Speculation

As Jason receives Katie’s words, it almost hurts. He can feel her confusion…he knows he just hurt her. But it had to be…it was the only way.

He turns slightly, taking a swipe at his eyes with the back of his arm. His emotions were still high, his pulse not calmed yet. He shakes his head slightly. “Go on, Katie… I’m right behind you.”


“Hey, Kat!” Con hollers at Kate as she reenters Mom and Pop’s. “What took you so long? Did you have to grow those flowers first or what?” He throws her a teasing smile.


Watching Katie go, Jason steps around to the sidewalk again, his hands on his hips, his head down as the takes a deep breath and tries to regain whatever it was he had lost. Leaning onto the hood of his truck, he rests his elbows on it, putting a hand to his forehead where a headache was quickly forming from the stress.

How did I let you into my heart…how did I let you take it piece by piece until you owned it in whole?

Jason swallows hard, as his body starts to recover from the shock. He felt stupid…he felt foolish. How could he have let this get this far? He’d made up his mind a long time ago that he’d never do this again…not to himself…not to Katie. It was too complicated…there was too much risk of pain. But he’d done it…he’d allowed her to see his love.

Could he now just swallow it and go on again as if nothing had happened? There was still so much being unsaid and he knew it. Katie still loved him…he still had a love for her… Then there was Scott. It was a mess and Jason had just made it worse by instigating more interaction than he should have, then letting his and Katie’s communication go too far.

What do I do…how do I tame this longing for a hero that I can’t own? How do I tell you I can’t, and how do I break it to my heart?

Jason’s eyes roam to the door of Mom and Pop’s. Through the window, he could see everyone still there, laughing and talking. He could walk right in as Katie had, throw on a mask and prove to everyone that absolutely nothing was wrong. But right about now, he just didn’t have the stomach for it.

Instead, he takes a rare route for himself. One he knew he’d regret, but right now he just couldn’t stand this turmoil within himself. He digs his truck keys out of his pocket. Katie would get a ride home…no one there would let her go uncared for, that much he knew and trusted. Right now he just needed to think…he needed to put distance between himself and Katie so he could think alone for a while.


Carson fills another pitcher of pop and talks with Herb about tomorrow's schedule before turning around to go back to the busy table. He almost jumps, not having realized that one of the group had returned from the restroom and instead of rejoining the others, he'd taken up the corner stool at the counter, several down from Jess.

Shifting into waiter mode, Carson wipes his hands on a towel. "Can I help you?"

Axel swivels around and eyes him for a moment. "Just taking a good look at the chaos."

Carson can't help a wry grin. "As long as they don't start throwing chairs around, it's not really chaos."

Axel laughs, his eyes dancing. "You've got a point. You seem to know most of them."

"Yeah..." Carson gives a little sigh, the humor subsiding. "I do."

Axel cocks his head. "Long stories are the hardest ones to deal with aren't they."

Carson quirks an eyebrow. This guy was incredibly insightful. "I guess they are."

Axel turns back around, scanning the group. "You know Jason?"

"Yeah, we...we worked together at one point."

"Oh? So is he from around here?"

"I think so. We weren't the best of buddies so we never talked a whole lot. But yeah...as far as I know, he grew up here."

"And his parents?"

Carson is put just a little on edge with all the questions. He'd had too many experiences with nosy people with criminal motives. "Why do you ask?"

Axel turns back around and looks Carson in the eye. "Curious."

"Why don't you ask him yourself?"

"Because I've seen enough of him to know that asking him personal questions isn't the best thing to do right off, if I want to be his friend."

"Smart." Carson picks up some garbage and tosses it into the trashcan. Anyone from the Agency already knew everyone's history and where they all were. Especially now that TJY was public. This guy could find out about Jason many other ways if he wanted to. "His mom's in Texas."

"Ah." Axel nods with interest. "And his dad?"

"Don't know much about that. I think his mom had him while she was still in highschool and her boyfriend ditched her. Don't quote me though."

"I see. That's rough."

"Yeah."

Axel thinks for several moments, looking back to his own friends, and the new acquaintances. "Any idea where his dad is?"

Carson stops cleaning again and leans on the counter. "You've about reached your limit."

Axel turns his head to give him a grin. "I figured."

"You have other reasons for asking than just curiosity."

"I do."

"But you're not going to share."

"I don't think so." Axel slides off the stool, putting his hands back in his hoodie pockets. "Thanks, Carson." He walks away, throwing a glance in Jess' direction and giving her a nod as he passes.

Carson looks after him, his eyes narrowing slightly. He'd never told him his name. How did he know?