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Sliding into the passenger side of the truck, Jason relents to Katie's lead, even though he was still upset over tonight's whole episode.

Closing his eyes as they drive, he remains silent, and tries to battle back the images and memories that were invading his mind. He knew they would come and dreaded them. He knew the pain that would be here soon, and wanted to run away from it. It felt as though he were standing on a railroad track, staring at an oncoming freight train, knowing that he would be hit, but unable to move.

He just needed to hold them off for a few more minutes...

Jason knew that he'd let his emotions get too far. He was an emotional time bomb the way it was, without getting upset. Him getting so mad had simply opened the door and invited in an eruption. The volcano had been quiet, but his anger had shaken it up enough, that at the first opportunity, it had, within an instant, found the slightest foothold, and from there, the pressure was building. Jason could feel it...he knew the signs now to know that it could not be avoided. He'd tried that before and it had never worked. The only thing he could do was get to a safe environment where he couldn't hurt anyone else or himself before the attack hit full force.

A bump in the road jolts his thoughts and he looks out the window, keeping his eyes from Katie as his hands start to shake. He couldn't tell if it was starting already or if it was just low sugar. Either way, he was not looking forward to this...it was going to be a bad one.

Getting to his house, he waits until Katie has parked, and is quick to exit the truck. He didn't know what she was planning to do...walk...call for a ride...frankly, he didn't care, but he is willing to accept her help inside, his knees starting to go weak.

Opening the front door, Trooper greets him with enthusiasm, but is disappointed as his master ignores him. The dog goes out into the yard but is quick to come back, whining a little. He looks at Katie, knowing who she was, and accepting her presence here.

Jason goes by himself to the kitchen and leans over the sink, splashing some cold water on his face. He doesn't care what Katie is doing, and doesn't plan on her sticking around. Even though he knew he couldn't fight off this attack, his mind wanted to try anyway. His eyes focus on the swirling water that ran down the drain. Staring at it, he suddenly sees not his sink, but the one in Alex's house. He sees the red from blood that had run from the cut on his hand as he tried to clean it himself before Alex got back home...

No... not again... not the memories... not those ones...

But it was no use. The emotions are in control and overtake Jason's mind, as if putting a veil of deception over his eyes, clouding reality as it melts together with the past.

The pain hits hard, and Jason slides to the kitchen floor, not even able to get to his bedroom like he'd wanted to. The water in the sink remains on. "Katie..." His longing had done a 180 on him, and his voice is but a whimper. "...don't leave."

Curling up in a tight ball and scrunching his eyes shut, he starts to shake, the sweat breaking out on his forehead and running down his neck. His breathing grows shallow as his pulse rate spikes, bringing torment to his body as much as his mind.

Alex comes...he's not happy...he's shouting...he has a broom handle in his hand... Jason shouldn't have been out of the room...the kitchen was off limits... The broom handle swings and connects with the side of his face.

Jason cries out, uncontrolled tears seeping from his eyes. His muscles begin to cramp as he holds himself in such a tight ball.

Trooper whines and paces the kitchen floor, looking to Jason, looking to Katie, then pacing some more.


As Misty and Kyle pull up to his apartment, he doesn't even notice. As soon as he'd gotten into the car with her, his body had given out, and sleep had taken over. Now home, he didn't even wake.


Con fidgets with his cell phone, wondering about calling Jason or Katie. Something didn't feel right...neither had come back...he'd though he'd seen Jason's truck drive away, but no one knew anything about it. What had happened? Why had Katie been so upset?

He looks to Jamie, the worry in his eyes.


As the chatter and laughing around the table keeps up, Axel remains on the outskirts, mingling once in a while, but spending most of his time observing. Once things start to get wrapped up, he's given the tab and money to pay, and heads up to the front counter. Waiting for Mabel, he leans his elbows on the counter, and glances to his right at Jess. A small smile moves the corner of his mouth. "Hi."