Empty

Jason smirks as he joins Katie, beginning their meal. "Work wasn't worth a thing the rest of the day. I just can't get my mind to focus on anything."

He eats for a while, growing quiet. He's not ready to talk about his feelings yet... he doesn't know yet what to say or how to say it... Until he figured out how he really felt about Austin, it just wasn't going to be easy saying anything.

Glancing up to see Katie, he knows his thoughts have betrayed him and that the subject matter of his thoughts has been revealed. He didn't know if he liked that or not. But there wasn't much he could do at the moment. Once exposed, there was no going back.

Yeah, it's about Austin. We're kinda on the outs right now. There's just something screwed up about this whole thing and all he wants is to be buddy-buddy for some reason.

Jason shakes his head.

I'd rather not go into it now... I just want to enjoy tonight with you.

The floor suddenly starts to shake and Jason looks to the hall with a start. Trooper comes around the corner with a big chew toy in his mouth, aiming right for his master.

Jason's eyes widen. "Trooper, no!"

Too late. The massive dog wasn't done with their play time yet, and he leaps.

One second, Jason is at the table with Katie, and the next he's on the floor in a tangled heap of legs, chair and dog fur. "Awww! Trooper!"

Jason lies on his back, sprawled out on the kitchen floor, Trooper pinning him down and drooling onto his shirt.

"You crazy mutt!" Jason catches his breath and reaches up to take both sides of Trooper's head, giving him a rigorous scratching. "You know better than that."

Trooper pants and wags his tail, picking his toy back up, and placing a paw on Jason's chest as if declaring that he was the champion.

Jason rolls his eyes. "Would you kindly move? I wasn't done with my supper."


Carson knows he's disappointed Jess again, even though she doesn't show it. Trying to make up for it, he goes to make her milkshake with some extra whipped cream on top and extra strawberries to top it off.

Setting it down for her, he thinks about the question. "Um... I don't care. It's whatever you want to do." In reality, he could go sack out right now and sleep until morning. But there was no way he could beg out of this one. Not after he'd already forgotten...more than once.

"You think while I do dishes," he suggests with a wink. "Pick something good."

...Carson's work seems to drag on. Usually he doesn't mind working until closing time, but tonight he was tired, a bit irritable and just wanted to be done. But he had to finish out the day, and it's not long before he's the only one left to clean off tables and sweep the floors.

He maneuvers the broom around the stools at the counter, purposely bumping into Jess. "So what did you decide? Movie? Walk? Mall? Card game with yours truly?"

Suddenly the bell on the front door rings, and Carson stops his work abruptly, looking to the entrance. "We're closed," he informs.

"I don't care." The dark man comes forward with purpose, his two buddies hanging close. "I'm not here for food, I'm here to see you."

Carson tightens his grip on the broom handle. Now he recognized this guy. "Back off or I'm calling the cops."

"Ha!" The man snickers. "You'd get hauled in yourself. You know that."

Carson backs up a step, placing himself between the men and Jess. "Get out."

"Not until I get back what's mine."

"It's been weeks. I thought you'd forgotten."

"Oh, no, not a bit. I just didn't know where to find you." The man's eyes narrow. "Now tell me where she is."

"No."

"She belongs to me!"

"You were the one swinging your fist at her!"

"That's none of your business!" The man steps up to Carson, pointing a finger at him. "You tell me where she is, or I'll take it out of your hide."

Carson locks eyes with the man for a moment, and before he thinks, he swings. The broom handle comes up, slamming the man's head with a resounding whack. Another swing takes out the second thug, but not in time to stop the third.

Carson takes a fist to the jaw, sending him staggering backward, giving his original opponent enough time to take him down. And suddenly all three men are on the floor in an all-out brawl, the odds too uneven to hope that Carson could come out on top.


Scott wanders down between the cubicles at a slow pace, running his hand over the tops of the walls. Coming to Katie's space, he stops for a moment, looking in at her chair and her desk. He spies a chewtoy in the corner and knows that it's Domino's. Was his dog better off with Katie now? He wondered.

Moving on, he finally turns back around to the hall, gradually making his way back to the infirmary and into bed again. Curling up on his side, he swallows hard. It didn't feel right... nothing did. He wanted to feel good... he wanted to feel glad to be alive... and yet things were so different, it was like returning to a life he didn't even know. He'd prayed to be found and now that he had been... it just felt... empty.

Pulling his blanket up farther to tuck under his chin, he sinks his head even deeper into his pillow. He was tired. He hurt. Maybe tomorrow would be better. Maybe he could go home tomorrow. And yet... even that thought was a terrifying one.