Ruined

Hearing the plates being set on the table, Hal finally lifted his head. It was about time for lunch, wasn't it? If Sam hadn't come, he most likely wouldn't have eaten at all. Even though he didn't reach for his sandwich yet, he really was grateful. She was being kind, and he appreciated it. "Thank you," he mentioned quietly.

He looked down at his phone again and sighed. "Alison won't answer any of my texts or calls. She's never done that before. If I'd just... been there when she skyped me earlier, I would have gotten to talk to her. Maybe something I'd have said would have..." He let his sentence trail off. He knew better. He'd like to think he could have said something that would have convinced her not to go, but he knew in his heart that this had been planned for a long time now, and it was a done deal.

"She never said a word," he continued softly. "She never let on once that they were going to move." He scoffed. "Last time we skyped, I saw some boxes behind her and teased her about cleaning her room. She just... laughed it off. But now I know she was packing. And she didn't say anything to me about it." Maybe that's what hurt more than anything. He wouldn't expect Michelle to give him an ounce of information. But Alison... they'd always had a good relationship and talked about everything. Or so he'd thought.

As tears returned to his eyes, he fell quiet again. The last thing he wanted to do was cry in front of Sam. He focused on his sandwich to give him at least a brief distraction. After taking a bite, he glanced to his side at Sam again. "Sorry... that I ruined our day."


Zan chuckled as he finally slid off the booth to stand. For someone who had obviously been through a lot of crap, Destiny sure did know how to look on the bright side. "You have a point." He cocked his head at her, just smiling for a moment. "And I'm all for hellos."

Walking her outside and holding the door for her, he took in a breath of the night air. He really didn't want to go home yet, but he knew he should. "I'll pick you up tomorrow at five," he promised. He was about to tell her that he'd shower too, then remembered what she'd said about liking the smell of the shop. A chuckle slipped out, even though he wasn't going to say what he'd been thinking. "Goodnight, Destiny."


Jason leaned his head back on the tree and closed his eyes, letting Katie nestle into him. He wasn't really tired, just... relaxed. And sitting out here where no one knew they were... was nice. 

"Careful you don't get a rattler up your pantleg." 

Jason's eyes flew back open and he squinted up at the voice.

Dylan sat astride Seven, and tipped his hat back on his head, grinning just a little. "Sorry to barge in on you two. If I'd known you were here, I would have swung wide."

Jason smirked. "We're not safe anywhere, are we?"

"Uh-uh. But your secret's safe with me."

Jason chuckled. "It's fine. We were just taking a walk."

The humor slowly faded from Dylan's eyes. "You, um... you guys alright? Seems everybody's been worried."

"Yeah..." Jason gave Katie a glance before looking back up at him. "Yeah, we're gonna be alright. We'll be here a little while yet though."

Dylan cocked his head. It felt like no one really knew what was going on, except their close families. Jeff, Rosetta and Mick, Cindy and Wes... and that was it. Even when he asked his own dad about it, he seemed to avoid talking facts. Dylan knew good and well there were strange things that had happened with Katie and Jason, but didn't like being in the dark. He didn't have much to do with them, but he did care. His gaze redirected to Katie herself, and he studied her eyes for several long moments before Seven's impatient stamping brought him out of his stare. "Okay. I'll catch you later then."