Author's Note- Well they're putting my dog to sleep this weekend and Cub's trial is Friday. I don't have much else to say. Jessi helped write most of this, I get dibs on the Charlie angst though. Sorry that I've been posting short chapters lately, I'll get myself out of the habit. And most of all, all constructive criticism is more than welcome, it's encouraged.

Disclaimer- The Mouse owns it all. Damn the Mouse.

~*~

 Casey looked up from wiping the sticky shake from the table as the bells on the door chimed.  "I'll be with you in a moment," she called giving the table one last scrub before briskly striding to the counter to dispose of the rag and grab a menu. 

"Our special is the Crème of Broccoli soup or the Dixon sandwich."

"What's the Dixon?" his voice was low and melodic, and she took a closer look at him. 

He looked maybe forty-five, with almost black hair and clear blue eyes.  His brown trench coat reminded her of Gordon, but she wouldn't think of that.  Even at forty-three, she looked young.  Sparse gray crept through her curly hair and a worry crease slept between her brows.

"It's a Ham and Alfalfa sprout sandwich."

"I'll take the soup."

"Good choice." Turning towards the swinging kitchen doors, she became very aware of his eyes on her back.

~*~

The wind blew harder at the top of the building, numbing harshly anything that was exposed. If he was in any coherent state of mind, he would have condemned himself for coming outside on a Minnesota night in February.

He began to weigh out the occurrences of his life. On a more optimistic side, he had secured a scholarship to a prestigious high school through his hockey skills. Unfortionatly his grades were so low, college seemed like a non-option for him, not being able to afford in-state tuition.  He could see how hard Connie had worked, and how hard Dwayne worked, but he couldn't bring himself to do it himself.  He envied them and their progress to be able to focus on what was probably going to make them into significant people.  He knew his hockey skills weren't good enough for college, there were millions like him.  Back when he was thirteen, he had even remembered telling Bombay that he was a better coach.  He needed someone to listen and understand.  But he had moved away to Washington to become a better lawyer, and long distance calls were a waste of money.

He shifted his position on the frigid bricks, clasping his fists tightly within the jacket, attempting to regain feeling, which has long passed with throbbing pain. He mind slowly drifted back to his contemplation, and he knew deep down hockey was no reason to plummet to his death. However the cynical and dominant side of his brain hinted at another reason, of which he was in denial about.

His mom. The only family he had in the world who had been so quick to kick him out of the house. The only one who he had ever been sure that truly loved him, disowned him in the blink of an eye, as though she'd waited for 17 years to finally have an excuse to throw him out on his ass.

Sighed he clenched his eyes shut, sick of referring to the clichés. His subconscious was a constant battle between what he thought he felt and his analyzation of said feelings. A tug of war waged inside his mind between his cries to end it all, and the skeptic that called him feeble and pathetic for such thoughts. Every time he sat in physical silence the battle that underwent in his head was deafening. He was incapable of running from what he heard, for any attempt to escape only increased it, as did every passing day.

Biting his lip he was able to return to the lucid world around him for a split second, noticing that he was no longer cross-legged on the ground, rather teetering with the wind along the ledge. The last image that flashed across his mind was the dark campus, the sky empty, moon hidden, before a surge of black surrounded him and all he could hear was an echo of laughter.

~*~

"Do you often work late?" Mark, as she had found out, asked sipping coffee and picking at a cherry pie in front of him. Over the last week he had come in everyday for either lunch or dinner. 

"Yeah.  My son's at Eden Hall on a hockey scholarship, but I still have to look after him."

"Ah, the wonders of a single parenthood."

"You sound like you have experience mark."

"I did.  Kaitlin died in a mugging while visiting her mom in New York, since then I've lost touch with my ex wife."

"Oh that must have been awful."

"It was.  Hey, do you want to go see a movie or something Case?"

"Um..."

"It's my treat.  Lock up then we'll go to the Mall of America and ride all the rides in camp snoopy." Casey laughed showing off her brilliant smile, "If it hasn't closed, I haven't seen Legoland since Charlie was 7."