Antics

As Katie takes Jason's hand and pulls him up, he can't help his bit of surprise. He listens to her words carefully, searching her eyes as she speaks. She knew him well enough to know that at this point, he was exhausted but having trouble sleeping, and that she was the one who could help him.

Austin's words come back to him. 'It wasn't wrong...it was just plain stupid.' Was this still true? Jason questions his own judgment. He couldn't deny he wanted to agree with Katie though...and besides, Wyatt was no longer in the picture...there was no one else to offend... did that make it right? He knew both his and Katie's intentions were not inappropriate, and he would never do anything to break her trust.

Jason's previous day had been rough...his night had become hard... and he wanted his best friend.

Finally giving in, and ignoring his over-cautiousness, he sinks down on the bed beside Katie, stretching out on his back to rest his head on the pillow. He says nothing, but listens... it hits him a little harder than he thought as she mentions when he had been so sick... he wondered if he had ever really understood what that time had done to Katie.

As she speaks of friends, he knows he has experienced exactly what she is describing, through her...she'd been such a great support... Jason knew he could have survived the past few months without her, but it would have been a whole lot harder.

Jason lets silence reign when Katie finishes talking, and stares up at the ceiling. Being close to Katie helped him relax, and the nightmarish images were slowly dispersing. Finally he rolls over on his side with his back to Katie, though is close enough to feel her, and tucks his hands up under the pillow, closing his eyes. Her words brought comfort...they brought peace... how he longed for peace...

Sleep is quick to overtake his mind.


Con shakes his head at the mention of Rick. "No...not Rick..." He swallows hard, latching on to Jamie's gaze, and knowing that fear can be seen through his own eyes. He slowly picks himself up back off the floor, and leans on the kitchen counter, weighing his options. Finally he turns back to Jamie. "I've lost the hearing in my left ear, Jamie..." Saying the words aloud seemed to seal his fate. "I need to know if it's permanent, but I can't ask Rick. If the damages is permanent, my time at TJY could be over."


"I'm going to be late for work!"

"This will only take a minute."

"Why couldn't we have just called?!"

"Because." Kyle shoves his brother out of the elevator and down the hospital hall. "I want to see Jason face to face."

Phil rolls his eyes. "But Mike isn't even here."

"It's not my fault he had to open the store early this morning." Kyle keeps walking, throwing a silly wave to the nurse as they pass, though he receives little response. Seeing Katie's door barely open, he cautiously peeks inside, and his eyes widen just a little.

Phil looks in over his shoulder, slightly surprised himself at seeing Jason and Katie together. "They're sleeping," he whispers. "Come on, let's go."

A grin spreads across Kyle's face, and he keeps his voice quiet. "Nuh-uh... I came to ensure Jason's answer was still yes, I dragged you along for a witness, and I'm not leaving." He slips inside, with his brother trying to hold him back.

"Kyle!" he whispers hoarsely. "We'll come back later!"

Kyle ignores him and tiptoes across the room to the bed, still grinning. Reaching onto his belt, he pulls off his cell phone and opens it up, aiming the camera at the bed. With a press of the button, the image is captured. "Rise and shine!"

Jason's eye fly open, Kyle's words hitting him like a bucket of cold water. Sitting bolt upright, his mind is in a total fog, but he sees the phone in Kyle's hand and knows exactly what he'd done. Standing up, he throws a warning look at Kyle. "Give me the phone."

Kyle laughs and shakes his head. "Oh, no. This is too good."

Jason's eyes widen, though he's not all that upset - he didn't know if it was even possible to get upset with Kyle's innocent antics. "Come on, Kyle! Quit playing around!"

Kyle spins around and tosses his phone to Phil. "Quick! Run!"

Though having not even wanted to disturb Jason and Katie, Phil is fast to jump on the joke with Kyle, and does exactly as he's told, scooting out of the room.

Jason moves around the bed toward Kyle. "You little..."

Kyle holds up his hands, trying not to laugh. "Hey, down boy. It's not my fault you slept in late this morning. I just thought it was such a perfect Kodak moment, I couldn't pass it up!" He bolts for the door, but Jason is quicker and tackles him from behind, slamming him into the wall, and pinning an arm behind his back. Neither think about the fact that they would wake Katie.

Kyle winces, though is still laughing. "I'll print it out and give you a copy," he teases.

"No, you're going to delete it," Jason corrects, putting more pressure on Kyle's arm. "Right?''

"Ahh!" Kyle squirms, though finds it impossible to escape his taller adversary. "Alright, alright. I'll delete it. After I print it."