Safe?

Listening intently to Destiny, Zan's eyes widened. Was she being serious? Her parents had been killed? By an organization? And her boyfriend worked for them? Wait, what? Like the mob or something? He almost wouldn't have believed her, had he not seen the tear run down her cheek. 

Slowly, his look of shock dissolved, and his brow furrowed into an expression of concern. She didn't have anybody? Literally? Dead parents, a criminal ex-boyfriend, no more safe house and... no one to help her? He sat back in his chair and blinked. "That's... heavy." He shook his head. "I am so sorry. I... I didn't mean to bring up such a painful subject." That would sure explain why she looked so sad, though. 

He felt rather inept, and sat for an awkward moment, not really knowing what to do. Seeing the tear fall the rest of the way from her face, he frowned. Taking a napkin, he reached it across the table and dabbed her cheek with it lightly before letting her take it so he didn't linger too long.  "Are you... okay? I mean... is your home safe? Do you need help or... or the police or... something?"


Chance looked at what Misty had brought him, and he took a small sip of water, but that was it. He didn't even touch the sandwich. As Misty sat on the edge of the bed, he refused to look at her, and just stared into nothingness. Her question though, made his lower lip quiver. 

"I... I just... it didn't..." Tears filled his eyes once more, and his pulse quickened again. He took his palms and dug them into his eyes, trying to stop the display of emotions, but even that didn't help. "I didn't want to... i-i-it... they... they... I just couldn't stop." His breaths grew quicker and more shallow in spite of the oxygen he'd been given, as his panic attack returned. "I don't know why.... I don't..." His words were coming out through sobs now. "I couldn't lose her... a-a-and I still... I said yes and... and I... I didn't want to kill them... I didn't..." He gasped for air and winced as he tried to breathe. "She's all I have." The tears continued to stream down his face. "It can't be... be over... it can't."


"Mmhmm..." Hunter sighed and tightened his arm around Ryan. "Me too," he mumbled. "Except..." He squirmed around a little. "I think I'm getting a cramp in my leg." A little laugh escaped, and he tried to straighten out, but the couch was just too crowded. Giving up, he had to sit up, and he yawned, rubbing his thigh. After lying scrunched up all day, his muscles were protesting. All he really wanted to do was sprawl out in bed. A glance at the clock proved it was late. 

His eyes moved groggily back over to Ryan. "I... am thinking... bed. What are you thinking?"