Blood Bourbon

I Can't Go on Without You

Months later.

Daryl

"The trial actually worked far better than expected. Your brain's elasticity has returned to that closer to an adolescent than an adult and any previous damage you had, is healed. With the regular therapy to build more neural pathways, you shouldn't notice any issues." The doctor paused once she was done. "What I mean..."

"Is that my brain now finds it easier to learn, not that my development is delayed. I know. Thank you ma'am." Daryl grinned to the brown-haired woman who was a bit older than him as he stood and followed her out of her office, slipping his hat on his head. "I should probably take advantage of it and try to learn a new language. Is... it permanent?"

"As permanent as anything." She shook her head, trying to pretend she was impervious to his charm, though she couldn't hide the smile on her face. "Aging will always get us, Mr. Martin. But you've been given a fresh slate. And you're a smart man, what do you use it on?"

Daryl winked at her. "Convincing pretty doctors that I'm not a complete idiot, ma'am."

She grinned a little more, before rolling her eyes and nodding towards the blood donation room. "Don't forget that we'd like to see you in a year for follow ups. Try to find something other than bull riding, please?"

"I'm a bullfighter, ma'am." Daryl tipped his hat and walked into the other room, grinning as he was waived to a free chair. He sat down and offered his arm to the nurse who began setting up the blood draw. He was a familiar face here, after half a year of him stumbling around with a broken head.

But now he had the doctor's clearance already faxed to his boss, who had told him that his job was ready and waiting for him. Tomorrow he was on a plane to meet the circuit for some training to get back into the swing of things and then in a week he should be in the pens.

Not that he really needed to do it anymore. And not that his family was happy that he was. He wasn't looking forward to another night of arguing with Charlie and Mary about him staying with the rodeo.

After Daryl developed a concept to use their orchards for something more than apple pie, a couple investors had given Charlie enough start up about four months ago. And with Daryl's help the first full sized batches had already been shipped. With only the need to provide a return of thirty percent profit to the investors after the fourth year, the ranch was already having to increase production to keep up with demand. And next year the vineyards would be ready, so they could expand into wine.

And somehow, his resume had circulated without him knowing or asking it to.

And not his 'bull rider one', but the one that included his university and work experience that had the threat of office work calling him every week or so. For some reason he had received a couple phone calls from firms wanting him to interview him for jobs he had not heard of. He had blamed Mary and still held on to a little bit of suspicion, but she continued to deny having anything to do with it.

"All done, Mr. Martin. Thank you." The nurse taped a cotton ball to his arm and Daryl stood up, offering a grin before striding out of the room and down towards the elevators.

So far Daryl had managed to avoid anything more than phone interviews and half-committed conversations. He wanted to go back to bullfighting, to rodeo, to the circuit. Not picking apples or sitting behind a desk. He needed the dirt and adrenaline. The pound of hooves and the rush of the race between him and the animal that wanted to kill him.

Mary and Charlie would eventually understand, they always did.

Daryl stepped into the empty elevator, half debating why he wasn't taking the stairs when it stopped one floor down, the doors opening to reveal... Ryker. Two others, one of which looked vaguely familiar, but his gaze was on Ryker, whom he hadn't seen in months.