Trent paced around his house. He forced himself to eat a tv dinner he had no appetite for and attempted to win a hand of solitare but his concentration waned. His mind jumped from situation to situation. The sound of his brother's voices yelling his name in chaos echoed within him and collided with the image of Vic pumping on Brock's chest without a word. The push that was necessary to move the youngest of Bravo away almost knocked him off his own feet.

The weeks and months of silence from Brock lingered as he thought back to the look on his brother's face as he himself tore into Mandy. The rage he'd felt at Brock for being seperated, at Vic for possibly condemning him to a life of nothing, and at Mandy for walking away cascaded through him until his eyes had met Brock's and all he could see was desperation. Until he really saw Mandy and came face to face with the fear that she clung to like a raft.

The knock on his door was unexpected. Brock never knocked. He'd been back at his own place with Cerb for a bit now. The dog's extra dishes had yet to be put away. A stray tennis ball or two littered the yard and spare bedroom. It had become Brock's room and the house suddenly felt empty as another knock sounded on his door. Trent sat motionless slumped on the couch. The door was unlocked in case Brock came later although he doubted with everything in him that Brock would come. Whoever it was that was now knocking for a third time could either open it or walk away.

The cracking open of the door told him it was most likely Ray or even Jason coming to look in on him. Without looking up he had no doubt it would be a brother so he was more than surprised when he heard her voice.

"I'll leave if you want but I would really like to talk." Mandy took a tentative step from the threshold.

Trent sat forward and turned toward the doorway. "Wasn't expecting company tonight."

"Door was unlocked." Mandy still held the handle in her hand as she shifted backwards. "But I can go."

"Come inside." Trent stood. "It became habit not to lock it." Her raised eyebrows asked the question her lips had stilled. "Brock shows up here when he's having a bad time. Guess I didn't want him to find a locked door."

"You're a good friend." She shut the door behind her. "He's in the truck in your driveway."

"He that pissed?" Trent glanced out the front window.

"I told him I wanted to talk to you." Mandy sat in the armchair facing him.

"Fair enough." Running his hand through his hair he turned more toward her.

"I'm sorry."

"Not the person you need to apologize to Mandy." It sounded more harsh than he intended.

"Yeah, Trent, you are. I didn't think about the ramifications of sending that text to you. I knew you were with him and that's why but it should have been someone else." Her eyes held his. "I know you expect me to apologize for going and it might piss you off but I don't regret leaving. I needed to go, to figure it out."

"And next time? Next time I get to pick up the pieces again? Mandy I get that you care about him but he loves you and it isn't fair." He lowered his head as the words left his mouth.

"But it's fair for Naima. It was fair to Alana?" There was a bitter taste in her words. "Was it fair to your two ex-wives?"

"You're right. It wasn't fair but when we leave our loved ones aren't being shot at and he will be when you go. So while he's worried about you I'll be the one trying to keep his blood inside him. Hell maybe it will be Vic breaking his damn ribs again, who knows maybe next time it will be Clay, or Sonny. The point is his head won't be where it needs to be and that's not fair."

She lowered her voice. "Who are you the most mad at? Him for going down or yourself for not getting there before Vic?" She could feel tension is the room with every heartbeat.

"Mandy you're right... I'm mad. I'm mad at him and Vic and you and you're right I'm mostly mad at myself." Trent lowered his head into his hands.

"Trent, I quit my job. You said I care about him but he loves me... I love him too. Didn't really think I'd be telling you that before him but it's the truth." Her cheeks flushed but with his head lowered he didn't see.

"You quit?" Slowly he looked up to meet her eyes.

"I did. I guess when I found myself daydreaming of him instead of listening to the HVT I was sitting with it became an issue I couldn't ignore anymore." The slow disapproving shake of his head almost made her laugh.

"I'm sorry. I know you loved your job."

"Trent are you okay?" The dissipation of his anger left him looking tired, sad, and broken.

"I'm not sure." Trent stood and took two steps toward the door before turning back. "Did he bring pie?"