Need to

Jason lies on the infirmary table, his eyes closed as his body starts to react to the episode. He could feel himself getting sick and knew it was only a matter of time before his body would retaliate.

Rick tries to give him some orange juice, but he refuses. "Not now," he mumbles. "Not yet..."

Rick sighs and sets the cup down, just waiting. He paces, worried. He could do nothing for Katie and it was frustrating and scary. It was one thing to try and help someone and fail - it was another to stand by helplessly unable to do anything.

As Katie shoots up with a scream, Scott jumps, taken totally off guard. He reaches out quickly to lay a hand on her arm, hoping that she was alright.

Receiving her quiet words, he's hit with relief. Some might think she was talking nonsense, but Scott knew that she was making perfect sense, and he could only thank God that she'd woken up and was okay. He swallows hard. "You're welcome," he replies softly before sitting back in his chair again, letting Rick through to check on her.

Rick lets out the breath he'd been holding, and returns Katie's smile. "Well, the hero decided to return to us after all," he muses. He starts checking her vitals, pleased that color was starting to return to her face.

Jason cracks his eyes open just wide enough to see a blurry form of Katie, but he can feel that she is awake, the pulse between them gaining back strength.

I'm so sorry, Katie....

He struggles to maintain strength as his feelings become those of guilt and frustration.

I thought I was losing you... it was my fault. I...

His emotional communication is suddenly halted as the unwanted but familiar lurch comes to his stomach. Giving a groan, he rolls over to slide off the table and stagger to the bathroom.

Rick was in the middle of helping Katie and he glances over his shoulder to see what was going on. "Jase, you okay?" he calls. No answer. Rick turns to Scott. "Would you check on him?"

Without hesitating, Scott responds, getting to his feet and heading to where Jason was. Kneeling next to him, Scott just waits until Jason is done throwing up and needs support back into the other room. Though having just been sick, Jason knows he can handle the orange juice now. Unfortunately, this all felt too routine. With a bit of help from Scott, he gets back to table, and takes the cup shakily, trying to get some sugar back in himself.

Scott lets him be and goes back to his chair, quiet and watchful. Mike stands ready to help if need be, but it looked as though everything was under control once more.

It wasn't long before the room had settled down again. Rick moves about the infirmary, and after a few minutes, he encourages Mike to get back to the others. He would look after everyone here. Mike agrees, and after a quick farewell, he leaves TJY.

Jason sits on the edge of the table, slowly regaining strength, but feeling utterly exhausted. Everything was a blurry nightmare. He rubs his eyes tiredly, trying to focus. He didn't know what to say to Katie. He didn't know what to say to Rick. This whole thing was his fault.

Rick approaches him again, his hands tucked in his lab jacket. "I'm sorry for doing that to you, Jason," he apologizes.

"What are you talking about?"

"Your flashback."

"Oh, that." Jason's eyes drift downward. "You had to do what you had to do."

"I'm still sorry about it." Rick sighs. "You realize now you can't bury those memories. They have to be available for when these things happen."

Jason swallows hard. His emotions said otherwise... he didn't like this... he felt vulnerable, weak and foolish. "Yeah... I know."

Rick purses his lips, then glances to Katie. "Do you feel up to going home tonight - I can call Laura to come get you. Or you can stay the night if you want. It's up to you."


Things back at the community building went quickly. A phone call from Mike helped relieve worries about Katie and Jason, and soon everybody's equipment was packed up and ready to go.

Axel made sure Jess didn't get lost in the chaos, and told her she could follow him and Rocky to the restaurant. It doesn't take long for the little convoy to reach their destination and soon they're all filing into Mom and Pop's. Mike catches up to them just in time - the only ones missing now were Jason and Katie, Kyle, and Taylor.

The bell above the door rings and Carson pokes his head out from the kitchen. He and Herb were the only ones left tonight, but seeing the group come in, he didn't mind staying open a while longer. A smile spreads on his face and he comes out just as everyone is sitting down.

Coming up behind Jess' chair, he ruffles her hair teasingly. "How did you wind up with his noisy bunch?" he asks.

Axel is sitting next to her, and looks up at Carson with dry humor. "She's protecting me."

"Oh really? From what?"

"Joel."

Rocky chimes in. "Yeah, keep your eye on him tonight, Carson. He might need to borrow a ladder at any given moment."

Joel's face is already red from his position at the end of the table. "Alright, alright! So I said something I shouldn't have! It's over!"

All his shouting does is serve to send a round of laughter around the table. Carson has no idea what was said earlier, but he just shakes his head, satisfied without even knowing.


As Misty comes around to the driver's side door, Kyle is taken by surprise. He'd thought she'd left. Receiving her hug, he's hesitant to return affection, unsure of just what her intentions are. Her words of him doing a good job make his emotions churn even more, but he remains quiet, even when she pulls away. He didn't know what to say. He felt like an idiot, even if she'd said he'd been great. If this is what great felt like, he didn't want it.

Looking down, he plays with his keys. There were things he'd like to say that he simply knew he shouldn't. And that was bad enough without all of this chaos going on. If only he'd handled things differently...

Though his mind wanders, he snaps back to attention as Misty speaks again. And slowly... slowly his eyes raise back up and he turns his head to meet her gaze. Her words hit him hard, a shock to his system. He blinks, unable to look away now, the confusion, pain and utter dismay surging through his eyes. He had been a fool.

But what could he possibly say now that would make any difference. If only he could go back. If only he could go back, knowing what he knew now. Why was she telling him? Why did she feel she had to? Why now? Did she just want to pour salt into his wounds? Did she just want to rub in the fact that he'd been so foolish? No... he knew that was not her intent. But the angry tears surface anyway.

Kyle swallows hard, ignoring his truck's warning light that the door was still open. Misty's final words of encouragement were tucked away for a time later when perhaps they might mean something to him. But right now... tonight... they fell on a numb heart.

He could say nothing. His mind could not think of a response to her words and her tears. But as she starts to walk away, an utter desperation rose up within him. Nothing else was going right. Everything was falling down all around him. Just once... just once, he needed to grasp for something... anything. And caution was his only barrier.

Sliding down out of his truck, he slams the door with a bang, his eyes blazing with a new fire that had sparked from the sheer embers of the pain he felt.

It only takes a few strides to come up behind Misty. Taking her by the shoulder, he spins her around so he can look in her eyes once more, both hands on her arms. His jaw is tight, his eyes glaring but without an anger. "Saying you don't deserve a guy like me is a poor excuse for not getting what you really want," he states flatly. "I want to know right now if those feelings for me still exist. If not, I walk away. But I need to know."