Chewed out

Succeeding in bringing a genuine smile to Misty's face, and hearing her laughter, Kyle's own smile widens. He knew he goofed off a lot...he knew he'd always been the class clown...he knew he could act like an idiot sometimes...but if someone smiled and felt some joy because of his natural antics, it always made him feel as though maybe he did have a purpose in this life.

Splashing her back, he laughs. "The point? Who cares what the point is? Fun is pointless, and that's the point."

Playing around in the rain and the fountain water a while longer, finally he plops down on the edge of the fountain, breathing heavily and still laughing. He and Misty were both soaked to the bone, but neither cared. It was a warm evening and it was refreshing.

Kyle takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, just listening to the sounds of the water around them. They were alone in the park, but it didn't feel empty. "Well..." He didn't want to quit before Misty was ready to leave but he was utterly exhausted from his day at work. "...my evening is about over, ready to end in a hot shower and a good night sleep. You be alright getting home in your soggy state?"


Carson would prefer to be left alone...he'd prefer that Nate just leave him to his miserable state...but he doesn't have the energy or sense to argue. He sluggishly follows Nate again, leaning on him as they go back to his bedroom.

Sinking into bed again, Carson closes his eyes tight, a headache already starting to form. Whether he remembered this in the morning or not, his hangover was going to be a doozy.

As Nate leaves the room, Carson opens one eye slightly to see him walk away. What was it that made Nate stay? There were only two people that had ever been so kind to him like this. Nate...and Misty.

Carson buries his head deeper into his pillow, trying to forget. But the dreams he has through the night, only remind him of what he's lost. Somehow though, sleep stays with him until dawn.


As Katie responds verbally to Jason's inner thoughts, he suddenly realizes the strange communication that had just happened. Normally he would have pointed it out. But tonight he was just too weary, with a much heavier burden on his heart.

Hearing Katie's words that she's there for him, he gives a little nod. "I know..." Katie was always there for him. No matter if everyone else in the world turned their backs on him, Katie was there. He'd severed their relationship, he'd abused her friendship, he'd risked everything...yet tonight, she was still there, lending a hand...lending her shoulder.

The ride to TJY is quiet. Too quiet. Jason's mind runs back over and over his fight with Camryn, his memory sparing him no details. He knew Katie was probably sensing everything too, but for once, he wasn't embarrassed. She knew everything about him - there was nothing in his personal life he could really hide from her, nor did he really want to anymore.

Jason's eyes remain glued to the dark road ahead. A dry, sorry laugh emerges. "You know...for the first time in my life...I felt ready." He shifts his weight in his seat, trying to get comfortable around the pain of his minor injuries. "I know I've never settled down much... My focus has always been on TJY...missions...danger...that excitement. But..."

He swallows hard, the intense emotions building unwanted tears behind his eyes again. There was no rain to hide them here in the car. "...when I was with Camryn...I guess I looked forward to being married..." Another sorry laugh escapes. "...having a family...being a dad." He shakes his head. He'd never expressed those feelings to anyone before. Never had he voiced any dreams other than working for TJY or pursuing his music. "I guess maybe that's just not in the cards for me."

A weary sigh seeps out, and Jason sinks further into the seat, finally closing his eyes, just letting the silence rule. But his mind was far from silent. It was still going around and around, wreaking havoc on his heart. He remains quiet the rest of the ride back, listening to the rain pelt against the windows.


Rick gathers up his things and turns off the infirmary lights, heading down the hall and to the TJY exit. He'd worked extra late tonight on some paperwork, but had just called Janet to let her know he'd be coming home. Her promised late night supper made his stomach growl.

Just as he's stepping out into the rain though, he sees headlights approaching, and a car parking. Katie's car? What was she doing here so late? He watches as Katie gets out and helps a limping Jason toward the building. Supper forgotten, he meets them halfway to relieve the weight from Katie's shoulders. "What on earth happened?!"

Jason cringes a little as he leans on Rick to head inside. "Wiped out on my bike."

Rick grits his teeth, a million and one thoughts running through his mind, but he holds them off until they've gotten inside and back to the infirmary. He directs Jason to sit up on the table, and takes his own jacket off again, now prepared to stay a while. "Your bike, huh?" He looks over Jason's bruised arm, then down to his knee, checking out the wound beneath the torn jeans.

"Yeah."

Rick is in no mood for games. "And how did this happen?"

"There was a tree down in the road."

"Mm-hmm...and how fast were you going?"

Jason lifts an eyebrow. "I don't know."

"Jason..." Rick stops his examination and looks Jason in the eye. "I told you not to ride your motorcycle until your leg was healed. Not only did you not listen to me, but you decided to go for a ride at top speed in weather that I don't even like driving a car in!" He glares at his younger friend, frustrated with the situation. "I need you to get undressed," he directs firmly, "so I can look at your knee."

Jason looks at Rick, then at Katie, then back to Rick.

Rick rolls his eyes. "Embarrassment between you two?" He sighs. "Katie, would you mind stepping out, and while you're there, calling Janet to tell her to hold supper for me?"

Within minutes, the door is open again, Jason in a dry shirt and shorts, letting Rick look at his knee.

Rick frowns as he pokes and prods. "Well, you bruised it...again." His tone indicates his displeasure at all of this. "How about next time you just hit it a little harder so we can just cut the whole leg off and you won't have to worry about it anymore?"

Jason grits his teeth. "Aw, Rick, quit it."

"No, you quit it!" Rick straightens, his hands on his hips, ignoring Katie's presence for a moment. He had no idea what had driven Jason to be reckless tonight. "When are you going to learn, Hotshot? When you kill yourself? Do you want to ruin your knee permanently? Do you want to never walk again? Do you want to damage that bone so much that I can't do any more repair on it? I'm already giving you daily shots for the pain and from what I can tell, they're not doing much good anymore."

Jason inwardly cringes. He hadn't told anyone about that.

Rick isn't finished. "And why aren't they doing any good? Because you continue to insist on being stupid!" He turns, tossing a tool into the sink where it clangs loudly. "Now I could pamper you and wrap that knee and tell you to stay here all night, and ice it every two hours, but I don't think I will. You know why?" He throws his hands up in the air. "Because I give up. You want to ruin your body, go right ahead. I'm finished trying to tell you what to do."

Jason's eyes have long since drifted to the floor, his emotions boiling, a strong irritated anger now in the mix. He knew Rick was right - he was reckless. He hadn't taken it as easy as he should have, and he'd ignored the signs that his knee was getting worse not better. "But I can't stop living," he retorts under his breath.

Rick scowls at him. "You think abusing your knee is living? You could have been completely healed in a month, yet it's now been how long? And we're right back to square one, save that pin that's in here - which, by the way needs to be reset because of your shinnanigens, so guess what? You get to have another surgery tomorrow."

Jason's heart drops. Surgery? Again? He opens his mouth, but Rick cuts him off.

"Wheelchair? Crutches? I'm not going to tell you, because I just hope it hurts so much that you won't want to be walking on it!"

Jason is so angry, but at the same time, lacks the energy to fight back any more. What a perfect ending to his day... It fit. Why not just keep piling it on? Sliding up further on the table, he simply eases down on his side to rest his head on the thin pillow, his eyes reflecting a much deeper sorrow than a physical injury.

Rick blinks, unable to help an amount of surprise. Jason wasn't yelling back? That was new. For just a second, Rick wonders if he'd maybe yelled too much.