Setting up

Bret watches the map fly to the backseat, giving Charlotte an expression of amusement. He grins at her coin toss. "Fifty miles was sounding too small anyway." Today was a day when he was throwing caution to the wind. He had nothing better to do, would wind up at the bar anyway, and without a goal, he was game for the adventure.

Tossing the other quarter, he fails to catch it, and it lands on the floor, tilted up at an angle. Thinking for a moment, he glances to Charlotte, back at the quarter, then back up again. "Well...looks like we'll be traveling north."

Before any more can be said, he throws his car in gear and guns it, burning rubber with a squeal as he skids around in a full circle and another half, expertly keeping the car under control as they spin and stop, facing north. He checks his mirrors seeing if anyone was around only after the fact as he straightens out the car. "Ladies and gentlemen," he speaks under his breath, "do not try this at home."

Turning up the radio and tuning to some loud rock, he speeds up again. Hitting a deserted street, they speed to the edge of town.

Spotting a gas station, Bret slows down and decides to fill up. Before getting out though, he grabs his wallet and hands Charlotte some cash. "I'll fill up, you get the munchies and drinks - get me some pepsi."


Carson hangs up the phone and just lies still for a while on the couch, letting his mind drift. It takes him places he really doesn't want to go, but he's too tired to fight it.

Eventually he gets up and goes to his bedroom. Pulling out the bottom drawer of his dresser, he takes out a small box. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he sifts through the few things that were there, until he comes to several old pictures. Finding the one he was looking for, he stares back at the face that he hasn't seen in over ten years. Running his thumb over it, he experiences the hurt all over again...the pain..the wondering...sorrow...anger... He'd thought it was over, but suddenly the past was being dug up once more...

...Carson lies on the couch again, a cold cloth over his eyes. Hearing the knock at the door, he recognizes it to be Misty's, and calls to her. "Yeah, come on in."

Shifting the cloth from his eyes, he squints for a moment, lifting his head just far enough to see Misty, then relaxes again. "Give me a minute and I'll get myself up to be livelier company," he comments dryly.

Finally sitting up, he rubs his eyes wearily, giving a sigh as he tries to perk up for Misty's sake. But his eyes can't lie. They're bloodshot and tired, the evidence remaining behind of the tears that no one would ever witness.


At Katie's comment of the group, Reese's eyes get as big as saucers, trying to keep them on the road. He can't even dare look in Lockheart's direction, knowing her face must be as red as his own felt.

Con turns around to throw Katie a look. "Watch it...Lockheart isn't but a few years older than me, you twerp."

Scott eyes his friend and puts on a fake punk air, lifting his chin. "Hey, whose girl you callin' a twerp, man?"

Con quirks an eyebrow. "And who are you challenging?"

Scott immediately retreats, holding up his hands. "Nobody?"

"That's what I thought."

"You give in too easily," Jason shoots back to Scott. "Remember what Jamie said about him being a teddy bear?"

"Yeah well..." Scott thinks about his words. "He's an awfully big teddy bear then."

Camryn giggles at the banter, loving every minute of it. Since the plane had taken off back in Nevada, she'd known she wouldn't regret this trip, and she'd been right. Leaning over, she whispers something to Jason.

Jason reacts with wide eyes and a glance back to Con and Jamie. Elbowing Camryn, he keeps a laugh from slipping out and shakes his head.

Once at the ranch, everybody starts to pile out of the van. Scott and Katie are last, but before she can get up, he takes her arm, giving her a crooked grin. Leaning over, he gives her a short but passionate kiss. His eyes twinkling, he brushes her cheek with his hand. "I might not see you again 'til later, so I thought I better get what I could now."


"Hey, has anybody seen Mick?"

"Where are those chairs?"

"Look out! Table coming through."

"Has anybody seen Mick?!"

"Yo Jeff, where's that stand?"

Sparky throws up his hands in disgust as he's caught in the comings and goings out behind the house. "Has anybody seen Mick???!" he shouts.

Everybody stops and looks at him. Mel comes up behind him, putting an arm around his shoulders. "There's really no need to shout, hun."

Sparky throws her a withering look. "I've been trying to..."

He's cut off as she leans around and gives him a kiss on the lips. "Relax. You'd think you were the groom instead of your brother. Now...what did you need?"

Sparky gives a little sigh, brought back down by Mel's attention. "I needed to talk to him about parking."

"See now? If you'd have been paying attention, you'd know that Eric and Wes have already been working on roping off that lot by the bunkhouses for people to park." Mel runs a finger across his head and down his neck. "Settle down, will you?"


"Jason!" Cindy spots her son from the kitchen and wipes her hands on her apron, going out to greet him with open arms.

Jason receives her hug and returns his own, a little more enthusiastically than the last time he'd been here. "Hey. Didn't know if you'd be here or up at the house."

"Oh, I'm here helping get food ready for the reception," Cindy explains. Her eyes shift to the young woman next to him. "And who do we have here?"

"This is Camryn Lane," Jason introduces. "She decided to tag along for the day just to get out of town for a few hours. Camryn, this is my mom, Cindy."

Camryn extends her hand, smiling from ear to ear. "It's so nice to meet you. Jason's told me so much. Congratulations on the upcoming arrival of a new family member."

Cindy beams. "Well thank you." She sets a hand on her tummy. "We're all excited."

"Where's Wes?" Jason questions.

Cindy shakes her head. "He and the other guys have been running around like chickens with their heads cut off. It's worse than when he and I got married." She laughs. "It's kind of nice for once to see them all confuzzlebumed instead of us women."

Jason gives her a wry grin. "Clint around?"

"Out in the shop...as always. I think Wendy's been trying to get him to clean up all morning, but he insists on finishing something in there first."

"Great." Jason nods to the door, looking at Camryn. "Want to?"

Camryn grins and holds up her hands. "Today I'm your shadow, lest I get lost in the crowd."

Cindy chuckles. "If you get lost in this crowd, honey, you couldn't be safer."

"You know..." Camryn looks around for a moment. "I believe that."


"Yo, Jase!" Clint straightens up from staring into the engine of a car, and wipes his hands on a rag, offering a shake to Jason. "Long time no see."

Jason half grins and shakes his hand. "Yeah, something like that."

"Thought you might come along with the others."

"Yeah well...though I shouldn't pass up seeing my mom again."

Clint nods and looks to the side, cocking his head at Camryn. "I see you brought company. And I thought you were alone and miserable. You been holding out on me, not telling me you had a girlfr..."

Jason cuts him off. "Friend," he emphasizes. "Camryn, this is Clint Henson - he's the nephew of the groom."

Clint eyes Jason with suspicion, but doesn't say more on the topic of girlfriends. "Glad to meet ya."

"Likewise." Camryn grins. "And you're still right about this guy being alone and miserable. I'm trying to break him of that habit."

Jason gives her arm a backhanded slap. "Behave yourself."

Camryn smirks. "So, Clint... you the mechanic around here?"

"Trying to be." Clint laughs. "Guess maybe I'm second in command. The bossman is Jason's stepdad, Wes. He's a great guy."


Jim hangs up the phone in the corner of the mess hall and goes to the kitchen, poking his head through the door and spotting his wife. "Hey, Beck...Jerry can't come."

Becky turns from the oven, a look of disappointment crossing her face. "Oh, no...what are we going to do about a photographer? Any place else in town was booked for this weekend. I was so hoping to get some really good pictures today to put in that book for Rosetta and Mick."

"...Hey...Jim."

Jim turns quickly at his youngest son's voice, a smile spreading. "Ty..." He gives him a quick but tight hug. "Glad you made it back. How's it going?"


Con wanders around back with Jamie, greeting friends along the way. Seeing the bustling group in the yard, he spots the youngster he was looking for. "And where's that little cowboy?" his voice thunders. "He said he'd be here, but I've been looking all over!"


Reese leads Lockheart into the mess hall where half the commotion was going on. "Well...welcome to the ranch." He chuckles. "It isn't normally this crazy, but everybody here is nice and if you need anything, just give a real loud holler and half of them will come running."


Luke sits in a folding chair and looks up to the guys working on the ribbons and flowers draped across one of the tents. "No...a little to the left....no..up...right....down...no up again..."

Jeff looks down at him from his ladder with annoyance. "Will you make up your mind?!"

"I'd come do it myself, but I can't walk today," Luke retorts. "So just do as I say."

Jeff smirks and turns back to the ribbon.

"No, I said up!"