One missing

Hearing the quiver in Rosetta's voice tore Mick's heart in two. It was bad enough everything was going wrong - why did his own decisions have to hurt people too?

He gives her shoulder a squeeze and leans down to plant a kiss on her forehead. Then standing again, he grabs his bag and leaves.

Once he's outside, he leaves his bag and heads for the barn, just as some of the hands are getting started. He's surprised to see Jade up so early.

She stops and looks at him, then over to where he'd set down his bag, then back again. "You're... going somewhere?" She hadn't spoken with him since seeing him drunk the other night, and now there was a fear that he was leaving for good, or that Rosetta was sending him away.

"I'm going to help look for Dylan." Mick searches her face, seeing the apprehension. "I'm sorry about the other night. You doing okay?"

Jade nods. There was tension between father and daughter, but the love was still there. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay. I was just getting up early to help Da... help with chores."

Mick quirks an eyebrow at her choice of words. But this morning, he didn't have time to tell her not to get involved with Dan. "I should be back in a couple days or so." There was so much going unsaid. So much he should say about how he loved her and how he cared she was here, and that everything would be okay. That he would find her brother, and that he had been wrong to drink the other day. But how could he say all of that in a minute's time? "If you need anything... you call my phone, alright?"

"Okay." Jade nods again. "Um... Dad?" She bites her lip. "There is one thing..." She felt like a little girl again, asking for something she knew she wouldn't get. "See, when I left home, I wasn't getting along with Mom so great, and Grandma was-"

Mick's phone rings, interrupting them as he answers it. "Yeah? Okay. Thanks, Reese. Taxi's taking me, so I should be there soon. Tell him to wait for me. Great. Thanks." Ending the call, he looks to Jade again. "I gotta get to the airport where the Elite jet is waiting. I'll see you soon." Giving her a quick hug, he turns to catch Sparky before he left.

Jade sighs as Mick walks from her. "...pushing me so I was wondering if I could come live here." But there was no one around to hear the rest of her request. Maybe now was a bad time to ask anyway. "Be careful." Trying to shrug off both her disappointment and worry for her dad going to join the Elite in the search, she goes into the barn, looking for Dan and ways she could help with chores.

"Sparky?

He looks up from where he was cutting open a bale of hay. "Mick. Good morning."

Mick took note of his brother's less-than-warm tone. He also noticed the slowly healing split lip. "Um..." He should have seen him yesterday instead of waiting. "Look, I'm sorry about the other night. I, um... well, thanks for bringing me home. I deserved worse."

Sparky shrugs and keeps on working. "What are brothers for? You back in business today?"

"I'm heading to Nevada."

Sparky's eyes snap back to Mick. "What?"

"I think it's the Agency that's got Dylan... and I'm going to help find him. I've already been in touch with Reese and there's an Elite jet free to take me today."

Sparky feels an odd churn in his gut. Mick had just run off, got drunk, and now he wasn't even giving himself or his family time to recover before heading off to Nevada. "You... sure that's such a good idea?"

"He's my son," Mick defends. "I'm not gonna just stand back and watch. I came to ask if you'd keep a close eye on Rosetta and BJ for me."

Sparky immediately nods. "You know I will. Rosetta okay with you going back out in the field like that?"

"There's no discussion about it," Mick states flatly. "This is something I need to do."

Sparky lifts his eyebrows slightly. He knew his brother and sister-in-law too well not to know that there was tension there. And no wonder. Rosetta's husband had just come home drunk, now was leaving with the risk of death. There was more than one problem here. Sparky decides to be bold. "You gonna be alright with your drinking problem, going off by yourself?"

Mick is quiet for several moments. He didn't know the answer to that. He wanted to say he didn't have a problem, but deep down, he knew that wasn't true. "I'll be fine. I slipped up once... it won't happen again." He gives Sparky's shoulder a firm pat. "Thanks for watching things for me. I'll be back soon."

It wasn't long before the ranch was up in full-swing, another morning busy with chores. There was a strange quietness though. Someone was missing... without Mick, there was just a piece missing that gave a feeling of unrest to the whole ranch. Miles away, the taxi was pulling up to the airport, and Mick was getting out to find the Elite jet.


Jason sinks down in his chair at work, turning on his computer. He was in a little earlier than normal this morning, but waking up at four and not being able to get back to sleep was the reason.

Trooper turns several circles and flops down by the desk with a little groan, as if he thought it was too early to be in the office.

Jason flips through some new notes, noticing one that Reese had just put on his desk this morning - apparently he'd been in early too. The message was a little surprising. Stopping a moment, he searches his feelings to determine Katie was at least awake before talking with her.

Hey, Beautiful. I just got a note from Reese that Mick's coming. Dylan's missing? Do you know anything?


The shop remains quiet for another moment before all the lights are flipped on at once.

"Welcome back, Ryan!!!" All the guys are smiling from ear to ear, under their makeshift decorations - some of which already have a few spots of oil and grease. Any party planner would gag at the sight, but for the auto shop, it proved how much they loved having Ryan around.

Eli's eyes widen. "Looks like... they missed you."

Jed laughs and ushers Ryan further inside. "Did we ever. It's been too quiet around here."

"You mean we've had too much work on our own," Miles teases. He gives Ryan a warm smile. "Darrel approved, so we have some donuts to celebrate."

Jed grins. "And we'd have them even if Darrel didn't approve."

"Did I miss the party?"

Heads swing around to see Axel slipping in the back door. "Axel!" Ron waves. "I didn't think you were gonna come."

Axel shrugs, tossing Ryan a wink. "Yeah well, I haven't given up my job yet, and I certainly didn't stop being friends with one of the best mechanics in town."

"One of the best," smirks Jed. "Listen to him. He's afraid Ryan's got him beat."

Laughter ensues as Eli is introduced to the guys around the shop, and jokes are tossed around. It was a funny sort of gathering... but it was almost like a family... something no one would ever guess existed unless being a part of it themselves. There was only one person missing.