Back before one

Carson grins. "We go wherever you want... as long as I get back to Mom and Pop's before Ryder burns the place down. I think Aerith and Dani will keep him in line but... better safe than sorry."

All too soon, the lunch hour is over, but Carson promises to see Misty after he closes up that night.


Kyle takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly, his arm still around Alice. "Ya know... you might be right. I gotta think it through but... I got a good feeling."

Turning to see her face, he kisses her forehead. "How about just the two of us for supper tonight?" They'd been with the team a lot lately, and while it was always enjoyable, Kyle and Alice had had little time for each other. "I just... want to get away from it all... then when I make up my mind, I'll tell the others."

They were still a long way from Nevada... being in South Dakota for so long now, it felt strange. But at the same time, it felt like the prime tome to move on now. The past was far behind.


Eli nods in agreement, proud of his sister. "Yeah... all these years, not a day went by, I didn't think about you... John... Pop. And I don't know... it's weird, my family's always been so important, and somehow I let it all slip away. But not anymore... not anymore."

Standing up, Eli moves to his bag in the corner and pulls out an old deck of cards. The box had tape on the corners, and the cards were worn and faded. Bringing it to Ryan's bed, he scoots her over a little, then sits down again, cross legged.

Grinning, he shuffles the cards. "Remember this deck?" It had been the very deck they'd played with all the time when younger. Their dad had said it was his lucky deck, though John had ended up as the skilled player.

Eli deals out a few cards, not caring what game they played... the point was that they were together.


And the day turns into evening...


Jade paces in front of the main house, checking her watch again. She looks over to where Jason and Katie were sitting on the back of one of the pickups, waiting. She had asked them to wait, hoping that Dan would be finished with chores in time to go. But supper had been over an hour ago, and still Mick had the young man working. Jade was ready to give up, growing quite irritated with her father's stubbornness. But arguing with him fifteen minutes ago hadn't helped... maybe it had just made things worse. She paces a little more.


Mick wandered down the barn aisle, the aggravation in his eyes. Why his daughter had to be so stubborn, he didn't know. And why did she so desperately wanted Dan's company, he didn't know.

Sighing, he pulls on his gloves to move some hay bales. But crossing the aisle, he sees Dan mucking out one of the corner stalls. He stops and mutters under his breath. The man was probably too tired to bowl anyway... but Jade had accused him of nit having a heart, and he really didn't want that kind of reputation.

Rolling his eyes at himself, he stops and wanders down to the open stall. Catching Dan mid-shovel, he catches the pitchfork. Catching Dan's eye, he stares him down for just a moment. "I expect Jade to be home by one. Jason may be driving, but if you're late, it's you who will answer to me."

He nods to the open barn door, the corner of his mouth twitching as he holds back a smile. "Go on... don't keep them waiting."


"You want to go?" Clint draws back the curtain, seeing that the others haven't left yet. He turns to look at Wendy, Chase still tucked in his arm, sleeping with a full tummy. "Short notice, but your mom might watch Chase..." His tone was a little hopeful. This would be the first time since everything went sour, that he and Wendy went out and did anything fun. They were doing okay, and things were looking up, but... fun just hadn't been on the menu. "Maybe getting out for a few hours would be fun?"


Gunner fights against the nurse, choking up water and trying to spit out the pills that he knew were making him feel so badly. But it was no use. The pills finally slip down his throat again.

The nurse stands back, panting with the doctor.

"Why did his other dosage wear off?" the doctor demands.

The nurse shakes her head. "I'm sorry. I guess he must have spit it out the last time."

"Well make sure it doesn't happen again."

The door closes... and locks. Gunner slowly stretches back out from his curled-up position on the bed. Sweating and trembling, he forces himself to stand shakily, going to the window. Spreading his hand, he places it over the traced handprint.

His knees buckle and he sinks to the floor, feeling cold and hot at the same time. Without the energy to get into bed, he just stays on the floor to wait out the drugs.