Remember This (Virgin River)

Two Hours

After being in that tent for a couple of hours, the fresh cool air felt wonderful against my skin. I figured before I left, I would take a walk, try to clear my head. I knew if she hadn't been there last night, I may have been lying there unconscious. I could have been seriously injured or died. She was also right about me talking to Jack, but deep down I had my doubts. My brother and I hadn't had a deep conversation in years, and I wasn't even sure how to begin this one.

"Hey. Have you seen Christopher?" I was just headed through a path surrounded by trees when I saw my brother coming down the trail, his face full of worry for the boy his cook, Preacher, was taking care of while his mom was away.

"I haven't." I had been so much in my thoughts, I hardly noticed my surroundings around me until I looked up to crunching leaves

"Keep an eye out, will you?"

"Sure." As he began to walk away, I felt the urge to say something. "Hey, Jack. I'm sorry I worried you last night. It's going to take me a while to get my life sorted out before I can talk about things."

"You know I just want to help you."

"Thanks, but I don't need the help right now."

"Why are you pushing me away?"

"I'm not." I was no doubt feeling defensive, not looking for an argument. I was run down, couldn't escape my own thoughts. Maybe it wasn't a good idea I ran to him when I wasn't sure I could even talk about things.

"Okay, then talk to me." I lowered my head, suddenly not able to find the words I desperately wanted to tell him. If I came right out and told him I had been assaulted, who's to say he wouldn't go out there and kill the guy? "Come on. Hey. Whatever it is, I can handle it, okay?"

"I can't do this right now."

"So what?"

"So, before you got shot, when's the last time you called?"

"So you're keeping me in the dark about your life because I didn't call you enough?"

"No, that's not it at all."

"Then what is it?"

"Ever since you got back from Iraq, you have been emotionally and physically MIA. Not just with me, but the entire family. We used to talk, but after you came home we don't do that anymore. I could barely get two words out of you. So, if we're being fair, it doesn't seem like I'm the only one with secrets."

"Come on. You know I love you."

"I love you too, but sometimes it feels like we're strangers. How am I supposed to tell you what's going on if you won't let me in?"

"Strangers? Says the person who worked eighty-hour weeks. Cut me some slack. I too have a lot going on in my life."

"You know that's not what I'm talking about. I have cut you slack since you got home. A person doesn't just start talking when there's no workable connection.

"Hey." Mel offered, breaking the tension between us. I was glad for the interruption as things between us were getting heated and there was no doubt we wouldn't get into an argument right there in the middle of the trail.

"Hi.'

"Um, any luck?" She turned to address Jack this time. I knew she would probably ask about our conversation later, but for now, I was glad to have the small reprieve from my brother's questioning.

"I was just going to check out the parking lot."

"Okay, I'm going to check by the horses." Mel left quickly back down the trail, leaving us to finish up our conversation.

"Look, I don't want to fight about this right now. Whether either one of us wants to, we need to talk about this." Those were his parting words, followed by one pleading stare to let him in before he gave up and walked back down the trail. With a sigh, I pressed one foot in front of the other, running into Mike as I reached the clearing by the amphitheater. 

"Hey, Brie."

"Mike."

"Everything okay?" He must have read the uncertainty in my expression as he waved me over.

"It's nothing, really."

"As a cop, I've learned that phrase is the opposite of what one says. Anything I can do?"

"Unless you can tell me what happened to my brother in Iraq, then the answer is no," I told him, turning in the other direction to leave. I could already tell by the look in his eyes, he had an answer but he wasn't going to tell me, so I left before he could respond. I found a bench surrounded by beautiful flowers overlooking the valley. The sky blocked out the sun, bringing a cooler breeze. I didn't seem to mind it much. I had a few minutes to think when I heard footsteps pounding against the sidewalk and a familiar voice from behind me.

"Hey! What are you doing all the way up here? "Hiding out?" Brady asked, looking around. Had he followed me all the way up here, or seen me in passing?

"Oh, no. Just had a thing with Jack and needed some space."

"Oh." He sat down close beside me on the bench. His warmth was wonderful, yet I wondered what it was that he and Jack and Mike had all gone through that they wouldn't say when all I cared about was getting my brother back. "Want me to leave you alone?"

"No." I nudged him playfully with my shoulder, chuckling softly. His grin widened and I knew he was enjoying ruffling my feathers a little.

"You okay?"

"It's just sibling stuff." Okay, it was a little more than that. But I didn't want to get into things, especially when what I really wanted to know, nobody was telling me.

"So, I uh, saw you talking to Mike earlier."

"Jealous?"

"What?" He jumped a little, creating a small amount of space between us. Even though we hadn't been together for very long, I knew he was lying. "No."

"I'm kidding."

"Anyway, I was thinking about taking the bike out. Want to go for a ride?"

"Where?"

"Well, there's this cool little Italian joint in Grace Valley." He was trying hard to play up his offer, and it was working.

"Isn't that, like, two hours away?"

"Mhm. Why? You got somewhere else you want to be?"

"Not that I can think of." I lowered my voice, although I wasn't really sure why I was whispering. I had conflicting feelings about Brady. On one hand, he was charming and wonderful. On the other, he was just as, maybe a little more mysterious than my brother was.

"Good." Standing up, he held me tightly just under my arms as he hoisted me off the bench. "Come on." I pushed his hands down, taking his hand in mine as we took another route down towards the parking lot.

"I'm beginning to think I should have worn better shoes. Even long boots would have been better than these." I kicked up my left foot to show my dress shoes that came up to my ankles.

"I'm sure they'll be fine as long as they don't fall onto the road and we have to stop and pick them up." Smirking, he handed me the extra helmet hanging off his bike handle and we both hopped on, soon racing down the road towards our destination.