Meeting

A bit of color comes to Jess face at Axel's comment. He did make her feel good. Her smile spreading Jess has to look away but not because she was uncomfortable this but because the smile and a small chuckle was hard to contain.

"Thanks for making me feel good Axel."

As Axel brings his hand to her face Jess dosnt cringe away or flinch at all but insted closes her eyes enjoying the moment. Axel's hand felt so warm and comforting on her skin.

Pulling into the parking lot Alice scans the area from inside her car till her sights land on Kyle. Grabbing her pen and pad of paper she steps out of the car. Her shoulder lagnth light brown hair layed in ringlits. Her blue eyes pin pointing her target. Zipping up her sweater jacket she starts twords him giving a small smile. Reaching him she offers her hand introducing herself.

"I'm Alice Whitt, thank you so much for meeting with me. I was about to give up hope you would ever call me back."

Listing to Luke Angel cringes just a little bit. She'd been foolish not to see Luke she was sick and now she felt worse than ever hearing the worryed tone in his voice. Finally giving a nod even though Luke cant see her Angel agrees.

"Ok, if anyone comes calling today I will feel them in on whats going on. Other than that I am not going to go out of my way and call over there. There was some big meeting going on this morning and I have no idea when it will be over. I dont want to bother anyone."

Sinking back down on the hotel bed Angel leans back as she continues to listen. Hearing the confadince in Luke's voice helped give her hope that maybe there was something they could do even if it was to only hold this thing off for a little bit.

"Alright I will be at the hotel resting. I am at the Old Station Inn room 302. I love you to Luke and see you soon."

Haning up Angel lets out a long sigh. What was going to happen or what was to come she didnt know. For so long she had given hope to those who needed it and now when she needed the help she was helpless.

Closing her eyes for only a moment Angel is soon fast asleep as the exsaustion takes over once again.

What's inside

Relief passes through Axel's eyes, even if he wasn't ready yet to tell her what was so heavy in his heart. His gaze told her they appreciated her words, and the trust she had put in him so quickly.

Hearing her final statement, he shakes his head just a little. "Aw, Jess... your self worth has nothing to do with a rainbow. It's what's inside."

Slowly... hesitantly, he lifts a hand to reach across the small table and run a finger down the side of Jess' face. "Rainbows couldn't exist if it weren't for your own light shining through those stormy clouds."

Rainbow!

Continuing to look at Axel Jess cocks her head just a little as she can feel her hand turn just a little clamey.

"You know about my past and you didnt run away. I would only show the same to you as long as you were honest with me. We all have shadows in our closet, and we all have many things we are not proud of. I wouldnt run, no I would listen, try to understand and than take it from there Axel."

Jess gives a warm smile though a little worry is in her eye. It was not for what Axel might have as a secret but it was for his own pain she saw.

"I could never turn such a bright rainbow away. For what is a storm without one, but a simple mess of emotions and no self worth."

Would you?

Axel's eyes don't move from Jess as she speaks, soaking in ever little movement, every little tone in her voice that would tell him what was going on inside her mind as she spoke.

He returns the squeeze to her hand, still not moving. "And if you knew what my past was? If there were things that would turn someone else away, would you run too?"

Fire

Looking at Axel and feeling his hand movie Jess is silent. Stairing into his eyes as he looks back at her. Giving a small nod she replys.

"Yes, I do. You've done so much to make me comfortable around you and not invade my space. I dont see how I couldnt. Not to mention, your the one who daired me to dance around the fire. Yes Axel. I trust you."

Jess gives Axel's hand a light squeeze at her ending statment as a symble that she did mean what she said.

Get Gunner

A slight grin curls the corner of Axel's mouth at Jess' statement. Still looking at her eyes, his finger moves slightly to run slowly across her thumb.

Something shone in his eyes. Something that couldn't be quickly recognized. "Jess..." His voice has changed to a questioning tone. "Do you trust me?"


Kyle rolls his eyes. He had all day. "Whenever. How about in half an hour at the city park?" He fumbles to get himself up off the floor and glances around for any bits and pieces of clean clothing left before he did laundry. Getting the okay from Alice, he shuts his phone and goes to take a quick shower. No use in looking like a bum even if his disheveled appearance was how he was feeling on the inside. Popping a couple pills before a breakfast of a can of pop, his late morning proceeds until he's out the door.

The park is quiet today. Not a whole lot of people out and about. Kyle finds a tree to stand under where he could see the parking lot. He had no idea what this Alice woman looked like, but apparently she knew him, so he'd just wait for her to come to him.


Luke exchanges Angel's warm enthusiasm for getting to talk to her, but then falls silent as she breaks the news to him. His pulse quickens and he can feel the blood drain from his face as his grip on the phone tightens.

Jim looks up from his position on the bed, just pulling through the last stitch in Luke's knee. He glances to Luke with concern, but his friend isn't even paying any attention. "What is it?" he asks quietly. No response.

Jeff hands Jim a towel to wipe the blood off his hands with, his face also showing concern for Luke's sudden tension.

Luke's jaw muscles tighten as Angel finishes. He didn't even know what to say. Of course he was upset she hadn't told him. He didn't understand her reasoning. Everybody had problems - why hadn't she confided in him? It was a rotten feeling. Worse though, was his worry. If Angel didn't know what was wrong with her and those in Nevada didn't know...

"Angel..." His voice is low but stern. "I don't want you to even think about asking me ever again if I hate you."

Jeff and Jim exchange another glance. Jim starts to wrap a bandage around Luke's knee, trying not to listen to the private call. "You want us to leave?" he questions.

Luke finally looks to him and shakes his head, giving both men a look that they better stay there. He continues to talk to Angel. "I'm sorry you didn't tell me sooner... but that's over and done now. What I want you to do now is stay where you are."

Seeing Jim finished with the bandage, he moves to swing his legs out of bed. Jim tries to stop him, but he throws him a glare, ignoring the pain in his side. "I don't want you traveling," Luke emphasizes to Angel. "And I don't want you keeping this a secret from people over there. I'm not going to tell Wendy yet... not until I see you first."

Jim's eyes widen, his voice a hoarse whisper. "You're not traveling either, you idiot."

Luke stands up, needing to reach out and take Jim's shoulder for support, though his concentration is still on the phone. "Just rest, alright?" His tone softens. "I love you, Angel. We'll figure this out. Nothing is going to happen."

Not allowing for any more conversation, Luke ends the call, then turns to his friends. "Get Gunner. I need to get to Nevada."

Walk away

The silence is nice and Jess dosent mind it one bit. It was nice to just take in the moment, and listen to each breath that was formed. Jess like it this way. Talk when needed or when they felt like it, silence any other time.

As Axel takes her hands Jess just looks down at them for a long moment. It wasnt a strange feeling but at the same time it was a stange feeling to actully have Axel holding her hand. Jess wasnt sure if she liked it or not but it was differnt.

Not pulling away Jess just listens to Axel allowing him to hold her hand as the warmth from his own warmed her hands as well. His own touch was light, and he push much care into how he held it. Like he almost thought it was break if he handled it to rough.

Hearing his comment about her being differnt Jess is not to sure what to say. She had never has someone say that to her before and it kind of took her off guard. Looking up Jess' eyes meet Axel's again. Just looking into them for a long moment Jess finally find a few words to say.

"Differnt I am, I guess I am a storm that like to move to a differnt tune Its not everyday after all the storm is calm enough for a ranbow to be able to get this close to it."

Looking down again a strange glint of sadness pass through Jess eyes. Lonlyness again, lost, fear, shame, maybe it was a mix of everything. Maybe it was not being able to understand why Axel thought she was differnt when she had done so much that was wrong. Just the though of it braught color to her face. How could anyone ever care for a tanted flower. Looking up again Jess trys to put on a smile again and give a nod to Axel.

"Your pretty differnt yourself Axel in more ways than one. An I like them all."

A figure makes its way through the dark of the house. Unfamilure with where everything was but manuvering the best they could.

Going to the fridge a smile forms on the face of this person as they spot a beer in the fridge. She could try to change but they new she would never change that much.

Pulling out the beer and cracking it open the figure moves once again taking note to everything and looking at the new that was being formed. Time would tell what was going to happen, time would tell that what was taken from them would be returned.

Moving papers our of the way A slender brown haired woman reaches for the ringing phone digging to find it. Finally feeling it she pulls her hand out of the stacks of papers and flips the phone open.

"Alice Walker speaking how can I help you?"

Hearing Kyle's voice on the other end of the phone a grin forms on Alice's face. She had been waiting for this phone call to come for a while and was starting to give up hope it would come. An now it had.

"..Thats great. Yes anything you dont want published Kyle I wont you have my word. Where would you like to meet and when?"

Hearing Jeff's voice Angel smiles.

"Oh I am alive. Is Luke around?"

Waiting a few moment Angel just collectes her thoughts as she waits for Luke. Finally hearing Luke's voice a small smile forms on Angels face but the lack of energy is just not behind her words.

"Hey you. Things are moving on here. I've been missing you something terrable ya know. and I LOVE you so much Luke."

Falling silent again Angel continplates tell him or not telling about what was going on. Letting out a sigh she knows she has to.

"Luke...I have something I have been hidding from you that I need to tell you about...."

Going into detail Angel informs Luke on her sickness that has been plaging her for more than two months now. Along with telling him the symtoms, and how they affected her.

"...So another reason I came to Nevada was because Misty was good with research and I was hoping maybe I could get a hold of a few of her files or something to help me figure out what this sickness is. But to no avail nothing has turned up. And for that reason alone I didnt want to tell you because you had enough to worry about and Wendy had her own problems I didnt want to add mine in the mix right away. But now there is no cure we know of and I am getting worse rappedly. I couldnt continue this with out tell you. I am scaired and I wanted to know you were there. I love you so much Luke and I have no idea how long I will have left. Do you hate me for not telling you?"

Angel's voice is quivering as you can tell tears ran from her eyes. She was scaired and now she was even scaired more that the person she loved the most might walk away.