Something to do

Listening to Nate's words, another tear trickles down the side of Laura's face. While part of her wanted to run away, the other part wanted to stay and never let go. How Nate still loved her and wanted her after everything that had happened was beyond her. But knowing it was true, brought an irreplaceable feeling to her heart.

Trembling a little, Laura reaches up with her hand to cradle his face and just looks into the eyes that had once captured her. Leaning in, she gives his lips a light, warm kiss, then withdraws to bury her face in his chest again. "I know you have your own worries," she murmurs. She knew Maggie hadn't been well lately, and now felt selfish for letting her own troubles get in the way. "I'm... I'm sorry if I just add to your burden."

She closes her eyes, not caring about the work that was waiting. Her fingers play with a button on his shirt and she sniffs again. She had really gone through something horrid... but at the same time, she felt just a bit like a spoiled brat. Though her fears and frustrations had driven her emotions, she knew that she wasn't the only one involved here. Having been shown Ryder's kindness, and now Nate's acceptance, the fog was lifting ever so slowly, helping her see again that she was not the only one in pain.

Laura quiets down and shuts out everything around her, only hearing Nate's heartbeat. "I hate hurting you," she whispers. "How can I help you heal?"


Ryder ambles back out onto the main floor, feeling a bit out of place once more. Now that his deal with Alec was over, he was back to wandering again. The only difference was that his mind was just a tad bit foggy. He eats another cracker from the bag, not wanting to admit that perhaps there had been another reason for taking the angle of drinking with Alec.

Heading nowhere in particular, Ryder stops, glancing to his left and seeing just the tops of Nate's and Laura's heads. A small smile forms and he gives a nod. While scenes like that struck a sensitive cord in his heart, it was what he liked to see.

"Ryder!"

He whirls around to see Wyatt. "Hey."

"Want something to do?"

"How'd you guess?"

Wyatt laughs. "Our friend, Scott, is ready to go home from the hospital. I'm on duty to take him home and make sure no one is lurking around his place. We're gonna set up a couple cameras too. Want to come along?"

"Sure." Ryder finishes the last cracker and tosses the bag into the trash can. "Lead the way."