"Hey, Colt," Jesse said, sitting next to his cousin.

Colt looked up. "Hey."

"Everything okay?"

"Just fine and dandy," Colt answered, taking in a long puff of his cigarette.

"Thought you were giving those things up," Jesse said, glaring at the cancer stick.

"Working on it," Colt answered, blowing out the smoke.

"You've been working on it for twenty years."

"Twenty two," Colt corrected, jamming the cigarette into the ashtray.

"Thank you."

"Not your lungs," Colt answered, taking a gulp of his soda.

"No, they're not. But if I were you, I wouldn't be trying to do any more damage to them."

Colt shrugged. "What's it matter?"

"Jesus, Colt, I can't believe you think like that," Jesse threw up his hands in disbelief.

"Ah, I'm in one of my moods. Don't mind me," he answered, picking a piece of imaginary lint off the knee of his jeans.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Jesse asked him.

"What are you, my goddamn shrink?!" he snapped.

"Okay," Jesse blew out a breath, and spread his hands in defense.

"Sorry, man," Colt said, shaking his head that he blew up.

"I'm on your side, remember?" Jesse told him patiently. He knew his cousin had demons he was constantly fighting every day of his life and he didn't always win.

"Yeah, I know." Colt looked across the yard at the kids playing below. "Things just have been bugging me lately."

"Like what?" Jesse asked, leaning forward. Colt never talked about things. Maybe he was finally ready to open up.

"Just... everything, I guess." Colt shook his head. He turned his attention back to the table. "Don't worry about it, cuz, I'm cool." He took gulp out of his soda and tried to control his breathing. He coughed.

"Are you still seeing the shrink?" Jesse asked concerned.

"From time to time," Colt replied, wrapping his hands around the soda can. "I don't know...sometimes, I think it just makes things worse."

"Maybe you should try another doctor then," Jesse suggested.

"Maybe.... I don't know, Jess." Colt said quietly.

"You sleeping?" Jesse asked concerned.

Colt had stayed at Jesse's house several times growing up and Jesse knew that nighttime could be the worst for his cousin. Colt would have nightmares and he'd scream the house down.

When his parents got Colt to calm down, he would spend the rest of the night curled up in the fetal position, not talking to anyone.

"Some," Colt answered with a sigh and looked up at the sky. Perhaps looking for answers there.

"Just some?" Jesse asked. He didn't know how Colt functioned during the day if he spent every night like the nights that Colt spent at their house.

"Could we change the subject before I start biting your head off? Dana's not here so I can't do it to her," Colt growled.

"What's with that anyway? What do you have against Dana?" Jesse demanded.

"Sorry I brought it up!" Colt put up his hands.

"No, really. Dana was talking about that the other day," Jesse said seriously.

"Oh, yeah? What'd she say?" He asked, digging out his cigarette pack from his pocket. Jesse raised an eyebrow. Colt threw the pack at him. "Get them away from me then."

"She said she doesn't understand why you guys fight and she doesn't know how it all started." Jesse threw the pack on the table.

"Don't know either. Just a thing we do," Colt shrugged. He knew part of the answer, but he wasn't going to share that with Jesse.

"Do you think you could try being nice? I think it's starting to really bother her."

"Bother Dana? She's the one that starts it half the time!"

"And you the other half of the time!" Jesse countered. Colt smirked. "I'm serious. I think she's starting to take it personal. Maybe it has something to do with her breaking up with Jeremy. I don't know. But she keeps bringing it up. And I don't know what to say to her."

"I don't know either. And I am trying. I've been nice. Sort of." Colt answered, looking back out at the kids playing in the yard.

"So, what's with you and the blonde?" Colt quickly changed the subject.

"Who? Summer?" Jesse asked innocently.

"Oh, come on, man, she's smoking hot. You don't want her, just let me know," Colt grinned.

"She's not your type."

"Just what is my type?" Colt asked a bit offended.

"I have no clue," Jesse said with a laugh.

"Me either."

"No prospects?"

"Ah...no... not really," Colt answered, scratching his head.

"Not really? So, that means in Colt language that there is."

"Nah," Colt looked away.

"Come on. Tell."

"No, nobody."

"Colt, I know you better than anybody so fess up 'cause I see it all over your face."

"I...God, it's so goddamn embarrassing."

"What? Come on, cuz. You know you can trust me."

Colt swallowed. If he was going to admit it, he'd better get it over with now. Who knows when he'd get the courage again to have a heart to heart with Jesse. If that was what this was.

He lowered his voice and got close to Jesse. "You see...Jess...I think...I think I got a... got a thing for... Dana." Colt got out.

Jesse stared at him. "Dana?! Dana? Our Dana?" Jesse asked looking for confirmation on Colt's face and saw it was true. "Holy shit! Are you kidding me?" Jesse looked at his cousin in complete and utter shock.

"Wish I were," Colt sat back in his chair. His chest lightened in relief of the secret.

"Dana? My best friend Dana? How the hell did that happen?!"

"I was hoping you could tell me."

"How long have you ...I can't even say it," Jesse shook his head.

Colt shrugged. "I don't know. Probably years." Colt pulled a cigarette from the packet Jesse had set back on the table.

"Years?!" Jesse couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Colt lit the cigarette and blew out a long puff. "She's beautiful, man. How can a guy not be attracted to her?"

"I'm not."

"Yeah, but you two are like family. Always have been."

"You grew up with her too. Haven't you felt like she's a cousin?"

Colt shook his head and flicked ash in the plate on the table. "Nah, always wanted to ... never mind," He said when Jesse only stared at him.

"So, why do you fight with her if you like her so much?" Jesse asked, pulling the cigarette out of Colt's mouth and crushed it out on the plate. Colt glared and him for doing so but said nothing.

He shrugged. "I don't know. Always have. Guess, I always will," he answered. He looked for something else to put in his mouth. He settled for a corn chip.

"Doesn't have to be that way," Jesse said, an idea forming.

Not that he liked it very much, but maybe that's what was meant to be. His guy best friend and his girl best friend.

"What do you mean?"

"How about trying to be nice to her? Maybe she'd give you a shot," Jesse suggested.

"Nah, I blew it a long time ago, man." Colt shook his head, remembering the argument after argument, the name calling after name calling, he and Dana had shared over the years.

"Never know until you try," Jesse told him. Maybe he should follow his own advice with Summer, he thought.

"Forget that I even brought it up," Colt turned away.

"Come on. I'll even put in a good word for you," Jesse said, slapping his shoulder.

"Forget it. It's not going to happen. Just forget I said anything," Colt growled, getting up from his chair.

"Guess we're both in a jam," Jesse said softly, thinking of the girl in the house talking with his mom, and getting a good look at his childhood.

"Hey, go for it man. Summer really likes you, I can tell," Colt said, slapping him on the back.

"You think?" Jesse asked hopefully.

"Yeah. And if not, you can let her know I'm a free man," Colt answered with a grin.