did you...

Jason watches the tears form in Katie's eyes and feels her grasp on his hand tighten, and for a moment, he hates himself for doing this to her. "I'm sorry," he whispers. Hanging on to his emotions, he persists, waiting to see if she can block him out.


Rick turns from his place at the counter. He'd been watching out of the corner of his eye, and heard bits and pieces. A real concern was settling over him. A strange understanding was starting to surface, but one so unnatural, that he tried to deny its existence.

But as Jason and Katie battle, he can feel the tension rising in the room, and focuses on them with question.


Suddenly Jason feels the sharp pain surging through his skull. He winces as Katie informs him that she feels nothing, and he drops her hand, feeling as though he'd just been thrown against a brick wall. Immediately, he draws in his breath, wheezing as if all of the oxygen had just been sucked out of the room. Shaking slightly from fear, he cringes, putting a hand to his chest where the pressure builds. "Katie..."


Rick is jolted to attention as he sees Jason gasping. Without thinking, he goes quickly to the bed. "Jason...Jason, what's wrong?" He looks at Jason's pale face and tries to get him to relax. "Easy, easy." Racking his brain, his own frustration grows. "Dang it," he mutters under his breath. "What's wrong..."

And then...still leaning over Jason, Rick's eyes wander to see Katie's tear-streaked face. A form of shock enters his eyes. "Katie...did you..." He can't even finish the question.