Night turns to Morning

Carson hesitates to accept Nate’s offer, but relents. “Alright. I’ll be out in the hall.” Taking one last glance toward the bed where Misty had gone, he gives a little sigh, then turns to exit the room and find a bench to sit on and wait.

Jason’s phone rings several times before he’s calmed down enough to answer it, going to the corner of the room with his back to the others. “Kyle got beat up by some Agency thugs out back of the pizza place. At least that’s what we think. He’ll be alright and can go home tomorrow, but…they smashed his hand good.” Jason sighs, rubbing his forehead wearily. This whole thing was just rough on his nerves and he was frustrated, angry and hurt for his friend.

“I just don’t know what’s going on, Katie. I don’t know why they’re attacking him, or what we can do about it. I’m tempted to just keep him here for a while until we can get a handle on it, but if I know Kyle, he’ll fight that idea.” He pauses again, trying to collect his thoughts.

“Phil should be coming in a bit to see what’s happening. We’re going to have to have a band meeting too sometime soon. Maybe tomorrow. We might need you in on that for security sake.” He shakes his head. “Anyway…that’s that.”

Just talking to Katie on the phone helped, and he could feel his emotions starting to simmer down.


Kyle gives Misty a little squeeze the best he can as she gives him a hug, then shakes his head. He lifts his hand that’s wrapped and in a brace and points to it, indicating she could get him a new hand, but otherwise nothing.

Despite the circumstance, his ever-present smile surfaces, a twinkle forced into his eyes. He knew how to smile through anything. He cocks his head, inviting her to sit on the edge of the bed. Through a few signs and silent words, he apologizes for missing their ice cream tonight.

Exhausted from the evening’s events and the medications starting to kick in, Kyle is only able to hang on to alertness for a while longer, but finally, he’s just not able to keep up the effort of communicating with anyone, and while Misty is still there, his eyelids grow so heavy, he just…has…to close them… Sleep, as shallow as it might have been, overtakes him.

Phil shows up just shortly after, seeing for himself that his brother was okay, and calling Jen to ensure her he was okay as well. She need not come, but would see him tomorrow sometime. A brief conversation between Phil and Jason proves that they do need to talk tomorrow or soon after, along with Kyle, Mike, Jen and Katie. This was getting out of hand, and for Kyle’s sake, something needed to change.


Carson lies on his side on the narrow bed, staring into the dark. He wasn’t sure how to process this evening…he’d tried his hardest to do the right thing and help, and he’d still gotten the short end of the stick from Jason. Would it always be this way now? And why? Just because he’d betrayed Misty? Or was Jason hanging on to the past as well?

Sighing, he tries to get some sleep, but it doesn’t come easily.


Jason is on full alert as the door opens, but relaxes as he sees it’s only the nurse. The night had been a long one, and he’d been awake for most of it, keeping an eye out for any intruders. Thankfully, everything had been quiet. Kyle had had a restless night, filled with several visits from nurses to try and make him more comfortable, but it was evident that his hand was in a lot of pain. Jason knew the feeling and wished his friend didn’t have to go through this. But there was nothing he could do now but offer protection from any future attacks.

“Good morning, Sunshine!” The smiling young nurse checks Kyle’s pulse and blood pressure. “And how are we today?”

Though tired, groggy, hurting and all around miserable, Kyle gives her a smile and a thumbs up.

“That’s good to hear. You’re doing mighty well. With any luck, you’ll be able to go home this afternoon. How about some breakfast for ya?”

Kyle nods. He wasn’t really hungry, but knew he should eat.

Once the nurse is gone, Jason looks over to him. “How you doing, really?”

Kyle shrugs. Better on the outside than the inside. He glances at the clock.

Jason nods. “I know. But this IS my job. I’ll go in to work in a while, but only when someone else can take my place.”


Carson yawns and tries to wake up, having just a little trouble pulling his shirt on over his head this morning. Waking up wasn’t coming easily. Cravings were bad this morning to boot, so it was straight to the coffee pot in an attempt to get something into his system even if it wasn’t alcohol or nicotine.

Trudging to the kitchen, he starts turning on lights and preparing the coffee pot. Herb and Mabel would be showing up any minute. At least since he was staying here he hadn’t been late for work.


Reese downs the last of his coffee and stares at the papers in front of him. Late night, early morning. He felt as though he were getting too old for this.

Hearing Susanne up from her desk, he hollers out to her. “Hey, you going back to the break room?”

“Yeah, actually I am. Why?”

“Get me another cup of coffee?”

Susanne sticks her head through the door, her hands on her hips. “That stuff’ll kill you, ya know?”

“At least I’ll die happy.”

Laughing, Susanne shakes her head. “I’ll be right back.”

Reese grins and goes back to his work. He had several things he needed to prepare before his report to Brown today. But first...

To: A. Lockheart
From: Reese
Subject: need to get out
Dinner tonight?
-Mike