Sugar fix

Gunner manages something close to a laugh, and he nods. "Food here sucks."

Using his palms to wipe his eyes again, he wouldn't want to admit how good Bree's arm around him felt. These were all very strange things he was feeling, but he couldn't deny they were there. He did feel like crying, and he did want comfort.

Drawing in a shaking breath, he nods again. Maybe if he ate something, it would be a good distraction...

...A sub and half a shake later, Gunner was sitting back all the way on the bed, leaning back against the wall, still with Bree. At least his stomach was full... that was an improvement. And it had tasted better than the hospital's food. And they'd been able to talk and even laugh a little. The only problem was that as soon as the distraction of eating was gone, Gunner's mind was right back to where it liked to linger now... the accident... and what was his fault.

Closing his eyes, he tries to stop it this time, but once again, it's useless. "Thanks for the food," he mentions quietly. Without realizing it, he'd put the bed's blanket in a vice-grip as the battle waged all over again. It was almost like being sick and needing to throw up. It didn't matter what he did - eventually, it would all come out, and it was going to take several trips in order to finally be released.

"Am I ever going to feel like a human being again?" he asks, almost in a whimper.


Mick watches Dan walk away and just stands alone for a while. Eventually, he heads back in through the barn to give everything one last look before going to the house.

Going in the back, he can hear Rosetta and BJ just going down the hall getting ready for bed. He would go say goodnight to BJ after he was tucked in. The coast was clear as he entered the kitchen. Reaching up to the top cupboard, out of reach of little ones, he takes down a sucker. Only a few knew why on rare occasions he would give himself a dose of sugar and something to keep his mouth busy. It usually worked to curb a greater want, and after today, he needed to do something before he gave in.

Once he was sucking on the candy, he slipped his boots off by the back door and wandered into the living room to sit on the couch and wait for Rosetta.


Jade opened one eye to the sound of someone on the porch. She waited for the knock, but none came. Her dad? Someone else?

She was still lying on her stomach, her phone still gripped in her hand. Her eyes hurt from crying after hearing that they still had not found her brother. She didn't always get along with Dylan but this was scary and she had no one to talk to about it.

The silence finally got the best of her curiosity, and she got up to go to the door. Opening it, she looks out and sees no one. She almost doesn't look down before shutting the door again. Confused, she picks up the flowers and reads the note. She can't help a small smile.

Going back to sit down again, she smells of the flowers. Dan really was sweet... if anybody needed to apologize, it was her. First she'd made a fool out of herself by being a royal flirt, and then she'd gotten mad at him just for doing what he thought was right. She knew she'd been too much of a flirt just because she was trying not to think about anything else, and she'd just gotten carried away with having too much fun. She wasn't normally like that. And as far as getting upset, that whole thing was just a mess. But... she'd still been at fault. Poor Dan just wanted to be her friend, and she wanted to be his too. She would have to make it right in the morning.