Welcomed Visitor

As Ryder walks down the hall and makes his way back upstairs, a weird sort of peace squeezes in amidst all the turmoil. It was small... it couldn't overshadow all of the emotions he was feeling... but any amount of peace was felt, and was a comfort.

This peace was a strange kind, but only because he continued to walk away. It was the realization that he had a friend. He might have been taken totally off guard by Katie when they met. He might have felt foolish for some of the flirtatious things he'd said around her - though he wasn't sure he'd take them back. He might have been just a little upset with her for not thwarting his attentions when she had a boyfriend. And yet... somehow... he knew beyond a doubt that Katie was his friend. He liked her. It was more than just an attraction to her good looks and keen mind. It was a fascination of who she was... how she carried herself... her undying loyalty... her immediate show of friendship to him, when he was the one going against the flow. Even now as he'd taken out his frustrations on her, made an idiot of himself and walked away... she was still there... more willing than ever to be his friend. When she said she wanted to know he was doing okay, she meant it. And right now, that was something that Ryder would tuck away in a safe place, to be drawn out when he felt alone.

He didn't bother going back to the infirmary for his shoulder or knuckles. They were busy enough trying to help Angel.

Instead, Ryder heads to the main floor, then to the back where Reese's office was. He knew that if he asked, Reese would let him go home.


Jason wanders from Katie's cubicle, glances in Dalton and Scott's office, pokes his head into the infirmary and even knocks on the bathroom door. Finally giving up, he leans back against the wall.

All right, I give up. You're too good at playing hide and seek.

Then he stops. Maybe she'd wanted it that way.

Sorry if I'm interrupting, I just got a little worried when I couldn't find you, was all. I wanted to see if you wanted to do supper with Con and Jamie. If you're too tired, that's okay, but Con just called me, so I wondered.


Rick sits at his desk and rubs his eyes wearily. He watches as Misty performs the final testing on the antidote. He prayed it would work.

But while she was hard at work, he had a phone call to make. Dialing, he reaches the secretary, then chooses to leave a voicemail message. "Hope, it's Rick Johnston. I don't know when Scott's next appointment is, but I just wanted to call you and let you know that I found out he wrote and submitted a case report to the boss this morning. I don't know how detailed it was, but this is pretty huge. You're helping him. All I can say is thanks."


Rocky looks back at Jess, his own sorrow showing in his eyes. "This is my fault," he mentions quietly. He still wasn't sure he could trust Axel. He still felt leery about him and his intentions. But he'd made things far worse by storming in on him like that. "I don't know what to think or how to trust someone like him, Jess... but I'm sorry if I ruined your friendship with him too."

Pursing his lips, he gives a little sigh. He had no idea what the whole thing about the rainbow was. It wasn't the first time he'd heard it mentioned. He could only guess it was some inside subject shared between Jess and Axel. Regardless, Jess was missing her friend.

"I don't know what he'll be like," he admits. "I don't know if he's been living a lie, or if he's truly changed from his past. I'd like to think it's the latter, because I think both you and I saw he was a good person. Surely both of us wouldn't be taken for a ride, would we?" There was more question there than he liked. He just didn't trust his gut anymore.

Finally though, he gives a little nod. "Alright. I'll help you find him. But Jess... I have no idea where to start. He doesn't have known havens to run to like normal people. He could be anywhere."


The doorbell rings. Derek looks up from the paperwork on the kitchen table, glancing through the living room to the small entryway by the door. "Gina?" he calls. "Can you get that?"

No answer. She was probably in the basement doing laundry. Derek sets his pencil down, leaving the numbers to themselves for now. He needed a break anyway. Ambling to the door, he opens it and looks through the screen to see a familiar face.

After a look of surprise passes through his eyes, a small smile creases his lips. "Well... look who the cat dragged in."

Axel grins a little. "I should have let you know I was coming."

Derek opens the screen door, asking his friend in. "You didn't even need to ring the doorbell."

A sheepish chuckle surfaces, and Axel lets his backpack slide off his shoulder as Derek gives him a brief hug. "What are you doing here? I thought you were going to stay and let things cool down. Or did you already work things out?"

"Yeah, well..." Axel shrugs and shakes his head, not really able to find the right words. "Would, um... that spare room upstairs still be empty?"

Derek's enthusiasm for seeing Axel was delayed. Without having discussed it, he knew that Axel hadn’t worked things out. Maybe his younger friend really did just need a sabbatical from the band, and brief time away from the hubbub. Perhaps it wasn’t the worst decision after all. "Sure it is," he finally answers. He squints a little. "I trust that the others know where you are."

"Axel!"

Axel turns, a smile spreading on his face. "Hey, kiddo."

Though Liz was seventeen, she'd always been "kiddo" to Axel. She smiles and comes running around through the living room, squealing with delight and giving him a big hug. "What are you doing here?"

Axel laughs and returns the hug, knowing now that Derek had said nothing to the rest of the family. Otherwise, the reception might be a bit more subdued. "Mm... just needed a vacation. And where would I rather go?"

Liz beams. "Well you know you won't get any better cooking than Mom's, so I think you came to the right spot. How come you didn't tell us you were coming? We could have had a welcome party or something."

Axel smirks at her, his eyes giving her a knowing look. "Liz... you know me better than that."

"Yeah, yeah..." She rolls her eyes. "Mr. 'I wanna be alone in my zone.'"

"You do remember."

Liz snickers. "That and more. Wait until Nick finds out you're here. He's been tinkering with a car and was dying for a chance to show you." She pauses, getting her mind back on track. "How long are you staying?"

Axel hesitates. "Well, um... not long enough to satisfy me, I'm sure."

Liz shakes her head. "Still flying by the seat of your pants." She turns around to head to the basement. "Mom!" She calls out. "Guess who's here?!"