Five minutes

Jeff leans his head closer to Katie, bringing one arm up over her. Only if one looked closely, would they perhaps notice a tear escape and trickle into the pillow.

The door opens quietly enough that no one is roused. Jay stands alone and silent, watching. His heart was breaking for more than one reason. Yet there was peace here. He could only hope and pray that the peace continued after the truth was finally exposed.


"Um... yeah." Rick nods and tries to regroup. "There's a slim chance that whatever Jeff has, could be a relative of the drugs that created Katie an Jason's problem, and if that's the case... there might be a connection in the formula for a cure." He throws up his hands. "I don't have a clue, but it's the only starting point we have."


Time moves too quickly when you're trying to find a cure. But it never slows. It never lends a hand. Yesterday had seemed long. Today seemed even longer. Yet it still moved too fast. Time has no mercy.


People had been in and out of the bunkhouse all morning. Jay had been in to see Jeff multiple times, but only when the two men are left alone, does Jay sit closer, more serious.
"What do you want to do?" This was the first chance they'd had to have this discussion, and no intro was needed. Both brothers knew what they were talking about.

Jeff's eyes are half-open as he looks over to his brother. His voice comes out slow and weak. "You can't tell her... you'll lose her."

Jay grits his teeth, fighting the tears behind his eyes. He had to get Jeff to agree before Katie came back. She'd only left to bring back some light lunch for Jeff if he felt like eating. "I can't let you go without letting you have this one thing... you've lived with that sacrifice for over twenty-two years."

Jeff shakes his head stubbornly. "If she knows... you'll lose so... so much."

"I've had her all her life." A tear rolls down Jay's face. "That's more than I ever could have asked for. You deserve this."

"No..." Jeff coughs and takes a deep breath, trying to stay on top of the pain. "It will just... just confuse and... and she's got her fam... family." His fingernails dig into the mattress, his eyes glazing over slightly. "You can't... you can't give that up."

"I don't want to," Jay admits. "She'll always be my little girl, even though we had a rough time for a while. I was messed up, she was messed up, and I know we lost something in there but... I've looked after her as my own ever since I held her for the first time. I told you I would always look out for her and I won't stop. But... the truth, Jeff... I can't tell her when you're gone. I want you to have this... it's the only thing I can give you while there's still time. Let me give you this gift."

Jeff sucks in his breath and shifts his gaze to the ceiling. "You already risked... so much. With the... the Agency. No one knew..."

"I didn't want you to have to go. I knew it was your blood sample they wanted but I couldn't do that to you. And it wasn't worth the strife of the truth coming out right then."

Jeff thinks for a long while, and one might think he'd fallen asleep, were it not for his eyes still being open. "I just... I can't do it."

"Then we do it together." Jay takes his brother's hand in a firm grip. "Like we always have."

No one had ever known the strong bond between brothers... no one had ever guessed there was more between them than miles and a loose relationship. They had hidden the truth well. And they had looked out for one another much more viciously than anyone ever had known.

Jay lets another tear escape. "You and Katie have always had that bond.... I may have raised her, but I've always seen the connection between you and... I've always been jealous of it. I know when she knows the truth that she and I might drift even further apart... I hope not, but for you... I can't just let it go this time. Goodness knows I don't want to give Katie up. She doesn't realize how much I love her and how much I worry about her. But... but it's time for the truth."

Jeff swallows hard. "We both could lose her."

Jay knew there was the possibility that Katie could hate them both for their secrets. "I know. But she has a right to know. And I can't do that to her after you're gone. If you die before the secret is told, the truth will be buried with you. But sooner or later, she'll have to know... it's time, Jeff... it's time."


Gunner crouches on the sidewalk, looking out across the intersection. The streetlight changed from green to yellow to red, even though there wasn't much traffic. It was a fairly quiet intersection - not many accidents happened. But one had. And it was that one that brought Gunner back again.

Squatting near the curb, his fingers play with a blade of dried grass. His eyes see bits of litter, a piece of glass, and an occasional car. But his mind sees a scene of horror... the scene that plagues his mind at night. The sounds of crushing metal and a scream run through his mind as he watches... again. Every week. And no week was different. Never had a visit to this site resulted in clues. But one day... one day there would be. If he could just wait a little while longer... look a little harder.

His watch beeps. He needed to get back to TJY. He had another appointment with Hope in five minutes. But he doesn't move. One more minute...