You're welcome

Scott puts his arms around Katie as she leans against him, trying to form a shelter, though he knew it was probably inadequate for the storm she was facing.

At her request, he lets her go and stands, helping her up with him and holding her steady. He instinctively reaches out to wipe away the tears from her cheeks. “You sure you want to stay? Would you rather go home?”


Though it hurts, Wyatt gives Aerith a little grin. “You don’t have to thank me, but for what it’s worth, you’re welcome. I think Herb deserves most of the thanks in this one though.”

Receiving the kiss to the cheek, Wyatt’s eyebrow rises slightly. Giving a little chuckle, he shakes his head. “If it’s three against one again, I’ll let you help. But as far as going out is concerned, isn’t that my job to ask you, not the other way around?”


A knock to Jason’s door brings him out of his stare. “Yeah.”

Ty opens the door and throws Jason a grin. “Well, if it isn’t Hotshot. Good to see ya.”

“Hey, Ty.” Jason’s own smile forms, despite the unhappy feelings inside. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I start early some evenings now,” Ty admits. “Hal’s got the night off, so I figured I’d get a jumpstart.” He gestures to his trash bin in the hall, then to Jason’s waste basket. “Didn’t happen to accumulate anything today, did you?”

“Nope.” Jason shakes his head. “I haven’t done any work at all worth talking about.”

Ty is quiet for a moment, then leans on the doorframe in thought. “Rough?”

“A bit.”

“Gonna stick around?”

Jason raises an eyebrow. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“I dunno…just with things changing around here. TJY at risk, maybe going public, risking everyone ending up where you were…people changing.”

“People?” Reese had told Jason about the deal with Sheriff Brown, and though none too happy that TJY had been risked over getting him out of prison, it was done and over with and now all he could do was sit tight like everyone else. But what was Ty implying about people?

“Oh…well…” Ty searches Jason’s face for a moment. “Nevermind.”

“No, what did you mean?”

“Nothing,” Ty insists, his face starting to grow red. He turns to go, but Jason stops him.

“Ty!” Jason throws up his hands, bewildered. “What’s wrong? What aren’t you telling me?”

Ty bites his tongue. He hadn’t meant anything by his comment, and now his own fumbling around was getting him in even deeper. “I just meant…you know… seeing people after so long…they might have changed…so that can be rough.”

Jason’s eyes narrow. There was more. He begins to bristle just like he had earlier. Why couldn’t things just go back to the way they were? Why did he have to feel so far out of the loop? Why were people walking on eggshells around him? Why couldn’t they just treat him like they always had?

He looks at Ty sternly. “Are you going to tell me the truth, or do I have to force it out of you?”