thank you

*Katie listens to Jason and bit of her feeling better. He was being really understanding and Katie apreshated that. Listening alittle bit closer to what Jason said about the people at TJY her heart felt at peace for a moment. Was this is answer Katie was looking for? Was God telling her where she belonged at the moment in time?

Katie gives a smile to Jason and alittle nod.*

"I promise I will let you know when I feel bad next time."

*Katie gives Jason a friendly hug and than turns to leave again.*

"Thank you J, forevery thing."

*Katie slowly makes her way out of Jason's office and back to her desk.*

*Charlotte can feel Bret's tention standing outside the court house. Catching up to him she give him a small smile. *

"Everything is going to be ok. Your dont alone."

*Angelica is the next to walk up next to Bret with her brefcase in hand. She wore the confadent air she usally did going into a case. Scaning the court house geting a feel for it.*

"Make sure you stay clam in there Bret no matter what they say, and no matter how it hurts. Let me do the talking for you. Thats what I am here for. If you need to break for anything let me know and I will ask for you."

*Leting out a breath Angelica looks at Bret and Charlotte giving a small nod and a genuin smile something she dident do offten.*

"Ok, lets get a move on."

*Angelica is the first inside followed by Charlotte and Bret.*

Waiting

Jason cocks his head a little and offers Katie a bit of a crooked smile. “Hey…but you’re not alone.” He searches her eyes trying to convey reassurance. He hated seeing her like this…confused and vulnerable. “You couldn’t be surrounded with more people that care about you…” He gives a short laugh. “I don’t know what this place would do without you, Hero. This poor office might not be able to survive.”

He gives her chin a playful tweak. “I’m sorry you felt all that though. I’ll be careful with what I do and when I do it alright? But promise me you’ll tell me if you’re feeling bad. I can’t change anything if I don’t know I need to.”


Scott works with Trish's computer just a couple desks away from Katie's, constantly looking over to see if she had come back to her cubicle yet.

Sighing for the umpteenth time, he concentrates back on his work.


Bret shakes his head and gives a little roll of his eyes at Charlotte. “Next time take two out of three flips – chance might decide it doesn’t want any more housework.”

Obeying Charlotte’s lead, he heads across the room for the door. On his way, something odd catches his eye. It was such a silly thing and he knew it, but it stopped him anyway. The stack of magazines that had been spread around and making a mess were now piled neatly to the side of the coffee table, organized by date. He never organized things like that…he would have just piled them all together. But they used to get organized by date anyway… Maria wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Glancing back to Charlotte, Bret suddenly realizes that this is the first time in four years that a woman has been in his house. And for the first time today, if felt just a little awkward.

Shaking it off before he said something foolish, he continues his route outside, holding the door for her, then locking it behind him.

The ride to the hotel is quick, and before long, they’re joined by Angelica and heading to the courthouse.

Once parked and heading inside, Bret pauses, looking at the large entrance doors. He had a bad taste in his mouth when it came to this place. The judge’s ruling still rang in his ears. The feeling of despair still clung to him.

Rolling his eyes at himself, he steps forward, looking back at Angelica and Charlotte. “Well…let’s get this thing over with.”

The Coin said

*As Jason calls for Katie to wait turns around. The more she stood in that office the more her mind wondered. Feeling Jason's hand on her shoulder she leans her face on it for a moment. Jason's touch even if it was just as a friend bringing her comfort. Her voice lets out a low whisper.*

"Ya, I'm ok."

*Katie lets out a sigh and thinks for a moment stairing back into Jason's eyes. Thinking about what just happend. She wasent even sure herself.*

"I'm not sure what happend Jason but I felt the emptyness of you hiding something and I felt suddonly very alone. It braught up alot of my own past emotions from before I first met you. I dont know why they came up. They were just there. Its not your fault I just dont know what happening to me."

*Katie looks back at the floor before she looks at Jason again. Her mind ran around on so many things. Katie dident want to hurt anymore, Not Scott, not Jaosn when he was trying to move on. All Katie could do was continue to ask God for guildent and a sign on what to do.*

*As Charlotte sits on the coutch watching tv she trying to keep the smile on her lips hidden hearing Bret come down the steps. As Bret comes around to the front of her, her smile finally breaks forth. Shuting off the TV Charlotte stands near Bret giving alittle shrug.*

"I fliped a coin. It landed face up so that ment I wanted to clean. Anyways if you let the sun in and see the dirt that gives you reason to clean it and be able to breath. If you stumble around in the dark all the time your going to be lost and you will never get to see those coins flip. Personaly I dont want you to miss out on a good coin toss when it involves me."

*Charlotte cant help but let a grin form on her face. She dident care Bret had problems, and she liked to be bold with him and tell him what was on her mind it just felt good in a way. Giving his shoulder a gentil pat she nods twords the door.*

"Come on lets get going before I flip a coin on whether I do your dishes or not."

*Misty walks back inside with Carson his arms still wrapped around her. Why did she let Carson get away with what he did? She new good and while he was feeding her lie after lie. One of these days she new she would snap and that would be when all would break lose. Misty hoped in her heart of hearts it wouldent come to that but she was 100% sure it wouldent no matter how she tryed to keep faith in trusting Carson.*

Card

As Jason spots the tear in Katie's eye, he brings the exercise to a halt, his eyebrows rising.

Confused when Katie starts to leave the office, he stands. "Katie...wait..." Going to her, he rests a hand lightly on her shoulder, concerned by her reaction. His own pain surfaces with the thought that he had hurt her with his efforts. He hadn't meant to. "Are you okay? What happened?"


Bret takes his time with his shower, trying to knock the cobwebs out of his head, and by the time he's pulling on a clean shirt, he's feeling more like himself. Tucking in his button-down shirt, he gives a last glance in the mirror. Well, he looked presentable enough... His attire would just have to do for court.

Running a comb through his wet hair, he rolls his eyes. It was being unruly today, and no comb was going to do the trick. Today, gel was required.

Finally as ready as he could get, he heads back downstairs from his bedroom, coming back into the living room. Hearing the television, he spots Charlotte, then stops. His eyes roam the room. It looked...cleaner.

Quirking an eyebrow he looks a little closer, noting all the items that had been picked up or dusted. He sets his hands on his hips and walks around to where he can see Charlotte, and cocks his head. "I didn't know that housework and entertainment mixed."


Carson starts to say something in retaliation to Misty lying for him, but stops himself. It wasn't worth the argument. Sighing a little, he withdraws his arm from her and instead, wraps it around her shoulders. He doesn't like the feeling that was evolving between them...his actions and attitude was starting to drive a wedge between them, and it didn't feel good. But if he could just hang on until this was over. A few more weeks and he'd have everything he needed.


The lower level of TJY is quiet, other than the rustling of garbage bags as Ty makes his rounds. He hadn't gotten in last night - a blown-out tire on his bicycle had seen to that, and by the time he'd walked back home, made a call, walked to the store, gotten a new tire and fixed it, it was too late to try finishing work. Hal had been there to do his share, but now the rest of the building needed to be cleaned.

Working his way down the hall, Ty pauses, glancing around to be sure no one was near. Pulling a piece of mail out of his pocket, he sits down on a bench and stares at the envelope. It had come yesterday. He recognized the name...the envelope was blue and bigger than normal letter envelopes. He'd only seen it this morning with the mail Wyatt had brought in the day before, but hadn't dared to look at it until now.

He stares at the return address. It might as well have been Greek. He runs his finger over the handwritten letters. H...H...e...n or m? Giving up, he flips the envelope over and slits it open with a finger. Drawing out the contents, his eyes widen slightly. A card?

It was bright and cheery with two words arching over a picture. Ty didn't have to know how to read those two words. The picture of a birthday cake said it all. A smile starts to form. He'd never received a birthday card before... His adopted family had just never celebrated birthdays, least of all his. The vivid colors on this folded paper was so simple, but enough to give him a warm feeling inside. So this is what it felt like. Tomorrow was his birthday...he'd forgotten. But who had known? And who had even wanted to send a greeting?

Just sitting and savoring the card for a moment, he finally opens it up. More words...H..o...p...e? "Hop...Ho....hop....." Ty gives a little sigh. His eyes scan the handwritten message on the inside. Someone had pretty writing, and he admired it, even though he couldn't read it. Glancing to the bottom of the card, he sees four signed names. But...two of them weren't really names.

Tears well up in Ty's eyes. "M...o...m ....D...a...d." He pronounces the cherished words in his mind as his fingers outline the letters. He knew the other two names had to be Clint and Roaslynn's. The handwritten note surely was his own mother's.

Sitting alone in the hall, he just stays for a long while, a few silent tears running down his cheek. To be loved...this was something new.

Void

*As Jason consintrates so does Katie. Her mind filling with Jason's thoughts of being nervouse starting for the consert. Going the the emotions one by one feeling, than like walking in a hall at night smacking into somehting. Katie came to the emptyness where all seemed calm. Yet there was something that sruck a cord. Consintrating harder Katie tryed to see the unseen. A dim light broke though so close you could reach but so far you couldent grasp. As the emptyness lingers a tear falls from the courner of her eye the emptyness was strange and uninviting. It made her feel her own feelings from the past. What was wrong with her.

Giving a whipe to her face Katie gives a smile and whispers as she stands.*

"It worked that time J. In no time we will have a handle on this. I better get back to work before Reese thinks I skiped out."

*Heading twords the door Katie stops steding her hand as it shook alittle. Calling over her shoulder.*

"If you wanna try more later let me know."

*After Bret leaves the room Charlotte turns from the window scaning the livingroom. A grin cross her face as she pulls a coin from her pocket. Fliping it, it lands heads up. Chucking to herself she puts the coin back in her purse. If Bret wasent going to try and be perky she was going to help alittle. Heading into the kitched She grabs some paper towles. Working quickly Charlotte opens the front windows to leave some air in and starts to clean up the living room. Picking up clothing, paper, straghtening things out and whiping table dusk and what not away.
It takes Charlotte about 15 minutes and soon the living dosent look perfect but alot better than it did. Siting down on the coutch she turns the tv on to wait for Bret.*

*Misty shakes her head as she listens to Carson. Taking note to him not looking her in the eyes again. Giving a sigh she asks herself "how long, how long will this go on."*

"Like you havent run off with me before. Just do you know Carson Rick dosent know you told me he looks at your eyes..."

*Misty stands as Carson does.*

" Yes, I lied for you this time Carson to my own boss."

*Changing the subject fast Misty takes Carson's arm.*

"Come on lets get back to work."

Sunlight

Jason cringes just a little. "Oops." He tries not to let his embarrassment continue to bombard him. By now Katie knew everything about the way he felt, so who cared. "Okay, okay... one more try... Um..."

He racks his brain, trying to think of something again...two things with strong emotions attached. Snagging onto a scene with he band, he pulls that one up. Getting ready to play, backstage, his nerves were high. Excited, but a ball of nerves.

He squints a little. It almost hurt to do this. What else... Con. Jason replays the day he'd heard that Con might have died in the cave-in. It was dread and fear this time. He felt it again, but tucked it safely back, letting the nervousness from the JetStream experience rule. At least if Katie felt both it was less intimate...though he was pretty sure that this time he'd gotten it. All he had to do was let the nervousness out, turn off that fear, and.... He blinks. It hurt. But he knew it had worked.

Looking Katie in the eye again, he cocks his head, testing her. "How about now, smarty pants."


Carson flinches a little as Misty touches the bruise. No, he'd had a fist the size of a dinner plate coming at him a hundred miles an hour to slam iron knuckles into the side of his face. But sure...moving wrong while he slept would do just as well. "Guess I ought to get a softer pillow eh?"

His eyes continue to roam, finally settling on a bent blade of grass by his sneaker. He could feel Misty looking at her...he could feel her hesitance. She knew something was wrong. And why wouldn't she? It didn't take a genius to figure out that Carson was skirting around issues, and now she was catching on that he'd been lying. Was it even possible to ease her mind while continuing to keep his secret? He didn't know.

"Well, since this is gone..." He puts out his cigarette and changes the subject. "I suppose I should go back inside. "They see both of us gone, they're liable to think I ran off with you or something."


Bret squints a little as the sunshine comes in through the window. Tilting his head, he studies Charlotte's frame, pondering her words. She was flirty, outgoing, adventurous and fun. But she hadn't sacrificed her mind. She had a grasp on feelings that Bret didn't often see in people anymore.

"When I let the sunlight in, I see the dirt even better," he muses in rebuttal. "At least in the dark I can't see what a mess I'm in."

Stuffing another cracker in his mouth and finishing off his water, he stands up. He was starting to dwell on the past, and that was something he avoided at all cost. "I'm going to take a shower and change into something that will convince your sister I was behaving myself all day. If you haven't had breakfast, help yourself to whatever I got. If you have..." He stops, entering the hallway. "Entertain yourself."

Better To

*Trying to find humor in the whole thing Katie shakes her head this time feeling what Jason was feeling and thought of Camryn and food.*

"Dont move to fast Romieo. Your still learning how to controll this."

*For some reason something was nagging at Katie inside about this whole thing. A strange feeling settled in her stomach. It wasent a feeling from Jason but one of her own she just couldent put her finger on it.*

*Misty sits down on the ground her words slipping from her mouth before she cant stop them.*

"I might be smart but at times a feel like a fool."

*Reaching over she takes Carson chin and tilts it so she can look at the burse.*

"Its better to let me worry than lie to me you know."

*Taking her finger she runs it over the bruse checking it out.*

"Looks like you will be ok. You might of just bumped it wrong when you were sleeping."

*Charlotte studys Bret for a long moment pondering his words. Standing her goes over to the cutrin and pulls the shaids up.*

"You know if you let some sun and fresh air in here it wouldent be so bad. If you keep yourself closed up all the time I know why you wallow. Fate is fate but it only goes so far. You choose to sit here and wallow when you should be out there. Bad things happen to good people all the time, but that dosent mean our life should stop. It should give us more of a reason to move on, and do better next time."

*Charlotte continues to look out the window everything she was saying she felt. She had told her sister the same thing after Angeal had been taken away. Thats how Charlotte lived her life, trying not to wallow. Thats why she was always trying to move and takes chanses. If she ever slowed down she new she would lock herself away like Angelica did and she dident want that. She loved life. She was happy she got to shair some of her love for life with Bret over the weekend he needed it. Charlottle only hope that what she gave Bret that weekend, the spark she found in his eyes would return again so he could pick himself up and move on.*

Too smart

Bret gives Charlotte a wry grin. "You think too much like I do." He takes another sip of water and sighs deeply, not tired, but not having much energy either. "I guess now you're witnessing the ultimate wallower. Wasn't bad enough I went downtown, but I sit here and do it too." He pauses and shakes his head. "Welcome to my life apart from weekends led by chance."


Jason raises his eyebrow, hardly wanting to hope it had really worked. "Really?" Thinking for a moment, his eyes widen. "That's it..." His mind reels. "That's what it is... it's like a....like...a..." He gropes for a good example. "Like a faucet. Turn it on full blast and you get everything....thoughts, emotions, feelings, whatever. I've shut it off before, but apparently that has ill effects on you. But now...now if I can fine tune it... I can just shut it off partway to keep whatever I want from getting to you."

Getting just a little excited, he closes his eyes, trying to think of something. He hadn't had much breakfast this morning...he was hungry...he was getting a dull ache in his stomach for the want of food. Concentrating on that, he also pulls in a thought about Camryn, daring to replay the other evening in his mind. But instead of letting it out along with his hunger, he holds it back like he had with the paperclip.

Opening his eyes back up, he looks at Katie, with question, trying to read her face. What had she felt?


Carson glances up as Misty rounds the corner. He shouldn't be surprised. He was overdue to get back inside, and Misty had probably wondered where he was, and knew where he'd been lately.

At Misty's words that they needed to talk, Carson bristles. Using his bent knee as an armrest, he taps his cigarette absentmindedly, his eyes drifting anywhere but to her own.

He shrugs. "Sorry. Just didn't want you to worry, that's all. I knew the dang bruise got worse, but it's not like it's life threatening, so I figured if you thought I'd seen Rick, you wouldn't worry about it." He gives a short laugh, giving her a sidelong glance. "Guess that one backfired on me. You're too smart for your own good."

stop

*Charlotte smiles at Bret clearing off some paper from the end of the couch and sits down.*

"We have about 2 hours. You should be fine by than and if you think not, try laying down for an hour. And as far as Angelica goes what she dosent know wont kill her."

*Charlotte continues to sit and just looks around the room. It really was a nice hour dispite the mess.*

*As the thoughts of Camryn enter Jason's mind Katie can once again feel them to givng alittle crings.*

"Stop saying your sorry would you. Its not like you cant help it."

*Watching Jason put the metal on his skin again. This time the only feeling she had was emptyness. She dident feel the clip to Jason's skin at all. Looking at her hand and than back up at Jason she smiles.*

"I think it worked that time. One small step for you, one giant leap for something or other."

*It was a strange feeling to see Jason doing something but for once not feel it. She wasent sure if she liked it or not, but what had to be done had to be done for everyone sake.*

*Misty makes her way outside. Not seeing Carson at his desk she new where he would probley be. It seemed he was spending alot of time around the courner these days. Catching sight of him Misty walks over leting out a sigh and keeling down.*

"Hey Babe."

*Misty thinks for a moment. Did she really want to bring them up to Carson? Would he get upset?*

"We need to talk. Rick caught me today when I was doing some work and asked what happend to you eye."

*Misty looks down at the ground and than back up at Carson.*

"How come you told me you saw him when you dident?"

Outside

Bret opens one eye and lamely receives the water and crackers. He knew the routine and wasn't one to fight it. "Thanks...I think."

Taking a swallow of water, then crunching into a cracker, he sinks a little lower in the couch. "How much time we got to sober me up anyway? Your sister is going to kill me."


Rick quirks an eyebrow at a strange tone in Misty's voice, but dismisses it, turning back to his work.


Jason sighs with frustration and rolls his eyes. "This is ridiculous. Do you even realize what we're doing here? Anyone finds out, they'll throw us in the looney bin."

He wanted to dismiss the whole thing. It really was something that made him uncomfortable. This whole thing was just... weird. He knew it had to be just as bad for Katie thought.

Giving a sigh, he lifts the paperclip again. "I'm not giving up. There's got to be a way."

For a moment he thinks about how he needs to conquer this for Katie's sake. She couldn't go around all the time feeling what he felt. The most prominent example in his mind was any interaction he had with Camryn. He was getting closer to her, and the feelings that evoked were...

Jason comes to a screeching halt, his eyes looking back up to Katie as his cheeks grow warm. "Sorry."

Quickly concentrating on the task again, he closes his eyes for a moment. He could do this. It had to be possible... Digging the metal lightly into his hand, he tries again, this time allowing himself to accept the pain but not emit it. It was almost like a mask, veiling the true feeling, and letting the rest of his emotions, the consistent ones, fill in the holes instead to cover up the fact he was in pain.

His eyes drift back to Katie, having an odd sense this time that he had been successful. It felt...different.


Carson glances at his watch and knows he needs to get back inside before he gets into trouble. He decides to finish off his smoke first though, figuring Reese hadn't given him much pressing work lately anyway. He'd just been getting a lot of research duties that made him hope all the more for more tasks from Brown.

I dont think

*Charlotte cant help but give alittle laugh as she entered Bret's house. If someone asked her what the thought it would look like, she probley would of said a mess. Watching Bret go into the living room Charlotte sets her own purse down on the table before looking around.The house was rather big and if kept up on it could look pretty nice. Finding the kitchen Charlotte searches for a glass and gets Bret some water. Also finding a pack on crackers on the counter she grabs them and brings them back into the livingroom.*

"Here drink and eat this is will help ya feel better."

*Misty just continues to look up at Rick. She was stuned herself Carson had lied again. Why, why would he lie to her again.*

"Oh its nothing I just figured he's come and have you take a look at it since I wasent here yesterday morning is all."

* Misty turns her head back to her work. Had she just lied to Rick? She was now upset with Carson and herself. She lied to save his hide and she dident even know why.

Excising herself Misty stands and leave the office to try and find Carson.*

*Katie draws in a breath. This sound absalutly abserd. But Jason wanted to try and help her she might as well go along with it trying.*

"Ok, might as well be a good first place to start."

*As Jason runs the paper clip along his finger Katie can feel a tingly sensation run through her hand, than a sharp sting causeing her to lift her hand and shake it.*

"I dont think it worked that time."

Pain?

Bret directs Charlotte the short drive to his house, and arriving, he takes back his keys and gets out of the car to lead the way up the short walk to the front door.

He takes it in stride, as if not thinking a thing about having Charlotte there - whether he really didn’t care, or whether it was the alcohol skewing his judgment wasn’t clear.

Letting her in behind him, the screen door shuts on its own with a quiet bang.

The house is bigger than one would expect a bachelor to live in, indicating that perhaps he had won the battle to keep it over four years ago. The interior, however, was probably what one would expect. It was fairly clean, but cluttered, the living room scattered with everything from old magazines to clothing that hadn’t made it from the washer to the bedroom. The carpet of the entryway had been neglected, with evidence of his job caked to it and his boots that were by the door. The kitchen off to the right was well-stocked with food and not atrociously dirty, though the sink was half-full of dishes that needed to be washed, and those that had been washed hadn’t been put away. The air the house wore was one of someone who perhaps had let go of some things for the sake of mourning what they once had.

Bret tosses his keys on the coffee table in the living room, and flops down on his couch, pulling out a newspaper from underneath him and letting it fall to the floor on top of a week’s worth of papers.

Leaning his head back and closing his eyes, he knows he needs to eat and drink something to take the edge off, but his brain just doesn’t quite seem to want to get him there. “Make yourself at home,” he mumbles. “Ignore the mess.”


Rick lifts his eyebrows in surprise at Misty. “No…Carson didn’t say anything about it…I thought it looked like he’d been socked good by someone with a hard fist, but I didn’t ask him. Figured if it was bad enough he’d come to me, but he didn’t. Why?”


Jason grimaces slightly, knowing he must sound ridiculous. “Um…yeah, I guess that’s what I’m saying.”

He pauses, trying to come up with something they could work with. Spying a paperclip, he picks it up and unfolds it. “I tried to block one thing out once before, but…I don’t know if it worked or not.” A slight color to his cheeks indicates he’s not willing to say just what it was or when. “I figure unless you want to pull someone in here who can make me mad, physical feeling is the best place to start. I wanna know if I can make it so you don’t feel my pain.”

Taking a moment, he draws in his breath and holds the paperclip to his finger. Concentrating on what he feels, he runs the edge along his skin making it sting.

Experament

*Misty cant help but laugh a she gazes through the micrascope that was on her desk and than goes back to her papers. She dident have to be looking at Rick to know he like herself was probley knee deep in information he dident want to pry away from.

Misty still in deepth in her work dosent even look up when replying to Rick.*

"Oh he got it a few days again he got jumped and than yesterday morning Rick said he probley..."

*Stoping dead in her tracks she looks up at Rick relizing what she just said. Question in her voice as she raises her one eyebrow.*

"You mean you dident talk to Carson about his eye yesterday morning?"

*Charlotte smile and gives a nod thankful that Bret had agreed to come along. As the coin lands on the floor Charlotte cant help but let out alittle chuckle. Geting outside and taking Bret keys she smiles.*

"Your a smart man Bret Parker."

*Geting inbehind the wheel Charlotte cant help but feel like she was special in someway. She could guess Bret dident just let anyone drive his car. Starting the car up Charlotte turns to Bret.*

"Ok so....knowing where you live would be helpfu."

*Waiting for Bret's directions Charlotte listens carfely. Finally squeeling the tired form the parking spot and heading down the road as Bret had directed. Turning the loud music up on the raido.

Moment later Charlotte is pulling into Bret's drive way taking in the sights of the sarounding area. Shuting off his car she hands his back the keys and exits the car.*

*Katie sits across from Jason in one of his chairs listening to what he had to say. Katie thought she understood what Jason was saying.*

"So what your saying is you want to experement with what I can feel and what I cant? Make your way feel one way to see what affect it has and if you can block it?"

*Katie studys Jason's eyes trying to understand what he was saying.*

Tails

Bret sighs deeply, giving Charlotte a sidelong glance as she puts a hand to his shoulder. There was so much he wanted…so much he missed…so much he longed for. And Charlotte stirred them all within him.

Shaking his head, he takes one last swig of beer. “Alright. You win.”

Sliding off the stool, he reaches into his pocket to pay for his drinks. Tossing the bills toward the bartender, a coin falls to the floor. Glancing down, Bret quirks an eyebrow. “Well, whadya know… tails.”

He doesn’t bother to pick up the quarter, aiming for the door. Arriving outside and to his car, he stops. Thinking for a moment, he reaches in his pocket and pulls out his keys. “Tails. You drive so I don’t kill us both.”


Jason gives a slight roll to his eyes and heads for his office. Once inside with Katie, he shuts the door and goes around his desk to sit down. “Look…Katie…I’ve been thinking and…I know there’s got to be a way around this whole thing. You and I both know that we can’t keep living like this… You feeling me all the time is going to ruin more things for you, and it’s going to make you miserable. And…I get miserable just thinking about it.”

He leans his elbows on his desk, studying Katie’s face. “But in order to see if I have a solution, I need to know what you’re feeling… I need to learn how to shut off portions of what I do. But the only way I’ll know if it works, is if you tell me…”

He searches her eyes, not even quiet sure what he’s asking, but hoping she understands anyway. The only way to find out if anything would work, or if there was any solution was to experiment.


Rick ambles past Misty's desk, paperwork in hand as he squints at the small print. Almost running into her chair, he catches himself, realizing he better focus on where he's going.

Glancing down to Misty, he remembers what he was going to ask her. "Oh, say, Misty, I caught sight of Carson's nice shiner yesterday. What's he been getting himself into?"

I see

*Charlotte looks at Bret a bit of worry in her eyes.*

"Bret, we arnt going to let them blame you. You got me. I dont know much about anything yet, but my sister has taught me enough and she is a darn good lawyer. We arnt going to let you go down."

*Charlotte takes another sip of her own drink but end up pushing the rest away from her something she dident do offten. Scaning Bret's face she can see the glazed over look in his eyes another consern rising. Bret couldent be drunk or even tipsy for this hearing. Standing Charlotte puts her arm around Bret's shoulder trying to give him alittle prompting.*

"Come on, lets get you cleaned up for this afternoon. After the hearing when your cleared I'll buy you all the drinks you could possably want ok. And dont go giving up yet on me. I still see a few coin toss in your future."

*Katie looks up at the sound of Jason's voice. As he calls her to come to his office she lets out a sigh having just sat down. Finally geting up she lets out a yawn and carrys with her another cup of coffee following Jason to his office.*

"I dont think you've ever summoned me to your office before J. I kind of want to know what I did wrong now."

*Katie cant help but leave out alittle laugh after her comment.*

Nightmare

“Yeah, well, we all die eventually,” Bret mutters. “And now they want to blame me so they don’t look stupid themselves. A fine mess this is.”

His slight slur gives away the fact that he’s already had a beer or two before Charlotte arrived, and he takes a swig of a new one. He knows he needs to leave so he can be totally sober by this afternoon, but he was just having a hard time getting away. “We lose it all eventually. Why not now. I don’t have anything anyway, so I guess the timing is alright.”


Jason heads to the main floor, spotting Katie just getting to her desk. Arriving at her cubicle, he looks over her wall. “Psst.” He gets her attention. “I need to talk to you…can you come to my office?”


Scott is just rounding the corner, having wanted to catch Katie right when she got to work, but stops, giving a little sigh as he sees Jason beat him to it. Turning back around, he makes a mental note to come back in a few minutes.


Carson and Misty make it to TJY and start their work day, Carson finding it hard to concentrate. He hated himself for the lies he was weaving…they were coming easier and easier now. From excuses about his injuries, to lying about seeing Rick, to lying about where he would be tonight. But he couldn’t tell anyone the truth…there would be too many consequences that he just couldn’t deal with.

It doesn’t take long for him to lose his concentration on his work, sinking back into a state of contemplation that he hates.

Getting up, he heads outside and around the corner to the spot he’s claimed as his own. Sitting on the ground, he sits for a while, lost in thought. Finally reaching for his pack of smokes in his pockets, he lights up, attempting to settled his nerves. He had to see it through. He had to. No matter what.

Leaning his head back against the building, his mind drifts back…so far back… He didn’t often thing about when he was a boy. But today he did. There were good things there…he’d been carefree at one time. Pure and untouched by the world. Not yet given himself away to the temptations that had lured him to the wrong side. And there in the midst of it was something so precious to him…something that now had become a nightmare of worry.