Change

Wyatt and Jason make their way out to the jeep, avoiding anyone on the main floor lest anyone ask questions. They only stop at Jason’s office briefly to pick up Trooper.

Reese looks up from his desk as Katie enters, and he smiles, offering her a seat. “I just wanted to talk to you about a new assignment I’d like you to accept.” He pauses in thought. “I don’t take death threats lightly, and when one of my men is threatened, I make no bones about getting someone to watch their back.” He leans back in his chair. “To get straight to the point, until we find out who’s after Jason, I want you to be his bodyguard. That means going with him everywhere he goes outside of this building and knowing where he is at all times. It means you probably won’t get on any other cases for a while, unless he’s needed for one, then you’d be a team… Now, I’m not going to force you to do this – I know there’s a history between you two. But I am requesting that you accept this. You’re the best person I’ve got for this job. ….what do you say?”


Not much later…

Laura glances out her window and sees Wyatt’s jeep pulls up. She rises from her seat and meets all three of them at the door. Her face fills with compassion as she sees Jason. “Oh, Jase.” She goes to him to give him a hug. “I’m so sorry. How are you holding up?”

Jason forces half a grin and shrugs. “You know me. I’m always alright.”

Laura smiles and shakes her head. “Listen, after I talked to Wyatt, I got to thinking and I remembered that in one of the closets I still had some of Con’s and your stuff from that time you two were staying over here.” She goes into the living room, coming back with a set of clothes. “I think these are yours.”

Jason can’t help a slight chuckle as he accepts the clothing. “Yeah, these are mine all right. Guess I own two sets of clothes now.”

Laura laughs. “Three. There’s another pair of jeans and another t-shirt in there. I could give you Con’s too since your heights aren’t all that different, but I’m afraid you’d need a belt for the jeans.” She throws him a teasing grin. “I’d say to put some weight on your bones, but I don’t think you could do much to improve on that physique of yours.”

Before getting too red in the face, Jason gives her a light backhanded slap upside the head. “While you go look for the brain you apparently lost, I’m going to use your shower.”

Laura giggles and gestures to the hallway. “Have at it, Hotshot. Towels are where they’ve always been.” She shakes her head and sighs as he disappears down the hall. “Is he going to be okay?”


Jason closes his eyes, just letting the water run over him. It’s the first peaceful moment he’s had since yesterday and yet his mind was still in the middle of a war. He had to fight…he was being backed into a corner and the only thing he knew how to do was battle back. His flashback had caught him off guard, throwing a money wrench into his plan of action, but he didn’t want to back down. Adam’s words come back to him, but he shakes them off. He couldn’t relive the events this time. He didn’t have the energy to put himself through that this time…not with so many other things going on. He had to try to conquer this another way. He had to try his way for once.

Jason slowly dresses and gives himself a long stare in the mirror, his jaw set with determination. Not only did he have to remain focused for himself, but he couldn’t continually be putting Katie through this. Not anymore. From here on out, their being together was required of their job, not a social event…especially with Wyatt in the mix now. Jason had to assume the inner stance he had so long ago… his conscience begged him not to… but in an instant…he lets go. Like a veil, apathy descends upon him to create the firs layer of his invisible mask. Next was a cool hardness, designed to thwart sorrow and grief. And on top was the final touch of an expertly designed layer that could manipulate others into believing what he knew they wanted to see from him.

Walking back into the living room soon after, Jason is walking a little straighter…a little taller. His eyes are bright. He’s wearing a smile at the corners of his mouth.

“Well you certainly look and smell better,” Laura comments.

Jason quirks an eyebrow and cocks his head. “Keep it up and I’ll hide those old clothes of mine under your couch for you to smell all the time.”

Laura laughs. “Anybody hungry? I got stuff in the fridge.”