Don't make me

Rocky settles back on the couch, grabbing the bottle of water that Jess had brought him. He grins at her comment. "Of course I have good taste. I'm not a movie buff for nothing." He takes a swig of his water and joins in eating some of the chips, remaining fairly quiet during the moving, but several times he can't contain his laughter, watching some of the funny scenes.

As the credits start to roll, Rocky stifles a yawn. Leaning back in the couch, he stretches out, somewhere along the line having taken off his shoes.

Glancing at his watch, he gives Jess a sidelong glance. "Well..." He sighs and leans down to slip his shoes back on. "Guess when the credits start rolling, the evening inevitably must come to an end."

Turning, he gives her a little grin. "Not that I want it to." His eyes reach hers, a gentleness to his gaze, while mixed with the glint of pleasure, proving that even though the evening had been chaotic earlier, he'd ended up enjoying his time with her.

He hopes that Jess will be comfortable alone now, though knows that regardless, it was late, and he should go home.

Standing up, he grabs his empty water bottle, and wanders to the kitchen to find the garbage. Ambling back to the living room, he leans over the back of the couch, cocking his head to see Jess' face. "I know you asked me to stay so I could keep an eye on things for a while, but if I left without thanking you for the good time I had, I'd feel badly."

A smile forms. "Thanks, Jess. You're a special person. Don't let anybody tell you different."

Searching her eyes, the next moment is quiet until he finally straightens up as if prying himself away. Heading to the door, he stops at the small table to grab a piece of scratch paper and a pencil, jotting down his number. "If you need anything... don't hesitate, alright? Bad enough we got goons like those lame robbers running around - I don't want to find out something happened and you didn't call."

Donning his jacket, he pauses at the door, his hand resting on the knob. His voice is low and soothing. "Goodnight, Jess."


Austin looks down at Angel's hand that rested on his arm, growing quiet again. He finally reaches over with his other hand, to give hers a soft squeeze before withdrawing. He looks up at her eyes for a moment, but then drops his gaze once more.

"I don't know how I am anymore," he admits quietly. "The world just gets harder and harder to deal with."

His eyes still down, his shoulders drop a little, signaling that his resistance is failing. "I miss the past too. I made a lot of stupid mistakes... but at least I had a goal. Now... now it's all just gray. The world hates me, and now those around me are starting to hate me too."

Angel's question once again of why he didn't stay in touch lingers on the air. "Why stay in touch with the untouchable?" he asks softly. He stares at the floor. "I have nothing left, Angel."

Austin finally looks up to meet Angel's eyes, his own begging her not to make him tear open wounds that no one had known even existed. "Don't make me tell you how stupid I feel... don't make me tell you how I think of the past every night, just wishing I could wake up and it would all be a dream, so I could change the choices I made. Don't make me tell you the things that I have no right to anymore."

Feeling old

Grabbing two bottles of water from the fridge Jess turns and grabs the bag from the counter and heads out of the kitchen to the living room. Standing in the door way for a moment Jess just watches Rocky as he plays around with the dvd playing knowing he didnt know she was there.

It was intresting watching him. Jess didnt know why or what it was but something was differnt about Rocky and it made her feel comfortable. Just watching him take the inisitive to figure something out without worry and the vibe that he was relaxed as well was new and it felt good.

Finally entering the rest of the way into the livingroom Jess smiles.

"Hey, it was a good guess! I mean hey who dosnt like chips? I would take them over popcorn any day. I hate the way popcorn squeezs when I chew on it."

Sitting down on the coutch Jess gets herself comfortable handing one of the bottles of water to Rocky and setting the chips on the table. Turning for a moment Jess just looks at Rocky just trying to figure him out.

Shaking her head she decieds not to bother anymore and just in joy the peace she felt and the company she had.

"What movie did you pick?"

Leaning forward and looking at the movie case she gives a nod.

"Ohh this is one of my fav. You have good tast my dear friend."

Finally as the movie starts Jess falls quiet though stealing a glance at Rocky when she could and reaching for chips every now and than.

Angel gives a nod as she listens to Austin but she cant help the feeling that maybe there was something that ran deeper than what he was saying. Over the years she had been able to lean differnt things about her close friends and how to tell this or that about them an now was one of those times. Though she would never out right ask Austin.

"Mmmm...I understand what your saying but everyone over at TJY are use to the old way of running things and a certin set of rules. They are use to being all equil, and going with the flow. Having somethig happen and change so fast can really be a shock to there system. Just like if Rosetta was to change things at the ranch in a matter of a few days I might be having my own problems getting use to the new way. Sometimes takig it alot is better than jumping right into things."

Stopping and thinking for a moment Angel looks up at Austin for a long moment just thinking. How time had gone by. Ages and so much had been delt with. Sometimes Angel wished they were young again everything seemed so easy to talk about than. Though she new it was just not possable. Laying a soft hand on Austin's arm she just looks up at him stairing into his tired eyes.

"How are you really? Its been so long, and life has been so hard for us both. Now sitting here I can see it in your eyes. We want life to slow down so we can keep up but its just passing by. We arnt as young as we use to be and I can feel it now. I miss my friend and the time we shaired. I just dont want to much time to go by and than it be to late to still shair what life I have left with my best friend.. How come when you left Texas you lost touch again?"

A deeper meaning layed in Angel's eyes. One that was almost sad. She was getting older now, and she could feel it. Some days it just hurt to move. Was her time slowly coming to an end? Though she wasnt THAT old the thought lingered with her anyways.