It's Time

Seeing the look on Ryan's face, Axel's shoulders dropped. Even though they rarely interacted outside of work, they had a unique friendship - one of mutual respect, and they cared for each other in their own way. He'd miss their talks and working on cars together. "I... haven't told anyone yet," he admitted quietly. 

Zan looked back and forth between them for a minute, confused. "Wait, what?"

Axel sighed. "I'm starting to slow the garage down." He still spoke to Ryan. "Even with your help and the guys trying to cover for me... it's just not getting better. Even if I have surgery... it's never gonna be what it needs to be for something like mechanics."

Zan swallowed his food, having grown solemn. "The job opening... you mean you're quitting?"

Axel nodded. "Not public yet but yeah. I've seen your work today and I'll recommend you if you want."

"Well sure. I just feel bad."

"Don't. It's... time." Axel forced a small smile to Ryan. "You just gotta make sure to keep the guys in line. You're the only other one they'll listen to."


Jason chuckled. "Yeah, I feel like waltzing into the kitchen and saying tada!" He rolled his eyes. Sighing, he finally stood and stretched. "I... am gonna take a shower. Then get some coffee."


"...But it's almost noon. Shouldn't they-"

"Just let them sleep." Rick was trying not to sound too irritated with Cindy, but it felt like all he did was repeat himself. "They were fine when I checked on them an hour ago. Just let them be. It's gonna take time."

Cindy sighed and turned to leave the kitchen to go do laundry. 

Rick remained sitting at the table and leaned forward to rest his head on his arms. He was worried too, but he knew now there was nothing really to be done since Jason and Katie didn't want to suppress their connection. The stress was wearing on him though, and he himself was getting tired.


Aaron couldn't help but just shake his head at Sam. Did she always see the positive side? Being allowed to keep the door open, he perked up a little. "Okay. Um... thanks."

He thought for a moment, new hope entering his eyes. "A walk would be nice..."

Fault

You know...I always asked myself that too.

Leaning her head into Jason's hand Katie just continued to soak in the emotions, and push back more loving ones, joyful ones, and happiness. She could never tire of how this felt, about how close she and Jason were. No one would ever understand what it was like, but it was special to them.

I'm happy we are going to be ok. 

Finally opening her eyes again they twinkled with life, with love, and though she still felt tired it was more of a just woke up tired then worn out. Coffee sounded the best to her right now and Katie couldn't help the growl in her stomach.  

   "I guess we better go tell the others so everyone can stop worrying now."

The afternoon had gone quickly and no one complained though when it as time to eat the pizza everyone was ready. It had felt nice having everyone here. Though Ryan had never hung out with Zan and Axel before it felt like they were all old friends. Even being the only girl Ryan didn't care she just felt like one of the guys.

Taking a bite of pizza and hearing Axel's comment Ryan looked to him quickly...

   "What?"

Was all she could manage as pizza fell out of her mouth. A sad feeling washed over her as the wheels in her mind turned. She knew sooner or later if Axel's hand didn't get better he would have to stop working at the shop but it was a thought she didn't like to think about and hoped would happen later then sooner.

Even though she had never said it Axel was one of her bestest friends at work and the thought of him not being there was heart breaking. Looking back own at her pizza she was quiet. What would work be like with him when he was the one she talked to most.

Walking past the room where Aaron was Sam stopped hearing him call to her. Backtracking she went to the door and leaned on the frame her arms crossed.

   "Good Morning!"

Hearing what Aaron had to say Sam nodded and couldn't help the slight look of surprise. The last thing she had expected was an apology from him. She hadn't been that upset last night. Irritate a little yet but mad not really. It was nice though hearing him say he was sorry.

   "You didn't rune your chances. You were great company last night, didn't try to escape and were gentlemen.  That's what my report to Reese, and to Kirk will say about our outing. I can't fault you for being human. I'm sorry two for not telling you we were being watched."

Pushing off the wall and standing Sam smiled. It had bothered her all night thinking maybe she had broken Aaron's trust, but maybe he was more human than she thought. Maybe it was a tactic, but she'd like to think he was being genuine. 

   "We're good. Now I better go but this report in before I get an ear full. Maybe when I'm done we can work on that model more, or take a short walk around the building. Feel free to keep the door open, the air is getting kind of stale in here."

Opening

Jason's eyes fell shut as he let the emotions go. His hand moved gently against Katie's, his fingers tracing in and out of hers. A thin smile crept onto his lips.
How did I ever want to get rid of this? 

His eyes opened again, and he looked at Katie a moment before pulling her into a tight hug. Tears welled in his eyes and he just held her close. 
I'm so sorry about all this... and so glad you're okay. 

He held her for a few minutes until his own emotions were back under control, and he eased back again, placing a hand to her face. 
"It does feel different... stronger... more stable. Almost like... it's more controllable somehow. Not so erratic."


Zan just shook his head at Ryan. "You're crazy. The whole lot of you."

Hunter grinned and threw her a wink.

Zan finally tossed the borrowed car keys on the bench and came closer, next to Ryan. "Yeah, I noticed that yesterday." He shook his head. "This is about as bad as I've seen her. It's gonna take weeks before she's drivable again."

"Weeks?" Eli gestured at them all. "With this crew? Days, my friend. Days."

Zan squinted at him, then returned his gaze to Ryan before a grin quirked his mouth. "Alright... You guys are so full of yourselves... Show me what you got."

For the next several hours, all five worked together. It took a little time to settle into a groove, but surprisingly enough, once they did, they made a good team. Zan proved to be a very good mechanic, keeping up with Ryan and Axel both. Caught up in their element, time slipped right on by, and it was Eli who finally ordered some pizzas. 

The evening sun shone orange into the open garage, the radio played, and the five sat around eating pizza, chatting and drinking soda pop. Nobody cared how tires or dirty they were - they'd accomplished a lot today. There was still a lot left to do, but Zan was finally convinced it would get done. 

"...so now I'm just holding a part time job at a gas station til something better comes along." Zan shrugged as he took another bite of pizza. He'd answered Eli's question as to what kind of work he did, and had explained his mechanic experience. 

Hunter quirked an eyebrow. "Ever thought of selling your services at the races? Lots of drivers but not everybody can fix their engines."

"Eh. Maybe."

Axel sat on the floor, leaned back against the bench. He was the quietest in this bunch by far, but really had enjoyed the afternoon. "Want another job in a garage?"

Zan nodded. "That would be my first pick, yeah."

"Mm." Axel nodded and chewed his mouthful before speaking again. "Might check out J&J's... they're... gonna have an opening here pretty soon."

Eli arched an eyebrow at Axel's tone. How'd he know? Wait... was he talking about himself?

Axel's eyes drifted over to Ryan. His expression was one of simple defeat. He knew his days at the garage we're numbered... he just hadn't told anyone yet that he would be giving Darrel his notice.


Morning. Aaron glanced at the clock. He knew Sam was going to be coming in to work any minute. Getting up from bed, he was still in his bare feet, but didn't bother putting socks and shoes on. He strapped the brace to his knee and tucked his t-shirt into his jeans. After running a hand through his hair, he heaved a sigh and opened the bedroom door.

Instead of leaving though, he returned to sit on the edge of the bed. And he stayed until he heard the familiar footsteps. She had a lighter step than the others, and s longer stride than he'd imagine for her height.

"Sam." He called to her so she'd stop as she passed by. He bit his lip, giving her a somewhat humble look. "I um... I've been waiting for you," he admitted. "I just... I wanted to tell you..." He cleared his throat. "That I'm sorry. About last night, I mean. You... we're just being nice and... I pretty much ruined it. Stupid since I prolly also ruined any other chance at getting our again."

He shrugged lamely. "So yeah. Can... can maybe I have a do-over?"

Stronger

Feeling the jump in Jason's emotions startled Katie and while she braced herself for the pain it didn't come. Sitting up and looking at Jason it was a rush that felt warm and comforting. The only way to really describe it was it was a warm breeze on a spring day. 

I can feel you...more than before.

Letting her fingers intertwine with his she just soaked in the emotion. Closing her eyes for a second Katie just drank in the feeling. It had been a long time since they had been close like this and she forgot oh good it made her feel. 

It doesn't hurt at all...it feels just like it use to but...stronger.

Looking up hearing Zan's voice Ryan knocked her finger but held in a curse. Bringing her finger to her mouth to stop it from bleeding she just listened as Zan and Eli went back and forth. He seemed a lot more upset than she thought but she was at least happy Eli could get a word in to tell him what they were doing before the 

   "Now if I am gonna race you I want it to be a fair race, and as long as Thunder is around that won't happen. So we gotta take the trash out first."

Turning back to the car Ryan set to work again with what she was doing. She liked working on the car and helping a friend. It just made her feel good after everything she'd been though.

   "Your engine mount is in pretty rough shape but I at think I can fix it to hold for a while. You will definitely need to keep an eye out for a new one."

Sabotage

Hal grinned and lifted his coffee cup. "Then fishing and cooking it is. But I gotta know what else you want to go along with it." He paused. "Not that... I'm a gourmet cook, but as long as it's something common, I can do it. And show you. If you want. I'm sure you can cook more than you think, though." 

He took another long swig and sighed. "You look tired. You should go home and get some rest."


"Aw man, you serious?" Eli looked over Ryan's shoulder. "Hunter and I hadn't looked down there yet." He sighed. "Yep. Oh, and... Tony had to leave for part of the day, and he couldn't get a hold of Zan. So... best chance we got is to at least get a good start on this thing so he can't refuse our help..."

...Between the four of them, they were able to work fast, but with as much as the car needed done, there was only so much they could do within a couple hours. By mid-afternoon, they were all covered in grime. Eli had already started working on the exterior, and had several parts taken off so he could get the dings out and repaint them. Hunter had gotten the most exercise from his trips around the junkyard looking for parts, and Axel, though unable to hold the tools, had hardly looked away from the engine for a moment, simply helping by instruction more than anything. All four of them were so busy in the garage, no one noticed someone else had arrived...

"Whoa, whoa whoa." Zan stepped into the garage and held his hands out, staring at the others. "What are you doing to my car?" He saw the parts laying about, and fire entered his gaze, which was shot at Hunter first, then made its way to Ryan. "What the heck?! Are you seriously trying to-"

"Hey!" Eli put his palm up to stop him. "Chill, before you give yourself a heart attack."

"Or kill someone," Hunter added.

Zan's glare remained as he came nearer. His hands had balled into fists. "If any of you think for one second that tearing my car apart will keep me from the races then you-"

"Hush!" Eli demanded. "We're not here to sabotage your car. We're -"

"And who let you in here anyway?!"

"Would you just listen?" Eli rolled his eyes. "We're here to help. If you'd just stop talking for one minute..." He gestured around. "Look. Just look, will you?"

Zan didn't relax, but at least moved closer to see into the engine. He could immediately see the work that had been done, particularly on the engine mount. Backing away, he looked at them all again. "I don't get it."

"I told you starting a fight wouldn't solve anything. We need to get you back out there racing so you guys can do some major damage to ol' Thunder's ego."

"But I..." Zan blinked and gestured to his car again. The anger was gone, but now he was just confused. "Why?" He looked at Hunter and Ryan. "This is insane."

"Pretty much." Hunter nodded. "Blame Eli. His idea. Well, his and Ryan's. Me an' Axel just got pulled into the whole thing."

Zan swallowed hard. "Axel... I've heard about you."

Axel gave him a wry grin. "More than likely. I'm the only mechanic in town with a bum hand."

"Naw, not that." Zan shook his head. "Just that you're one of the best."

Axel forced a small smile. "Oh. Well... I gotta try awful hard to keep up with Ryan."

"Really..." Zan squinted at her. "I guess... okay. I only got limited cash and-"

"Oh for crying out loud." Eli grabbed a wrench and slapped it into Zan's hand. "Just start working, will ya?"

Zan looked at it, then lifted his eyes to Hunter, and back to Ryan again. "I've been... preparing myself for when you start racing again... I... didn't ever think you'd be here helping me on my car."


"Mmm..." Feeling the warm emotions, Jason gave Katie a squeeze.
Stop that, or I'll never want to get up...

He sent his own playful emotions her way and wriggled his fingers around her ribs. 
We should take a walk and...

His emotions gave a short lurch as his mind came to a sudden halt. Sitting up and shaking the sleep from himself, he looked down at Katie. "Do you... feel that?" He really didn't want to be imagining things at this point, but it really did feel like the flow was stronger. Wider. Deeper. No longer being choked out or forced through a conduit too small. It was... relief. 

He blinked and took her hand, letting his scarred palm rest gently against hers, the sensitivity feeling every small crevice and curve. He slowly brought his emotions forward, pushing them towards Katie. It was a mix of positive and negative both, testing to see if they could be accepted... and they were. A smile creased his lips, and the next emotions were relief and happiness. 
Please tell me this isn't hurting you... that it's not my imagination.

Block

Sam couldn't help but laugh as her eyes twinkled. She did have to admit seeing Hal trip over his words was cute. Shaking her head she took another sip of her coffee before looking at Hal again. He'd been doing pretty good as of late with not pushing her away. Maybe they were getting to the point where it wasn't too awkward anymore.

   "Fishing, and then preparing the fish for dinner sounds like a good plan. It would be nice to learn how to cook something else. "

Ryan couldn't help but laugh as she looked into the engine. It really had looked like Zan made a good start. That was helpful and would give them at least a jump on things. Leaning up to Hunter and giving him a kiss she chuckled as he went to get the new part Eli neede. 

   "Whole your scavaging keep an eye out for anything else we might be able to use too."

Smiling her looked back at the car before starting to tinker with a few things. While losing a few things up she cringed a little seeing the crack in the engine mount. That was going to take a big of fixing, and hofully they could find one in good condition to replace it.

   "Hey Eli, did Tony say he could keep Zan away for a bit? This mount is going to take the most work to fix at the moment. We have to take the whole thing out replace it and put it back in."

Feeling Jason move Katie wrapped her arm around his and held it close. She felt a little more rested today and it felt nice. Though staying in bed all day again really did sound good too. She new she couldn't though. Fresh air would be good for them.

Fresh air actually sounds nice. 

Feeling a stronger pull from Jason Katie opened her eyes again. It didn't hurt, and it didn't feel like it was forced. Just testing it a little Katie pushed a little harder twords Jason some good emotions.

Drowning

Hal's eyebrows rose and he sat back in his chair as a grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. Sam was gonna make him ask her outright, wasn't she? "Alright... I'm asking."

His grin turned into a full smile. "Saturday is supposed to be nice. We could catch our supper... I could show you how to clean a fish." Though that wasn't necessarily the most pleasant thing in the world, he had a feeling Sam could handle it way more than most women. At the same time, it sounded horrible when it came out of his mouth.

He took another sip of coffee instead of rolling his eyes at himself like he wanted to. "Or we could catch and release and do something else for dinner." He didn't know. Whatever. He didn't care. Did he sound as much like an idiot as he thought? He glanced over to catch her eye again and gave her a little smirk. "Just tell me what you wanna do 'cause I'm drowning over here and you're enjoying watching it way too much."


Startled by Ryan, Hunter jumped, then grinned. "Real mechanics, huh?" He slipped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her forehead. It felt like forever since he'd seen her... even though it had just been last night. 

"Yeah, she's right." Eli didn't even argue. He looked over to Axel and smiled. "Hey. You decided to join us."

"Eh... couldn't let you guys have all the fun." He wandered over and looked in the engine before he grimaced. "This is gonna take some work. Looks like Zan's already got a good start though." He reached inside and fiddled with something, nodding. "He knows how to make old parts work, I'll give him that."

Eli chuckled and pointed between him and Ryan. "You two... unstoppable. Get to work. I'm gonna get this fender off so I can work on that. And Hunter..."

Hunter quirked an eyebrow, waiting. "Yes...?" With still no answer, he smirked. "I'm not that useless. I can at least be a go-fer." 

"Good. See this?" Axel pried a broken part from the side where the car had been hit. "We need another one. Go scavenge."

Hunter grinned and gave Ryan a squeeze before letting her go. "Guess I got my orders."


Jason pried open his eyes, seeing sunlight streaming into the bedroom. He'd slept the night through - no surprise with as tired as he'd been, but it had at least been a peaceful rest, too. And it looked like he'd been allowed to sleep into mid-morning. No one had kicked Katie out of his room either, letting them just stay together as much as they wanted or needed to. 

Curled on his side with Katie in front of him, he tucked her in a little tighter and sighed, letting his eyes fall shut again. He kissed the back of her head and wriggled his foot around hers.
Feel like getting up for some fresh air?

Even though he was tired, something felt... different this morning. He wouldn't say he had more energy, but... he didn't feel like he was struggling to keep his emotions at bay. As if they'd settled even more. Were they... flowing more easily? He hardly dared hope. Was Katie recovering from their incident? Had it... actually helped? 

Real

Sam couldn't help but grin. She had noticed how Hal was looking at her but didn't say anything. It felt kinda good knowing he was taking her in. Not that she was full of herself but it was rare to find a man who could do that and not have any other thoughts enter his mind. Hal was a gentleman though and Sam knew that. 

   "When are you going to ask me again?"

Turning his question bad to him Sam's eyes twinkled. She would definitely say yes if he asked her again. It was a lot of fun last time and she truly enjoyed herself.

Ryan was happy Axel had said yes and she didn't mind driving him either. Getting in the car and ready to go it wasn't too far away. Axel was one of her best buds at work so if anyone was to help she would want it to definitely be him.

Seeing Eli and Hunter in front of the car Ryan gave Axel a sidelong glance before shaking her head. Coming up behind them she squeezed between Hunter and Eli.

   "Alright Alright, break it up....the real mechanics are here now."

Help

Axel was glad it was a short day in the shop today. Ever since he'd gotten out of bed this morning, his hand had felt like it was full of needles, and he'd had several short episodes of spasms where he hadn't even been able to hold a wrench. At least he'd been able to temporarily recover, but it was getting harder and harder to hide what was becoming a handicap.

Leaning on the workbench to sort through some tools, he paused to listen to Ryan. Turning around, he folded his arms, cocking his head as he contemplated the plan. There was a long silence as she finished, but little emotion showed in his face, making it hard to figure out what he might be thinking. In reality, he was firstly glad for Ryan's graciousness. She noticed his troubles more than the guys did, but never let that get in the way of her respect. It was nice to be asked to help, even if it might just be for advice. Secondly, he was pondering the whole situation. He didn't know Zan. He'd heard the name a time or two, but that was it. Since he never went to the races himself, he was pretty clueless as to how things ran. He trusted Ryan's judgement though.

He pursed his lips and finally nodded. "Yeah, okay. Thunder sounds like a jerk, and I'm all for knocking jerks down a peg or two." He grinned. "Besides, it'll get me out of this garage for a while." He glanced our the side door. "I'm gonna have to bum a ride with you though. I'm waiting on a new tire before I can go anywhere..."

It wasn't long before Axel was riding with Ryan across town. It was a nice day, so an outing was just a bit fun. On the way, he absentmindedly worked on his hand, hoping to get some of the nerves settled down. By the time they reached the junkyard, at least the spasms seemed to have stopped. Following Ryan, he took in their surroundings, getting his bearings as they walked to the garage.

Inside, Hunter was already leaning inside the hood of Zan's car, tinkering, while Eli stood with him. They hadn't gotten  much accomplished yet, but we're chatting and laughing, both oblivious to the new arrivals.

Axel glanced at Ryan and grinned. These boys obviously needed help.


Hal laughed and shook his head. "Well... I don't think I'm worth it, but I feel sorry for anybody who dares cross you."

Just looking at Sam for a moment, he again studied her face. She was tired, but she still had that peaceful beauty about her. Realizing he'd held his gaze too long, he let it drop and took another sip of coffee before clearing his throat. "So... when are you gonna come fishing with me again?"

Give Back

Just smiling at Hunter Ryan still couldn't believe he found it so surprising she thought so highly of him. Sooner or later he as just going to have to face the fact she'd grown attached to him.  It had happened fast, but it felt right and that's all that mattered to Ryan. 

   "Tomorrow is a short day so nine to noon. I can talk to Axel, and then after head on over to the junk yard."

The rest of the evening went well as Ryan and Hunter talked and laughed.  To soon it seemed like they were saying good night. That was always the worse part of the night and Ryan hated it.

Morning came and went as fast as the night had which Ryan didn't mind. At least that meant she would see Hunter sooner again. Finishing the car she was working on it was the last one of the day she wondered over to where Axel was leaning on the bench.

   "Hey Axel got a second?"

Once getting the ok for him to talk Ryan gave him the whole rundown on everything that was going on with Zan and Thunder and their plans to get him back out there racing and Thunder gone.  

   "You and Eli help me, now I want to help someone else and if you don't want to work on the car with us at least be there so we know we are doing the right thing. What do you say?"

Getting to the coffee shop Sam was just happy for the company. The night really hadn't been that bad even if things hadn't gone totally how she had wanted with Aaron. She still thought she made a few steps forward and thats what mattered. 

   "You are going to have to stop saying you are sorry. We could have had the best of the best there tonight and he still wouldn't of known."

Taking a sip of her coffee Sam just watched Hal for a long moment. There was just something about him that intrigued her. He was different from most men she knew. Whatever it was she liked it that was different about him.

   "No way you are getting fired. They'd have to try and go through me for that and I am now having it."

Twice as Fast

Hunter laughed a little and looked down as he shook his head. "More important than racing? Mm..." His fingers continued to gently fiddle with hers. "That's a hard one to swallow." His eyes finally came back up to meet hers as he bit his lower lip. Was he really that important to her? Honestly, deep down, he didn't think he was. He was just waiting... one of these days, her fascinating was going to wear off. She was healthier every day, and once she started racing again, her independence would be back as well. It was just a matter of time. But... he could at least enjoy what he had while he could, right? Unfortunately, he wasn't sure he could tell his heart to put on the brakes. 

Sighing, he gave her a smile and retreated, sipping again on his coffee. "So back to Zan... I'll go see Tony tomorrow. See if you can get Axel to help too - it would just go twice as fast with more hands. What hours do you work tomorrow anyway?" 


Hal chuckled and shrugged. "I dunno. Hadn't thought that far ahead." He thought for a moment, going through the options in his head. "How about just grabbing some coffee? That way I won't keep you out too late."

Getting to the little coffee shop, after they'd ordered and found a little table in the corner, Hal sat back and took a slow sip of the warm drink. It would probably keep him up too late, but he didn't really care. "I, um... I'm sorry again... about how things went tonight. I can't help but think if I'd done a better job, he wouldn't have known I was there. I got recruited into the Elite and I was a P.I. but I'm not so sure I've ever been that great of an agent, ya know? I'm actually surprised I wasn't cut when Kirk moved in." He took another sip. "At any rate, I think you're doing a good job with Aaron though. Even if he knew I was there tonight, he still could have made trouble and he didn't. I'd say that's an accomplishment."

Wouldn't be

   "Maybe our racing will be more about fun now, and less about the competition? Then even if we do race together it will be with a different meaning. I think if we didn't race together at all...I might miss it a little."

Ryan smiled running her fingers over Hunter's. She wasn't going to let something like racing rune their relationship even if it was something she liked doing. She just couldn't let that happen, not when things seemed to really be going good.

   "I wouldn't be giving up you know, I just found something that is a little more important to me."

Listing to Hal talk about Katie and Jason Sam couldn't help the worry in her eye. She wished there was more she could do for them. She couldn't image how hard this must be for them to deal with something like this.

   "I definitely will. I hope they will be ok."

Walking towards the car Sam stopped and looked at Hal again Sam grinned. She was tired but if he was up to go anywhere she would be game.

   "I am exhausted but what do you have in mind maybe I can keep myself up a little longer."

Feel Bad

Hunter chuckled and slid his hand across the table to take Ryan's, his fingers interlocking with hers. "I could never ask that of you," he responded softly. "I know once you've practiced, you're gonna race again, and you're gonna love it just as much as before. I can't... let you just quit because of me. Us." He sighed deeply. "Maybe we'll just have to not compete any more. Not drive in the same races. Go every other one or something."

He shrugged. "I need the cash, but maybe I do need to find some sort of real job so I don't depend on my gambling so much." The thought wasn't appealing. Neither was only racing half the time. But he really didn't want to race against Ryan any more. He knew in the end, it would cause a strain.

"We'll just... play it by ear and figure something out, okay? I just don't want you to give it up. I would always feel bad."


Hal felt bad for Sam, but there really was nothing he could do. Aaron had been a jerk, and there was nothing Hal could do to fix that. He wandered slowly to the parking lot with Sam, walking her to her car. 

"Last news I got was... they weren't doing so hot." He pursed his lips grimly. "I guess they tried something where Jason unloaded on Katie to try and force their connection to balance out but all it did was cause Katie to sleep for three days because it was too hard on her. Rick is still hopeful that it did some good. He thinks they just need to be patient but... nobody knows for sure."

Reaching her car, he stopped his slow stride and turned to her. "Just keep praying they find the balance they need to survive." Worry lay in his eyes. He cared a great deal for both Katie and Jason. It was hard not being able to talk about all this freely either, and he was glad she'd asked.

"You, um... calling it a night?" She looked tired and worn out, but he wouldn't mind doing something with her if she wasn't heading home yet.


Aaron glares at the ceiling as he lay on his bed. Aaron, you're a jerk, you know that? Why couldn't you have just kept your big mouth shut? You knew Hal was there five minutes after you walked into that bar. Why couldn't you have just accepted it and had a good time anyway without showing off and trying to control Sam again?

He smirked at his inner thoughts. He was trying so hard to stay on top of his thing. Maybe he couldn't go back to the Agency. Maybe they really would kill him. But he was still trying to control his situation. To get out somehow. All he knew how to do was try to dominate, using threats or bullying. But why did it leave a bad taste in his mouth with Sam? Why did he... feel bad? He shouldn't feel bad. Where was that emotion coming from?

Giving Up

Exiting the Elite and seeing Hal waiting Sam just stood by him quiet for a long moment. It wasn't anyone's fault and she didn't want Hal blaming himself. If she was to balm anyone it was herself.

   "It wasn't your fault. Deep down I think I knew he would know. Next time I guess it just will have to be me and him."

Letting out a sigh and leaning against the brick wall Sam played with the keys in her hand for a long moment. She hoped she really was doing the right thing.

   "I like to believe I knew how he'd act."

Pushing off the wall, for now, she just wanted to think of something else. This whole night she thought had gone well and then went south fast. She just wanted to put her mind on something else. Looking at Hal she smiled a little.

   "Have you heard anything from Katie and Jason on how they are? Not sure why but I was thinking about them a lot yesterday."

   "I think I kinda like helping out those that are below us in rank. I mean Zan, and I was just thinking about those newbies getting their wind kicked out of their sales by Thunder. He's gonna make it so they don't even want to race anymore, or he is going to kill someone."

Ryan had never thought about it before while racing but now stepping back and looking in maybe she had been on of the one who helped keep order there. There were no rules at the races but there was respect, and that could give you a lot of pull. Thunder ran on fear and she didn't like it.

   "I don't mind seeing other people win as long as its done fairly."

Taking another sip of her drink Ryan's mind wondered for a moment. If she started racing again what would that mean for herself and Hunter? She didn't want it to put a strain on them and she hoped it wouldn't but there was still wondering there anyways.

   "If I start racing again...what do you think that will do to us? If it puts a strain on us...I don't want to do it. I don't want to jeopardize what we have built."

Ryan searched Hunter's eyes for a long moment as she took another sip of her drink. She'd never thought of giving up racing for someone before, but there was something special about Hunter, and she cared more about him then racing.

   "I can be like...your biggest fan on the sidelines or something, or the queen of the races you gotta please me with winning...or something."

Apology

Hunter nodded thoughtfully, still thinking. "Yeah, I don't know Axel that well but your brother said he was a miracle worker with your car. I know he's got a bum hand, but if you're working and he can tell me what to do, it would help." Hunter himself could fix his own car's little problems, but he wasn't the mechanic Ryan or Axel were. "Then Eli can help at least make it look decent on the outside. You're right tho - it's going to take several days probably​."

He sipped his cold drink through the straw and shrugged. "Not sure about Tony. Haven't dealt with him and awful lot, but I'm sure we could work something out as long as he knew we were doing it to help Zan. Which, by the way... feels like the right thing to do, but still a little weird. We've done nothing but compete, and now we're gonna help him..."


Aaron sank down a little in his seat, disappointed, but not really surprised. He remained quiet the rest of the ride back, sensing he'd killed the mood. He was a bit sorry about that, but what was done was done.

After getting back, he hobbled to his room, mentally prepared for a long night of nothingness. Not that his knee minded - by now, it was throbbing.


Waiting outside in the dark, Hal was leaned back against the brick wall. His hood was down, but he still wore his ball cap, and waited for Sam. As she emerged, he straighted and moved from the shadows. "He knew, didn't he? That I was there?"

He sighed and put his hands in his hoodie pockets. "Maybe next time it really should be someone other than me, who's better at hiding." He gave her a look of apology. "I know you said you wanted to see how he'd be if he thought it was just the two of you... but I guess we still don't​ know."

Challenge

"You did too," Aaron argued. "You wanted to see if I'd cause trouble - otherwise you would have at least told me Hal was there. Knowing he was in the corner wouldn't have crimped our style and you know it." He shrugged. "I'm not saying I woulda done differently. Just admit you wanted to see if I'd try and take advantage."

He threw Sam another look. "Tell Hal we're gonna break off, and he'll still tail us." A new challenge was in his tone as his lips twitched. "Go ahead. Try it."


Hunter laughed and nodded. "Maybe ice is a good idea." He bit his lower lip as he looked down at her for a moment before finally retreating. "Come on. Let's get out of here before the party comes this way."

It didn't take long to get to the coffee shop, and Hunter slid into the booth across from Ryan. "So... one thing we didn't talk about earlier... Zan's​ not gonna accept help very easily. He's been at the races as long as I have and he's always been a loner."

He thought for a moment. "I... do know he's got his car out at Tony's junkyard though and... I may know he's gonna be at work tomorrow. We could just... happen... to start helping fix it. Maybe bring Axel in on it to speed things up."

Ice

Ryan couldn't help the murmur that escaped her lips as her one hand found Hunter's hair and ran through it, her other arm around him as his hand rubbed his back. She didn't care they were at the race it was these moments when everything else didn't matter. It was just her and Hunter.

The moment's past and Ryan wasn't sure how many but finally as he pulled away and look down at her Ryan looked up her eyes twinkling. Bringing a hand to her mouth she chuckled a little as her cheeks turned red. 

   "Um....I still want coffee, but can I have ice coffee now please?"

   "That's where you are wrong Aaron I didn't have a tact at all."

Sam let out a long sigh as she moved forward. If she did lose Hal it could cause trouble and she knew that. But if she didn't would she lose Aaron's trust? Did she even have it to start with? It was a fine line to walk.

   "If I lose him, you do know I more than likely won't ever be able to take you anywhere again right? Can I at least tell Hel well be ok, and he can go back so we won't jeopardize that?"

Ice Cream

"Deprived?" Hunter ambled around to her side of the car and slipped his hands around her waist. "Well we wouldn't want that, now would we?"

He grinned and leaned down to press his lips to hers, and tightened his hold around her. Kissing her passionately, he took his time before retreating just enough to see her eyes, and another smile surfaced. "There. Feel better now? Or do we need to go back to my apartment instead of going out for coffee, hmm?"


Aaron just sighed and followed after Sam, a bit more slowly than when they'd arrived. He made it okay by himself though, and back into the car. Once settled and on the way back to the Elite, he glanced over at Sam. "I didn't mind that you needed backup there," he mentioned, referring back to their previous conversation. "I just wish you woulda told me, that's all." He shrugged. "I know the tactics. I know you probably wanted to see if I'd try anything if I thought we were alone. I get it. I just... thought we were past the whole keeping secrets thing."

He paused and looked back out the window. "If you... lose the tail - is it Hal? - and... we go get an ice cream cone... I promise not to say a grouchy word the rest of the week."

Honest

   "I wasn't trying to pull anything over on you and the only way we could have this meeting was to bring someone else along. I didn't want them cramping our style, so I told them not to interfere unless I said otherwise."

Sam stood and grabbed her things and put some money on the table. She felt a little agitated not by Aaron's observation but that he assumed it was because she didn't trust him. Not that she could blame him really.

   "As for the bartender, my brother went to school with him so I had to give him a heads up. He looks out for me like a little sister. My suggestion though for you next time not assume or jump the gun that I don't trust you. I don't know if someone is out there still wanting to shoot your head off. So I'd rather have our bases covered in case something happens. Now you can believe me or not, but that's the honest truth."

Walking out she knew Aaron would follow. Passing the bartender she gave a wave calling over her shoulder as she left.

   "See ya next week Jimmy."

   "Mmmm...Coffee sounds amazing actually."

Ryan slid off the hood of the car in front of Hunter and put her arms around his neck looking up into his eyes.

   "...Only if I can have another kiss. I feel deprived."

Your Word

"Yeah... yeah, this was nice." Aaron fiddled with his empty glass. "Think I wasted a good stiff drink though." He looked across the table at Sam, squinting his eyes slightly. "Thought I might need to keep a clear head but... looks like you woulda had help if I'd gotten out of hand."

He paused, staring her in the eye. "Besides the bartender, there's only one person in this bar who's been here the entire time we have." He sighed and finally let go of the glass before standing. His knee buckled and he grabbed the table, gritting his teeth against the pain and frustration. He took the crutches and leaned on them, unwilling to admit his knee had had quite enough for one day.

"If there's a next time... tell your boy to brush up on his spy methods. Either that, or just tell me we're not alone. I'd rather you not try to pull one over on me." His tone wasn't angry, or even pushy. It was just matter-of-fact and perhaps... just a little disappointed. He really had been glad to get out tonight... but he was still a prisoner.

He dropped his eyes for a moment and shrugged. "I'm ready to go when you are." His gaze came back up slowly. "I really did like getting out of that building, so... even if you can't trust me... you at least kept your word. Thank you."


Hunter returned Ryan's kiss and smiled. "Then we'll practice. When you're ready. Together."

His eyes went back to the crowd, wondering where Eli had run off to. Not that he didn't have any friends here, he just didn't usually have an agenda.

Sighing, Hunter finally sat up and slid off the car hood. "Wanna go catch a late coffee somewhere?" Truth be told, he just wanted a change of thought. He would never admit to anyone that he had mixed feelings about Ryan racing. He wanted more than anything for her to get back into it and do well and get her fire back. But at the same time, now that they were in a relationship... how would that competition affect them?

Supportive

   "Maybe I just might. If nothing for anything else, at least for the good food."

Sam shook her head and waved Aaron. She wasn't going to follow him. Maybe she was putting more faith in him than she should but she was prepared in case anything was to happen. Sitting back in her chair again she just waited taking a sip of her soda. Looking over at Jimmy behind the bar she gave a nod before her eyes swung to where Hal was before looking back down at her drink.

As Aaron emerged again Sam smiled happy to see he came back on his own. She was confident he would but there was that slightly worry too. Hearing his comment her smirked.

   "Yeah yeah yeah."

Taking her shot again it wasn't much better but she was doing a little bit better. Time seemed to slip by fast and before she knew another game had gone by and Aaron had won that one too. Sam didn't mind though. The chatter, the laughed it really had been nice.

Sitting down and grabbing a piece of ice from her cup Sam sucked on it a moment before chewing it up. 
   
   "I'm definitely going to have to practice more before I challenge you again. This has been a lot of fun though. I hope you had a nice time too."

Looking at Hunter Ryan smiled. She was happy he could ready her without her even saying anything. She wanted to help Zan, she was just nervous about doing it. It always made her feel so good he has such confidence in her. 

   "You are the best you know that. Thank you for being so supportive."

Leaning over and giving Hunter a kiss on the lips Ryan let it linger for a long moment. Pulling away her eyes twinkled. If she was going to practice ith anyone she would want it to be Hunter.

   "Practicing in the daylight would be good. You are confident in me, but I got to see that in myself. So getting use to the feel again might be nice."

Better

Aaron couldn't help his chuckle at Sam, and he gave her a little bow. "Nicely done. You obviously have a lot of talent." He grabbed another onion ring and munched on it before taking the darts again. He stood a ways away from the target and turned his back on it. Back to using his right hand, he waited a moment, then spun around and without hesitation, let the first dart fly for a bullseye. For the next one, he studied the target for a couple seconds, then closed his eyes. He threw the dart, and hit just the outer edge of the bullseye. 

Grinning, he tossed a look at Sam. "Been way too long since I got to practice," he admitted. "I used to throw knives blindfolded." For just a moment, his gaze betrayed him as his mind was lost in the not-so-distant past. He'd been praised for his abilities, but had also been punished for his failings. 

He took the last dart in his left hand and turned his back on the target again. This time, he threw over the shoulder. The dart hit the outside rim of the target, almost going into the wall instead. His eyes widened and he stifled a laugh. "And... looks like we're closer to being even."

He collected the darts and handed them back to her before he snitched a small piece of fried cheese from her plate. "Mm... those are good too." He gave her a mischievous little look. "You might have to bring me back here."

He took a long swig of water, then sighed, glancing around. "Duty calls." He grabbed his crutches. "Be right back." He threw a glance over his shoulder. "Unless you wanna follow me into the little boy's room." Knowing good and well she'd let him go, he kept his route until the bathroom door had shut behind him. His eyes immediately found the window, just above head-height, and just big enough for a man to slip through if he did it right. The wheels in his mind continued to turn.

A few minutes later, he reemerged and hobbled back to the table. "So... you gonna take another turn, or what?"


Eli nodded at his sister. He knew she might not be ready to race, but she was willing to help, and that was the main thing. "Alright. I'll let you two get in touch with Zan and we'll go from there." He pushed off the car and looked towards the crowd. "I gotta go find a guy. I'll catch you two later."

"Later." Hunter gave him a wave before settling back on his elbows and looking up at Ryan. "Take things as slow as you need," he mentioned. "Nobody's gonna make you race before you're ready. If you do wanna practice tho, we can come out here in daylight and just play around. Get the feel of the sand under ya again."

He leaned closer and nudged her with his shoulder. "You don't lose what you were born with," he assured softly. "And you've always been a better driver than me."

Fake

Sitting on the hood of her car with her legs crossed she just listened to Eli. Hearing about Thunder burned Ryan up inside and seeing him race the newbies upset her even more. If he kept this up soon the newbies wouldn't even race anymore because there was no point. They couldn't learn if someone was constantly beating them who unfortunately had more skill. 

Hearing Eli mentions about them ganging up on Thunder Ryan looked to her brother and then looked to Hunter for a long moment. She hadn't raced again yet and honestly, it still made her nervous thinking about it. The people here needed a hero though to take Thunder out, but could she really help?

   "I haven't even driven again to know if I am still good or not. I might hinder more than help."

Leaning back and just looking up at the sky Ryan thought for a long moment as silence rained. Being here at the races again felt like home, even all the noise felt good. She had missed it, and she was starting to miss racing...but was she really that good?

   "First things first though I think all three of us need to help get Zan's car working again and I have to practice before I try to take anyone on. Thunder does need to be taught a lesson before he brings the wrong idea to the races. This is a safe haven for a lot of people, I don't want to see it go down the tubes."

Sam was happy to see Aaron was pleased with the food too. This really was one of the best places to get some good bar food. Hearing Aaron's comment Sam chuckled. Well, at least she could keep him guessing.

   "When I was in the academy I came here a lot more. It was the place to hang out after a long day. Now I only come every once in a while to get some food, play darts, or just have a beer. Nothing fancy, but just to relax."

Popping another cheese into her mouth Sam leaned back in her chair and watched as Aaron took his shot again. Even using his other hand he was still good. Sam didn't mind though as long as they had a good time.

Taking the darts and taking her own turn Sam shot twice not even coming close. Looking to Aaron she rolled her eyes and grinned.

  "So you are going to beat me unless..."

Stepping really close to the dart board Sam lifting the dark and throwing it...or rather placing it, it went right into the bullseye. Stepping back and lifting her heads in the air she fake cheered.

   "Oh yeah...I'm good."

Taking the darts off the board and sitting down again she couldn't help the sheepish look on her face. 

Sunshine

Sam's comment made Aaron grin, and he shook his head. "I can always throw left-handed or with my eyes closed to even it out," he teased. 

Seeing their food had come, he eased down to sit, putting his foot up on an empty chair to relieve his knee. Taking a bite of an onion ring, he nodded his approval. "These are really good." Actually, any break from the same old food at the Elite tasted like heaven. Sam brought him something different every once in a while, but he still got tired of the frozen meal routine. This greasy batter... was divine. 

"Would not have guessed you would know a bar this well," he mused as he looked over at her. "Most clean-cut loners aren't attracted to this atmosphere." She'd been a mystery from the start, and he felt like he still hadn't figured her out. He finished a second onion ring before he stood back up again, grabbing the darts. This time he used his left hand, and only two out of three made the bullseye, although the third came very close. He cocked his head at Sam. "Better?"


Zan chuckled and nodded. "Okay." As the breeze blew a lock of Destiny's hair across her face, he reached out with just a finger and tucked it behind her ear, brushing her cheek as he went. Then letting his hand drop, he turned to go back inside, grab the leftovers, and head out the front door. "I'll text ya," he mentioned over his shoulder. "Good night."

It didn't take him long to get home, throw his keys on the table and put the leftovers in the fridge. It was quiet, but he was a bit relieved Jett wasn't here again. He spent the next couple hours in front of the television before finally calling it a night. As he sat on the edge of his bed though, once again he was in the same position he'd been in that morning. He ran his thumb over the locket, his mind taking him back years. His conversation with Destiny had stirred something up inside of him today. Something he'd been afraid to face for far too long. He'd lived off his guilt and remorse and grief now for over three years. He didn't know how to live without it. But... he'd realized today that sunshine really did exist elsewhere. He just had to pull himself up out of the valley to be able to see it.

Reaching over, he opened up the nightstand drawer just as he had that morning. But this time, he slowly set the locket inside, then closed it again. Perhaps Destiny was just a fleeting moment in his life... but he knew now that his heart could be touched again.

He shut off the light and settled down under the covers, sighing deeply. Tomorrow he had to work in the morning, then he'd tackle his car all day again.


"Somebody's gotta do something." Eli looked at Hunter and Ryan as they stood around Hunter's car at the edge of the race scene. The crowd was partying heavily tonight, but it was quieter out here on the outskirts. Hunter hadn't raced tonight, but they'd watched two novice races, one of which Thunder had won - which, by the unwritten rules here was quite illegal. Everyone knew once a driver won three "newbie" races in a row, or within six weeks, he or she had to move up in the ranks and could no longer compete with the new drivers. The same rules applied to the next level, the "novices," who then had to move up with the "big boys" after their three wins. The three-level system gave the inexperienced a chance to learn and compete before being forced into battle with the seasoned drivers, and it had always worked well. If a driver continually lost over and over, there was a chance he'd be allowed to fall back into a lower level again, but only by vote of all regular drivers. And Thunder certainly hadn't been losing, not had there been a vote.

Eli told them about the last race as well, and Zan's accident. "His sidekick asked me to help avoid a fight, so I did, but standing around doing nothing isn't gonna solve this."

Hunter sat on the hood, and leaned back, thinking. The glow from a nearby burn barrel outlined his face. "Got something in mind?"

Eli shrugged. "Maybe. If you two and Zan ganged up on him out there, he wouldn't stand a chance."

"You mean just start making him constantly lose?"

"Something like that. Humiliation will drive a man out on its own." Eli glanced at Ryan. "It would take three drivers though. Two wouldn't be enough."

Hunter also looked at Ryan, searching her face. He knew she hadn't yet been ready to race. Was Eli pushing her to fast? "We could always convince one of the others."

"Could... but you three are the better drivers. It's gonna take some fancy footwork out there."

"Zan isn't even all that great," Hunter argued. 

"Maybe he wasn't... but when you two aren't here, he's been giving the whole pack a run for their money. He hadn't even won his three novice races before he decided to join the big boys, and he's been trying his hardest ever since. Not to mention, Thunder's creamed him twice in a row now." Eli shook his head. "Poor guy can't afford to fix his car - I don't know how he's gonna make it work."

Hunter sighed. "Maybe he needs a couple mechanics and a guy who knows how to paint to help him out."

Eli quirked an eyebrow. "Maybe." He looked back to Ryan. "What do think think, Speedy? Any bright ideas in any of this?"

Junk Food

Watching as Aaron threw the darts Sam was impressed and at the same time, she should have known better. If he had been a sniper with the Agency then he had to have good aim.

Not saying anything Sam took the darts and smiled. Taking aim of the first one she let it fly coming close to where Aaron's was, the second was a bull's eye, and the third was way off. Letting out a sigh and shaking her head she went to get the parts before bringing them back to the table as there food and drinks arrived. 

   "I believe I am at a disadvantage. Even if I do lose horribly it will still be fun though."

Taking a sip of her soda and then popping a fried cheese in her mouth Sam savored the taste.

   "This is one of the best places in town to get junk food."

Looking at Zan Destiny understood he had to go. Even if she didn't really want him to she knew it was best. Whatever was growing between them She wanted to make sure everything was done the right way. She didn't want to jeopardize something amazing with a mistake.

   "I'd really like that. I'll let you pick what we do this time."

Your Turn

Aaron watched with interest as Sam placed their order. She seemed so relaxed, but he knew better than to let that fool him. Cats with sharp claws looked relaxed too. 

Being offered the darts first, he stared at them a second before silently accepting them and standing. He abandoned his crutches and limped over to be in line with the board. And hardly taking a half moment to look first, he let the first one fly. It hit dead center. He took two steps back and threw the second, which landed so close to the first that it almost bounced off. Remaining focused and almost stone cold, he took three steps back this time, and let the last dart go. It wasn't quite dead center, but still within the bullseye. 

His eyes shifted to Sam, and his lips curled slightly to one side in a wry grin. He gimped to the board to retrieve the darts before slowly returning and handing them back to Sam. "Your turn." He might make it look easy, but deep down... he still enjoyed it. Any activity that resembled anything even remotely close to practicing what he knew best was like a breath of fresh air. 

Clear at the other end of the bar, Hal sat alone at a table. His hoodie was pulled up over his ballcap, adequately keeping his face in the shadows as he sipped a coke. So far so good. Actually, he was a bit surprised. 


Zan smiled once again and sighed as he looked back inside. "I guess I should probably say goodnight."

His eyes drifted back to Destiny though. "Maybe... we could get together again in a couple days?" He'd suggest tomorrow, but he didn't want to push it.

First

Sam took in Aaron as he took in everything else. She couldn't help but wonder what was going through his mind. This was the first time he had been actually out in a long while and she knew it had to feel good.

   "Onion rings and water..."

Calling over the waitress Sam ordered Aaron his onions rings and water and she ordered a cherry coke and the fried cheese. Leaning back in her chair for a second and giving a stretch she stood again and went to the dart board grabbing their darts.

   "I'll let you go first. I want to see these moves you got."

Destiny laughed at the thought of Jett taking Zan's leftovers and then in her mind a fight ensued. Shaking her head and going to the sink to start washing the dishes she would have to remember next time to make something extra for Jett too. She didn't want him to feel too left out.

It didn't take long to get everything cleaned up and then Destiny joined Zan on the back porch. Standing next to him she looked up at the sky at the warm breeze blew. It really was a nice night out, and the time was going by too quickly. If only the night could last forever. 

   "Thank you for joining me. It was really nice to have some company."

 

Clear Head

Being handed the leftovers, Zan couldn't help his genuine smile. "Oh man... you are way too good to me." He held the container close and patted it lightly. "I'm gonna guard this with my life. I wouldn't want Jett to catch wind of it or I might never see it again."

He finished helping Destiny clean up, and soon found himself back outside. He stood on the deck and leaned on the railing, looking up at the darkening sky where a few stars were making their appearance. He knew he should probably get going, but he was having such a nice time. Destiny was some of the best company he'd had in a long time, and the quiet here was a nice break from his normal crazies at the races or with Jett. 

He glanced to the side as Destiny joined him. "I've had a really good time tonight," he mentioned quietly. "Thank you for inviting me."


Following Sam into the bar, he quirked an eyebrow in surprise as she greeted the bartender. He would not have guessed she would frequent a place like this. She'd said she led a quiet life... but she obviously hung out here enough to be known. Interesting. As he hobbled behind her, his eyes swept the interior of the bar, taking note of how many people were there, where the restrooms were, and where the exits were.

Quiet as they went to a table in the back, his gaze continued to evaluate his surroundings. He eased down into a chair and gritted his teeth before straightening out his leg. It was sore tonight, no doubt. Which could very well put a damper on the plan that was quickly​ forming in his mind.

Lost in thought, he looked quickly to Sam as she mentioned food. Serious? He wondered how far he could press his luck. He'd do just about anything for a shot of whiskey. Even a beer sounded good. "Wouldn't mind some onion rings," he mused. "And... a glass of water." In spite of his watering mouth, he needed to keep a clear head tonight.

Tab

Getting to the bar Sam knew it would be quiet. Not much when on here during the work days. Looking over at Aaron she smirked.

  "Of course not, you have to sit here while I go in and have a nice time."

Rolling her eyes and giving his arm a shove Sam opened the door and got out. Leaning down to look back inside she motioned for Aaron to follow.

   "Come on let's go time is wasting you know."

Once making sure Aaron was following her Sam made her way into the bar beeping the button on her keys to lock it. Once getting inside and catching the bartender's eye she gave a wave. 

   "Hey Jimmy, we are are going to just take up some space in the back to shoot some darts. I'll be opening a tab for tonight too."

Continuing to the back where one of the areas with the dart board Sam set out two coasters on the table to indicate it was taken, just in case it did get busy. Taking the menu and flipping through it for a second she wasn't even sure why she new it like the back of her hand already. Handing it to Aaron she smiled.

   "The fried cheese is really good here. I am going to put in a food order and a drink order, you want anything?"

   "To feeling special!"

Destiny lifted her own glass and then took a sip. Tonight had been a good night. Even with sadder stories being shared it still was turning out nice as they got to know each other.

Time ticked by, food had been eaten, and laughs shared. Leaning back in her chair Destiny was full and couldn't eat another bite. She was happy Zan was enjoying himself and liked the food. She loved to cook so maybe she would have someone she could cook more often for now.

   "Getting help with dishes would be wonderful. Thank you."

Standing and starting to clear the table off Destiny set the leftovers on the counter before putting some dishes in the sink. Grabbing some plastic containers she started to put food in them. When Zan came in with more dishes she smiled.

   "These leftovers are to go home with you too. I made extra to make sure you had some to bring home."

Even

Zan frowned at Destiny's comment but turned it into a little smile. "You should believe it," he prompted. A little sparkle came to his eyes. He didn't think he'd said anything out of the ordinary but if he made her feel good... he was glad. It had been a long time since he'd made someone smile like that. 

Lifting his glass, he winked. "To feeling special. You deserve it."

A short while later, they were both finished eating, and were just sitting, enjoying the evening air as the sun began to set. Zan sighed with content and looked at the dishes on the table. "Can I help with the dishes?" he offered. "I don't think bringing the pop really made us even."


Even though Aaron was waiting for Sam, he still gave a little start when she opened the door. Being called a slow poke made him smirk and he grabbed his crutches to hobble out after her. Coming up alongside her in the hall, he tapped her behind with a crutch. "Who you calling slow poke?"

Back in the control room, Hal waited until they were well on their way before following after them. It wouldn't be easy to keep out of sight, but he wasn't about to leave Sam alone like this.

Hitting the outdoors, Aaron stopped for a mental and took a deep breath of fresh air. He was more than happy to go out somewhere with Sam, but if this was all he'd get, it would have been worth it. Just getting out of that building was a relief.

He hobbled along behind Sam to her car, and managed to get inside, a bit clumsily. He was quiet on the ride. Almost eerily so. But really, he was just enjoying being out and about. The lights, the streets, the cars, the air. It felt like he'd been a prisoner forever.

Once they'd reached their destination and parked, he gave Sam a sidelong glance as he unbuckled his seat belt. "You're really letting me do this... be out in public?"

Slow Poke

Standing in the security room Sam was dressed in a pair of jeans, her books, and a nice shirt. Her gun was tucked safely behind her and would be covered by the jacket she would have on. Not only for her safety but for Aaron's too. Who knew if anyone else from the vigilante group would be after him and she wanted to be prepared. 

   "Alright...I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Thanks again Hal for coming."

Not saying much more Sam left the room and went to where Aaron was. Tapping on the door she opened it and smiled. She knew he would be more than excited about getting out of there and was happy to see he was already, ready.

   "Hey Hey.Ready to blow this popsicle stand and play some darts? I remember there was a certain wager on who was better."

Turning and heading out the door Sam smiled and called over her shoulder. 

   "Come on slow poke, let's go."

Taking her bread and sopping up some of the sauce on her plate Destiny thought for a long moment. Most guys she had thought of who were sleeping around always turned her off. Maybe it was because she knew they never would change, but there was something in Zan's eyes when he said he didn't want that anymore she trusted. 

    "We all make mistakes. Correcting them is really all that matters."

Hearing Zan say he would punch anyone who said differently Destiny could feel some color come to her cheeks. She wasn't sure why but hearing he would defend her like that, it felt nice. Chance he been her bodyguard but this was different. 

    "Maybe if you keep telling me that, I'll start to believe it. Thank you by the way. I dont know what it is, but you have a way of making me feel really good."

Permission

"Eh, don't be too hard on yourself." Zan worked on the rest of his chicken. "At least he was your first. Me, I..." He stopped, thought about it, then shrugged. He'd already laid his heart bare - there was little harm he could do now. "Well, let's just say after I ran from my troubles, I made a couple regrettable choices with a couple of girls... the kind I'm trying to avoid now. And I knew better."

He let his eyes roam Destiny's face. "You obviously we're taken advantage of, so you can't shoulder that blame. All you gotta do now is realize you're worth way too much to be lied to and betrayed again."

He took a sip of his pop before grinning. "And I'll punch any guy who thinks otherwise." He paused. "With your permission, of course."


Aaron strapped on his knee brace and stood from the bed, hobbling around a couple steps in an attempt to work out the kinks. After JT had been there this morning, he was quite sore, but unwilling to keep is leg elevated all evening. Sam had told him they could go out somewhere tonight. He didn't know where or what for or for how long, or what her true motives were, but he wasn't going to say no. To get out of here would be a slice of heaven.

He wasn't sure what time Sam wanted to go, but he wanted to be ready. He'd even tried to clean up a little bit, just to make sure she wouldn't mind being seen in public with him. He half expected hand cuffs, but he might as well shoot for best case scenario.

First pick

Destiny's heart broke a little more for Zan. She really couldn't imagen how it must feel to walk about feeling like that. To lose someone you loved so much. He lost Isabelle without even choosing too. She just couldn't even imagen that. 

   "I won't tell anyone...promise."

Hearing about the rest of Zan's family Destiny smiled. It was nice to hear about the good, and know his parents and him still got along ok. At least he wasn't completely alone in the world.

   "I bet your little sister acts just like you, minus the driving fast part."

As Zan just continued to move on Destiny didn't stop him. It must be very hard for him to talk about and he had already told her a lot. She new what she wanted to know now and didn;t want to push for anything else.

Bringing her plate back to her and taking another bite of her chicken Destiny was quiet as she chewed. Looking back up at Zan she gave a nod. She knew it was odd to be older and only have ever had one boyfriend.

   "Yep he was. Great first pick huh?"

Only One

Destiny's words didn't change anything, but maybe they did make Zan feel a little better. She'd figured right that he blamed himself... was it that obvious? Was she right that Isabella wouldn't want him to blame himself? More than likely.

His eyes fell to their hands as Destiny took his. Her touch was warm. Soft. Caring. He swallowed hard as his emotions churned, and he ran his thumb over her fingers. "Maybe I just keep the locket around as a constant reminder," he reasoned quietly. "People think it's a good luck charm, when really​... it's my punishment."

He sighed deeply and gave Destiny's hand a squeeze before he retreated. "Just don't tell Jett. He'll go mad with jealousy." A little grin finally surfaced again and he dared to look at Destiny's face once more. "On the upside, I've got a little sister who I keep in touch with and... my parents and I get along alright - they're all still in New Mexico."

Returning his attention to his food, he moved on entirely from the subject of Isabella, and took another bite of chicken. "They don't like it that I moved so far away but I think they finally realize I'm not going back. Last time I saw them was at a family reunion in Colorado two years ago."

His eyes found hers. "Even if I was running when I came here... I do like it here." He cocked his head, just studying her for a few moments. "So... this guy you just broke up with... he's only ever been the only one?"

Great Deal

As Zan got up Destiny just stayed seated. Maybe she shouldn't have asked. It was clear no matter how cool he was it was a hard thing to talk about. Sometimes her own curiosity got the best of her. She just hoped now Zan wouldn't be upset with her. 

Seeing Zan come back Destiny smiled. Well, at least he hadn't just high-tailed it out of there.  When he started to talk Destiny listened. Seeing the sad look in his eyes she felt bad but listened intently to his story anyways. His romance with Isabella sounded like it was a fairy tale, so perfect and they sounded so in love. 

Listing about what happened next there was so much emotion in Zan's voice, in his eyes once his face Destiny feels one of her own tears roll down her cheek. What a horrible thing to have happened to someone you loved so deeply. She couldn't even start to imagen how that must feel. 

    "Zan, I am so sorry. I can't imagen how you must feel but I can tell it hurts a great deal still."

Leaning forward Destiny pushed her plate aside for now and leaned on the little table. It was hard to find the right words to say. She'd dealt with losing someone herself and while it was different maybe they had more in than on than they thought. But still...it was hard to find the words to say.

   "Isabella was very lucky to have, had you in her life. I don't think she would ever blame you for what happened, and I can double bet she wouldn't like you blaming yourself either."

Offering another small smile Destiny reached across the table and took Zan's hand in her own giving it a soft squeeze. 

   "Thank you for telling me. Have to admit, I feel special knowing before Jett."

Three Years

Just listening to Destiny talk, Zan couldn't help but feel bad for her. What a miserable way to grow up. Everyone had their sad stories, and nobody had a perfect childhood, but hers sounded downright rotten and unfair. This Agency place must have been absolutely awful to have had such power over her family. If he hadn't heard it from her directly, he would have thought she was exaggerating, if not flat out lying, but he could tell she was speaking the truth. "Well... if you'd gone to prom, you woulda dazzled them all." He had no idea, but he'd like to believe that anyway - more importantly, he hoped she believed it herself.

At Destiny's question of his own past, Zan's eyes snapped over to hers, and he visibly tensed. Looking back down at his plate, he tried to stamp down his feelings. It wasn't her fault. She didn't know any better, and it was an innocent question. He finally glanced back over at her and forced a laugh. "Isn't that the number one thing guys run from? Girls?"

He picked up his half-empty glass before standing. "I'm gonna go get some more pop. Be right back." Once inside, he wandered to the kitchen counter and just leaned on it for a moment, collecting his thoughts. He never talked about his past. Ever. Not even Jett knew the whole story. Thinking about it still made his stomach churn. He glanced over his shoulder to the patio door. In spite of his natural reaction to retreat... was it finally time to let go?

He heaved a sigh and filled his glass before returning to the small patio table. He picked up his fork, ready to take another bite, but he stopped. Leaning back in his chair, he looked out at the backyard. Destiny had shared her story... he owed her the same courtesy. "Her name was Isabella." His tone was void of his earlier humor, and his eyes finally swiveled in her direction. "We were... high school sweethearts. Well... I was three years older, so I was off doing my thing while she was still in school. Her parents didn't approve. I didn't have the greatest reputation, I wasn't good enough and I was too mature for her."

He shrugged. "We ignored them and kept seeing each other anyway. Got to the point where we were talking long-range plans. We weren't engaged but it was headed that way." He shook his head. "Her parents finally had enough, made her life miserable, and she crashed with me for a few weeks. It was all innocent but it just made her parents think all the more bad things about me. She got her own place and... things started looking up for us. Then..."

He swallowed hard as his eyes fell again, and he fiddled with his fork. He had to say it out loud. He had to let go. "We were... in a car accident. I was driving. I remember we were laughing about something... totally caught up in our fairytale. The light was green, so I didn't bother looking at the crossing traffic. But a guy in a truck ran the red light and t-boned my car on the passenger side."

He ran his fork through his half-eaten salad as his mind's eye took him back to that day. "I woke up in the hospital. Had a minor concussion and some cuts and bruises. But Isabella, she... she had more extensive injuries. She made it through surgery and was stable but... she'd fallen into a coma. The doctor said if she didn't wake up in the next three weeks, she never would. And... four weeks went by without any change."

Pausing again, he finally abandoned his fork and folded his arms, rocking back on the back legs of the chair. "Her parents refused to pull the plug, and took her home to care for her there. They blamed me, and wouldn't allow me back on the property. Another month went by and... I couldn't take it anymore. I felt like I was suffocating. So that's when I came here, and that was...about three years ago now." He shrugged again. "I contacted her brother off and on for a little while since he didn't hate me, but eventually I realized nothing was ever going to change. Last time I talked to him was about a year ago. Since then I've just... tried to put it all behind me." He gave a sorry kind of laugh. "Except for the locket. Just hadn't been able to get rid of that one yet."

After another long pause, he finally looked over at Destiny again. "You're the first person I've told all this to since moving out here. Not even Jett knows."

Pry

Setting her fork down and just listing to Zan again Destiny caught the lost look that was in his eyes again. She still wondered about that, about his past. There was a lot of hurt there not to wonder. 

   "I could see how one could get addicted to that. I bet it makes you feel free."

Hearing Zan's question and his observation her cheeks turned a little red for a second. It felt nice hearing him think she was the prettiest one at prom and at least now she new he thought she was pretty.

   "Since my family was in The Agency I always had to be very careful about what I did or who I talked too. Never trust anyone, never get close. I was a straight A student even though I didn't want to be. I got in trouble once...."

Destiny still remembered that day. Her parents hadn't been mad but they had gotten a visit from someone her father worked with and it was not good at all. Her father had taken a beating for her. Her parents never knew she knew, but she did and after that, she never stepped out of line again.

   "...after that, I never did again. I did get picked on a lot because I went to school, and then went home. People did try and talk to me, and I remember Johnny West he wanted to take me to prom but..I couldn't go. A week later after his sixth time asked me he ended up transpiring schools."

Letting out a long sigh Destiny ran her fork through her salad again for a moment. She'd never told anyone this stuff before. Now that she was it sounded so insane and she really realized how messed up her life was. If she had to guess the agency got to Johnny and made him transport so he wouldn't bother her anymore. 

Glancing up at Zan again she smiled a little before taking a bite of her salad. Chewing her she studied him for a long moment. 

   "So when we first met you told me you found your way here because you were running. What were you running from? Where you running from the girl who is in your locket?"

After the words came out of her mouth she cringed a little. She could be so nosy sometimes she just hoped Zan wasn't angry.

   "I'm sorry when I find the locket in my car I opened it because I have one that almost looks like it. When I saw her picture I knew it wasn't mine. I wasn't trying to pry."

Brooke laughed again finishing off her crust and setting aside her plate aside. Tal did have a good sense of humor and she liked it. It was the kind that said he wasn't trying to be funny he just was. It was more real than trying to force it.

   "That doesn't sound like a bad plan to me honestly."

Giving a little stretch and then looking at Tal again she smiled. She was happy she had met him yesterday at the little get-together. It was nice to just talk to someone.

   "So where are you moving too? Some place bigger?"