Feeling normal

Con has to keep his head tipped to look at Nate in order to catch what he was saying. "Bryce used to hang out at some of the bars on the east end of town. Don't know what his habits are anymore - I didn't even know he was close by."

Gritting his teeth, he stares out the window. The pictures of last night played over and over again in his mind. The anger was still so very fresh. Technically he shouldn't be here... he wasn't part of the Elite... but Nate was, and that would be good enough.

As they near a strip across town that housed several bars, Con suddenly points. "Hey, that's a TJY van..." He frowns, confused as they pass the black vehicle. Who was that in the front seat? "Hang on a minute. Pull over here," Con directs.

Once stopped, he gets out and ambles back to the van. On closer inspection, he realizes that the driver is Carson with his baseball cap pulled low.

Carson quirks an eyebrow at seeing him, and cautiously rolls down his window. "Con... what's happening?"

Con gets closer, not having heard him. "Hope we're not blowing your cover."

Carson shakes his head. "No, I'm just keeping watch on the Bullseye down there. What are you two doing?"

"We're hunting." Con briefly fills Carson in.

Carson grits his teeth. "How many of these maniacs are running loose around here anyway?" First he'd heard about Axel, then Jess had been attacked again, and now Laura. He gives a frustrated sigh. "I'm after a bloke myself. You remember Jess Fisher?"

"Vaguely."

"Yeah, well she got assaulted for the second time by the same guy. The cops aren't finding him, so here I am."

"Elite approved?"

Carson's eyes narrow a little. "You think that's a requirement for me?"

"Nope." Con gestures to one of the bars. "Seen a guy about five foot ten... dark hair... goatee... driving a silver sportscar?"

Carson thinks for a moment, then shakes his head. "No. It's been pretty quiet here all day. Last I saw, the only ones in the Bullseye were a couple chicks, then a few old-timers at the other bars. I'm waiting 'til about five when Peter starts making his rounds."

After a short exchange, both men agree to inform the other if they found the other man. Con heads back to Nate's car, getting in again. "Bryce isn't down here. Next stop, the old warehouse down on tenth street."


Ryder accepts Katie's hand up, the look on his face a sheepish but amused one. Standing in the tub to drip off, he takes the towel to at least get himself dry enough to walk out and get some dry clothes.

"Well..." He ruffles his hair up with the towel. "Now I know what it would be like to kiss my sister..." He stops, thinking a moment. "...if I had a sister."

Grinning again, he rolls up his towel. "I think we both deserved that."

He slingshots the towel at Katie, snapping it on her arm. Neither had to say it. They both knew that there were simply no romantic feelings between them. Perhaps they had been attracted to each other, but when it really came down to it, there just wasn't anything more than friendship there. Maybe it would be a little awkward at first, but it was obvious now that both could be perfectly satisfied with simply being friends. Anything else really seemed pointless.

Wandering back out into the hall, Ryder heads for his backpack. "I'd buy you flowers, but I don't have any money. I'd give you a ride to work, but I don't have a car. I'd even invite you over to my place for coffee, but I don't have a place or coffee. So..." He turns around, dry clothes in hand. "Guess all I can do is say thanks."

Stopping, he realizes he better explain. "Not for that little fiasco." He chuckles. "But for convincing me to stick around. Maybe I thought I had a chance with you, but... for some reason..." He squints a little. "I think this is the way it's supposed to be."

Heading back to the bathroom to get into the clean clothes, he gives her chin a tap with his finger. "I like you, Katie. Don't change."


"I think I'm going to go home tonight." Scott turns from the window to look at Hope. He didn't have his glasses on today. With Rick's help, he'd finally gotten contacts again, and upon request, one was colored to match his good eye. One would never guess his left one was blind.

Turning back around, he looks at his reflection in the window. Though still incredibly thin, he looked a little more normal now. Even being out as little as he had, he'd received fewer stares. The contacts helped a lot. It felt better to blend in again... to not be noticed... to not be so different.

"TJY is getting too full," he finally explains. "I'm just in the way... Dalton doesn't mind, but... I know it would be better if I went home." He gives a little nod as if trying to convince himself that was the best option.

Wandering back to one of the chairs, he sits down. He'd been there for a while already. They hadn't talked about too much. He'd told Hope that he'd completed his report to Reese. It was still hard to talk about, but... it was getting a little easier.

Scott reaches into his pocket. "I almost forgot." He pulls out a few pictures and sets them on Hope's desk. They were the ones he'd taken of her. Though it had been impromptu, he'd known just the angle to capture the light just right, giving her face a soft glow. They were in color - a contrast to the last batch of pictures he'd taken.

He stands again, unable to sit still. The window always drew him in. For some reason, it was the spot in Hope's office that he liked. He puts his hand up on the glass like he always did, feeling the coolness. Without realizing it, this place had become a haven. He felt even safer here than he did at TJY.