Embarrassed

Some say the odds can be broken and love can make it through everything. To these two so many things had happend and changed for them, that the non normal was now normal. What would be another thing added to the list right.

Though her body remained still and quiet, her eyes closed to the world as her body healed. A few emotions sliped at feeling a bit of Jason's sadness.

No hand reached out and took his, no words were spoken from her lips but the silent words would be enough for Jason she new it.

It's going to be ok J. I love you!

Exiting the room for a bref moment Nate goes into the bathroom to grap a towel and than the cordless phone.

Coming back behind Laura he places the towel on her shoulder as he whispers.

"I love you to Laura, you know that. I'm just sorry it had to take a car to get you to come over here."

Nate's words choked in his mouth but he couldnt help the small squezing on his heart. He'd at least hoped Laura had been on her way down the street to see him, but she had just said she didnt know why.

Bring his one hand around to the front he hands Laura the phone before taking a few steps back and letting out a small sigh.

"If you need anything else I'm in the kitchen with Maggie baking."

Turning Nate heads back down the hall and into the kitchen where his sister was waiting.

Thirteen gives a shake of her head to Ryder's comment. She didnt mind being here, she liked it. It felt safe and her friends where here.

Bringing her legs close to her chest she wraps her arms around her legs and rests her head on them. She didnt know if it would always be like this and she didnt understand why Ryder didnt just let her stay here. It was hard to think of what life outside this room was like. She had been out a few times but they never ended well. Her voice was still a small whisper.

"But I like it here, its safe and no one can hurt me here."

Looking over to Ryder her eyes now held something new but there was still the fear deep in them. She wanted to try and be out more, she wanted to try and go places with Ryder but ever time she tryed she only embarrassed him and though he didnt say it she saw how people looked at her.

Thinking on his question for a long moment Thirteen keeps her chin resting on her knee as she looked at the ground. Looking up at Ryder again a sadness was in Thirteen's eyes. She new what dreams where, and she new what hopes where but she had not.

"I don't have a dream. When I was at home it was all I new anything outside of it was nothing but what the told me. Empty, scairy and a place that would turn there back on me. Dreams...they dont find there way to people like me."

Laughing with the others Alice is seated on a blanket catching some shade after being in the sun for a whole playing with the other. Her eyes widen just a little as she see the frisbee aiming right for Kyle.

Opening her mouth to say something it was to late as it calides with his head. Sitting there stunned for a moment Alice's mouth just hand open as she looks down at Kyle in her lap. Finally letting a laugh slip out she looks down at Kyle her place giving play to her eyes as they sparkled.

"A nurse huh? I often have been known to dr up a few booboos but those were for three year olds. Think I can handle this one too?"

Shaking her head slightly she leans into Kyle a little more bringin her hand to his head brushing some of his hair out of the way just to take a playful look. Squinting her eyes her smile shone as she looks down into his eyes.

"I think I can handle that."

Bending a little more she gives his head where he pointed a kiss before pulling away and kissing the tip of his nose and than sitting up again.

Giving another laugh Alice bumps her legs a little bit and makes Kyle's head bounce.

"Food can make any man better huh?"

Looking up at where the group was gathering for burger and than back down at Kyle again her hands brush through his hair.

"I wouldnt mind, but that means I wouldnt get up and I dont think anyone else is going to serve us."

Not in public

Jason doesn't mean to be disrespectful. He did respect Rosetta and Jay both. But he simply couldn't return the same feelings for letting Katie go.

"No... I don't know as well as you do that's what she'd want," he states quietly but firmly.

He appreciated Rosetta's hand on his, but it did little to ease the pain. "Katie wasn't done living yet... Not to sound selfish, but she didn't know I could physically survive without her either... I know she's hanging on... I know she's going to wake up."

Jason retreats into his stubbornness, unwilling to let go.

Come on, Katie... they're not going to wait much longer. I can't go on without you... don't let them make that decision, please...


Ryder sighs a little. He reaches over to teasingly tug Thirteen's hair. "We all gotta face our fears sometime, ay?"

Trooper gives a little moan and flops over onto his side then rolls over, scratching his own back as his legs go every whichway. Scooting away a little bit, he kicks his hind legs out, enjoying the carpet, but doesn't seem to realize he's close to one of the little tables with a lamp on it. One of his massive paws whacks the table leg with enough force to make the whole thing shake. The lamp doesn't have a chance. Thankfully, the carpet is a soft landing, but it still lands with a bang, also sending several magazines flying.

Startling himself, Trooper is on his feet in an instant, looking at what he did and trying to figure out how it had happened.

"Trooper!" Ryder isn't upset, just mildly annoyed, but amused at the same time. "You're too big for this room."

Trooper wags his tail and ducks his head sheepishly, going to hide beside Thirteen, giving her face a nice slobbery kiss before sitting down on his haunches and looking towards the door as if he's back on duty.

"Sure. Can't clean up your own mess, can you?" Ryder shakes his head and gets up to put the items back on the table. Once he's done, he goes to the unoccupied bed and flops down on his stomach, his head near Thirteen's. Tucking his hands under his chin, he looks down at her for a long moment. "I know you're scared. The world is a big, scary place. But you won't be alone. I'm never far away, and neither is anyone else here. You don't want to spend the rest of your life in this room, do ya, hmm?"

Giving another sigh, Ryder rolls over on his back and looks up at the ceiling. He couldn't beat around the bush with Thirteen anymore. Whether she was ready or not, the hard truth remained. "If Reese doesn't start to see some results, he's going to have you taken away... and wherever you go, I'm not going to be there and neither is Trooper. You're a smart woman, Thirteen... Even if you were kept locked away, you know there's more out there for you... and you know you weren't meant to live like this."

He turns his face, seeing the back of Thirteen's head. She really had come a long ways, even if Reese couldn't see it. She was cleaned up, her eyes were brighter and she was getting just a little bit more healthy meat on her bones. She wasn't so pale, and Ryder wasn't so surprised anymore when she smiled. If only he could help her not be so afraid to walk outside.

Two weeks ago had been the first time he'd gotten her outside of the building, and a speeding firetruck had induced a panic attack that had put them right back to square one. Even though the Agency obviously had her outside before, just taking a walk was quite a task, and Ryder hadn't even attempted anything like the library or grocery store. He didn't think it was necessarily the outdoors itself that scared Thirteen... but just that it was so different from where she'd lived all her life. Whether it was inside or out, she'd never been away from it, so being around a whole new set of people and surroundings... it was probably terrifying. Thirteen was simply comfortable and content inside and tucked safely into her own room.

Ryder is quiet for a few moments, letting his words sink in. "What do you want the most, Thirteen? There has to be something. What's the dream you have inside your heart?"


Laura whirls around at the sound of Nate's voice, her eyes going wide. Saying she was surprised to see him would have been a stupid thing to say, but the thought did cross her mind.

Realizing her mouth was hanging open, she clamps it shut. She could already feel the heat rising to her face, despite the chill that the cold rain had brought on. "Um no... I mean yes, no... or..." Giving Nate a lame look, she gives up and simply comes inside. She doesn't go much farther than few feet. Already, a puddle of rainwater was forming on the tiled entrance and she didn't want to get the carpet wet.

Turning to Nate, her eyes don't want to meet his, and instead, wind up somewhere near the floor. "My car sorta died and my cell phone is dead too so I couldn't call anybody and I don't even know why I was on this street in the first place, I missed a corner or something, all I was doing was heading to the store for a few things so I'd actually have food in the house tomorrow and I guess my mind was too occupied with other things or something so I wasn't pay attention to where I was going, and then it had to be raining which was just great, and I left my umbrella at home because I didn't know it was going to do this and..."

She stops abruptly, realizing that she was totally rambling and she wasn't even sure why. Glancing up at Nate, she swallows hard, blinking back the rain that was dripping down from her hair. "Um... yeah. ...Hi."

The heat remained in her cheeks and grew even worse. The two feet between her and Nate was killing her. She shifts her weight a little nervously. She was supposed to be asking to use the phone. Her eyes catch his. Yes... the phone... she needed to.... how she missed those eyes.

Before she realizes what she's doing, Laura's hand is near Nate's face, her fingers running lightly down his cheek and jaw line. He looked older somehow... tired. She wondered if she wore the same marks.

Withdrawing quickly, she glances down, stuffing her hands in her wet pockets. She needed to call Con. But somehow, the words to ask Nate if she could use his phone got stuck under the lump that had risen in her throat. And what were these? Tears? Why did she feel like crying?

"I'm sorry," she mumbles, turning back towards the door. "I should just go and.... I'll walk, or... no..." She swivels back around. It was silly to leave now that she was here. But she didn't like the strange sensations she was feeling. She aims for the door again. "I shouldn't have come, I'm sorry, I just, I..." She stops again, looking out at the rain. Walking in the storm would be stupid.

As if being pushed, she turns around one more time, almost making herself dizzy. Like being drawn by a magnet, her eyes can't help but rise to Nate's again. The words spill out of her mouth before she can stop them. "I miss you so much."

Some kind of a laugh is choked out as a tear mingles in with the rain that was still running down her face. "I love you, and it took a silly broken car to get me to come." She raises her arms and lets them fall against her sides in surrender. "All I wanted was to use the phone until I saw you and then I... I... I remembered what I wanted even more."

Wondering if Nate thought she'd lost her mind completely, Laura turns around one more time, her face to the door. She didn't even know if Nate even wanted her back in his life, and she felt utterly ridiculous in this state, saying the things she just had. Where was her head? What was she thinking?!


"Farther, farther!" Chloe shouts between laughs as she watches Heath run after the frisbee she'd just thrown. "Oh, oh oh..." More laughter comes as Heath dives for the flying disc, only to miss and go sprawling onto the park grass.

"Someone needs to work on their aim!" Jordan shouts.

Heath sits up from a distance away and shakes some grass out of his hair. "I'm okay! Thanks for asking!"

Break Out had hit another stop on their route and with three days off, they'd decided to splurge on a hotel and have some fun. A cookout in a nearby park was just the thing. The day was gorgeous and warm and surprisingly there was hardly anybody else around, leaving almost the whole park to the small group.

"Five minutes for the burgers!" Myla shouts from the grill.

"Woo!" Kyle comes running back from the water fountain just in time to get bonked in the head by the frisbee that had been thrown by Shawn this time... and quite off target.

Kyle blinks and staggars to where the blanket was spread out and falls down in a heap, landing his head in Alice's lap. "I'm injured!" he wails, putting a hand to his head. "I need a nurse." He stares up at Alice, a cheesy grin on his face, his eyes dancing.

Humor ran thicker than ever, and the team drew closer and closer together as friends. Alice had become such a part of the team that they often joked about not being able to survive without seeing her jeep behind the bus. The only tension was between Hunter and Kyle. Only Hunter knew exactly when it had started, but he tried to hide it. The others were too smart though, and had picked up on it quickly. It was obvious to everyone that he and Kyle were not getting along. There were never harsh words, but Jordan often broke up petty bickering. When asked why they were suddenly at odds though, neither man would give an answer. Hunter would go his way and Kyle his. Onstage they got along fine, but it was apparent that their friendship was being strained. Hunter was the reason Kyle had come... but something had happened.

Otherwise, during the last month, things had been going without a hitch. The team was doing well, raising well over their goals for finances, and even booking several more stops for their trip. At this point, it looked like they would be on the road through Thanksgiving before returning home for a winter break.

Kyle squints in the sunlight. "I's hurt right here." He points to the side of his head where there was no mark at all from the frisbee. "Will you kiss it to make it all better?"

It was no secret that Kyle and Alice had become more than friends during their trip. Though getting teased every once in a while, it was kept casual. If no one payed close attention to them holding hands or sitting closer together, most would think they were still just the same best friends as before. Only when spending time alone did romance show through, and Kyle would often make a joke out of the fact that he didn't kiss in public.

"Who wants cheese on their burgers?" Myla calls out.

Kyle's eyes widen. "Me!" He raises his hand, but stays lying down. "I think I just got all better. But I'm too comfortable to move." Still grinning, he eyes Alice teasingly. "Can I just stay here while we eat?"