Scared

Aaron sank down on his bed and just leaned his arms on the crutches for a few moments. His eyes gazed at the floor. His stomach churned. His head hurt. He wanted to scream. He wanted to hit something. He wanted to run. 

With everything he had, he didn't want to believe Garret. He didn't want to believe a traitor. A backstabber. The Agency was the only thing that had given him meaning in his life. How could he even entertain the thought that they'd not only willingly let him die, but actually knowingly send him to his death?

And yet... in his heart of hearts... he knew. He'd been played. He'd been so proud of his position. His rank. His abilities. And in the end, he'd still just been a pawn. 

Setting his crutches aside, he laid on the bed and rolled onto his side with his back to the door. It hurt his knee to lie like this. A lot. But he didn't care. He simply lay quietly while his soul went to war. Maybe he wasn't even able to realize what he felt was simple, raw hurt. All he knew was he felt miserable.


Hope's words sent a pang to Scott's heart. Why did she and Justin have to say the same things? Why did that have to be the truth? Why couldn't he just be fixed like he wanted? 

He sniffed and wiped his eyes, now remembering the bandage on his hand...and his earlier outburst. "I'm just so... angry," he admitted quietly. "I don't want to be somebody new. I just... I don't..." His voice quivered again. "I'm scared." 

He still refused to look at Hope. He was falling apart all over again and just wanted out of this terrible cycle. "What if... what if I don't like a different me? Or... or what if you don't like a different me?" He wiped his eyes again. "I don't know how to move on."


Grinning, Hunter was glad Ryan was laughing. "Mm...that sounds kinda nice." He really didn't want to go out and do anything in this weather. And even though he hadn't intended on missing the morning activities, he knew no one there would think a thing of it. Most likely a few others had avoided the barn as well. 

A new thought struck him. "Actually... I have a better idea." And maybe a more appropriate one, but he wouldn't say that. Rolling out of bed, he finally untangled himself from the bedsheets. Walking to the end of the bed, he reached under the blanket and grabbed Ryan's ankles to pull her halfway off the bed. "Go get dressed and get the cards," he ordered. "I'll grab some eats, then meet me in the barn."

He grabbed his jeans and a shirt then disappeared into the bathroom. Only two seconds later though, he poked his head back out and pointed to the hook on the wall by the door. "Take my jacket so you don't soak yourself on the way to your bunk."