Gum

Looking up at the man who had now joined in on the conversation the blond than looks to the waitress again.

"See more than one person knows about this, that measn this is a real thing and by the way he is flashing that thing around I think he means business now I would do what he says."

The woman's face still did not movie as she looked to Gunner and rolled her eyes at his comment about people these days as if agreeing. Watching the waitress leave the woman looks to Gunner again as her lips slowly turn into a grin that she seemed to be amused.

"That was smart thinking, I was starting to lose hope that anyone else new what I was talking about."

Reaching into her back the Blond pulls out a pack of cinnamon gum. Taking a stick the woman pops a stick in her mouth before looking up at Gunner and holding the pack to him.

"Would you like a peace? I figure I better chew on something so I dont eat through the table since it might take that waitress a little while to bring me my non sundae sundae."

Heading out of Reese office Katie had the paper work she needed in hand. The next stop she would make would be the infirmary.

Giving a soft knock on the door Katie enters looking around. Seeing Misty at her desk, Rick at his and Jeff over on the bed. Making her way over to Rick first Katie sets the papers down on his desk.

"Rick, can...you fill these out for my reason for sick time, and leave of absence please and thank you."

Katie is quiet for a moment as she taps her fingers on Rick's desk her hand shaking just a little form everything she had been going through her nearves had been shot.

"I also need those two bottles of pills, for Jason and me."

Turning from Rick Katie would pick up the pills with the paper work once Rick had it filled out. Going over to her uncle Katie lays her hand on his arm knowing he was probably a little out of it from the pain meds.

"Hey Uncle Jeff."

Her Uncle had always been special to her, she wasnt sure why, maybe she felt like he understood her the most.

"I just want to let let you know I would be going home for a little while. I need to ya know? I just need to find myself again. But I didnt want to leave not telling you before your important to me and I didnt want you to worry to much."

Sapphire gives a small nod to her brother. She would let him know when she was ready to go and see if he still wanted to go or not. She only hoped if he did go he would have a great time as well as Gage.

Looking up from his desk as the voice sounds Dalton gets a big smile that cross his face. Standing Dalton goes to Scott and wraps his arms around him lifting him up off the ground.

"There is always room for you Buddy."

Finally putting Scott down Dalton takes a few staps back trying to keep a straght face.

"Glad you back, its been lonly and everyones computer keeps breaking at once and I cant get any peace. Now...get to work."

Dalton turns trying to hit his smile.

3560

Reese nods slowly, understanding Katie's request. "You don't have to worry about him."

Seeing Katie walk away, he sighs deeply and turns in his chair to stare at the wall. The little high window didn't serve much for light today... not when the inside felt so dark.


"Um..." Scott doesn't really have plans for the day. He wanted to try and get used to being at work again, but he already wasn't so sure he could withstand a whole day here. "I think I might be able to handle that. Um... just grab me later or something and we'll go from there."

Making his way past the rest of the cubicles, he turns down the hallway, heading towards his office. On the way, he's almost run into by Gage, who had his eyes glued to the floor. Both men stagger back for a moment, trying to excuse themselves.

But as Gage moves on, Scott has to stop. He shakes his head as data flashes in front of him. It almost hurt. But in an instant, he knew just about all there was to know about Gage. Spinning around, Scott stares at the now-empty hall. What had just happened? A bit shook up, he slows down until getting to the office, trying to ignore the strange little episode.

Pausing in the doorway, he knocks to get Dalton's attention. "Got room for me?"


"Katie go to work today?" Jason speaks as he looks out the window of Con's car, heading with him across town.

"Don't know." Con keeps his eyes on the road. "Why don't you ask her?"

Jason shrugs. "Things aren't so hot right now. I don't want to bother her if she's sleeping late or something."


The waitress stares down at the other woman, pen and pad hovering in her hands. Chewing her gum slowly, she blinks at the request. "A sundae... without the sundae... I..." She shakes her head, not even knowing how to respond.

Having heard the short exchange, Gunner turns slightly in his seat, looking half over his shoulder. The scene was amusing. Too bored to know better, he slides off the stool to swagger over to the table. "You're having trouble today, aren't you?" he asks the waitress.

She shoots him something as close to a glare as she dares. "For someone who doesn't like ice cream, you sure stick around a long time."

"I'm just defending a fellow customer," he explains flatly. "She asked for a sundae without a sundae. Now if you can't give her that, then maybe she ought to take her business down the street to that other ice cream place that I believe is having a sale on their no-sundae sundaes."

The waitress has had enough, and sets her hands on her hips, still chewing her gum. "Alright, smarty. Why don't you tell me how to make a sundae without a sundae?"

Gunner rolls his eyes and looks down at the blonde as if exasperated. "Don't they teach these people anything anymore?" He turns back to the waitress. "Leave the ice cream off. Hello. Now look, I'm going to have to call you in on a three-five-sixty if you don't cooperate." He pulls on the chain around his neck, bringing out his Elite badge from under his loose t-shirt.

The waitress throws her hands up in the air, spinning around and stalking to the kitchen, mumbling to herself the whole way.

"And make sure you bring a spoon and a fork!" he calls after her. "Strawberries are hard to get with the spoons!" Once she's out of sight, Gunner turns back around, his lips curling slightly. "People these days. They can't seem to appreciate the simplicity of strawberries, chocolate and whipped cream. They gotta go ruin it with ice cream."

Minus Sunday

It was good to see her brother standing there again. She had almost lost him, than couldnt have contact with him it sure did open Sapphire's eyes to wanting to spend more time with those who are important.

"Yeah, I think I would like that as long as they are good ones and I get some with us together."

Sapphire gives a smile to Scott as an idea hits her. She new it was Scott's first day back but maybe he would have a little time.

"I know you might be busy but, I am taking Gage to the fair and maybe you would like to bring someone and come with us. You can bring your camra too. It can be like back in the bad."

Entering the small ice cream shop a medium high woman, with short blond hair enters. Her honey color eyes holding very little emotion at the surface, but beneath were smile. No smile was on her face as she found a table to see.

Waiting for the waitress to come back over the woman finally looks up at her. The woman's face held very little emotion as she spoke.

"Yes I'd like an ice cream sunday minus the sunday please."

Not bating an eye the woman looks down at the book she held as if what she had said was normal and people asked for it every day.

Giving just a small smile Katie gives a small nod. She was thankful for Reese being understanding, and still letting her job here for her when she came back.

"Thank you Reese. I'll probley be leaving tonight. Once I leave here I have some things I need to do but than I will fill out the paper work."

Turning just a little Katie looks out the window as a small rain started to fall. The smile she had held in then for a moment was now gone as her eyes were grey again. Maybe throughts ran through her mind as to what was to come.

"Keep an eye on Jason for me while I am gone ok?"

Katie looks back to Reese there was a sadness that was attached to her request from him. One she new he would understand. Once she was gone she wouldnt be able to feel Jason anymore and she wouldnt be able to tell if Jason would be ok. But it would make her feel better if someone she trusted looked over him.

Come back to us

Scott returns Sapphire's hug and manages to smile at her as she pulls away. "I'm doing alright." He gives a little shrug to show that there were still plenty of things he was working through, but he was here. His eyes were tired... his frame still thin. But he was looking a little healthier than a couple months ago, and he seemed to have gained at least a little more peace.

He had talked with Hope a long time last night about how he'd been during his house arrest... the things he'd thought of... how Gunner had helped him... and how he wanted to started again. He wanted to find strength again and he knew it wouldn't come overnight but... he was finally ready.

"I'm, um... trying to rebuild some of my photo albums since I don't have all of them anymore," he mentions to his sister. "Thought maybe sometime I could shoot some new pictures of you... if you'd let me."


Reese sits quietly, listening to Katie speak. He doesn't seem to have known this was coming, yet he doesn't seem surprised either. Slowly, he nods. He could be rough on his agents... he could throw orders around like the best of them, and push his agents to their limits. But in the end, he cared about everyone here like his family, and there were even a special few who had somehow made it to the softer spots in his heart.

"Okay." He calmly gives his approval. "And I hope you will take advantage of using some of your sick leave for this." A glint in his eyes reveals that he's allowing her to stretch the rules for this. "I don't remember many times where you've been away that it hasn't been connected to an Elite incident, and seeing as though you were out of commission for quite a while a couple times... I think you'll find you have more sick leave than you think."

A gentle smile reveals that he cares. "Come back to us, Katie. We'll be waiting for you."


"Jason!"

Jason groans and pulls his pillow over his head. He didn't know why his friend was here, but he didn't care right now. "Go away," he mumbles.

"Not on your life. Come on, get up."

Jason only growls.

"Alright. You asked for it." Con comes all the way into Jason's bedroom and grabs a hold of the bed's mattress. It takes little effort for him to lift it up and dump Jason onto the floor.

"Conrad!" Jason gets himself untangled from his bedsheets and glares up at him. "What is your problem?!"

"Me?" Con looks innocent. "You're the one that's sleeping the day away. I came to tell you to get your hind end in to work instead of feeling sorry for yourself all day."

"Maybe I'm sick."

"Sick in the head." Con rips the sheet away from him. "Good thing I came too. Trooper had to go out so bad he was just about ready to go through a window." He sets his hands on his hips and waits, but Jason doesn't move. "Look, it's no secret what's been happening the last few days. I may be half deaf, but I do still hear things. And the last thing you need is to mope around alone. So come on. You and I need to go check out a club down on Fresno Ave and see if someone Brown's been tracking is there. Reese wants us on it."


Gunner spins his rootbeer float around on the counter of the ice cream shop, his eyes constantly bouncing around the room, back to his desert, to the door, then around once again. One leg bounces without him realizing it.

"Can I get you anything else?" a waitress inquires sweetly. "Up for a sundae after that?"

Gunner's eyes pause to rest on her own. "I don't like ice cream."

The young woman raises her eyebrows. "You're... in an ice cream shop... eating a float."

Gunner remains expressionless, his voice monotone. "For the rootbeer."

The waitress eyes him for a moment before turning around and giving one of her other waitress friends a look that said she thought this guy was a few french fries short of a happy meal.

Only when she's turned does the corner of Gunner's mouth twitch. He takes another sip of his float and looks down to spy a newspaper on the counter. Pulling it towards himself, he figures it might occupy his mind for a while. If he was going to be a fish out of water, he might as well try to grow legs like everyone else around here. Unfortunately, he'd never gotten the hang of fitting in... not that he could remember anyway.