Reflection

Mackenzie's eyes focused very hard on her milk as she chewed her cookie very slowly to give herself more time to think before answering Misty's question. "Um... he... told me not to say anything." She cringed a little as she finally raised her eyes again. She didn't like keeping secrets, but if she didn't... "I don't want him mad at me for telling." She sank a little lower in her chair. "Can you forget I said anything?" She didn't understand why Carson didn't want her talking about the house, but she wouldn't be able to stand him being upset with her. She was finally able to spend some time with him and was finally getting some positive attention, even including genuine hugs, and she didn't want to lose that by telling his secret. 


"Ever since the Agency took me, I've been useless!"

"That's a bold-faced lie!"

"But I can't function!"

"Can't or won't?"

"You don't know what it's like, day in and day out to be tortured by your own mind!"

"And you don't know what it's like being on the outside, with you not letting anyone help carry the burden!"

Scott stood his ground, glaring at Justin as they faced each other at the edge of the park. People were now staring. Neither cared. "It's my burden to carry!"

"Not alone!" Justin threw up his hands. "Why do you think that? Why do you think you have to carry this one, huh?"

Without warning, tears sprang into Scott's eyes, and he turned away.

Seeing that reaction, Justin knew instantly a nerve had been hit. But where? "Come on, Scott. I can't help you unless you let me in." How many times had he told him that? From all the way back to Brookshire, it had been one battle after another.

As Scott's mind recalled the fateful day of the explosion, data tried to interfere. It was all about his abduction. Reports on how they'd taken him back to their facility. Outlines and schedules of his torture sessions. There were things there he'd tried so hard to forget. Pictures of his beaten self as they'd documented all of his reactions. Scrunching his eyes shut tight, he put his hands on his head, trying to make it stop. "They told me to get out!" he shouted. "And I didn't listen! I stayed in that house too long just because I was trying to help!"

Now Justin was lost. What house? What was Scott talking about? He didn't dare interrupt though.

Tears welled up in Scott's eyes, even though he held them shut. "It was my fault, not theirs! Katie didn't want me to go in alone. She didn't think it was safe because I'd never been in the field, but I did it anyway!" He dropped his hands and started pacing the grass. "I knew the risks. I knew it wasn't safe. I knew I shoulda left - just ten seconds would have done it! But I had something to prove. To prove I could do some good. That I could help. That I could be useful too. For once, I could take down the bad guy." He stopped and spun around to face Justin as the tears flowed freely now. "My choice," he hissed angrily. "My fault. My burden." Turning back around, he aimed for the street to walk home.

"Scott," Justin called after him. "Wait."

Scott just waved him off and kept walking. He was done.

Justin remained put and gave himself a little growl. It couldn't end here. But maybe a break was a good idea. He'd pushed Scott enough for today and... at least now something had finally been revealed. All that time ago on that fateful mission... the explosion... his abduction... he had taken on the responsibility himself. And that explained a lot.

It took a while for Scott to make it home. As soon as he was inside, he shut the door and fell back against it, sliding to the floor. The sobs he'd been holding back finally erupted as he just sat and cried. What he wouldn't give to be able to change the past. Change his decisions. Change...everything.


Taking the little piece from Sam, Aaron looked at it in his palm for a moment before glancing up at her again, just a bit sheepishly. Had a part of his wall temporarily been lowered? "Thanks." 

He dropped it in the pile of other pieces and just stared at it as if trying to figure something out. His eyes went back up to Sam, giving her the same inquisitive look. Were her friendly actions a reflection of herself, or a reflection of the Elite as a whole? He knew he'd caused frustrations, but why wasn't he in cuffs, in his cell? Why did she keep coming back in here, friendly and smiling? It didn't make sense. 

Realizing he had been staring at her eyes, he blinked and shifted his gaze. "Guess I'll... get to work on a new creation. I'll try to keep the mess to a minimum so I don't get stuck under the bed again." 


Mick held his smile and nodded. "I hope it's been good things he's told you."

Hunter smirked. "Of course. You... mind if I show Ryan the bunkhouses?"

"Nope, not a bit!" Mick motioned across the ranch yard. "You know your way around. We'll be eating in about... fifteen minutes if you wanna join us." 

"Definitely." Hunter nodded to Ryan. "Come on. Quick tour before supper." He grabbed his own bag from the car and let her get hers, then led her to the bunkhouses, finding the two with signs on them that they were reserved. "Here we go." He opened the door for her and let her go inside first. "Should have everything you need. If not, just say something - everyone here is super nice." He thumbed back out the door. "And... I'm right next door." He paused, giving her a gentler smile. "And I won't ever feel bothered."