Rocky got a text. He's currently reading Batman comics before he'll take a shower. It's a family night out, so they're going out to eat later. He quickly glanced at his phone when another text came up. It's from Colt. He wondered why his brother was texting him when he's at the theater and should be watching a movie. Rocky glanced at the digital clock on the desk. It showed 2:42 with the dot set on PM. Colt saw an early movie with some friends, and to avoid having to get dropped off at the theater afterward dinner by his parents, he just saw an early showing.

'Maybe he needs me to pick him up?' He remembered that Colt took his bike to the theater. His notification sounded again then again. 'Maybe he got a flat..' He set down the book then set up from the comfortable position he had been lying in. His brows furrow when reading the message. "Go outside?" He read out loud. He read the next text. It basically was the same, telling him to go outside then asking if he had.

Texting back, he asked: Why?

Colt: 'Bought time. Learn to check your texts faster. Are you going?

Rocky: Fine. I'll go.

Colt: Good. Hurry up.

Rocky rolled his eyes. He tucked his phone into his back pocket then left the house, going into the backyard. He sat on the bench swing.

Rocky: Ok. I'm outside. What? Did you lose something?

Colt: No. I just wanted to keep you away from expenses. Check this out.

Rocky looked at the sky while waiting for whatever it was that was so great.

"Rocky," Tum Tum appeared from the back door; he has a towel around his shoulders, and is running one end through his damp hair. "Shower's free." He walked over to his brother and took a seat beside him. "What are you looking at?"

He looked at the phone screen. Horror registered when the images absorbed. His expression then went to one of someone getting a chance to escape a lion in the Savanna. Eyes wide, brows raised, mouth slightly ajar in relief. Slowly. Ever so slowly. Tum Tum slid from the seat and backed away until he was met with the back door at his rear. He reached back fumbling for the knob as if it was playing a game of tag with his hand. When he finally found the knob he opened the door and escaped inside.

The last of his presence the click of the lock on the door.

Rocky wasn't going to attack. He's unable to. He's frozen in time. There was just no way he was looking at what he's looking at.

Four photos. And a video. He could have played-off the photos as an edited laugh. But not the video. The video was an emotional sentencing. He felt the bars of disbelief, disgust, despair, all of it slid into place barring him in with it.

Emily. Emily Farmer - HIS Emily… was at the movies. Not the horrifying part. That gold medal belonged to the special guest star. Darren Masterson.

Reality was taking a break. Playing a prank? Something juvenile! Something akin to just wanting to screw with Rocky and have a good "Ha ha!" at his expense. Because this can't be real. The video proved otherwise. It was real. Frame by frame he watched Emily wrap her arm around Darren's waist after he, Darren, first wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

How many times he's dreamt of doing that, and not as a friend. Why is Darren getting that chance? This has to be a joke.

His ringtone startled him back to his senses. He answered the phone without a word, he simply connected the incoming call.

"Rocky, they didn't kiss or anything, but they were definitely here together." Colt said with regret in his tone. His brother's silence told him how he's feeling. "Are… are you ok? You want me to say something?"

"No. …Just… No." He thanked Colt for showing him, then hung up.

If there was ever a time in his life when he felt like crying, just ugly out loud balling, it would be right now. At this moment. The tears welled, but held. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then stood from the bench. He looked like someone who'd broken a leg but wanted to prove he could still walk. His limbs and back are stiff.

His hands balled into a fist. What to do? His mind was fuzzy. What to do? He felt sick. What to do?!

…

"Rocky?" His mother called out into the backyard. She just got home from work. "Rocky, what are you doing?" She asked when seeing his son assaulting the atmosphere with a wooden sword.

She stepped into the backyard assuming he hadn't heard her due to being in the zone, or he heard but chose to ignore her. Jessica walked into the shed and grabbed one of the other training Bokken. Crossing the back lawn, she blocked an attack several times. Left, right, center - though he spun and swept at her feet. She jumped back a step, then guarded again just as Rocky swung down with the sword. She saw an opening because he was holding the Bokken with two hands, and she used the opportunity to counter with a tap to his cheek with her free hand.

Rocky blinked. "Mom? What are you doing here?"

"Apparently doubling as a lighthouse. You were pretty far gone. Didn't you hear me calling you?"

"Sorry. Something took over me, I wanted to get the aggression out."

"That's unlike you." She wrapped her arm around his shoulders. "What's going on?"

"E.." He held his tongue. "Forget it. I'll shower and come down in ten minutes."

Trying to lighten the mood, she gave him a sniff and said. "Better go for eleven minutes."

Rocky smiled, to his mother's relief, and followed her into the house.

"Keagen Russell has been causing a lot of trouble lately." Sam Douglas was saying. He doesn't usually like talking about his cases, but Rocky loves hearing about it - he suspects all his children do, to some degree - and today seemed like a good time to use one because Rocky looked down-in-the-dumps over something. "He's been smuggling drugs over from the Netherlands."

"Does that mean you're gonna be on-call a lot more?" Colt asked.

"Hopefully not. We've got a raid planned next Tuesday."

"Good, because we've got a game coming up and I kinda want you to be there."

"I'll definitely be there."

"I wanna go. Last time they gave out caramel popcorn - all buttons. I can't wait to go to high school."

Sam smiled. "Guess we should hope for a college campus next to an Arby's, huh Rocky?" He tried to get him to interact. It failed.

Rocky picked at his food. He was eating it, at least. One bitter chunk at a time. He was gone to them. No reaction to a case he was interested in. Didn't care about Colt's upcoming basketball game. And had no response to Tum Tum's question. "Are you gonna eat that?". He's devoid.

"Rocky.. Samuel, honey, what's wrong?"

Rocky sighed.

"You can tell us…"

"It's just gonna seem dumb." He shook his head.

Happy to get a verbal response, she pressed on. "Everything seems dumb to older people when you're young, but humor us."

Rocky was surprised his brothers haven't butt-in by now. "It's just that, I'm feeling regret, anger, and I feel stupid." He set down the bite of food he scooped onto his fork. "Emily went to the movies with Darren Masterson."

"Not Darren who took the wheels off of Colt's bike when the two of you were at the gas station."

"The same Darren," his father chimed-in "who tossed your sneakers onto the beams in the gymnasium?"

"That's the one."

"Why would she do that?" His mother wondered. Then she remembered.

Sam cleared his throat. "Son, if I can speak as a friend instead of a father" his pause was to get permission from his second son; to which Colt smiled and nodded that he could proceed and take no hits on the cool-scale. "You've been friends with Emily practically your whole life, and not once have you showed her that you've got an ounce of rizz." Again he looked to Colt in wonder if he's used the term correctly.

Colt nodded. "He's right, Rocky. You always get tongue-tied when you wanna show her you like her, but apart from that, you just give off brother to a sister vibes."

"But Darren?"

"She's got amnesia..." He reminded. "And, honestly, you're still nuts for not taking advantage."

"Jeffrey?!"

Colt flinched at his mother's tone. He sorta forgot they were there. At least he kept his vocal range low so the entire restaurant wouldn't think he's some sort of a creep. He held up his hands in defense. "To better put it, she doesn't remember that awkward brotherly side, you could have showed her your manly prowess." His face scrunched up and he shook his head. "And I'm gonna stop talking now, because even I'm getting creeped-out."

Rocky nodded that he agreed. "What if she ends really liking him?" He said mostly to himself.

His mother gave him a comforting pat on the head. "I think you should just tell her how you feel, but don't make it seem like you're only doing it to get her away from Darren."

"Do you think it'll work?"

"I hope so. I can't imagine how horrible it will be once her memories return, and then to find out she's with him."

"Yeah..."

"Don't talk to her tonight, alright?"

"I won't."

Colt and Tum Tum exchanged glances. They thought otherwise towards Rocky's ability to wait until another day.

"How'd you find out about it?" Sam wondered. "Did she tell you?" He hoped not.

"No. Colt saw the horror and sent it to me." Rocky was really appreciative of his brother for that. If he had to go to school, then see Emily all cozy with Darren... He'd definitely be expelled. His mom was right to tell him to wait to speak to Emily. Except.. he has no clue what to say. He's gonna need outside help.