Serenade

Mick agrees and helps Rosetta up as he stands. “Yeah. Jeff will want to know especially – he has quite a soft spot for his nieces and nephews.” He offers Rosetta his hand as he leads her out of the office and towards the mess hall.

Jason doesn’t force Katie away, but gives in, just holding her, wishing he could have protected her from this. If only he had answers for her. But instead of trying, he lets her question of why linger.
As she vows to walk, a hope stirs inside of him. This was the Katie he knew…if she could maintain that attitude, he had no doubt that she would walk, no matter what the doctors said. “You’ll do it, Katie,” he whispers. “I know you will.”
He can feel her starting to relax, and lets her lay back down, brushing her hair from her face. “Sleep now. You’re not alone.”


Cindy laughs. “It’s a deal. I bet you can cook a scrumptious meal.”
All through dinner, Cindy feels as if she’s in a beautiful dream that she doesn’t want to wake from. But the night must end sometime.
The drive back to the ranch is quiet, but the silence speaks louder than words, as Cindy’s fingers entwine Wes’ for the ride home. A parting kiss before heading to the bunk leaves her walking on air.


Reese comes by late in the evening to bring Jason some of his things to stay overnight. He goes to see Katie, but doesn’t wake her. Later, Wyatt and Laura come, but also let Katie sleep, though feeling better having at least seen her. Wyatt leaves a bouquet of flowers on the table for her and sends Laura out ahead of him, as he stays behind to speak with Jason.
“So you’re staying here the night?”

“Yeah…I don’t want her to be alone.”

“And you wouldn’t go back to the hotel if I said I’d stay?”

Jason quirks an eyebrow. “Your dad isn’t exactly comfortable with the thought of me there without a watchman. I’m safer here where there’s already some security.”

Wyatt withholds his sigh. “Look, Jason…I’ve been watching you and Katie the last couple weeks…you told me once there was nothing between you two. Is that really the truth?”

Jason straightens in defense. “What do you want me to say, Wyatt? Don’t you trust me?”

“Honestly? No,” Wyatt states bluntly. “You didn’t know surveillance cameras were installed in the hotel suite did you?”

Jason’s eyes widen. “What.”

Wyatt grits his teeth. “Dad didn’t think you should know, since you probably would have taken them down.”

Jason recalls the night he and Katie spent on the couch. Nothing had happened. It couldn’t have been more innocent. But in the eyes of someone dating Katie, it would have said a whole lot more. Jason throws up his arms. “You want to accuse me of something, go ahead. But don’t beat around the bush about it. If you think I’ve dishonored myself or Katie, just say it.”

Wyatt doesn’t accuse…he had promised to trust Katie and would continue to force himself to, despite all of the logic stacked against it. He stares Jason in the eye, searching for a long moment. Evidence or no, he wanted the truth. “Do you love her?”

Jason is taken so off guard that he blinks, and just looks at Wyatt for a long moment. Recovering quickly, he stares right back at him, pointing towards Katie’s room. “That woman in there has done more for me than I could ever repay. She means the world to me, and it breaks my heart to see her like this. The friendship we share is close.” His eyes narrow at Wyatt. “You can call it whatever you want to. If you think what I’ve just said is inappropriate or interferes with your own relationship with her, then I’m sorry. But the fact is that Katie is my very best friend.”

Wyatt lets the sudden silence linger. Jason hadn’t answered his question. Letting out a slow breath, he shrugs. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Jason. If anything changes, you know my number.” He turns around and walks down the hall, just a little slower than normal.

Jason sighs and closes his eyes, leaning back against the wall. Why did things have to be so complicated? He’d been good friends with Wyatt before all of his…what had he done wrong?


The night is long, and Jason stays in Katie’s room, settling down in one of the chairs with a blanket and pillow. In the early morning hours, he sends a soothing melody through the room, quietly singing and strumming his guitar strings. His mellow voice calms the atmosphere automatically, the notes of his guitar accompanying with a gentle rhythm.

The overnight nurse leans over from her desk so she can just see through the slightly open door of Katie’s room. She’d been listening to Jason sing for several minutes, and she herself was being drawn into the hypnotic song. As she continues to listen, her eyes suddenly widen and she picks up the phone. After dialing, she waits. “Yes…Sergeant Brown? I found him.”