For notes and disclaimer, please see part one.

Here's a couple things you might need to know or maybe you just forgot: Casey misses laundry on Sunday, but stops by to see Ellie and Downy on Monday. Ellie finally breaks down after Stephen's death.

Bundle of Nerves

It had been a month since they'd actually seen each other on a Sunday, since they'd ventured to their place of weekend solitude on their normal schedule. Ellie was actually kind of nervous about it. Casey had been a tremendous help to her, more than he knew. She wanted to tell him, she wanted to thank him, but she wasn't sure how.

Ellie filled the first hamper, sorting out the clothes. Downy watched her idly. "You about ready to see your daddy, huh?"

The meow the cat offered was clear and loud.

She laughed softly. "I guess that's a yes, then, huh?"

Downy got to her feet, sauntering from one hamper to the other, sniffing curiously at each. She could tell a difference between Ellie's clothes and Devon's clothes, and when she knew which one held mostly Ellie's, she leaped into it.

"I can't think of what to say," Ellie began slowly. She was careful not to give too many details away. She wasn't sure what kinds of "security precautions" were in her apartment, but, after Casey's admission the week before, she wasn't going to take any chances. "I know it's hard to imagine. Me. Without finding the words. I usually don't have any trouble with talking... as, clearly, you can see."

Downy yawned, stretching.

"I just... There's so much that's... I dunno, that's different. I just... there's a different feeling now that I can't really..." She exhaled. "I can't really explain. I'm not sure I want to explain it, that I want to think about it all that much."

Her stomach seemed to turn flips. She felt like a teenager. She tried to quell those feelings. They didn't have any place in her life. It was confusing enough after the loss of her father.

She looked at Downy, scratching behind the calico's ears. "You'll keep my secret, won't you?"

Downy looked up at her owner, her yellow eyes so innocent.

Casey paced in his apartment. There was no reason he couldn't join Ellie. There was no mission to prep, no boring strategy meeting to attend, no need to defend against any threat to national security.

But, the closer it got to time to head to the laundry room, the more he wished something would happen. His phone would ring. Beckman would appear on his television screen. Even Chuck would come by with some bizarre question. Maybe Alex needed something.

He wouldn't mind seeing his daughter. He made a mental note to call her later on that afternoon, after laundry.

But that would mean going to the laundromat first.

His clothes were ready, already sorted, waiting in his hamper. He had his detergent, his dryer sheets. He was prepared, as always, to go. He just couldn't help but wonder what would happen.

In the past several weeks, he'd had a lot of time to think. His mind was often a scary place alone, and his current train of thought didn't make it any safer. He kept having dangerous thoughts, unkind thoughts... thoughts where someone would get hurt.

But, it was a mission he'd never put into play. It was a mission, an objective, he couldn't go after. He was a Marine. He understood valor and honor.

The devil on his shoulder seemed to think otherwise, but Casey'd always been able to battle it back. So far, he was still doing all right. He was just fearful of the temptation, of what the proximity would do. After all, they'd been apart for quite a while now. He was afraid seeing her would be like a starving man seeing a feast, like a thirsty man seeing a waterfall.

He needed to be careful. Very careful.

It wasn't what either of them expected. While it was nice to see the other, it was almost awkward. Once they'd started their laundry, once they'd settled into their usual chairs, and after they'd shared initial pleasantries, it was strange.

He tried several times to say something to her, but he didn't feel comfortable breaking the silence.

She opened her mouth then closed it again. She wanted to tell him everything she'd been thinking about, but she just couldn't. When she opened her mouth again, she actually winced at what came out. "How's Alex?"

"She's good," he said with a nod. "Spoke with her Wednesday after class. She's definitely ready for graduation."

She smiled a little. "Proud papa, huh?"

He nodded, glancing at her. "How's, uh... How's Chuck?"

"He's still Chuck," Ellie said with a nod.

"And Devon?"

She momentarily froze.

He could tell he'd struck some kind of a nerve. "I... you had a trip, right? Somewhere..."

"Sonoma," she said with a nod. "It was all right."

Casey nodded.

Silence descended over them again. If they still had the older machines, they could blame it on the squeaking belts. The quiet was the main pro of the new washers and dryers, though, or it should've been. At the moment, it seemed more of a con. And the fact that the cycles were now shorter was a definite pro, when, before Stephen had died, it would've been, most definitely, con.

Everything in their lives now was so different.

Stay tuned...