Rookie

As Eric realizes how awkward Stacy is suddenly acting, his grin only widens. For some reason, he wanted to laugh, just seeing her the one tongue-tangled for once. He'd never admit to anyone that he knew good and well why and he was milking it for all it was worth. "Maybe I'm the-"

He stops when he sees Ashlee approach and is quick to straighten. Feeling rather inappropriate without a shirt on in front of the girl, he folds his arms and tries to hide any embarrassment that seeped through as color to his face. A smile and a wink is tossed in her direction and he waves a farewell as the two take off. The abrupt end to the short collision left him just standing there for several minutes, wondering why he had this lingering feeling that something significant had just happened. Maybe he was just too tired to be thinking straight.

Shaking his head, he wanders back outside to retrieve his hat and shirt. He'd hit the shower then go get something to eat. Whenever Ashlee got back, he'd see if she wanted to help groom some of the horses.

Things didn't go quite as Eric had planned, however. He did get his shower, and he did get some breakfast. But after that, getting any work done at all just didn't happen. Staying up all night finally caught up to him, and a brief rest on the main building's porch swing ended up turning into a full-fledged nap. Stretched out across the swing with one arm up behind his head as a pillow, the sunshine was his blanket. His sleep was deep enough that he wouldn't even hear when Stacy and Ashlee got back from town.


Hope's hand on his arm wasn't something Kip expected - nor was its warmth. He really wasn't sure how to take her yet. She wasn't what he'd thought she'd be... younger... not like a counselor at all... softer maybe. Where normally he'd pull away, today he doesn't shy away from her touch.

Still just looking at the little flower, he feels stupid for crying. He wasn't even sure why he was anyway, especially in front of someone he barely even knew. He sniffs. At least Hope was probably used to people acting like babies.

Her words didn't quite penetrate at first. But when Karla is mentioned, his eyes snap up to hers. He remembered the day he'd met Karla. He was still grateful for the water she'd offered. And the fire... well, he had nothing to do with her getting out of there, but he supposed maybe he'd helped her afterward at least. But now? He felt like he was more of a burden than anything. He keeps that thought to himself though.

Wiping away the last of his tears for now, he draws in a breath and studies Hope's face. "Alright. I get it. But when someone..." He swallows hard. "When someone you trust tells you over and over again you're worthless... eventually you believe it, ya know? When they tell you enough times that you're stupid and you can't really do anything on your own... eventually it becomes true... in here." He lays a hand over his heart. "I know up here it's not true." He taps his head. "Because people like Erik and Kyle and Karla tell me so. And sometimes I try to act like I actually believe it so I can stay with the band and pretend I know what I'm doing. But in reality..." He slowly shakes his head. "In reality I guess I don't really think I can do it. I don't believe it when people tell me I'm worth the effort. I don't believe it when they tell me I'm a good musician. I don't even believe it when they tell me I'm a good friend. I just..." He shrugs lamely. "I'm not sure I can ever thrive even if I have been replanted."

He gently fingers the flower petals again, unsure if he felt sorrier for himself or this poor little plant. Turning away from Hope before she can respond, he walks slowly to a nearby picnic table and sits down. Setting aside the cup, he hunches forward and folds his arms on the table, hiding his face. He suddenly felt as if all energy had been drained from his body and he didn't even know why.


Thankfully, once Alec had left, he was gone for the night and the apartment was left in peace. The movie was enjoyed as much as possible after the little episode and Tal stayed as long as he could before eventually saying goodnight. Eli didn't talk about Alec to Ryan, but he did give her a hug before heading to bed, which was something he never did. Maybe tonight he just wanted to remind her she was loved.

At least the next night was a race night and worries could be forgotten. The crowd was always something to get the adrenaline pumping and hanging out with buddies made the late hours worth it...

...Eli stands in his usual spot near the finish line, and, as usual, ignores most of the noisy crowd. His eyes remained on the dessert and the small headlights that were fast approaching from a distance.

"Saw we got a rookie tonight." Miles had joined him. "Still time to make a bet he comes in last."

Eli grins. "Naw. I learned a long time ago not to do that. Too many surprises." Any bets he placed were on his sister, but only when he knew she was up against those she could beat blindfolded. He'd never tell her that, not wanting to imply she couldn't beat anybody new, but he'd learned the hard way not to place money on bets he wasn't sure about.

"Well, if he doesn't come in last, you know he'll be eating Ryan's dust anyway."

"True." Eli laughs. "Poor guy won't know what hit him."

"I wouldn't say poor. You see that car of his?"

"Yeah. Good thing it takes more than a car to drive out here." Eli's eyes stay focused on the desert track.

"No kidding."

As the two men watch though, tension rises. The headlights in the lead were not the ones they expected to see. And the closer the cars came to the finish line, the more the tension rose. Eli's eyes remain glued to the scene, his ears not even hearing the shouting crowd. Was that... really? Was it...

His head whips to the side as his gaze follows the car that had just crossed the finish line. But it wasn't Ryan's car. It was the rookie's blue hotrod. Eyebrows lifted in surprise, Eli saunters over to where Ryan would park and waits for her. One eye remained on the nearby scene though, where the sandy-haired stranger was basking in all of the attention.


Gunner grins at Bree and reaches out to rough up her hair. "You're very cute in the moonlight, you know that?"

He glances to his tent, then back to her, his eyes tired but still full of too much energy to sleep. "I got my telescope in there. Join me in some stargazing?"


JT chuckles softly. "Yeah... yeah, Gunner does love her to death and she him. I guess I'd never admit that I always wondered if the right guy would come along for her. Not 'cause of her, but it takes someone special to really appreciate what makes her tick, ya know?" His smile mellows. "I'm gonna miss having her around as much. Sometimes I forget she's not a little tyke with her two front teeth missing anymore."

Chuckling a little again, he glances next to him to see Amanda shiver. There was a cool breeze and the fire was shrinking. "Hey now, if you wind up catching cold, I'm gonna get blamed," he teases. Reaching over, he slips his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. "Huh," he muses. "You fit pretty good here under my arm, you know that?"

He grows a crooked grin before scrunching his nose in a grimace. Turning his head to look at Amanda, his gaze glistens with humor. "In case you haven't noticed..." He bites his lip, trying not to laugh - whether it was from nervousness or late-night silliness, he'd never know. "...it's been a long time since I flirted, and I think I'm doing a pretty poor job."


There was plenty of food left in front of Scott - he hadn't even finished half of it yet. But after forcing down one more french fry, he stopped. He was tired and just didn't have the energy to try and psych himself up to eat any more. He continues to listen, just enjoying being with his sister, really. His body was weary but he didn't want to cut anything short. Picking at his food, he tries to make it look like he's still working on his meal.

Noticing Sapphire's glance to his left, Scott turns just a little then back to her, not knowing what she'd been looking at, but remaining at ease, seeing that she is too. Her words about Hope bring little pangs to his heart. She'd been so sick... and he hadn't been there for her... worse, he'd pushed her away. At least she was doing better now, right? She was a fighter... she could pull through anything. She... didn't need someone weak to pull her down. She probably had someone else by now anyway.

The mention of Domino snaps him back to attention and a faint smile curls his lips. He'd never be able to say how much he'd missed that little dog. She'd been his best friend ever since he'd gotten her. While at Brookshire, he'd rejected everything... but seeing the black and white furball again was something he was very much looking forward to.

"I'm glad she's been taking care of her," he responds. "'Course now I'd feel kinda bad if Hope's gotten used to having her around." He looks down at the table. "I wish things woulda been different... I wish... I woulda done things differently, ya know?"

After a moment, he glances back up to his sister. "I don't...know how to start over," he admits. "So much has happened... so many changes. I don't know how I'll be able to fit in again."


Pausing with Beth at the elevator, her words do make Justin smile - a small, warm smile that he often smiled but didn't even know emitted a peaceful feeling. "Thanks... and pie sounds great though it's not a requirement."

Seeing a lock of her hair hanging down in her face, he reaches out to tuck it behind her ear. But for a moment, his hand lingers on her cheek. "Yeah... yeah, I'll see you tomorrow."

Retracting his hand, he hooks his thumb in his pocket before seeing the elevator open. "Your chariot awaits."


It was debatable whether or not dealing with the Agency was wise. But no one would know for sure until the future was met. The risk was taken, however, because the life of a friend had been deemed more important than computer records. Would the health information shared with the Agency come back to haunt them in the end? It was uncertain. But one thing was certain: no one wanted Jason to die or for Katie to suffer.

Rick felt as though he'd been awake for weeks. All of his research... all of his studying and dissecting what was wrong with Jason... it had all ended in needing help from the Agency. In his eyes, it was a despicable way to conclude, but he was backed up against the wall with no way out. If he wanted Jason to live, he needed to comply. So comply he had. And after one meeting, the Agency had the Elite's health records and Rick had possession of one vile - one vile that held the future of two lives.

Filling two syringes, Rick gives Misty a long look. After test after test after more tests, they had agreed the contents were safe. But Rick still wished they would have had more time... more understanding about what this "cure" would do. But time they did not have. If something didn't happen fast, Rick feared Jason would not survive the next twenty-four hours.

Turning to the two beds, he sighs. Jason lay in one - still and quiet as he had since being brought here. He had not been awake once. Cindy sat by his side, holding his hand, while Derek paced next to her and Liz walked the hall. Rick had given Katie the second bed. He wasn't sure if there would be any ill affects, but just in case, he wanted her here where he could monitor her condition for a while. He'd recommended bringing along some comfy clothes and a good book, knowing he'd at least want her here overnight.

Offering a kind smile, he comes and sits on the edge of Katie's bed. He'd talked to her about this already - he had explained that it would take several shots to each her and Jason and that if the Agency was being truthful, that the connection would fade, and probably rather quickly. Hopefully there would be only slight changes felt since she and Jason had already been on the antidote for quite a while. The side affects were unknown, though Rick had conveyed his confidence that they would be minor. He suspected some physical discomfort but didn't foresee any problems.

"Ready, Hero?" He pats her shoulder before rolling up her sleeve and prepping the needle. Giving one last glance to Misty, he administers the shot, silently praying for the best. "There we are." He holds his smile for Katie and gestures to the pillow. "Make yourself comfortable. This will all be over soon."

Moving on to Jason, he administers that shot as well, again with another silent prayer. And all anyone can do now is wait.


"...Okay. Everyone set?" Reese looks at Wyatt, Chance and Nate. It was the next night and ten-thirty. As far as Wyatt and Nate knew, no one else was aware that Con was already stationed on top of a building across from the mill, ready to fire the tranquilizer darts as soon as the exchange took place.

Wyatt zips up his jacket and takes out his keys before glancing to the other two men. "I'm ready."

Chance swallows hard and nods. "Yeah... me too."

Reese purses his lips. "Good. Be sure to check in with Dalton as soon as you're on the road to make sure everyone's alert and in contact."

Someone out there

Feeling the heat come to her face, Stacy can't take her eyes off Eric. This morning there was light and hope in his eyes, not to mention his rugged good looks. "Good... good morning!"

Finally removing her hand from his arm as his hands slip from her waste, she lets her eyes break from his as she digs her foot into the dirt a little. "Sorry about running into you. I really should look where I'm going more." Looking up again, she gives a smile as her eyes sparkle in the sunlight. Getting stuck in a stare again, she wanted to say more, but she felt tongue-tied.

Coming around the corner, Ashlee was sure she saw her mom come this way. Seeing them both standing there, she stops. A small smile spreads across her face - almost like she knew something no one else did.

Seeing movement out of the corner of her eye, Stacy looks quickly to the left. Realizing it was Ashlee, her face grows even more red and she stands up a little straighter. "Ash, I was just looking for you to see if you wanted to come into town with me quick to grab a few things." She clears her throat quickly, trying to recover from the whole situation.

Taking note to the awkward air that surrounded her mom, Ashlee can't help but feel sorry for her a little. "Yeah, I'll come along. There are a few things I need. Just let me know when you are ready."

"I'm good now." Stacy gives a nod to Eric before starting away with her daughter. Looking over at Ash as they walk, she was looking back at her with almost a mysterious hope in her eye. "Ash, don't even think about it."

"What? I didn't even say anything."

"I know. You didn't have to."


Standing on her tiptoes a little bit to see around Kip, Hope just listens to his words. They were ones spoken from someone who was lost, cast aside, and so much hurt inside them from someone who should have been there to nurture and help him grow. It made Hope sad and even a little angry to think any parents could take the gift of a child and toss them aside no matter the reason.

Coming alongside Kip, she gives a little smile and lays a soft hand on his arm. He was not alone, his life might have scars, but it could be so much more once he could let them heal. "If it was never planted, then the trauma it would not have faced. But in turn, the beauty that God put into this single creation would never have been shown either. There is a reason for everything. There is a purpose for why things are placed on this earth. To the world, this is just one flower. To this flower, just one person could be its world."

Hope gives another smile as she made the connection of the flower to Kip once again, and Karla. She knew little about her, but from what Kyle had said, she was special to Kip and he had helped her through a lot. "I believe you have a friend who would say the same thing. If she had never met you, where might she be now? Would she be okay? Would she have made it out of that fire? Many questions linger of what might have happened if the people we care about never met us... and though we think maybe it would be better if they never knew who we were, that's just not true."

Hope was confident in that alone. Knowing God had put us there for a reason was what got her through many rough times in her own life. He had a reason, though he did not wish bad things on us, he would turn them around and make good, even if we didn't see it right away.


Hearing the bang come to the front door then Alec's voice follow, Ryan cringes a bit and she sinks down into Tal a little more. Alec was really going to sit there banging and yelling. She didn't know if she was more angry, embarrassed or hurt by it.

Feeling Tal's arms tighten around her, she just sinks in next to him even more. She hoped Alec would get the point and not even bother anymore, but something told her that was the easy way and Alec wasn't known for that.

As Eli gets up to handle Alec at the door, Ryan was thankful. She didn't know how much she could take before she went out there and pummeled him, which would only get her into trouble. Shaking her head, she just lets out a whisper under her breath, calling Alec an idiot. "Let's start the movie. We can fill Eli in after."

Ryan just wanted her mind off the whole Alec thing again, and hearing part of the conversation was already upsetting her even more. Leaning her head onto Tal's chest she was happy he was there with them. At least she had someone to get lost with and knew would hold her knowing she was upset without saying anything.


Bree can't help but laugh at Gunner's comment as she stands and returns the hug to him. She would never tire of his big strong arms wrapped around her. If she could stay like that forever, she would.

"You get rather pale, too, without that sleep. I mean, I don't mind it at all, but the lack of pigment in your skin makes other people look at you funny. Then again...they do that to us anyway."

Giving a shrug, she throws a look and smile back at her uncle as she starts away. Hearing his comment, she gives a shake of her head and a chuckle before turning her face, showing not much emotion at all. "Oh yeah, well, Amanda has holy water in hers just in case you need to change again. Doctor or no doctor, it's still not proper you know."

The only sign that she was joking was the faint twinkle that laid in her eyes. They seemed to dance with humor as the fire reflected off of them. Turning again, she walks with Gunner back to the tents. "My uncle drove me crazy a long time ago..." She grins, looking up at Gunner. She knew he would find humor in her comment.


As JT comes and sits down next to her, Amanda gives a smile. She was starting to think she had done something wrong for him to be avoiding her like a plague. But now having him come closer she felt a little better.

Giving a chuckle and shaking her head at his comment about being kidnapped, she couldn't help but let her eyes dance as she looked into the firelight. Maybe people would be mad, but she wasn't. "It's been a long time since I have actually had a vacation, let alone a vacation with people I like. Being a doctor and saving people's lives I guess...my own just kind of slipped away. I guess I would have to say I am thankful for the kidnapping. It was quite an ingenious way to get us away from work, for sure."

Setting her own empty cup down in the grass next to her, Amanda gives a little shiver. The heat from the fire was warm, but there was still a tiny chill in the air. Or maybe it was her body just trying to get some extra warmth from someone else.

"Bree sure is special, and Gunner - he loves her so much. It's really nice to see that. I think they compliment each other nicely. It just proves there is someone out there for everyone."


Sapphire gives a smile to Scott and she looks at him from across the table. He always knew how to make her smile and make her feel so good about herself, even her flaws. Ever since they had been kids, he had told her not to stop any of the habits she had made or she just wouldn't be her anymore. It really had helped her through some rough times and mean people. "You always have known the right things to say, Scott, to make me feel good and know that my normal is okay."

Smiling again as she takes a sip of her water, she leans back in the booth a little bit, just relaxing. At the mention of Hope, she thinks - she knew little things here and there but she didn't know too much. Though it felt good to hear Scott ask about her. It meant he still cared. Not that for a moment Sapphire thought he didn't.

"Yeah, she is out with a new client right now. It's not related to TJY I don't think, but it's one of the first since she has been back where she has traveled out." Taking another sip of her drink and letting it slide down her throat, she continues to look across the table at her brother before movement at the door catches her attention. She knew Scott's blind side was that way and she didn't want anything to startle him. Older sister protection kicked in. Seeing it was nothing, she looks back to him once more and continues.

"You can tell she was sick. She is still thin, and she gets tired easily, but she just trucks along anyway. You should see her hair though. It's started to grow back in, so she has it in this really cute short hairstyle and it looks so soft."

Cocking her head just a little bit, she wondered what else Scott might like to know. Then it hits her that he might like to know about Domino. "Oh yeah, I am sure Hope will be so happy to see you, too. I know someone else as well who will. Domino probably won't leave your side one she sees you. Hope is taking care of her for you."


Sitting with Justin and his mother, Beth does her best to keep a positive attitude for both of them. She wasn't one for hospitals and she was starting to get the feeling she had stayed in this one too long already, but she kept reminding herself today was not about her. It was about being there for her friends who needed her. That was much more important.

As the hours draw on, and vague information comes and goes, Beth wishes she could stay longer just to be there. But she knew she had work in the morning and if she didn't get at least a little sleep, she would never make it through the day.

Walking down the hallway with Justin, Beth stops when they get to the elevators, not ready to get one just yet. Looking back to Justin, she gives a small smile. She could tell this was hard on him and she felt so bad. "You're very welcome, Justin. That's what friends are for."

Resting her hand on his arm for a moment, Beth gives another smile. She hoped it would encourage him and maybe even bring him a little hope that things would work out. It was a lesson he had once taught her. "If anything happens, don't hesitate to call, okay? I'm here for you no matter the time. Once I get out of work, I can give you a call if I don't hear from you to see how everything is. And maybe this time I'll have some pie with me."

Beth gives a small chuckle at least trying to make Justin smile on the inside if not the outside. It had been a long day for sure, and he and his mom, she knew, it was longer yet. "I'll see you tomorrow...okay?"

Good morning?

Though a bit surprised at Hope's halt and seat on the ground, Kip follows suit, kneeling in the grass by the little flower bed. Confused, he pays close attention to what she has to say, his gaze fixed on the flower as she talks about it. Being handed the cup, he has no choice but to take it, curious enough now to continue listening.

Putting the pieces together as she weaves her words, he begins to realize what she's getting at. His eyes watch as she digs up the flower and puts it in the cup he's holding. He stares down at it before gently fingering the soft petals and touching the little leaves as if trying to prompt it back to healthy life. He didn't always notice flowers, but for some reason today, he felt rather sorry for the trampled blossom.

Looking back at he ground as Hope fills in the hole, he feels a new pang in his heart... in a place where he had his own hole... in a place that was full of scars. Before he can think about it too much, though, he realizes Hope is standing again. Getting to his feet, he follows her quietly, his pace much slower now. His head bent, he studies the flower he still held, carrying the cup as if he thought if he squeezed too tightly he might break it.

Without even realizing it, Kip has gradually come to a full stop in the path. His eyes still studied the delicate petals as his mind replayed all of Hope's words. He'd been trampled just like this flower. He'd been neglected, too. Maybe he'd even been dug up already by the efforts of his friends, but he'd had no where else to go, and the holes left were far from being filled in.

His fingers stroke the bent stem. He was this flower.

As his vision blurs, Kip turns his back on Hope. His lower lip quivers and he swallows hard. He knew he had open wounds that needed to heal. He knew those wounds were affecting his life and dictating his actions. He knew that things between himself and his father were not "normal" but really were unhealthy. He knew that, just like his flower, he'd been forgotten. And as a result, this world had become a terrifying place to live.

Drawing in a shaky breath, he sniffs and tries to compose himself, but tears linger in his eyes. "I wasn't always like this," he admits quietly. As a matter of fact, it really hadn't been that long ago that he'd felt much happier. "When Kyle joined our group I was... excited. I thought it was my chance, ya know?" He didn't know if Hope knew the background of Kyle and the band, but he assumed he'd told her as much. His life had been pretty good, living with Erik's family - he couldn't complain, and he'd been the one to always make everyone laugh. And now... now he was the only one not laughing.

He lifts his shoulder to swipe away a leftover tear. "I don't know what happened after that." He said he didn't, but he did. He'd had trouble with hyperactivity but he'd probably always have trouble with that. He had some confidence issues, but that wasn't abnormal. He was in new surroundings - but the others were too. No... those weren't it. The heart of the matter was that he'd been trampled on a few times, then that last fight with his father had been the equivalent of someone taking this flower and mercilessly ripping it out of the ground and leaving it to die in the sun. Kyle was right. It all revolved around the abuse.

Feeling a new tear trickle down his cheek, Kip ignores it. He could feel Hope behind him, but remains as he is, unwilling to face her. Holding up the flower, he squints at the sorry little sight. "Wouldn't it be better if this flower had never been planted in the first place? Then it would never have to go through this trauma."


As Ryan steps back from Alec's touch, he recoils slightly, not used to her retreating like that. The eyes that used to spark and glow when around him now stared back at him like ice. He swallows hard.

As Ryan talks, his stomach starts to churn. He remembered saying he hated her, but he hadn't meant it. He'd just wanted her and Carson to leave so they wouldn't get hurt. But deep down he knew that his words had cut like knives and there was no taking them back.

Getting to Ryan's final decision, her, "No," hits Alec harder than he'd thought it would. He wasn't sure what he'd expected. He'd tried not to predict what Ryan might say or how she'd react to him coming. But even so, somewhere, he hadn't prepared for rejection. Hesitation, maybe, but not flat out rejection. She hadn't even given them a chance to talk things over. He'd said his piece, she'd said hers and that was it? Nothing more? She wouldn't even consider the possibility of working things out? Did this have something to do with that guy in there on the couch?

A seed of jealousy is planted.

His eyes narrow slightly, trying to recover as quickly as possible from the surprise of Ryan's response. But he wasn't fast enough. As his mouth opens to respond, he's met with a closed door. Really? She was kidding, right? He stares at the door.


Tal is sitting up by now and can't help it that he's relieved when Ryan rejoins him. Maybe somewhere deep down he'd worried just a little that she'd be swept off her feet again by the man she'd cared for. But having her snuggle into him again, the worry is washed away. He grins and gives her a squeeze, turning to give her head a kiss. "Nah, nothing girly. When we paused the movie, I wouldn't let Eli watch the ballet competition like he wanted to."

Eli throws him a smirk but has no rebuttal and simply turns the movie back on.


Outside, Alec still stands. He knew he'd done some stupid things. He knew it wouldn't be easy to gain back Ryan's trust. But this? She said she forgave him, yet she wasn't going to even give him the time of day? He'd come all this way and risked the Elite coming down on him, and all she could say was no, without even trying? Seriously? He wasn't ready to give up. Especially when she'd gone back inside to be with whoever it was she'd been cuddled up with. It sure hadn't taken her long to find someone else to warm his place on the couch.

"Ryan?" He knocks on the door again. "Come on. You can't just walk away and leave it like this."


Inside, Eli looks up from the television and glances over at Tal and Ryan but doesn't say anything. He'd heard Ryan's refusal and, quite frankly, he was proud of her. Surely Alec wasn't childish enough to just stand there and throw a fit.


Alec waits, but the door remains closed. He tries the handle. Locked. Growling, he tries it again anyway. "I came all the way over here. I risked the Elite coming down on me. I've groveled. I've said all I can and you just walk away? Come on!"


As the knocking grows louder, Eli rolls his eyes. The words, "You've got to be kidding me," come to mind, but he doesn't say them. It wasn't Ryan's fault. Glancing over at her again, he knew she didn't want to get up, and he didn't want to make her either - once had been bad enough. Surely Alec had gotten the message.

"Ryan! Just give me five minutes!" The knocking turns to several bangs.

"Think he'll go away?" Eli mutters.

Tal throws him a look and his arm tightens around Ryan. "I think someone forgot to tie his leash short enough."

More banging. "Just five minutes!"

Eli shakes his head. "Alright. That's it." Getting to his feet, he swaggers to the door, opening it quickly but only wide enough to show his irritated stance. His eyes meet Alec's with challenge. "Ryan's done talking to you. Apparently the closed door wasn't enough for you to understand that. So I'll try it this time. Your conversation is over."

Alec glares at Eli, his fists clenched at his sides. He scoffs. "I shoulda known you'd come in her place. I guess I thought she'd have the guts to come back out here."

Eli's temper flares, though he manages to keep a lid on it while pointing a finger at Alec. "If I didn't feel so sorry for you, I'd belt you right now. I don't need to defend Ryan - you know good and well what kind of woman she is and the guts she has. So all I'm going to say is leave. Now. Before I call the Elite and tell them you're harassing people."

"You can't-"

"Leave, Alec." Eli would never admit that speaking those words hurt. He'd trusted Alec... he'd been his friend. Though not the same as Ryan, Eli had felt betrayed too. "I'm through with you and Ryan's through with you. She's moved on. We've moved on. You're no longer welcome here."

While Alec wanted to argue, he knew Eli would do has he threatened and call the Elite. And then he'd probably be in more trouble than he surely was already. Still glaring, he wanted to push past him and go inside. He wanted to force his way in and make them listen... make Ryan listen. He wanted to say everything he wanted and not be told what to do. But looking at Eli, he knew he'd be stupid to try.

Backing up a step, Alec takes one last glance inside, then one last glance at Eli. A light scoff comes out, followed by a wry sort of grin. "See ya around then." He nods, and finally turns to leave, his footsteps slow as if his feet weighed more than they should.

Eli watches him leave and doesn't close the door again until he's satisfied that Alec really wasn't coming back. Locking up again, he returns to his chair in the living room to plop down and resume watching the movie.

Tal had heard the brief conversation and knew that Ryan had, too. He didn't know how she felt, but he knew it couldn't be good. And that made him sad. Moving down on the couch, he roots around in the cushions until he's lying on his side and he pulls Ryan down in front of him, tucking her in close with a strong arm wrapped around her. Hooking her legs with his, he kisses the back of her head and settles into the throw pillow to stay for the duration of the movie.


Completely in his own little world, Eric never even saw Stacy coming. Smacking into her full-force, it was pure reflex that drives his hands out to grab her so he didn't knock her right to the floor. "Whoa!" His eyes widen as he tries to catch his balance.

Steady again, he realizes his hands are still on her waist and he retracts quickly, only to realize that Stacy's own hands are on his arms. Her touch was... soft... warm... delicate but strong. Eric blinks and tries to shake a sudden strange feeling that he didn't want to acknowledge. Then he remembers he doesn't even had a shirt on, which automatically sends heat to his face.

Clearing his throat, he backs up a step, embarrassed amusement in his eyes. In order to salvage any dignity, he reaches up to lean a forearm on the wall, while crossing his ankles and setting a hand on his hip. His pose was an obvious attempt to fake a cool move, and a chuckle slips out. "Um... good morning?"


Feeling Beth's hand on his, Justin almost tenses... almost. A sensation seems to spread up through his arm, winding its way around until slipping through the tiny cracks surrounding the back door to his heart. It was a feeling he'd avoided. It was a feeling he hadn't wanted to face. But today... today things were not the same.

Slowly turning his hand over, his palm meets hers, his thumb running gently along her hand for a moment. "Thanks, Beth."

Leaning his head back against the wall he stares at nothing in particular, while leaving his hand right where it was. "Ma's doing okay I think. Freaked out there for a while but some of her friends came and helped calm her down." He sighs. "I know she might be losing her son but... I don't know... I guess I still see a guy who deserved this, even though I know that's a poor attitude on my part."

He takes a sip of his coffee, grateful again for Beth bringing the warm drink. "At any rate, I'm sure Ma will be glad to see you too."

As she was. It wasn't long before Justin shares Beth's company with Lydia, who does her best to dry her tears and gives Beth a big hug and a thanks for coming. It was hard waiting, but that's all that could be done. As the hours passed, a numbness overtook the initial shock, bringing on a strange combination of exhaustion and alertness. Soon, the news comes that Jared had made it through multiple surgeries. The little group wasn't yet informed of the total extent of his injuries, but it still wasn't looking good, and the doctor wouldn't say one way or the other if he thought Jared even had a chance to survive the night.

While Lydia and Justin opted to continue staying at the hospital, Justin knew he couldn't expect the same of Beth - she had her own life and a job she needed to be at...

"...so I know you probably need to go." Justin slowly paces the small hallway, fiddling with his half-empty pop can. He stops for a moment to look at Beth, managing the best smile he could. He was so tired and knew the stress must be so obvious on his face. "I, um... really appreciated your company today though. I'm glad you came."


Gunner snickers and shakes his head. "I have a feeling he's gonna find out the hard way about a lot of things." He reaches up to squeeze Bree's knee to tickle her.

JT rolls his eyes. "I have a funny feeling too, and it says you're right." Picking up his coffee mug again, he takes a sip and grimaces, finding out that it had grown cold."

Gunner sighs deeply and gives Bree's leg a pat before hefting himself up off the ground and brushing himself off. "Well..." He stretches tall and yawns a big yawn. "I don't know about the rest of you, but this vampire is getting a weebit sleepy. And you know we vampires get grouchy when we don't get our beauty sleep." He reaches down to take both of Bree's hands and pull her up quickly, all the way into a hug and a quick peck on the lips. "What say we leave these youngsters be, while we, uh, go... make sure the tents are set up correctly?"

A wry grin curls JT's lips and he looks up at them with a dry expression. "Careful, Vamp. There's garlic in her sleeping bag."

Gunner laughs and slings an arm around Bree's shoulders to head away from the campfire. In reality, he just wanted to give JT and Amanda some space. Though being alone with Bree for a while was a bonus. "Don't worry, Papa Bear, I'm too tired to suck anyone's blood." Once nearer the tents, Gunner stops and turns to look down at Bree, his eyes twinkling as light from the moon and nearby fire reflect in his gaze. "I hope you don't mind me pulling you away. I was about to go crazy watching your uncle slide further and further away from Amanda." He chuckles. "Maybe now he'll at least talk to her."


JT watches as his niece and Gunner leave and he just shakes his head. Turning up his nose at his coffee again, he tosses it out into the grass behind them before sighing deeply. Just staring at his empty cup, the heat from the campfire seems to grow even warmer. Or maybe it was just him. A sidelong glance creeps over to Amanda and all of a sudden he felt very silly. Here he was, a grown man, and he'd been avoiding a very good... pretty... friend ever since they'd gotten here.

Almost smirking at himself, he gets up and moves to sit down on the log beside Amanda. "So, I, um... haven't had a chance to actually ask you yet what you think about being the victim of a kidnapping." A chuckle slips out and he shakes his head. "I don't know which is worse - them doing it, or me letting them." Looking into the fire, a grin remains. "Maybe I was just waiting for a real reason to take some time off work."


Wyatt snickers at Nate's comment about gaining weight. "Yeah, I'd hate to drag your sorry carcass anywhere now. We'd never make it in time."

Still grinning, he shakes his head. "No good about Dalton. We take him out of here, Dad's gonna know in an instant we're up to something. He just needs to prep a secondary screen in case anybody walks in on him. Besides all that, he couldn't track us if he was up on a roof with Con. Naw... I'd say our next step is to ask Con if he'd be willing to go with us and then see if Dalton will agree too. If one of them says no, we'll put the kabosh on it."

He thinks for a moment, then sighs. "I hope Destiny really is okay. I don't know if Chance could take it if she wasn't."


"Where'd he go?"

"Across town. Far as I can tell, he went to the McKade place. It was slow going the whole way so I'd say he was on foot the entire time. He's on the move again now, but I think he's just headed back to his apartment."

Reese looks over Hal's shoulder at the monitor and nods. "Well, just keep an eye on him."

Hal glances up at him. "You don't want me to send somebody to get him?"

"Not unless it's obvious he's running." Reese sighs. "Alec's like a high-strung kid. Come down on him too hard and you'll break his spirit. Give him no rules and he'll run wild. I wanna try giving him some freedom. We still know where he is at all times and I have a hunch he's not gonna try to split."

Hal shrugs. "Whatever you say."

"Let me know where he goes for sure. I figured he'd test us pretty quick - I want to try giving him this small bit of freedom. It's my last effort to try and make this work."

Hal glances back at the screen. "If it doesn't, that'll kill the program won't it?"

"Yeah."


Hearing all about everyone at TJY, Scott again felt as though a lifetime had passed. It was almost a numbing feeling though. He felt like he should be sad or happy or anything - but he'd been so far removed from everything, that it was almost as if he were entering a life he didn't even know anymore. Jason was dying? It was a strange pang in Scott's heart. Laura and Nate had had their baby? They were a family now... a family Scott didn't even really know. Alec had gone and come back again? Justin had mentioned something about that. And Gage? It sounded like he was doing well. Scott wasn't quite sure how he was supposed to feel about that one. And his parents... yes, he'd see them. He should. It was only right, no matter if there was tension there or not.

Smiling a little at Sapphire's last comment, Scott shakes his head. "You don't ramble. You just share a lot of information. If you stopped now, you wouldn't be Sapphire anymore."

Taking a sip of his drink, he leans back a little, feeling tired but not wanting to yet. He wasn't used to being out and about, and the emotional wear and tear alone was enough to exhaust him. But he didn't want it to end this day faster than it should.

"How, um..." He bites his lower lip, afraid to even ask. Maybe he shouldn't. But he did want to know. "How's Hope? I... I looked for her but didn't see her."

Little flower

Hearing Kip's comment about not knowing why Kyle had said he needed to talk to someone, Hope just nodded her head a little. It was a question everyone asked and Hope really always had a hard time answering it. Not because she didn't know, but because everyone was different and saying the same old same old lines would make her just like every other counselor and that was not Hope's goal. She really did want to be Kip's friend.

Stopping and looking around the park for a moment, Hope spots a bed of flowers with a lonely flower just a little bit away from the others that looked as though it had been trampled by people who didn't know it was there. Motioning for Kip to follow her, Hope goes over to the bed and looks down, slowly lowering herself to the ground. She was slightly tired from the walk, but she wouldn't let on. She was determined to let Kip understand her. "See this little flower here?"

Hope points to the bright one that stood alone. Bent but not broken, its colors still bright, the signs of the carelessness of others clear. "This lonely flower didn't choose to be away from the others - it's the life it was given and most people don't even notice its there. It's colors are bright and it refuses to die, but day after day it just gets trampled and it sinks a little lower to the ground. If it continues to just sit here, it will soon give up and die because it has no other choice."

Taking her bag and pulling out a paper cup and a little shovel, one might think Hope had planned this very thing. But the truth was she hadn't, and why she had brought these tools today, she wasn't sure. But before leaving the house she felt as though she should. The only way she could explain it would be a sign from God, giving her the resources to work Him to help Kip.

"Now, we have a few options.. I can dig up the flower and throw it aside because it's going to die here anyway so why not just end it now? I can dig it up and bring it back over with the other flowers again, but then it's just going to die as well because the damage has been done to it so deeply that the other flowers will choke it out. Or, I can dig it up, place it in the paper cup with some dirt, and nurture it back with gentle love and care. Then, when it's ready, I can bring it back and put it with the other flowers, knowing it will live a long and healthy life."

Hope gives a smile to Kip, handing him the paper cup. Returning to the flower, she carefully takes the shovel and starts to dig around the flower a little before gently lifting it out of the ground along with some other dirt and putting it into the paper cup Kip had been holding. "There we go. I believe that non of God's creations should be tossed aside because they all have their purpose in life. Just sometimes they need a little extra love and care before being able to return to the harsh world."

Looking back down at the brown spot in the grass where the flower once was, Hope thinks again for a moment before taking the shovel in hand once again. "Now, the ground here we can leave like this - a reminder to where the flower once grew - a scar that something had once been here. But if we do that, people will walk through, dig it up, make it deeper and bigger, and it will never heal. But, we can fill in the hole and then the grass will grow once again. Maybe not as thickly as the other grass, still leaving a reminder that something had been here. But since we stopped and took the time to care for the hole, it won't grow any bigger, and slowly it will heal as well."

Patting the earth with the shovel, making sure the hole was filled in, Hope brushed the dirt off before replacing it into her bag. Slowly standing once again and brushing herself off, she continues to let Kip hold the flower, not taking it from him but she continues to walk again at a slower pace. She wasn't sure if Kip would understand the connection to the flower and the hole in the earth, but she knew he was smart. So even if he didn't get it right away, he would continue to think about it and it would come to him.


Walking out of the bunkhouse with a warm cup of coffee, Stacy lets out a sigh. She'd slept longer than intended. It had felt really good though - a much needed sleep for sure. So she tried not to beat herself up too much about it.

Stepping down the first step and taking a sip of her coffee, movement catches the corner of her eye, causing her to look up. Seeing Eric, she is about to look away, but her own head just won't move as she continued to watch him with the horse. There was something different about him this morning - something more vibrant. His skin wet, twinkling in the sunlight... his hair dancing softly in the breeze.

After a few more moments of watching him, Stacy realizes maybe it was a little too long, and heads the rest of the way down the porch and makes her way to the dining hall, color on her cheeks. She was heading into town today to get a few things and wanted to find Ashlee to see if she wanted to come with her.

Stepping inside and not seeing her in the dining hall, after scanning the room, she turns around and walks out again, wondering where else she might be. Remembering she had seen her in the barn a few times, she makes her way there, completely forgetting she had just seen Eric go in there as well.

Not paying too much attention, Stacy looks down at her empty coffee cup. She definitely needed another cup this morning. Rounding the corner, she finally looks up but it was much to late as she collides head-on with Eric. Taking a few steps back, she drops her cup and grabs onto Eric's arms to steady herself, his firm muscles under her fingers.


Giving a small chuckle, Beth felt a little better that Justin had forgiven her. They were still friends, and she was happy about that. He was the first real friend she had had. To lose him would be a sad thing for her - it had felt pretty horrible.

"Oh, man, I didn't even think about it. I should have brought some with me."

Beth gives a smile. It was good to see even though there was something bad going on, Justin still had a little bit of his humor. She could tell by his face he was he was worried, though. Even if his brother wasn't the best person, he was still family, and to lose a family member hurt no matter what.

Reaching over with her free hand, she gives his hand a little pat, looking at him and offering a warm, comforting smile. "No matter what happens, it's going to be alright. How is your mom holding up?"


Ryan's expression that once looked at Alec with understanding, passion and much more, was now cold as she looks at him. Him just standing there and spouting off at the mouth even if he was saying sorry made her blood boil. Did he really think she could forget everything that happened?

Taking a step back to make his hand fall from her face, Ryan crosses her arms over her chest. Looking at Alec for a long moment before finally talking, she just studies him.

"If I remember right, where we left off, you were telling me you hated me. That's a pretty crappy place to pick up at. Further back I don't want to even go there. No, Alec, it's not that simple. You can't walk in and out of someone's life when you feel like it. No matter the reason, it's wrong and not okay."

Uncrossing her arms, Ryan's face held so many emotions - sadness, anger, hurt. It was hard to just pick one and decide which one was stronger than the others. Just being out here talking to Alec hurt. Why had she agreed to come out and talk to him? She had no idea and now wishes she hadn't at all.

"Sorry, Alec, but second chances don't come that easily. I've moved on. life didn't stand still because you were off messing around. So do I forgive you? Yes. Will I forget and take you back...no!"

Without saying anything else, Ryan steps back inside, closing the door behind her. Leaning up against it, she closes her eyes for a moment, trying not to let her emotions overflow. Composing herself, she walks back into the living room. Giving a smile, she gets back on the couch where she was before being disturbed. Leaning against Tal, she takes his arm and puts it around herself before giving his hand a kiss. "Alright, so what are we watching here? It's not something girly is it?"


Taking a sip of her water, Sapphire listens as Scott talks across from her. She had picked a little place she knew would be on the quiet side at this time. She at least wanted to make her brother somewhat comfortable and if it was picking a place with less people, she was okay with that.

"I'm really happy you're doing better, Scott. Having to go in every once in a while is so much better than being there all the time." Looking down at her plate for a moment, she takes another bite of her burgers, eating a little slower than normal but not minding. It meant she could have more time with her brother, so she was okay with that.

"I really did miss seeing you all the time. Work's just not the same without you there. I know Mom and Dad were worried too. You should stop by and see them too, for sure."

She gives Scott a warm smile, her eyes just twinkling, showing she really was happy he was there and doing so much better. "I am doing alright. Life seems to be moving on just as busy as always. Gage got a job and art lessons all at the same time. Alec got that for him before he went rogue on us. But now Alec is back again and trying to get on the right track once again. Jason is pretty sick and Rick isn't sure why. He doesn't have much time left from what I am told. Katie is taking it pretty hard. Laura had her baby and they are doing good. Nate is making a good father. As for me... well, you know me. Nothing too exciting has happened. I kind of like the same old same old. Then again, I have always been like that."

Sapphire gives a chuckle as she looks down at her food and then back up at Scott again, giving a shake of her head, realizing she had just said a whole mouthful at once. "Other than rambling, that is. I don't think that will ever stop."


As Bree listens to Gunner and his story, she couldn't help but snicker here and there, doing her best not to outright laugh. He was so into the story, she didn't want to interrupt it. She had never heard this story though and it was rather funny.

Keeping her legs partially wrapped around Gunner, she shifts a little before looking across the fire at JT and Amanda. Giving them both a smile, she was happy that neither one of them seemed too mad about how they had gotten them to come along.

Listening to Gunner's story, Amanda has to bring her hand to her mouth to keep from laughing. Being a doctor, she could visualize how it would be if a patient was rushed in with splinters in their backside. It would be quite shocking to say the least. Shaking her head, she can't help it anymore and starts laughing. It was way too funny to keep it in anymore and she figured that was about the end of the story anyway. Her laughter continues too, for several long moments, her face turning a few different shades of red.

"I've seen some things in my medical profession, but I don't think I have ever seen that. Even if I had, I don't know if I could have anything to do with it from laughing so hard."

Looking over at JT, she smiles as the fire casts a soft glow on her face. The air was crisp, but the warmth of the fire was nice. A few times, she thought about moving a little closer to JT, but he hadn't taken any initiative on it, so maybe he didn't want to, and the last thing she wanted to do was make him feel uncomfortable, especially if they were spending a few days here.

Looking down at Gunner, Bree smiles. She couldn't be happier right now. Being here with Gunner, with her family, it all just seemed so perfect. Then again, any time spent with Gunner was a wonderful time. Her own personal vampire.

Glancing to JT and Amanda for a moment and seeing them so far apart, she couldn't help but roll her eyes and look back at Gunner. The firelight dancing in her eyes as she looks down at him again, whispering, "I guess I forgot to tell him that part. Now he knows firsthand though."


Giving a nod to Rick as he leaves, Katie didn't have anything else to say. Everything would be so different for her and Jason. That was a sure thing. She had to keep her head up though, and go into it positively. It's how they would survive and she loved Jason so much that she knew it was the right choice without second guesses.

Going over to Jason's side and sitting down, she leans her head on his arm. the antidote made it so they didn't have their connection but still at the door she could feel the pull just waiting for the right time to be free again. Little did it know that soon there would be no door, only a solid brick wall.

"It's going to be okay, J. They have a plan and a cure for you. You're going to be okay."


Leaning back in his chair, Nate rests his hands on his desk and drums them softly, thinking for a moment and working everything through in his head. Wyatt was the smart one and with just a few simple ideas, Nate's own mind started reeling too.

"Dart guns...I wouldn't have thought of that. That has to be much safer than just running in guns blazing, and not killing anyone is even better. After all, we aren't the Underground."

He stands and paces a little bit. If Dalton stayed here, that would be good and well unless someone walked in on him and the whole thing went up in smoke. Was that really a smart move? "Maybe we could set Dalton up in a van close by, or maybe even on the rooftop with Con. It would run less chance of anyone here crashing the party."

Giving a smirk, Nate shakes his head. "I have put on a few pounds since the last time you had to drag me." He stops and looks to Wyatt. He could see the excitement in the young man's eyes and could only guess it was more than likely in his own too, and he knew it. There was always excitement with action involved. "I told you you were the brains."


Sitting in the back room on her beak, Thirteen moves her phone from hand to hand. She wanted to call Eric back but she wasn't sure what to say. She never had someone say sorry to her before. Ryder had told her to just speak how she felt, but it was still hard.

Finally dialing the number, she stands and starts to pace as Eric's voicemail picks up. For that, she was as little happy. "Uncle Eric, it's Thirteen. I got your message and I just wanted to let you know I love you. I forgive you too."

She stops and looks out the window on the door. Seeing more people come in, she knew her break was over. "I better get back to work. I hope to see you soon. Bye."

Splinters

Letting Hope do the talking, Kip continues his quick walking pace, still incredibly nervous. His hands shift from his pockets to fingers fidgeting, arms folded, arms swinging, fiddling with a twig then back to the pockets. But what Hope said did interest his ears. She'd been sick? She gave God the credit for her healing? That was pretty cool. Her explanation of being a "friend" and not a "counselor" kinda sounded like something any counselor would say to try and make a patient feel better, so Kip wasn't so sure he really believed it, but Hope did seem fairly genuine and definitely nice.

As they walk alongside the small pond, Kip doesn't realize that his pace has slowed a little. "I never was too good at listening," he admits. "At least I don't think so. I guess I always talked too much since I was always getting told to shut up." He gives a quiet laugh, though it's more of a scoff. "Maybe it wasn't always that way though. I mean, before my sister died. After that, I guess I just got double the trouble since I was the only one around. Not that it was bad or anything... I mean I didn't mind... it was just the way it was... or... I mean... yeah."

Clamming up again, his eyes go back to the ground. He felt stupid and didn't even know why. His pace speeds up again then slows until he comes to a sudden halt. Spinning to face Hope, his thumbs hook into his belt loops and his eyes squint slightly to study her own. "I don't really know why Kyle thought talking to you would help me. I don't understand how talking about my screwed-up past is gonna help my future any." He wasn't trying to be stubborn, and his confused gaze proved it. His tone was not harsh - it was quiet and lost. "I don't know all that he told you but... I got beat up a lot by my dad. I don't see how that has anything to do with why I'm depressed today though, 'cause I've had a good life lately. I just..."

He sighs and shrugs lamely. "I just don't wanna waste your time."


In the kitchen and rinsing his coffee cup, Eric pauses as Stacy joins him. His eyes lock with hers, and for a moment, he is very curious about that spark deep within her gaze. What was it? What was she thinking? Why was something about that look almost luring? Every time he looked at her, he saw something more... something deeper.

Blinking, he finally turns back to what he was doing, wiping out the coffee cup with a towel. Hearing her thanks, he glances over his shoulder, a little grin returning to his lips. "I think I liked it, too."

Watching her leave, he stands alone for a few minutes before eventually going back out into the night air. He takes his time ambling to his bunkhouse, mulling over many things in his mind...

...Seven-thirty a.m. Most of the ranch was up, and chores were being started as the sun made known it was going to be a beautiful day. As ranch hands went about their morning routines, a lone horse and rider rode slowly up the path from the woods - early for anyone to have been out riding.

Eric steers the mare towards the barn, physically weary from a hard ride, but mentally refreshed. Sweat trickles down the sides of his face from under the brim of his hat. His shirt sleeves were rolled up past his elbows and dust from the trail stuck to his sweaty skin. His mount hangs her head low, and sighs, worn out from the morning exercise. She had started out resisting a workout, but after a jog through the woods and a run across several open fields, she had given in to the bit, following her rider's direction for a several-hour ride.

Coming to a halt outside the barn, Eric slowly dismounts, the saddle's leather creaking with his movement. On the ground again, he lets out a deep sigh of contentment before rubbing his sore leg a little to get it loosened up. It had been a while since he'd been in the saddle - he would probably need a nice hot bath tonight so he didn't regret this ride too much tomorrow. The mare, thankful for the lifted weight, rests her head against his shoulder and starts to rub away the itchiness from her bridle.

Eric chuckles and with gentle hands makes her stop. "Naw, naw... not while you still got that bridle on. You're gonna tear up my shirt."

She sighs again but relents, willing to do whatever asked.

"Little early for a ride, don't ya think?"

Eric turns to see Jeff, and he shrugs before tilting his hat back a bit on his head. "Not when you've been up all night."

Jeff quirks an eyebrow, taking off his gloves from the work he'd been doing. "All night?"

"I guess I got maybe an hour of sleep when I dozed once." Eric loosens the saddle's girth and gives the mare's neck a pat. "Funny though... I ain't all that tired." He glances back to his brother again. "Look, I'm... sorry about yesterday."

Jeff purses his lips, not really sure what had changed, but not unwilling to offer forgiveness. "Forget it. I probably shouldn't have been razzing you like I was anyway." He gestures to the horse, finding an excuse to change the subject. "Need any help? Everything in the barn is under control and I'm just getting in the way."

Eric knew that meant probably Jeff had overexerted himself and just needed a short break, but he doesn't draw attention to it. "Naw... I just wanna finish this up before breakfast. Unless I missed it."

"Nope. I think they're running late in the kitchen anyway."

"Why? Luke tryin' to cook again?"

Jeff laughs, not only finding the comment funny, but also a bit surprised to receive the humor coming from his brother today. "I didn't see smoke, so I don't think so."

Eric grins, turning back to the horse to unbuckle the breast collar. "Alright. I'll see ya in a bit." Left alone again, he slowly leads the mare nearer the water hydrant. Sliding the saddle and blanket off her back, he sets it down a few steps away, then returns, running a hand over her sweaty coat. The damp scent fills his nostrils and the saltiness from the sweat could be tasted on his lips. Leaning on the mare for just a moment or two, he's taken back years, when horses were his life. He'd had a lot of those memories come up this morning... he'd had a lot of different things flow through his mind. At a time when his life felt as though it had spun out of control, there was a stillness now, as if he had been flung like a rag doll to come to an abrupt halt at a fork in the road. One road allowed him to wallow in his misery and stay retreated in his own little world. And one road... well, he wasn't sure what that road held - it was lost in a strange veil of fog. But there was something there that called to him... something that said the unknown wasn't something to be feared. There was a lot of living left to do, no matter the past.

Being nudged by the mare's nose brings Eric back to attention and he shakes his head to get himself back on track. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." Stepping up to the water hydrant, he looks down at himself then back at the horse. "I ain't lookin' much better than you, am I?" Rolling his eyes, he takes off his hat and tosses it nearer the barn, then unbuttons his shirt, throwing it in the same direction.

Turning on the water and grabbing the hose, he starts around the mare's head then works down her neck and across her back, spraying off all of the sweat and grime. With a light breeze, it was hard to stay out of the water's way and Eric ends up wet as well, but he didn't mind - the coolness felt good. It felt so good, in fact, that once the mare was completely hosed off, he puts himself under the hose, too. Gasping as the cold water hits him, he drenches his head and upper body before shutting off the water and shaking out his hair. As soon as he does, the mare shakes all over too, making Eric laugh. Getting her scraped off doesn't take long, and within a few minutes, he's finally letting her loose in the pasture where she finds a nice grassy spot to roll before joining the other horses for breakfast. He leans on the fence and watcher her for a few minutes before deciding he better get a move on if he really did want breakfast.

Collecting the discarded tack, Eric looks down at his wet self and smirks. He probably needed a real shower before letting everybody else see him. Grabbing the bridle and hefting up the saddle over his shoulder, he heads into the barn. Once in the tack room, he puts everything away, running a hand through his damp hair as he make sure he's gotten everything. Then he remembers his shirt and hat. Swinging out of the tack room, he aims down the barn aisle again. Coming to the intersection, his eyes were distracted by watching some of the others heading to the mess hall, and he rounds the corner without caution.


Watching Ryan leave, Tal tries not to be nervous about it. Alec's presence really shouldn't bother him this much... but it did. He wasn't sure what he was worried about... maybe he just didn't want to see Ryan caught in the middle of anything. He glances over to Eli, who returns to sit down in his chair again.

Eli catches his eye and shrugs. What could he say? He'd like to tell Alec to take a hike, but this was Ryan's decision. He didn't want anything to do with Alec and was a tad bit angry he'd shown up. But Ryan could handle herself.

Out in the hall, Alec takes a short step back, making room for Ryan to join him. His stomach does a little flipflop, unused to feeling so awkward around her. But the eyes that he'd seen filled with warmth and life were now filled with something else... something harder... something colder... something that warned him not to advance too quickly. He'd broken her trust - he knew that. But surely there was a way to get it back. He'd won her over once - he could do it again.

A little grin forms at her question. "Why else would I come but to see you?" He cocks his head and studies her for several moments. Something was very different, and though he didn't let it show, it made him somewhat nervous.

"Look, um..." He might as well just jump right in. He had a feeling Ryan wasn't in the mood for chit-chat. "I know you know about everything that happened with me and I know I said some mean things to you." He sighs. "But I'm not in prison on account of my reasons for going off with the Agency in the first place."

He pauses and looks into Ryan's eyes again. "If I hadn't gone with them, people would have died... you would have been hurt... and I didn't want to see that happen. I did some stupid things, I'll admit, but I never set out to turn my back on the good guys... or to hurt you." He bites his lower lip. "That's the short version, but the point is, I'm sorry for letting you think I didn't care. I'm trying to get back on my feet and I've got a lot of stupid rules to follow and a lot of dumb things I gotta do, but at least I'm not behind bars." His eyes drift downward to his ankle where his jeans hid the bracelet that was sure to be his demise. He looks up again.

"I guess I just... I guess I just thought maybe you and I could... start over or something."

His hand reaches out to brush her cheek gently. This had to work... this had to. If he could just say the right things and convince her he was sincere. He missed her so much and just wanted her back in his life. "Ever since that first time you picked me up, you were the only thing that ever made sense to me." His tone had grown softer... quieter. "Can I have another chance? Can we start over?"


Scott had known deep down that his sister forgave him, but hearing it again was reassuring. His shoulders drop a little, relieved at her response. He wouldn't have blamed her if she'd turned him away. But it would have hurt. He'd missed his sister... a lot.

Having Sapphire offer to skip a date with Gage to have lunch with him instead, Scott eyes her with a bit of surprise. He wasn't surprised to know the two were still dating, but he was surprised that his sister would choose lunch with him over her boyfriend. "Um... yeah... yeah, sure." He wasn't hungry - he'd forgotten it was lunchtime. But he was never hungry, so that was nothing new.

"We can go out somewhere... that's okay. It, um..." He bites his lip. "I mean..." His face reddens slightly. "I still sorta get nervous around people, but it's not as bad as it was. Kinda figured out how not to freak out when I remember stuff." He forces a small smile. "Justin said I should get out and try to... um... just get out more." A soft little laugh surfaces. "But I guess that's nothing new."

...A while later, Scott sat across from Sapphire in a booth at the little fast food restaurant. It wasn't a busy day - a fact he appreciated. He did feel a bit awkward though. It had been a long time since he'd been out in public, and Justin had been right - it wasn't easy. But at least he was with his sister. That made it a little better.

Running a french fry through some ketchup, he looks at the barely-half-eaten burger and the rest of his fries. He was trying... he really was. Meals were just... hard. He takes another bite of his french fry and looks over at Sapphire again. "So yeah... Justin will see me once a week or so for a while and I'll hafta go back to Brookshire every so often for some psych evaluations. But... but I'm a lot better than I was." He nods, feeling more confident in that fact than he had in a very long time.

"So... how are things with you?" The question seemed so trite and he offers a sheepish sort of grin. "Some days it feels like I saw you yesterday... but I know it's been a lifetime ago."


After JT gets changed into his casual clothes, he makes a beeline for Gunner, insisting that he help finish setting up the tents, gathering firewood or anything he could think of... mainly to keep himself busy enough that he didn't embarrass himself with Amanda again.

It was surprising that there was no further argument from the two doctors that they had been kidnapped. But perhaps they were silently glad that someone had finally forced them to take some time off. The afternoon turns into early evening, which turns into sunset. The short time was almost entirely filled with setting up camp, making sure all the provisions were where they were supposed to be, and scouting out a few trails in case anyone wanted to hike the next day. At one point, neither Gunner or JT could be found, but soon they reappeared, just in time to help with a supper of hotdogs and baked beans over an open fire.

The fire was glowing warm, the stars were out, and conversation was light. JT was settled on a log with a cup of coffee in hand, leaning his elbows on his knees as he listened to Gunner, who had volunteered a story in answer to JT's question about why he'd had a scar on his bottom... No one really knew how the subject had come up, but once Gunner had said it, it was free game and he wasn't going to be allowed to go to bed without telling them about it.

"So here we were, Conrad and me patrolling the street. We were mad enough the way it was being put on patrol anyway, then we hear a call about some hotshot burglar who ripped off this gas station only a few blocks from where we were. Not to be outdone, we decided we'd be first on the scene."

Gunner smirks a little at the memory. He sits on the ground, using a log as a backrest and Bree's legs as armrests as she sat behind him on the log. His eyes flitted back and forth between JT and Amanda who was - unfortunately, as Gunner and Bree would have it - sitting several feet from him. "Neither one of us were being too smart that day, and we wound up in a car chase. Mind you, it was rush hour traffic. Here Con was behind the wheel and I was shouting, 'Left! Right! Left!' He was missing cars by inches - horn honking, siren blaring... I thought I was gonna have to change my shorts - if I could pry my fingers from the dashboard first."

By now, JT was starting to laugh, and Gunner was getting a twinkle in his eye, intensified by the glowing fire. "So we chased down this maniac to the far side of town where he ran up over the curb, hit a fire hydrant and created our own personal Old Faithful right there on the street. We woulda charged onlookers if we woulda had time. Anyway, Con was so close behind him that we got the cruiser washed for free. Would have been a bonus when reporting to the chief except for the dent in the bumper we got for rearending the guy. At the same time, I discovered I really could fit on top of the dashboard, squished between vinyl and the windshield. If I'd been a contortionist, it wouldn't have been so bad, but Con just left me there, waving my hands like some upturned turtle, calling, 'Help! Help!'

Gunner tries not to laugh as he demonstrates his cries for help, his hands flailing and his arms bumping Bree's legs. It was a good thing his mug was empty of hot cocoa - otherwise it would have gone everywhere. JT tries not to interrupt with laughing as Gunner continues. "We finally ended up on foot, running after this guy pellmell down the sidewalk. So there's Con, the giant, and me in toe, two uniformed bafoons sweating like you wouldn't believe. Anybody coulda followed us just by tracking our trail of sweat. Well, the guy took off inside a building, apparently deciding that a good escape would be the stairs. Now why anyone ever thinks that going up is a good escape route, I'll never know, but that's what this guy did. Con and I were already winded, but instead of calling for backup or actually using our heads and just waiting at the bottom for the guy to come out, we go huffing and puffing up three flights of stairs. By the time we reached the third level, Con was ready to blow the guy's brains out just for the trouble, but thankfully there hadn't been any good angles."

Gunner pauses, swallowing a chuckle as his eyes start to glaze over from the effort it took not to laugh. It was bad enough remembering the hilarity of the story, but seeing JT about ready to burst made it even harder. "So we get up to that third floor and I'm ready for anything. I barge in there without even looking, and dive. My hands wrapped around that guy's ankles and brought him down on the floor, his face smacking so hard he broke his nose. I don't know who he was, but somehow he had the nerve to fight me off and here we were rolling around on the floor having a great time, and would you believe I look over and there's Con, watching the whole thing with his hands on his hips and a stupid grin on his face. He was enjoying watching me take a beating! So I yell at him, I say, 'Conrad, get your lazy behind over here and help me!' That was a mistake."

JT puts a hand over his mouth as he tries not to interrupt the story. He dares not look at Bree, or Amanda, lest he burst out laughing.

"So yeah, here's Con," Gunner continues, "ten feet tall and he comes and instead of just subduing the guy, he yanks him up from the floor and puts him in a bearhug. Thing was, the guy had one good kick left in him, and he decides to use it right when I got to my feet. His feet nailed me in the gut. I go reeling backward, and would you know, there's a window right behind me."

He gestures with his arms. "Yeah, you know what happened. I went back, went right through the dang thing, and down." He whistles like a dropped bomb. "I never thought it could take so long to get to the ground, but I swear it was a lifetime. Fortunately, there was this crappy little wooden shack some hobo had put together in the alley. It served to break my fall, but I still got the wind knocked out of me. I don't know what happened the next ten minutes, but when I looked up again, there was Con looking down on me saying, 'Hey, you alive?' 'Of course I'm not!' I shouted, 'I just fell from a window!' All he did was grin and get me to my feet. That's when I started jumping around like a madman, yelling at Con to get that thing off of me."

Finally, a chuckle slips out and Gunner has to take a moment to regain his composure. "Con said, 'What are you talking about?' I yelled at him, still hopping around, tripping over the debris from my skydiving adventure, 'I got a pitbull on my butt!' Boy howdy, it's what it felt like, too. Con grabbed me, turned me around, and the big clown started laughing at me. I was in pain, and all he could do was laugh!"

That was it. JT was in stitches and he has to set down his coffee mug before wiping tears of suppressed laughter from his eyes. "What was it?"

Gunner leans forward, his face red with silly sheepishness, made even redder by the firelight. "I had splinters this long sticking out of my backside!" He demonstrates several inches. "What do you say when the paramedics arrive? 'No, no one got shot, I jut got a load of wood in my butt'? 'Leave your scalpel but bring your chainsaw'?"

JT holds his sides as he laughs. "What did you do?"

"I had to have them dang splinters surgically removed. Couldn't sit for a week and carried around one of them ridiculous doughnut pillow things. When people asked me why I was always standing, I told them I had a rare medical condition called splintitis. Believe it or not, I had some folks fooled." Gunner shakes his head as a laugh slips out. "Yeah... those were the days."

JT settles his laughter and finally glances over to Amanda. He'd been tempted several times to sit closer to her, but didn't dare as the two "youngsters" looked on. "Next time I want to ask Gunner about his past, remind me not to, will you? I think I've just been given too much information."

Gunner laughs. "You shoulda known better before tonight." He scoots further down and leans back, his head resting on Bree's leg now. Craning his neck, he looks up at her. "Didn't you tell him not to ask when I say weird things?"


"You don't need to go anywhere," Rick assures, reaching over to pat Katie's hand. "We're trying to set up a neutral location to trade off the cure for the information. If the Agency agrees, they'll check out the data while we're together and I'll check out the cure before we part. Then I'll come back and we'll start whatever it is we need to start. I think it will be a series of shots."

Standing up, Rick nods to the door. "I do need to go and get this rolling. I... know even though the answer seemed obvious that this isn't easy for you. And I know that after it's all said and done, if everything goes as planned, things will be different. Most people won't realize the sacrifice you've made by letting the connection with Jason go, but... I think I have an idea, and I'm proud of you."

And while Rick goes to make more phone calls to the Agency and inform Cindy and Derek of what was going on, Jason lies still and quiet in the infirmary. His breathing was slow and quiet - giving the false impression that all was well. Inside, his body fought its toughest battle yet, unaware that when rallied, he would awaken to a much different world.


Wyatt purses his lips and leans back in his chair thoughtfully as Nate talks. His last comment though, makes him look up and smirk. "I guess I can sacrifice brawn for brain." He rolls his eyes. "Well... the only thing I can really think of to get the drop on anybody is a sniper. I'm thinking tranqu darts though - no blood and we don't get taken in for murder."

He pauses, the wheels turning in his mind. "They probably won't have more than three or four people, I'd figure. Once you've got a hand on Destiny and head back for the car, bam - one, two, three, four - they won't know what hit them. Chance will be left standing and obviously he'll come with us rather than stick around for the bums to wake up and take him to be tortured."

He knew it was easier said than done, but that was the gist of his thinking. The next question would be who the sniper would be, and it was a question that didn't need to be voiced. "I'm thinking Con. He hasn't been in the field much lately, but he's the best we got and I know he'd help and keep his mouth shut. And Dalton... we'll need him here as planned, with his eyes on the satellite with some heat sensors so he can tell Con where his targets are. We'll also need to smuggle out some night gear for Con so he can see what's going on and shoots the bad guys and not you. I wouldn't want to lug your heavy carcass back to base."

A new little grin surfaces. TJY had been busy lately, but most of their work had been small cases surrounded by more paperwork than anything. Planning something like this, whether approved by Reese or not, got the blood pumping again. Wyatt shrugs. "That's just one idea."

The brawn

Hope walks happily with Kip, not minding at all that he set his own pace. It was a little faster than she would set herself, but for at least a little bit, she would be able to keep up before she became tired. She can tell Kip was nervous and not sure what to say, so letting him go how he wanted to was alright and she hoped it would make him more comfortable.

"Well let's see... you're one of the first people I have talked to in depth with since I have returned to work. I'd been out for a while because I was sick, but God healed me. I guess he decided he wasn't ready for me."

Giving a smile and looking at the sky for a moment, Hope gives a smile. She was at peace with what happened to her and though going to her eternal home was something she looked forward to, seeing why God wasn't ready made her even more excited. "I don't really like calling myself a counselor. I like saying I am more of a friend that's easy to talk to. Listening is something that's always come easy to me and my own personal experiences help me help others."

As Hope talked, her eyes sparkled, not that she was talking about herself, but she was being able to talk and share her faith with someone else. A lot had been going on, and she was still missing one important piece in her life, but she still did her best to move on through the day, trusting God would let everything turn out how it should.


Looking up at Eric as he stops, Stacy gives a genuine smile as the lights dance across his face and his eyes for a moment. The first smile she had seen from him, and it put him well over a ten or eleven even, but saving him from embarrassment, she wouldn't say it. "I'd have to say you aren't either. We're just a little wiser now."

Standing and giving a small yawn, Stacy knew she should continue her rounds as well, to make sure all was well before heading to bed. Tomorrow would be an early one, going out and putting in some of the new security fences where she thought there could be a breach. "Well, I guess I should probably head out myself..."

She moves towards the kitchen and stands next to Eric at the sink, rinsing out her cup before setting it down. Turning a little to look at him, she studies him for a moment. A strange pull seemed to be in his eyes. They were deep and almost called to her, beckoning her to come closer.

Breaking her gaze though, she knew she would be treading on dangerous ground if she continued to look into his eyes that night as the moon played its dance of light. She couldn't slip - she was here for a job, not to make a love connection. Love...ha...she hardly even knew Eric. What was she thinking? Giving a laugh, she moves away from the sink but stops in the doorway, turning to look over her shoulder at Eric.

"Thanks for the talk, Eric. It was nice opening up to someone. That's something I haven't done...ever, I think. I think I liked it though."

And with that, Stacy turned again to continue her night before heading to bed. The image of Eric that night though, erased her previous one - it was a picture often played in her mind as she moved slowly through the night air, nature singing in her ear.


Pulling away from her brother a little bit and just studying him for a moment, taking in his apology, Sapphire really wondered if Scott would think she was still mad at him or hadn't forgiven him already. He was her best friend and he always would be - of course she did.

"I already forgave you, Scott. You're my brother - nothing could keep me from loving you." She really meant it, too. Maybe things had changed and both of them had grown apart a little bit, but still no matter what, she knew they were closer than anyone else. If there was a problem, he would know, and if he needed her, she would always be there.

"I was going to meet Gage for lunch but I think I'd rather have lunch with you today. I can always see him for dinner. That is, if you're feeling up to it? I don't mind if we go out, bring it back here, or go back to my place. You pick...I'd like to do what you want to do."

Knowing her brother was comfortable in whatever the did was Sapphire's top priority. This afternoon would be special wherever they went and she would call Gage and meet him for dinner instead of lunch. She knew he would understand.


Glancing at Bree and Gunner as they start to put up the tents with ease, Amanda can only shake her head, finding JT's statement rather funny. "I think they are going to have no problems staying alive. Us, however, might be another story. I haven't been camping since I was a little girl. I'm not even sure I remember what it's like."

Hearing JT's comment, Amanda can't help but let her own eyes get big for a moment. Though JT was absolutely right, it still made color come to her cheeks and she lost her train of thought. Maybe it was just the simple idea that JT wasn't a patient.

"Yeah, I am gonna... uhhh...go change over there...in the car... I'll see ya later."


Seeing her brother jump from the corner of her eye, Ryan couldn't help but snicker as she leaned against Tal, not making any attempt to move. She was comfortable and warm on the couch. Moving was the last thing on her mind.

"You're such a good brother, not making me get up. You know if Scarlet were here and you guys were cuddled all comfortably, I would get up for you, too."

Once Eli was out of sight, Ryan can't help the grin that moves to her lips as she sat up only enough to turn a little and press her lips against Tal's. "I thought he would never leave."

Giving him another kiss, she doesn't let it linger long as Eli comes back into the room, the look on his face a completely different one now. Hearing who was at the door makes Ryan tense herself just a little. She hadn't expected Alec to show up, let alone have the guts to do so. Now he was here, and he wanted to talk to her?

She didn't owe him anything and she knew it, but the curiosity of wanting to know why he had shown up was what made her move to sit up. Looking down at Tal for a moment, she gives him a look of apology for having to move. "Yeah, okay, give me a second. Don't you move a muscle. This won't take long."

Getting up from the couch and walking towards the door, Ryan shakes her head slightly and lets out a sigh as she passes her brother. Though she wondered why Alec was there, somewhere inside, she knew why, and she knew her answer even if emotions tried to tell her differently.

Stepping outside, Ryan lets the door close slightly behind her, but enough was still open to let the glow from inside cast its light on the front steps. "What are you doing here, Alec?"


Hearing that Rick needed to talk to her, Katie's heart raced as a million questions ran through her mind. Did something happen to Jason? Was he okay? Katie couldn't help but think the worst as she sat down in the chair across from Rick. If she hadn't been here and something happened, she would never live it down.

Just listening, she soaks in everything Rick says and her heart pounds even faster for a whole other reason. Jason could be saved - at the cost of their connection, but J living was more important and knowing her love would be with her longer was worth every moment.

"Of course I am okay with it, Rick. It's to save Jason's life. How could I say no? That would make me a cold, heartless person." Though Rick was trying to make this her choice, Katie knew somewhere in the back of her mind she didn't have a choice. But it was okay, right? She loved Jason and keeping him around with her a while longer was so very important.

"So when are we going to do this and there is no way Jason is going alone. I want to go, too."

Normal people... Katie lets that linger in her mind for a long moment, thinking about it as she waited for Rick's reply. This was normal to her, so what would life really be like? Would anything change or would things be the same without the connection?


Nate taps his pen absentmindedly on the desk as he looks across at Wyatt. He knew their reasons would be different, but the goal was still the same and really that's what Nate was aiming for.

"Well, I think if we were to just feed him to the Underground, that would be letting him off easy. So, we can do this two ways - go in guns blazing or one of us gets Destiny out of harm's way because I certainly don't want her getting any more hurt than she has been already, while the other keeps an eye on the building."

This was dangerous and Nate knew it. They knew nothing about the building, how it was set up or even about the people in the Underground. But maybe if they could get a little more information about it, that would help. "What do you think? You've always been the brains. I'm just the brawn."