Deal

*Katie nods and smiles. She hasent felt this good like she has accoplished something in a long time. Linking arms with Scott in a friendly way Katie heads after the sales man a bounce in her step.*

*Jamie continues to write on some paper.* " You should stop skipping lunch that would help a bit." *Jamie gives Jason a side long glance enough so he knows she has noticed his change in eating.* " ANother good thing is keep hard candy in your pocket so if you need it you have it." *Jamie smiles.*

*Wes smiles and nods* " Good, I dont deal well with regection." *As Wes stands he puts his cup in the sink and walks back over to Cindy planting a small tender kiss on the lips and looks into her eyes. His own eyes dancing.* "I'm so happy I got to meet you Cindy and I can call you mine. You truly are a gift from heaven." *Standing again Wes streches and looks at the time.* " Well I better get to work. If you need anything sweet heart you know where to find me." *As Wes exits he looks back one last time to see Cindy and smiles.*

Offer

Scott grins. “She’s a beauty, I’ll give you that.” He looks back and forth between Katie and the car. “I think you two were made for each other.” He leans over and squints at the price. “But…I don’t know…” He gives the salesman a sidelong glance. “I’m pretty sure that you could get a better deal on this model on the other side of town.”

The salesman throws his arms up in the air. “Alright! I give up! You two come inside and I’ll give you a deal you can’t refuse.”

“Really?” Scott throws a wink in Katie’s direction. “I guess this gentleman wants to sell you a car. You better go find out about this incredible offer.”


Jason nods to Jamie, taking the candy gratefully. Starting to feel dizzy, he accepts the chair offered, sitting down shakily. “Thanks.” He bites into the taffy, and takes a deep breath, trying to settle his body down, while attempting to continue his controlled body language. “I didn’t used to have this kind of trouble, but lately my sugar level keeps bottoming out on me.”


“Laura, you’ve got a call.”

Laura picks up her phone. “Hello?” A smile creases her lips. “Hey, bro. To what do I owe this pleasure?” She laughs. “Okay….yeah, I got time… what’s up? ….Uh-huh….I’m not sure, quite honestly… no, he seems alright, but I’m not convinced…. Yeah….it’ll be okay…. Hmm?” Her eyes light up at Con’s idea. “Oh, that would be great! He’d be so surprised…what a good idea. …well how….hmmm…yeah…I’ll have to get Katie or Wyatt in on it so they can find out the details…. Yeah…oh, yes, I definitely think it’s a good idea…”


Cindy looks at Wes gratefully. “Maybe you’re right…I should probably call him tonight and just talk with him about this… Though…” She catches his eye. “No matter what…I haven’t changed my mind about you.”

Hot Wheels

*Katie cant help but giggle as she watches Scott fight with the chair. Scott maybe clumbsy and he may make people worryed, but he was a great guy and no matter what carryed himself well. After a while of looking around and listing to what Scott had to say about the cars Katie thinks. There was 1 car that stood out the honda civic si. Katie nods to Scott. And walks back over to the jet black car.* " I really like this one. I believe this is the one I want." *Katie looks to Scott for aprovil with the make, price, so on.*

*Jamie smiles at Jason and opens her desk draw pulling out some salt water taffy.* "Here ya go will this work? My sister sent it from PA." *Jamie hands the taffy to Jason and relizes how pale his face it.* "Are you ok Hotshot? You dont looks so well." *Jamie pulls out the other chair thats at her desk and points to it.* " Sit for a moment before you pass out."

*Wes smiles as nods.* " I understand where your coming from. But maybe what he really does need now is his mom. I am sure he is worryed and feels like he is losing you. He's been the man who helped you since he was born. Now a new guy is in his life and he probley feel like he is being replaced. Which by no means is what I am trying to do. Or if you dont feel you should go to see him, maybe a phone call to talk or a letter might help." *Wes smiles at Cindy a loving wormth in his eyes. The question he wanted to ask Cindy was tugging at the back of him mind waiting to come out. But this was not the time. Not till he new Jason was ok with it.*

Car Lot

Jason looks up from his desk to simply give a short nod to Katie as she comes and goes. At least he knew she was now going out of the building. He’d have to be extra careful, and not allow anything he did to bring her back before she was ready. He felt bad enough the way it was that she’d have to watch him again tonight.


Scott glances up from his cubicle desk, a grin spreading across his face. “Yo, Kat! You ready?” He grabs his own keys and throws on his jacket. “Lets go get you some wheels! …” His shoelace catches in one of his chair’s casters, tripping him as the chair follows him to the cubicle entrance. “…after I get rid of this set of wheels,” he mutters, hopping on one foot until he can free his shoe. “There. Alright. Yes, lets go.” He leads the way to the exit, holding his head high like he’s big stuff.
Once on the road, Scott taps his steering wheel thoughtfully. “Well, we got Smith’s dealership down on 20th Street, then there’s the Motor Plaza across town, and there’s Pete’s Used Cars…but I like using an acronym for that one, so I think we’ll avoid that.” He grimaces. “Let’s go to the Motor Plaza…they’ve got everything.”
It doesn’t take long for Scott to get them to the dealership, find a salesman and begin to browse. Scott doesn’t let the salesman do much of the talking, already knowing far more than the average customer and telling Katie all about the cars they walk by. Though normally clumsy and nerdy around the office, Scott handles himself like a pro around the salesman, putting him in his place about prices that are too high, or about engines that aren’t really that great.
After they’ve made several turns around the lot and test driven several cars, Scott stops and looks to Katie. “Well, what do you think?”

The salesman interrupts. “Might I suggest…”

“No.” Scott cuts him off, still looking at Katie. “If your baby ain’t here, we can look somewhere else, though there was that one you seemed pretty fond of.”


Jason wipes his face with a towel, finished with his workout on the lower level. At least here he had the resources to keep his body active, distracting his mind for just a little while. Closing his locker though, he realizes that his hands have begun to shakes. Stupid…he’d had no breakfast, and lunchtime had come and gone. Rolling his eyes at himself, he quickly heads back upstairs, his knees starting to grow weak as his body begins to crash. He can feel how his body’s vulnerability affects his mind, as the mental barriers are weakened as well, lending cause to the need of getting sugar fast. His headache he’s had all day intensifies.
He stops at the first desk he comes to, pasting a smile on his face. “Hey, Jamie…” He leans on the cubicle wall. “You don’t happen to have a piece of candy lying around here somewhere, do you?”


Cindy takes Wes’ hand in both of hers, lifting it to rest her cheek against. “I’m not worried about you not waiting for me…I could never be.” She sighs, enjoying the warmth of his hand. “…I’m not sure I should go to Nevada though… I don’t have any place readily available to stay…and I’m not convinced that Jason would really want me around right now. He…he didn’t sound so great when I talked to him last. I mean…I think he’s pretty upset about losing the house, as I am, but…” She lifts her eyes to meet Wes’. “I…I got the feeling he wasn’t so thrilled about us…maybe it’s best if I just give him his space and let him work through things on his own.”

Lunch

*As Katie is wrapped in Wyatt's arms she looks around the room relizing everyone is looking at them.* " I guess we drew alittle attachen huh." * Katie cant help but laugh.* " I think the only really big thing I need to worry about coming back from is Scott's blunders." *Katie cants help but laugh again as she draws away from Wyatt.* "Well I guess I better get some work done so I can go get my car at lunch." *Katie gives Wyatt a kiss on the cheek and heads to her desk.*

*Wes sits with Cindy and sips his coffee.* " Why dont you go and visit him? I bet it would help reasure you he is ok. And it has been a while you have been without him." *Wes puts his hand on Cindy's* "I'm not going anywere I'll be waiting for you. Always a call away. So if your worryed about that dont be."

*Time flys by pritty fast as Katie looks at the clock on her desk. Its 11:50am and Scott will be looking for her soon. KAtie finishs up what she was typing and save her files. standing she takes the typed up papers and heads to Reese office droping them off to Susane. After leaving Katie stops at Jason's office and knocks on the door entering alittle.* " J, I am going to be heading out now. If you need anything call me ok. I wont be gone long." *Closing the door behind her Katie heads to try and find Scott.*

Struggle

Jason is grateful that Katie remains quiet about his own position, and only for Wyatt's sake does he interact with a layer designed to keep others from questioning his emotional state.

Once at TJY, he heads to his office without saying much, greeting others with a smile on his way, arousing no suspicion about him at all as he even teases someone good-naturedly. Getting to his office though, the downward spiral starts all over again. Trooper isn't there. Not even bothering to sit down, Jason grabs his phone. "Reese? Where's Trooper?"

"Terry had to come earlier than expected. He went ahead and took him since he was ready."

Jason's heart sinks even lower. "Oh."

"We'll hear from him when he's ready to come back."

"Yeah...thanks..." Jason hangs up. The one last thing he'd had left was no gone. And he hadn't even had a chance to send off Trooper to the other handler. He sinks down into his chair, suddenly feeling very alone. Work lies on his desk...paperwork Reese apparently left for him that morning...but he has no motivation to even look at it. He grabs the Advil instead, downing several pills for his headache. Pausing his racing mind, he thinks for a moment, doing his best to stay on top of things.... Katie was going to look for a car, then meeting Wyatt... Jason had to be okay while she was gone... he couldn't ruin her day again.

Without any warning at all, a long forgotten memory emerges to flash an ugly picture in front of Jason's eyes, sending fear reeling through his mind. He shoots up from his chair, ready to fight the adversary before him

"Jason?"

Jason jerks his head towards the door, staring at Susanne, his eyes wide.

Susanne chuckles. "Sorry, Hotshot. Didn't meant to startle you - you must not have heard my knock."

Immediately, Jason blankets himself with the appearance of being relaxed and amused. "No worries. What is it?"

"Just need you to go through these files on a case Reese is on."

"Sure, just leave them here with me." Alone again, Jason lets out a long breath. That had been close.


Wyatt smiles and dares to put his arm around Katie's shoulders to give her squeeze. "You bet. If you survive going to look for a car then you deserve to be taken out for lunch..." He looks up thoughtfully, teasing her. "Of course...I'd want to take you out anyway, but that's beside the point."


Cindy looks up at Wes, giving him a smile. "Morning." She sighs wearily. "I don't know... just trying to sort through my plans I guess. Worried about Jason...I don't know..."

New Day

*Katie cant help but laugh at Wyatt. She had come to love his humor, and his friendlyness. It was somethin she new Jason lacked, and hoped onday he would find it.* "Its ok Wy. No harm done." *Shaking her head alittle as Jason puts up yet another mask and lies about how he really is Katie say nothing. She new from his look he wasent going to hide from her anymore. but was that enough to conker this? Katie trys to smile and grabs her stuff ready to go. Before exiting she takes a servalence of the room to know where every detail is so when she gets back she can tell if someone was in the room or not. They had alread informed housekeeping they only wanted the room cleaned once a week on friedays.*

*The ride to TJY is a bit quiet as Katie glances at Jason in the back seat every once in a while. Katie keeps up conversation with Wyatt about kind of car she's going to be looking at and asks Jason now and then for his imput though he dosent look much like talking. Once they are at TJY Katie lets Jason go off on his own knowing inside TJY he is safe. Turning back to Wyatt she gives him a hug.* "We still going to do lunch after I get back from the car dealership?" *Katie smiles up at Wyatt a small hint of tiredness in them.*

Deliberate Mask

Jason looks at Katie a bit dumbly, not quite awake yet, and still unable to fathom how none of this had bothered her. "Alright..." He watches her leave, then sighs before attempting to stand up and limp to the bathroom to take a shower.

Finally dressed and just finished lacing up his boots, Jason sits on the edge of his bed for a moment to regroup. He had no idea what he was supposed to do now. He couldn't remember what had happened in the night, though he knew it had been rough and at some point he'd finally been able to rest - most likely because of Katie. He hated it that she had to be put through that...he was sure she hadn't slept at all because of him - it was the second night in a row he'd caused her to lose sleep. It wasn't fair to her. But what could he do? He'd already come to the conclusion that there was no way he could stop her. She cared too much to just let him go. The only way he could help her was to get through this problem.

Then what about everyone else? Jason couldn't let Reese find out about this... If he did, Jason would be forced to take medical leave, and that was the last thing he wanted at this point. Wyatt's knowledge that he was struggling was bad enough, though he was pretty sure of Wyatt's silence.

Jason knew what he had needed before...his experience with Adam had taught him a lot, as did what he went through during his kidnapping to overcome his mental battle. He knew that he had needed time out, and had needed to walk back through the memories slowly to face them as scenes that could no longer hurt him.
...But it was different this time. There was more going on than just flashbacks...more circumstances beyond his control that were tearing apart his livelihood... and the combination was deadly. The nightmares were worse - they combined his past and the recent events, involving those around him that he cared for. The flashback he'd experienced yesterday had been different....almost as if it had been driven by his imagination on top of a memory, making it more vivid.
Jason knew the past could not hurt him...he knew that his memories did not have to control him... but what happened when he already knew that and the pattern came back for round two? He recalled Adam's words....he'd said that if Jason were ever to become emotionally distraught, or if any memories that had not been revisited were to be resurrected, that Jason might very well go through a similar experience and have to deal with it again. ...and that's exactly what was happening. But it was different...and he had to find a different way to deal with it, and fast, or it was going to destroy even more than it already had.

Jason stands up and grabs his wallet off the dresser, taking a moment to run his thumb over the words etched into it. He could not hide from Katie. She was one person who not only could see through his masks, but who somehow prevented him from even trying to use one with her. And she was the only one he could trust with his problems.... it was time to accept those facts and give in to them rather than fighting them. He could not let anyone else into this part of his life, lest it be used against him...and it was embarrassing to say the least. He was Hotshot at TJY...and being this vulnerable certainly wasn't living up to that name.

Making his decision, Jason finishes getting ready and exits his room with forced alertness. Until he knew exactly how to deal with this new mental battle, he only had one course to travel.
As he walks into the suite's living room, he sees Katie ready to go and waiting. He opens his mouth to say something, but a knock at the door interrupts him. On guard, he cautiously approaches the door and listens intently, ready for anything. He grips the doorknob and turns it slowly, silently cracking the door just enough to see out. Relieved, he steps back, allowing Wyatt to enter.

Wyatt gives him a wry grin, realizing by the look on his face that he'd caused a bit of concern. "Sorry. I was going to call before I left home, but forgot, and then I was already on my way. Figured I'd give you guys a lift." He throws Katie a smile. "Unfortunately my damsel in distress isn't going to be distressing anymore after today. I'm going to have to find another excuse to see her if I can't keep giving her rides."

Jason forces a grin to his lips, letting go of his true feelings and immediately assuming a completely confident and relaxed role, opposite that of what he's really feeling.

Wyatt turns to him with a look of question. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine." Jason shrugs casually. "Just a little bump in the road yesterday. I'm alright now, thanks."

Not being able to see through Jason's expertly positioned mask, Wyatt nods. "Good to hear. Y'all ready to go?"

Jason glances at Katie. As easily and quickly as one might blink, his eyes reveal his exhaustion and mental anguish, proving only to her that he's not alright. His brief look conveys a message he knows will be received - that he may be hiding from Wyatt, but not from her. Unable to voice any of this though, he turns back to Wyatt, immediately falling back into his other role so smoothly and skillfully that no one would ever have noticed the instantaneous change. "Looks like it. Lead the way."