Danger

Jason is taken back to his cell where he's left for the rest of the evening and night. Strange sounds and voices keep him awake. He hears other inmates talking or yelling, guards barking orders, doors opening and closing, and finally, lights out. Then all is quiet. But quietness allows for one's mind to travel, and Jason's mind does just that. The atmosphere provides ample opportunity for nightmares, even though he fights against them. The night is one of the longest he's ever experienced.


Carson's face is one of control as Misty approaches, and he folds his arms across his chest, forming a barrier. But he manipulates his own eyes to spark with sly amusement. "Mm, you do like living dangerously, don't you?"

He locks eyes with her. "You're going to be a bad influence on me if I keep hanging around you."

He leans down ever so slightly, his lips brushing up against Misty's, though he resists a full kiss, his arms still crossed. "And we wouldn't want you putting me in danger, now would we?"


Laura reads the look on Jamie's face, and can't blame her. "Don't take it personally," she adds gently, scrunching her nose up just a little. "Con does this every once in a while. He feels better knowing that no one else knows where he is so he can have more privacy - more alone time if that's what he needs. A couple years ago he didn't even tell me where he went and he was gone for two weeks - I just got to work one morning to find out he'd left town. That time it was only Jason who knew about it."

She pauses, thinking. "In this case though..." Laura isn't sure if she's making the right judgment call or not. "...I guess he sounded alright the last time I talked to him, but I want to make sure he actually comes home. On top of that..." She gives Jamie a smile. "If there's anyone's company he wouldn't mind, I have a hunch it would be yours. ...He's been out there for almost a week now and I don't think he was planning on staying a whole lot longer than that so...if you really want to surprise him, I'll give you directions. You'd be more than welcome at Uncle Dan's...and then I wouldn't worry so much about my brother either."


Wyatt hangs back a bit in the house, observing Katie's seemingly random housework. It was as if she wasn't even thinking clearly at all, giving herself mindless work to keep her hands busy instead of allowing herself to stop and slow down. But Wyatt understood that when slowing down, one's mind would tend to wander to unwanted places.

He leans back on the couch and stays out of the way, surprised when Katie asks him about a movie. On some level she must not want to be left alone... She looked so small...so scared...so lonely. The tears in her eyes were like daggers to Wyatt's heart, and he couldn't help the look of compassion that crosses his face. "Oh, Katie." He lets out a soft sigh.

"Come here." Wyatt reaches out to take Henry from her and set him on the floor, then takes Katie's hand, leading her around the couch. He sits down in the corner, pulling Katie down beside him and wrapping her in his arms. "If you want to watch a movie, that's what we'll do," he says quietly. "I'll stay as long as you need me to."