Outside

Bret opens one eye and lamely receives the water and crackers. He knew the routine and wasn't one to fight it. "Thanks...I think."

Taking a swallow of water, then crunching into a cracker, he sinks a little lower in the couch. "How much time we got to sober me up anyway? Your sister is going to kill me."


Rick quirks an eyebrow at a strange tone in Misty's voice, but dismisses it, turning back to his work.


Jason sighs with frustration and rolls his eyes. "This is ridiculous. Do you even realize what we're doing here? Anyone finds out, they'll throw us in the looney bin."

He wanted to dismiss the whole thing. It really was something that made him uncomfortable. This whole thing was just... weird. He knew it had to be just as bad for Katie thought.

Giving a sigh, he lifts the paperclip again. "I'm not giving up. There's got to be a way."

For a moment he thinks about how he needs to conquer this for Katie's sake. She couldn't go around all the time feeling what he felt. The most prominent example in his mind was any interaction he had with Camryn. He was getting closer to her, and the feelings that evoked were...

Jason comes to a screeching halt, his eyes looking back up to Katie as his cheeks grow warm. "Sorry."

Quickly concentrating on the task again, he closes his eyes for a moment. He could do this. It had to be possible... Digging the metal lightly into his hand, he tries again, this time allowing himself to accept the pain but not emit it. It was almost like a mask, veiling the true feeling, and letting the rest of his emotions, the consistent ones, fill in the holes instead to cover up the fact he was in pain.

His eyes drift back to Katie, having an odd sense this time that he had been successful. It felt...different.


Carson glances at his watch and knows he needs to get back inside before he gets into trouble. He decides to finish off his smoke first though, figuring Reese hadn't given him much pressing work lately anyway. He'd just been getting a lot of research duties that made him hope all the more for more tasks from Brown.