Ten minutes

Kyle's eyes don't leave Alice's, as he tries to decipher her feelings by the light of the fireworks. One second, he was so sure that the tingle down his spine hadn't been caused by his own assumptions or by a one-sided attraction. Then the next, he was just as sure that he'd overstepped his bounds as a friend, and that the implication of his prior words had been inappropriate.

As she lowers his hand and holds it, he continues to search her face as she speaks. Her words felt cryptic. But... were they? Or were they intended as clearly as they sounded? Either way, he could feel the heat on the back of his neck that slowly made its way into his face. He was glad it was dark. Sometimes he just didn't know when enough was enough.

Though he quirks his typical silly grin, he slowly withdraws his hand from hers. "Well, I guess if we're talking about sand, some people would prefer just letting it get between their toes as they walk on the beach, rather than letting it invade anywhere else it doesn't belong."

Rolling over, Kyle gets to his feet and starts brushing himself off. "I suppose a shower would be a good thing right about now. Guess they'll be waiting for us back at the hotel by now anyway."


Scott is silent for several long minutes. He lets his eyes fall shut, but his grip on Sapphire’s hand indicates that he hasn’t fallen asleep. He’s just thinking.

Eventually, he opens his eye again. "If a thousand people could be saved by losing the life of one... wouldn't it be worth it?"

He licks his dry lips, his tone indicating his surrender. He'd given up hope that he hadn't turned on TJY, even if he couldn't remember all of it. And he was convinced that if someone could use the information he had to help TJY, then no matter how they did it, it was worth it.

A brave smile emerges just on the corner of his mouth. "You like taking advantage of the fact that you're just ten minutes older than me, don't you?" He gives her hand a squeeze. He would crumble when he was alone... he would break down in front of Hope... he would be scared, lost and confused when once again the only sound was the beating of his heart. But in front of his sister... he would try to be strong.

"It's okay," he whispers, his eye falling shut once again. "I'm okay."