Evening events

"Buffalo pizza," Carson repeats. "Got it. Oops... hang on a sec." He puts his hand over the phone, leaning his head to see Dani peek into the kitchen. "Yeah?"

Dani grins. "Caught you at the right time. I got off work early today. If you want to borrow the car tonight, you can."

"You are an angel."

Dani rolls her eyes. "Whatever. You'll just have to owe me a milkshake."

Carson grins at her. "It's a deal." He turns his attention back to Misty. "Forget about picking me up. Dani just said I could borrow her car. So... guess I'll see you tonight then."

Finishing up the call, he scarfs down the rest of his lunch so he can get back to work quickly.


Axel is halfway out of his seat, but as Jess speaks, he eases back down instead of moving. Leaning his arms on the table, he cocks his head at her, his eyes betraying him to reveal that there was a part of him that was glad she'd said he could stay.

Giving a slight smile, he looks back down at the table where he traces a pattern of water from his wet glass with a finger. "Rainbows don't fear a storm's lightning, because they can't be scarred by it."

At her comment about tomorrow, he nods. "It should be fun. They can get a little rowdy when we're all together, but nothing ever gets out of hand. It's always good clean fun."

A long pause follows, and Axel suddenly realizes that his arm is touching Jess'. Instinctively, he straightens up and glances at his watch as an excuse. "Guess lunch time is about over, huh?"

Sliding from the booth, he stands and waits for Jess. After paying, it's back to the shop once more. Again, not much is said. But after the lunch filled with conversation, the quiet feels even nicer. But something seems to be on Axel's mind that wasn't before.

Once back to the garage, he sighs and looks over to Jess. "Thanks. Guess I'll see you tomorrow then. I'll save you a seat behind the sound table." His eyes say he wants to say more, but he doesn't, and instead, he exits the car. But he doesn't shut the door.

Just standing for a moment, he seems to be thinking, then leans back down so he can see her face again. "Even rainbows have histories," he mentions quietly. "I apologize for any awkwardness today. Sometimes..." He stops again as if kicking himself for saying anything, but he forces himself to finish. "...sometimes mistakes are made that make a guy think twice about his actions. Sometimes it leads to avoiding a situation and sometimes it leads to compromise. Thing is..."

He shifts his weight, pausing again and just studying Jess' eyes. "Storms are so unpredictable. And depending on the light, a rainbow might bend a different way. But when those who are so used to seeing it bent a certain way see that shift, they tend to think something is wrong when... in reality... the rainbow was just daring a change of pace."

Axel pauses once more, almost cringing at himself. "And for one of the first times, I don't think I made any sense at all."

Shaking his head at himself, he straightens back up, deciding that any more explanation would just make things worse. "Keep shining, Jess... keep shining."

He shuts the door and taps the hood of her car with his palm before turning and ambling back towards the garage, his steps slow but deliberate.


The day... a day that had seemed so long in the morning... a day that seemed to never want to end, finally surrenders the evening. And then, so quickly the time seems to have gone by.


Phil stands at the bookcase in the living room, a book in his hand. Hearing a noise behind him, he turns around in time to see Kyle heading for the door. "Hey. What's up?"

"Just heading out."

"Where to?"

"Rocky's."

"Oh." Phil quirks an eyebrow. "I thought... we were going over to Mike's for practice."

Kyle shrugs, one hand on the open door. "We're good, don't you think?"

"Well sure, but..."

"I won't be long," Kyle cuts him off. "I'll come by Mike's when I'm done at Rocky's."

"Well what are you two up to?"

Kyle doesn't mean to get irritated, but the look he throws his brother proves he is. "Does it matter?"

Phil retreats, swallowing hard. "I guess... not. Tell him hi?"

"Will do."

The door closes with a click, leaving silence to roam. Phil stares at it for several moments. Since when was visiting someone else more important than a JetStream practice to Kyle?


"Pizza!" Carson knocks on Misty's door, his arms loaded with supper. Once she answers, he greets her with a smile, entering her house to deposit the boxes on the table. "Did you know..." He displays the food with a flourish. "...that Mom and Pop's is the only Italian restaurant in the area that has traditional-type Italian food and a huge pizza business too? Most places with traditional food have some type of pizza but..." He opens the box and takes a whiff of the warm aroma. "...none actually serve as many pizzas, or host as large a groups as Mom and Pop's. Some people go there just for the pizza. And..." He holds up a finger for emphasis. "It's still run by just two people with a staff you can count on one hand."

Grinning, he sets his hands on his hips, his eyes twinkling. "And...it just so happens that it's the only restaurant in town that employs an Aussie who is lucky enough to have you in his life."

Retreating to one of the bags, he pulls out a small bouquet of pink flowers. "For you."

Cocking his head, Carson reaches out to run a hand down the side of Misty's face. This was the first time in a long time he'd even been over here. Leaning in, he gives her a tender kiss on the lips. "It's your night," he offers. "I got the food you want, now you get to pick the movie too."


Reese parks his car across from the building lit up with lights. He was pretty sure he was at the right place. At least according to the map he'd downloaded off the internet.

Fidgeting a little bit to make sure he was all together and presentable, he steps out of the car and locks it, heading across the street. Tonight he'd opted for black pants, a light blue collared shirt and a black blazer.

Arriving at the door, he overcame his awkwardness with a business air. He had no invitation. He had no one to even vouch for him. But he did have an ace up his sleeve.

Questioned, he slides his jacket back to show his badge. Allowed inside, he keeps himself from grinning. Maybe technically he wasn't on the force, but his old TJY badge had done the trick.

Smiling and nodding at the mingling crowd, he blends in, casually scanning the faces. He felt almost as if he were on some undercover case again. But this time his mission was much different.

Wandering the edge of the room, he finally spots his target. Just watching her for a moment, he reaches in his pocket and pulls out his cell phone. Dialing Angelica's number, he watches as she finds her own phone to answer it.

Knowing she didn't yet know he was there, a smile spreads on his face. From his position, he could see her perfectly. "You look beautiful tonight," he greets. Holding his phone to his ear, he just waits.


"Sorry, I was a bit flat on that one." Axel takes a pencil and marks his sheets of music.

Kyle smirks. "What? On one measure?"

Taylor claps her hands. "I love how you two sound together."

Kyle sighs and looks at the clock. "I gotta go. The guys are waiting at Mike's."

"Have you told them yet?" Rocky asks.

Kyle shakes his head.

Rocky looks at him with disappointment. "You really think it's a good surprise?"

"I'll make sure they leave," Kyle reasons. "They'll want to leave for supper or something before the night is up and they won't even know I sang at all."

Axel looks up from his paper, eying Kyle skeptically. "What if they don't leave?"

"They will. They'll want pizza."

"Great," Joel teases, "they like food more than Cryptic."

"They do not," Kyle shoots back. "But it's not like we've never heard you guys before."

"We're certainly not offended," Rocky comments. "But Kyle... you really think this is a good idea?"

"Just don't tell them, alright?"

Rocky shrugs in surrender. "Alright."


"So where's Kyle?" Jason strums his guitar absent mindedly as JetStream practices in Mike's basement.

"Said he had to see Rocky," Phil informs. "He wouldn't say why."

Jason stops playing as a strange silence takes over the room. Practice sessions usually didn't have breaks like this. "What's wrong, Phil?"

Phil shakes his head. "I don't know. He won't talk to me. He's been out and won't say where, he's been evasive, and I just can't get him to talk to me about anything anymore."

Though Jason's eyes are down, his communication is wide open for Katie who was there also.
I wonder what's going on there. That's just not like Kyle at all.

"Y'all done or what?" Kyle comes bounding down the stairs, taking off his jacket and sliding in behind the keyboard. "I hear no music!"

Mike quirks an eyebrow. "Kinda hard when not everyone is here."

Kyle smirks. "I'm but a mere corner addition. You make the music. I fill in the gaps."

Jen rolls her eyes. "Kyle. How many times do we have to tell you to stop selling yourself short? What's the deal?"

"Just stating facts, my dear." Kyle looks up with a cheesy grin on his face. He glances over to Katie. "Hey, what good is a bodyguard who won't keep these guys off my back, eh?"