Is it Jeff?

Gunner just gives a little nod, and settles back against the rock again. He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, enjoying the outdoors, but slightly bored. "Alright... so you're not here to fix and you're not here to convince... then what are we doing here?"

He shrugs lamely. "Reese calls you, you come, we talk about nothing, so what? I mean, I'm willing to do whatever but... this is feeling like a waste of time unless we're just playing hooky."


"Oh, good." Rick takes the package, giving Misty a grateful nod. "Thank you... now I can get back to work on this thing."

It takes quite a while for him to run new analysis and form data. But in the meantime, he keeps working, running into dead end after dead end.

Finally, he's able to study the reports again, and his eyes widen slightly. "This can't be..." He looks over to Misty uneasily. "We had the right blood before... but..." He swallows hard. "Surely there's some mistake somewhere... right?"

There's only one way to know for sure. He picks up the phone.


Jay has greeted many of the others, walking with Katie, and staying close to her for a while. They are just walking towards the bunkhouse where Jeff is, when Jay's cell phone rings. He stops, his arm still around Katie's shoulder. "Hello?"

"Hi, Jay?"

"Yes."

"This is Rick, from TJY."

"Oh, yes. What can I do for you?"

"I have some blood samples here and... I have a question for you. I need you to be totally honest with me. Jeff's life may depend on it."

Jay grows a little tense and he gives Katie a sidelong glance. "Okay... what is it?"

"Are you Katie's father?"

The blood drains from Jay's face. "Excuse me?"

"Are you Katie's father?"

Jay blinks and stammers as moment before looking to Katie. "Hey, why don't you go on ahead to see if Jeff's awake? If he is, I'll be there in a minute." Once he's alone, he turns his focus back to the phone. "Where are you going with this, Rick?"

"Just answer me, please," Rick begs. "I won't make anything out of it, and I won't relay this information to anyone you don't wish me to. But if what I'm looking at is true, I may be able to come up with a solution that will work in Jeff's bloodstream the same way it has Katie's. Please... I need to know the truth."

Jay pauses for what seems like an eternity. "The answer to your question is no."

"Is it Jeff?"

"Yes."

"That's all I needed. Thank you."

"Rick please, if this-"

"Don't worry."

Jay wished he didn't have to. "Alright. Thanks, and... let us know if you come up with anything." Ending the call, he lets out a long sigh, running a hand over his face. The battle had just intensified.


Jeff is lying in bed, the bunkhouse quiet. His breathing is raspy, but he seems fairly peaceful for the moment. The drugs Angel has given him have wiped him out, leaving him lethargic. Having been alone for the last couple hours, he'd been in and out of sleep, sometimes talking to no one. Not hardly realizing it, he had fished in his pocket for a small object that was the source of many thoughts that were running through his mind. But as he'd drifted to sleep once or twice, the small diamond ring had fallen to the rug near the bed, unnoticed.

Hearing the door open, Jeff opens his eyes halfway, trying to make out who had entered. The soft footsteps are familiar. "Katie?" He does his best to smile, not moving from his pillow. "Thought maybe you'd... disappeared."