Maralyn sat on the edge of Justin's bed, squeezing his hand. "Just, no matter how you look, you'll always be the best husband or big brother" she said, concern lacing her gaze.

***

"Yes, I do, actually" he said, chuckling, looking into her eyes. "Horses, fields, nature.....it really gives you ideas to paint a picture." he peered out through the wind shield. "Well.....would you like to go in?"

Greg heard the door slam, looking out into the front room he saw his wife. Being held at gun point. He reached down to his side and felt for his concealed glock 45. No, I can't... Its to dangerous... I might hit Angie! so he walked out into the main room with his hand up.

"Listen... I'll give you anything... Just don't hurt her! Please."

---

Kevin nodded, then became silent as the flight attendant began talking. He sighed and looked out the window at the clouds... To think that he went nearly a year without seeing them, or the sky in general. For that matter, he hadn't seen anything other then the inside of the POW complex.

He buckled his seat and said to Serria "I've got a little brother down there, I'm sure he'd be glad to show you around" then he shut up as the flight attendant stared him down for interrupting her speech.

Miley played with some of the few strands of hair he had. "It's very hard to deal wiht, isn't it?"

Miley played with some of the few strands of hair he had. "It's very hard to deal wiht, isn't it?"

Miley played with some of the few strands of hair he had. "It's very hard to deal wiht, isn't it?"

Miley played with some of the few strands of hair he had. "It's very hard to deal wiht, isn't it?"

Miley played with some of the few strands of hair he had. "It's very hard to deal with, isn't it?" He looked so different, but she knew it was him. "Did they scare you when they did that?"
Justin struggled to remeber. "They told me to shut up or else they would scalp me and sell my hair or have it be all you ever see of me again." He remebered screaming in protect at the begining of the scapling or wanting to and then dind't remember anyhting after that. "I must have fainted when they did it. I just remeber waking up at the hospital in secere pain and feeling like there was less hair and severe pain in my chest."
Miely stroked his head, causing him to wince. "I could kill those guys for you."
Justin siad, "No, you don't hae to. Revenge isn't good."
Miley felt a tear down ehr cheek. I hate seeing you suffer elike this."
Justin asked, "Or seeing me half bald?"

This is too good to be true... Rosamunde thought as a smiled formed on her lips. "Well, looks like we've got one more thing in common."

She opened the truck's door and stepped out, her flats hitting the gravel. She turned to grab her purse and said, "I should probably call my folks, too, if you don't mind..."

David looked up as Greg entered the room. His grip tightened on Nate's Mother's arm and he kept the grip on his gun tight. "Your son has been a little pest lately..." he said, bitterness in his tone. "I came here to take care of him, you and your wife are just a little side bonus." he stopped and held his ground in the middle of the room, his gun still pressed against Angie's neck. "Tell me, is your son working for the FBI, or an independent agency!?" his tone was patient, for now.

"No, I don't mind at all!" Jack called as he ushered her up onto the porch and inside. He opened the door, letting her go in first. Darkness greeted them, before he turned on a lamp. Paintings adorned the walls, depicting scenes of fertile fields, horses, or owls. The accessories were mostly western style, and the inside resembled a cozy cabin. "The phone is over there." he pointed "Are ya cold? I can make some hot cocoa!"

Serria almost smiled at seeing the stewardess piercing glare. When the woman moved on she whispered. "It will be nice to meet your brother."

***

"It is" Maralyn whispered. "But we'll get through it. Justin is strong..."

Rosamunde stepped inside, rubbing her arms, hoping to rid herself of the goosebumps she had from the rain. She looked around the room when he flipped the light on. Her brown eyes landed on a painted picture of a few horses and Rosamunde stepped closer to it. In the bottom right-hand corner was the name "Jack Alton." She smiled and walked toward the phone as he asked about hot cocoa.

"I'll take some, thanks." Rosamunde picked up the phone and dialed her father's cellphone. He didn't pick up, so she left him a message, explaining her situation.

Rosamunde looked around the main room, admiring the paintings. "Jack, these are amazing!" she said, loudly enough so he would hear her in the kitchen.

She listened to Maralyn, as her brother fell asleep. "They must have really terrified him."

Jack chuckled. "Thanks! But really, they aren't the greatest" he stepped from the kitchen carrying two steaming mugs. "You should see my Mother's....I'm not half the artist she was." he gestured to a couch, sitting down at one end, his cup between his hands. "Did your parents answer?" he looked over at her, his eyes trailing along the lines of her face, and then the waves of her hair, which looked quite pretty when wet.

*****

"Yes.....they did" Maralyn said, sighing sadly. "I don't want him to become so depressed"

Miley said, "He's been through so much. I jus thope this doens't kill him. We need ot get him a psycologist and make sure a doctor comes in and checks on these wounds. She glanced at his chest. "I wonder how his chest is doing?"

Rosamunde took the mug and sat down next to him, taking a tentative sip of the steaming drink. "Mm, yummy." She smiled. "Your mom's an artist? My parents are, too. Guess it was only natural for me to become one, as well."

She shook her head. "No, Dad usually turns his phone off when he goes out with my mom. I left a message. If he gets it, he'll probably call here."

Cradling the mug in her hands, she said, "Sorry for troubling you with all this..."

"Trouble?" A crooked smile appeared onto his face. "Hardly any trouble. I'm just glad I can help." he put his cup down and get up, kneeling next to the dire place. He tossed a few logs in then started a fire with a box of matches he retrieved from the hearth. A cheery blaze sprung up and he went back to the couch, plopping down. "So you paint too? That's great. Really, it's such a interesting past time." he sipped his drink. "What do you like to paint pictures of?"