Sir

Coming up to the pourch Dan lets out a long sigh seeing the look on Mick's face. It chilled him to the bone and put fear in his heart. There wasnt much Dan feared, after everything he had been through but he was just starting to feel comfortable here, and tonight had helped him feel at home and like he fit but now, in this one moment it could all be snuffed out.

"Yes Sir I did."

Picking at the peace of wood on the railing Dan could feel his insides shakes till finally he looked up at Mick. This had happened, and now it was time to face Mick. He had to, and if he didn't understand than there was nothing else Dan could do but move on once again.

"Please don't be upset with Jade. We really did get a flat. I didn't think about having her call you but Katie did and there was no service. Thats the honest truth, I try not to make a habit of lieing."

Dan looks Mick in the eye as he prays that his boss would believe him. He liked it here, it felt good here and he liked working with the horses. He didnt want to have to pack up and leave already.

Looking up as Kip comes back Alice takes notice to the change in him. Figuring it had something to with the phone call she could tell it wasn't good. Glancing at Kyle she gives a nod he had noticed too. Trying not to bring any more attachen to it Alice moves on with the conversation it was not her place to say anything.

Hearing that Kyle and herself could stay at Erik's Alice looks up quickly a look of shock on her face before looking to Kyle and than back to Erik. She could only imagen what the rooms must look like and what the beds felt like. Looking back to Kyle her eyes were still wide a little.

"Well...I...dont know what to think at this point."

Alice gives a little laugh before looking around the room and back to Kyle again.

"I dont see why it wouldnt be ok, but we dont have any of our cloths, or bath stuff here. We would have to go back to the hotel and get it first."

Continuing to hold Gunner Hope new it hurt, Hope new everything inside of him was being wripped a sunder, and she wished with the snap of her fingers she could make it go away. But it didnt work that way.

"Gunner, your not a monster because of this. You didnt take the wheel from your Dad's hand and drive the car off the road. It was an accident."

Continuing to rub Gunner's back and hold his hand Hope is quiet for a minute letting Gunner lean into her. She didnt mind, and it didnt bother her one bit.

"You need to forgive yourself and let go. Let God take your pain Gunner, let him comfort you and wrap his ever lasting arms around you. He holds nothing aganst you, and condemns you for nothing. You want so bad for people not to judge you, or look down on you well you need to not do that to youself as well."

Hope sucks in a deep breath of air as she takes a tissue from her pocket and whips Gunner's eyes and nose not because she was babying him but because she was trying to help him not feel more of a mess than he already did.

"Its going to hurt Gunner, its going to hurt for a while, if it didnt than I would know something was wrong. But you have to know that it was not your fault, you are not a murder, and you need to live on for those around you. I think Bree would be mighty lonly without you around dont you?"

Papa bear

For a few seconds, Gunner tries to fight off Hope, but it's as if all his strength has left him. Still hunched over, he rocks, trying to combat all of these strange and unwanted feelings. But it didn't seem to matter anymore. The floodgates had been opened, and there was no stopping it now.

Tears stream down his face as the loud sobs continue. It was his heart being ripped in two.

Feeling Hope's hands, it has a strange effect. She was soft, warm, accepting, forgiving... patient... not condemning. She was the only clear thing in the room.

Gunner finds himself leaning on her, trying to absorb the comfort she offered. He hadn't wanted it before... but in this moment, it was far better than the torment he was going through. He was desperate to seek shelter, whether it was in the form of Hope's offer to soothe or not, but right now, she was the only thing present. The meds were gone, the stars were out of sight, and there were no bridges... it was just him... and one of the few people that wasn't willing to give up on him.

"I... I spent all my life..." He chokes as more tears come, making speech difficult. "Looking." He gasps for breath, trembling. "And it was me... I was the one... I killed them... I'm... I'm the one that stole my own life."

Shaking with each sob, all of Gunner's torment comes out. For so long, he'd been looking for answers... looking for who had dealt him such a bad hand in life... looking for who was responsible for his life without a memory to the past. And it had been him all along.

"I don't know what... what to do," he whimpers. He felt like a child, just adding to the embarrassment, but he couldn't help it. He didn't remember what it was like to receive comfort... he didn't remember how to accept it.

All he can do is hide his face in Hope's shoulder as he cries, simply unable to control it. "It hurts."


Though Kyle returns Alice's kiss, his eyes are a little wide in surprise. They didn't normally kiss like that in front of others. But it seemed not to matter this time... for nothing else could have answered him like that. And he knew that she was on his side.

Twila bites her lip and grins, giving the other guys a sidelong glance as they grin too. Erik clears his throat.

Kyle chuckles and takes Alice's hand before looking back at the others, his face a little red. "I... guess that means we're gonna give it a shot."

"Woo!" Theo throws his arms in the air.

Erik smiles from ear to ear. "That sounds like a yes to me."

Kyle gives Alice's hand a squeeze. "It does to me too."

Ross holds up his glass. "This deserves a toast! To Kyle and his shadow... may this just be the start of our journey."

"Here here!"

And talk begins of plans, timing, and what would happen next. Everyone is so busy chatting, that it seems no one even notices Kip's return twenty minutes later. He rejoins the group just as they're explaining that the studio is about an hour away and that it would be just a couple weeks before they would go and show off their stuff.

Kip sinks back down to the floor by one of the chairs, almost hiding, his hype strangely gone. His eyes were just a bit red...

Kyle catches Alice's eye, his gaze asking if she'd noticed Kip as he had.

"...So yeah... you guys are welcome to stay here."

Kyle snaps back to attention to Erik's offer. His eyes were wide again. "Um..." He glances to Alice. "Sounds better than a hotel... what do you think?"


Mick is standing on the porch when the pickup arrives. His arms are crossed and he's leaning against the railing post, calmly watching.

Jason pulls up closer to the garage and lets out a sigh.
Papa bear doesn't look too happy.
"All ashore who's going ashore."

Jade scrunches her nose and gives his shoulder a little punch teasingly. "Thanks for the ride."

"Oh sure... you're welcome for the flat too." Jason slides out first, helping a couple of the girls out. Last is Katie, and he takes her hand to walk her to her bunk.

Clint slings an arm around Wendy's shoulder as they walk to their own little home, his strides deliberately slow. He'd had too much fun tonight to want it to end, even if he was exhausted. Getting back inside, he kicks off his boots and flops down on the bed, his jacket still on. "Mmm... I'm getting too old for this," he kids.

Jade is still at the truck looking towards her father and she swallows hard. Glancing at Dan, she shrugs. "It's been a long time since he's killed anyone. I'm pretty sure we're safe." Grinning, she heads to the porch. "Hey, Dad. Sorry we're late. Flat tire."

Mick quirks an eyebrow, his lips not turning up. "Sounds like a good reason to be late. Cell phones die too?"

Jade smirks at him. "Dead zone."

"Convenient."

"Dad!"

Mick gestures with his head to the door. "Quiet going in. I just put BJ back in bed for the third time."

Jade can sense now isn't the time for justifying the late time, and all she can do is look over her shoulder, throwing Dan a smile of thanks for helping make tonight a fun time.

Mick's eyes follow his daughter in until he looks back to Dan. "Have fun?"

First Step

Seeing a few tears and the look in Gunner's eyes Hope new a few things that might happen next and she was ready for it. Sometimes it was hard going through this differnt stuff, the road was never easy but what was important was having someone there who could keep you afloat.

As the table and papers go everywhere Hope doesn't flinch. She wasn't scared of Gunner and she new he wouldn't hurt her. She'd been through this before with many others, and she would go through it again and again, this was more that just a job, this was helping those who needed it.

Seeing Gunner fall to the ground and slam his fists into the tiles on the floor Hope is quickly to Gunner's side waving away some of the other nurses that had apeared.

"I can handle this. Go back about your business."

Wrapping her arm over Gunner's shoulder Hope just gently rubs his arm. Trying to bring what little comfort she could.

"Its ok Gunner, Its going to be ok I promise. There is nothing to be ashamed of ok?"

With her other hand Hope gentily takes Gunner's in her own holding them so no more harm could come to them meeting the cold hard floor. Her heart acked for him, but at the same time she was happy he was letting his emotions out.

The emotions and feeling he was feeling were coming out, and it was what was needed. In order to get better Gunner had to let go first, and this was the first step.

It was you all along

Gunner shoots up on his bed, having not known Hope was in the room. With his guard down from being startled, her first few words hit him like a knife to the gut. He almost flinches as the burning behind his eyes worsens.

Not saying anything, he just watches her, listening and then glancing to the cold treat. He knew that inside was both root beer and ice cream to make the float, so it wasn't unusual for Hope to be confused as to why Bree would say it was without the ice cream... but Gunner understood.

He swallows hard as the emotions continue to build. He didn't like this feeling... almost like he were suffocating. His eyes follow Hope as she stops at the window, but he doesn't bother to explain the strange papers that were stuck there. Instead, he reaches for the cup, taking a sip as if hoping it would calm him down. It does a little, but he finds that his hands are shaking slightly. He really doesn't hear what Hope is saying, most of his concentration going towards blocking those things that made his stomach turn and his chest tighten.

Then she's in front of him again and he refocuses, managing to upturn the corner of his mouth at the mention of a vampire. "Just a... failed tactic."

Looking into Hope's eyes, the feeling of helplessness increases. He had nothing to fight with anymore. He was stuck in a prison... not only in this building, but inside his heart as well. It was a prison of guilt... shame... embarrassment... confusion.

The cup starts to freeze his palm and he places it back on the table before he drops it. He wants to get up and walk away, but his feet feel as if they're cemented in place. What was it about Hope that drove him to this point? What was it about Bree that made him feel as though he should give up the hatred of himself?

The first tear finally pushes its way to the surface. Gunner is on his feet in an instant, going to stare out the window with his back to Hope. As he feels the second tear forming, he opens his mouth to bark at Hope to get out, but for some reason the words just don't come. He didn't want anyone to see him like this, yet he didn't want to be alone. It was the most confusing feeling he'd ever experienced.

An anger builds up inside of him. An anger for these feelings. An anger for letting them in. An anger for how far he'd gotten and for where he was being held. It was an anger born of desperation... a cry for help.

It was you......... It was your fault
.......You're a murderer............. You killed your own parents
...............You're no better than a killer.............. You did it
.. You deserve to die......... How could you do that?
..You've been chasing ghosts...........
.........It was you all along

In one frustrated growl and a swift sweeping kick, the little table by the bed crashes to the floor, two of its legs snapped and scattering in several directions. Papers go everywhere, books toppling to the tile as innocent bystanders of the outburst.

Gunner's fists are balled as he breathes heavily, his back still to Hope. Then another tear comes, followed quickly by another. He sinks to his knees in complete emotional exhaustion. His eyes sting and his vision is blurred by the salty onslaught.

Curling forward, he hides his face in his hands, anguished sobs spilling forth from a tormented soul. He chokes as he gasps for breath, but there was no stopping the emotional downpour now. Crying out, his fist slams into the floor, unable to cope with the horrid guilt he felt.

Sometimes its ok...

Looking back at Kyle Alice's eyes twinkle. After being here for only a little over an hour she already felt comfortable, and being next to Kyle it almost felt like home. A big grand home, but home no the less and she didn't mind if anyone else heard what she had to say to Kyle or saw her express her love for him.

"I'd never ask you to give something like this up Kyle. This is a once in a life time opportunity."

Though she did miss Nevada and the joys of sometimes just sitting down to a quiet book never would Alice regret coming on the road with Kyle. She had gained so much to miss out on it would of being a fate worse than a crick in the neck from sleeping in her jeep.

"I'll follow you to the ends of the earth and back again Kyle Mitts, as long as I can keep calling you mine. Pen in hand, and paper ready to report, that is if everyone else is ok with that as well."

Leaning a little close to Kyle Alice brushes her lips against his before pressing them firmly to how own letting her emotions wash over them. Finally pullying away and looking Kyle in the eyes a smile on her face and her eyes dancing with Kyles.

"I love you Kyle. Your shadow will follow on."

"Sometimes..its ok to cry you know. Even for a grown man."

Hope enters Gunner's room after seeing him shoot down the hall and into his room. She had come to talk with the Dr. after Bree had told her somethings she was not to happy about but see Gunner move quickly to his room was more important than talking with the Dr. that could wait.

"My dad told me once when I saw him crying, "A man's not a man unless he crys." Sometimes I think alot of men lose that thought thinking emotions and tears are a weakness when really they can be out greatest strangth."

Setting the styrafome cup down on Gunner's dresser what was inside was ordered from Bree knowing Gunner might need it after his session with the Dr. today.

"The milk shake was from Bree, she said you might need it. I didnt quest understand what she ment when she said it was a rootbeer float without the ice cream but she said you would understand."

Moving over to the wall and than to the window Hope looks at the picture of a hand print along with letters that were cute into letters and shapes.

"I'm going to be talking with the Dr. today Gunner and look over the medicen he has been giving you. From what Bree has told me its has been more harm than help and I think the Dr. is stupid. If he refuses to take you off them, I will take that bridge when and if we come to it."

Turning Hope looks to Gunner again before comes over to him and bending down next to him cocking her head just a little to look him in the eyes.

"I want to do everything I can to help you Gunner. Even if it dosnt seem like it ok?"

Giving a small laugh Hope remembers something else Bree had been rambling to her and trys her best to lighten the mood if only just a little.

"So whats this I hear about making Marge thing your a vampire?"