Dusk to Dawn

Jason gives Katie's arm one last pat before sliding away and leaving her alone. Going back out into the hallway, he has a hard time looking the others in the eye, glancing quickly past Nate and Laura, to Con.

Con cocks his head. His friend didn't look good at all. "Camryn was here..."

"Oh?" Jason is glad for the topic shift from Katie. "She leave?"

"Yeah. She said she'd call you a little later. I told her you'd probably go home to sleep tonight."

"Yeah..." Jason nods slowly.

Con looks to Nate and Laura then back at Jason. "You alright?"

Jason's eyes hit the floor. He was uncomfortable in this position...he didn't want the whole world to know what was going on...what his struggles were. "I'm fine."

Con purses his lips a moment, then nods to his sister and Nate. "Katie might like you guys to say hi before you leave. I'm gonna walk Jason out."

Jason looks up quickly, grateful Con had read him so well. He glances at Nate and Laura. "See you tomorrow at work." Making his way back down the hall he walks with Con behind him until they hit the parking lot. Finding his truck, he leans back against the tailgate and lets out a long, weary sigh.

Con studies him for a moment. "That bad, huh?"

"Don't let me be alone with her again, Con."

Con raises his eyebrows. "Why not?"

Jason rolls his eyes upward to see Con's face. "Just trust me."

"Problems?"

"You might say that."

"Well what happened? She try to kiss you again?"

Jason opens his mouth to respond, but turns around to lean his arms on the tailgate, not sure now what he should say. "I wouldn't say 'try.'"

"She did kiss you again."

"Sure."

Con folds his arms, a little annoyed at Jason's evasiveness. "Well what's the problem, Jase? Do you need someone to hold your hand to deal with it or what? It'll be over soon...she'll remember, or we'll tell her, and it'll be over. I don't think you need to be that cautious about it." He rolls his eyes. "It's not like you were intentional about kissing her back."

Jason doesn't move.

Con turns his head a little, looking at Jason more closely. "You weren’t…were you..."

Jason's eyes rove the surroundings before he finally turns just enough to see Con. "Well what was I supposed to do? Give her a cold shoulder? Push her away? And this whole connection thing we have just makes it worse...for a moment back there I actually..." He stops short.

Con prompts him. "You what?"

"I regretted ever letting her go in the first place."

Con sighs and leans on the truck. "So what are you saying?"

"I don't know. I love Camryn and I'm going to marry her. That is what I want to do. That is what will happen, and that is my heart's desire." Jason nods emphatically.

"So...you don't want to be alone with Katie because you can't control yourself or what?"

Jason's eyes narrow. "I just don't want to be put in that position again. I don't want to have to decide whether I'm going to feel as though I'm cheating on Camryn, or whether I'm going to break Katie's heart all over again."

"Because...you'll choose not to break her heart."

Jason swallows hard, his voice lowering. "Yeah."

Con reaches out to pat Jason's shoulder. "I know you and Katie are good friends, Jase...and I know you care about her and don't want to hurt her. So if I'm around, I'll try to be the distraction you need, alright?"

"Thanks, Con...I feel like an idiot."

Con grins and shakes his head. "I've never loved more than one woman, so I don't know what it must be like for you...but I guess if I did have an old love who was now a close friend and she kissed me, it might be hard for me to resist it too, even if I had no intention of going back."

"Yeah..." Jason appreciated Con’s perceptiveness and ability to summarize what was really being said. He's quiet for several more moments before finally pushing away from the back of the truck. "I'll see you around."

"Alright. You coming tomorrow?"

"I should."

"I can take a few hours off work...give me a call and let me know when you're coming and I'll come too."

"Okay. I might have the band come...that will help."


Carson’s lips curl to give him a sly look as he pulls Misty closer to the cell. His one hand remains on her waist, the other creeping up to her shoulder. “You’re lucky these bars are here,” he teases. “Or I might be a little too enthusiastic about thanking you for not letting me fall apart.”

Just letting his eyes meet with hers for several moments, he finally withdraws his hand to reach up and take hers, placing a kiss on her fingers. “You better get going before they think you’re breaking me out again. Come morning after detective what’s-his-name is through with me, I’ll get out of here and go to work.” He throws her a wink that’s more confident than he really is. “I’ll call you.”


Jason keeps one eye on the television, the other starting to close as he grows weary. Camryn’s hand running through his hair relaxed him enough to want sleep, his head comfortably resting on her lap.

Unwinding for a couple hours, and spending time with Camryn had helped calm his mind somewhat, giving him some room to breathe and think things through. He’d successfully pushed most of his unwanted feelings far enough away that he didn’t have to think about him, so that helped too.

Lying on his back as the movie comes to an end, he reaches a hand up over his head to draw Camryn down and give her a kiss. “I’m beat…” He stifles a yawn. “I better call it a night before I fall asleep here and never let you up.”

Camryn giggles and ruffles his hair. “I wouldn’t mind..”

“Mm, neither would I, but Trooper might tattle on us.”

Camryn glances over to the large dog who groans and rolls over to flop his head down lazily on the floor. “I doubt he would tell anyone, but I guess you’re right.”

Jason finally sits up and rubs his hands over his face. “See you tomorrow?”

“Of course.” Camryn leans over to give him another lingering kiss before standing up and grabbing her purse. “I work all day, but I can come over tomorrow night.”

“Okay…maybe we can go do something.”

After Camryn is gone, Jason trudges to his bedroom where he flops into bed without even undressing. He was exhausted. He shouldn’t be…he hadn’t done much the last couple days. But his mind was weary, and holding back his emotions even more than normal so he didn’t surprise Katie was quickly getting to him.

Rolling over, he stares up at the ceiling. He wanted to sleep so badly, but he knew that he would toss and turn. He knew that his mind was too full. He knew that dreaming would come, and that he would be kept awake by haunting feelings and memories. And while in a drowsy state, he couldn’t easily control what emotions were emitted. The last thing Katie needed right now was to be woken up in the middle of the night by his own thoughts.

Jason contemplates for a moment, then rolls back onto his side, reaching to his nightstand drawer. Reaching inside, he pulls out a bottle of pills. He twirls it in his hand for a moment before popping the lid. A good night sleep for him meant at least he couldn’t be at fault for midnight mishaps.


Mornings signal new days. They call up the sun, they bid the moon farewell, and they let the world know that brand new chances are given. They prompt those sleeping to rise and begin the new day fresh. They draw out the weariness of the night to disperse it on golden rays…
Many appreciate this perspective of dawn. Many do not.


Scott shuffles into TJY, his shirt wrinkled, his glasses taped on the side to prove he’d broken yet another pair. Skirting around the eyes of those already there, he at least gives a half-hearted wave to Susanne who calls her greeting. Arriving to his office, he shuts the door behind him to lock at the world.

Sinking into his chair, it’s within minutes that he’s checking his email. Opening the first one, he reads the words and his shoulders sink a little.
Subject: Re: Job Availability
Scott –
Sorry to inform you that the job opening was just filled yesterday. We would have loved to have you here. Keep us in mind for the future though as openings come up.
Tom
TJY AZ Office
-----
Original Message:
Subject: Job Availability
To: Tom Redding
From: Scott Johnson
Hey, Tom, just wondering if that job as chief tech was still available. I know I turned you down, but I heard you might still be looking for someone and I’m at a point now I’d be glad to take you up on the offer. Let me know. I could come any time.
-Scott


“And we’s here to see the girl,
The girl we all love,
Uh-huh.
And we’s here to see the girl,
It’s KT,
The hero’s in da house!”

Jen covers her eyes as Mike pushes her down the tiled hall behind Kyle who was singing at the top of his lungs. He sounded good, but everyone was looking.

Phil elbows him, though he’s grinning. “You wanna wake up the whole hospital?”

“Why not?” Kyle jumps up to hit a sign above a doorway as they head for Katie’s room. Passing the nurses station though, he stops dead in his tracks. A familiar face stares back at him. The nurse’s eyebrow was raised in annoyance, her arms crossed.

Kyle grins wide and leans on the counter. “Hey, babe.”

The nurse rolls her eyes, though few would notice a slight grin at the corner of her mouth. At forty-five years old, being called “babe” by someone like Kyle wasn’t something she heard every day and it could only spark a bit of humor. “You just hush your mouth before I kick you out.”

“I knew you loved me.”

The nurse threatens to beat him with her clipboard.

Kyle throws up his hands and backs away, stifling a laugh. “Okay, okay.”

Phil grabs his brother’s arm and drags him further down the hall. “Come on, dufus. Quit flirting with the nurses.”

Kyle laughs and gives in, skirting back into the lead of the small group. Swinging around Katie’s open door, he sees that breakfast has just been served, and is glad she’s awake. “Yo, KT!” He slides sideways toward her bed, grabbing a chair to spin it around and straddle it backward, throwing Katie a crooked smile. “How’s it hanging?”


Carson eases out of his car and heaves a sigh, trying to wake up. Though he’d been taken home and had the opportunity to shower and change clothes before coming to work, he felt less than refreshed.

Entering Mom and Pop’s, the familiar bell rings and Carson makes his way to the kitchen, waving to Mabel, nodding to Aerith, and hanging up his jacket to trade for an apron.

Going back to where he can hear Herb working, he tries to get his mind on his work and not on the interrogation he’d gone through this morning. Though he’d made it out and had been released with a warning, it hadn’t all been easy. He’d called Misty to let her know he’d gotten out and was going to work, but he hadn’t told her exactly what had happened with the detective.

Glancing at the floor, Carson reaches around to tie the apron behind his back, keeping his baseball cap low in the hopes that his black eye won’t be as noticeable. Maybe no one would remember that he hadn’t gotten hit in the eye during yesterday’s brawl.