The night

Jason gives as little start as Katie takes his hand, and looks to her quickly. That had felt…strange. Shaking it off, he resumes his walk to the barn, trying to not think anything of it. But it had felt like touching an electric fence…though the shock hadn’t been a physical shock, but rather an emotional one. In a casual setting like this, nothing like that had ever happened before.

Writing it off as a fluke, Jason says nothing. Nearing the barn, he lets go of Katie’s hand and gives her shoulder a pat. “Catch you back in Nevada, Katie. Take care of yourself ‘til you get back.”


Camryn sees Katie and Jason out of the corner of her eye and continues her small talk with Scott until she sees Jason going to bid his mother farewell. She stands up slowly and stretches. “Well, looks like my ride is waiting. I better go get changed so we can head to the airport.”

“Alright. Thanks for the chat.” Scott rises as well, and glances around to find Katie. Finally spotting her, he approaches her slowly, offering a smile. “There you are. Thought maybe you were hiding from me,” he teases.

Reaching up, he puts a strand of her hair back in place. “People are heading out,” he comments. “Figured I’d go find my bunk here in a bit before I fall asleep right here.” He gives her a grin as he pauses. “I had a good time today, Katie…thanks for inviting me.”


Reese’s eyebrows shoot up as Lockheart places a kiss on his cheek, and he can feel the heat rise up his own neck. Looking back at her, his mouth automatically quirks into a smile. He opens his mouth to say something, but nothing seems to want to come out, and anything intelligent flees.

Finally relenting to silence, he keeps his hand in hers and bows to the door. “I think everyone is calling it a night. May I walk you to your quarters?”


Con smiles as Jamie leans against him, and watches her and BJ. “I think I can stand that kind of competition,” he replies quietly. He knew that Jamie must miss her own children, and her opportunity to look after BJ probably meant much more to her than it did Con.

A slight twinge of melancholy hits him once more as he thinks about the future, the same old question arising as to if she would really be happy with him. But he tries to shake it off, reminding himself of Jamie’s reassurances.

In just a while, Con rises and takes the sleeping boy from Jamie’s arms to carry him to the house, and they both tuck him in bed before separating for the night.


Jason and Camryn catch a ride to the airport, once again boarding the TJY jet. It’s dark and they’re tired, but neither want to sleep, knowing it wouldn’t be too long until they would be back and would have to be alert for the drive home.

Camryn suggests a card game and Jason relents, the two ending up sitting side by side.

Try as Camryn would though, she couldn’t keep her eyes open, and finally her body gives in, a light sleep coming over her.

Jason glances to the side as he feels Camryn’s head lean on his shoulder. He didn’t mind…he rather…liked it. He fought the feeling at first…he knew he was getting attached to her, but fear was an element. He’d been burned twice now – did he really want to risk his heart again?

Reaching over, he gently takes the playing cards from Camryn’s hand and puts them back in the box. Shifting his weight around, he settles back, deciding to quit fighting his own exhaustion. Knowing that Camryn would probably wake up with a stiff neck if she stayed that way, Jason slowly lifts his arm to put it around her, so she could lean into his chest instead, and he rests his own head against the jet window.

He looks out into the darkness, seeing city lights far below. A change was in the wind…he could feel it…within himself. He wasn’t sure what it meant…but he knew that soon, he would have to stop fighting himself and let himself live again.


Bret pulls his corvette up to the curb by the hotel and stops, thinking a moment before looking over to Charlotte. They’d hiked, they’d swam, they’d eaten together, they’d gone to the aquarium, they’d walked the beach, they’d gotten ice cream, and they’d sat under the stars on a wide open country hill. It was a day Bret certainly would never forget – one that perhaps had taught him that there was still hope for his future. He’d felt alone and trapped. But Charlotte…she had revived a spark deep within him, and it felt good.

Smiling a little, Bret lifts his hand to run a gentle finger down the side of her face. “You made today worth living in, Charlotte. Am I even going to see you again?”