Chapter 16

Catch and Release

"Greater love has no man than this: that he lay down his life for his friends." Guzman continued solemnly, his eyes roving across the somber crowd. "Thomas Reeves was a brave soldier, a fine scientist, and above all, a loyal friend. And we will miss him dearly."

"Despite the fact that we never even knew he existed before today." Silas muttered. Skye stifled a smile as Reynolds threw him a warning look from the other side.

"He was a researcher. Spent most of his time at outpost 3." The young soldier returned his attention to the front as Guzman concluded his speech. "Either way, he stood up when he was needed and died in the line of duty, so have some respect."

Silas exchanged a sideways glance with Skye, but didn't offer any further comment. After listening to Guzman speak for another few moments, Skye shot back a whisper of her own, this time in Mark's direction.

"You didn't know him either, did you?"

A flicker of a guilty smile passed over his face, though it was gone again by the time he looked back at her.

"No. But that's beside the point."

"Oh, sure." She nodded, frowning in mock seriousness as she turned back to listen to the remainder of the funeral.

They were gathered near the front of the colony, holding their little event under the shadecloths and standing in the empty space where the markets had once been. The markets themselves had never reopened after the most recent attack. It had been deemed too dangerous to sit outside in plain sight, the white sails blowing in the wind like flags for the enemy to shoot at. It was an obvious target for the next strike, particularly as the market people spent most of their days working and weaving and building materials that were sustaining Terra Nova's side of the war effort.

Not at all phased by this misfortune, the newly-elected marketplace committee chairwoman - Margery for short - had decided to organize a continuation of the good work in the shelter of the autobay shed. It was convenient anyway, seeing as the supplies and tools were already housed there, and being winter, the closed space kept them warm and safe from the elements as well. When summertime came around once more, it would be almost unbearably hot and stuffy (a fact the colony mechanics could heartily attest to - and they did .. very often), but as no one wanted to think that far ahead, it was decided that it was the perfect home for the primeval manufacturer's society for at least the foreseeable future.

The ceremony was over quickly. As the rest of her companions dispersed around her, Skye began to wander away, pausing to watch as Guzman orchestrated the procession to Memorial Field, where the coffin was to be buried. How many times had he had to direct the same walk? The ritual was almost a daily occurrence these days - the actual funerals themselves were kept very short to reflect the unpleasant fact. As the coffin made its way out the wreckage of the gates, she turned away, but her attention was immediately captured by another sight - a couple of small figures sitting side-by-side on a nearby bench. They had been tucked mostly out of the way, watching the proceedings in silence. Now, they had remained, frozen in time, tear-stained faces staring out at the world as though they were trying to blink away the haze of disbelief. They were completely lost, drifting at sea without an anchor. They showed no interest in anything, they felt neither hunger or fear, they no longer had the capacity to make decisions of their own. Nothing else mattered anymore.

"Hey!"

The jarringly cheerful voice interrupted her miserable thoughts, tearing her attention away from the grieving pair. She looked up quickly as Josh came to a stop in front of her.

"I was just looking for you! What do you say we .." He trailed off, a frown creeping into his expression. "Hey. You okay? What's wrong?"

"Oh." Skye blinked and shook her head, looking back up at him and smiling to counter the concern on his face. "Nothing really. Just .. another funeral."

"Ah." Josh nodded, squinting across at the gate. He could just make out the backs of the departing procession. "Thomas Reeves, right?"

Skye watched him in surprise.

"How did you know him?"

"I didn't. Not well anyway." Josh looked down at her again and shrugged. "He came into the Infirmary sometimes for odd reasons. Think he was a bit of a hypochondriac actually."

As Skye laughed, the light of excitement gradually returned to her companion's face.

"So .. I was thinking .." He began again, his voice dropping a few levels as he met her curious gaze. ".. we were pretty strung up when we stumbled on that cavern-"

"Not to mention we'd taken a few good whacks to the head-" Skye interjected dryly.

"Right!" Josh agreed. "And we had no idea where we were or what we were even looking at. Now that we're familiar with the place, we should go back again and take a closer look. Malcolm's laid up, so he won't get to it for a while, and who better to go and investigate than the two people that discovered it in the first place? I'm sure we could find something else that we missed before."

"I've been thinking the same thing." Skye responded eagerly, her former sympathy instantly forgotten in light of this new suggestion. "Are you free this morning? Why don't we gather up some supplies and I'll meet you-"

"What are we talking about?"

Skye's heart sank as Tasha appeared from Josh's other side, slipping under his arm neatly. He automatically adjusted his posture to accommodate her, keeping the arm on her shoulders as he met her gaze.

"Oh, just .. reminiscing."

She eyed him for a moment, a knowing smile touching the corners of her mouth as he gradually collapsed under the weight of her stare. A prickle of fire burned in Skye's chest as she watched him, the smile on her own face frozen like stone. He was completely at Tasha's mercy. There was no way she'd let him escape now. He was caught .. and worse, he'd willingly allowed himself to be taken.

Josh's attempt at innocence had failed miserably. He stood, face flushed and eyes watering, trying valiantly to hold back his laughter as Tasha scrutinized his expression. Finally, he dropped his head onto her shoulder, shaking it wearily.

"I yield, I yield. I can't keep anything from you, can I?"

No, you can't. Skye responded mentally.

"It would appear not." Tasha observed in a solemn voice. "Perhaps I'm more powerful than either of us were aware of."

Or you've weakened him somehow.

Josh snorted.

"I'd believe it."

You'd believe anything that came out of her mouth, wouldn't you?

"What's your secret?"

"I eat my greens." Tasha responded mildly. "Maybe you'd be stronger if you tried it."

Skye eyed her warily.

She's trying to feed him one of her herb concoctions ..

"Nooo!" Josh almost wailed. "Those plants taste like death incarnate."

Oho, maybe she's been poisoning him. Maybe he's delusional.

"Oh, come on!" Tasha shouted with laughter. "Why am I always trying to convince you anyway? You're the one that's supposed to be the doctor!"

Subtle guilts and blackmail now. Oh, she's good.

"Too bad." Josh replied in a snooty voice, raising his nose into the air. "I'm not required to test every medicine laid at my door. Same with your questionable herbs."

What, do they have some sort of greenhouse drug ring going on?

"They're not 'questionable'!"

Instant denial.

"I'm surprised you've gotten away with it this long honestly." Tasha continued. "Even your mother swears by at least some of them!"

What - Elisabeth's involved?!

"Ah, it's easy for you to say." Josh complained finally, waving a hand in a manner that distinctly resembled Boylan and putting an end to Skye's dark musings for the second time that day. "I don't think it is the plants after all. It's just you. You almost have a sixth sense where people are concerned, it's kind of creepy."

Tasha eyed him patiently.

"That's not true .."

"Nope, I stand by it. You can read people better than anyone else I've ever met." Josh assumed a plaintive demeanor similar to that of a squashed cabbage. "I'll never be able to win against your psychological advantage."

"Don't feel bad about it." Tasha laughed, patting his shoulder sympathetically. "Believe it or not, an honest conscience is a good thing."

"Unless you're caught by a real enemy." Skye interjected, with a dull laugh of her own. "You might want to practice your technique a bit. If Tasha can break you that easy, you wouldn't last five minutes in a real interrogation."

Josh frowned a little, exchanging a look of amusement with Tasha.

"Good point, Skye. Thanks."

They both laughed together then, and Skye's throat tightened. She had the distinct impression she was the subject of the joke, though, in all honesty, they seemed less interested in her and more interested in each other. Maybe she'd misread the situation ..

Nevertheless, a nagging doubt remained.

"Well, I'll leave you to it." She smiled brightly, shoving her hands into her pockets in a more aggressive manner than was strictly necessary. "Catch up with you later."

"Later, Skye."

"Bye! Don't get too cold out there today, okay?"

Saluting in response, Skye turned on her heel and marched off, but within the space of several steps, her trajectory slowed rapidly and she stopped, trying to talk herself out of the overwhelming urge to look back. She knew the sight that awaited her. Nevertheless, unable to resist the temptation, she threw a glance over her shoulder. Josh and Tasha, deep in the world of their own conversation, were wandering away. The scene was painfully familiar. She watched them wistfully for a moment, then turned as she heard the voice .. one that she had strangely been expecting.

"Spying on the common people?"

The corner of her mouth twisted into a half smile as she looked up at him.

"Was it that obvious?"

"Why?"

"I can't help it, they're just so fascinating."

Lucas tilted his head a little.

"I'd believe you. Except .."

"Except .. ?"

He didn't answer, though a hint of a smile played quietly across his features as he studied her. Finally, he folded his arms, his eyes flickering in a manner that reminded Skye vaguely of an eagle about to dive in for the kill.

"Come on, what's with the look?"

She blinked.

"What look?"

"You know what look. Still got eyes for him, don't you?"

"What?! Who?!" Skye stared at him. It had been an automatic response, but now, under the scrutiny of Lucas' perceptive gaze, she began to feel a little foolish for it. "Oh. Josh."

She turned away, shrugging.

"No, of course not. I don't have my eyes on anyone."

Lucas eyed her disbelievingly. A likely story.

Skye shifted, her gaze flicking to and fro across the marketplace, searching for a method of diverting the conversation. After a moment of deliberation, she swung back to him, a trace of triumph underlying her casual manner.

"Anyway, what do you care?"

"I don't care." Lucas shrugged, retreating immediately, as she had known he would. "I couldn't care less honestly."

Skye eyed him disbelievingly. A likely story. Still, as a change of topic was in both of their best interests, she let the matter drop. Lucas had apparently decided to move on as well. As he stepped forward again, his eyes flashed conspiratorially.

"Whatever, forget about him. There's something else I think you should see today."

"What is it?"

"Tell you when we get there."

Skye paused, narrowing her eyes.

".. isn't it kind of pointless by then?"

Lucas wiggled his eyebrows up and down.

"Come on."

"Alright. Everyone got their socks on?" Lucy's eyes gleamed. "We up with the plan?"

Jim eyed the girl doubtfully.

"Are you sure about this guy? Yesterday was a complete waste of time. The day before, you had us wandering around in circles after a man that may actually live further off this planet than we do."

"What! It's not my fault you can't pronounce your words clearly enough!" Lucy fired back, causing Taylor to release a low chuckle. "The guy might not have had the best hearing in the world, but in our defense, he did think you were saying 'dog' the entire time."

"Look on the bright side." Zayne put in soberly, his voice still crackling with the sleepy growl of having not long woken up. It was far too early to be out and about. "At least you know where all the pest control places in the city are now."

"And why would they need to know that?" His cousin shot back at him.

"So they know which doorstep to leave you on when they get sick of you." His eyes zapped under his mop of unkept hair. "Come on, you walked right into that."

"Lucy .." Her aunt groaned from the background as Lucy gathered herself to launch a counterattack. "Remember this is real life. It's serious. You're not playing secret agents anymore."

"As if we spent our days playing secret agents in the first place." Lucy stuck her chin out indignantly. Her aunt threw her hands in the air and gave up. They were finding she did that quite often.

"If she gets too much for you, let me know. I'm sure I can find her something to do around here."

"Yeah right." Lucy laughed, before the others could venture a comment. "Having us at home during the day to distract her is about her worst nightmare. That's why she fought so hard to try and make us go to school."

"Another losing battle." Erika muttered with chagrin as Zayne hit the entry button. The double doors slid away smoothly, revealing the bright, artificially-lit world beyond. The group filed outside, Lucy leading the way excitedly to the lean-to near the front gate.

"Look after your houseguests!" Erika's warning voice rang out behind them. Her niece seemed not to hear this statement, but Jim quickly turned back to her.

"We'll look after each other, don't worry!"

"I appreciate that." She smiled. "It's reassuring to know that they're in such capable hands."

She waved for a few moments, then turned back inside, the pleasantness falling from her face as the white doors slid shut behind her.

"Finally, some peace and quiet."

"A motherly statement if ever I heard one."

Erika's heart jumped sharply at the new voice. She swung around, her mouth dry as the intruder slowly emerged, rounding the corner and separating himself from the shadows beneath the staircase. She stared at him coldly, trying to appear unbothered by his presence as she restarted her breathing.

"You shouldn't be here!"

Her visitor shrugged a little, inclining his head in the direction of the door.

"I had to see it for myself."

"Hmph." Erika folded her arms as the wild beating of her heart finally began to settle back into the normal range. "You didn't trust me."

"I trusted you enough, or I wouldn't have bothered coming." He responded, sounding as though it was the most logical series of events in the world. Erika rolled her eyes to the ceiling as he crept to the door, peering out to watch the small group leave the safety of the dome village.

"You shouldn't stay there where they can see you. What if one of them looks back?"

"You're probably right." He conceded generously, turning away from the front entrance and back to the safety of the living area.

His unwilling host folded her hands serenely in front of her.

"So is that all? You wanted to see them in person? You've seen them." Now get out of my house, the note in her voice seemed to say.

He looked around the spacious room, nodding to himself.

"Nice place. Impressive."

"You expected me to live under a bridge?"

"Honestly, I don't know what I expected." His eyes met hers with a glimmer of amusement. "Where does an assassin usually live?"

"You tell me."

"Touché."

"Actually, I'm glad you're here. You saved me a call." Erika offered unexpectedly. Her visitor raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

"I figured since we'll be working so closely together in the future, it's about time you see exactly who you're dealing with."

"Sounds fine by me."

"Shall we say, Tuesday morning?" She assumed a business-like manner - one he suspected she used quite often. "Meet me here and I'll take you."

"Alright. It's a date."

"It is definitely not."

Her visitor laughed a little. Erika didn't join in.

"I believe it's time you were leaving. Aiva will see you out."

He followed her gesture, his eyes resting on the housekeeper in mild surprise. He hadn't even noticed her there. The woman watched him in silence, her keen gaze seeming to penetrate through every layer of his usual obliging facade. He stood frozen to the spot, his eyes locked on hers as a prickle of discomfort crackled down his spine. Why was she staring like that? What could she see?

Erika quickly tired of waiting for him to move along.

"I'll see you on Tuesday. Not before."

He turned to her then, tearing his attention away from the strange housekeeper to settle back on his associate.

"Til Tuesday then."

"And Simon?"

He raised his eyebrows, smiling a little.

"Hm?"

"Next time .. use the front door."

"If you insist."

Though partially obscured by the foliage, the mismatched bamboo and wood fence was quickly coming into view. Skye moved forward hesitantly, Lucas a few steps behind her. Beyond what she could make out, shadowy figures appeared to be moving to and fro, and the sound of urgent voices floated back to them on the breeze. On either side, an assorted medley of snorting and rustling and stomping followed them along. Skye glanced back questioningly over her shoulder.

"The pens? Why, what's going on?"

"Keep going, you're almost there." Lucas' low voice murmured back. He was apparently unaffected by the charged sense of excitement in the air. The entire atmosphere of the surrounding jungle seemed to be swirling with a sort of expectant electricity. A few more metres and Skye was finally able to see why.

Before them was a large corral, bordered by a solid wood fence, more well-built than the others. On all sides, security team members and Sixers were scattered about, leaning against the barrier and chatting casually to each other. Skye's attention, however, had been drawn immediately to the far side of the arena, where a furious animal stood restrained by a series of ropes. It was taking six men to hold him still, while another two secured the odd-looking piece of leather firmly to its back. The creature's expression was cold and hateful, his white-rimmed eyes darting back and forth, focusing on one person at a time, as though he was trying to decide which human to punish first when he finally managed to break free. Skye watched in fascination as someone double-checked the leather strips holding its long mouth shut.

"Don't tell me they're planning on .."

"Welcome to the rodeo." Lucas had drawn up beside her and now stood leaning on the fence, chuckling to himself as he watched the proceedings. "Today's the most risky contestant so far - it's an Empirosaur, a variant of Spinosaur. This one's young, but they say it's spiteful enough."

"And they're going to try to ride that thing?" Skye stared at the fuming creature in disbelief. It was so angry, it was trembling, slowly tensing and untensing its bound claws, as though it was getting ready to unleash the world's first ever Cretaceous grand piano solo. Its flesh was blackish-green, its scales glistened like the water in a deep mossy pond. As Skye watched, its left eye snapped up to centre on her, causing her stomach to drop unexpectedly. Slightly above and behind the eye, she could make out two whitish streaks, as though it had been attacked as an infant and healed over.

"He's pretty small for a Spinosaur," Skye commented, as the men began to back away slowly. ".. even if he is a young one."

"He's an adolescent, I think." Lucas muttered in response. "Might have been a runt. They didn't say where they'd gotten it."

Standing at almost three metres tall at the shoulder, "small" wasn't a word many people would have used to describe the beast - the creature wasn't undersized by any normal standard, but as far as the inhabitants of their neighborhood realm were concerned, they had seen much bigger.

"Stay out of range of his claws if you know what's good for you." A loud voice called out from close by. "It's a good way to get gutted."

Skye and Lucas turned to see the trainer lower his hands for a moment, then, as though he seemed to think better of it, he cupped them around his mouth once more and added,

"And remember what I said about your rolls. Do not get trampled! Fall, roll. Don't forget!"

He turned to meet the curious gazes of his companions, shrugging a little.

"They say experience is the best teacher, but I'd rather they didn't turn into pancakes in the process."

He was decked out in his usual leather scrap ensemble, looking more like a Sixer than a soldier. Skye raised an eyebrow as he closed the gap between them, turning to lean on the fence beside her.

"Nice to see you two again. Came to watch the show, huh?"

"Guess so." She murmured, throwing a doubtful glance up at him. "What are you up to anyway? I thought you were supposed to be in charge now."

"I am!" He grinned cheerfully, following her gaze back out to the nervous man who was being mounted atop the animal. "Doesn't mean the guys can't have a little fun."

Skye's eyebrows lowered as the man slipped sideways and had to be shoved upright again by his helpers. There was no way he could stay on indefinitely.

"Seems .. kind of stupid to me."

Curran snorted.

"Come on, Skye, don't tell me you're gonna be a wet blanket."

"I'm not!" She protested with some feeling. "Just .. don't want to see anyone get killed today."

"They'll be fine. They're professionals."

Skye and Lucas exchanged a look, but made no comment to this. The man on board the Spinosaur was looking increasingly uncomfortable. He shuffled his seat a few times, appearing to move into a more painful position with each attempt.

"Where do I even sit on this thing?!" They heard him burst out in frustration. His friends pointed to him, offering a few pieces of well-meant advice .. with a few good-natured jeers mixed in.

"Skid forward a bit."

"Balance on the shoulders."

"Cling with your knees."

"There's nothin' to hang on to!"

"Wrap your arms around his neck."

"Yeah, go on. Give him a big ol' hug!"

"This is really high." The rider seemed to be sweating profusely. "What if I fall off the rotten beast?!"

"That's your problem." His companion grinned unsympathetically. "Get ready .."

The rope-handlers seemed to be having an increasing amount of trouble keeping the irritated dinosaur in check. They waited anxiously for the signal from the rider. Any moment now. Lucas glanced sideways at Curran. He appeared to be here alone.

"Where are the twins?"

"Out back in the Komodo cage." The dinosaur trainer responded, his eyes locked on the ring. "Didn't want this savage making dinner out of them."

Lucas nodded and returned his attention to the corral.

"Good plan."

Half a second later, the ropes recoiled. The Spinosaur shot away from the corner of the pen and leaped forward three giant steps, its muscled legs contracting beneath it. The rider didn't stand a hope of surviving the jarring jolts. He slid off midway through the first leap, landing on the ground with a horrible thud that sent a shiver through the onlookers. Skye's mouth went dry as the animal turned back to him, but the man's friends had shot into the pen as soon as he went down and were now dragging him to safety. They closed the gate a second before the dinosaur reached it. The man stood up on the other side, wobbly, but apparently unhurt. The Spinosaur's triumph was short-lived. It was hurriedly roped and detained yet again, the slipping saddle was adjusted, and the next daredevil mounted up. He fared about as well as the last participant. The same scene was repeated another three or four times. Occasionally, an entrant managed to survive the initial charge, in which case, the dinosaur changed up its assault, twisting and shaking like a wet dog until the rider was too dizzy and nauseas to maintain its seat. Skye's initial fears had been hurriedly dispelled. As dangerous as the sport was, the grass was soft and the men at the gate seemed to know exactly when someone needed rescuing. Something told her this wasn't the first time they had done this sort of thing. Whatever the case, the activity was hugely entertaining to watch. There was something strangely addictive about it, and her anticipation grew with each attempt.

Curran had wandered off somewhere between riders 5 and 6, but his spot was quickly filled by a burly figure in a wrinkled army jacket. The newcomer watched the proceedings for a moment, then looked down to meet Skye's gaze seriously.

"I'll bet you 10 terras no one stays on past 8 seconds."

"Boylan." Skye grinned. "Why am I not surprised?"

The barkeeper returned his attention to the ring with a careless shrug.

"I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about."

She watched him curiously.

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen you around much lately. Thought you might've run off on us."

"Yeah .." Boylan eyed her. "Maybe if I had half a brain in my head, I'd have done it too. Instead, I stuck around, trapped behind a bar and slavin' my jockeys off in the kitchen!"

Skye's lip curled in distaste. Lucas visibly grimaced.

"That sounds .. unpleasant."

"Oh, believe me, it is!"

"So .. if you're here now, whose jockeys are slaving in the kitchen?" Skye prodded the bartender as Lucas grimaced again. Boylan's eyes flicked up at him for a moment and then he shook his head, turning back to lean on the rough fence with a chuckle.

"Monica. She's manning the Hall while I step out to .. uh .. procure the ingredients."

Skye raised an eyebrow.

"And where are these ingredients?"

Boylan stared at her stubbornly for a moment, then lifted his far hand, raising a large basket into her view. It had been sitting beside him the whole time.

"Ah." Skye nodded.

"Ah." Boylan imitated. "You thought I'd be crazy enough to return empty-handed?! The woman would have my hide sooner than not." He muttered.

"Well .." Skye shook her head in acceptance of this fact. ".. why she would want it, I can't imagine, but .. I couldn't think of a more worthy recipient .. could you?"

She turned to Lucas innocently with the question as Boylan snorted.

"Another word out of you, missy, and we'll see how long you last on his back!"

"Okay!" Skye's eyes lit up immediately as she began to climb the fence. "I'll give it a shot."

"No you won't," Lucas pulled her down again, putting himself between her and the fence. "or you'll have the cot beside your mother's bed permanently."

"Spoilsport."

"Thank me later."

The Spinosaur didn't seem to be tiring at all. In fact, it almost seemed to be reveling in the challenge the humans were offering it. After throwing rider after rider, it was finally decided that the spirited animal had earned a break. The watching crowd all took a collective step back from the fence as a couple of brave souls released the muzzle holding the dinosaur's mouth shut. The sturdy fence might as well be made of weeds if the animal really decided to escape, but a thick leg of Gallusaur thrown into the pen was enough to keep it entertained for the present. They watched with interest as the Spinosaur tore into the meat, wolfing it down and then waiting expectantly as another leg was offered to it. During their intermission, Curran appeared again, this time with a chubby frill-necked reptile in his arms. The creature evidently didn't appreciate being carried along like a sack. It squirmed and twisted every which way, trying to wriggle out of his grip. Curran held onto it easily, eventually turning it upside down and rocking it like a baby. Lucas raised an eyebrow.

"Now I've seen it all."

"Calms them." Curran responded. "Don't ask me why."

"Maybe they think they're dead if they're inverted."

A range of expressions flitted over the trainer's face at the prospect. Finally, he shrugged.

".. yeah, that could be it."

As Lucas shook his head, Curran changed the subject.

"Actually, I'm glad you two are still here."

"Why, is it your turn next?" Skye folded her arms, grinning at him. "We'll cheer for you, don't worry."

Curran smiled a little.

"I mean, I was glad you showed up in the first place. I was going to come find you later anyway, so you saved me the trouble of coming into town."

Skye eyed him curiously.

"You were looking for both of us?"

Curran's attention had drifted back down to his small charge. He resettled the restless infant in the crook of his arm again before looking up, meeting each curious set of eyes in turn.

"I'll get straight to the point. Let's just say there was a building project going on in a different location that only a few people inside the colony are aware of. Would you be interested in helping?"

Skye stared at him, her curiosity growing.

"Building project? What kind of building project?"

"I can't say much out here." Curran muttered. "Never know who could be listening. And you're not allowed to tell anyone about it either. But .."

He cast a quick glance around, meeting Boylan's eye. The barkeeper had sidled down the fence a few feet, but was near enough to hear what was being said. Curran turned back, lowering his voice a little.

".. let's just say we're setting up a contingency plan. If you want to help, we could use a hand with all sorts of things, from wiring to just plain manual labor. If you can't, fine, but you'll have to forget that I told you. Okay, don't mention it. To anyone."

"What about him?" Skye gestured to the barkeeper behind him. Boylan was still staring ahead with interest, but if the intermittent twitching of his ears was any indication, he was listening to the conversation more intently than he was watching the Spinosaur.

"Oh, he's alright." Curran said, after a look over his shoulder. "He's been one of the pillars of our operation."

He felt a slap on his shoulder as Boylan turned around completely and stepped up beside him.

"How nice of you to say so." He leaned heavily on Curran's shoulder as he grinned at Skye and Lucas. "So are you in, or not?"

Skye frowned.

"Is Reilly overseeing this?"

"Nnnnnnooo." Boylan drew out slowly, after exchanging a glance with the dinosaur trainer beside him. Evidently the subject had been a point of much discussion. He looked back at the two quickly.

"Let's just say, we wanted to surprise her. She has enough on her mind, and it's safer for the colony if this stays far away from her .. for now. She'd understand."

Skye threw a dubious glance at Lucas, who turned back to them skeptically.

".. so you're planning a mutiny?"

"No!" Boylan barked, waving his arms as if to ward off the bad idea from the very atmosphere. "No, no, no, nothing like that!"

"It's for Reilly's own good." Curran put in. "Seriously. You'll understand when you see it."

As Skye and Lucas exchanged another glance, he shrugged.

"Well, think about it. If you want to come though, you'll have to decide quick. I'll have to take you there. You won't be able to find it on your own. That's the whole point after all."

He wandered away, yelling another round of encouragement to his cowboys. Skye and Lucas leaned on the fence in silence. Finally, his chin resting on his arms, Lucas murmured.

"You want to go, don't you?"

"Don't you?" Skye questioned, turning her head to study him. "I mean, surely you're curious."

"Yes and no." He muttered, causing Skye to hesitate for a moment, watching him with widening eyes. She looked away to the field, nodding slowly to herself.

"You already knew about it, didn't you?"

"Some." Lucas glanced sideways at her. "Haven't seen it for a while though."

"So that whole 'don't tell anyone' thing was completely for my benefit?"

"Pretty much." He responded. After a few seconds, he turned back to her. "So do you, want to go?"

"After that introduction, how could I not?" Skye laughed, then shook her head as the smile fell from her face. ".. but you know I can't. I have to stay close now .. for Mom's sake."

"I'll stay with Deb." Lucas offered. "Have Curran take you today if you want. He comes and goes as he pleases, who knows when he'll be back."

"But .. I can't." Skye shook her head quickly. "I can't just dump her on you like that while I go off-"

"Hey." Lucas looked at her sharply. There was almost a flash of anger in his expression. "No one's dumping anyone on anyone, alright? Go. She'd want you to."

He turned back to the corral.

"You have a job to do too. She'll understand."

Skye stared at him, trying to formulate some response. She felt illogically hurt, as though she'd been reprimanded, but she didn't quite know why.

"Lucas .." She began falteringly, then stopped. He turned back to meet her eyes. All the anger in his own manner seemed to have vanished. Instead, he smiled gently, as though he was now trying to reassure her.

"It's alright. She doesn't want you to be tied to her bedside. It's the last thing she'd want, you know that. We'll take it in shifts." He said, as though the matter was now settled. "Come relieve me when you get back."

Skye watched him closely.

"You're sure?"

"Yep."

He tugged the end of her braid lightly and turned back to the arena. Skye smiled then and redirected her own attention, nodding decisively.

"Alright .. deal."

They both flinched sharply as another body flew through the air and crunched against the nearby fence. Guess the fireworks had begun again. Intermission was over.

"Is he alright .. ? He's alright!" Boylan yelled, answering his own question. He held up the poor man's hand and waved it as if to demonstrate. "That makes 13 off and 0 on. Remember, with each defeat, you stand a better chance to strike it rich! Who wants to sponsor our next champion?"

Skye laughed in disbelief as another hand went up from the sidelines. Boylan went to greet the new man enthusiastically. As he was hoisted up into the saddle, Lucas shook his head.

"Idiot."

Despite his evident disdain for the sport, he didn't show any signs of going anywhere. Instead, they stayed, watching man after unsuccessful man fly through the sky. The cocky Spinosaur's eyes gleamed maliciously at his victims. He seemed to be enjoying himself more than his riders were.

The cool breeze blew through the clearing, causing the leaves on the evergreen trees to rustle against each other peacefully. Despite the intermittent violence of the event and the constant excited yelling of the onlookers, the two at the fence found themselves entranced. They stayed out far longer than they had intended, but all in all, it wasn't such a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

"Is Skye back at the Infirmary tonight?"

Elisabeth paused to throw a brief look at her oldest son before returning her attention to the pile of disheveled clothes.

"I would imagine so. Why?"

Josh leaned back against the dining room table, swaying uncertainly on his heels.

"It's just .. I was thinking .. maybe I shouldn't go after all .."

"But I thought you'd been planning this for ages!"

"I have, but .." Josh ran an agitated hand through his hair. "Maybe I should go hang out at the Infirmary instead. I think she needs me right now."

"I know she does." His mother eyed him for a moment. "But don't forget, Tasha is important as well. She needs you too."

"I don't want to cancel on her, but Skye is .. I feel like I should-"

Elisabeth shook her head as she folded a shirt and threw it on the couch.

"Josh, honey, you can't protect both of them all the time. Who do you feel the most responsible for?"

Josh scoffed.

"C'mon, Mom .."

"Answer the question!" Elisabeth commanded. "Who do you feel more of a need to protect, Tasha or Skye? Where does your responsibility lie?"

Josh rolled his eyes a little.

"Tasha, obviously."

"Then let Skye be." His mother advised. "She's not doing so badly, considering everything. I've been keeping an eye on her, and she has .."

"Who?" Josh glared at her.

"Look, I know you don't like Lucas, but he has been a great help where Deborah and Skye are concerned. Which also takes some of the burden off me."

"Ah, it's not just that I don't like him .." Josh began, as his mother eyed him. He paused for a moment.

".. alright, it's that I don't like him."

He laughed, and she smiled back at him.

"I know it's hard, but sooner or later, you have to let Skye go. Let her live her own life."

"I do! I am. It's just .."

"It's just .. you're not." Elisabeth laughed a little. "How many times a day do you just happen to be walking past that corner room and happen to need to check up on Deborah?"

Josh spluttered indignantly.

"I don't-"

"Josh, sweetie, last night you were standing in the hall. Not even the patients thought it was normal behavior anymore."

Josh ran a hand through his hair and groaned a little, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"It sounds weirder than it is. It's just that I-"

"It's just that .. you want to have a say in her decisions."

"Yes. No-!"

".. despite being nearly engaged to a different woman who also has no say in the matter."

Josh was silent, staring down at the shirt he was holding as he twisted it unkindly. Elisabeth walked over to him and put a hand on his face, drawing his eyes to hers.

"I know you only want the best for Skye. It's all you've ever wanted. But .." She broke off as a smaller hand pulled at her pant leg. She looked down to find a sleepy Vaughn blinking up at her. Ever since he had learned - or perhaps relearned - how to walk, no bed could keep him in. He had also taken to wandering around the house at odd hours of the night, much to Elisabeth's disconcertion. She picked him up, balancing him on her hip.

"Hey, baby! Did you have enough sleep?" She kissed his curly head as he dropped it to her shoulder, watching Josh closely. Elisabeth followed his gaze.

"I think he's worried about you."

Josh sighed and rubbed his brother's hair, causing the little boy's head to rock back and forth abruptly.

"Thanks, buddy."

"The point I was trying to make is .." Elisabeth turned her attention back to focus on her oldest son. "Skye is a friend, but then, so is Hunter, and you wouldn't try and tell Hunter how to live his life."

Josh snorted.

"As if Hunter would listen. He pretends he's listening and then goes and does the exact opposite. And then acts surprised when he realizes he gave you a different impression."

Elisabeth laughed again.

"Then maybe don't use Hunter as an example."

"But if it was Maddy .." Josh countered, but Elisabeth was already shaking her head.

"But it's not Maddy. If what you're trying to say is that you think of Skye as a sister and you want to look out for her, that's an honorable thing. And I am proud of you, don't doubt it." She smiled at him. "But the truth is, she's not your sister, and your interference won't be taken the way you want it to. I know it's hard, but at this stage, maybe the best thing you can do for Skye is to let her go."

"You're telling me to butt out."

"If you want to take it that way." His mother responded airily.

"And stop loitering in the halls and making excuses to pass their room."

Elisabeth chuckled, causing Vaughn to smile in reply.

"If at all possible, yes. Now .. I believe you were going on a date tonight?"

"Oh!" Josh looked down hurriedly at the wrinkled shirt he was holding, shrugged, and began to put it on. "Right! What's the time?"

"Time to take off your old shirt before putting on a new one." His mother commented kindly. Josh halted, looking down at his layers.

"Oh. I wondered why I suddenly felt fat."

"Go change properly." Elisabeth laughed. "I'll get this one something to eat."

"Okay." Josh grinned, racing to his room, only to race back half a second later. Elisabeth turned to find him right behind her again.

"And Mom .." He kissed her soundly on the top of the head before doing the same to Vaughn. "Thanks."

His mother watched him fly back into his room, clearing her throat conspicuously.

"Any time."