Jason!

Clint slips an arm around Wendy's shoulders, giving her a gentle squeeze. "It's alright," he assures quietly. "You didn't do anything wrong."

He sighs a little and looks outside, hoping Katie would be alright. He knew she must hurt something awful.

Turning back to his food, he nudges Wendy with his elbow. "If you don't hurry up and eat what's on your plate, it's mine," he teases, trying to make her smile.


As Jason steps into the room, he stops dead in his tracks. His jaw almost drops, his eyes widening. In pure shock, he just stares, unable to take everything in at one glance.

Blinking, he looks at Wes as if he's crazy, back at the room, then again at Wes, astonishment on his face.

Not even able to get any kind of words to come out, Jason simply steps in further, looking closer at the artwork on the wall...the pictures...the music.

Spotting a picture of Scott with the band, Jason lifts a hand, to run a finger over the glass in the frame, a lump rising in his throat. Moving on quickly to hold his composure, he walks to the dresser and the bed, running his hand over the intricate carvings.

Looking to the end of the room with the guitars, and the window, finally, Jason can't keep his emotions bottled up any longer. Turning around, tears glisten in his eyes. Though standing taller than Wes, he suddenly felt so small.

He opens his mouth, but has to stop and look down for a moment before glancing up again. "I...I don't...I don't know how to thank you. This..." He gestures to everything in the room. "It's so...it's more than... than I could ever deserve."

Jason swallows hard, trying to keep the tears from overflowing. He felt like that little boy again, who had dreamed of having a family...a house to run in, a room all his own. He'd been happy with his mom...and Austin had been a support. But his little boy heart still had dreams that had never been realized, and he'd simply left them behind. Now that he was on his own, he'd discarded anything like that, moving on to more logical and practical things.

But this...someone else who had experienced their heart's desires as a child might take this as silly. But Jason couldn't be more thrilled...more honored... he was home.

Looking at Wes, his jaw tightens, still fighting the emotions. "Thank you...Wes."

Cindy slips in from the hallway, her face beaming. She sidles up next to Wes for a moment, putting an arm around his waist and leaning her head on his shoulder. She can't help but smile at her son. "You like it?"

A short laugh escapes. "Like it? Are you kidding me?"

Cindy gives Wes a squeeze. "Good."

"Aw man..." Jason is smiling, for now the tension gone...for now, his apprehensions and stress dissolving. He sets his hands on his hips and turns again, glancing around the room once more. "This is amazing...just...amazing. How many people knew about this?"

Cindy chuckles. "A lot. You have one batch of good friends, Jase."

"You're telling me." Jason shakes his head. He did have a good batch of friends...friends he took for granted too often...and this family that he took for granted too often. Turning around, he holds out his arms.

Cindy lets go of Wes to give Jason a big hug. "I'm so glad you're here...this is your home too, Jason... no matter what, no matter when."


Trent is the first to exit the mess hall, while others still linger or finish up their meal. It was his routine… Though mostly being a part of things around the ranch, he wasn’t all that close to anyone, and being by himself was just usually how things ended up.

Stepping outside by way of the front door, he takes a deep breath of the evening air. It was just starting to get dark out, the orange grayness settling over the ranch yard.

Once off the porch, he heads to the barn to finish up a few chores, but the figure on the bench catches his eye. Nearing cautiously, he realizes that the huddled form was Katie, and that the sounds were her crying.

Trent almost keeps on going. He didn’t hardly know Katie at all. He remembered her some as a little kid, he’d heard a lot about her recently, and he’d seen her the last time she’d been here. But…that was about it. He might have been her uncle, but blood was about the only thing between them.

But as he starts to walk away, something stops him. He just couldn’t do it.

Giving a little sigh, Trent turns around and walks slowly back, easing down quietly next to Katie on the bench. He doesn’t say anything for a while, but just sits…looking out at the setting sun.

“You know…a lot of people through the years have told me how to make it through my circumstances. They’ve told me that things aren’t all that bad…or that I’m not alone…or that things will get better. And all those things are meant to help a guy move on. Funny thing is…” Trent shakes his head. “…none of that stuff makes the pain go away.”

He’s quiet again, leaning back on the bench, his hands in his jacket pockets. “They say time heals wounds too, but that has yet to be proven to me. It might make a thick scab, but…either a lifetime just isn’t long enough, or time can only fix the little wounds.”

He glances down at the ground, rolling a piece of gravel under his boot. “Somehow though…somehow hearts move on. Whether they mend or not is to be debated, but they do move on. Can’t explain it…and at the time when the hurt is so bad, it sure don’t look like it’ll ever go away…but somehow…it does. God has a funny way of doing things sometime.”

Trent turns his head to look at Katie, his heart aching. “Cry… mourn… grieve… spend time alone… do whatever it takes. Just don’t lose yourself. ‘Cause that’s the hardest thing to get back.”


Jason sits on the edge of his bed, still just looking around the room. He’d been left alone for a little while, and tried to get over the shock. A light feeling of happiness had been offered. It might be temporary, but it was there now, and he wanted to enjoy it while it lasted.

Getting up, he goes over to the other end of the room and picks up the acoustic guitar, strumming, then tuning, then strumming again. Then going to the electric, he does the same, picking out a few notes before setting it back on its stand. No.. he certainly didn’t deserve this. It was all too great…too much. But from now on…he wouldn’t avoid coming here. He was realizing that though things were different, this really was his family, and he was very much a part of it.

Walking back to the bed, he stops and looks at the mural again, a smile creasing his lips. He reaches out to touch the painting…everything was so life-like. Wendy was indeed a fantastic artist. The details were amazing, the colors so vivid and real.

Glancing at his watch, Jason makes up his mind. This was too good to pass up. He couldn’t wait all night. There were people to thank, and he was on too much of a high to want to wait until morning. There was no way he could sleep now anyway.

Exiting the room, he finds Cindy and Wes in the living room. “I’m gonna take a little jaunt to the ranch,” he mentions, heading for his backpack.

Cindy is nestled in next to Wes in front of the television, and nods to her son. “Alright. You want to take the car, you can.”

“No…” Jason shakes his head. “A walk sounds good. In the meantime…” He pulls a DVD out of his backpack and goes to hand it to his mom. “A few concerts ago, someone filmed the show. I…thought you might want to see it.”

Cindy’s face lights up. “Of course I would!”

“Well…that’s your copy, so…” Jason retreats toward the door. “I’ll be back later.”

“Okay.” Cindy watches him leave, fingering the homemade DVD. “He’s come so far,” she comments quietly. “Thank you for helping him, Wes. I’m so glad to have you and this family…I couldn’t ask for more.”

Smiling, she holds up the disc. “I’ve never seen him on stage. You want to watch it?”


The evening air is cool, and Jason is glad he’s got his leather jacket on. The walk doesn’t take him long, and before he knows it, he’s in the ranch yard. Seeing the lights on and a lot of shadows in the dining hall, he knows that most are still up, not having dispersed yet.

He doesn’t bother going around front, but knows the back entrance well, and enters quietly.

Scanning the room, he spots a few people who see him, and he waves his greeting. Looking around, he finds who he really wants to see.

Clint is still sitting next to Wendy, though supper is over, and Jeff is now across from them, trying to get them to play a card game.

Jason walks with a purpose, catching Clint’s eye, then giving a grin to Wendy.

“Hey, Jase!” Clint gives him a casual salute. “How’s it hanging?”

Jason’s eyes narrow as they twinkle. “You have no idea.” Without any warning, he reaches down and takes Wendy’s arm to pull her up out of her chair. “And you…” He looks at her with forced sternness. “…didn’t your mother ever teach you not to write all over the wall?”

Not letting go of her arm, he cocks his head to see around her to Clint. “I’m sorry man, but I owe her this one.” Not waiting for any kind of response, Jason pulls Wendy back around, putting her off balance just enough to tilt her back before planting a purposeful but light kiss right on the lips.

Clint is immediately on his feet, his chair falling over backward.

Too quick, Jason has righted Wendy again and puts her between him and Clint as a shield. “Now, now.” He chokes on a laugh, but manages a whisper in Wendy’s ear. “Thank you.”

Clint scowls at him, not sure whether to laugh or start swinging. “Jason!”

“What?” Jason gives Wendy’s shoulder a pat, then lets her go, stepping to the side to make himself vulnerable to Clint.

Clint steps forward, his fists balled. “What are you thinking?!”

“I’m thinking you better take good care of this woman, or I’m liable to steal her from you.”

Knowing he’ll miss, Clint swings anyway. Jason ducks, steps forward, his shoulder meeting Clint’s chest. His arms go around Clint’s frame in one smooth move, and in an instant, he’s standing with Clint slung over his shoulders starting to slide down his back.

“Let me go!” Clint shrieks.

“I told you never to swing like that,” Jason chides, breathing heavily from holding onto Clint’s frame. “But if you insist.”

Clint is suddenly released. Falling to the floor, he winds up landing in the middle of several chairs. Sliding between them, his arms and legs get all tangled in them, the resounding crash echoing through the dining hall. Flailing like an upturned turtle, he fights off the chairs to finally get himself back on his feet, though a tad bit dizzy. Jumping up, he somehow manages to get an arm around Jason’s neck for a side headlock and starts dragging him to the door.

“Help!” Jason starts to laugh, not really trying to fight off Clint at all. “Some welcome this is!” he hollers. “Wendy, get your crazed boyfriend off of me!”