Healthy

As Reese makes his presence know Thirteen sinks back just a little but feeling Ryder's hand on her shoulder she could only go far.

Her eyes move wildly from Ryder to Reese than back to Ryder almost begging for his protection as Reese tone was less than comfroting.

Keeping her hand on Troopers head her fingers nervosly pet the dogs head. Listing to Ryder and Reese go back and forth.

As he is about to leave Thirteen takes his arm gently and looks up at him. How scaired she was in this place she didnt know, and the only person she could trust was Ryder. Getting his confermed words that he would be back she let go and headed back to where the blanket and pillow on the floor still were.

Drawing Trooper closer Thirteen continues to stroke his head waiting for Ryder's return. Hearing her tummy growel she looks up at the samwhich continplating eating a few more bits of it.

After Ryder comes back in Thirteen gives a smile. but it slowly fades at the metion of the questioning pulling away a little.

"What...what kind of questions?"

Hearing her tummy growel once more and feeling the all to familure of tummy pains Thirteen moves a little to the nightstand and takes the small samwhich.

Taking a sip of her own coffee Misty just listens to Carson as he talks. Nodding her head now and than to let him know she was listing.

Finally as he drew to a close Misty slowly reaches over and placed her hand on top oh his smiling back at him.

"To get drunk was stupid, but I cant balm you for it for it. You have had alot of stuff going on with you back to back and it was enough to drive anyone insane."

Misty all to well how much stress a person could be under and how it could break even the strongest of people.

"You know you can always talk to me when things get hard. I'll always listen to you. Its alot healthy for you than drinking too."

Looking over twords the tree where Kyle had went to talk with his sister Alice glances to see if he was still on the phone. But being met with Kyle's hand hanging she new something was wrong. Could it have been a bad conversation?

Slowing making her way over to the tree Alice gently wraps her arms around Kyle's wast cocking her head a little to look at Kyle.

"Hey you everything ok?"

She hoped she wasnt imposing she only wanted to make sure he was ok.

Falling apart

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Ryder assures. The last thing they needed was for Thirteen to be terrified here. Alec was one thing - he just had a bad attitude. Gage was clueless, but wouldn't fall to pieces. Thirteen... she needed more care... more delicacy.

Ryder reaches out to put a hand on her shoulder, then runs a finger through her hair, gently working out a small tangle. "Tell you what... how about you and Trooper hang out here for a little while longer and..."

A knock at the door makes him look up in surprise. Reese stands in the doorway. Ryder keeps a hand on Thirteen's shoulder, keeping her from backing away. "Good morning, Reese."

"Ryder." Reese nods and eyes Thirteen before looking back at Ryder. "I was looking for you... I was told you had her in here for the night. Wasn't sure that was such a fantastic idea."

"Well, Trooper stayed in here and... the girl's not a threat." Ryder stands slowly. "I was on the main floor too, so I thought it would be okay."

"The interrogation room has served for Gage, I think-"

"Can we talk about this outside?" Ryder urges Reese into the hall. He looks back over his shoulder and nods to Thirteen. "It's okay. I'll be right back." He leaves the door cracked open as he and Reese stand in the hall. "The interrogation room might be fine for Gage," he hisses. "But not her. She's scared spitless and doesn't need something like that."

"If you haven't noticed, she's our prisoner, straight from the Agency! I will not tolerate us pampering one of them just because you feel sorry for her."

"I don't just feel sorry for her!" Ryder's eyes narrow. "She doesn't even have a name, Reese. She goes by "Thirteen." She's an Agency baby just like Carson figured. It's bad enough for her to be in here at all, let alone in a cold locked room. I mean, come on. She wanted the dog for company so she wouldn't be alone, for crying out loud."

Reese sighs and puts his hands on his hips. "Look, we can't play favorites, Ryder. Agency is Agency. Who says she's not acting?"

"I do." Ryder's eyes spark with a daring fire. "It's not an act. She's not involved, trust me. She doesn't know what's going on, and the Agency is all she knows. Take one look at her and you can see she's been treated like an animal. She's smart, but she's been taught only what they wanted her taught."

Reese grits his teeth. "Ryder... I'm sorry, but I'm not putting TJY at risk because you're attracted to the girl."

"Aw don't give me that." Ryder glares at him. Feeling warmth on his lip, he realizes that he's split it again, and he wipes away the small droplet of blood.

Reese quirks an eyebrow. "What happened?"

"Ask Nate."

"Nate? What, he hit you?"

"Yeah, but I guess I deserved it. Look, I'm talking about Thirteen, not Nate, alright? Just let her stay in this room for now. I'm asking you... for me. Please? She won't go anywhere, I promise."

"Fine. But she gets interrogated this afternoon."

Ryder shakes his head. "Let me handle it."

"No, Ryder! It's bad enough I don't have her under lock and key. We're not going to treat her with kid gloves. Innocent or not, she's still Agency and she still holds some information. It's our job to extract it."

"So what are you gonna do? Use force? Let someone in to beat her up like Scott?"

"That was not our doing," Reese snaps. "I will let her stay in the room, but she gets moved to interrogation one this afternoon, got it?"

Ryder tries to control his temper. "Who's doing it?"

"I don't know. Nate's gone, Jase is gone... I'll probably do it myself."

"Well just...."

"What?"

"Never mind." Ryder turns back to the room. "She'll be there." Entering the room once more, he closes the door behind him to lean against it, looking over to Thirteen. He tried to convey he was sorry. "You've got a few hours," he informs quietly, wiping his lip again. "Then Reese is going to take you into the other room for questioning."


Carson lets Misty lead him out of the courthouse and agrees to the coffee shop. Once there, he eases into a booth across from her, trying not to let the pain show from sitting down. Ordering a coffee and sandwich, he fiddles with a packet of sugar, not meeting Misty's eyes. The table is quiet... too quiet. He was glad she wasn't yelling at him, but he still felt an overwhelming amount of guilt.

He finally breaks the silence. "Screwed up again, didn't I?" His eyes stay away from hers. "I know... we all fall sometimes... but I was stupid.... again."

His finger rips through the sugar pack, spilling the contents on the table. He sighs. How appropriately timed.

"Just with Katie... and Herb and the restaurant... and Alec... and this whole thing with Mackenzie I just..." He swallows hard, finding it difficult for some reason to maintain control. "Guess being back on the field got to me... thinking about Katie. Then I knew I had court today and I just wanted to forget for a while.... just wanted to sleep and forget so... I guess I did." He shrugs. "I don't remember what I did last night. But I still remember everything else I was trying to forget."

His heart ached. He was supposed to be taking over a restaurant. He was supposed to meet a lost brother with strength. He was supposed to be a strong character with or without Mackenzie in his future. He was suppose to be able to handle his job on the field. But instead, he was falling apart.


Evening has caught up with Break Out...

"Jen, look, I... but... wait... I...." Kyle groans and leans back against the side of the bus. He rubs his forehead, holding the cell phone to his ear.

"...of all the stupid!" Jen's tears can be heard in her voice. "You haven't been returning my calls, or anybody's for that matter. Then when I finally get a hold of somebody, they tell me that you almost died!" She chokes on a sob. "Don't do that to me!"

Kyle turns around, resting his forearm against the bus. The reststop was dark and quiet. Crickets chirped, and a few lights lit the near-empty parking lot alongside the interstate. It had been a long day on the road, and he was tired since being released from the hospital. The day had been quiet as well... Hunter had seemed especially offish and Kyle wasn't completely sure why. But he'd kept his distance. Only when stopping for a break, had he realized that he had several new missed calls, and had finally called Jen back. He sighs. "I'm sorry. I know I was stupid and..."

"You certainly were! Don't scare me like that! Accident or not, I..." She sniffs. "...I couldn't do it without my brother so just be smarter from now on!"

"I will, I will." Kyle tries to keep his own voice low. The others were just a ways away, and he really didn't want to make a scene. He knew he's scared his sister, and he felt badly about it. He felt badly for scaring everyone, but was just trying to move on. "I'm sorry, okay?"

"I want a hug," Jen murmurs, still crying.

"Well if I was there, I'd give you one." Kyle waits as there is a long pause. "You still there?"

"Yeah..." Jen sniffs again, her voice continuing to crack as she speaks. "There's... there's something else. That's why I've been trying to call."

Kyle can feel himself bristle. "What? What is it?" His mind immediately thought of all the people who could be in trouble or hurt.

Jen pauses again. "Kyle, it's... it's Katie..."


...Kyle tucks his phone into his pocket as he tries to swallow the lump in his throat. He can hear the others talking a little ways away, but doesn't feel like joining in. Instead, he turns the other direction. Ambling into the freshly-cut grass, he finds a tree to lean against and takes a deep breath, trying to maintain control. But a tear escapes anyway for a journey down his cheek. It drops off his chin and lands unnoticed on his shirt. God, not Katie, please.

Keeping his back to the others, he lets his head hang, What more was there left? What more could happen? How much more severely did his heart have to be torn?

Shifting his weight, Kyle's arm slips on the rough bark and he winces as he receives a nice cut near his wrist. He sucks on it for a moment, but lets it bleed, not really caring at this point. He swipes at another tear. He needed to go. The others would be waiting. But he just needed one more minute...

I know

Pulling back from Ryder a little bit Thirteen just sits there and looks at him for a long moment. Her eyes held so much confustion and that she was weaghing her options in her head.

"My dad he...did alot of missions with the Agency. Really he was a brilliant man but the things he did just didnt seem right. He..."

Hearing a loud bump from somewhere outside the room Thirteen gives a jump as a wave a fear ran through her eyes.

"I..cant talk about him or they will kill me. I've seen it, I know how they do it. I cant talk about it."

Misty gives a small smile and gives a tiny nod to Carson.

"Yeah, lets go the little coffee shop down the road. Get you some coffee, and they have some good hang over food."

Helping Carson up Misty keeps her arm around Carson. Just letting him know she was there.

"Hope, there are some flowers here for you."

"Really? Ok I will be right out."

Opening her office door Hope exits taking the small package with a smile. Opening it up she see the seventeen flowers and her smile grows.

"Miss Garrison there is no note. How do you know who they are from?"

"I dont need a note, I know already."

Turning Hope goes back into her office with a smile holding the flowers and putting her face into them to give a smell.

Guilty parties

Ryder hopes that he hasn't scared Thirteen with his bleeding lip as she examines the blood. But before he can try to make light of it, she's getting to her feet. Letting her go, he's just a little bewildered, though glad she'd stopped crying.

As she comes back with the damp towel, he's surprised. The coarse material makes the cut sting, but he refrains from wincing. He almost felt like if he were to pull away, he might thwart the young woman's desire to help, and she might never try again. As she studies his face, he takes the opportunity to look into her own eyes, searching for the real woman behind her gaze. Her simplicity wasn't the sign of a slow mind... but the sign of a mind that had simply not been taught. Her actions seemed almost childlike, yet there laid a woman within, who had been emotionally beaten into this state. It made Ryder's heart hurt.

As Thirteen speaks, it hurts Ryder even more. How cruel could someone be? He knew she was from the Agency... he knew she was considered a risk, or even a threat at the most. But he couldn't treat her like a common prisoner... he wouldn't.

Ryder lets out a long sigh. Not because he's weary, or because he's agitated with Thirteen. But because he felt lost. He knew what he'd like to do, but he'd never be allowed.

"You can stay here... for now, okay? But later on you'll have to... I mean, you'll..." Looking into her innocent eyes, Ryder's shoulders drop. "For now, you can stay here," he finishes lamely.

Rocking back so he can sit cross-legged, he stays facing the girl. If he could get some answers, perhaps he could avoid her having to go through an interrogation. "You mentioned your father... who is he?"


Reese sees Nate rise, and knows that his answer is the best he'll get. "Okay. You've got three days. But I'll need you back here after that."

He could tell there was more behind Nate's reasoning, but knew better than to ask. "See you in a few days."


Carson doesn't need to lift his head to know who was touching him. It was a familiar touch... it was a hand with just as much warmth as the first time he'd felt it. He sighs. He felt like falling to pieces.

At Misty's question, he gives a forced, dry laugh. "I don't know if I even know..." He grimaces. Thinking hurt. Straightening up, he gives her a sidelong glance. She knew he'd been drunk. His eyes probably still showed it. Yet she was choosing not to chew him out. In a way, it made him feel even guiltier. "It's just been... too much."

He looks around the busy hall for a moment, then back to her. "Can we go somewhere else? I need to get something in my stomach, but... I don't have my car here."


Con knocks on the front door. "Anybody home?" he calls. Not hearing anything, he lets himself in with his own key. "Laura?" He cocks his head, straining to hear. If she was calling to him, he didn't know it.

He wanders through the living room and to the hallway. He sees a light on in the back room and approaches slowly. "Laura?" Opening the door a little wider, he quirks an eyebrow.

Laura was in her shorts and t-shirt, her hands gloved. Pounding away at the punching bag that hung from the ceiling, she grunted with frustration, sweat pouring down the sides of her face. She didn't even hear her brother calling her name. Only when the lights flicker does she pause long enough to realize Con was there. "Oh... Hi."

Con looks at her for a moment, furrowing her brow. Not only was her greeting dry, but she shouldn't be doing this. "You're bleeding."

Laura looks down to see that blood had soaked through her bandage and onto her shirt. "Dang it. These bandages never do their job."

"I'm surprised you're this active at all," Con chides. "You know better."

"I can stand the pain," Laura retorts. She pushes him aside to go to the bathroom, taking off her gloves.

"Well I know that." Con follows after her. "But that's really beside the point. You should be resting and letting that thing heal. That's why the doctor let you go early, remember? Because you promised to take it easy."

"Yeah? Well that was before I decided to punch the bag instead of someone's head."

Con leans on the bathroom doorway as his sister rummages for some clean bandages. "You wanted to what?"

"Punch someone's head in!" Laura states louder. She starts to pull up her shirt and look at her wound, then realizing she's not alone, she shuts the door in Con's face.

Con sighs. "What happened?" he asks through the door. "I got to TJY and found out you were there for ten minutes then left. That's why I came over here - to check on you."

"I don't need anybody to check on me."

"What?"

"I said I..." Laura groans and opens the door back up, not caring if he saw her. He was her brother after all. "I said I don't need anybody to check on me." She grimaces as she cleans her wound and tries to rebandage it, fumbling with the tape.

Con watches her for a minute then rolls his eyes. "Will you ever learn to ask for help?"

"I don't need any help!"

"Apparently, you don't need anything today." Con reaches out to help with the bandage, ignoring her slapping his hands.

With a sigh, Laura gives up and just holds her shirt out of the way. If anybody knew how to put a bandage on, it was Con. "All I need is to be left alone," she grumbles.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Con smirks, his eyes on his task. "I hate it when you won't repeat something I haven't heard."

"And I hate your persistence."

Con finishes up with the bandage and straightens, letting Laura put everything away. "You want to talk about it?"

"No." Laura shoves past him and wanders to the living room to flop down on the couch. Her side burned like mad, but she was too stubborn to baby herself. She goes for the tv remote, but Con reaches down over the back of the couch, taking it from her hand. "Hey! Give that back!"

"Uh-uh." Con shakes his head and comes around to sit at the other end. "First, we talk. I want to know what's wrong. Why aren't you at TJY like you planned?"

Laura grabs a throw pillow to hold. "You really want to know?"

"Yes."

"Fine. Nate and I had a little argument. Well no, that's not true. He wouldn't let me have a word in edgewise."

"What was he upset about?"

"About something really stupid!" Laura throws up her hands, then winces, realizing that had been the wrong move to make. She files a mental note not to move around so quickly again. "He thinks Ryder and I have a thing going or something, the idiot."

Con lifts an eyebrow. "Well do you?"

"How can you ask me that?!" Laura looks at him in shock. "Of course not! Ryder is my friend. Period. And if Nate is gonna go all "jealous boyfriend" on me, then he can go sit in his little corner by himself until he decides to play nice. I don't have to put up with him throwing a hissy fit when I've got another guy three feet from me. It's stupid."

Con sits back and takes as minute to think. Nate wasn't one to act without thinking, or to act too quickly. No, it had to be more than this. "Why did he think you and Ryder had something going?"

"How should I know?" Laura rolls her eyes. "So the other day I was in the spare room at work, trying to rest up. Ryder comes in. We start talking. We wind up sitting on the bed, totally innocently, mind you. Nate comes in, and you could tell by the look on his face that he was peeved. Give me a break! It wasn't like Ryder and I were making out!"

Con purses his lips. "Was that all?"

"I don't know. I mean... maybe. No. But Nate didn't complain at the time! How was I supposed to know he was ticked off?"

Con just waits and says nothing, knowing his sister would continue.

Laura groans. "I don't know what he's thinking. He said so many things today I can't remember all of it. He was mad and not making much sense."

"But... something set him off today?"

"Okay, so maybe Ryder gave me a neck rub." Laura looks up to see the surprise on her brother's face. "I had a knot in my neck!" she defends. "He was being nice! And he kept his hands on my neck, thank you very much."

"I didn't say he didn't. So... that was it?"

"Well yesterday he mighta mentioned my other scar."

"The one on your other side?"

"Yeah."

"So?"

"Well he mentioned it in front of Nate."

Con rolls his eyes. "Oh that was good."

"What?! What is wrong with that? I mean, why is Nate blowing this out of proportion? Who cares if Ryder saw my scar? So what?!"

"How did he see it?"

"Well we... we were... we..."

Con waits expectantly.

"It's nothing bad," Laura snaps. "We got to talking about battle scars. He was showing off some of his from crocodiles and the like."

"And ...you showed him yours?"

"Well all I did was just pull up my shirt about an inch!" Laura demonstrates that it really didn't take much to show someone. "It's not like I took my shirt off! Or is that what you and Nate are thinking?!"

Con takes a deep breath and shakes his head, but can't get a word in.

"I wish you guys would give me the benefit of the doubt instead of jumping to conclusions!"

"So... that's what all this is about then? A scar and a neck rub?"

Laura's face reddens.

Con's eyes widen. "There's more?"

"It's all so stupid!" Laura slams her fist into the throw pillow. "Who cares if Ryder knew about the money box in my bedroom? Even you know about that! And what's a kiss on the cheek? Any gentleman can give a woman a kiss on the cheek! It doesn't mean anything!"

Con shakes his head slowly. "Uh-huh... okay."

"Well it doesn't! He's just a friend! He and I have even talked about it!"

"Right... so none of that was inappropriate."

Laura is silent, her temper still hot. "Regardless, Nate didn't have to punch Ryder."

"What?"

"He punched Ryder!" Laura repeats loudly.

"You don't have to yell! Did Ryder provoke him?"

"Ryder doesn't provoke anybody. All he was doing was walking by and Nate pounced on him."

"Right after the kiss."

"I guess."

Con groans and shakes his head. "Laura... do you really want Nate, or do you just enjoy someone there when you need them?"

Laura blinks, her face showing slight shock. "I don't understand. How can both you and Nate take me for someone like that? What have I done to give you both such a horrible impression of me? Ryder didn't mean anything by any of all this! We're just friends! He was glad I wasn't dead - that's why he gave me a kiss on the cheek. I told you about the whole scar thing. He rubbed my neck because he wanted me to feel better, not because he wanted more than that! He knew about the box in my room because I told him where it was, not because he spends time in there!" She can feel the tears finally welling in her eyes. "Can't I be friends with him?"

"Laura..." Con sighs, rising from the couch. "No matter what I say, you're going to have an excuse or reason why I'm wrong and you're right, so there's no point in me saying any more."

"But... I...." Laura stares up at him, surprised he was leaving.

"If you need something, give me a call, okay? And get some rest like you're supposed to."

"But..." Laura watches her brother head for the door and stares at it after it had closed. He'd left so suddenly. He never left like that. Why... But.... A tear runs down her cheek and she slips further down on the couch, curling up and hugging the pillow close. She was making a mess out of everything... again.


The small delivery truck pulls up in front of the office building. The driver gets out, bearing the slender parcel. Checking the address, he goes inside, finding the reception desk. "Uh, hey, I've got a package for..." He looks at the name again. "Dr. Hope Garrison?"

Giving a nod, the delivery man approaches the desk, setting the parcel down and receiving a signature. "Thanks." He tips his hat before exiting the office. "Have a good day."

No note was left to reveal who the sender actually was. There was only the box that when opened, would reveal a bouquet of spring flowers... seventeen to be exact.

Being Human

Pulling away from Ryder a little Thirteen hones in on his busted open lip. Whiping her own eyes from the tears that flowed through them Thirteen just looks back at him a bit of confustion in her own eyes as to why he had a bloody lip.

Reaching out she gently touches it and than pulls her fingers away looking at the blood that now marked them. Something deep inside her stired, she wasnt sure what it was but she didnt like it.

Standing Thirteen timidly walks over to where her water bottel was. Looking as if deep in thought maybe remembering something she takes her napkin and dumps just a little bit of water on the towel before going back over to Ryder and kneeling down on the floor infront of him.

Looking into his eyes for a moment she looks down to his lip and gentil takes his face in her hand bring the cloth to his lip and softly whiping the blood away. Almost copying what he had done on the cut for her the day before.

Being very silent for a long moment Thirteen keeps cleaning Ryder up, feeling inside a little bit of good being able to help as many things ran through her head.

Finally as she cleans the last little bit of blood up Thirteen finally talks.

"I've live there all my life, its been my home and my father is the leader. I want to go back home but at the same time..."

Thirteen looks down so deep in thought and showing the pain inside was conflicting and great.

"..I dont want to go back. I couldnt never be like them, I couldnt bring myself to all the blood, the smell it made me sick. I disapointed my father and he punished me for it. No what I just couldnt do it. I dont want to hurt anyone, and I dont want anyone else to hurt me anymore."

Thinking again for a moment Thirteen looks around the room before looking up at Ryder again in the eyes. Her question searous.

"Can I stay here? Its safe, and feels like my home. I like it in this room, and the floor isnt cold."

One could tell Thirteen was happy with the small room but also just how much of the world she didnt know. For the last 21 years of her life, a room was her home and sitting there, sleeping there, and learning the art of fighting, files, torcher where her pass time. A small clean room, with a carpet floor was like someone winning a million dollars.

Thinking for a long moment Nate plays with his keys in his hand. He could tell his boss his reason but really it had nothing to do with work and he would rather not let it get around. Sooner or later people would find out.

"Just, personal reason. Stress and what not. I know things are pretty backed up at the moment but I only want maybe two or three days than I will be back into the swing of things."

Giving a small nod to Reese Nate stands. His eyes held so many things in them he didnt even know himself where to start.

Taking Carson's hand in a strong hold Angelica gives a nod and a small smile.

"Try and stay out of trouble eh?"

Watching him leave she was about to follow but stops as she see Misty go out after him. Giving a soft smile she new he would get the repramanding and ride would all ready be offered to Carson and she was no long needed. Sitting back down her gathers some of her papers and finishes up a few things before leaving.

Exiting the court room Misty scans the people coming and going finding who she was looking for. Walking over to the bench She runs her hand along Carson back before sitting down next to him keeping her arm around his shoulders.

For many reasons she could be mad at him, she could yell and even lecture but she didnt want to, and it just didnt seem right. Today it seemed like Carson needed something more than that. Even the best of the best fall sometimes and she couldnt be mad at him for being human.

Leaning her head forward just a little bit to look at Carson she gives a small smile.

"Wanna talk about it?"