Different Meaning

Continuing to watch Carson for a long moment Misty could see the pain in his eyes. Part of her wanted to say good to his face. He's made her suffer so much what goes around comes around, but part of her new as a growing Christian that was not the right thing to do and she felt a little compassion. She did feel bad for him, and she did wish things would of gone differently but he'd done this to himself for not being honest and make her believe something that was not true.

   "Home is a funny word after you decide to toss it all away Carson...no matter the reason."

Dropping her hands from Carson's Misty goes back to the counter and gets some bandages to wrap up his hand to keep it clean. Letting out a small sigh Misty could feel her own tears building in her eyes. It was still hard to see him and not think about everything that happened. On top of that with the life growing inside her she was starting to get moody and more emotional.

Turning around and going back to Carson Misty takes his hand again and start wrapping it. She tried to do it quickly but that made her hands shake more than they already were. So many emotions still ran with her because of this man. Love, hate, anger...she hated this, and she hated how she felt when Carson was around.

   "I'm truly am sorry things didn't go how you thought they would Carson but I can't just brush that under the rug. I can't do it anymore."

Finishing with his hand Misty takes a few steps backward looking up at Carson once more. He looked horrible, she felt bad, but she had to hold her ground. This had gone on enough and if Carson hadn't changed would he ever? He seemed like he was start to now but he seemed like that before too. On top of that she had Jason now, and she was falling for him. He was so good to her, and his company was wonderful. Life seemed right and the way she had wanted it for a long time. She couldn't just throw that away.

   "Ok, you are all set."

Feeling Jared's finger on her face Grace leans her head into his hand a little bit looking up at him. Her eyes sparkled as she looked back into his own. She loved this feeling he gave her and the softness of him. She could never thing he had been any other way.

   "Anything with you is worth a kiss."

Listing to Gunner intently Bree just sipped her rootbeer float. When she had come over this afternoon she could tell something was wrong. Gunner just didn't seem himself and the long look on his face confirmed it. Now hearing everything he had to say she understood and wondered if this was the end resalt to what was bothering him all week.

   "Seeing Hope is not to bad. I like her, she is nice, smart. and really enjoys helping people even with the littlest of problems."

Taking another sip and searching Gunner's face Bree did feel bad for him. She new how much this bothered him and and she wish there was more she could do. But if this had been the problem than it should be fixed so it didn't torcher Gunner anymore.

   "So, I want to help you with your mission. If you had told me sooner I would be already. Next time tell me...ok? I'll love you no matter what."

I just want...

Carson bit his lip to keep from wincing as Misty started working on his hand. Even so, it had been so long since she'd touched him at all, that he almost didn't mind the pain. 

He sighed at her comment about taking care of himself. "I know..." He removed his eyes from his hand. "I tried to make myself a grilled cheese sandwich the other night," he explained softly. "But it just didn't taste as good as yours." He paused to swallow hard. "And when I close my eyes at night, all I see is your face. So I don't want to go to sleep, for fear I'll miss out on seeing you more." 

Oh, how he missed her. He wished Rick would have been here today. He wished he could have just come, let Rick fix him up, then leave. But instead, he was caught in a sudden tidal wave of emotions. "I just want to come home," he almost whispered.

His eyes began to glisten and he quickly rubbed out any tears with his free hand. "Man, that hurts." It was foolish of him to believe Misty would think he was crying because of his hand - physical pain had always meant little to him. But he felt even more foolish for letting his emotions get the best of him while being with her. She didn't need to see a crying idiot. She hated his guts and would just think him all the more a fool. Even so...he had to work hard at keeping any more tears from surfacing.

Jared was so glad that Grace had been enjoying the evening. He'd really been afraid that his efforts were rather corny, but it all seemed to have come off well. It was worth his exhaustion and physical pain. 

"Good...I'm glad." He reached over to set a light finger under her chin and tilt her face up at his. "Is it worth a kiss to you?" he asked softly.

Gunner chuckles at Bree, thankful for her sense of humor. "Yeah - no root, root beer sounds good. I'll see you later then." 

It wasn't until later when Bree was at his apartment and they were eating pizza in the living room that Gunner finally told her what was going on. He knew she'd just question even more, as he had been picking at the same piece of pizza for a while now, when usually he devoured a whole lot more than that. 

"Reese put me on an indefinite leave of absence today..." He rested his elbows on his knees with his plate on the coffee table, and kept his eyes busy on his food as he managed another small bite.

"Seems he didn't like it that I started digging up the past again about the accident." Had Bree already figured it out? He wondered. "Guess he thinks I'm going all obsessive or something again - although I haven't held a knife to anybody's throat since your uncle." That much was true. He hadn't resorted to violence this time around. 

He shrugged lamely. "He wants me to start seeing Hope so she can try to fix me. Until he's satisfied though...I'm not supposed to work." He picked up his pizza to take another bite, but changed his mind and set it back down again. "Even took my badge and gun," he concluded lamely. 

No Root

Looking at Carson's hand as it continued to bleed Misty was liable to just let him sit there and bleed. But that would put her own job in danger not to mention her own morals of letting someone just sit there and die. Letting out a long sigh and shaking her head Misty takes his hand in her own before taking some peroxide and dumping it over top of it.

   "Next time don't get in a fight with a knife. It's not very smart, makes a mess, and takes to much time to stitch."

Taking a cloth and patting the wound Misty hold the cloth there for a second before looking up at Carson. Looking into his eyes for a second Misty could see how tired he was, how little he had been eating, and how it seemed like he just didn't care.

   "You look like your not sleeping, or eating. You should take better care of yourself."

Removing the cloth Misty works quickly numb the area and start to sew it up. She new Carson a little pain and if he could feel still a little she didn't mind to much. In a way after everything happening she still wanted Carson to feel a little pain she had felt.

   "Stay still."

Sitting back and taking the remote Grace shakes her head a little bit and a smile slips on her lips. Flipping through the channels Grace finally lands on some cheesy romance comedy.  She wasn't totally sure what it was but it looked halfway decent.

   "No no, thank you Jared for having me over. I have enjoyed myself greatly. Tonight has been wonderful."

Answering her phone seeing it was Gunner Bree was happy that he was calling. Stepping into one of the bedrooms she wanted a little quiet to answer the phone.

    "Hey there Babe."

Hearing that Gunner wanted to stay in Bree let out a small sigh of re leaf. She thought he was going to cancle again but she was happy that he didn't. She didnt mind what they did as long as it was together.

   "I think pizza tonight sounds great. Want me to bring the root-beer without the root?"

Stitches

Carson bit his lip, sensing Misty's irritation. He hadn't meant to upset her. He'd assumed Rick would be here. He didn't want to put any undue stress on Misty, and would just as soon leave if his hand would quit bleeding. 

Sighing, he did as he was told and sits on the table. His eyes watched Misty at the counter. She was showing more now, which just made Carson's heart hurt even more that he could have no part in her experience of carrying their child. At least she looked good. Beautiful as ever, in fact. That must mean she was doing well, so that was good. He was miserable, but if it took being apart to make her happy then...maybe it really was for the best. How had they gotten this far to not even be friends? 

He'd forgotten what he was doing here. Clearing his throat, he started to unwrap the towel. "I got in a fight with a knife... and lost." 

He held his palm up for Misty to see the deep gash that was still bleeding. It hurt like no tomorrow, but he tried not to let it show. "I rinsed it out and tried to stop the bleeding but it just won't quit. Figured it would probably need stitches or something." 

"Nope." Jared handed Grace the remote. "You're in charge." In truth, he just really didn't know what to look for, or what Grace would want to watch. Leaving it up to her was the best option. 

He glanced over at her and grinned before moving his arm to put it around her shoulders, hoping she wouldn't mind. "Thanks for coming over tonight," he mentioned softly. "I've enjoyed your company." 

Gunner stood and took the paper from Hope, reading it before looking back at her again. "Friday, huh?" By the tone of his voice, one couldn't be sure if he'd actually show up or not. He turned to leave, waving the prescription over his shoulder. "Thanks." 

After driving around, sitting, sulking, and driving some more, Gunner eventually wound up back at his apartment. It was late afternoon and he knew that he needed to call Bree. They were supposed to do dinner tonight if he was feeling up to it, and he wasn't so sure that he was. But he also knew that now being off work for who knew how long, she had a right to know about it. 

Sacked out on his couch, he eventually called Bree's cell phone, hoping she was at a point where she could answer. 

"Hey, it's me..." He sighed. "It's been a long day. Wanna come to my apartment tonight and just order pizza?"

Her job

Looking up as the door opens Misty was slightly surprised to see Carson. Though it slightly irritated her to see him she let out a sigh. She had to at least be nice, it looks like he really did need a doctor. Glancing at his hand and than up at him Misty stands. It figured Rick would be gone.

   "No he's off today. But I can't very well tell you to go away can I. go sit down and tell me what happened."

Going over to the counter Misty pulls out a few things she thinks she might need. She didn't quite know what was going on yet but she had a good idea from all the blood. More importantly was Misty was trying to keep herself calm, and no up tight. She didn't like seeing Carson but this was her job and she had too.

Shaking her head at Jared Grace finishes cleaning up letting Jared go and get comfortable. She new it might take a little more time for him to get comfortable and Grace didn't want to feel awkward. She just wanted to make sure that tonight he would feel a little better.

Finally finished Grace heads into the living room and gives Jared a smile. Seeing him comfortable she shakes her head a little bit and sits down next to him. Leaning her head on his shoulder Grace looks up at him a little bit.

   "Find anything good?"

   "Ok I can do that for you."

Reaching into her draw again Hope pulls out a pad of paper and a pen. Jotting down a script for Gunner it was something light to help him sleep but would help. She didn't want anything to heavy after all. Reaching over the desk and handing it to Gunner she smiles.

   "Here you go. Get some rest and you can come see me anytime again. But I will set our next session for friday afternoon."

Hope new Gunner didn't like this and she hated making him come but she had too. It was important, and if it even helped Gunner have a little peace of mind, than it really was worth it.

Wounded

Gunner didn't know how Hope would help. She was no investigator, and he'd uncovered just about all the leads there were. But at this point, she was the only one who had offered, so he couldn't be mad about that. At least she hadn't started in on some psychology mumbojumbo, other than the "non-obsessive" manner in which he was supposed to conduct himself...which he wasn't exactly sure how to accomplish, but at this point, he wasn't going to ask. 

Her offer to give him something to help him sleep brought his eyes back up again. It was pretty tempting. He was so tired, even after having caught a few hours of sleep here at work. It just seemed any sleep he got was never restful anymore. 

He eventually nodded. "Yeah..." His tone had dropped - the anger was gone for now. "That would be nice." 

Jared nodded his approval, hiding a little smile. It sounded like a pretty good idea to him. He loved Grace's laugh, and having a bit of cuddle time, well...he wasn't going to say no to that. 

"Alright," he agreed. "I'm sure we can find something to watch." He helped clear things from the table, but let Grace do most of it. He didn't want to admit how much he was hurting right now after all the activities of the day. 

Only after getting to the living room did he stop and wonder how this was going to work. Still in his wheelchair, he glanced to the couch, to his legs, to the couch, then up at Grace. "Hmm." A new sheepish sort of grin slipped out, but he wouldn't admit why. He'd had some good ideas, but hadn't thought about the fact that he couldn't maneuver very well, let alone get in a good comfy position on the couch. 

Making do, he did accomplish getting from his wheelchair to the couch, allowing Grace to help. Putting his feet up on the coffee table was as good as it was going to get for him. 

Carson chuckled and nodded. "You're welcome." Since she'd started working here, Thirteen had kind of grown on him. She was sweet and caring, and did her best, even on days when she struggled with fears. Overall, he'd seen an improvement in her, and was glad to see her adjusting so well. That many years of being with the Agency was hard to overcome, but she was getting there, little by little, and he could see it. 

Getting back to work, Carson tried to concentrate again. Whether he liked it or not, this was his job and livelihood. He couldn't afford to sit and stare off in space all day, even if he wanted to. 

It wasn't until he was cleaning dishes later in the day that things took a nosedive again. Dropping a knife, reflexes kicked in and he grabbed for it, only to catch the blade by mistake. By the time the knife hit the floor, it already had Carson's blood on it. 

Grasping his left hand, Carson winced in pain. "That was real smart, Carson," he grumbled under his breath. After rinsing the wound in his palm and going through numerous paper towels, it was pretty obvious that he wasn't going to get the bleeding to stop on his own. And of course...it was a busy afternoon for the restaurant. 

He shed his apron and wrapped a towel around his hand, trying to at least slow the blood flow. "Aerith?" he called. Waiting for her to appear, he nods her into the kitchen. "Take over here for just a few minutes, would you? I just cut my hand and I think it's gonna need stitches. Don't let Thirteen worry though. If you need help, call Herb." 

He didn't wait for a response. He knew Aerith was responsible enough to take over, and he didn't want to waste any more time standing around chatting. It was a short drive to TJY. He'd rather go there than the ER at the hospital. Even with all the looks of question he got when he entered the building, at least this was better than strange doctors and nurses, not to mention a higher medical bill. 

Carson only stopped when he pushed open the door of the infirmary. Unfortunately...Rick wasn't there. Only Misty.

Stopping short, he looked to Misty and swallowed hard. His hand was still wrapped in a towel with blood starting to seep through. And all of a sudden Carson was taken back to what seemed a lifetime ago. He'd been in a similar predicament before...but it had been his finger he'd cut, and Misty had come to the restaurant to patch him up. They'd been apart for so long...but her coming to his rescue had ended with a kiss and both of them admitting they'd missed each other. 

Pain coursed through Carson's eyes. But not from the wound in his hand....rather, it was the wound in his heart. 

"Um..." He tried to get his brain to function again. He'd assumed he'd walk in and Rick would be here. What he didn't know was that Rick had taken the afternoon off. "I'm sorry...um... Is Rick here?"

Pumpkin

Cocking her head Hope just listens to Gunner. Not saying a word, not making a sound but just listing. Hope new he needed to vent and she would let him. What he said didn't offend her, or make her angry. He was talking, venting something he needed to do any Hope would never scold him for that no matter what he said.

  "You want help finding the truth than let me help you find the truth and a healthy none obsessive manor. I want to help you and if that means finding the truth than I will. I don't pretent to know what your going through Gunner, but through God I can do what I can to try and understand."

Hope wasn't the enemy though many people would argue with the way she did thing or what she had forced people to do. It was all out of love and caring that she did what she did. Cocking her head a little bit Hope smiled softly. That rant alone Gunner had was a good step twords the right direction already.

   "Go home, get some rest. Would you like something to help you sleep without dreams? At least than you will have a clear head?"

Seeing the sad look in Carson's eyes Thirteen new he was thinking about Misty for a moment. He always got the same sad look when he thought, talked, or someone made mention of her. Thirteen felt bad, and though she didn't understand the whole thing she new it stemmed from The Agency and she hated it.

   "I wont forget. Ryder is working late tonight and I haven't quite gotten the hang of cooking on our gas stove yet. So those will be dinner for sure. Thanks Carson."

She liked working here, and she liked Carson. He was a good mad, human just like all of them. Thirteen liked working for him, and spending her time here. This was her safe haven, her get away, here she felt safe too.

Helping clear the table Grace was happy to help clean. Jared had made dinner so she could help him clean up. It was a join effort and she didn't mind one bit. Placing the dishes into the dishwasher Grace turns a little to look at Jared and smile. 

   "I have off from work tomorrow so I kinda dont have a time limit. However I do need to be home by midnight or I will turn into a pumpkin."

Grace can't help the grin the played on her lips. She liked this alone time in the house with Jared. It was nice just being them and enjoying the joking, and time together.

   "Lets watch something funny. I am in a giggle mood at the moment and we can cuddle together."

Spouting Off

Gunner hadn't moved from his seat in Hope's office, although his anger had subsided just a little by the time she came. He was still angry, but feeling less like he wanted to hit somebody.

Unwilling to look at her, his dark eyes stared at the floor, and he remained slouched in the chair. "Oh, people wanna help me alright," he retorted. "They all wanna help fix me. Change me. Just because they don't understand. It's the fact that nobody wants to help me find the truth - the only kind of help I want, and I get punished for it."

He scuffed his boot on the floor, making little ridges in the carpet.  If anyone were to observe, they might see a little boy acting as though he'd just been grounded for misbehaving.

"Reese didn't have his childhood ripped out from under him," he continued angrily. "He doesn't have nightmares, seeing his parents die night after night after night. He isn't tormented enough to want to go put a bullet in his brain every morning. Yet he thinks he knows what's best for me! He thinks taking away my privileges, like I'm his teenage boy, is what will work. Just 'cause I went a little too far last time, he thinks he's got it made by taking away my badge. That doesn't do anything but take away his responsibility. If I'm not on duty, then I can't go do anything stupid in the name of the Elite and have him be liable for it. All he's doing is taking care of his own rear end!"

Yet even as he finally looked up at Hope to give her a fiery glare, somewhere, deep down - way deep down - there was relief. Relief that he didn't have to worry about his job right now. Relief that he could now take time to focus on himself rather than the Elite. Relief that someone was forcing him to take care of his issues.

"I know I got problems," he grumbled. "I know I'm just a little off kilter. I always have been, ever since I got a metal plate fused to my skull. And so? I get a bit obsessed. I can't help it. I try to forget about it, and it comes back again and again. So sue me for being too tired to fight it anymore! Ridicule me for giving in and digging for the truth again."

His eyes blazed as he stared at Hope. "It's not my fault all of this came back again. It's not my fault that almost every night I wake up and think I'm in the hospital again after the accident. Reese thinks he knows my problems? If he had the same nightmares with the same degree of violence every night, he'd want to go walk off a bridge too."

Tears burned just under the surface, proving that more than just anger existed in Gunner right now. "I've been living on caffeine and adrenaline because I can't get a decent night's sleep." His voice cracked as he tried to hold himself together. "Yet I'm punished for not focusing on my job. I'm hounded for answers when I don't even have any. My fiance keeps asking me what's wrong and I don't even know how to respond. Nothing is wrong, other than the fact that I'm losing my sanity, and all anybody cares about is whether or not I'm getting to work on time!"

By now, he'd straightened in his seat and his leg was bouncing again. His body was tight and ready to bolt for the door. "I chased ghosts for years, I blamed myself, tried to kill myself, then I finally thought I'd let it go. Now it's back just as strongly as it was before. The nightmares, the obsession... all of it. All I want to do is solve that stupid case...or just forget the whole thing and finally see my parents again." It was the final statement that finally brought Gunner's eyes back to the floor as he paused. "I just wanna go home and sleep," he ended. "I'm too tired to deal with all this garbage."

Carson forced a little half smile at Thirteen. "Naw...I guess I'm not really okay. Not much anybody can do about it though."

His last visit with Mackenzie had been tough. Not because of her, or even Alec, but because there had been many comments about Misty and Jason. It wasn't Mackenzie's fault - she was just excited about having been with them and liked telling Carson about what she'd been doing. Carson enjoyed seeing his daughter happy, but there was a part of him that didn't want to hear any more. He missed Misty desperately, and hearing about her and Jason didn't help. He'd been so determined, and now...he wondered if it really was a losing battle. He wondered if he really should finally surrender to the inevitable fact that he'd never get his wife back again.

Still looking up at Thirteen, he tried to shrug it off. "Let's just say I'm glad you and Aerith have stuck around - not many people have, and...I appreciate it." He did, too. Phil had come around a few times, but he still hadn't seen Axel at all, and nobody from the Elite would give him the time of day, not to mention Reese hadn't used him at all on any cases lately. He didn't blame anybody, but it felt as though his life was getting more and more cramped every day. All he had was the restaurant. That was it. And sometimes...every once in a while...he wondered where he'd be if he'd never been touched by Jamie or caught by the Elite in the first place.

Standing up, he gave Thirteen's shoulder a pat. "Don't forget to take the leftovers in the fridge when you leave this afternoon." 

Starting the meal with Grace, Jared smiled. "You're welcome." To him, the effort was totally worth it. Grace was worth it. If not for her, well...he wasn't sure what kind of shape he'd be in right now. She deserved a whole lot more than he could give, that was for sure. 

Having dinner with her was nice. And even though it was really a date, the atmosphere wasn't awkward in the least, which made it even more enjoyable. It was only as they were finishing up dessert that Jared sat back and just watched Grace for a few minutes. He didn't rightly know what to do now. Innocent dates weren't exactly something he was experienced with. To have had dinner without plans to keep a girl all night was not his normal pattern.

"I don't know if there's anything good on tv tonight," he mentioned with a shrug. There wasn't much else to do - or much else he could do. "Then again, I don't know when you've gotta go home either." 

So why

Taking some potholders along with the big wooden bored Thirteen goes to the oven and pulls the pizza that had been cooking out. Setting it down into the pizza box and than cutting the pizza Thirteen turns around. Seeing Carson sitting down she cocks her head a little bit to the side before walking over to the table. Carson looked...tired today.
  
   "Are you ok Carson?"

Following Jared with her own plate of food to the table a smile spreads on her lips seeing the candles. Jared went though so much to make this possible tonight she didn't mind one bit that the food came from somewhere else.

   "That is completely ok with me. Its the thought that counts and I can tell much thought went into this weather you cooked it yourself or not."

Getting settled with Jared the smile never left Grace's face. Saying a little prayer and than taking a bite of food Grace couldn't help the small murmur of pleasure that escaped her lips. This was one of the best things she has tasted in a long while. It was amazing, and oh so good.

   "Wow Jared you really outdid yourself. Thank you."

Sitting still while Reese calls in Gunner things dident really go how Hope thought it was going too. She was suprised by Reese but pleased too. Gunner needed this weither he thought he did or not. She could see the pain on Gunner's face and in his eyes but is was that slight hidden releaf that new Reese did the right thing as well. Others might not catch on to it because Gunner hid it well but she could see it.

   "I think that is a good thing Reese. You made the right choose."

Leaving Reese office Hope takes a little bit of time before going back to her own. She new Gunner was upset and he would be for a while but she wanted him to cool down at least a little bit. So doing a few things on the main floor would leave room for that.

A little time passed and Hope finally when back to her office. Opening the door and going to her desk she pulls a manilla envelop from her draw with Gunner's name on it. It was his old file and she would just add to it. Sitting and studing Gunner for a long second Hope cocked her head to one side.

   "So Gunner, I'd like to start out seeing your twice a week and we can go from there. Why do you think no one wants to help you? I am willing to try."

Sulking

Gunner still refused to look up at Hope, even when she said she'd be talking to Reese. It was fine. She could talk to Reese. He didn't care. Nothing would change. Gunner hadn't done anything against the rulebook this time, which meant Reese couldn't have any complaints. 

It was only after several quiet moments that Gunner realized Hope had walked away. Maybe what she'd said was just an idle threat anyway. She, nor anybody else, could control him. 

Gathering up the papers on his desk, he shoved them into his filing drawer before attempting to focus on Elite work. Maybe over lunch he'd go home and take a nap. Until then, he'd accomplish enough to keep Reese happy...

Reese, however, was not happy when hearing what Hope had to say. Sighing deeply, he shook his head. "I was afraid of that." He leaned back in his chair before gesturing to his computer. "Just this morning, I had Dalton find out what Gunner's been doing on his computer lately, and...most wasn't connected to any current cases. Now I know why." 

Falling silent, he studied Hope's face for several moments, trying to read her. He knew she was right. He knew something needed to be done. Work aside, he cared about Gunner's well being, and knew that continuing down this path would only lead to worse things, whether it was crossing moral lines again, or heading for dangerous depression. Neither was good. 

He held up a finger for Hope to wait, then picked up his phone. "Gunner? Would you come to my office please? Thank you." After hanging up, he still said nothing, but waited, confident that Hope would also wait and back him up on his decision. 

It only took a minute for Gunner to show up. Stepping into the office, he glanced from Reese to Hope, then back again. He didn't like this. Not one bit. "Yeah, what's up? You wanna talk about that surveillance I'm supposed to do tomorrow with Pete?" 

"No." Reese straightened, his face remaining serious and his tone calm but firm. "Gunner, starting now, you are on an indefinite leave of absence."

Gunner blinked. "What? But-"

"And in light of the past, I'm going to ask you to temporarily turn in your badge." 

Gunner glanced at Hope again, pain flashing in his eyes. "You can't-"

"I can." Reese was unwilling to back down. If Hope came to him, then this was already serious and had to be treated as such. He held out his hand. 

Gunner scoffed as his eyes went to the floor. "This is the stupidest-"

"Now, please." Reese's voice had grown more stern. 

Gunner didn't move for a moment or two, but finally took his badge off his belt and tossed it onto Reese's desk. "Happy?"

"Nope. I need one more thing." 

It was all Gunner could do to not blow up. This was all so stupid. It was ridiculous, the way he was being treated. It was like he was some little kid that Reese and Hope just wanted to order around. It wasn't fair, and it would accomplish nothing. With gritted teeth, he took his sidearm from its holster and slapped it into Reese's open palm. "There. Now am I supposed to go home and sit on my sorry rear end for three weeks or what? Take away my freedom like some caged animal and-"

"You're on a mandatory schedule of sessions with Hope, starting today, with a frequency of her choice, and you will not return to work until she recommends it."  

"Are you out of your mind?!" 

"Do you want to keep your job?"

Reese's question brought a sudden silence to the air. By now, Gunner's uncaring expression had turned to one of anger. "So you're telling me that I gotta talk to some stupid shrink, or else I'm fired? Because of what? Because I care about my past? Because I have a thing about finding the truth? Seriously?" 

Reese remained calm. "Hope is far from a stupid shrink, and no, this has nothing to do about how much you care about the truth. It's about you taking things too far. Again. It's about you getting help."

"I don't need help!" Gunner's yelled statement hung in the silent air. He looked between Reese and Hope, desperate, yet unable to win this fight. Not unless he wanted to quit his job, and it was still too important to him at this point. Throwing up his arms, he spun around and stalked for the door, letting it slam shut behind him. 

Reese cringed before he looked over at Hope. "Well...he didn't quit. That's a good thing, right?" 

Gunner stomped across the floor, almost running into Susanne, but he didn't care. He ignored all the strange looks thrown his wait, and headed straight for Hope's office. Letting himself in, he flopped down in a chair to sulk until she showed up again.

Jared was already grinning, but it widened into a smile with Grace's kiss to his cheek. "Like I'm gonna complain about you sticking close," he teased. "Here, you can take these glasses of water." Having trouble enough the way it was, he let Grace help him before returning the pitcher to the refrigerator.

"I...do have a confession to make," he admitted as he wheeled to the stove and opened it to reveal the two plates of food covered in foil to keep warm. "Well...two, actually."

He reached in and gave Grace one plate, then took the other for himself. "My first confession is that Ma's at Bible study tonight, so...we get to dine alone. And, my second confession..." He set his plate on his lap so he could wheel towards the dining room. The table was set very nicely, and his candles burned bright with the overhead lighting dimmed just a little for a warm atmosphere.

He stopped at the table and glanced up at Grace with a sheepish expression. "I could just let you think I'm Superman, but I have a feeling you're too smart to believe that anyway." He gestured to the food. "You can thank me for the salad - I cut up the lettuce and tossed it all by myself. Oh, and I poured the water - you saw that. But as far as what smells so good for the main course...it should taste great because I had it brought in from a restaurant downtown."

He shrugged and quirked a silly little grin. "You said earlier you thought I was probably a good cook. Well...I did learn a thing or two from my mom, but with me in this confounded chair, I'd been doing good if I coulda whipped up some mac and cheese. And I wanted something a bit more special than that for you tonight. So I hope you like beef that'll melt in your mouth."  

 "Huh?" Carson had been lost in his own little world not having even noticed Thirteen's presence in the kitchen. "Oh, um... yeah, you can grab that pizza coming out." He gestured to the oven. "Thanks." 

Wiping his hands on a towel, he sunk down in a chair to rest. It had been a busy noon hour, and he was exhausted. Not that it was due to a busy lunch hour. He felt exhausted most days lately without any apparent reason...other than stress. 

Sinking down on the edge of his bed, Trent held his cell phone in his hands. A lump had risen in his throat, and he hadn't gone right back out to the barn as planned. He'd just come to grab his other pair of gloves and had happened to check his phone. But hearing Jasmine's message had caused him to forget what he'd been doing. 

She was so sweet, and it sounded like she was really growing and getting a handle on life. And Trent was missing it. All of it. 

He looked down at his phone and fiddled with the buttons. Dylan's words came back to him, as did the gnawing in his gut...the gnawing that had started long ago. He was so different from everyone else here. They were all close to their families...loving...caring...keeping in touch at the very least. And he and Jasmine, well...it was no fault of hers - she tried everything she could to have a relationship with him. He was the one that...

Trent sighed. Pocketing his phone, he stood and wandered to his desk to open up his laptop. And getting on the internet, he checked a list of flight schedules. 

To Bad

Putting her hands on her hips and shaking her head Hope was sad Gunner was being so stubborn and he was really leaving her with no choose. She wasn't going to keep letting this go on and get worse. If something did happen and she didn't say anything than it would be on her. She'd almost lost the ability to practice once she wasn't going to let that happen again. She enjoyed helping people to much for that.

   "Than I guess I will be telling Reese. Compromises don't work when they are only one sided, and I meant what I said. I'm not messing around anymore and letting you continue to do this to yourself."

Letting out another small sigh Hope really was sorry that Gunner wouldn't talk to her, to anyone for that matter. Even if it was to help him with what he was doing. At least it would be someone else there to keep him level headed. She had to do this though.

Turning Hope made her way from Gunner's desk and headed for her own office. She had a few things she needed to do this morning before it got to be to late. She would talk to Reese in a little bit. She could only hope he would be in a better mood today than the last time they spoke. This was important and it couldn't wait any longer.

...About an hour has passed as Hope finally made her way across the main floor and to Reese office. She'd given Gunner a little extra time to deiced to come and talk to her but he hadn't take it. Now this couldn't wait, she wouldn't let it wait any longer.

Getting to Reese office and knocking on the door she enters giving a small smile and coming over to his desk. There was no easy way to tell him this she just had too.

   "Hey Reese...we need to talk about Gunner. He's back on the obsession of his past and wont talk to anyone about it. I think in someways he is worse than before, but in some ways he is not. I just think something needs to be done before it gets to be to bad again."

Hearing Jared yell through the door Grace opens it and steps in. The smell of whatever was cooking hit her nose and she couldn't help but smile. If Jared was doing this all alone for her that was special. Not to mention since he only had one arm at the moment to try and cook with it almost seemed impossible but he was trying anyways and that is what counted.

   "Something sure smells good."

Coming into the kitchen Grace sets her bag down on the chair before coming a little closer to Jared. She looked a little different now than she had this morning. Now outside of work she was a little more dressed up since this would be there first real date. Her hair was tired back slightly, and cheek a little red. a blue sundress and some sandals was her choose of ware.

   "Wow, you really didn't have to go through this much trouble Jared, or you could of at least let me help you my goodness."

Drawing a little closer Grace lens in and gives Jared a small kiss on the cheek before pulling away but not to far. Jared smelled good tonight and she was just taking a moment to take it in. After all most of the time when they met they were sweaty from work.

   "Mmmm...can I just stand here while you cook? You look good, and smell even better than the food."

   "Hey Dad, just...wanted to call and say hi. Hadn't talked to you in a while and though I would. Ryder has been busy with his zoo work. I worry about him sometimes with those animles. I spend most my free time there looking at them all. Some times it makes me sad though so see them all caged up and not free. Ryder says its for there own good though."

Thirteen paces the backroom of Mom and Pop's while on her fifteen minute break. She really didn't have anything else to do and she hadn't talked to her dad in a while. She never told anyone but she  missed him.

   "Carson has been letting me cook more. I like cooking, its fun and learning how it helping me be able to cook at home a little more too. I wish you'd come and visit more. Anyways I better get going. I...I love you. Bye."

Hanging up the phone and putting it back into her pocket before walking back into the kitchen where Carson was. Washing her hands she gives him a small smile before going over to where he was and watching his for a long second.

   "Hey, did you need anymore help here?" 

Impossible Feat

Gunner's jaw tightened and he swiveled in his chair to face his desk again. He stared at the papers as one leg bounced nervously. "I dunno why you keep wanting me to talk to somebody," he grumbled. "It doesn't do anything anyway 'cept rehash a bunch of garbage."

He picked up a pen to fiddle with, and began clicking it open and shut, open and shut. "Talking things out is pointless and accomplishes nothing. Sitting here and actually going after the case - now that does something."

He could feel Hope's eyes on him, though he refused to turn back around. He knew she wouldn't like what he was saying. He knew good and well that talking things through helped clear people's heads and helped people deal with situations better - whether it was logical or not. But if he talked things through, he might not want to go after evidence anymore. And if he didn't want to go after evidence anymore, that would mean he was giving up the case. And he couldn't give up. Ever.

His bouncing leg and clicking pen still had not stopped. He felt like a caged animal, backed into a corner, and panic was starting deep down on the inside. His palms started to sweat, and he swallowed hard.

"I'm fine," he stated flatly. "I just...dozed off 'cause I was here early. Now I got work to do before Reese comes and breathes down my neck."

"Yeah, but if I break something else, you'll have to keep taking care of me." Jared knew by now that even if he was well, Grace would make time for him. Still though, there was just a small part of him that worried maybe she wouldn't.

Back inside the house, it was discovered that Lydia was busy in the basement doing laundry. It was assumed that tonight would still be fine though, and Jared seemed as though he didn't mind not asking his mother about it. What he did not tell Grace, was that he knew good and well Lydia had Bible study tonight, which meant she'd be gone...

...Fillet of beef with red wine sauce, green beans and savory garlic and butter mashed potatoes - two plates were being kept warm in the oven, the wonderful aroma filling the kitchen. Fresh lettuce salad was already on the dining room table, and two slices of gourmet cheesecake remained chilled in the refrigerator for later. Jared would have a lot of explaining to do, since all of this was a rather impossible feat.

Using his shoulder as much as he dared with his wheelchair, he continued to maneuver between the kitchen and dining room, finishing up preparations. It was seven-thirty and he knew Grace would be here any minute.

Dressed in a clean pair of jeans and a plain black t-shirt, it wouldn't seem much to some, but it was more than his usual sweats he usually wore around the house. At least he'd gotten a hair cut today too, which helped, and he'd managed a good shower and shave as well. That alone had been exhausting, but...it was worth it. 

Balancing two glasses between his legs, he was just pouring some water over ice when he heard the doorbell. Still keeping the refrigerator door propped open with one foot and handling the cumbersome pitcher, he yelled, knowing it must be Grace. 

"It's open!" He glanced to the dining room, making sure he'd remembered to light the candles in the center of the table, and finished pouring the water. "I'm in the kitchen," he hollered. 

"So...?" Jade elbowed Rosalyn as they washed the breakfast dishes the next morning.

Rosalyn quirked an eyebrow at her. "So...what?"

"So how did last night go?"

"Oh, that." A little smile crept across Rosalyn's lips. "It went well. I need to give you your shoes back, by the way."

"Shoes can wait. Juicy details can't."

Rosalyn rolled her eyes. "There aren't any juicy details."

Jade's jaw dropped, along with the cup she was washing, which splashed back into the soapy water. "None?"

"Not really." Rosalyn shook her head. "We went out to eat...danced...went for a walk. It was...really nice."

"Oooh...a romantic walk under the stars?"

Rosalyn grabbed another plate to dry and thought for a moment before shaking her head again. "It would have been more romantic, had we not talked about the stupid stuff going on back here." She gave Jade a sidelong glance. "Making out just didn't seem like the best idea when I was crying and Chad was trying to be sweet."

"Aw I'm sorry." Jade wished there was something she could do. She hated what was going on with Jim, but she also knew that to interfere could cause even more problems.

"It's okay." Rosalyn shrugged and continued to work. It was a few more moments before a new grin emerged and she spoke again. "We did have a nice goodbye kiss though."

Jade giggled. "Well that's good. You wouldn't want to leave the poor man with nothing."

Rosalyn's cheeks had turned red. "I wouldn't have wanted to have been left with nothing either," she admitted with a laugh. She didn't know when she would see Chad again. He was going home and back to work. She was staying here, and their lives would continue on...separately. And she had no idea when he might come back, or even if he would after all the trouble with this visit. All she could do was hope that he was right - that maybe by the time he came again, Jim would have softened.

The back end of the barn was quiet today. But it wasn't so unusual when considering it was Trent and Dylan working that area. Neither were known for being chatterboxes. At the moment, both were seated on some hay bales, taking a break after having cleaned several stalls right after breakfast, and both were sipping on bottles of Mountain Dew.

"Seen Jim today?"

"Nuh-uh." Dylan shook his head. "Heard Becky say he didn't even feel like getting out of bed this morning."

Trent scoffed. "If I'da gotten pummeled by your dad, I wouldn't feel like getting out of bed either."

"He feels horrible, ya know."

"Who? Your dad? Did he say that?"

"No." Dylan took another swig of pop. "But I can tell."

"And how's that?"

"He didn't talk to Remington this morning when he fed him."

Trent cocked his head, grinning a little. "You see a lot, don't you?"

Dylan shrugged and leaned back into some hay bales. "I dunno. I suppose."

Trent continued to study the young man, curious. Dylan was always so withdrawn...but did that mean he wasn't paying attention, or did he see more than most? "What do you...think about that whole thing with Jim and Rosalyn?"

"I don't think it's something I'm supposed to think about, do you?"

"I'm not asking you to stick your nose in - I'm just asking what your opinion is."

Dylan found his Mountain Dew bottle's label to pick at. "Jim's being an overprotective father, Rosalyn is hurt and may never heal completely, and I dunno about Chad, but I'd bet he's stubborn enough to keep at it."

Trent's mouth twitched. The boy did pay attention. "Mm-hmm...I haven't heard much from Becky on the subject."

"She's stuck in the middle," Dylan reasoned. "She wants to help her daughter, but doesn't necessarily agree Chad's right for her either, and she doesn't like the way Jim's handling things, but he's her husband, so she doesn't argue - at least not in public."

Trent wondered if Mick realized how insightful his son was. "And Clint?"

"He's angry." Dylan took another sip of his pop. "But he's got a lot more than that to stress him out."

"Oh?"

"Well, he's got reason to be angry with his dad - he already got struck once, and will probably never forget it. He wants to help Rosalyn more but doesn't know how, or doesn't dare, and that frustrates him. He's thrilled about the baby coming, but is also scared he can't support his family, and the worry keeps him up at night. He's as happy as anybody that Wes is alive and home, but he's upset Wes isn't planning on working in the shop as much as he was before - keeps his mouth shut though, 'cause it sounds selfish."

After a pause, Trent blinked. First, it was more than he'd ever heard Dylan say in one sitting, and second, some of this was news to him. All he'd wanted was to see how observant the kid was, and he'd gotten more than he'd bargained for. "Does Clint talk to you about all that?"

"I don't think he talks to anybody about it, but it's pretty obvious to me."

It certainly wasn't obvious to Trent, which only piqued his interest even more. "How about...Jeff?"

Dylan let another mouthful of Mountain Dew slide down his throat. "What about him?"

Trent shrugged. "What do you see?"

"Oh. I guess I see somebody who's got a lot of hurt he doesn't let show. Lots of regrets, even though he's been forgiven. He's mad his body is so weak, but too tired to fight it anymore. And he misses Katie something awful, but doesn't want to pressure her in coming to visit him too often."

Trent grinned and just shook his head. "Boy, you do see a lot. I don't think I'm gonna ask you what you've observed about me."

Dylan smirked a little and threw him a sidelong glance. "You don't need me to tell you what you already know." Standing, he yawned and stretched before chucking his empty pop bottle into a nearby trash barrel. "Besides, any time you want, you can improve your situation. Some people aren't so lucky."

Trent remained seated as he watched Dylan walk away. It was just as well that the boy did leave, since Trent had no idea how to respond anyway. His little test had backfired on him just a bit, as he had not planned on turning anything back to himself. One thing was clear though - Dylan was a very observant, very sharp young man.

Eventually getting up, Trent went back to work, but somehow Dylan's words continued to run through his mind. About him being lucky. Was it true? Did he really have the power to improve his own situation? Was he living with this pain in his heart because he simply refused to change anything? 

Yet

Hope continues to look down at Gunner as he explains what was going on and what he was doing.  She could see the excitement but she could see how good this was not for him as well. It was only feeding everything and letting it interfere or bringing it to work was not a good thing.

   "Huh"

Hope let Gunner finish and his words trail off tell she could tell he could tell she was not amused. This just made her worry grow even more for him. Should she tell Reese? Should she make good on her promise everything was so messed up in this whole situation.

   "Are you going to talk to someone yet?"

Grace can't help but laugh as she helps Jared back into his wheelchair and goes to the back starting to push forward. A smile was pasted on her face and a laugh never ending from her lips. Hearing Jared's last comment Grace leans down close to Jared and gives him a small kiss on the cheek.

   "Oh I am sure we can figure something else out. Just dont go breaking anything else. You have had enough bad luck with that already."

Watching both the boys Alice can't help but rolls her eyes and shaking her head. She missed this, she missed Kyle having his best friend around and the silly bantering. It was good to see the smile on Kyle's face, and the laugh in his voice. She had known he missed Hunter, and now...we at least things could start to get back to how they were.

   "Come on Kate, lets go before lets go and let these boys be. Men!"

Moron

Gunner woke with a start to stare up at Hope with blurry eyes. "Huh?" 

He blinked and tried to get his bearings. Oh yeah...he was at work. Straightening a little more, he looked at his messy desk and tried to recall what on earth he'd been doing and when he must have fallen asleep. "Um...sure. I mean yeah. Found a few new leads." 

He yawned and rubbed an eye with the heel of his hand. "I got a few more things to check then I can start talking to a list of people and see if..." His voice trailed off and he glanced back up at Hope with an expression as if he was a little kid who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. 

His shoulders sank back down and his eyes fell to the floor. No matter how enthusiastic he was about this stuff, he still knew it wasn't right, and he knew good and well that Hope would not approve. "You won't...tell Reese or anything...will you?"

"Sounds good to me." Jared nodded, his mind already hard at work trying to decide what on earth they'd have for supper tonight. "Let's say...seven-thirty. That'll give me enough time to make it look like I've been planning this for weeks." 

He grinned as he used Grace's help to get up off the ground and stand wobbly before sinking back down into his wheelchair. He had a few hours to work with - that should be enough, right? 

"Onward!" He pointed to the house, too sore to try and wheel himself at the moment. "What am I gonna do when I'm well, and I can't order you around anymore?" 

Hunter returned a little squeeze to Katie's hand, so grateful for her support. Without her, he certainly wouldn't be here, let alone have gotten straightened out at all. 

When Alice agreed to letting him come to the wedding, he was hit with another wave of relief and gratefulness. Neither she nor Kyle were required to say yes to him coming, but they had. Returning her hug, memories flooded his mind. Memories of Break Out. Memories of being around Alice and becoming close friends. Memories of liking her more than just a friend. Pulling away, he managed a small smile. "Thank you, Alice. And...I'm sorry for being such an idiot. I don't ever want to be that person again." 

Kyle was satisfied. Having received Hunter's apology, then witnessing another apology to Alice...it was another piece of proof that he was at least trying to do the right thing again. He might be a ways from where he needed to be yet, but at least he was on the journey back. And Kyle couldn't ask for any more than that. 

Rejoined by Alice, he slipped his arm over her shoulders and gave her a loving squeeze. They were already making a great team, and he felt so blessed. Life just kept getting better and better. 

Alice's suggestion of having Katie and Hunter stay for dinner raised Kyle's eyebrows. He hadn't really thought of that, but...at this point, he wasn't opposed. If Hunter stuck around for a while, it might be a good chance to observe him a little more. And Kyle always liked spending time with Katie. "Sure, that sounds alright with me."

Hunter's mind had stopped at Alice's invitation. She...had really suggested he and Katie stay? And eat with them? Accepting his apology was one thing. Letting him come to their wedding as Katie's date was another. But actually wanting his company for a meal, after everything he'd done was...something else entirely. A lump rose in his throat, and without warning, he was overcome with emotions. He'd missed this life so much. He'd strayed so far. And yet he was being welcomed back with open arms. 

"The more the merrier." Kyle was still talking. "And yes, we have enough hamburgers for all of us. I'm so hungry, I'm 'bout ready to gnaw off my arm, so-" He stopped abruptly. "Uh-oh." 

Hunter had turned his back on the other three, embarrassed by the tears in his eyes. With hands on hips, he took a deep breath, trying to compose himself, but it wasn't working very well. They were just being too nice to him. 

Kyle cleared his throat. "You done gone and made the poor man cry, Alice. Shame on you. All I wanted was a hamburger, but now we're all feeling awkward, and nobody wants to eat with this going on. I guess we'll just stand here and listen to my stomach growl...before we all starve to death."

"Shut up." Hunter hid his smile as he wiped his eyes. "Jerk."   

Kyle grinned. "Moron." 

"Lard brain." 

"Stupid head." 

Hunter finally had guts enough to turn back around before reaching out and giving Kyle's arm a light punch. Kyle immediately returned a whack upside Hunter's head, to which Hunter thumped his shoulder. Kyle's next move was to shove him towards the patio steps. "To the grill before I really do eat my arm. You flip burgers. I'll watch," he teased. Once on the ground, he glanced back over his shoulder to toss both women a wink. 

Grill

Going out back with Alice Katie didn't  mind at all. It was nice looking around and getting to see everything. This house was amazing, and seeing the Alice and Kyle were fixing it up was even better. They were doing a really good job and it was starting to look amazing. She was so happy for them and they life they were building. It really gave Katie some hope that sooner or later things would work out for her too.

   "I really am excited..."

Stopping what she was saying as Kyle and Hunter come out of the house Katie gives a little smile. Neither man was dead, or cut, or even bruised for that matter. Nor did they look upset or angry, that was a good sign in itself or so Katie thought. She really did want Kyle and Hunter to make up. They were two important people to her and she hated seeing the rift.

As Hunter comes close to her once more Katie reaches her hand out and puts it in his giving it a little squeeze. She was proud of Hunter. No matter the outcome she really was. He was trying she could tell and no one could as for more than that. 

Giving a smile to Kyle and hearing he agreed to let Hunter come to the wedding her smile grows a little more. Maybe things were not perfect with those two but at least this was something, and a start. Alice new people could change and if Hunter was trying than that was good enough for her.

   "Yes, I would be honored to have you there as well Hunter."

Standing for a moment Alice moves around the little table where she had been sitting and extends her arms to Hunter before giving him a hug. They had been though lots, ups, downs, good, and bad times but Hunter had always been and would always be a good friend to her. It had hurt seeing him choose the wrong path but seeing him find his way again made her heart sing.

   "It's good to have you back Hunter."

Moving away from him and going back to Kyle Alice gives him a small hug as well. She was proud of him and it made her that much more honored to be marrying him. Kyle had been strong, but he'd grow stronger in front of her eyes and become even better of a person. Now she only hoped that she could be the kind of wife Kyle needed and deserved.

   "Would you guys like to stay for dinner? I think Kyle is doing a little cookout, and I believe we have extra for you guys as well. Hunter, you can help Kyle and Katie can help me with the sides. That sound ok to you Kyle?"

Grace gives another laugh finishing up with Jared's legs and giving them a pat. Cocking her head at Jared she gives a little nod. He did seem like a take it as it comes kind of guy and though that was not normal for her it kind of in a way felt nice. To not think something out and over thing it, to just do it and see what happened.

   "Right...How about we get you inside than so we can let you mom know the plans. Than I need to go see another pashent, go home and change, and than I will head back over. That sound ok?"

Walking through TJY Hope let out a small sigh to herself. Gunner hadn't shown up yesterday like he said he would and today so far no sign. Looking around the main floor though seeing something stir Hope wondered maybe he was there after all.

Going over to the cubicle and seeing Hunter passed out at his desk with all the papers around him Hope lets out a long sigh and shakes her head. Would this ever stop? Would Gunner ever end this? Giving a knock on the wall with her knuckles Hope takes in a breath.

   "Looks like you had a busy night. Find anything good?"

As long as it's okay...

Gunner paused a moment and looked down at Hope's hand that was on his arm. He'd never noticed how light and caring her touch was before. "I know," he responded quietly. Whether he was thinking straight or not, he knew Hope meant it, and he knew that she could force his hand if need be. She and Con had done it before. And the funny thing was, somewhere deep down, that was a comfort in a strange sort of way.

Turning back to the mess, he let Hope see herself out. And after she'd gone, he continued to clean up. These were documents and records that should have been thrown away long ago. They were things that others would have assumed he'd thrown away the last time he'd tried to get rid of his obsession. But he hadn't. He'd kept them in the back corner of his closet, unbeknownst to anyone else.

Once the mess was back in the box, Gunner knew he should go to work like he'd told Hope he would. But after a shower and getting into clean clothes, the exhaustion was enough to send him to his bed. Lying down in the company of his pillow, he tried to regain some energy. He needed to go to work. He needed to meet Bree for lunch. Yet neither was enough to get him up.

He would call Bree and cancel their plans for today, saying he didn't feel well, but was fine enough that she shouldn't worry. And he would not return to work as planned. Instead, he would sleep a restless sleep, holding himself on the brink of something darker than he wished to think about...

...It was after midnight. Everybody was gone, except Ty and Hal. It would seem unusual for Gunner to come to work at this hour, but for a man who had slept most of the day, being wide awake at home was less than fulfilling. It wasn't Elite work that he was after though - just the use of his computer and records.

And in the morning when others would arrive, he would go relatively unnoticed in his cubicle, having fallen asleep at his desk, surrounded by papers and photos of suspects he'd dug up.

"What? And have you cook your own meal?" Jared smirked as he watched Grace work on his legs again. "I'd say having you over to dinner for the first time is a good enough reason to make sure you don't have to work at all." 

He bit his lip as a new and painful spasm hit his lower back. "I'll, um...think of something," he reasoned." He threw her a coy grin. "That's what I do best, you know. Fly by the seat of my pants." 

Having been roused from a light nap by his phone, Hunter laid on his couch as he answered Katie's call. He couldn't help his surprise. "Wow, really?" He'd been sure Kyle would have turned her down flat. "That's...that's good." 

Right? This was what he wanted, wasn't it? A chance? Now that it was a reality though, a bit of fear surfaced. What if, despite his efforts, Kyle still said no? What if he still wanted nothing to do with Hunter, even if he did try to show he'd changed? And what about Alice? How did she feel? Did she have as much distrust for him as did her fiance? 

Realizing he'd paused the conversation, Hunter cleared his throat. "Um, so yeah, I'd like to go. Thanks for setting it up." He glanced out the window to the afternoon sunshine. "How about I pick you up after work?"

It was a perfect day for a motorcycle ride, providing a good excuse to pick Katie up on his bike. And a few hours after their phone conversation, they were headed just out of town, Hunter quite comfortable with Katie's arms around him...

Kyle sighed and nodded at Alice. "Yeah...yeah, everything is okay, I think." He pocketed his phone and stood to wander over behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and setting his chin on her shoulder. He gave her a loving squeeze and a light kiss to the cheek. 

"That was Katie. She wants to bring Hunter to the wedding as her date, so...I said he could come out here today and talk." He let Alice go, moving around to see her face. "I hope that's okay with you. I didn't feel comfortable just saying he could come to the wedding. Katie seems to think he's the cat's pajamas, but I'm just not so sure. He's got a lot of talking to do before I'd let him back into our circle of friends..." 

Hunter knew the way to the estate, though it did take a little thinking to take the right roads. It had been many years since he'd been here...with Kyle...as kids...as best friends. There had been many a time he'd been invited to come out here with the family for a grand backyard campout or even birthday parties. It felt like a lifetime ago. 

Arriving at the long driveway, Hunter pulled to a stop and just stared across the rolling lawn. He remembered being impressed as a kid with how neat the place was, but now, to think that this was Kyle and Alice's home...it was rather overwhelming. He could only imagine how they would creatively use the size of the estate for church events and for the band. It was much too big of a house for just two people, but knowing their hearts, Hunter knew that this place would most likely get put to good use. Most couple starting out would have very little - Kyle and Alice had certainly been blessed, that was for sure. And it might take just a bit of doing to not be too jealous. 

Hunter reached back and gave Katie's let a pat before continuing on up the driveway. His nervousness only increased, and he hoped he'd made the right choice by coming. Parking near the garage, he let Katie get off first before dismounting and taking off his helmet. Looking around the place, it felt just a little smaller than it had when he'd been a kid, but it was still big enough to be impressive. "Well..." He looked at Katie, the nervousness showing in his eyes. "Here goes nothing." Taking her hand, he aimed for the walk that led to the front door. 

Inside, Kyle had just sat down to another glass of lemonade, hot and sweaty from having been working outside all day. It was worth it, but he was pretty worn out. "So I was thinking-" His sentence to Alice was cut off by the doorbell. Quirking an eyebrow, he bristled just a little. "And I would imagine that would be our guests." 

Mustering up his gumption, he rose from the kitchen table. Answering the door, his eyes first went to Katie and he smiled. "Hey, K.T." He reached out to tweak her chin teasingly. "Good to see ya." Seeing Hunter's arm around her, on the other hand, did little for his enjoyment. He glanced up at Hunter next, locking eyes with him. At least he was clean shaven and sober this time. "Hunter." 

Hunter swallowed hard. "Hi, Kyle. Thanks for...well, I... um..." 

Kyle stepped back and gestured inside. "Come on in." Following them inside, he hollered ahead to Alice. "Hey, Alice? How about showing Katie around?" He'd just as soon get Hunter alone before being a chummy foursome. 

All Hunter had time for was an awkward nod hello to Alice before he and Kyle were left alone...which was pretty awkward in itself. He hooked his thumbs in his jeans pockets and rocked on his heels nervously. "Um...thanks for letting me come out here." 

"Yeah." Kyle wandered to the living room where he took up a seat in one of the chairs. "Katie said she wants to bring you to the wedding." 

"Right." Hunter eased down on the couch, just sitting on the edge and leaning his elbows on his knees. He studied Kyle's face, seeing distrust written all over it. "She does, and...I'd like it too, but...I'd understand if you said no." 

Kyle remained silent, just looking Hunter over. What had the years done to them? 

Hunter cleared his throat. "Look, Kyle, I'm sorry." The words came out easier than he'd thought they would. "I'm sorry for being a rotten friend when we were with Break Out, I'm sorry for losing touch 'cause I was jealous, and I'm sorry for hitting you the last time we met." He sighed deeply. "And I'm sorry for anything else I forgot to mention." 

Kyle's eyes softened just a little. "Why, Hunter?"

"Why what? Why am I sorry?"

"No. Why did you turn into someone else? What happened?" 

Hunter shrugged lamely, his leather jacket creaking with the movement. "I dunno. I just...guess I lost sight of what was important. I was jealous you got Alice. Then I felt left out and abandoned with Break Out - sorta relived the whole abandonment thing from my dad, I guess. After that, one thing led to another and I just got farther and farther off the right path."

Was he really as repentant as he sounded? Kyle just wasn't sure. "Well, for what it's worth, you look better today than you did the last time I saw you." 

"You mean sober?" Hunter grimaced. "Yeah...I've, um...I've been working on that. Kinda hard to hit the bottle when you got somebody like Katie to pay attention to."

"Oh?" 

"Well, yeah." Hunter blinked, seeing the question on Kyle's face. Then his eyes widened. "But it's nothing...I mean...we're not...I'm..." He stopped and rolled his eyes. "Look, Katie's been good for me, alright? She's helped me get my head on straight again and I think we got something good going. I know you think I'm a jerk, and you're right - I was. But I'm trying really hard not to be and I just..." His sentence trailed off as quite suddenly he was hit with a wave of emotions. His eyes dropped and he took a moment to regain control. "I just want to be friends with you again. I don't have many friends any more since I've been trying to avoid the rough crowd lately and...and I miss my best friend." He shrugged again. "I know your friendship is too much to ask for, but...I figured it was worth a shot." 

Kyle couldn't help it that his heart was touched. He couldn't help but hear the sincerity in Hunter's voice, even if he didn't want to believe it. But was he really ready to let Hunter back into his life? "I'm...sorry things have been so rough for you. I wish I would have known you took the Break Out thing so hard so I could have done things differently. I wish I would have tried harder to stay in touch." 

"Naw, nothing was your fault." 

"Not even Alice?"

"Well..." Hunter looked back up as the first grin came to his lips. "Maybe that was your fault. But it looks like it was meant to be after all. I mean...look at all this..." He chuckled. "Imagine you, having this place, having your own band, getting married...It's like all the pieces just fell into place for you. I gotta admit, I'm still a bit jealous, but it's hard to be bitter when I see how good things are turning out for you." 

Kyle cocked his head. "You really mean that?" 

"Yeah...yeah, I do." 

Another sigh surfaced as Kyle stood. Hunter automatically stood as well, and Kyle gave him a good long look. It was hard to turn someone away when they were obviously trying very hard to repair things they had damaged. And even though Kyle hadn't wanted to believe Katie that Hunter had changed...unless he'd lost all skill for reading people, it was true - Hunter really was trying, and really had changed from the drunk guy who had slugged him. "You gonna cause trouble at my wedding?" 

"No." Hunter shook his head. "And I won't even object when given the chance...'cause any good reason I could come up with would just show what a stupid guy I am." 

Kyle finally grinned. "You're not stupid. You're just a bit of a knucklehead sometimes." 

"Yeah, well...I guess I'm a slow learner."

"Mm-hmm..." Kyle set his hands on his hips and let another pause linger before speaking again. "I accept your apology, Hunter. And...as long as it's okay with Alice, you can come to the wedding." 

Hunter let out the breath he'd been holding. 

"But..." Kyle held up a finger. "Should you cause any trouble at all..."

"I know, I know." Hunter raised his hands in surrender. "You'll kick me in the head and I won't even fight back." 

"I mean it."

Hunter's hands dropped. "I understand. If I were you, I'd be leery too. But I really am gonna try to be a better friend, if you'll let me."

"Oh...I think maybe I can. Come on." Kyle headed for the back door. 

"Where are we going?" 

"I think the girls are out back. You want to say something to Alice, too, don't you?" 

Hunter really hadn't thought about that, but he knew it was only right. He owed Alice as much of an apology as he'd given Kyle, no matter how awkward he felt. "Yeah..." 

Kyle found the girls out on the back patio and offered both a smile. "Hey, you two. Seen all you can see yet?" 

Hunter joined them, choosing to stand rather close to Katie and giving her a look that was something like a cross between sheepishness, relief and awkwardness. 

"Alice..." Kyle set a hand on her shoulder. "I told Hunter he can come to our wedding, as long as it's okay with you." 

Consideration

Hope felt bad for Gunner and wished there was more she could do for him. But this was all she had to offer. She really did want to help him and she wanted to make sure everything was going to be ok. Simply hearing him say he was fine though didn't do it for her.

   "We do want to help you Gunner, thats what we keep saying."

Watching him stand and start to put his papers into boxs Hope comes closer. Taking his arm in her hand for a second she looks at him letting out a small sigh.

   "Talk to someone Gunner, before its to late...ok? We care and want to help. I'll give you a few days but than I am going to have to make a desition."

Grace can't help but laugh again as she shakes her head and leans into Jared a little bit. She loved his sense of humor. He could make her laugh and she liked that.

   "Yes I guess you should huh? I mean it is kind of important."

Shifting again a little bit down to Jared's legs Grace starts working on them all over again. Warming the muscles, cooking them, helping the blood pump once more. This had become something she really did enjoy doing. To know she was helping someone she cared a great deal about. It had its own reward.

   "Or I could always come over a little early and help cook as well."

   "That seems fair enough to me."

Katie taps her fingers on the counter absentmindedly for a second. That was more than she exspected and she was happy that Kyle would least  consider it. Now it was just talking to Hunter and having him go with her to the little farm house. Katie wasn't sure if he would or not. He wanted to show Kyle he'd changed but was this to much?

   "Alright Kyle, we should be out in a few hours. Thank you for considering. I know Hunter will be happy to hear you at least want to try."

Hanging up the phone Katie lets out a long breath she had been holding. Taking her phone in hand again and dialing Hunter's number and waiting for him to answer.

   "Hey you. Called Kyle...he wants us to come out to the house and talk to Alice and him. He wants to know you have changed and are not going to cause trouble. This is a big step to take...but...if you do you might be able to get your friend back."

Once Kyle was off the phone Alice whiper her hands off on a towel and cocked her head at him. She new he was on the phone with someone and it was about Hunter but that was about she wasn't sure at all. She was intrusted in what was going on.

   "Hey, did I hear right you said something about Hunter? Is everything ok?"