Goodnight

Con watches Katie closely, his observing eyes catching her body language, and picking up on her subtle emotional strain. He says nothing, though, and simply keeps up a string of light conversation until the song is over and the crowd begins to make their way outside.

Cindy is speechless as Wes speaks. Her heart races and she can feel the heat rising to her face. A deeper relationship with Wes? Could she? Did he really care that much? She searches his eyes, needing truth…needing to find that solid truth that would tell her he wasn’t just stringing her along.
As he kisses her forehead and pulls her back close, she allows him to, but still remains quiet, her mind reeling. “I’ll think about it,” she manages softly, and rests her head on his shoulder until the song ends.


Clint can’t help just a little disappointment as the last song comes to an end. He was comfortable…content….happy. But everything comes to an end. He pulls himself away from Wendy, offering her his hand to walk her to the door. “Thank you, Wendy. I had a blast tonight.”


Mick grins as he holds Rosetta close, for once pushing all worries aside and throwing all caution into the wind. It felt good to open his heart again…it felt good to be here with Rosetta… and the future looked just a little brighter. As the song draws to an end, he stops swaying and lowers his gaze to Rosetta. He keeps her close, but lifts her chin with a gentle hand, caressing her cheek. The volume of the crowd around them increase as people get ready to leave, the chatter getting louder. But the noise seems far away.
As Mick looks into Rosetta’s eyes, he sees more than he did before…he feels more than he’s allowed himself to feel in a long time. Taking both hands to cradle Rosetta’s face, he tips his head to plant a tender kiss on her lips, lingering for just a moment. Drawing away, a soft smile creases his face and he motions to the door. “Shall we go?”

Everyone from the ranch eventually finds each other to pile back into the vehicles, exhausted, but happy, and the ride home is quiet with thoughts lingering on the last few hours.

Once back, they begin to disperse, all accepting the fact that it is too late to stay up any longer, though some remain in the mess hall for just a few minutes to wind down.

Clint walks Wendy to her bunk, and gives her hand a kiss, though daring nothing more. “Goodnight, Princess.”

Luke drops Angel off at her place, giving her a kiss goodnight, and thanking her for a fun evening.


Jason exits the car with Jade and sighs deeply, taking in the crisp night air. Jade comes up beside him, linking her arm in his. “Walk you to your bunk?”

Jason grins at her. “Okay.”

They make their way slowly to his bunk and once on the porch, they pause. Jason has his hand on the doorknob, but hesitates, and gazes down on Jade’s face instead. She’d been so good to him the last few weeks…he’d come to appreciate her company more and more, and tonight had topped it all off. A sense of warmth enters his veins as he studies her eyes.

Jade’s pulse quickens as he stares at her, feeling like a little child all over again. His hand is holding hers, and it feels rough and warm, sending a shiver down her spine.

Jason can feel Jade’s nervousness, and offers her a slight grin, knowing good and well what’s going through her mind. Giving in to his own impulsiveness, he leans down, drawing her in close.

Jade feels herself rise up on her tiptoes as she wraps her arms around Jason’s neck to receive his kiss, and doesn’t resist letting it linger for several moments as she’s enveloped in warmth.

Pulling himself away, Jason gives Jade’s cheek a playful brush with his hand. “Goodnight.”

Jade can barely find her voice. “Night.”

A grin on his face, Jason turns to go into his bunk.

Jade steps off the porch, feeling light as a feather as she heads to her own bunk.