Ceasefire

"Solid, huh?" Carson gives Katie a wink. "I wouldn't expect any less of you." Surveying the table and leaning down to aim, the game continues.

Despite the banter, Carson keeps a close eye on Katie, and tries to keep the pool game going, creating enough havoc on the table to keep anyone on their toes, whether in the game or in the conversation. His own nerves rose and dropped and he knew it was because of Katie, able to tell now when she was getting more nervous and when he'd succeeded in calming her down.

Austin looks down at the floor, his tone suddenly dropping. "Maybe too many times."

Worn out and tired of fighting, Jason flops down in a chair across the table from Austin. "I'm not a kid anymore, Austin. Not only can you no longer control me, but I can see through your mask of care. It's just not true. You have a cold heart, and I don't know why."

Austin leans forward to rest his elbows on the table and put his face in his hands. "Maybe you're right. I just... one thing after another and... I didn't know how to stop it."

"Why don't you try being nice for once? And looking around and seeing the people you're affecting? Do you realize how much hurt you've caused since you've been back?"

"Look, I'm sorry about the prison thing. I meant to tell you, but there was too much danger and..."

"I'm not talking about me. Look at people like Scott."

"I was only following protocol."

"But he's human, Austin! He's a man with a heart. A beaten, scared, man too. Can you not see that anymore? I've heard stories about you from people in Texas... about when you used to care... when you used to see people and have compassion. You had it with me once. Where did that go?"

Austin suddenly stands up and starts to pace. Finally he just stops in the corner. "I'm sorry, Jason."

Jason didn't expect himself to release his anger, but something in his grandfather's broken tone started to chip away at his ire. "For what?"

"For not being the grandfather I should have been. For getting you involved in TJY too early. For not telling you the truth about things. For letting you grow up too fast against your mother's wishes."

Jason flexes his jaw muscles. He didn't want to forgive, but it started to seep through anyway. He'd never seen Austin quite like this before. "You should be apologizing to everyone else. I don't care what you've done to me. But I care what you did to the people you fired... to the people you put in mental anguish."

Austin sighs and looks up at him. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm not needed around here anymore."

"Not if you keep acting like you have been."

"And if I don't? If I changed?"

Jason shrugs. "Then trust will not be easily gained back." All of a sudden, he realizes that his anger towards Austin is gone. He was still hurt. He was still a bit confused. But the anger... the hate... it was gone. He'd said his piece. He'd spoken what was on his mind, and it had been released. "Reese is in command now... and as far as everyone here is concerned, he's going to stay that way. You're the one that walked out - don't forget that."

Carson looks up, suddenly realizing the room had gone quiet. "Hey... either we have a ceasefire or somebody is dead." He straightens. "Yo, Jase... what's happening, buddy?"

Jason hears Carson and sighs. "Open the door, Carson."

"You ready to get to work?"

"Yeah... I'm ready."

"You sure?"

"Carson! Open it or I blow it to bits!"

Carson grins at Katie. "Excitable bloke. How do you keep him under control?" He wanders to the door and unlocks it. As he opens it, it tilts a bit, having lost its top hinge. He looks up at it and shakes his head. "Better get Hal down here to fix this. He still works here, right?"

"Yeah." Jason exits the room, hot and tired, and willing to admit only to himself that Carson's little maneuver had been a good one. He'd finally reached the bottom of his emotional reservoir. Moving closer to Katie, he stops and just sighs, looking at her wearily.

I know, I know... I don't need to apologize... but sorry anyway. At least now we should be good for a while. Maybe I needed that more than I thought I did... Telling Austin how I really felt, that is.

Carson looks in at Austin who hadn't moved. "You taking up residence?"

Austin shakes his head slowly and finally stands up. "No... no, I'll be leaving now. Just do me one favor?"

"What's that?"

"Make sure someone lets me know how Angel is?"

Carson gives him a nod. "I will." He watches Austin leave, then finally turns back to Jason and Katie. "Are we ready to form a plan now or what? We've already wasted enough time."


Kyle sits relaxed atop the ferris wheel as riders below were let off and on. "I wish I could see problems the way you do," he muses. "Ya know... I don't really worry about what other people think of me or what I do... but I worry about the consequences of my own decisions. If someone gets mad at me for my own choices, so be it. But if I make a choice that will obviously cut off my relationship with somebody else... then I do think I'm the one to blame."

He sucks in the cool afternoon air. "I've made up my mind, Alice... I've made up my mind."