Too many questions

Laura leans into Nate as she brings her close, and puts her arms around his waist, letting the silent tears run down her face. She hated this... but she was glad to have people near her to give her comfort... someone to help give her strength.

Seeing Sapphire's tears, Susanne moves a little closer to her, putting an arm around her shoulders in a motherly hug. This was hard on everyone...but so hard for Scott's sister. Susanne's own tear runs down her face, though she forces a smile at some of the things said.

Jason looks up as Katie moves to leave, gritting his teeth against the emotional war. He doesn't try to relay anything back...what could he say...what could he offer...nothing.

As Reese concludes though, Jason is the first to slip out and to his own office. Shutting the door behind him, he just leans back against the wall, trying to hold his emotions in. He didn't want to feel them...he loathed them...he didn't want this pain... and he didn't even know why it hurt so much. He and Scott hadn't exactly been close friends. But he'd known him well enough to feel an emptiness now...there was something gone...and if he'd ever hoped to bury the hatchet for good, that chance was now gone.

He thinks about Scott's final words of God. But if there was a God, why had He taken Scott away so soon? It didn't seem logical. None of this did. None of it seemed fair.

Maybe some of the emotion came from realizing how fragile life was in general...how dangerous this job was, even on days when it seemed trivial. Scott had been a good man... and perhaps even some more of the pain in Jason was knowing how much this was hurting his best friend. He wanted to go to her...to offer comfort..but he didn't even know if she wanted it, least of all from him.

Moving to his desk, Jason sinks down in his chair, blinking back a tear. After a few more minutes, he goes for his phone and dials...and waits. "Hey, Mom."

"Jason!" Cindy seems to sense something wrong in his tone. "What is it?"

"Had a rough day in the office."

"Oh?"

"Yeah...have you heard from Austin?"

"No...why? What's wrong?"

Jason hesitates. "We were on a case. And...we lost Scott."

Cindy sucks in her breath. "Oh, Jason, I'm so sorry. How did it happen?"

"There was an explosion...the rest of us were far enough away."

"How awful... I think I remember him... he was the tech guy, right? Kinda nerdy?"

Jason shakes his head. "No...he was the one that convinced us all he was nerdy..."

The conversation doesn't last too much longer. Jason felt a little better having spoken to his mom...and he'd wanted her to know. His trip to Texas had also been postponed one more time.


Cindy hangs up the phone in the kitchen and leans on the counter, letting a tear escape from her eye, her lower lip beginning to quiver. Sometimes she hated her son's job.

Moving away, she walks down the hall to check and see that Kaylee was still asleep, then goes to find Wes on the couch in the living room. The television was going...it was late evening...they'd be going to bed soon. But right now Cindy didn't want to sleep. She just wanted to be held.

Easing down, then sliding in next to Wes, stretched out, she buries her face in his chest. "Some day it's going to be Jason," she wimpers. "Some day, it will be Reese, calling to say it was him who didn't come back..." Several more tears come. "I hate it, Wes...I hate it."


As everyone filters from Scott's office, Reese is left alone. He tries to concentrate...tries to focus on the information that he needed to know...but he just couldn't. Finally he shuts the computer off and just stares at the blank screen for a while. He knew things like this weren't his fault...but it never failed...he always felt responsible anyway. A tech guy could be replaced...but Scott was irreplaceable...to TJY...to his family...to his friends.

Rising from the desk, Reese wanders into the hall, turning one more time to shut off the light, then close the door softly. He starts to go to his own office, but then stops. Seeing a light on down the hall, he walks slowly, then stops, knocking lightly on Angelica's door. "Can I buy you a cup of coffee down at the cafe?"


Domino's excitement to see Katie is soon dampened as she watches her friend wander down the hall to her master's room. Confused, she goes to the door to try and look out, as if expecting Scott to be close behind. But waiting for several minutes with nothing happening, she whines and turns back around, trotting down the hall. Searching for Katie, and finding her in Scott's room, the little dog hesitates, sniffing and cocking her head, hearing the sobs.

Going slowly to the bed, she jumps up and crawls up to Katie, licking her hand, then cuddling down in next to her, giving another small whine.


Wyatt parks his jeep outside Mom and Pop's, noting that there were no other customers here. It was late enough that they were just starting to close up for the night. It was dark...quiet. Wyatt pauses before getting out, then slowly goes to the entrance, testing the door and finding it still open. The bell greets him, but somehow doesn't feel as cheerful.

He knows Aerith is still here tonight, working until closing, but he doesn't call to her just yet. Instead, he just finds an empty booth to slide into, then folds his arms on the table to hide his face. Scott had been a good friend of his...closer than some, and this had hit him a little harder than he'd thought it would.

Carson is just cleaning things off in the kitchen, and comes through the doors, looking up as he hears the bell. He'd been ready to call Jess and tell her he was finished for the night, but now pauses. Seeing Wyatt, he stops, a bit of worry striking him. Something didn't feel right. Moving back to the kitchen, he waves to Aerith and speaks quietly. "Hey...Wyatt just showed up...I think something is wrong."


A sob catches in Jen's throat as she hangs up the phone in her bedroom. It had been Kyle...Jason had just called him. Tears filled her eyes. "Oh, Scott..." During the last few months, he'd really become a part of the group of friends surrounding JetStream...he'd been a part of the team, even if he hadn't been all that involved. They'd all gotten to know him well...he'd been their friend. It was hard to imagine he was gone...harder still to imagine what others must be feeling too.


Con wraps his arms around Jamie, standing in their living room, just quiet for several minutes. He hurt...he'd known Scott for a long time and so had Jamie...this just plain hurt. There was hope...Scott had been a faithful follower of Christ. But still...it never was easy to lose them here on earth.

Thinking for several moments, Con release Jamie, running a hand over her face. "I gotta go somewhere, okay? I'll be back." Leaning down to kiss her forehead, he grabs his jacket and keys. "Keep the light on for me."

Slipping outside into the chilly air, he starts his car and heads slowly down the street. After a couple stops and inquiries, he figures out where to go next. Sure enough, Katie's car was in Scott's driveway.

Con is met at the door by a barking Domino. He leans down and picks up the dog, stroking her behind her ears. "Shh...it's just me. You know me, huh?"

Domino licks his face in response.

"There... okay..." Con puts her down and scans the living room. It was empty. "Where's Katie, hmm?"

Domino trots toward the hall, looks back at Con, then looks down the hall, aiming for Scott's room again.

Con takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. He didn't even know if Katie wanted anyone around... If she didn't, he would leave. But he didn't want to just leave her if she needed someone either.

Making his way to Scott's room, he enters slowly, cautiously. Seeing Katie curled up on the bed, he looks at her with sympathy. How hard this must be for her. Softly, he sits down on the edge of the bed next to her, his big hand going to gently brush some hair from her face. "Hey, Kat." His tone is soft and low. "You're not alone. Big brother is here if you need him."


Jason sits on his couch, his guitar in hand. His music had soothed his soul so many times...tonight it just seemed to amplify the hurt. But his fingers felt the strings anyway, the words flowing through his mind.

How can I move on,
When I didn’t get to say goodbye?
How can I move past,
The memories that haunt me now?
There’s too many questions,
Too much my heart can’t even say.
Too many questions,
How can it just end this way?

How can this world be so cruel?
To take a life away?
How can we live, day to day,
Not knowing who will leave?
How can we love,
Without fear in our hearts,
Of one more loss…one more tear,
One more broken heart?
We miss you.

How can it be true,
It seems like only yesterday,
We both were here,
Building up our lives as friends.
There’s too many questions,
Too much for me to comprehend.
Too many questions,
How can it just be the end?

How can this world be so cruel?
To take a life away?
How can we live, day to day,
Not knowing who will leave?
How can we love,
Without fear in our hearts,
Of one more loss…one more tear,
One more broken heart?
We miss you