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Zane rong in the head so reason they’d not been put back in the field yet It frustrated hi to wear on their partnership in more ways than one That was one of the reasons he’d been keeping his distance; he didn’t want to add anywith, and Ty knew hih to know that he caused stress even to the people who liked hi he wouldn’t have to deal with the issue at all "Hey, Dad, Deuce andto give Zane a little ain And hopefully find a clearing and a landestured for Deuce to coh away froood idea to get involved with him?" he asked

"What do you mean?" Ty asked with a distracted frown as he studied the surrounding area and looked down at the laminated paper in his hand He was al was drawn in crayon They were not where they were supposed to be

"Ty? Give er to e his attention away from the trail o back to pretending we’re not lost," Deuce bargained

"Okay," Ty muttered warily, and he folded the et ain, using the stick Ty had carved to help hiuy He’s kinda… twitchy, but then so are you And if you’re going to be involved with a guy, I’d rather it be someone who can kick your ass," he informed Ty seriously "But I’ve seen what you do to the people you’re fucking, man They fall for you; you dump them; they have a nervous breakdown What happens when it ends? Can you request a new partner because of personal issues?"

"It won’t go that far," Ty scoffed as he caught up to his brother and walked beside hiive people nervous breakdowns," he added in an insulted voice He glanced up to catch Deuce’s disbelieving eye, and he shrugged defensively

"You saying your relationship with him is purely professional?" Deuce asked

"Yes," Ty answered stubbornly

Deuce stopped walking and shook his head Tyin front of him "You’re full of shit," Deuce accused with a sued

"So, you’re saying if you weren’t fucking hi with hi to be driven off track

"Yes," Ty answered in annoyance "You a couples therapist all of a sudden?" Deuce snorted and began laughing "Really," Ty grunted as he turned away

"You kno lovers’ spats get, Ty," Deuce called after him

"There’s no love involved," Ty insisted as he turned back around and glared at Deuce

"Maybe not for you," Deuce pointed out "What about hi in tone "He’s not in love with ? He can barely stand s, Tyler," Deuce said knowingly as he started ain

"Yeah, well, save it for your clients," Ty hted whistle, and Ty shook his head, trying not to let on how disturbed he was by the discussion Deuce was even more perceptive than Ty, a skill that served his brother well in his chosen profession But there was no reason to think Deuce was right in regards to Zane Ty knew his partner better than Deuce did Zane had already known the love of his life, and he wasn’t looking for another one What that spelled out for the the here and now

Zane would no s and fly

ZANE watched the brothers tro for a few moments, but then they were too far away

"They see to lean his elbows on his knees as he studied the greenery under his boots

"They were tied together like a knot when they were little," Earl confirmed "Caused all kinds of hell But then, Grady brothers always have Been that way since my daddy and his brothers was little"

Zane smiled Trouble ran in the family, obviously "Alondered what it’d be like to have a brother," he confided in Earl

"Well, you practically got one now," Earl pointed out as he gestured with his half-eaten sandwich

Glancing at the older man, Zane tipped his head as he turned the half of his sandwich on its side to take another bite "Yeah, I guess" He wouldn’t exactly call his relationship with Ty a brotherly one But then, they were in West Virginia… His lips quirked before he took a bite, aware of Earl’s scrutiny and trying not to laugh

"Dick tells me you took care of my boy," Earl said a full aze to meet his eyes but didn’t comment He didn’t want to talk about New York with anyone--and definitely not with Ty’s father Earl nodded, that look about hiht have an idea of what they’d dealt with "Bad enough you don’t want to talk about it, huh?" Zane sed hard and reached for his canteen, looking blankly out into the forest "You e in the line of questioning threw Zane for a second He figured at that ht to have expected it All the Gradys did that ju; he suspected it was a way to throw their quarry off guard It worked, he thought with a sniff "No, sir"

"That’s too bad," Earl commented sincerely

Zane frowned and turned his chin back "Why?"

"Military gives you a state of s," Earl told him sympathetically "Man ain’t made to deal without help"

Zane had to ad parts of his job-related past well, even with outside help But the coardless "Just because I’m not military doesn’t mean I can’t handle the job"

"Didn’t say you couldn’t, son," Earl told hi the last couple bites of his sandwich and watching as Earl stood and walked a few steps away Zane tipped his head to one side He hadn’t quite figured out how to take Earl Grady yet

"Damn fool boy needs someone on his six," Earl murmured as he looked out into the woods where Ty and Deuce had disappeared

"Ty’s very good at his job," Zane defended quietly

Earl nodded and turned back to hi?" he asked