Lonely path

Gunner looks up as Hope approaches, but immediately breaks contact as he chews the life out of his gum. "Yeah, actually... yeah. It was the truck alright."

His leg bounces without him realizing it. "Got some, um... more searching to do... the truck passed through several hands before landing at the junkyard, so... yeah."

He glances back up then down again, swiveling his chair. His fingers curl around the folded piece of paper that Hope and printed for him earlier about the truck. He doesn't seem to notice the bead of sweat that runs down his neck. "Um... so guess I'll be staying late after work to research this some more. Better than hanging out on the roof I guess, though either path is a lonely one."


"Wha..." Jeff lightly holds Katie's hand, though even that seems to take too much strength. "I don't... understand." He blinks, attempting a deep breath. "I... I feel... strange."

"How do you mean?" Rick asks.

"Like... sad... and happy...I think... at the same time." He tries to focus on Katie's eyes. "But... it's worth it if I get more time with you."


Kyle sits in the hospital cafeteria, staring down into the half-empty glass of apple juice. He was starting to feel better today - physically. The bruises on his face were starting to fade a little, and his wound was less sore. The others seemed to be improving as well, though for some, it was just the beginning of a very long road.

Kyle's eyes drift towards the door. He'd been sitting with Hunter, Jordan and Alice, but the two men had just left. He glances to his side, trying his best at a smile. Today he needed to decide what he was going to do. He'd told Alice that he didn't feel ready to return home... but it was looking like it was his only option.

Just as he's about to say something, a stranger approaches. He's medium-height with sandy hair, looking to be somewhere in his late twenties. He comes up to the table slowly, dressed casually in jeans, t-shirt and denim jacket. He stops and cocks his head, hands in his pockets as his eyes roam from Alice to Kyle, his expression easy-going. "Kyle Mitts?"

Kyle quirks and eyebrow. He had no idea who this man was. "Yes?"

"May I have a seat?"

Kyle looks to Alice, and shrugs. "Um... sure. And you are...?"

"Erik Wiley." He extends his hand to Kyle, then Alice before sitting down.

Kyle is still a bit leery. "What can we do for you?"

Erik looks between them both. "You two...?"

"Alice is my girlfriend, yes. Was there something you wanted?"

"Yeah... You." Erik's mouth forms a gentle smile. "Look, I know what you and your group have just been through, and I'm sorry. I don't mean to barge in on you at a time like this."

"It's okay... but what do you want with me?"

"My friends and I were going to see the show the other night. Heard it was canceled, but I went for a looksee anyway..."

Kyle tenses a little. He'd thought he'd been alone with Alice, and he didn't appreciate knowing that someone else had seen his emotional display. "You were there?"

Erik nods. "I was. And... I heard you."

Kyle sits back in his chair and shakes his head, putting up a wall. "Look I don't know what you want, but so far I'm not liking it too well."

"You used to be with JetStream, didn't you?"

"How do you know that?"

Erik reaches around into his back pocket and pulls out a magazine, letting it fall on the table. It was What's Up? He nods to Alice with a grin. "I read too." Leaning forward, he sighs. "Look, Kyle, I don't know why you left JetStream or what you're planning on doing now. All I know is that you can sing... and you can really sing. I got three other guys and a girl willing to back up someone like you, and we already got a guy offering a contract if we can give him a good enough sound."

Kyle blinks. Was this really what he was hearing? He looks at Alice, then back to Erik. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying come try out."

"Why me? You wouldn't have gotten this far without a singer already."

Erik shrugs. "It was my older brother. He chose marriage over the stage. Can't blame him, but the band's in a lurch and I been praying about it, and I think you're our answer."

Kyle feels a jump in his heart and his pulse quickens. Every fiber in his being screamed at him to find out more... to take this chance... this could be it. But he was still reluctant. "I...I don't know. I mean... I quit the stage. And I don't know you or what kind of music you play or anything."

"Well I'm not asking you to sign on right this second." Erik chuckles. "Just come see us... find out more. Here." He pulls a pen out of his pocket and scribbles down a phone number and address on a napkin. "Call, or show up, or whatever."

"Why me? Why do you trust me like this?"

"I like JetStream," Erik admits. "I like Break Out. You wouldn't be involved in those things if you weren't a decent guy." Standing up, he nods to them both again. "If I haven't heard from you in three days, we'll look elsewhere."

As Kyle is left alone with Alice once again, he just stares at her and blinks. "What... just happened? I can't do this."

Use

Sitting on the ground with her back leaning aganst the bed Katie keeps her head in her hands. The stress she was under as she waited was nothing like what Jeff was going through but waiting and wondering was one of the hardest things to do.

Feeling the bed move and looking over her shoulder Katie can see Jeff's eyes are partly over. Quickly getting up and moving from the ground to the edge of the bed Katie takes Jeff's hand in her own.

"No, No your not dead, your very much alive infect."

Smiling down at Jeff Katie cant help the joy she felt. He wasn't dead, life was going to go on and now it was a whole new chapter to learn about a past and a father she had never known.

"Rick saved your life Dad. Your going to be ok now."

Hearing some noise a few cubicles down Hope stands a little and looks up over the wall. Seeing Gunner return she picked up on his odd behavior. Had his time out turned bad? Had he found anything with the lead she gave him?

Standing Hope makes her way over to him a little conserned taking note to his aggravation. Giving a light tap on the wall Hope leans on it eyeing Gunner.

"Did you find anything of use?"

Upset?

Jason nods a little to Katie, giving her back a light rub. "I'm glad I'm here."

The struggle continues for longer than Rick had predicted. Jeff is in torture, exhausted, but unable to sleep through the waves of pain and the delirium. Fever comes and goes, and so do persistent bouts of stomach problems.

Finally though... finally, finally, the bunkhouse becomes more quiet. Rick is slouched in a chair, feeling drained. Jason is pacing near the door. And Jeff is finally lying still in bed, his breathing shallow but steady. Drifting in and out of consciousness, his eyes flutter open about halfway. Everything was a big blur, fuzzy and spinning.

Licking his dry lips, he thinks he can still see Katie. "Guess I'm not... dead yet... huh?" He squints his eyes, trying to focus. "K... Katie? What... what's going on?"


Gunner's eyes narrow slightly in quiet amusement, and he just shakes his head as Hope walks away. Going for the phone, he dials Susanne's office. "Yeah... I'm gonna be out for a few minutes... my computer's running data. Yeah, thanks."

Hanging up, he grabs his keys and heads to the exit with the printout from Hope. He didn't waste time with these things, even though he would play it cool if approached.

Time flies when you're having fun... and sometimes even when you're not.

It's been an hour and a half, and the door to TJY opens once again. Gunner heads back towards his cubicle, his walk slightly agitated. Tossing a new piece of gum in his mouth, he flops into his chair to glare at his computer that's still processing. Opening a desk drawer, it slams shut again after he's retrieved a notepad that's half full of handwritten notes and charts and more notes. He starts scribbling more information, totally engrossed and not paying attention to whatever work he's actually supposed to be doing while at TJY.