Melt

Hal could hardly believe what he was hearing. His face showed a whole mix of emotions, but the most prominent was that disbelief. How could she have done something like this? She knew the risks. She knew what was at stake. How could she have just let Aaron walk away? She had risked the entire rehabilitation program, and why? What had possessed her? 

None of his questions were voiced though. For the longest time, he simply looked in her eyes, searching for the answers. His shoulders dropped, and disappointment entered his own eyes. He didn't know whether to agree she didn't belong there or argue with her. But it was obvious she just wanted to be left alone. He'd never seen her like this and didn't know what to do other than simply let her go. 

"Okay," he finally relented. He moved away from the car and held up his hands in surrender. "I guess I'll... just talk to you later then." Backing up a few more steps, he watched helplessly as she left, and stood in the parking lot for several moments even after the car had disappeared. He sighed deeply and eventually turned to go back inside. He still had a job to do today.


Garret quietly mulled over Nate's words, recalling how he'd felt when Nate had been trying so hard to help him. He had let him go. More than once. Garret had always been free when Nate was in charge of him. And yet here he was. Why? What had he found that Aaron hadn't? 

"If he didn't hate me so much, I would have tried to help keep him here," he admitted. Every time he saw me though I could just feel him bristle." He sighed and shrugged, getting back on track. "Yeah, he'll be okay hiding out. I don't know what he's going to do to survive though. Especially with that leg of his." He paused, still thinking. "As much as I hate to say this, do you think someone should tell Justin what happened? He might have some insights on why Aaron would do this." He didn't like or trust Justin... but there was no denying that the man had dug up in Garret what no one else could. Maybe he could shed some light on this current situation so at least they might understand what happened. 


Thought hunting most of the rest of the day, including using Trooper, no one was able to even find any leads on Aaron's whereabouts. He truly had vanished. And by the end of the day, Kirk and Reese had had three shouting matches and two heated conference calls in to the FBI. It wasn't looking good. For Sam. For Pete. Or for the Elite as a whole. 


It was late in the evening by now, and Hal knocked on the door for a third time, louder now. He'd seen Sam's car outside and knew she was home, yet she still didn't answer. Did she not want to or did she not hear? He tried the doorknob and was surprised to find it wasn't locked. On one hand, entering without an invitation wasn't really appropriate. On the other, what if something was wrong? Sam had been so upset earlier.

Finally bypassing good sense, Hal opened the door and stuck his head in. Most of the lights were off. He knew Adison wasn't here. "Sam?" No answer. Shutting the door behind him, he wandered in a little further and glanced around, then aimed for the hallway. One door was halfway open and no one was in there. Probably Adison's room. Next door? Bathroom. The next one was shut. 

He paused and knocked on the bedroom door. "Sam? I've been banging on the front door for five minutes, and this strawberry ice cream I brought is starting to melt. You wanna come out and join me?"


"Oh, I won't mind a bit." Hunter pulled Ryan tight by her waist and leaned over her shoulder to kiss her neck.

"Oi." Eli rolled his eyes. "Even if you did have the couch, you'd probably wind up on his lap anyway." 

Zan grinned at Destiny and nodded. "Sounds like we may have to sit on the floor." 

Hearing him, Eli laughed. "Maybe we'll give Hunter and Ryan the couch and put Dylan in the middle to keep them apart." 

"Whoa, whoa, nu-uh." Dylan threw his empty rootbeer bottle away. "I ain't gonna get in the middle of that. No way."

Eli just laughed some more. "Wise man. Well come on, guys... before I get too tired and change my mind." 

It didn't take long for everybody to get to Ryan and Eli's. They'd all stopped to get fixings on the way, and now the kitchen counter was full of ice cream, peanuts, syrup, sprinkles, marshmallows, bowls and spoons. Chatter and laughter filled the living room. Eli and Scarlet had claimed the couch, but with Eli sitting sideways with Scarlet between his legs, there was enough room for Destiny, while Zan sat on the floor at her feet, his shoulder resting against one of her legs. Hunter and Ryan got the chair, and Hunter was all too happy to let her sit in his lap as they joked about earlier. Dylan had declined an extra chair, and sat on the floor a little ways away where he could lean back against the wall. At one point, Eli noticed how the young man was remaining on the outside and was going to call attention to it until Hunter shook his head at him. Hunter knew Dylan preferred to sit and observe, and didn't want to push him, especially this early on.