Become

Just eyeing gunner for a long moment Hope listens to him not really saying anything. She just listened getting to know him more and understanding. Standing Hope quickly follows Gunner. He wanted to show her something so she could understand him she would listen and see. At least he was talking about everything that happend.

"I'm not scared of much. I think I can handle a car ride."

Getting into the car and taking the ride with Gunner Hope scans the area of town. She new this place, and had been through her before but this time it was for a much different reason.

Finally moving from the car Hope leans aganst the door just watching and listing to Gunner before moving to the sidewalk than the side of the road trying to invitation everything he was saying.

Once Gunner was done Hope straightened a little giving a small shake of her head.

"For a guy who cant remember you sure do know alot about that night, the only problem is there are many flaws to your theory."

Hope didnt challenge Gunner to be rude, or disrespectful but to dig deep, and see what was inside of Gunner, this was her job and this is what she did best.

"Just because someone was in a different car, doesn't mean it still wasn't them. A person can change there car many times, have back up cars and what not without anyone ever knowing. Next, maybe someone did peal out, I never denied that your parents were killed. but how do you know for sure that car was waiting for yours there is no way to know that one."

Stopping for a moment as she watched the car come around the curve and see it miss Gunner her heart races. He could of been hit if the driver hadnt been paying attachen and it didnt faze him a bit.

Watching as Gunner made his way back over to her Hope looks up into his eyes. Searching for a moment, looking, taking in, and compressing information.

"Hurt him or not dont you see Gunner in doing what you did..."

Hope's voice trails off for a moment looking around and than looking up at Gunner again.

"...You've become the bad guy."

Ghosts

As Jeff watches Katie go, he is helpless to stop her. He has nothing else to say that would help the situation, and he hadn't the strength to go after her. All he could do was let one more tear fall as the door was closed.

Sliding back down until his head rested in the pillows again, he covers his face with his hands, silently crying out to God all the questions and frustrations he could do nothing about.


As Gunner looks at Hope and receives her calm but firm words, a new look flashes in his eyes. It was brief, but it had been there. He'd claimed he had no buttons to push, but something she'd said hit him a little too low.

Leaning back in his chair, a smile spreads until he starts to laugh. "Now that's more like it. I knew the councilor existed somewhere in there."

He shakes his head and stands up. "Alright, Hope, you think I'm chasing ghosts? Come on... let me show you something." Heading for the door, he glances over his shoulder to make sure Hope is coming with him.

Leading the way, he heads down the hall, across the main floor and out. Fishing his keys out of his pocket, he aims for his car. "Unless you're afraid to ride with someone of my insanity, hop in."

The ride doesn't take long. Soon they are at a sleepy part of town where Gunner pulls over near an intersection. Getting out, he nods for Hope to come with him. He walks just a short distance to where he had been less than an hour earlier.

"They said a vehicle came from this side here and t-boned my parents' car as we were crossing the intersection, then took off."

The screech of tires echoed in Gunner's mind like he had heard so many times in his nightmares.

"Problem was, that there was red paint on our car, and the guy they caught had a black convertible that wouldn't have been big enough to cause that kind of damage, even if it had been red."

Gunner walks out into the middle of the quiet intersection, spreading his arms out as he talks to Hope, who he'd left at the curb. "They also said that my dad ran a red light. He was a driving instructor! He wouldn't have run a red light. There were strange bits and pieces of lumber dropped along the road, which indicates the pickup had just been to the lumber yard a mile or so away. But if that were true, he would have been coming from the other direction. So it wasn't just a casual outing - someone had purposely come this way. There were also tire marks over here..." He gestures to one side of the intersection. "...indicating someone peeled out. They'd been waiting for our car and gunned it when we came around that curve."

Still standing in the middle of the road, a car comes around that very curve to a green light, and has to swerve to avoid hitting Gunner. The driver yells a curse, but keeps on going, Gunner remaining unfazed. "Not to mention, it's a quiet intersection. Rarely do two cars meet here, let alone twelve years ago."

He wanders back over to the curb to look Hope in the eye. "My parents were murdered. Reese may call me crazy, but I'm not giving up until I find that other driver. I know threatening JT was breaking the rules, but I wouldn't have hurt him. Chasing ghosts?" He shakes his head. "I don't chase ghosts. I chase bad guys."

Hurt

Hope lets out a sigh and shakes her head. With Gunner it was different, with this case it was going to be hard and she almost felt at a lose on what to do. Reese was going to have to give her more time with Gunner she could already feel it.

Looking at Gunner for a long moment Hope just lets her mind process running up and down, in and out everything about Gunner that she had learned.

"First off, I am not pretending anything. Its not the way I work, so if you think thats what I am doing sorry to let you down."

Hope takes a deep breath as her voice stays calm showing she had no frustration though on the inside she did just a little.

"Next, I guess we are going to be stuck here doing nothing because I cant tell Reese your sain because you held a knife to a mans throat. Weather you would of hurt him or not dosnt matter, the fact that it happen matters. But, I cant help you eather because you don't want my help. Yeah you will answer any of my questions, and you will do whatever I ask but deep down, you don't want help. Your chasing ghosts Gunner, and looking for something that should of been let go a long time ago. So until your willing to have help I'm sorry but out meetings are going to be boring."

Helping Jeff the best she can to set up and next to her Katie just waits as he trys to catch his breath again. Katie was pashent and didn't feel in a rush, she didnt mind that Jeff took his time.

Finally hearing that her Dad was right, and she needed to know the truth Katie's eyes held a bit of confusion but the smile never left her face. She didnt understand what was going on. Taking the ring from Jeff's hand Katie looks down at it holding it in her own just looking at it, and running her fingers over it. More confusion ran in her eyes that it was her mothers.

Continuing to listen on Katie looks up quickly almost startled as Jeff mentions he was her father. Tears formed in Katie's eyes thought they didnt pour out, her face turn beat red as the confustion grew.

"All these years, everything I went through.....I..."

Katie didnt know what to say, she was a little upset, she was a little scaired, she was confused and she felt hurt. The man she had call father for 22 years was now no longer hers, he wasnt really her father.

Sliding to the edge of the bed Katie looks to Jeff again.

"Why? I..."

Katie shook her head she needed to think or she new she would say something she didn't mean. Closing her hand around the small object Katie stands and looks at Jeff.

"I, need to go think alone. I'm sorry Uncle...Dad.."

Neather sounded right anymore to say, who was Jeff really now?

"I'm sorry Jeff."

Getting up and leaving the bunkhouse Katie makes her way down the small steps and starts to go across the grass, her head down as her mind raced and her emotions when haywire. A feeling Katie had felt before and hated.

Quit pretending

It seems Jeff isn't even going to answer Katie. His mind reels with questions, fears and doubts. Was Jay right? Was he wrong? What was best?

Jeff tilts his head to look up at Katie, his heartbeat quickening. "Oh, Katie... I don't even know how to answer that." He nibbles on a cookie, more out of nervousness than hunger, but he has to stop. His stomach wanted no part in any of it. Closing his eyes, he rests his head into the pillows. It looks as though he's asleep, but he finally moves, searching his pocket under the blanket.

Clutching the tiny object in his hand, he tries to sit up, wincing a little as his body protests. He pulls himself up anyway until he's sitting up next to Katie. The effort left him out of breath and he pauses a moment to try and regain what little strength he had.

Finally turning his eyes to Katie, tears could be seen in his gaze. "Jay is right... I don't have much... much time left and... I can't leave without you knowing the truth."

He swallows hard, fighting the tears. His biggest fear was that Katie would hate him for what he would tell her.

Extending his hand, he slowly uncurls his fingers to reveal the little diamond ring. "I... I want you to have this... It... it was.... your mother's."

His eyes lock with hers for the longest moment. A tear finally escapes to roll down his pale cheek. "It's the one that I..." He chokes on his words, his emotions almost too much for his weak physical state. But he had to say it. "...I gave to her... when I proposed."

Jeff fights his tears for all he's worth, but it does no good. They come anyway. "I'm sorry, Katie..." His voice cracks. "When she died I... I couldn't take care of you." His hand holding the ring trembles. "So Jay, he... he took you... as his own."


Gunner heaves another little sigh and shakes his head. "And what will your report say? You think Reese wants to pay you for playing games? I'm not a little kid here, Hope. I'm not Scott, who's got a complex the size of Texas."

He leans forward, meeting her gaze as he folds his hands on the the table. "We both know you and I are here for more than darts. So either you need to remind Reese that I do in fact have all my marbles so we can quit fooling around and get back to some real work, or you need to play whatever cards you have to get this thing over with. I told you before I'll do whatever you want me to or answer any questions you ask."

He shrugs, relaxed and willing. "I don't like games. So we're just going to be stuck here doing nothing unless we quit pretending."