Mess

Gunner grins as he follows Bree once more. "If anybody asks, you only let me out for one prowl so I could get some blood."

With his papers and book tucked under his arm, he quietly finds his way back down the stairs with Bree, and back to his room. For once... it didn't feel like such a dungeon.


Jade feels someone sit down next to her and she turns her head a little, surprised to see Dan. She would have told him he didn't need to worry about her, but too quickly, he's got her arm around her.

Hiding her face, she accepts the comfort and leans into him, crying onto his chest. "I'm sorry," she whimpers. "For... for yesterday... and today... I... I just..." She sniffs, the tears still coming in steady streams. "...I don't belong anywhere... and nothing is going right... and..."

A hiccup interrupts her and she tries to regain control, but it's not much use. "I didn't mean to cause trouble... I really didn't." Her words are muffled against Dan as he leans on him. He was warm and his scent mixed with the smell of the barn was somehow soothing. "It's just a big mess," she whimpers and sniffs again. "Just one big mess."

Outside, one could hear Mick's voice all the way from inside the office. He was on the phone and was none too happy with Jill. A heated argument had started as soon as she'd answered her end, and it went on for several minutes. Mick's temper had reached maximum, finding out that his son had been missing and Jill had purposely kept it from him. He knew that it wasn't just her, but her husband and her mother too, all who didn't take very kindly to him. They thought he would interfere... that was an understatement.

"Thank you, I will!" Mick's voice was raised again. "If I find out anything has been screwed around with on this case, somebody will pay. I'm going to that station and if I don't get the answers I want, I will be on this case whether you like it or not. Got it?"

He slams down the receiver, snatches up his hat and stomps back outside, letting the door fall shut hard behind him. He hadn't even taken the time to explain things to Rosetta. He was too worked up. He was worried, scared, and angry.

"Jade!" He aims for the barn again. "Jade! Are you-" He stops mid-sentence as he steps into the barn and sees her with Dan. His eyes narrow in disapproval.

Jade hears her father's voice and snaps her head up, trying to compose herself, but it does little good. "What?"

"I'm going to the police station. If your mother calls, tell her not to bother trying to keep me out of this one." Spinning on his heel, he's gone once again.

Jade bites her lip as another tear cascades down her cheek. Falling back against Dan again, she just wants to find a shelter. "I didn't mean to make him mad," she whispers.