Different

Carson rolls over onto his back, finally looking up at Misty. It was breakfasttime, but he wasn't hungry, and her words continued to confuse him.

"You are so different..." His eyes narrow as he studies her face, seeking for answers. "I just don't understand you. Why do you care so much? Everyone I've ever known has had no problems feeding me to the dogs, yet you stand there and defend me as if I'm something worth defending. You stand up for me when I don't deserve it. You go to the lengths of being on the verge of deceitful, just to keep me out of that holding cell."

He shakes his head slowly. "And it will never work. You may have tangled with the Agency once before, but me...I've hurt people who are here in this very building. Even if I give these blokes all the information they want, I'll still be an enemy."

Carson unconsciously picks at the bandage on his wrist. "I should have just high tailed it back to where I belong, like I started out to do." His eyes reflect a hardness that has returned overnight, though his reasoning for coming back is still unvoiced.


Jason lays a hand on Katie's shoulder as the elevator comes to a stop on the main floor. "Good to have you back, Hero." He throws her a wink and lets her walk ahead of him. "I'll be in my office if you need anything."

Once to his desk, he picks up the phone and dials, while fingering the black duffel bag on his chair that had been brought in. "Yo, Nate. Feel like coming in today? We got Carson's bag - Hal brought it in last night."


"Katie!" Scott waves enthusiastically as he walks down the row of cubicles. "Long time no see!"

"Hey, Hero!" Susanne calls and waves from a short ways away, and Laura smiles her greeting from several cubicles down as well.

"Hi, Katie."


Con cradles his coffee mug in his hand and nods to Jamie. "I think it'll be good for you to get away too." He gives a little sigh, feeling badly that he didn't want to go. It wasn't anything to do with Jamie...he just didn't want to be around the hub of the Agency case right now. It had hit too close to home and he was tired of thinking about it. "I know you'll be just fine, and they do need to know about that kid."

He pauses, his mind wandering back to the letter he'd received days before. "Anything you want me to do while you're gone?"