Foggy

Gunner glances over his shoulder one last time as he's led down the long hall. He'd never had many friends. He wasn't all that close to those at TJY - Con was probably the closest - although he'd worked there for years now. He didn't know if he'd had friends in his younger years, and had always wondered if he'd been more of a people person. He doubted it though... after the accident, he'd had no one come to him to try to reestablish relationships.

Here and now, suddenly, there were two people that apparently cared. It baffled him, why they did, but he couldn't deny it. Hope and Bree had no other reason to be trying to help him - they had nothing to gain. So they must really care. Why though? He didn't know. There was a strange connection between him and Bree though... maybe all it was, was their demented sense of humor, but it seemed to be enough, whatever it was.

Giving a little sigh, he turns back to paying attention where he was going. There was too much to think about right now.


JT leans on the wall and folds his arms casually as he looks at Amanda. "You don't have to thank me. This is what I'm here for... this is why I'm a doctor.

He cocks his head. "I got double shifts tonight and tomorrow night but... the evening after that, I have off." He shrugs. "If you want to join me for supper..." He gives her a little smile. He had no idea if she would want to go out with a coworker or not, but it was worth asking. "Or lunch, depending on your hours."


Jade's eyes widen at Dan. "You've never bowled? Ohh, then do we have a treat for you." She swivels in her seat to bump Mick's shoulder behind her on the next table. "Dad? Do they still have the bowling alley in town?"

Mick almost spills his soup as he's nudged. "Um... I think so, why?"

"Duh - to go bowling."

Mick grins and looks over his shoulder at the group. "Sounds like fun. You're not planning on going tonight though, I hope."

"Why not?"

"I need Dan to go on a night watch with me for a night or two. We've had coyotes spooking the horses out back, and it's time to nip it in the bud."

Jade's shoulders drop. "Well..." She turns back to the group. "Jason? You and Katie hanging around here for a couple more days?"

Jason looks to Katie.

I think Reese won't fire us if we stay a little longer, do you?

"I'm game... Just gotta make a call or two."

Jeff gives his daughter a smile."I wouldn't mind if you stuck around longer."

"Good." Jade nodded with satisfaction. "We make a foursome tomorrow night or the next and introduce this guy to bowling."

Mick quirks an eyebrow and turns back to his food, sending Rosetta an uncomfortable look, but he says nothing.


The day vanished in the wind like a droplet of water, dispersed to evaporate, never to be seen again. Days are funny that way - in the beginning, they seem as though they might last forever, and in the next instance, it is gone. The page turns, bringing a new dawn once again...


"We found him just outside the front lounge."

"How did he get out?!"

The twisted innards to a pen is dumped onto the table. "It seems he's an expert at picking locks."

"Any damage?"

"Broken window to the medical room. He had a piece of glass and tried to cut himself during the struggle."

"Have a different lock put on his room and schedule his next therapy session immediately. What meds have you had him on."

"These." A bottle is placed on the table. "They seem to have no effect though."

"Try this instead." The medication is replaced. "Double dose. We can't risk violence until he's calmed down."

"Visitors?"

"No one today if we can help it. He needs time to calm down."

"Yes sir. I'll fill out the incident report."

"Be sure to have Thomas look at your cut there."

"I will. Thank you..."


...Gunner almost chokes as he's forced to swallow the pills, and water spills from his mouth.

"There, there, this will make you feel better."

Gunner glares at Marge and fights the straight jacket he'd been put into a couple hours before, after attempting to get out then fighting the doctors. Somewhere along the way, he'd had the bright idea to try ending the struggle right then and there but he'd come away with just a small cut from the piece of glass he'd grabbed, instead of finding life's end as planned.

He gives the nurse a low growl, in no mood for her cheer. But he wouldn't get much more than that today. He was brought out for lunch after he'd calmed down, but after that, things started getting foggy. He was busy... he thought... going from one doctor to the next, and forced into activities with some of the other patients. He vaguely remembers thinking that if anyone came to see him, that he would be too busy, knowing that would be the reason given to anyone.

By the next morning, everything was fuzzy. It felt like he was going in slow motion, and everything around him was spinning, but not making him dizzy. Sometimes he could focus if he tried hard enough, but he really didn't feel much of anything. He didn't feel good... he didn't feel bad.. not happy or sad. At least he was free to walk around now, though he didn't seem to have a destination in mind anymore. Why was he here again?

Lunchtime finds him without an appetite, and he is allowed to sit in the corner of the room. With his arms wrapped around himself, his bare feet show, and in one hand, he clutches an astronomy book that Marge kept complimenting. But something way deep down beneath the fog seemed to tell him something wasn't right. It was almost as if it were shouting for help, but it was buried too deeply in the fog to be heard.

With glazed eyes, his look is a far away one, seeming to look beyond all that was going on around him.