friends?

Jason latches on to Katie as they trudge down the hall, hating needing her help like this, yet at the same time, knowing he didn't have to feel that way. He knew good and well she thought no less of him.

An ever-so-slight grin upturns the corner of his mouth at her final comment. You might just get your chance. But you don't deserve it... it wasn't your fault.

Getting to the bathroom, Jason lets go of Katie to stumble the rest of the way, barely making it before everything comes up. Just sitting on the floor, he's exhausted and feels no better than crap. It was the same every time...at least now he could start thinking straighter after an attack, knowing when it would hit, then when it was really over. Tonight he would be plagued with nightmares, but the worst of it was over.

Throwing up again several times, his stomach finally empties, and he just sits, leaning back against the bathtub. Closing his eyes, he doesn't even try to get up yet, even though he knows it would be safe to now.

So many things run through his mind...the past...his childhood...the present... Katie. He tries not to let her in on much of it, but he's too weak to close it off, and just lamely lets it all go. He felt terrible...he felt low...he felt guilty.

Not opening his eyes, he speaks softly. "I really am sorry, Katie... I had no right to be as angry as I was, least of all with you."

He pauses again and finally looks over to her, feeling ridiculous for sitting on the bathroom floor and having this conversation, but not having the energy for anything else. His eyes were dim, proving how destructive his own emotions were. "I just..."

He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, knowing he needed to get some sugar, but ignoring it for now. Maybe he wouldn't normally just come out and say this, but nothing was normal right now - it never was when he was in this state. "...I care about you too much to let you go, and too much to keep you, too. I just...don't want...to complicate things." He doesn't even know if it's coming out right, but it was the best he could do at this point.

I wish we could go back in time and I could make so many different choices than I did. I wish I never would have caused you so much pain. And right now...I don't want to head down a road of mistakes again... I know I don't want to be without you in my life... But right now...to avoid mistakes...to avoid the chance of heartache... I just... I want you as my friend, Katie. ...I do want more...you've seen that... but I'm...I'm just not ready right now.

Jason's eyes plead with Katie to understand him...to understand what he's feeling, even if he doesn't fully understand it himself. "Can we be best friends again?"


Axel hands payment over to Mabel, still looking at Jess. He cocks his head slightly, trying to read her face. "You know..." He glances away to accept his change. "That smile of yours is too pretty to keep hiding it all the time."

He glances back to her with a quick wink, though his face shows a real sincerity - not an expression of someone who threw out flippant pick-up lines.