Assumption

Feeling Hope near, Scott automatically begins to relax a little more. Though having hardly any energy, his fingers curl around Hope's, as if grasping for reality. Her words were reassuring. They helped him stay in the present and know he was safe. Though the images of that horrid place were burned into his mind forever, and though they plagued him and tried to trick him into thinking he was still there, he knew.... he had to know.... that he was safe.

His eyes fall shut again. "Thank you," he whispers. "I don't know what..." He swallows hard, just fighting to make sense in his own mind. "...what I'd do without you."

"Scott? Hope?" Rick comes back in the infirmary, giving a start as he realizes where the two are. Joining them quickly, he kneels next to Scott too, though doesn't make Hope move. "Scott, are you okay?"

Scott nods numbly.

Rick sighs and glances to Hope. He knew what had happened. It was the same thing that had happened so frequently right after Scott had come back from the Agency. "He's too weak to fight this off," he mentions quietly. "I'm gonna have to put him on an IV to get some fluids back into him."


Surprise flickers in Hunter's eyes, but he doesn't interrupt Alice. Though obviously not having expected her to say the things she was, he stands quietly, just listening.

Halfway through, he finally eases down next to her on the bench, his hands still in his pockets, never crowding or invading her space.

As Alice concludes her story, Hunter remains silent for several minutes, his eyes just roaming the park. There were a lot of things he could say. There were a lot of things he could do. He could feel foolish for having asked her out. He could be upset that he didn't know this information. He could question her as to why this made any difference in the present. But instead, his simple words come out soft and low. "I'm sorry."

Though a bit hesitantly, he moves to take her hand. Not in a way that expected anything in return, but in a simple gesture that was the only way he knew how to let her know he truly cared.

"That's a lot for anyone to go through," he comments quietly. "I can't imagine how it must feel... having lost someone you loved so much."

He pauses, carefully choosing his words. "I understand how it could affect your thinking now... how you might be hesitant to get involved with anyone else. I bet sometimes you're afraid of betraying the memory of Seth, if you decided to love again."

Hunter takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He'd like to tell her it was okay to move on... he'd like to tell her that she had a right to be happy again. But he knew that she already knew these things. It was obvious that she did know what she deserved and what she needed... but moving beyond the past would have to be on her own terms - not someone else's.

He looks down for a moment, then back up, turning to meet Alice's eyes. He assumed that he was the second man to hear this story. "Is... this why you and Kyle are just friends?"

Reason

Hearing Scott's request Hope enters the tiny bathroom without a second thought. Slidding down in front of Scott Hope gives a soft smile. She felt so sorry for her friend. If only his pain would go away so he could return to his normal life. He deserved so much more than that.

Taking Scott's hand in her own she runs her thump over his fingers before bringing her other hand to his face to looks into his eyes with a soft smile on her face.

"Your here Scott, Your really here with me and your safe. If you wernt than I wouldnt be here eather."

Feeling Hunter's hand on her skin for a moment Alice feels a bit shock. Looking up into Hunter's eyes she can see his consern, and caring nature he showed.

She never shaired her story with anyone of her friends, and she wondered if maybe now it was time. It didnt look like Hunter was going to let her get away easly.

"I..never really shaired my story with many people. It never really came up in conversation and I've delt it so I never really saw the reason to bring it up..I just."

Alice is silent for a moment looking away from Hunter and than at the sky studying the moonlight for a moment. It was almost as if maybe Alice wasnt going to say anymore but finally she starts to talk again.

"Alittle over a year ago I was married. Alot of people were saprised when Seth and I decied to get married. He was a musition and I loved him ever since high school. We dated, went to the same college together. He went for Music and I went for Acting."

Alice is silent for a moment as a smile forms on her face. It was apparent that she was happy recalling these memories.

"Once out of college he started a band. He was the lead singer, and he was so good. Everyone always loved when they played. I remember when he asked me to marry him too it was after a consert and we went for a walk on the beach. Alot of people didnt think we were old enough, and that it would be hard with him traviling and me trying to do my acting. But we were so much in love and we new it would work. After we got married I stoped acting after praying for a long time knowing that my words could be used in another way and I started writing so that way I could be with Seth while he traviled and we were so happy."

After another moment of silence Alice's eyes grow a little dark as she looks down at her hands. Her face suddanly turning a sad at these memories.

"But three months later Seth got really sick. Headacks all he time, dizzy spells, sometimes it was so hard for him to get out of bed. He just figured it was a cold or he had come down with something..."

Alice gives a sad laugh.

"..He was always getting sick. Than one morning while on tour I couldnt wake him up, he was bleeding and he just couldnt wake up."

A few more tears roll from Alice's eyes. She'd delt with all this stuff and moved past the pain but pulling them back up still hurt and made her sad.

"Come to find out he had a brain tumor and it had bursted."

For another moment Alice it quiet before she turns to Hunter and gives a small smile. Though she was still sad about what they talked about there was a still glint of peace that was held in her eye.

"It was a year as of two weeks ago and with God's help I have come to turms with everything that happend and he helped take my pain away and I've moved on, but still. It's hard to get close to someone. I'm not sure why, but I just guess you could say I am scaired and in a way sometimes it does still hurt. It creeps up on me and just....something."