Away Isn't Far Enough

12. Fight or Flight

"It's fine. I watched TV, called Parker. Everything's good."

He couldn't fool her, though. She decided to open up. He always said if she wanted others to open up, she had to give a little something of herself. So she did.

"I didn't sleep with him," she confessed with a straight voice.

She saw him grip the armrest a little tighter. Maybe he was afraid of flying.

"I don't want to know," he quickly said. Then why was he naked in the bedroom? he thought. Then he realized she was surely being literal. She hadn't slept with him. He dug his fingers into the armrest, trying to pull the fabric.

Thinking he heard her wrong, she repeated herself.

"I said, I didn't."

"And I said I didn't want to know!" he said, finally looking at her.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"No," he answered too quickly.

She sighed, brushing her hair off her cheek. Maybe he had been a little cold.

"Is it a sex question?" he asked, still annoyed.

"Kind of," she said, meeting his eyes.

"Then no." He broke eye contact.

She asked anyway.

"Remember that girl you told me about, Karen Isley? The one who left you naked under the bleachers?"

He looked at her then. She remembered her name? Bones remembered everything, but she wasn't that good with names.

"Were you extremely mad at her for doing this to you?"

Ok. She's trying to tell you something. What is it?

"What's this about, Bones?"

She scratched the spot under her nose. She did that when she was uncomfortable. So he calmed down.

"Did you run off with his clothes?" he asked. Because I'd be really proud.

She did as if she hadn't heard him and asked another question.

"Did you ever find yourself in a situation where you were about to have sexual intercourse, and the girl just... couldn't? Changed her mind at the last possible second?"

Her voice was stable, but her eyes were shifty. So, she really didn't sleep with him. He saw her nibble on her lower lip.

"Are you okay, Bones?" he asked, putting a hand on her forearm.

"I could have, though. He seemed to have great stamina," she said.

"Stop," he winced, taking his hand off her. She was not gonna go into details, was she?

"He had great hands, too..."

"Bones, I mean it."

"Oh, me too..." she said, teasing him.

"Stop it, ok?" he said, looking back at the TV screen imbedded in the seat in front of him. "I'm not one of your gay friends," he said.

What?

"But... we're friends," she said. "I thought friends shared that kind of stuff. Angela does all the time."

"She's a woman."

"I'm a woman."

"And I'm not. You don't get it, do you?" he finally asked. This is driving me crazy. Thinking of another man touching you? No, thanks.