Panic

Continuing to listen to Mick Dan walks just nodding her head here and there. He couldnt help but he a little disappointed in hearing Katie had someone but he was happy for her, and hoped Jason would come to his senses and come to Katie. She was something special that much Dan could tell.

"I hope Jason knows what he has. Katie is a nice, pretty girl who would great catch for anyone."

Getting into the truck and putting his seat belt on Dan stops for a moment an almost glazed look in his eyes as Mick asks him about a woman in his life. Soon the look was gone as Dan turns his head to Mick and gives a half grin.

"Nah, no woman for me. Someday the right woman will come along for me again. At the moment I dont much mind being a batchler. So where is this hay we need to get?"

Receiving Jason's sympathy makes Katie feel a little better. Maybe thats what she needed, just for him to show he cared a little more. And knowing he was going to at least try made Katie feel good inside knowing he cared.

"Ok, at least you said your going to try. Thank you!"

Katie lets out a long sigh and gives a nod of her head even though Jason couldnt see her.

"I love you to Jason, More than anything in the world. I'll hang as much as I can till you get here. Hope to see you again J."

"You owe me 300.00 you know Ryan."

Ryan looks over the roof of her car as the larder man who stood with 3 other of his friends. She new who the man was and why he was here, but the amount of money he wanted was more than she had told him.

"I dont owe you 300.00 I owe you 150.00"

"Dont give me that and try to get out of it. You and Leo arnt together anymore fair and squair you owe me 300.00."

Coming around to the other side of her car Ryan keeps her arms folded across her chest. She held her ground. Really she was in no mood for games, let alone ones that involved Leo.

"I told your Roth the moment I started falling for Leo the bet was off and I meant it. I was wrong for what I did and I wanted to keep the happyness I found. Its over now, but I still ment it the bet was off. You get 150.00 after the race."

"I want the money now, all of it there is no backing out Ryan. Don't be stupid just give it to me."

"I said afterwords Roth, 150.00 after words. Now go bother some of your other friends before I lose my cool."

Turning her back to Roth Ryan reaches to open for her car door. The race was going to start and she had no time for this.

What happened in the next few moments was so fast. A gun was drawn, a temper flaired. Shots rung out, people panicked and screamed. Money was take and people fled. In what seemed like the blink of an eye all was quiet and the only remint left of a deal gone wrong was the bloody heap of a body next to Ryan's car, the breaths taken were short, the palus slow, and the crimson blood stain on the chest growing bigger as it soaked through her shirt.

I'll ask

The three guys just stare at Ryan, seeming to feel more sheepish than upset with her for pouncing on them. It works though. As Ryan walks away, the guys look at each other, and silently decide not to keep picking on the same subject. It wasn't worth it.



"They will..." Mick nods his head as he starts the truck. His eyes give Dan a sidelong glance. He knew the young man had a lot of questions running through his mind. "Sometimes two people just need to grow a little on their own before they come together." This he knew well, though he hoped Jason and Katie would find happiness in a much shorter time than he and Rosetta had.

"Jason and Katie have come a long, long way. They've been through a lot, apart and together, and they've been dealt a hard hand in life. But... if I know them, they'll make it. What about you?"

Mick cocks his head, a little grin on his face. "You've been here how long? I have yet to hear of any woman in your life."



Jason lets out a long sigh. "Oh, Katie..." He couldn't imagine what she was feeling right now. "I'm so sorry... I know Rick's still working..." He knew that didn't help much. He'd heard Scott had helped out, but he also had heard Rick and Misty hadn't had any successes yet.

Thinking a moment, he closes his eyes. "I don't know if Reese will let me go or not..." His voice trails off and he kicks himself. He'd just gotten back, realizing some ways in which he needed to change, and this was his only response to her now? "...but I'll ask him, okay?"

He bites his lip and glances out his office towards the infirmary. "There's... something I need to talk to you about too... but not until I see you."

Another pause. Why he felt awkward, he didn't know. "I love you, Hero... hang in there for me, okay?"



Gunner leans back in his chair and fires another rubber band into Susanne's empty office. Another bullseye. With his feet up on his desk, he rocks a little, his mind wandering too much to concentrate on paperwork. Why he was hesitating to call Ned, he didn't know. The thought of ghosts kept coming to mind, even though he tried to get around it. But he couldn't just give up his life's work in one moment... could he?

Company

Putting on her gloves before the race Ryan makes her way through everyone. It had been a long afternoon with three races down already and her pockets full. Out on the track her mind was free and it was a great place to forget about everything. If it hadnt been for that reason she would of called it quits a race back and went home with what she had already.

Passing by the small group Ryan can't help but hear Leo's name stopping for a moment to hear what was being said. Ryan wasnt nosie but with everything going on she couldnt help but think it had something to do with it.

Hearing what was being said about the person she still did in fact care for Ryan cant feel a small burn form as she cant help but speak up.

"Leo has more brains than you guys ever will, he let go when he new it was best for him. That take more guts than this here..."

Ryan waves her hand to the race track.

"...ever will take. If I could go back and change what I did, I would so I could hold onto Leo a little long. Money, who cares about money. When it comes to the heart thats worth more than diamonds or pearls ever will."

Ryan shakes her head as she trys to calm herself down. She wasnt even sure why she was saying all this. These guys were just going to laugh when she walked away anyways.

"Dont you guys have better things to do than but into other people's business. Just watch the race."

Finishing putting her gloves on Ryan shakes her head again and makes her way to her car. Another half houre and the race would start. It would give her enough time to show off her car, and get some money in for the bet.

Following behind Mike Dan trys to process his comment as he hasnt said anything more on it. Life line...what did that mean? Just staying quiet for now Dan listens to Mick. Well if Jason was Katie's boyfriend and hadnt come to see her he could understand why she was upset. He'd be pretty upset too.

"If they are that close though...oh never mind its non of my never mind anyways."

Dan lets out a long sigh as he got into Mick's truck. He liked Katie, she was nice, seemed fun and was extremely pretty he hated seeing her so sad.

"I hope things work out for her."

Seeing her phone ring Katie puts it up and answers it. Her position was still in the grass where she was sat earlier as she leaned back just looking up at the clouds in the sky that passed up. Her mind raced but she was trying to come to conclusions, and figure things out.

Hearing Jason's voice Katie hadnt exspected him to call her back so fast. But hearing that voice was nice, it was water to a thirst soul even if she didnt know what he was going to say yet.

Listing to Jason Katie wanted to say so much back, like she wasnt asuming anything, and she didnt think anything but that would be a lie. Jason felt he needed to get this off his chest, than he needed to and make this was the best sorry she was going to get but she would take it.

"I miss you alot too J, and well I've been going through some changes with myself..."

Katie thinks for a long moment. She was ready to go back but she couldnt not now with Jeff.

"...J I found out Jeff is really my father. Its confusing I know but I cant explain more because I dont know more right now. But he only has a few days left to live. I cant leave now. See if Reese will let you come back out to see me for a day or two so we can talk? I could use the company"

Lots going on

The guys in the shop all look up as Ryan makes her exit. No one had expected her to leave early, but no one was all that surprised either.

"Yeah," Jed answers her. "We'll cover for ya. Get outta here." He waves her off. "See ya tomorrow. Good luck tonight."


"Seen Leo around?"

"Nah. Doubt you will. Not after he ain't with that chick driver no more."

"Oh?"

The two men talked off to the side as a small group of racers preparing for that night's course, at the familiar hangout on the edge of town. "Yeah didn't you hear? He dumped her for some blonde thing."

"I heard Ryan dumped him," a third guy chimes in.

The second laughs. "That'd be more like it. Leo's a lot of show and talk, but he don't got the brains to back any of it up."

"I'm surprised he kept Ryan around as long as he did."

"Don't let that fool ya either. I head it was all a bet. Never was serious to begin with."

"Poor guy."

"He was asking for it - the way he flirts with anything with two long legs? I bet it was a funny sight to see him when she broke the news."

All three crack up.

"Yeah. The fool prolly learned his lesson the hard way. We ought to hook him up with Sandy - now that would be funny!"

"Do they give out stupid rewards?!"

They crack up again at the expense of the one who wasn't even there to defend himself.


Receiving Katie's comment, Cindy bites her lip as the younger woman walks away. She hadn't even been thinking when she'd blurted all that out to Mick. Sighing deeply, she tries to forget about it. What was done was done.


Mick grimaces as he sees Katie leave. Great. He'd been wrong. She had overheard them. Before he can think too much about it though, Dan interrupts his thoughts.

"Jason is Katie's lifeline." Mick shakes his head. "Come on."

Waiting until they were outside and on their way to the barn, he explains further. "Jason's her boyfriend... they've been extremely close... closer than most people can understand. It's... hard to explain, so I'll just leave it at that, for now." He eyes Dan as they walk. "They're just going through a rough time right now. A lot is happening in both their lives."


Jason enters the little diner, his gaze finding Camryn sitting in the far booth. She didn't see him yet, giving him a moment to collect his thoughts. His heart gave a little jump. But he didn't like it, even if it felt good. It wasn't supposed to be there, and he knew it. That little jump belonged to someone else. Maybe he was still trying to sort through his mess of feelings but... a few things were starting to clear up.

Taking a deep breath, he moves forward, deciding to put off that topic until it was time to go...


"...You look tired."

Jason nods, his eyes showing his tiredness, even after the lunchtime meal. "Early morning to get back here at this time."

Camryn grins. "And let me guess... Reese won't let you have the afternoon off."

"You kidding? I didn't even want to ask. Getting two days off was bad enough. Though honestly, the look in his eye said 'don't let the door hit ya on the way out.'" Jason shrugs. "I'll do a few extra jobs and I'll get back on his good side again."

Camryn stirs her iced tea with her straw a few moments before looking back at him. "There's more on your mind than just work."

"That obvious?"

"Mm-hmm. You've been quiet since you got here."

Jason leans back in his chair and runs his hands through his hair. "Oh, I don't know. I guess... I guess the last few days I've just been thinking a lot... kinda hard for a man to admit he's been wrong, ya know?"

Camryn smiles a little. "Kinda hard for a woman, too. What was your epiphany about? Katie?"

"You're too smart for your own good."

"Oh, so I'm right."

Jason can't help his sheepish grin. "Maybe. I don't know. Just... hard sorting through it all. I keep getting bombarded with information and different angles and perspectives and I keep coming to the conclusion that there are a lot of those perspectives, not just mine. And I don't know... I guess maybe sometimes I think I've got the wrong one."
He wraps his fingers around his glass, his eyes falling to the floating ice cubes. "You know... if Katie were here... we wouldn't be... I mean..."

Camryn gives a little sigh, her smile fading. "Yeah, I know. Third time's the charm, right? If you're trying to say this is it, just say it quick."

Jason looks up again, his eyes apologizing. "I'm sorry. I hope we can still hang out or something later... find yourself a guy and maybe we can double-date. I just... I guess maybe thinking so much, I realized that seeing you... like this... it just opens up too many doors that I need to stay away from."

"You haven't done anything wrong. You-"

"I know. But I don't want to start, either." Jason shrugs lamely. "I've already betrayed Katie's trust enough."

"I understand." Though disappointed, Camryn did know he was right. "I'm sorry for putting you in this position. I probably should have kept my distance. I was just... glad to see a friend and... maybe was too enthusiastic."

"No... no, it's okay. Seeing you has... well... it's sort of reminded me of what I got. So don't be sorry."

"Alright. See you around then?"

"Yeah... yeah, I'll be around." Jason gives a little nod. "Thanks, Camryn."

She gives him as much of a smile as she can. "Katie's got a real winner in you. Try to work things out with her, eh? You two belong with each other."

"You think?"

"I know."

It's a short while later when Jason is back and TJY again. Lunch really hadn't gone as planned, and he was exhausted, but... at the same time, he could feel that finally, finally he was starting to work out a few things in his mind.

Back in his office, he's got several voice mails waiting from the last few days, and he's tempted to skip them, but eventually he decides he better listen to them. The last one catches him off guard, and hearing what Katie has to say, he can feel the heat in his face. He hadn't talked to her at all for several days, and now she knew he'd been in Texas, and Sapphire had spilled the beans about Camryn. Great, just great. He doesn't hesitate to pick up his cell phone and dial Katie back.

"Katie, it's me..." He leans back in his chair, running a hand through his hair as he tries to figure out what to say. "Look, whatever you're thinking just... just stop, alright? I've... well I've just had to sort out some things in my own mind and I'm sorry if it confused you."

He pauses, wondering how deep the damage went. "I love you too. And... and I miss you. Please don't assume anything about my trip or... or Camryn or anything, okay? 'Cause it's not important now. I just..." He sighs. This wasn't coming out at all like it should. "I can't explain over the phone," he finishes lamely.