieves Mackenzie of one of the grocery sacks before motioning her inside first so he could shut and lock the door behind them again. His eyes and ears remain alert though, just in case. 

Mackenzie ambles towards the kitchen, but not before throwing a glance over her shoulder. "Did you kiss her?" 

"What? No." Alec follows after her, aiming for the kitchen counter. 

"Then why did you lean clear way over on Ryan's side, hmm?" Mackenzie sets down her bags and turns to give Alec a hard stare.

Alec stares right back at her before turning his concentration to putting away the ice cream. "If you must know, all I did was give her a peck on the cheek."

Mackenzie rolls her eyes. "That is a kiss."

"Is not."

"Is too."

"Is not.

"Is too."

"Whatever." 

Mackenzie folds her arms and waits for him to finish at the freezer. "Is she really your ex-girlfriend?" 

"Of course she is. That's what I told you, isn't it?" Alec continues to put the few other groceries away. "I made some bad choices. We broke up. She's quite happy with a new boyfriend now. End of story."

"Yeah, well, if that's the end of the story, then why did you kiss her?"

He sighs, throwing away the empty sacks. "You talk too much for a twelve-year-old." 

She gives him a crooked grin. "I've been told that a hundred times. So why did you kiss her?"

"I didn't!" Alec looks in a cupboard for a glass, even though they were right in front of him. A young kid or not... she did have a point. He hadn't kissed Ryan on the lips like he'd wanted to, but yes... yes, he'd given her a quick kiss. Turning around, he leans back on the counter and studies Mackenzie, who was still waiting for an answer. "Because I still love her. That's why." 

Mackenzie's grin widens. "So why don't you get her back?"

Alec rolls his eyes. "That... is none of your business. Come to think of it, none of this is." He gives her a shove towards the hallway. "Why don't you go get cleaned up so when Misty comes home, you're ready for supper, hmm?"

"All she had to do was stop at the store, right?" Tal glances to the door once more before hobbling back into the kitchen. 

Eli moves a steak around in the frying pan, checking it to see how close it was to being done. He'd rather grill, but this was the easier option tonight. "Yes," he answers Tal, rolling his eyes. "For the tenth time - yes!" 

"Well then where is she?" 

"She probably wanted to finish up a car or something, and I told you she had to stop at the store." 

Tal sighs and sinks down into a chair at the table. 

Eli glances over his shoulder at him. "I still don't see why you don't just call her if you're that worried." 

"Because I know you're right. And I don't want to bother her. She hates it when I get paranoid about her 'cause she can take care of herself." 

Eli grins and turns over the steak, letting it sizzle. "Then chill, bro. I'd tell you to drink a beer, but that's what she's bringing." He pokes at the meat and breathes in the aroma. "And I'll bet you that she'll come prancing through that door just in time for dinner." 

Tal snickers. "Have you ever seen Ryan prance?" 

"Yeah, when she was about ten." Eli laughs. "Okay, so when she comes barging through that door 'cause she's late... it'll be right on time for these delicious steaks."

Rosalyn's eyes lower to study Chad's hand as he held hers. He had such a strong hand, yet his touch was so tender. It made her heart flutter all over again. His words though... those made the lump rise in her throat once more. She didn't deserve someone like him, for sure. He shouldn't have to deal with her dad, or try to form a relationship long distance. Yet it made her feel so very special, she knew she would be foolish to turn down this chance at happiness. 

Finally lifting her gaze again, she manages a small smile. "I'm sorry... Maybe I just needed to hear it one more time. Or maybe I just can't believe that anybody would care enough to stick around." 

Her thumb finds its way around one of his fingers to give it a squeeze. "I do want the same thing... I'll try not to keep giving you a way out if you'll keep on telling me you want to stay."

Anywhere

As Alec continues to sit in Ryan's car she just continues to watch him. She couldn't help but not take her eyes off him. She'd always thought he was good looking and now with a little bit of a calm edge to him it just seemed to add to his attraction.

   "I'd never want to go back and redo something. If I did than I wouldn't have learned the lessons I have. I wouldn't mind changing a few situations though with the knowledge that was gained from it."

Looking away for a second Ryan plays with a loose string thats was on her steering wheel cover. She missed Alec, he had been something special to her, but now...now things were different and they just couldn't be the way they were. Even if she did still care very deeply for Alec. 

As Alec comes close and gives her a kiss on the cheek Ryan can feel her heart start to race. Even when he'd backed away it was still racing. Bringing a hand to her cheek it was almost like she skin was on fire but in a good way. Watching Alec get out Ryan watches him as a tear forms in her eye. So many mixed emotions churned inside her. When did things get so hard? She loved Tal but...she loved Alec still too.

Pulling out of the driveway Ryan backs out of the parking spot and heads for home. This time though she would take the long way as a few tears stream from her eyes. She just wanted to be healed, not to hurt anymore. She didn't like this confusion.

Looking down at his lobster and steak Chad's lips watered. It looked and smelled so well he could hardly contain his own excitement. Taking his first bite it melted in his mouth as he looked across the table at Rosalyn. Hearing her words Chad puts his fork and knife down once again. Cocking his head as he looked at her his eyes were stirn but soft and his voice matched.

   "Rosalyn, this is the second time you've said this to me, and you need to stop. I'm not going anywhere or else I already would have left. Anyone can think what they want about me, and though it would hurt, I know what I want and I am not willing to let it walk away when I know she wants the same thing."

Reaching his hand across the table and letting it rest on Rosalyn's Chad gives a smile to her before closing her hand a little bit letting his just wrap around hers. He had strong feelings for her even over a short amount of time. Tomorrow was uncertain but he new how he felt now and he wouldn't give that up.

Tender

Watching Ryan's eyes, Alec's heart beat a little faster. Oh if only he could rewind his life to right before he made such awful mistakes. To back up and erase his choices. The things that had separated him from the one person who had gotten through to his heart - and he hadn't even realized that until it was too late. 

Realizing he'd been holding his breath, he turns his sights out the windshield for a moment, giving a quiet laugh. "I seem to have forgotten how to get out of your car." 

Looking down, he fiddles with the key he'd retrieved from his pocket, ready to go inside the house. "Ever wish that there were some magic words that could take you back in time so you could redo everything you regret?" 

His eyes drift back to Ryan's again. "I always thought fairytales were stupid... until I found myself wishing there was a way to rewrite my life and have it all magically turn out okay in the end. But..." He sighs deeply. "I suppose that's what a man gets for thinking he's got it all under control and forgetting about the things that mean the most to him." He shakes his head. "Seeing Carson make a similar mistake is like reliving it... and seeing you..." 

He reaches out slowly and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear with a gentle touch. "...Just makes me wish all the more for that fairytale." 

Without stopping to think, he leans over quickly and gives her cheek a tender kiss before pulling back and slipping out of the car. Shutting the door, he taps his palm on the roof before turning and heading to the house without looking back.

Rosalyn manages a quiet laugh at Chad's humor about the lobster. She hadn't thought of how his job might affect his food preferences. "I like seafood too. Actually, it's been quite a while since I've had any. Usually I only come to town for shopping during the week. Or church on Sundays. It's probably been about six months since I was in town for supper at all, and I think that was after some auction or something. I'm pretty sure the meal was hotdogs."

Closing her eyes and just letting herself relax next to Chad, she tries to forget about her dad for now so she could enjoy the evening. Easier said than done, but if anybody could get her to have fun, she had a feeling, it would be Chad.

"There's a decent restaurant I've been to once or twice - I can't remember what it's called, but it's basically a steakhouse and they've got some seafood too..."

...Though not remembering the restaurant name, she still knew how to get there, so once they finally arrive to town, she directs Chad the right way. By the time they get to the restaurant it was supper time, and by the time they get settled, order and receive their food, Rosalyn's stomach was ready to handle the scrumptious smelling food. She'd chosen a dinner with both shrimp and lobster, taking advantage of actually getting to eat here again.

"Thank you, Chad..." She pauses her eating to look across at him, truly thankful that he'd still been willing to stick around after what had happened. "I don't know what things will be like tomorrow... but I'd still understand it if you didn't want to stay. I wouldn't hold it against you."

Anytime

Chasing out and than heading for her car Ryan can't help but laugh at Mackenzie as she makes comments about her car. It always made her feel good when someone would say something, and more so when it was the innocents of a child. It kind of felt like she was bringing a bright spot to there day to meet someone who to them was important.

   "Always remember even though your a girl you can do anything you put your mind too."

Getting into the car and making sure Mackenzie and Alec were all settled Ryan pulls out and down the road. The ride was a little slower than she normal went but that was because of Mackenzie being in the car. Ryan didn't want to put the girls life in danger and this gave her some time to think too.

There was something about Alec that was much different that Ryan had been use to. In the presents of Mackenzie, he seemed...calm,  with a good head on his shoulders and a deep love for the child. She wondered if that was just when the girl was around or had he changed to be like that now? Giving a glance to the side She can't help but noticed he looked much different too. He'd really cleaned up and looked like he was working twords being on the right road. 

Pulling in the driveway and helping Mackenzie out of the car Ryan smiles and gives a wave back to her as she heads up to the house. It had been a nice ride and Ryan had enjoyed meeting her.

   "Cut kid. She seems to like you a lot. I think its pretty cool your doing this for her."

Looking to Alec Ryan gives a smile letting her eyes linger on him for a moment. Now that she wasn't driving she was able to look at him a little better and he was starting to get life back in his eyes. Thought there was still a missing spark but there was life again. Emotions bubbled inside Ryan as her eyes run over his face and on his lips for a second before back to his eyes.

   "Anytime Alec, I dont mind at all."

League

Mackenzie smiles broadly before looking back to Alec and giving his arm a poke. "This is when you're supposed to say yes." 

Alec finally breaks his gaze from Ryan and looks down at his niece with a smirk. "Since when did you start running things?" 

"I don't run things... I just... convince you?" 

Alec tries to withhold his laugh and he gives her a hard enough nudge that she has to stumble to catch her balance. Sighing, he looks back to Ryan, recovering from his embarrassment. "For her sake, I'll accept... thank you." Glancing around and realizing that the lines had grown even longer, he shrugs lamely. "And I guess this is our new spot in line." 

Though just a little awkward, Alec remains in line behind Ryan, keeping himself busy talking to Mackenzie about supper rather than trying to force conversation with Ryan. Once they were all finished shopping, Alec and Mackenzie followed her out to her car - which Mackenzie discovered was very cool. 

"Wow... this is a neat car. It looks like it could be a race car." 

This time, Alec laughs outright as he opens the passenger door. "Genius. It is a race car. As a matter of fact, you're looking at a mighty fine racer."

Mackenzie's eyes widen before climbing in. "Really?"

"Mm-hmm. Ryan here is one of the best drivers I know. Some people think she wouldn't be good just because she's a girl, but lemme tell you... she could whup any guy's butt any day. And.. she does."

Mackenzie giggles. "Did you ever race against her?"

"You kidding?" Alec scoffs, getting in and making sure Mackenzie gets settled in the narrow back seat. "I'd be too frightened. She's always been..." His voice trails off for a moment, returning more quietly. "...out of my league." Buckling in, he keeps his eyes on the road instead of on Ryan where they wanted to be. He was very grateful for the ride, but he knew she probably wouldn't be doing this, if it weren't for the young girl. 

The ride didn't take long though, and as they pull into the driveway, Alec scoots forward and opens the door. "Here, Mac... climb on out and take these bags to the porch, would you? I'm right behind ya." 

Mackenzie nods and crawls out behind him, taking the bags. As she walks away though, she turns and gives a little wave and smile to Ryan before scurrying up to the porch to wait at the door. 

Still in the car, Alec slides back again and finally turns to look at Ryan. "She's um... spending the evening over here. Misty and Carson split and she's not allowed to see him so... I guess I'm trying to fill some sort of spot for her. Not that I know how, but we get along okay." 

Swallowing hard, his eyes search Ryan's face. Being in her car... this close... it brought back many a memory. "Thanks again for the lift... I appreciate it."

Could

Aiming for another line Ryan was a bit irritated with herself as she juggled the items in her hand. She was going to be late getting home now thats she had already been almost home when she remembered about stopping at the same. If Eli didn't have his beer with his steak she'd never hear the end of it. So turning around and coming back seemed like a better option.

As the young woman walks up to her Ryan stops just looking down at her. Something about her name rang a bell but Ryan just couldn't put a finger on it. Following her gaze though as she says she is with him Ryan looks up and is a bit surprised. Now she remembered who the girl was from a time long ago when Alec had let her know about his niece.

   "Well Hey there. I do have a car..and..."

Getting cut off by Alec Ryan gives a small smart as he and Mac go back and forth for a little bit. Watching them both Ryan couldn't help but see the bond that was there even if they were going back and forth. She couldn't help but smile at the whole scene.

   "You can tell your a Banks...but between you and be..thats not always a bad thing...right?"

Looking to Mackenzie and than back at Alec Ryan just gives a little shake of her head though her eye stay on Alec for a very long moment as her feelings bubble and churn. It seemed like she was seeing more and more of him lately and she had mixed feelings about it. On one had it was nice, and she enjoyed seeing him but on the other...she heart belonged to Tal now, Alec had his chance and blew it. 

Glancing down at Mac again she did feel slightly bad for the young girl and having to walk. She was already late heading home maybe a little longer would be ok.

   "Now if I walked away now after the plead I just heard that would make me heartless. So if you guys would really like a ride I can offer you one. I promise I wont drive to fast either."

Thinking for a long second and taking in all the information Nate leans against the desk with the folder in his hand. This wouldn't be to hard of a case, but it still needed to be planned out right. Taking the blue prints of the building he spreads it across the table along with a white peace of chalk.

   "Ok, we could use Con here, that way the front doors and windows are covers. We are lucky that this is an old building with one exit. How ever its double doored on the inside so we are going to have to keep our eyes open. Dalton, can move in, Jase and I can go around from the sides taking the people out there if need be."

Looking back to Jason Nate gives a small nod to him. He'd pretty much had it planned out in his head how things should work but he'd like to have everyone else thought as well.

   "How about you Jase? Any more ideas?"

  "Well...rusty in how to do a relationship the right way in general. I...don't want to mess this one up."

Trey could feel his cheeks go slightly red he did want to do things right even though Ariel new his past in a way it still embarrassed him.  Talking about it made it hard too but he was moving forward and doing his best to over come the past.

"I think I am doing pretty good so far, and how could I not be when I have someone like you on my arm."

"Circumstances"

Rosalyn manages a quiet laugh at Chad's humor about the lobster. She hadn't thought of how his job might affect his food preferences. "I like seafood too. Actually, it's been quite a while since I've had any. Usually I only come to town for shopping during the week. Or church on Sundays. It's probably been about six months since I was in town for supper at all, and I think that was after some auction or something. I'm pretty sure the meal was hotdogs." 

Closing her eyes and just letting herself relax next to Chad, she tries to forget about her dad for now so she could enjoy the evening. Easier said than done, but if anybody could get her to have fun, she had a feeling, it would be Chad. 

"There's a decent restaurant I've been to once or twice - I can't remember what it's called, but it's basically a steakhouse and they've got some seafood too..."

...Though not remembering the restaurant name, she still knew how to get there, so once they finally arrive to town, she directs Chad the right way. By the time they get to the restaurant it was supper time, and by the time they get settled, order and receive their food, Rosalyn's stomach was ready to handle the scrumptious smelling food. She'd chosen a dinner with both shrimp and lobster, taking advantage of actually getting to eat here again. 

"Thank you, Chad..." She pauses her eating to look across at him, truly thankful that he'd still been willing to stick around after what had happened. "I don't know what things will be like tomorrow... but I'd still understand it if you didn't want to stay. I wouldn't hold it against you."

Ariel laughs, letting Trey put his arm around her shoulders. "Only rusty since you've been in Nevada, I presume." 

Sliding her feet through the sand, she enjoys the sensation of the cool breeze combing through her hair. "Well, for what it's worth, if this is our first official date, you're doing an okay job." Glancing up at him her lips curl into a grin. "If you get me  back to my place without getting slapped then you'll know you fared well."

"There's a drug deal going down, and our goal is to stop it." Reese points to the map on the whiteboard in the meeting room. "Intel suggests there's going to be a meeting here at this warehouse. Intel also suggests that there will only be three or four people involved. But if we can bring those four in we will have successfully put two drug rings out of commission - temporarily at least." 

Turning around, he looks to Nate, Dalton, Jason and Con. "Tonight at midnight is when our targets should be meeting. They will most likely be armed and quite dangerous. The police have already had two run-ins with them and the outcome was not pretty. That's why they've come to us.  For some reason, these four have been pretty slippery. But I figure you four against them puts the odds in our favor by far." 

Jason sits at the table with the others, tapping his pencil on the notepad in front of him. It was early evening and all here would be working late tonight. Dalton wasn't usually put in the field, but Pete and Gunner were busy with something else and Wyatt was off. Jason was just as glad Reese was using Dalton though so they'd have four men out there tonight. Con knew his stuff and so did Nate - and Jason trusted Dalton too. He might usually be back here behind the computers, but he was a force to be reckoned with, no doubt. This right here was why they were called the Elite. 

Jason raises his hand slightly. "So you got a game plan or you want us to figure that out?" 

Reese shrugs. "I'm going to leave tactics up to you, although I suggest looking over the printouts Dalton has of the warehouse layout." 

Con leans back in his chair, thinking. "Prolly be good if we had a sniper's view - any buildings closeby?" 

"Mm-hmm. That's why I wanted you in on this. You're the logical pick to keep an eagle's eye on things. There's a building right across the street from this place that has an adequate roof - from there you should be able to see several entrances."

"Okay, good." Con glances to the other three, making eye contact with Nate last. "You're the high ranking officer in this one. What kind of a setup do you see?"

"No... nu-uh... no..." 

Alec rolls his eyes and points to another kind of ice cream in the freezer section of the grocery store. "Come on... you gotta like caramel and chocolate. Everybody does." 

Mackenzie smirks at him. "Maybe you're the weird one. Mint is my favorite."

"Well why didn't you say so to begin with?" Alec shifts the other items around in his arms to pick up the carton of ice cream. "How's this?"

Mackenzie nods. "Okay." 

"Okay... just okay." Alec huffs a sigh and turns to head down one of the other aisles. "Come on, Blondie. Last thing we need is some potato chips to go with the grilled cheese sandwiches tonight." 

He hadn't planned on bringing Mackenzie shopping tonight, but as luck would have it, Misty had called earlier, saying she'd be stuck at work a while longer today... and it just happened to be a night that Mackenzie was joining them for the evening. Ken hadn't seemed too leery dropping off his daughter in Alec's care for a little while... which had turned into more than a little while, with another call asking Alec to get some groceries so Misty could fix supper as soon as she got home. Alec didn't mind, although he wasn't going to risk taking Mackenzie on his motorcycle... yet... so they'd ended up walking to the store. It would take them a while to get back home, but Alec figured they might get there about the same time as Misty. As far as safety went, he was more concerned about being home when Misty was, than being out and about. She was the target, not him or Mackenzie, and Jason wasn't going to be here until quite late, by the sounds of it. 

"Can we get the sour cream and onion kind?" Mackenzie skips ahead to the chip selection, pointing out her favorite kind. 

Alec grins and nods. "Yeah, okay. You're gonna get spoiled, you know that?"

Mackenzie giggles as he grabs the bag of chips. "Isn't that what uncles are for?"

Alec squints and gives her a light shove to the back of the head. "Come on. We got a long walk and we wanna beat Misty back."

Mackenzie sighs. "Do you walk everywhere?"

"Sometimes." Getting up to one of the checkout lanes, Alec stands with her to wait in line. Glancing around, he suddenly spots someone he'd not planned on seeing. His heart jumps, and for a moment, he's caught staring. 

Mackenzie notices his demeanor change, and follows his gaze to a very pretty dark-haired woman. "Who's that?" 

Alec almost jumps. "Huh? Oh, um... Just..." His eyes remained glued on Ryan, watching her head for another checkout lane. 

"Well?" Mackenzie elbows him. 

Alec looks down at her for a moment before sighing. "That would be my ex-girlfriend."

"Seriously?" Mackenzie looks back over to Ryan again. "How come you broke up?"

"Well, I... guess it was my fault." Alec sighs. "Sometimes guys like me aren't too smart." 

"You so look like you wish you hadn't  broke up."

Alec's eyebrows arc. "Hush. I'm not that obvious."

"Oh yes you are." Mackenzie rolls her eyes. "You have no guts when you need them."

"What are you-" Alec stops short as Mackenzie starts to head for Ryan. "Hey, get back here. What are you doing?" 

Mackenzie just keeps right on walking until she'd come up close to Ryan and gotten her attention. "Hi. My name's Mackenzie. I'm with him." She points back to Alec before giving a sigh of disgust. "My feet are killing me and he and I have to walk allll the way back home. But something tells me he is so not going to ask you for a ride. So I thought I'd-"

By now, Alec had caught up to her from behind, and he slips a hand over her mouth. "Ummm..." He looks at Ryan, his face gaining a bit of heat. "Hi. Sorry. This is my niece who... has a big mouth."

Mackenzie shoos away his hand. "I do not!" She smiles sweetly up at Ryan. "You do have a car, right?"

Alec eyes the ceiling and shakes his head. "Mac... your feet will last."

"They will not! I have a blister and-"

"So do I, but you don't see me complaining. Ryan lives the other direction, and it's rude to ask her to give us a ride." He looks down at Mackenzie, throwing her an annoyed glance. "Especially under the circumstances." 

"What circumstances?" She quirks an eyebrow. "You mean about you not being smart enough to keep a girlfriend?"

"Mac!!" 

"Okay, okay!" Mackenzie holds up her hands in defense. "I was just trying to get us home before Misty." 

By now, Alec was more than embarrassed, leaning more towards mortified. Eying Ryan, he cringes a little and clears his throat. "So, um... yeah..."

Unstressful

As Rosalyn leans into him Chad gives a small smile. Taking his hand from her own he places it around his shoulder and pulls her a little closer. This was one of those time she was happy to have a jeep with the seats connected so he could bring her closer and still drive safely.

   "Lets see...what kind of food do I like?"

Chad pauses for a moment keeping his eyes on the road as he continued to drive. Giving a little chuckle while he was thinking about the question. So many things ran through his mind to him it was a bit funny.

   "I pretty much like all food. I think the only reason I don't look like a blimp is because of my line of work. I would have to say something I like to eat the most is steak, and I like lobster too. I kinda feel like a trader though when I eat it. How about you? What are somethings you like to eat?"

Hearing Ariel didn't mind walking on the beach Trey lets out a little sigh of re leaf. He new she wasn't picky on where they went or the stuff they did but there had been a little worry anyways that maybe she wouldn't like the idea of being at the beach this late. Slipping off his own shoes and throwing them into the car along with Ariel's Trey was acceptance to her hand slipping into his locking his fingers with hers.

  "Wonderful night, wonderful Lady by my side, sounds like a good night to me."

Starting to walk forward and feeling the sand under his feet it tickled a little bit. He'd never noticed that before. He wondered why...was it Rosalyn had awoken something inside of him that made him relize more, or was it that he was just taking the time. Maybe it was both.

   "I think this was a good idea. You'll have to forgive me when it comes to dating...I'm a little rusty. "

Pulling Ariel in a little closer Trey puts an arm over her shoulder and brings her in closer to him. Tucking her safly under his arm he continues to walk enjoying the night. He'd never been with a woman like this before. It was different though, it was...unstressful taking it slow and he...liked it.

Moon

Chad's words and kiss were reassuring to Rosalyn, although she still harbored doubts in the back of her mind. Would her dad calm down? What if he didn't? Would Chad really stick around? Was she really worth his effort? 

Her fingers automatically lock with his and she has no choice but to follow his steps. "I dunno..." She swipes at her eyes, angry that the tears still wanted to come. "Head for town I guess, and we can decide when we get there. Just let me grab my purse from the house."

It was only a handful of minutes later that Rosalyn finds herself in the passenger seat of Chad's jeep as they aimed for town. Leaning her head against the window, she's quiet, watching the scenery go by. She hadn't told anyone she was leaving. Jade would find the half-finished dishes in the kitchen. Her mom would wonder where she'd disappeared to. News would travel fast though. It was more than likely that Mick wasn't the only person who had witnessed the loud argument. He'd probably make sure her mother knew where she'd gone though. 

Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Rosalyn looks out the corner of her eye at Chad while he drove. She wasn't sure why she felt so safe with him, or why he evoked the feeling that that she just wanted to lose herself in his arms. But she was too tired to care about the whys of it all. 

Leaning over the other way, she rests her head on his shoulder, her gaze watching the road ahead. "It'll take a while to get to town," she comments quietly. "But that'll give you time to tell me what kind of food you like so we can pick somewhere to go." 

As Ariel realizes that Trey is headed for the lake, she smiles to herself. She hadn't expected him to go all the way out there, but she wasn't going to argue. It was too nice of an evening to waste, and she did like the lakeside beach. 

The ride was quiet for the most part but Ariel didn't mind. It was peaceful - not awkward. 

Finally getting to the lake and having Trey come around to open the door, she grins up at him before stepping out. "I've always liked walking in the sand." Slipping off her sandals, she tosses them back in the car, letting her bare feet sink into the cool sand. Wriggling her toes, her grin remains. "I think God invented sand for bare feet," she muses.

Taking the initiative to slip her hand into Trey's, she walks beside him closer to the water. "Mmm.... this is a gorgeous night." Her eyes rise to see the moon. It really had been a perfect evening. She was glad she'd accepted Trey's invitation.

Kinda Fun

As Rosalyn turns and makes her comment Chad places both his hands on her shoulders. His voice was stern but loving still as he talked to her. He didn't like seeing her like this at all. It made his own heart break for her.

   "I am only going to tell you this once...I am not going anywhere so you can stop saying that."

Leaning down and placing a kiss on Rosalyn's lips Chad with draws and gives her a smile before sliding his hand down her arm once again locking his had with her and starting forward twords his jeep.

   "We are in this together and now together we are going to have a nice date. Any suggestions on where to go?"

Making there way back to Ariel's apartment the night had come to an end all to quickly and Trey really didn't wan tot say goodnight to her yet. Hearing her suggestion about taking a walk Trey glances out of the courner of his eye and gives a smile. Why hadn't he thought of that one.

   "A walk does sound nice."

Coming to the next road Trey takes a left instead of continuing straight. He new the perfect place to go for a walk on a warm evening. They had been there before many times before but it was still one of the best place and Alec liked it.

Finally getting to the beach Alec doesn't stop where the drive way was but pulls the car across the grass and down by the same. Cutting the engine He sits there for a second before getting out and going around to Ariel's side.

   "I hope you don't mind walking in the sand. It will be fun."

Don't have to

Mick nods to Chad, locking eyes with him for just a moment. "You're welcome. Take care of her." Giving Rosalyn's shoulder a pat, he turns to go back to the barn and either get some work done or try to cool off his brother. 

Left alone with Chad, Rosalyn can feel the tears trickling down her cheeks. Her hands slide down to Chad's, glad he couldn't see her face. Leaning back against him, she swallows hard, not even knowing what to say. 

"I'm so sorry," she whimpers. Sniffing, she wipes her eyes on her sleeve. Finally turning around, she focuses on Chad's shirt, rather than looking up to his face. "You don't have to take me out... If you want to leave, I won't stop you. You shouldn't have to put up with this."

Ariel giggles and takes another bite of dessert. "Don't worry... I won't let you eat the rest yourself." 

It wasn't too long before the dessert was gone and table talk had all but run out. Back in the car again and headed home, Ariel felt more relaxed with Trey than she had in a long time. Maybe it was just the nice evening. Maybe it was him being so sweet. Maybe it was the simple fact of taking a step forward tonight and no longer hanging in limbo. Or maybe it was just a variety of things combined. No matter the reason, if he really wanted to date her, he'd have to do things right. 

"I still like evening walks," she hints, throwing him a sidelong glance as he drove. 

Respect

Giving his own little chuckle Trey raises his glass and clinks it against her's. His eyes giving a new twinkle. Maybe things would be ok, and would work out. This was a new start so now...anything was possible and he was able to write the pages.

   "To new starts, new relationships, and the many new chapters we get to write."

Finishing with there food the laughter seemed to come a little easier and making jokes and just enjoying themselves was nice. Trey was happy that now everything was out in the open, and he could just be himself with her. To him that was important.

   "Weakness huh? Good to know, good to know."

As Ariel pushes the plat closer to himself and takes a fork full of the dessert. Savoring the taste for a long moment. Finally looking back at Ariel he gives a nod before taking another bit and eating that one as well, before moving the plate back into the middle for both of them.

   "Wow, that is amazing. Better take what you can, while you can before I eat it all."

Letting out a long breath and heading out of the bunk with Rosalyn Chad couldn't help but be a little nervous himself about her dad. He new an angry father was never any fun and he hoped maybe if he could just talk to him, see he really cared for Rosalyn he would be ok.

Keeping his hand locked with Rosalyn's as Jim comes over Chad can't help the cringe inside he felt when met with that glare. Maybe this wouldn't be so easy after all. About to greet Jim Chad stops short met with his angry words. Just staying quirt for a moment Chad listens but when words of hate were being slung in his direction and the direction of someone he cared about it was hard to stay quiet.

   "Rosalyn is not making a fool of herself, or doing anything else wrong for that matter, having feelings for someone is not wrong as long as you act in the right manor and we have been"

Falling silent again Chad just lets the yelling match continue. There was so much more he wanted to say, and seeing Rosalyn so upset made it even worse. Hearing Mick's voice Chad was happy he stepped in. At this moment he had a straighter head than himself and the last thing he wanted to do was say something he regreted.

Wrapping his arm around Rosalyn's wast Chad pulls her a little bit closer to himself as Jim starts to walk away. Looking to Mick he gives a small nod of thanks. At least for now there would be no more yelling and everyone could calm down a little bit.

   "Yeah, I think dinner in town would be nice...maybe see a movie as well. Thank you Mick."

Chad had no problem complying to Mick's request. He had respect for him, because Mick himself had respect for Chad. On top of that as well he wanted to make this easy on Rosalyn though he new no matter what now it was going to be hard. But they were in this together form here on out and he wasn't going to back away.

Tempers

"Okay good." Ariel grins again before turning her attention back to her food. "That way, if I help you find a place, I'll know where to go when you invite me over."

Laughing, she lifts up her water glass. "To your new start. May this be the beginning of a bright future." Her foot nudges his back, her eyes retaining their twinkle. 

The rest of the meal, Ariel found enjoyable and relaxing. Knowing now that Trey's intentions were and knowing that they were going to date more, that question no longer hung in the air. And without it, small talk and laughter came more easily. It helped, too, knowing that Trey had decided to stay. Would things work out between them? Who knew? But at least there was a little bit of direction now, and that was good enough for Ariel. 

"Ohhhhh man..." Ariel savors the bite of dessert and sighs with content. "Now this... is a slice of heaven." She takes another bite, but also pushes the plate closer to Trey so he could share. "Just so you know... chocolate is one of my weaknesses. I shouldn't tell you that, but I figure you have a right to know." 


Accepting Chad's hug, Rosalyn buries her face in his chest, trying not to cry. Surely it wasn't that bad. Surely she was overreacting. Surely her dad wouldn't make a big deal out of it... right? 

Following the prompt of Chad's finger, she lifts her face to find his eyes again. Considering his words, she eventually nods. "Maybe he's not as mad as Clint thinks. Unfortunately, Dad's got just as much of the Henson temper as his siblings." She sighs, quirking an eyebrow. "For now, I won't tell you whether or not I inherited it." 

Pulling away, she wanders to the window where she moves aside the curtain to look out. Jim was headed to the dining hall, and by the pace of his long strides, he wasn't happy. She glances back over her shoulder, worry in her eyes for this man she hardly knew but for whom she had already formed deep feelings.

Squaring her shoulders, she walks back to Chad and takes his hand to bring him back to the door. "Come on... I don't want to postpone the inevitable."


On his way to the dining hall, movement catches Jim's eye and he glances toward the bunkhouses. Realizing it was Rosalyn and the man he recognized as Chad, he skids to a stop and spins on his heel to head in their direction. Meeting them halfway, his eyes glare first at Rosalyn, then Chad, then back to Rosalyn. Seeing them hand-in-hand didn't do anything to subdue his anger. "What in blazes do you think you're doing?!" 

Rosalyn cringes, stopping beside Chad. "I'm enjoying the company of someone who came to see me," she replies calmly. "What does it look like?"

Jim's eyes narrow. "Don't play that game with me," he warns. "You don't want to know what it looks like to me." His stare shifts to Chad again. "I don't know who you think you are, but you better turn right back around and-"

"Leave him alone!" Without thinking, Rosalyn steps between them, her own eyes flashing with anger. "He's done nothing wrong, so why don't you just calm down and talk about this with a level head?" 

"I have a level head!" Jim points down the driveway. "Your secret little romance has gone on long enough. I won't stand idly by, watching my daughter make a fool of herself - or worse." 

"The only one looking like a fool right now is you." Rosalyn backs up a step until she feels Chad behind her, taking her stance with him. "I knew you'd be upset and I'm sorry. But if you'd just calm down, we could talk about this."

"There's nothing to talk about!" Jim's glare finds Chad once more. "You are not welcome here. Go pack up your stuff and get out of here before-"

"It's not your call!" Rosalyn raises her voice to rise over her father's volume. "You have no right to kick anybody off this ranch and you know it." 

Jim's blood boils as amazement for his daughter's bullheadedness shoots through his eyes. "I'm warning you, Rosalyn. Don't make this any harder than it needs to be. So help me, if you-"

"Jim!" Mick barks as he approaches quickly. "Back off." 

Jim throws his brother an angry glance. "This is none of your business. I already told you that, so keep your nose where it belongs."

Mick folds his arms, clearly taking his niece's and Chad's side. "When you want to throw somebody off my property... it is my business." His eyes warn Jim not to try anything stupid with him. "When you've calmed down, we'll talk about it. But as of right now, your daughter's friend is staying. If you have an official complaint against our guest, I suggest you bring it before Rosetta and myself... after you're done shouting." 

Seeing that there's no point in continuing this argument right now, Jim shakes his head in disgust. "I will be talking to you about it. As for you..." He turns back to Rosalyn. "You better get your work done like you're paid to do and be home at a decent time. And this discussion is far from over." Spinning around, he gives no opportunity for rebuttal, and stalks back towards the barn. 

Tears sting Rosalyn's eyes and she stands numbly watching him go. It was far worse than she'd feared. Clint had been right. Looking to Mick, her lower lip quivers, her eyes begging him for help. 

Mick sighs deeply and looks to Chad. "I apologize for my brother. He's just looking out for his daughter. If you wouldn't mind, I suggest you two have a date in town tonight to avoid any more fights until he's calmed down." 

Maybe

Feeling the tap to the foot it surprised but that didn't stop the smile that spread across his lips anyways. Even if this wasn't much affection it was a different kind that what he was use to and he was starting to like it. Moving his foot a little bit Trey returns the nudge.

   "Yeah, having someone come with me would be nice. I have a price range I have to stay in for TJY to pay it but they gave me a list of some places. So if you could come and look with me..that would be great."

Having Clint come into the room Chad gives a little smile but seeing the look on Clint's face it soon fades. Hearing about Rosalyn's father not being to happy he was here Chad could feel his stomach churn a little bit. He's really hoped everyone would respond to him well but it now seemed like at least one person wasn't going too.

Once Clint was gone Chad turns a little to Rosalyn. Listing to hear and hearing her explanation Chad could feel his heart break. She really had been conflicted between doing what she family asked, and happiness. It must have been truly hard for her and he couldn't blame her at all for how she had been feeling.

   "Oh Rosalyn!"

Taking a few short steps twords her Chad puts his arms around her and just holds her for several long moments. One hand rubbing her back and the other running his fingers through her hair. He offered her all the comfort she could.

   "Never be scared to tell me something...ok? We can face the challenges together, we don't have to do it alone as long as we have each other."

Pulling away and putting a finger under her chin Chad tilts her head up so he could look her in the eye before giving her a soft kiss on the lips and pulling away again. Maybe he if talked with Jim, and showed him that he meant no hard they could build a friendship, it was worth a try anyways.

   "Maybe I could try talking to your dad? Do you think that would help?"

Worse than I thought

Rosalyn giggles and looks up to give Chad a sly grin as they walk. "I don't remember being attacked..." 

Helping him get his stuff into the bunkhouse wasn't hard and it didn't take too long. They met a few others along the way that seemed a little curious as to why Chad was back again and why Rosalyn was sticking so closely to him, but nobody asked. 

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Rosalyn sighs and glances at the clock. She'd left some kitchen work unfinished when BJ had brought her the cryptic note. She really just wanted to sit and spend time with Chad, but she also knew she had responsibilities. Watching Chad unpack some of his things, she stands and goes to him, slipping her arms around his waist from behind and leaning her head on his back. "I gotta go finish cleaning the kitchen... Do you want to-"

Her words are stopped short as someone knocks at the door, followed by, "Rosalyn? You in there?" 

She quickly withdraws from Chad as she answers, wondering why her brother was bothering her. "Yeah. What?" 

Clint opens the door and pokes his head inside. Seeing Chad, he nods. "Hey. Long time no see." His eyes go back to his sister, with a look of concern. He hadn't known there was anything going on between her and Chad... until a few minutes ago. But at this point, he really didn't have an opinion yet. "Look, unless you want to make things worse, I suggest you hang out together somewhere other than a bedroom. Dad's furious." 

Rosalyn's face pales as her pulse quickens. "How did he find out?" 

"I dunno. He probably noticed the jeep and asked about it. I was just walking past the barn when he blew up. Mick's trying to cool him off but he's only gonna be in there as long as it takes him to unsaddle and wipe down a couple horses."

Rosalyn swallows hard as her stomach starts to churn. "Okay. Thank you, Clint." 

"Yeah..." Clint looks between the two of them again, the wheels in his mind turning as he tries to figure out just what had been going on here, but right now there just wasn't time. "See ya later." 

Once he was gone, Rosalyn can feel the hot tears pooling behind her eyes. She knew she owed Chad an explanation... now. Before he got in the middle of a fight. Turning around slowly, she looks up at him hesitantly. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." Her voice quivers. "I just couldn't. When you left last time, my dad confronted me - he'd seen us... seen us kissing, and he wasn't happy. Because I knew he didn't approve, I kept our letters a secret. Mick was the only one who knew and he always made sure I got my mail before anybody else saw it." 

Putting a hand to her forehead, she paces in a small circle, feeling sick. "When you sent the flowers, my dad found out they were from you and he was very upset that I'd ignored his previous warnings about getting involved with you. I let him believe I would let it all go." She shrugs lamely. "But I didn't want to." 

Turning back to Chad, her eyes were full of the fear she felt - fear that her father was going to say regrettable things to her and/or Chad, and fear that Chad wouldn't want anything to do with her after this. "I should have told you. If I would have known you were coming, I could have warned you not to. I guess I thought maybe my dad would just be a little upset was all but..." Clint never overreacted about anything. So if he found it that vital to warn her their dad was upset, then he must have been quite angry. "...if my brother said Dad's mad then... it's gotta be worse than I thought it would be." 

Hunter smiles and gives Katie's hand an extra squeeze. "Feels good to have my head on straight again. It's... been quite a while since it was." 

Interrupted by their waiter, Hunter withdraws his hand to sit up straight again as they receive their food. Glancing back over at Katie, he cocks his head. He'd always let her do the praying when they'd had meals together. He'd never wanted to do it, but hadn't ever been offended or stopped her. Tonight though, things were different. 

Taking her hand once again, he gives her a little nod. "I'd like to do the honors tonight... if that's okay with you." It felt a little awkward, but... it was something he wanted to do. 

"God... I just want to thank you for this evening. For getting me back to Nevada in one piece and for keeping me in Texas for as long as it took to knock some sense into me. For putting a friend like Katie in my life and friends like the people back at the ranch. Thank you for new starts... forgiveness... and really good food that we're gonna eat right now before we starve. Amen." 

Ariel laughs and shakes her head. "Don't thank me yet. You might still get that slap and I'll definitely make sure it hurts." 

Giving him a teasing smirk, she nudges his leg with her foot under the table. "So... you want any help looking for a place?" 

Attack

Looking up and catching Ariel's eyes again this time they hold his own in place. The light reflecting off them, there was just something different this time about the way she looked at him. There was a hope in her eye maybe, or at least the willingness to try and that meant to much alone to Trey.

   "Just if you slap me make sure it hurts ok?"

Giving a rather large smile Trey just can't help the feeling he had in his stomach. It was excitement and scaired at the same time but what was starting a new life here with out something or someone new to be with. He did  like Ariel too and it was worth a shot.

   "Thanks Ariel...for everything!"

Listing to everything Hunter said Katie nodded her head here and there letting him know she was listing but not saying anything and breaking his train of thought. He was opening up to her now a little bit more the last thing she wanted to do was interrupt him and have him close himself off once more. So she waited till he was done.

   "I'm really happy you were able to work everything Hunter and no reason to be sorry. I am just happy it worked out."

Taking a sip of her water Katie's eyes search Hunters. She could tell something about him had changed. Maybe there was a new closeness to God once again. Even if it was small it was still there and that meant there was more room for him to grow. It made Katie happy to know that, and happy to be able to help and be part of Hunter's life.

   "Now...we can keep growing together, and thats something I am excited about."

Giving a nod of thanks to Mick Chad was happy things were going so smoothly. He didn't really expect a hard time but he was happy it went smooth anyways at least with Rosalyn's uncle. He seemed like a really nice guy and he was eager to get to know him better.

Once Mick was gone and being pulled by the hand Chad gives a laugh and follows Rosalyn. He's pull his jeep where she directed him so he could unload some of his stuff into the bunk. He'd come right form his last job so he did have some important items that couldn't be left out in the cold.

   "That room was great, I have fond memories of that room...and the sheets. Think they will attack us again?"

Tip

Rosalyn's heart starts beating faster again when Chad says he wanted to stay at least a week. A whole week? He would be here and she could see him for a whole week? It was so much more than she ever would have hoped for. But just as excited as she felt, she also felt worry. How was it going to even work? 

Mick nods to Chad. "We've got more than enough room. Actually, we don't have any other guests at the moment, so your timing is great." He turns his sights to his niece. "You want to show him to one of the bunkhouses and help him get settled? I'll take care of the paperwork." It wouldn't be much since Chad had been here before and they still had his information on file. 

"Yeah, sure." Rosalyn finally pulls away from Chad, but lets her hand slide into his. Catching Mick's eye, she wonders if he would have any advice on how to keep her dad from throwing a fit. 

Mick reads her expression well, but he doesn't have an answer. All he could do was give her a little extra time to figure things out. "In the meantime, I'm going to go join your dad where he's exercising some horses in the back corral." 

That mean Jim would be busy and distracted for another couple hours most likely. Rosalyn nods her thanks for the tip. "Okay. See you later then." Waiting until Mick had walked away, Rosalyn aims for the barn door, pulling Chad by the hand. "Come on... I'll give you the same bunk you had before if you liked it."

Hunter nods slowly and smiles as his thumb runs along Katie's hand. "Yeah... yeah, I do feel better. I, um... guess I didn't realize how much stuff I'd been ignoring for so long. And being at the ranch where there was actually time to just sit and think..." He shrugs. "I apologize if I was ever offish. I didn't mean to be. I guess when I got to processing stuff about myself and... and my past..." 

Pausing, he sighs deeply. He'd told Mick his story, but never had shared it with Katie. "Well, I guess there was stuff I couldn't talk about yet. Mostly things about me and my dad. I never realized that being rejected and on my own at seventeen could make me as bitter as I was, or have such an affect on my other choices and actions." He bites his lip. "Like me and Kyle... my drinking... I never realized that most of that was just me trying to work through stuff I was refusing to look at. Until... I got dunked in a river and was told to let things go." 

He smiles again. "Not exactly the wake-up call I would have chosen, but I guess God knew how stubborn I was and He was gonna keep me at that ranch til I worked things out, whether I liked it or not." He chuckles softly. He'd tell Katie the story of his past sometime soon, but for now, that wasn't his point.

"I still got a lot to sort through, but... I'm a whole lot further than I was. If it weren't for you though, I probably never would have gone to the ranch. So for that... thank you."

Ariel cocks her head, a little smile emerging. Was that why it had been so hard to read Trey? Because he did like her and want to be more than friends, but didn't make any advances for fear of ruining things? Maybe her difficulty in figuring him out wasn't as much of her having poor people skills as she'd thought.

Pursing her lips in thought, she studies Trey's downcast gaze. Was he the kind of man she wanted to date? She liked him in general. He had problems, but who didn't? He'd changed since she'd met him, for sure. He was softer now, and seemed to think more about others than just himself all the time. He didn't have a relationship with God - and that was a pretty big thing to Ariel. But at the same time, even if they dated, who was to say it would become something serious? They might have fun for a while then part. And who knew... maybe Trey would come to God through all this too.

Waiting for Trey to look up at her again, her calculating eyes twinkle, her cheeks flushing slightly. She might be a confident individual, but dating wasn't exactly her area of expertise. And she had a feeling Trey had a whole lot more experience than just casually dating and kissing a girl,which gave him an upper hand. But what Ariel had was the power to say yes or no. 

Smiling at him, she shrugs. "It won't ruin our friendship if we really are friends to begin with, right? So let's try it out." She gives him a teasing grin. "And if I slap you, you'll know I didn't like something."