Raincloud

Con stalks into the house, throwing his keys on the table and flopping down on the couch. He didn't feel like turning on the tv... he didn't feel like starting lunch... he didn't feel like calling Bret back just yet. His stomach was churning, and his mood was sour. It wasn't so much Austin's words that had upset him... it was the attitude... the atmosphere. Something just wasn't right. Austin had been cordial, but that's it... Where was the friendship? Where was that closeness there had been? It had just felt...stale.

Austin had been different. Con couldn't put his finger on quite what it was. But then that whole thing about Scott... and then with Jason and Katie... that wasn't the Austin Con used to know. What was happening?

Sighing, Con gets up off the couch again and paces for a few minutes, winding up going out on the porch and just standing, looking out into the quiet street. It wouldn't be too long until Jamie would be home.


Jason follows Katie out of Brown's office, slowly down the hall and back outside. He mulls over Brown's words, half paying attention to Katie's messages.

Hmm? Oh...yeah... the cameras might have caught something. Wouldn't surprise me, though if Austin and this other guy were careful. Like Brown said, there's a fine line between interrogation and abuse. Even if he was a bit rough, it might be pushing it to call it abuse. Unless... we got Scott's own testimony as to what happened.

Heaving a sigh, Jason heads down the steps on the sidewalk, towards their vehicles. "Well... I guess I'll head home for a while... take care of Trooper. Just let me know when you want to head back. I'm sure Rick will keep Scott at TJY another night, so if we go after hours, he should be there."


Carson pause his work in the kitchen as Mabel addresses him, and he hesitates, but finally shakes his head. "No... I guess I'll see her. Thanks, Mabel."

Throwing a look over his shoulder at Herb, he shrugs, then goes out to the counter, wiping his hands on his apron. Seeing the young woman, he lifts an eyebrow. “Hi, I’m Carson. Can I help you?”

Sally smiles, giving a short sigh, her shoulders relaxing. “I’m just glad I found you. Without a name, I didn’t have much to go on.”

Confused, Carson comes a little nearer, though is leery. “Um…do I know you?”

Sally shakes her head. “Not that I know of. Sally Renandez. My brother, Carlos, had a dog that I believe you took.”

Carson straightens a little, his defenses rising. “He was abusing her,” he states flatly. “I did what any decent human would do.”

“And I’m glad you did. You see, I’ve been trying for months to get the authorities to believe that Carlos was abusing his dogs. I finally got some pictures taken and just this morning I was able to file them and now they have a warrant for his arrest.”

“Wow.” Carson is truly surprised, but glad. “I’d wanted to look into the legality of all that myself, but I… well, I guess I ran into a few bumps and just postponed it.”

Sally smiles again. “How is Jewel? Do you still have her?”

“Oh…yeah…I mean, I’ve been keeping her in a safe place.” Carson is suddenly hit with reality. “You, uh… want her, I assume.”

“I do have room for her, yes. I will be retrieving Carlos’ other dogs as well. You see, I live with my uncle outside of town on a farm and there is plenty of room. I’d like to get the dogs readjusted, then go from there.”

“I see.” Carson hesitates, but the realizes that his personal feelings should have no bearing here. “Well, um… if you have time, we can go get her now.”

In a matter of minutes, Carson is in Sally’s car, directing her across down, then to a small empty lot behind a row of houses. It wasn’t the greatest part of town, but the little, vacant tool shed had served its purpose.

Getting out of the car, both can hear the soft bark of a dog inside. Carson approaches first, and opening the door is met by the anxious boxer, who jumps up on him, wiggling with excitement.

Sally laughs when she sees her. “Oh, you have been taking good care of her. Hey there, Jewel!”

The dog’s ears perk up and she looks cautiously at Sally for a moment before going to her, then licking her hands and getting excited all over again.

Sally gently clips a leash to her collar, enjoying petting the sleek dog. “You’re lucky Mr. Banks found you,” she croons. “Yes, you’ll come with me now and have lots of room to run and play.”

Carson stands back, watching the two, and knowing that Sally did indeed love dogs. That much was obvious, and Jewel responded well to her.

Sally straightens and looks at Carson again, nodding to the car. “I will take you back to the restaurant, then get Jewel to the vet to make sure she gets all her shots.”

“Oh… um, I can walk back.”

“No, please, let me take you.”

“No.” Carson shakes his head. “It’s alright. I’d rather walk.”

Sally hesitates, then relents. “Okay. Thank you, Mr. Banks, for keeping Jewel safe. If I can…”

Carson waves her off. “My pleasure.” Receiving a nod in return, Carson watches as Sally and Jewel get in the car and drive away. He turns slowly, looking inside the empty shack. The dirt floor held one of his old shirts in one corner, that Jewel had claimed as her own. A toy he’d picked up for her lay in another corner. It was so…empty now. But…it was best.

Sighing, Carson cleans out the few items, then leaves the shed to sit as vacant as it always had. A lump rises in his throat, surprising him. Somehow, he’d gotten used to his daily visits with the dog… and though not intending to, only now did he realize that he’d formed somewhat of a bond with her. At least now he shouldn’t be late for work because of her…

Carson swallows hard, then heads back across town, tossing the random items into a dumpster. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, his walk turns to a trudge, aiming to finish out his day.


Con sighs, still on the porch, still not knowing what he was supposed to be doing next. Movement catches his eye, and he squints across the street to a lone figure walking. Recognizing him, he quirks an eyebrow. Carson's walk implied he wasn't having the greatest day either. "Hey, Carson!" he calls.

Carson spins around quickly, startled by the shout. Looking across the street, he sees Con, and hesitates. What would Con want with him? But... he could go see at least.

Waiting for several cars, Carson jogs across the street, then slows, approaching the porch and looking up at Con. "Hey."

Con leans on the railing and cocks his head. "You look like you lost your best friend."

Carson chuckles. "Oh... maybe not my best." He shakes his head. "Long story. What about you? Your eyes don't lie either."

Con grins. "Touché. Life's hurdles, ya know?"

"Boy do I ever."

Con thinks for a moment, looking at Carson. They didn't have a great past... and though working out their difference, they'd never been close. But today... Carson stood before him as a man who was changing. Maybe not everyone could see it... but it was there... in his eyes. And Con knew that Carson didn't have a whole lot of friends right now.

Without even thinking about what he was saying, Con opens his mouth. "Hey, um... Jamie and I and a few friends are gonna head over to those caves here soon and are just gonna make a fun day out of it. We'd um... well... you want to join us?"

Carson's eyes widen a little. He hadn't expected this. Not from Con, even though he was nice. It...might be kind of fun. Jess had been working days and probably couldn't come, but... it might be fun anyway. Carson liked Con and Jamie, and he knew any friends of theirs would be nice. And...it might be kind of nice to get out of his humdrum routine for a day. "Um...sure. I... guess I'd been curious about those caves."

"Okay.... I'll let you know details later, alright?"

"Sure... sure." Carson pauses, and finally looks at his watch. "I... better get back to work. Nice seeing you, Con."

"Yeah, you two. See you soon."


Axel gives a little nod and lets Jess in the tow truck on her own, while he slides in behind the wheel. "Alright, lets get 'er going." Turning on the engine, he checks his mirrors then heads down the road towards town.

Glancing at Jess out of the corner of his eye, Axel could see her discomfort, and makes sure not to invade her space on the bench seat. "They like to call me a manager around the shop," he muses for the sake of smalltalk, "but I like to take the truck out myself every once in a while and get away from mess."

Sighing, he rolls down his window a little to let in some fresh air, respecting silence if it made Jess more comfortable.

It's only a few miles down the road, and suddenly the truck gives a lurch and the engine starts to stutter.

Axel’s eyes widen and he looks down at the gauges quickly, his eyes blinking. “Awwww no.”

The truck gives one last cough, then goes dead. Steering it onto the shoulder, Axel turns the key off and leans back in the seat, just staring at the gauges. “Um… I think we have a problem.”

Finally turning his head to look at Jess, he gets an horribly apologetic look on his face. “I am so embarrassed. I help run an auto shop… I drive the tow truck and… I just ran out of gas.”

Turning back to stare down the street, all he can do is laugh as his face turns red. “Ohhhh man, I cannot believe I did this. Talk about making an impression. Gah…”

Axel shakes his head and sighs deeply, reaching for his radio. “Hey, Jed, you around?”

The radio crackles and another man’s voice comes. “Grease, that you man?”

Axel rolls his eyes. “Just call me rainbow.”

“Huh?”

“Nevermind. It just turned to a raincloud. Listen, um… I need you to come out to Linden Road with a rental car. I got somebody here who needs one, and you can ride back in the truck with me.”

“Sure thing.”

“Oh, but Jed… bring a gas tank.”

“What for?”

Axel smirks. “Just do it.”

“You didn’t…”

“Just bring it!”

“Alright, alright. Be there in a few minutes.”

“Thanks, Jed. Don’t dawdle.” Putting the radio back, Axel looks down a few minutes, not daring to look at Jess again until several seconds had passed. “So much for that. I am so never going to live this one down.”


Luke sits at the table, quietly, his face one of disappointment, mixed with sympathy, and a love for his stepdaughter that remained, despite the news she'd just shared. He never would have thought Wendy and Clint would make that wrong choice... he had trusted them both. But... what was done was done.

Remaining silent, he wasn't sure that anything he could say right now would really do any good, so he stays as such, listening to mother and daughter. Then, he watches as Angel goes to their room, and Wendy heads outside.

Left alone, he thinks for a while by himself, then slowly stands up, steadying himself on the table before moving forward. Walking gingerly without his cane, he aims for the bedroom, opening the door cautiously. Entering quietly, he walks over to the bed and sits down next to his wife, putting a gentle arm around her shoulders.

Giving her a little squeeze, he bends his head to give her a kiss, then just sits...silently... not knowing if she wanted to talk or not, but being there in case she needed him.


The bunkhouse remains quiet and still. Slowly the minutes pass. Jim and Becky are in then out and about, along with Rosalyn, proving that the family had ceased their discussions for now. But Clint was nowhere to be found.

The minutes turn into quiet hours, the sun making its way across the sky, getting lower and lower towards the horizon. No Clint... no sound of the motorcycle.

...A slender figure trudges toward the bunkhouse, his hands in his pockets, his head down. He didn't know why he was going this way... he didn't know what he was doing... saying... All he knew is that Jeff had come, seen through the window, then left, mentioning who was inside. And now... it had been several hours, and Jim felt responsible for Clint's absence. His words to his son had not been untrue... he had meant them... but maybe he'd been too harsh. And... Wendy had her mother and Luke, but something... somehow... Jim found himself walking to the bunkhouse now.

Stepping up on the small porch, he pauses at the door, taking a deep breath, then knocking lightly. "Wendy?" he calls softly. "Wendy, are you here?"