Timing

Jade's face is red with embarrassment. "I'm not usually clumsy," she grumbles. "I don't know what happened." She rolls her eyes at herself.

As Dan takes her hand, she shivers just a little. "You don't have to..." She stops, knowing that too often she didn't accept help. "I mean... thanks." She swallows hard, feeling Dan's rough but warm hands. "Just don't put too big a bandage on it or else Dad will be all over me." She laughs. "I'll have enough to talk to him about without this too."


JT grins and nods. "Alright. I'll see you later then after I get a nap. I'll keep my pager on though. The desk has my number."

Giving a little wave, he turns to head to the locker room. It would be several hours before he returned...


A motorcycle engine revs as the bike pulls into the hospital parking lot. It had taken a while to find the way, but after a couple stops to ask around, the destination had been found.

The driver dismounts and pulls off his helmet, the chain from his jeans beltloop to his wallet rattling. Taking off his gloves, he heads inside.

The nurse looks up as the tall man enters, and takes note of his rough looks over his mattted hair and dark eyes. The leather jacket and chaps was enough to make her leery, as was his two-day unshaven face. "Can I help you?"

"Um, yeah. I'm looking for Ryan McKade."

"One moment, please." The nurse turns around, but instead of looking up records, she picks up the phone, dialing a different nurses station near the room where Ryan was. "Yes, please let me speak with Dr. Fuller." She glances over her shoulder until she hears Amanda's voice. "Yes," she responds quietly. "There's a suspicious looking man here to see Ryan. I thought it best if you spoke with him before I told him where the room was."

Eli leans on the counter and picks up a pen to fidget with. He wasn't sure about the hushed tone of the nurse that he heard. but opted not to react.

Right around the corner, Leo is just returning after talking to Axel about the phone number he'd called for Ryan's brother. Hearing this newcomer ask about Ryan, Leo was a bit skeptical. This guy looked like someone from the street races, but he'd never seen him before. "Excuse me... are you looking for Ryan?"

Eli turns, an eyebrow quirked. "Yeah."

"And you are?"

"Elijah McKade, Ryan's brother. And you?"

Leo's eyes narrow. "Finally decided to show up huh?"

Eli frowns. "Now what's that supposed to mean?"

"You were called days ago! And you only come now?!"

"Well excuse me! Who are you? You the one who called me?"

"No. But you got some timing, you know that?"

"Cool it, man. All I want is to see my sister."

Leo grits his teeth. "Then you better hurry up."

Eli's pulse quickens. "Is she bad?"

"Yeah. No thanks to you taking your time."

Eli was getting fed up. "Look, punk, I don't need your-" He stops as he sees the woman doctor appear. "Hey I'm here to see Ryan McKade. I-"

"Need to do more than see her," Leo retorts.

"Who is this guy?" Eli asks in annoyance. "I'm just here to see my sister. I been on the road for three days and it's been on awful trip so just cut the crap and somebody tell me what's going on."

Coffee

Looking over the one stall he had started cleaning out Dan gives a smile leaning on the shovel. He had, had a nice time today. It certinly was a while since the last time he smiled like he did today. Even the ride back with BJ singing at the top of his lungs was fun. Dan liked kids and would watch BJ anytime he was asked to.

"Maybe your dad just wanted to spend time with you? Anyways I liked BJ he's a good kid so I didnt mind."

Turning to go back to his work Dan jumps hearing the loud noise and than Jade's cry for a moment Dan is thrown back in time to a horribl car crash. The screams, the glass, the smell of blood. It was the worst day of lift when not only had he lose freedom, but he also lost something more prescuse and dear to him. Compared to that jail had been a cake walk.

Giving a shake of his head Dan brings him back to this time and day. That had been a long time ago, he had changed his life, and found a stronger power to help him, he needed to keep it together no matter how much the past haunted him sometimes.

Grabbing the first aid kit quickly Dan jumps over the small lip in the stall and it by Jade's side. Gently taking her hand and giving a grin.

"Here, let me take a look. Have to make sure there is nothing in there before we clean and bandage it."

Letting out a long sigh as she watches Leo leave Amanda shakes her head a sad look in her eyes. Time was running out for one young woman and she could only lift up a quick prayer that if this was God's will Ryan would not suffer.

Turning back to JT again Amanda gives a small smile giving a shake of her head.

"I should be ok for now. You go home and get some sleep JT. You have had a long night."

Letting out a small sigh Amanda contiues.

"I'll be here all day to keep in case something happens. If you wanna stop back a little bit before your normal shift maybe we can go and grab a cup of coffee and go over Ryan's charts. I'd like to have another Dr. on this one with me to help. Its just with this case its so touchy."

Cut

Leo is pacing the hall back and forth, back and forth. But no one seemed to know what was going on inside the room, or at least they weren't willing to tell him what it was if they did. He might have broken up with Ryan, but that didn't mean he wouldn't worry about her. Just because he was upset, didn't mean he wanted her to die.

Finally, two of the doctors emerge and Leo stops his pacing. Looking at Amanda, he hears her explanation, his heart sinking. He looks to JT as if hoping for another outcome, but JT only shakes his head grimly.

Leo swallows hard and glances back to Amanda. "Um... no... Axel found a number of her brother in Florida but he had to leave a message and hasn't heard back. And... I think she has another brother in jail somewhere."

JT runs a hand over his face and exchanges a look with Amanda. "Keep trying, Leo. Right now that's Ryan's only hope."

"How...how long does she have?"

JT purses his lips. "Not long. Every second counts now."

Leo's mind races. He had to talk to Axel again to see where he'd called. And he had to... do... something, anything. He didn't know what, but he had to figure this out. Spinning on his heel, he takes off down the hall, skidding around the corner.

JT sighs as he watches him go. "I don't know about this one... when family can't be found right off the bat, lots of times we can't find them at all." He glances to Amanda. "I'm supposed to be going home, but if you want me to stick around for a while longer, I can."


"So why'd you ditch the cowboy?" Jade gives Mick an inquisitive look as they ride slowly back to the ranch.

Mick raises his eyebrows. "What? I wanted to ride with you."

"There was something else behind your eyes," Jade persists. "What was it?"

"Nothing." Mick laughs. "Can't I go riding with my daughter?"

"Without your own saddle? Leaving BJ with Dan?"

Mick shrugs. "Lapse in judgment? I don't know. Let's just get back, shall we?"

Jade smirks a little, but lets it drop. "Are any of the bunks open?"

"Yeah, but you can stay in the house with us if you like."

A smile comes to Jade's lips. "That sounds even better."

Getting back to the ranch, they're far later than Dan and BJ, and meet them in the barn where Mick hands the horse back off to Dan, and goes to get the apples where BJ can help him again. Jade wanders into the barn with the mare to crosstie her and unsaddle.

"Thanks for riding out with me," she mentions to Dan, looking down the aisle to him. "I would have gone for another race back, but apparently my Dad decided to have some weird bee in his bonnet, er, hat." She laughs as she finishes untacking, hefting the saddle back into the tack room. Just as she's stepping inside, the cinch slips down to drag on the floor and she doesn't see it. Accidentally walking on it, the saddle stops short but she doesn't. Stumbling forward, the saddle gets dropped and she reaches out to the doorframe quickly to keep from falling. The movement is too fast though, and she winds up hitting a splinter of wood, slicing the palm of her hand. She lets out a little cry and grabs her hand as a bit of blood trickles down. "Of all the..." She groans at her own clumsiness. "Oh that was good."