Planning

"Here we go!" The nurse, Linda, brings in a tray of food for Con's lunch, a cheery smile on her face as always.

Con pulls himself up into a sitting position and give a little sigh when he sees the meager meal. "Looks like we got mystery potatoes with tasteless gravy, suspicious looking...chicken...I think... and a teaspoon of jello. Let me guess...the cook today is a woman who weighs no more than a hundred pounds."

Linda smirks at him and pulls the table over his bed to set the tray down. "You've been complaining about this food for three days, Mr. Gibbs. I think I'll be more glad when you get to go home this afternoon than you."

Con looks up at her, quirking an eyebrow as he gives her a grin. "I'm a growing boy, Linda! They're supposed to keep me alive in here, not starve me!"

Linda chuckles and shakes her head. She glances over to Jamie, who she's used to seeing here with Con. "If this guy ever gets around to asking you to marry him, make sure you know what you're getting into. I have a feeling he could eat anyone out of house an home."

"Hey!" Con ignores her reference to marriage, and threatens to catapult a spoonful of mashed potatoes in Linda's direction.

"I'm going, I'm going!" Linda holds up her hands. "See if I come back to clear your mess."

Con watches her leave, an amused look on his face before he turns back to his food and pokes at the chicken with caution. His eyes drift to Jamie. "If I'da known it was gonna be this bad, I woulda snuck out of here two nights ago." Sighing, he relents, too hungry to skip his meal altogether. With his right arm in a sling and it being too painful to move his shoulder, he has just a bit of trouble eating with one hand, but manages as he has the last couple days. "I'll just be glad to get home today and sleep in my own bed...at least I'll have a day or two to get myself ready to go to Texas."

"Hey, Tank!"

Con looks up in surprise, seeing Dean in a wheelchair in the doorway. "Dean!" A smile spreads. Bret had come for a while the day before to visit, but otherwise he hadn't seen any of his coworkers. "How you doing?"

Dean shrugs. "As well as can be expected." He gestures to his chair. "I'll be stuck in this contraption for a while, but I'm alive and that's what counts."

"Sure does..." A woman appears behind him, leaning down to kiss him on his cheek. It was his wife, Barb. "I haven't had a chance to thank you, Con," she mentions. "I hear it was you who got him out."

Con waves her off. "Adrenaline and reflex. Say...how's Brandon?"

Dean shakes his head. "Still critical. They're keeping him in an induced coma so he doesn't wake and hurt himself by moving too much."

"So that's all they know?"

"Pretty much." Dean purses his lips grimly. "His mom's been here the last few days, and his brother just came up yesterday."

Barb pats her husband on the shoulder. "Ready to go eat?"

"You bet."

"Alright." Barb waves to Con and Jamie. "See you later."


Carson comes into the infirmary and seeing that Rick isn't around, he strolls over to Misty's desk, standing behind her for a moment, looking over her shoulder at the computer screen. Taking his hands, he gives her shoulders a rub for several minutes before letting his arms fall around her, leaning down to give her cheek a kiss.

He and Misty hadn't done an awful lot together the last few days. He knew he'd been a little distant...he'd been taking several trips out of town, but avoiding the subject, and some of the phone calls he'd received, he'd been just as glad to go outdoors to take. The whole thing had him on edge and he'd already started hunting for some different sources of income around town, but had remained close-mouthed about it. There was no way he could tell anyone about this. It was his mess...his fault...and he had to fix it...somehow.

But Misty herself had been a bit tense lately too, and Carson had picked up on it, starting to worry just a little.

Resting his chin on her head, he takes a hand to run his fingers down her arm. "You been awful quiet, babe. What's up?"


Scott looks in the broad mirror, cringing just a little as another lock of hair falls to the tiled floor. "You're really going to town, aren't you?"

Amy puts a hand on her hip, looking at him by way of the mirror. "I've been cutting your hair since you were a kid, you finally tell me you want something different, and now you're complaining before I'm even finished."

Scott scrunches up his nose, squinting at the reflection. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea."

Amy goes back to combing and cutting. "Hun, let me tell you something...you're a good looking man and this is a much-needed change."

"Hey, it hasn't been that bad."

"Hasn't been that good either," Amy scoffs. She grabs a handful of hair. "This does not belong parted and slicked back. You make yourself look like a..."

"A nerd, I know, I know!" Scott complains. "Just...cut."


"...What do you think?" Amy spins Scott's chair around so he can see in the mirror again.

Scott takes a hand and runs it through the much shorter hair on the sides and back, and feels the more jagged cut on top.

Amy grins at him. "Now, when you wash it, just give it a bit of oomf with your fingers, like so..." She picks her fingers through his damp hair. "And just let it dry. Your hair isn't as straight as a pin, so it shouldn't lay too flat. If it does, just use some gel."

Scott quirks an eyebrow, studying the new look.

Amy watches him and chuckles. "I know, it makes you look pretty different, doesn't it? I like it. You won't be able to keep the girls off of you."

Scott rolls his eyes and slides off the chair, brushing loose hair off his pants. "I got just one girl I care about, thank you."

"Oh, have you now?" Amy elbows him. "How long as this been going on?"

Scott can't help a sheepish grin. "A little while." He takes his wallet out of his back pocket and flips it open, revealing a picture of Katie that he'd had tucked away.

Amy's smile broadens. "Ooh, Scott. You've been holding out on me."

Scott just shakes his head and goes to pay for the cut. "Thanks, Amy."

"You bet. Take care of yourself."


...Scott wanders into TJY a little more cautiously than normal. He'd thrown on a plain tee and jeans before coming, amplifying the look he now wore. Without his glasses made him look even more different, and he avoids contact with too many people on the way to his desk, fearing the comments. He wasn't fond of that kind of attention...but he'd wanted something different before heading back to Texas. He would be Katie's date to Mick and Rosetta's wedding, and wanted to do her proud. They'd said casual would be okay, but Scott knew good and well that most there would be dressed up, and he knew Katie would be as well.

"Oooh!" Susann walks by, pausing at his cubicle. "Where's Scott and what did you do with him?"

Scott's face reddens. "That bad?"

"Good heavens, no" Susanne laughs and shakes her head. "I really like it."


"...So anyway, Sheriff Brown's been out a lot and he and Dad keep discussing what's going to change." Wyatt pauses, taking a sip of his soda as he sits in the booth at Mom and Pop's, chatting with Aerith while she's on break. The last few days have been uneventful, but he's been able to enjoy several outings with Aerith to the river again and to the beach. It was their plan to head over to the next JetStream concert coming up too, and both were looking forward to that. "Brown wants us switched over to being the Elite in about two month's time. The location is still up in the air, but I think they're going to keep us where we are at least for now. Brown's got a couple people he wants on staff...but mostly we'll be the same group. I don't think anybody has said they're backing out."

He pauses again in thought. "A few people's jobs will shift. We might have more work at the department downtown at times, but overall things shouldn't run too much differently. We'll all get sworn in, have badges, the whole bit. It'll be so much nicer not to have to worry about getting arrested now for doing our jobs."

Wyatt grins. "Kinda exciting, really...we're still up against the Agency, but things seem to be looking up at least. He shrugs. A few of ours are heading to Texas in a couple days for Katie's aunt's wedding. Jason's supposed to find out if anyone there wants to be a part of the Elite, or if they want to remain civilian. We'll see."


"What?! How can they do that?" Bret paces his living room floor, his cordless phone in hand. Leaning on the couch, his arm brushes his metal lamp and he jumps as he's shocked from scuffing his socks on the carpet.

"Well...no! I don't understand. They should be going after that dang surveyor's office, not Titan, let alone me! How can they be getting away with this anyway? I know if they went after Titan they'd lose hands down because they were negligent, so what good does blaming me do? Does it just give it an odd twist to throw people off in the hopes they won't be sued or what?"

Bret pauses, his exasperation growing. "Me, damaging their reputation?! Oh come on! ...No...I....just...." He growls. "No, not yet. Well I'm not coming into work with those reporters hanging around. They'll just have to get tired of waiting."

Ending the call, he flops down on the couch, tossing a throw pillow across the room. This was ridiculous. How could he be attacked like this? It wasn't even logical! And yet for some reason, the legal system was allowing it.

Sighing, a thought enters his mind. He hadn't figured on things actually getting this far, but they had, and he was getting into trouble without help. Grabbing his phone again, he also picks up a notepad that had scribbled numbers all over it. Dialing, he reaches a voice mail box.
"Hi, Jamie...it's Bret...Bret Parker. Listen, um...a few days ago you said you knew a good lawyer...I hate to admit it, but I might need one. I'm already getting hit pretty good with this Titan mess. I...can't afford a whole lot though, so that might deter whoever you had in mind. But...anyway...I'll figure something else out if I have to. Call me anytime, or whatever. Thanks."


"Don't tell me these are all the dishes you have." Camryn glances in a box that she sets on the empty kitchen counter.

Jason rolls his eyes as he tosses a garbage bag full of clothes into the next room. "I told you...I haven't had much of my own since my other house burned down. This is just stuff that people gave me."

Camryn giggles as she holds up a fork that had somehow been bent in the move. "I think you need to do some shopping."

"Quite possibly." Jason smirks at her. "Are you going to admire the silverware or help me unload the rest of my stuff?"

"Alright, don't have a hissy fit." Camryn follows him out to the black pickup to drag a box out of the bed. "By the way, nice wheels."

"Yeah, thanks." Jason heads back inside, setting another box in the entryway. "It was Hal's - a guy I work with...he offered to sell it to me a while ago, but I didn't have much money saved up, but now I decided to go for it. He's real nice about it and is just letting me pay it off every month."

"Well that's handy."

"Yeah." Jason holds open the door for one last trip out and in.

"This whole thing moved along pretty quick for you," Camryn comments.

"Well, when I called about this place, Mrs. O'Lara was desperate to get it rented out, so she had no problems with it happening right away. Thankfully for me, all the paperwork etcetera went through quick too, and I think Carson's just as glad to get rid of me."

Camryn throws him a sly grin. "I can't imagine anyone being glad to get rid of you."

Jason's eyes narrow slightly but he doesn't comment. He'd met Camryn downtown again the day before and she'd offered to help him move into the little one-story white house and he hadn't refused. Today after lunch, she'd been a real help, getting everything down from Carson's, loaded up, and over here, even helping with a large piece of furniture.

He flops down on the couch that Susanne had sold him and stares at the blank walls. It would take a while for this to look like a home.

Camryn plops down next to him, catching her breath from all the moving. "So you're going to Texas in a couple days, huh?"

"Yeah...that wedding. It's a good excuse to see my mom again."

"Ah, that's right. How long you staying?"

"Not long." Jason shakes his head. "I gotta get back that same night because Sunday evening JetStream's got a gig."

"Oh yeah..." Camryn's eyes light up. "I was going to go to that, but nobody ever asked me."

Jason turns his head to look at her with annoyance. "You don't know how to drop hints, do you?"

"What's a hint?"

"That's what I thought." Jason yawns and stretches. "Alright. I'll give in this time. You wanna come?"

"Well that's a fine way to ask."

"What?"

"You could be a little more enthusiastic."

"Maybe I would if you weren't so pushy."

"I'm not pushy!"

"Yes you are."

"Well I...." Camryn stops and giggles. "Okay...maybe a little. But if you really don't want me in the way, I won't go."

Jason rolls his eyes. "Oh, stop. I'll even pick you up if you're that desperate."

"I'm not desperate!"

A small grin quirks the corner of Jason's mouth. "If you say so."

Giving a huff, Camryn stands up again. "So are we going to go get some ice cream or what?"

"You ever slow down?"

"Nope. Do you?"

"Yes."

"Well stop it. There's too much left in today to let it slip by unnoticed."

"Like what?"

Camryn takes Jason's hand to pull him up and drag him to the door. "The sun is shining, the breeze is cool...it's a gorgeous day out here, Hotshot. So quit moping around and get out and enjoy it. Come on."

"I gotta get back to work!"

"Do you even know the meaning of fun?"

Jason gets pulled out the door and he stops just to shut it and lock it. The question shouldn't have been a hard one, but for him...it wasn't easy. "According to whose measurements?"

"Your own."

"I always have fun."

Camryn throws him a withering look. "How about according to my measurements?"

"In your eyes I bet I lead a very boring life."

"Chasing badguys and taking down outlaws? What's boring about that?" Camryn shakes her head. "You really are clueless, aren't you?"

"About what?"

"Just enjoy yourself!" Camryn steps of the porch and spreads out her arms to spin under the sunshine.

Jason crosses his arms, just watching her.

"Party pooper," Camryn chides. Grabbing him, she pulls him into the small front yard with her and twirls again. "Ever spin around just so you can get dizzy and fall down?"

"Why on earth would I want to do that?"

"Just because!" Camryn stops and points at the sky. "Look up, Jason..."

He does. "Yeah, so?"

"Now close your eyes...." Camryn closes her own. "Listen to the wind....smell that scent of summer...feel that sun...isn't it gorgeous?"

Jason is silent for several moments and it suddenly hits him that it had been a long time since he'd taken just a few moments to stop and smell the roses.

Camryn takes his arm again. "Okay, don't overdo it. You're the one that said you need to get back to work, and I wouldn't want to get blamed for your untimely firing."

"Sure, you don't care that I'd be out of a job as long as you weren't blamed."

"Of course," Camryn teases, going around to the passenger side of the truck.


Reese taps his pen absentmindedly on his desk before finally opening up his email. He hesitates before typing, but after a moment, his fingers hit the keys.
Angelica,
Had a thought cross my mind. You remember Mick Henson? He and Rosetta Pent are getting married here in just a couple days, and a few from TJY are going to Texas for the wedding. Actually, all of TJY was invited, but only a handful are actually going.
Since the whole lot was invited though, I didn't want to leave you out. I wasn't going to go, but if you would like to, I can make arrangements to meet you there.
If you're interested in a mini-vacation on a ranch, just let me know and I'll share details.
-Reese


"And I thought I'd have to tell you to calm down." Sparky leans against the wall in the wall watching his brother saddle up a horse.

"What on earth for?"

"The wedding."

Mick throws him a look. "Why would I have to calm down?"

"I don't know...most guys are bundles of nerves."

"Sparky...." Mick turns around and looks his brother in the eye. "I've known Rosetta since I was eighteen years old. She and I have been through everything imaginable. I hardly think that finally getting married is something for me to get nervous about."

Sparky chuckles and shakes his head. "Alright."

"Now you on the other hand....when you and Mel..."

Sparky's eyebrows shoot up. "Hey, who said anything about me and Mel?"

"Well it's not exactly a secret that you two are..."

"Are what?!"

Mick can't help his grin, holding back a laugh as he tightens the girth on his saddle. "I'm not sure if 'dating' would be the right word."

Sparky opens his mouth to argue, but closes it again, his face getting red.

Mick turns around and finally laughs. "Boy that shut you up quick."

"So you talked to Luke much lately?"

Mick rolls his eyes at the quick change of subject. "Just this morning, why?"

"He hasn't been doing too well lately, has he..."

"No..." Mick pauses tacking up to shake his head. "Not so great."

"You think he and Angel will go ahead and get married since a least some of this whole mess is clearing up, or you think Luke will still want to wait until it's entirely over?"

"I have no idea...if he waits that long, I'm afraid it'll be too late, but...it's their choice." Mick shrugs. "Personally, I think he's just scared of needing Angel to take care of him."

"Well she does now."

"Yeah, but...if they're married, I think Luke thinks she'd feel more pressure and obligation."

"He should know that's not true."

"Sure." Mick taps his head. "Up here." His hand moves to his chest. "But not in here."

Sparky nods slowly. "I see what you're saying..." He sighs a little. "Your kids coming up for the wedding?"

Mick buckles the breast collar on the saddle, taking a moment to respond. "Jade might."

Sparky knows better than to ask about Dylan. "Rosetta said Katie was excited to come back."

"I bet she is."

"Bringing her boyfriend again."

"He seems like a nice guy."

"Yeah...I didn't get to interact with him much before, but he seemed like he had a good head on his shoulders."

Mick nods. "I think he does."