Becoming Our Own, Part 11 - in TBoPE 'verse
Title: Becoming Our Own, Part 11
Author: Caera1996
Rating for this Part: PG
W/C: 5,775
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Timeline Notes: A third anchor story (novel-length) in TBoPE/LAWG ‘verse. Set five years after the end of Learning As We Go.
This Part: Jim is called for an emergency in the middle of the night. When he gets back, he and Bones have some time together. Later, Jim and Bones go out and run into someone from Jim’s past.
Jim’s phone lit up and rang on the dresser, jarring and bright in the quiet and dark room. Leonard jerked awake and raised his head from the pillow, squinting in the darkness. In front of him, Jim barely stirred, and Leonard gave him a little shake.
“Jim.”
“Mmm.”
“Jim…your phone.”
Blinking awake, Jim moved to get up and Leonard let him go, pulling his arm back from around his waist. It was still dark outside, obviously very early. Leonard rolled over onto his back and squinted at the alarm clock on the bedside table at his side. Not even three a.m. He listened as Jim stumbled to the dresser, but he didn’t make it in time.
Jim looked at the screen. “I don’t recognize the number,” he said, his voice hoarse with sleep. “Maybe it was a misdial?”
Leonard hoped so. Very little good news came at three a.m. “Call it back,” he suggested.
Just as Jim was about to do so, the phone rang in his hand again. Same number. He answered it quickly this time.
“Hello?”
”Dr. James Kirk?” A male voice Jim didn’t recognize.
“Yes. Who is this?”
Leonard sat up and snapped on the bedside lamp, concern furrowing his brow.
“Dr. Kirk, this is Lt. Jimenez. You know a Ryan Hudson?”
His heart sinking, Jim moved to sit on the edge of the bed, reflexively leaning into Leonard’s warmth at his back. “Yes. He’s a student I’ve been working with through his school. What’s going on?”
”Sir, we responded to a call for domestic disturbance, and when we got here, we found he and his sister locked in a bathroom. He’s refusing to come out, but slid your business card under the door and said he wanted to talk to you. We’ve got a CPS rep on the way, and we don’t want to scare the kids by breaking down the door unless absolutely necessary. Can you come out here?”
“Uh…yes…Are they okay?” Jim asked, standing. He went over the dresser and pulled a drawer open, holding the phone under his chin while grabbing the first items of clothing he laid hands on.
“He sounds scared, and the little girl was crying, but he says neither of them are hurt. As far as we can tell, the issue was between his aunt and her boyfriend.”
Given what he knew of the boy’s home life, Jim doubted that. But that was something to sort out when everyone was safe. “Okay…tell him I’m coming.”
”Do you need the address?”
“No, I have it.”
”Bring your credentials. Ask for me - Lt. Jimenez - when you get here.”
Jim acknowledged that and ended the call, dropping his cellphone on the bed to yank up his jeans.
“What’s going on?” Leonard asked, concern in his voice.
“The police are at Ryan’s house and he’s locked himself and his sister in the bathroom. He won’t open the door for the them.”
“How’d they get your number?”
“My business card. I gave it to him the first time we met, in case he ever wanted to talk, or needed help.”
Leonard threw the blankets back and stood. He pulled on the sweats and t-shirt that had been discarded earlier. “So….what? You’re going to drive there at three in the morning and do what? Why don’t they call CPS?”
“They have, Bones. Ryan’s always been afraid of being separated from his little sister - that’s why he won’t open the door.”
“I still don’t get why you have to go there now. How are you going to keep them together if CPS needs to separate them?” He paused, giving Jim a careful look. “You’re not planning on coming home with a couple more kids, are you? Cause we would need to talk about that.”
Jim smiled slightly at that. “No….I’m not a foster parent, Bones. But I know someone who is.”
“I don’t like it,” Leonard said. He crossed his arms over his chest as he watched Jim pull on socks and sneakers. “I don’t like you driving all the way over there in the middle of the night, walking in to some dangerous situation all by yourself. I wish I could go with you, but Jo…”
Touched, and a little amused, Jim straightened and came over to him, bracketing him with his arms against the dresser. He kissed him, closing his eyes as Bones wound his arms around him.
“I’ll be fine. The police are there…everything is already secured. I just…I have to go, Bones. Ryan doesn’t have anyone. I have to be there for him.”
Leonard sighed, resting his head on Jim’s shoulder for a second. Of course Jim had to go. That was the kind of person he was. That was the person Leonard fell in love with.
“Send me a text when you get there, just so I know,” he said.
Jim gave him a kiss. “I will. I don’t know what’s going to happen today, so I don’t know what time I’ll be home, but I’ll call you.”
“Okay.” Knowing Jim had to go, even though all Leonard wanted to do was crawl back into bed with him, he gave him one more hug. “Do what you have to do, and be careful.”
“I will. You should try to go back to sleep,” Jim said. “It’s too early to be awake.”
“Not likely,” he replied. Leonard followed Jim out to the kitchen and made him a quick cup of coffee in a travel mug while he collected his schoolboard badge, wallet and keys. “Do you remember how to get there?”
“Yeah…and his address is in my phone. I’m fine. Thanks,” he added, taking the travel mug of hot coffee, prepared just the way he liked it. He looked at Leonard for a moment, then reached out to gently smooth down his hair, a small smile on his face. “You’re still wearing your concerned face. I’m a big boy, Bones, and I can take care of myself. Don’t worry.”
Leonard rolled his eyes. “I know. I just…” he shrugged. “I feel protective.”
“And you have no idea how much I love you for that. Okay…I gotta go. I’ll text when I get there, and I’ll call when I know what’s going on.”
Jim took the jacket Bones pulled out of the closet for him and let himself out. Leonard watched until he got into his car, then closed and locked the door behind him. He sighed, looking around the darkened apartment that suddenly seemed so empty. Fairly sure he wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep, and not interested in doing so until he heard from Jim anyway, he retrieved his cell phone from the bedroom, then settled down on the couch and set to finding out what was on t.v. before four in the morning.
Shivering in the car, grateful that Bones almost never let him leave the house without a jacket, Jim sipped the coffee Bones had made for him as he drove to Ryan’s home address. He was worried about the state the children would be in, and what the CPS agent would want to do. But he was also pretty sure that his plan would work. Anna and her husband had already agreed, and he hoped that he could count on his contact to help with the administrative side of things.
What mattered now, though, was making sure that the children were okay. He had no doubt that they would be scared, and Ryan’s automatic defense was combative anger - that’s what had brought him to Jim’s attention in the first place. The fact that Ryan had held on to his card, and used it in this situation, was a good sign. Jim hadn’t been sure he’d been making any real difference to the boy. This seemed to suggest that he had.
Minutes later, he pulled on to Ryan’s street, and it was immediately apparent that something had happened here. Police cars and an ambulance were parked in front of the row house, lights flashing. And because people lived on top of each other, the commotion had of course drawn people outside. Most stayed out of the way, watching warily from across the street, and the police urged others to stay back, setting up a space around the house.
Jim parked a ways down the street and took a second to send Bones a quick text. Once that was done, he exited the car and hurried up the sidewalk. When one of the policemen intercepted him, he showed him his schoolboard badge and asked for Officer Jimenez. He waited for only a couple of minutes before an officer was heading toward him.
“Dr. Kirk?” he asked.
Jim showed him his badge. “Just call me Jim.”
“Follow me,” he said. “Thanks for getting here so fast. Nothing has changed since we spoke. The boy still has the door locked.”
“Is the CPS agent here yet?”
“Uh, yeah. Hopefully he responds better to you than he did to her.”
Jim nodded. “He’s afraid of being separated from his sister…he told me he ran away from a foster home once because they wouldn’t keep them together.”
Jimenez nodded. It sucked, but that was often the case. He’d seen too many sibling groups be separated for foster care. They entered the house, and the first thing that hit Jim was the smell.
“Jesus,” he said, automatically bringing a hand to his face. He looked around, taking in the mess and general dirtiness of the apartment. “What the hell?”
“I know. Apparently they have cats, but can’t be bothered to clean up after them. The only place that doesn’t reek is the kids’ room upstairs, and it’s neat as a pin.”
They climbed the stairs, and Jim glanced into the kids’ bedroom. Jimenez hadn’t been exaggerating at all. In the small room there were two beds, a dresser, some toys, and Ryan’s backpack, and the only indication that anyone used the room were the unmade beds. It also didn’t smell bad up here. Ryan probably doesn’t allow the cats in here, Jim thought. His heart ached for everything these kids had gone through. Obviously, their home life had been worse, on a much more basic level, than Ryan had ever let on.
He quickly introduced himself to Margaret, the CPS agent. She was an older, heavyset woman with short gray hair, and she did not look happy to be there at that hour.
“Good luck. Maybe you can get something out of him other than, ‘go away and leave us alone’,” she said.
Jim knocked on the door. “Ryan? It’s Mr. Kirk. Can I talk to you?”
“Mr. Kirk…you came!” He sounded surprised. Jim could hear another higher childish voice, but he couldn’t make out any words.
“Of course I came. You did good, giving the police officer my card. Can you let me in? I want to make sure you and your sister are okay.”
On the other side of the door, Ryan held Jodi’s little hand. Once he unlocked the door, he would lose what little control of the situation he had. Jodi’s nose was running, and her face was wet with tears, her breath choppy from crying, and he just didn’t know what to do anymore.
“Ryan,” Mr. Kirk’s voice came from the other side of the door. “I saw your room. I see how well you’ve taken care of Jodi. And all of this sucks, and it’s not fair to either of you. You both deserve better. Let me help you.”
Exhausted, scared, and overwhelmed with the responsibility he felt for his little sister, tears filled his eyes and spilled down his cheeks. He reached out to the doorknob, then hesitated.
“Promise me we’re going to stay together,” Ryan said, voice wavering. “I need to stay with Jodi.”
Hearing that, Jodi’s little face scrunched up as she started crying again. “Ryan,” she said through her tears. “Noooo….”
Hearing the little girl cry broke Jim’s heart. These poor kids. “I promise,” he said, ignoring the angry glare from the CPS agent. He turned to the people crowded around them. “Could you all back up a little please? I don’t want them to feel crowded.”
“They’re my responsibility,” the woman said. “I need to be here.”
“And you can be,” Jim said calmly. “Just…over there. For a few minutes. Please.”
Jimenez nodded, doing what Jim asked, and Margaret followed suit, albeit grudgingly.
“Ryan?” Jim said again. “Can you open the door for me?”
Jim waited, practically holding his breath, then he heard the click of the lock and the knob turned. Jim pushed the door open and took in the sight of the two children clinging to each other, the little girl hiding behind her brother, clenching his shirt in her little fists.
“You promised me,” he said, blinking quickly as tears filled his eyes and got caught in his long lashes. “We stay together.”
Jim met his eyes unwaveringly. “I’ll make sure of it.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hours later, Jim opened the door to their apartment. Jack ran to meet him at the door, and Jim bent to pet him. Purring, he arched into Jim’s touch, then closed his eyes in bliss as he scratched under his chin. Jim spent a few minutes tending to the cat, putting some new food down and refreshing his water dish, then stood and stretched, a yawn escaping.
He was exhausted, and starving, but satisfied with a sense of accomplishment. It had taken most of the day, but the children were safe and secure, with Anna and her husband Rob.
A month ago, when Anna had first mentioned that she and Rob were working on becoming foster parents, he’d spent some time talking with them about his plan for Ryan and his sister. Then, with their permission, he’d reached out to a friend who worked for CPS and put a rush on their paperwork. Since they’d already done the class, the application process and the fingerprinting, all they were really waiting for were the home visits, saftey inspections, and for their background checks to clear. Jim’s friend had helped rush that through the slow-moving process, and they’d been officially accepted as fosters for a week or so.
And not a moment too soon.
Jim still wasn’t sure what would ultimately become of Ryan and Jodi, but for now they were in a safe and loving environment, and neither Anna nor Rob had any misgivings about taking siblings, possibly for an extended time. On the contrary, they’d been so warm and welcoming; making the children feel like it was their privilege to have them in their home. And the fact that Ryan already knew Anna, and associated her with a safe space, was a huge bonus. He was obviously a good kid who’d been in way over his head. Jim had no doubt that they’d thrive with good people to care for them.
So, yeah, he was exhausted and starving, but it had been so worth it.
The apartment was quiet and dark, and he wasn’t surprised. He’d called Bones earlier, to let him know that he was fine, and that things were moving slowly along, and Bones had mentioned that he and Jo would probably be out with Janie. The chilly, damp morning had developed into a beautiful day, and they very rarely stayed around the apartment on a Saturday when it was nice out. It was about four, and he figured he had a little time before they got home.
After toeing off his sneakers and hanging his jacket, Jim headed in to the kitchen, intent on finding something to eat. Opening the fridge, a huge smile lit up his face. There, on the center of the top shelf, was a plate with a big turkey sandwich, a side of macaroni salad, an unopened snack-size bag of chips, and a can of soda.
“I could not love you any more right now, Bones,” he murmured. He pulled the plate, chips and can of soda out of the fridge, and smiled when he saw the note tucked under the sandwich.
I hope everything worked out today. I’m taking the girls to see Cinderella (you owe me - big time), then dropping them at your brother’s. Now go eat and rest before you collapse. See you later. Love you.
Jim laughed quietly to himself, and carried his meal to the bedroom. He was relieved to be able to take a quick shower. He’d felt as if the stench from that house had clung to him all day. He made himself comfortable, choosing old, soft pajama pants and a t-shirt, turned on the tv, and sighed happily at the first bite of the sandwich. It was perfect, made just the way he liked it. The only way this could be better was if Bones was there. But…the fact that he managed to get out of taking the girls to see the live-action remake of Cinderella was a pretty close second.
Jim flipped through the t.v. channels until he found something interesting to watch, then settled back and worked on finishing the food Bones had prepared for him. When he was finished he set the plate aside and slumped down in the bed, drawing the pillow that Bones usually used to him. He left the t.v. on to play quietly, and the cool room was slowly darkening as the sun started to come down. Full and drowsy, Jim was tired from the very early start to a very draining day. The last thing he registered before dropping off into sleep was the arrival of Jack as he circled a few times before tucking himself down in the crook of Jim’s knees.
He was still sleeping when Leonard got home about an hour later. He was relieved to see Jim’s car there, and he hurried inside. Unsurprised to find the house quiet, he quickly checked the fridge and was happy to see the meal that he’d left for him was gone. Jim usually had a big appetite, but when he was busy or preoccupied doing something, he’d go for hours without eating and then load up on quick snacks that helped boost his energy for a little while, but then he’d crash and feel sick. Leonard had no doubt the food he’d left for him was the only thing he’d eaten this whole, long day.
Moving through the quiet and darkening apartment, he turned on a couple of lights. As he headed down the hallway, he could see the light from the tv and hear something Jim had on playing lowly. He stopped in the doorway and just took in the sight of Jim lying in the bed, one pillow under his head, the other - his - held under an arm to his chest, with Jack pressed up against the back of his legs.
Stepping quietly into the room, he pulled off his shoes, and undressed down to his undershirt and boxers, then climbed into the bed behind Jim, who inhaled deeply and smiled as he felt Leonard’s arm come around him. Jack woke and gave him a one-eyed glare before standing and abandoning his spot.
“Hey,” Jim said sleepily, eyes still closed.
“Hey, yourself. I’m glad you’re home,” Leonard said quietly. He kissed Jim’s neck, and he snuggled back further into the warmth of Leonard’s embrace.
“Mmm…me too,” Jim murmured. Content to rest and lay there holding him, Leonard listened to his breath even out as he skimmed the surface of sleep again.
After another little while, Jim stirred, rousing Leonard from the light doze he’d relaxed into. This time, Jim woke all the way and didn’t feel the pull of tiredness. He yawned and stretched his body, arching his back against Bones’ solid presence behind him. He blinked, the dark of the room, alleviated only by the t.v. and dim light from the open door disorienting. He had no idea what time it was.
“Are you awake, Bones?” he whispered.
“Yes, just resting,” he replied. Jim moved to turn over, and Leonard released his hold on him so he could. Leonard smiled as he settled on his other side, their eyes meeting.
“Hi,” Jim said. He leaned in to kiss Bones, sliding a hand down to his hip and squeezing possessively. “Thanks for the sandwich.” Leonard smiled, searching Jim’s eyes, not seeing anything that would indicate things didn’t go the way he’d hoped today.
“I figured you’d be starvin’. Everything okay with the kids?” he asked.
Jim smiled and nodded. “I was…it was delicious. And yeah, things are worked out for now. My scheming paid off. Their aunt and her boyfriend were both arrested, and it was so bad there Bones. They’re probably going to level child neglect charges on them too. Ryan and Jodi did go in to foster care, but they went to a great couple - Anna, the librarian, and her husband. I’ve talked about them before.” Leonard nodded, indicating that he remembered, and Jim continued. “And they get to stay together. And, even better, Ryan already knew Anna from his school.”
“That’s good, Jim.” He took Jim’s hand between them, fingers automatically going to the silver bracelet, a match to the one he wore. “You helped to save those kids from even more trauma. You’re amazing. Are you going to be able to stay in contact with Ryan?”
Jim’s smile dimmed a little. “Consistent one-on-one work really isn’t my job description. I’m sure I’ll see him every now and then.”
Leonard nodded, and wondered if that would be enough for Jim…if he’d ever decide that one-on-one work with kids was more his thing. That would be a major career change, and a big risk…it was always risky switching to the private sector and hanging your own shingle, so to speak.
One thing at a time, Leonard thought. They still had a house to deal with.
“Well, they’re lucky kids,” Leonard said. “And, seeing that Anna’s a friend of yours, I don’t see any reason why we couldn’t invite them all over for dinner some time.”
Jim smiled, the very thought that had weighed on his mind - losing touch with them - alleviated by that simple suggestion. He’d spent so much time focused on this issue and doing everything he could to make sure that when the bottom fell out - as it did today - the kids would have somewhere to go, he’d fallen behind on some of his other duties, and he knew there were well over a hundred emails that were awaiting his attention. He didn’t even want to touch his office phone. It was going to take a while to catch up, and he couldn’t keep justifying visits to Ryan’s school to keep tabs on him.
“You always know what to say to me,” Jim said. “How do you do that?”
Leonard smiled and pulled him closer, kissing him gently. “I’ve had a lot of practice figurin’ you out, Darlin’. I know how you think. Behind that big brain of yours, you’re all heart.” His tone was light and gently teasing, but his words were sincere. It was one of the things he loved about Jim…how much he cared about others, and how genuine that care was.
Jim flushed lightly, eyes smiling. “You saying I’m a softie?”
“Yup,” Leonard replied with a straight face. Jim laughed, and kissed him again.
“If I’m a softie, then you’re the one with the ooey-gooey center. Don’t think I don’t notice how all the children in this family have you wrapped around their little fingers.”
Leonard smiled and shrugged, conceding the point. True enough. He did love his nieces, and he’d walk over hot coals for his daughter.
“Hey, speaking of that, have you heard from Sam and Aurelan?”
“I haven’t heard from them since we parted ways on Friday. They’ll get a call Monday with the results, and I’m sure they’ll call us then,” Leonard said.
Friday had been a hectic day. Jo had missed part of her school day because of her interview at the Progressive Education University School in the morning. Once they’d dropped her off at McKinley, they’d gone in to Estelle’s office to start the process of buying the house. By the time they were done with that, it was time for Aurelan’s appointment, so Leonard dropped Jim off at home so he could have his car to get Jo and be with her the rest of the day, and Leonard drove to the hospital. He’d wanted to be there to walk them in, because as unfair as it was, family members of doctors usually enjoyed some perks, and he wanted to do everything he could for them.
There were few things more stressful than having to submit to a somewhat invasive test performed by people you didn’t know, in an unfamiliar hospital office, to determine the health of your unborn infant. Aurelan had been a teary ball of nerves when they arrived, but the fact that Leonard met them there and walked them in, waiting with them and spending a couple of minutes talking with the tech, who he’d happened to share a lunch table with a couple of times, made a world of difference to them.
“Sam told me how much it helped having you there,” Jim said. “Thanks for doing that. God, I hope everything’s okay with the little guy.”
“Me too, Darlin’, me too.”
They lapsed into silence for a few minutes, just cuddling together as they listened to the news on the television. They were both still a little too tired to do much of anything else, and Leonard was getting hungry, but he was content to lay there with Jim.
“How was the movie?” Jim asked. Leonard huffed a laugh.
“If you ever doubt how much I love you, remind yourself I gave up some time in my life to spare you,” he said, and Jim grinned. “The girls enjoyed it, though. So…worth it, I suppose.”
“Did Jo say anything else about her interview?”
“No…I asked about it once, but she just said what she already had…that it went fine, she liked the two other teachers she met, and she thought she did a good job.”
Jim frowned slightly. That seemed like a pretty evasive answer to him. Especially for Jo. She was usually pretty open with them. But, that was her story, and she was sticking to it. Before they’d left the school on Friday, DeSalle had indicated that they’d let them know by mid-week. So now, it was just a waiting game. And though they didn’t have to wait long, it was hard. Because if this didn’t work out, they had to figure something else out for her. And soon.
“Maybe this is her way of trying not to get her hopes up,” Jim suggested. “What time is it?”
Leonard picked his head up to peer over Jim’s body. “Only about seven.”
“Hm…feels so much later than that. We should get up...” He paused when Leonard’s stomach gave a growl. “Have you eaten anything?” Jim asked.
“I had lunch with the girls,” Leonard replied. “I could eat again.”
“Let’s go out,” Jim said, pushing himself up. He looked down at Leonard, and ran his fingers through his dark hair. “Get some dinner and maybe do some furniture shopping.”
“You want to go out?” Leonard asked, surprised. “You were sound asleep ten minutes ago.”
“Nah, it was longer than that, Bones. I’ve got a second wind. C’mon, let’s go. Unless…if you’re too tired, I’ll make dinner for you here, and you can rest.”
Leonard smiled and stretched. “No…that actually sounds like a good idea.” He sat up and rubbed his eyes. “We haven’t been out - just the two of us - in a while.”
Both feeling much more refreshed and awake after having rested, they got up and turned on the lights, then spent a couple of minutes getting ready.
“What?” Jim asked, noticing that Leonard was staring at him as he pulled on his jeans.
“Nothin’. Just admiring the view,” he said with a wink.
Smiling, Jim made a show of pulling his sweater up to expose the flat of his stomach. “I’ll let you admire more than the view when we get home,” he promised, wearing his best come hither look.
“You keep talkin’ like that, and we’ll skip goin’ out and just get to that part now.”
Jim chuckled, and together they headed out. Leonard drove, and they settled on La Bamba - a Mexican restaurant they both liked.
Remembering their compromise, Leonard glanced at Jim. “I might order a beer with dinner,” he said. “No liquor, though. That okay?”
“Yeah, that’s fine. I probably will too,” Jim replied. “Suddenly tacos and beer sound delicious.” He was quiet for a moment, feeling a little embarrassed that what Bones did just now was something he needed. But, it made a huge difference to him, and he was surprised how much. “Um…thanks. For remembering to say something,” Jim said.
Stopped at a light, Leonard looked over at him and took his hand. “No reason to thank me, Jim. This is something you need. I get that. You dealt with everything I needed for a long time. You still do, sometimes. We said we’d talk about drinking beforehand, so we did. That’s all.”
And this was why Jim was so sure about everything. He’d never had anyone in his life who loved him and cared about him so completely like this. That Bones loved him so freely and so unconditionally that he’d not only make such a change, but remember and then actually do it, even though he probably thought it was a little ridiculous, was just…amazing. And he felt the same way. And given all of that, buying a house seemed like nothing.
The restaurant was crowded, but they’d expected that. It was one of those places with excellent, cheap food, two-for-one happy hours and live music. The dining areas were full, but Jim spotted two seats at the bar, and Leonard agreed.
They placed their food and drink orders, and munched on tortilla chips and salsa. The bar was next to the dance floor, and they turned in their seats to watch. The music was fast and loud, and there were some excellent dancers on the floor, both straight and a couple of gay couples. Jim leaned close to Bones, his mouth near his ear.
“Dance with me?” Jim asked.
Leonard took a sip of his beer and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “I’d do anything for you, but that’s pushing it,” he said, and Jim laughed. They watched a few more minutes, commenting on the dancers that caught their attention, then Leonard excused himself to use the restroom before their food came.
While he was gone, the food arrived and Jim ordered them each an iced tea. As he was putting together his first taco, he heard his name.
“Jimmy? Oh my god, it is you!”
Jim stopped himself from cringing as he recognized the voice. He turned to the man who’d wedged himself in between his stool and Bones’ empty seat.
“Gary, hey. Long time, man. How’ve you been?” Jim asked, a polite smile on his face. “Didn't you move back east? New Hampshire, right?”
“Connecticut. Yeah, I did, for a while. But it’s just so…boring there. Not the place for me. So I’m back. How about you? You’re looking good,” he said, eyeing Jim up and down.
“I’m doing great, thanks. I met someone…he’s actually in the restroom,” Jim replied, indicating the food that was waiting for Leonard’s return.
“You and this guy…you serious?” He moved closer, dropping an arm around the back of Jim’s chair and bringing his mouth closer to his ear. “Cause you’re still hot as hell. We could see if there’s still…an attraction.”
Leonard paused on the other side of the dance floor, watching as another guy insinuate himself into Jim’s personal space as he leaned toward him to say something. He was younger, in excellent physical shape, and wearing a black t-shirt at least a size too small with jeans that looked like he’d painted them on. But then he saw Jim slide out of his seat and put some space between the two of them, his expression annoyed, and not welcoming at all, and Leonard was ashamed to admit the feeling of relief that flooded him. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Jim. It was just that he was still surprised that Jim always chose him.
He hurried back to the bar, coming up behind Jim and wrapping an arm around his waist. Jim glanced at him gratefully as Leonard nodded a hello with a bland smile.
“Bones, this is Gary. He and I were friends years ago,” Jim said.
“Friends?” Gary echoed, amused. “Is that what we’re calling it?”
“Hi Gary. Name’s actually Leonard. This is the only one who calls me Bones,” he said, tilting his head towards Jim. He held out his hand to shake, but Gary crossed his arms, eyeing him.
“This is your ‘someone’?” he asked Jim. “He looks kinda buttoned up for you. More like a lawyer with a wife.”
Annoyed at Gary’s rudeness, but not surprised by it, Jim rolled his eyes. “C’mon, man.”
“Actually,” Leonard said, ready to be done with him. “I’m a doctor, and I’m divorced. And we were just moving.” He picked up his dinner plate and iced tea, and Jim followed suit. He wasn’t sure where they were moving, but he was happy to do so. “Nice to meet you, Gary.”
“Uh huh,” he said. “Jimmy, I’ve got the same cell number…just in case.”
Jim didn’t even bother with a response. They walked away, and Leonard stopped a server, to ask about a table a busser was just finishing wiping down. The server nodded.
“Over here, Jim,” Leonard said. They sat at the table, choosing to sit on the same side next to each other.
“Sorry about that,” Jim said, uncomfortable with what Leonard had walked in to. “Gary and I were, well, not exactly together, back when I was in grad school. We worked at the same restaurant.”
Leonard nodded, putting his taco together. “It’s fine, Jim. We both have pasts…you’ve been raising one of the results of my past.”
Jim smiled and finished a bite of his taco. “Gary was always a little bit of a jerk. He wasn’t very… stable…in his personal life. And for a while, we had a thing.”
“And then you grew up. He didn’t, apparently. It happens.”
They finished their tacos and iced tea, then lingered over desert and coffee. And when the music finally slowed, they danced.
.
Author: Caera1996
Rating for this Part: PG
W/C: 5,775
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Timeline Notes: A third anchor story (novel-length) in TBoPE/LAWG ‘verse. Set five years after the end of Learning As We Go.
This Part: Jim is called for an emergency in the middle of the night. When he gets back, he and Bones have some time together. Later, Jim and Bones go out and run into someone from Jim’s past.
Jim’s phone lit up and rang on the dresser, jarring and bright in the quiet and dark room. Leonard jerked awake and raised his head from the pillow, squinting in the darkness. In front of him, Jim barely stirred, and Leonard gave him a little shake.
“Jim.”
“Mmm.”
“Jim…your phone.”
Blinking awake, Jim moved to get up and Leonard let him go, pulling his arm back from around his waist. It was still dark outside, obviously very early. Leonard rolled over onto his back and squinted at the alarm clock on the bedside table at his side. Not even three a.m. He listened as Jim stumbled to the dresser, but he didn’t make it in time.
Jim looked at the screen. “I don’t recognize the number,” he said, his voice hoarse with sleep. “Maybe it was a misdial?”
Leonard hoped so. Very little good news came at three a.m. “Call it back,” he suggested.
Just as Jim was about to do so, the phone rang in his hand again. Same number. He answered it quickly this time.
“Hello?”
”Dr. James Kirk?” A male voice Jim didn’t recognize.
“Yes. Who is this?”
Leonard sat up and snapped on the bedside lamp, concern furrowing his brow.
“Dr. Kirk, this is Lt. Jimenez. You know a Ryan Hudson?”
His heart sinking, Jim moved to sit on the edge of the bed, reflexively leaning into Leonard’s warmth at his back. “Yes. He’s a student I’ve been working with through his school. What’s going on?”
”Sir, we responded to a call for domestic disturbance, and when we got here, we found he and his sister locked in a bathroom. He’s refusing to come out, but slid your business card under the door and said he wanted to talk to you. We’ve got a CPS rep on the way, and we don’t want to scare the kids by breaking down the door unless absolutely necessary. Can you come out here?”
“Uh…yes…Are they okay?” Jim asked, standing. He went over the dresser and pulled a drawer open, holding the phone under his chin while grabbing the first items of clothing he laid hands on.
“He sounds scared, and the little girl was crying, but he says neither of them are hurt. As far as we can tell, the issue was between his aunt and her boyfriend.”
Given what he knew of the boy’s home life, Jim doubted that. But that was something to sort out when everyone was safe. “Okay…tell him I’m coming.”
”Do you need the address?”
“No, I have it.”
”Bring your credentials. Ask for me - Lt. Jimenez - when you get here.”
Jim acknowledged that and ended the call, dropping his cellphone on the bed to yank up his jeans.
“What’s going on?” Leonard asked, concern in his voice.
“The police are at Ryan’s house and he’s locked himself and his sister in the bathroom. He won’t open the door for the them.”
“How’d they get your number?”
“My business card. I gave it to him the first time we met, in case he ever wanted to talk, or needed help.”
Leonard threw the blankets back and stood. He pulled on the sweats and t-shirt that had been discarded earlier. “So….what? You’re going to drive there at three in the morning and do what? Why don’t they call CPS?”
“They have, Bones. Ryan’s always been afraid of being separated from his little sister - that’s why he won’t open the door.”
“I still don’t get why you have to go there now. How are you going to keep them together if CPS needs to separate them?” He paused, giving Jim a careful look. “You’re not planning on coming home with a couple more kids, are you? Cause we would need to talk about that.”
Jim smiled slightly at that. “No….I’m not a foster parent, Bones. But I know someone who is.”
“I don’t like it,” Leonard said. He crossed his arms over his chest as he watched Jim pull on socks and sneakers. “I don’t like you driving all the way over there in the middle of the night, walking in to some dangerous situation all by yourself. I wish I could go with you, but Jo…”
Touched, and a little amused, Jim straightened and came over to him, bracketing him with his arms against the dresser. He kissed him, closing his eyes as Bones wound his arms around him.
“I’ll be fine. The police are there…everything is already secured. I just…I have to go, Bones. Ryan doesn’t have anyone. I have to be there for him.”
Leonard sighed, resting his head on Jim’s shoulder for a second. Of course Jim had to go. That was the kind of person he was. That was the person Leonard fell in love with.
“Send me a text when you get there, just so I know,” he said.
Jim gave him a kiss. “I will. I don’t know what’s going to happen today, so I don’t know what time I’ll be home, but I’ll call you.”
“Okay.” Knowing Jim had to go, even though all Leonard wanted to do was crawl back into bed with him, he gave him one more hug. “Do what you have to do, and be careful.”
“I will. You should try to go back to sleep,” Jim said. “It’s too early to be awake.”
“Not likely,” he replied. Leonard followed Jim out to the kitchen and made him a quick cup of coffee in a travel mug while he collected his schoolboard badge, wallet and keys. “Do you remember how to get there?”
“Yeah…and his address is in my phone. I’m fine. Thanks,” he added, taking the travel mug of hot coffee, prepared just the way he liked it. He looked at Leonard for a moment, then reached out to gently smooth down his hair, a small smile on his face. “You’re still wearing your concerned face. I’m a big boy, Bones, and I can take care of myself. Don’t worry.”
Leonard rolled his eyes. “I know. I just…” he shrugged. “I feel protective.”
“And you have no idea how much I love you for that. Okay…I gotta go. I’ll text when I get there, and I’ll call when I know what’s going on.”
Jim took the jacket Bones pulled out of the closet for him and let himself out. Leonard watched until he got into his car, then closed and locked the door behind him. He sighed, looking around the darkened apartment that suddenly seemed so empty. Fairly sure he wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep, and not interested in doing so until he heard from Jim anyway, he retrieved his cell phone from the bedroom, then settled down on the couch and set to finding out what was on t.v. before four in the morning.
Shivering in the car, grateful that Bones almost never let him leave the house without a jacket, Jim sipped the coffee Bones had made for him as he drove to Ryan’s home address. He was worried about the state the children would be in, and what the CPS agent would want to do. But he was also pretty sure that his plan would work. Anna and her husband had already agreed, and he hoped that he could count on his contact to help with the administrative side of things.
What mattered now, though, was making sure that the children were okay. He had no doubt that they would be scared, and Ryan’s automatic defense was combative anger - that’s what had brought him to Jim’s attention in the first place. The fact that Ryan had held on to his card, and used it in this situation, was a good sign. Jim hadn’t been sure he’d been making any real difference to the boy. This seemed to suggest that he had.
Minutes later, he pulled on to Ryan’s street, and it was immediately apparent that something had happened here. Police cars and an ambulance were parked in front of the row house, lights flashing. And because people lived on top of each other, the commotion had of course drawn people outside. Most stayed out of the way, watching warily from across the street, and the police urged others to stay back, setting up a space around the house.
Jim parked a ways down the street and took a second to send Bones a quick text. Once that was done, he exited the car and hurried up the sidewalk. When one of the policemen intercepted him, he showed him his schoolboard badge and asked for Officer Jimenez. He waited for only a couple of minutes before an officer was heading toward him.
“Dr. Kirk?” he asked.
Jim showed him his badge. “Just call me Jim.”
“Follow me,” he said. “Thanks for getting here so fast. Nothing has changed since we spoke. The boy still has the door locked.”
“Is the CPS agent here yet?”
“Uh, yeah. Hopefully he responds better to you than he did to her.”
Jim nodded. “He’s afraid of being separated from his sister…he told me he ran away from a foster home once because they wouldn’t keep them together.”
Jimenez nodded. It sucked, but that was often the case. He’d seen too many sibling groups be separated for foster care. They entered the house, and the first thing that hit Jim was the smell.
“Jesus,” he said, automatically bringing a hand to his face. He looked around, taking in the mess and general dirtiness of the apartment. “What the hell?”
“I know. Apparently they have cats, but can’t be bothered to clean up after them. The only place that doesn’t reek is the kids’ room upstairs, and it’s neat as a pin.”
They climbed the stairs, and Jim glanced into the kids’ bedroom. Jimenez hadn’t been exaggerating at all. In the small room there were two beds, a dresser, some toys, and Ryan’s backpack, and the only indication that anyone used the room were the unmade beds. It also didn’t smell bad up here. Ryan probably doesn’t allow the cats in here, Jim thought. His heart ached for everything these kids had gone through. Obviously, their home life had been worse, on a much more basic level, than Ryan had ever let on.
He quickly introduced himself to Margaret, the CPS agent. She was an older, heavyset woman with short gray hair, and she did not look happy to be there at that hour.
“Good luck. Maybe you can get something out of him other than, ‘go away and leave us alone’,” she said.
Jim knocked on the door. “Ryan? It’s Mr. Kirk. Can I talk to you?”
“Mr. Kirk…you came!” He sounded surprised. Jim could hear another higher childish voice, but he couldn’t make out any words.
“Of course I came. You did good, giving the police officer my card. Can you let me in? I want to make sure you and your sister are okay.”
On the other side of the door, Ryan held Jodi’s little hand. Once he unlocked the door, he would lose what little control of the situation he had. Jodi’s nose was running, and her face was wet with tears, her breath choppy from crying, and he just didn’t know what to do anymore.
“Ryan,” Mr. Kirk’s voice came from the other side of the door. “I saw your room. I see how well you’ve taken care of Jodi. And all of this sucks, and it’s not fair to either of you. You both deserve better. Let me help you.”
Exhausted, scared, and overwhelmed with the responsibility he felt for his little sister, tears filled his eyes and spilled down his cheeks. He reached out to the doorknob, then hesitated.
“Promise me we’re going to stay together,” Ryan said, voice wavering. “I need to stay with Jodi.”
Hearing that, Jodi’s little face scrunched up as she started crying again. “Ryan,” she said through her tears. “Noooo….”
Hearing the little girl cry broke Jim’s heart. These poor kids. “I promise,” he said, ignoring the angry glare from the CPS agent. He turned to the people crowded around them. “Could you all back up a little please? I don’t want them to feel crowded.”
“They’re my responsibility,” the woman said. “I need to be here.”
“And you can be,” Jim said calmly. “Just…over there. For a few minutes. Please.”
Jimenez nodded, doing what Jim asked, and Margaret followed suit, albeit grudgingly.
“Ryan?” Jim said again. “Can you open the door for me?”
Jim waited, practically holding his breath, then he heard the click of the lock and the knob turned. Jim pushed the door open and took in the sight of the two children clinging to each other, the little girl hiding behind her brother, clenching his shirt in her little fists.
“You promised me,” he said, blinking quickly as tears filled his eyes and got caught in his long lashes. “We stay together.”
Jim met his eyes unwaveringly. “I’ll make sure of it.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hours later, Jim opened the door to their apartment. Jack ran to meet him at the door, and Jim bent to pet him. Purring, he arched into Jim’s touch, then closed his eyes in bliss as he scratched under his chin. Jim spent a few minutes tending to the cat, putting some new food down and refreshing his water dish, then stood and stretched, a yawn escaping.
He was exhausted, and starving, but satisfied with a sense of accomplishment. It had taken most of the day, but the children were safe and secure, with Anna and her husband Rob.
A month ago, when Anna had first mentioned that she and Rob were working on becoming foster parents, he’d spent some time talking with them about his plan for Ryan and his sister. Then, with their permission, he’d reached out to a friend who worked for CPS and put a rush on their paperwork. Since they’d already done the class, the application process and the fingerprinting, all they were really waiting for were the home visits, saftey inspections, and for their background checks to clear. Jim’s friend had helped rush that through the slow-moving process, and they’d been officially accepted as fosters for a week or so.
And not a moment too soon.
Jim still wasn’t sure what would ultimately become of Ryan and Jodi, but for now they were in a safe and loving environment, and neither Anna nor Rob had any misgivings about taking siblings, possibly for an extended time. On the contrary, they’d been so warm and welcoming; making the children feel like it was their privilege to have them in their home. And the fact that Ryan already knew Anna, and associated her with a safe space, was a huge bonus. He was obviously a good kid who’d been in way over his head. Jim had no doubt that they’d thrive with good people to care for them.
So, yeah, he was exhausted and starving, but it had been so worth it.
The apartment was quiet and dark, and he wasn’t surprised. He’d called Bones earlier, to let him know that he was fine, and that things were moving slowly along, and Bones had mentioned that he and Jo would probably be out with Janie. The chilly, damp morning had developed into a beautiful day, and they very rarely stayed around the apartment on a Saturday when it was nice out. It was about four, and he figured he had a little time before they got home.
After toeing off his sneakers and hanging his jacket, Jim headed in to the kitchen, intent on finding something to eat. Opening the fridge, a huge smile lit up his face. There, on the center of the top shelf, was a plate with a big turkey sandwich, a side of macaroni salad, an unopened snack-size bag of chips, and a can of soda.
“I could not love you any more right now, Bones,” he murmured. He pulled the plate, chips and can of soda out of the fridge, and smiled when he saw the note tucked under the sandwich.
I hope everything worked out today. I’m taking the girls to see Cinderella (you owe me - big time), then dropping them at your brother’s. Now go eat and rest before you collapse. See you later. Love you.
Jim laughed quietly to himself, and carried his meal to the bedroom. He was relieved to be able to take a quick shower. He’d felt as if the stench from that house had clung to him all day. He made himself comfortable, choosing old, soft pajama pants and a t-shirt, turned on the tv, and sighed happily at the first bite of the sandwich. It was perfect, made just the way he liked it. The only way this could be better was if Bones was there. But…the fact that he managed to get out of taking the girls to see the live-action remake of Cinderella was a pretty close second.
Jim flipped through the t.v. channels until he found something interesting to watch, then settled back and worked on finishing the food Bones had prepared for him. When he was finished he set the plate aside and slumped down in the bed, drawing the pillow that Bones usually used to him. He left the t.v. on to play quietly, and the cool room was slowly darkening as the sun started to come down. Full and drowsy, Jim was tired from the very early start to a very draining day. The last thing he registered before dropping off into sleep was the arrival of Jack as he circled a few times before tucking himself down in the crook of Jim’s knees.
He was still sleeping when Leonard got home about an hour later. He was relieved to see Jim’s car there, and he hurried inside. Unsurprised to find the house quiet, he quickly checked the fridge and was happy to see the meal that he’d left for him was gone. Jim usually had a big appetite, but when he was busy or preoccupied doing something, he’d go for hours without eating and then load up on quick snacks that helped boost his energy for a little while, but then he’d crash and feel sick. Leonard had no doubt the food he’d left for him was the only thing he’d eaten this whole, long day.
Moving through the quiet and darkening apartment, he turned on a couple of lights. As he headed down the hallway, he could see the light from the tv and hear something Jim had on playing lowly. He stopped in the doorway and just took in the sight of Jim lying in the bed, one pillow under his head, the other - his - held under an arm to his chest, with Jack pressed up against the back of his legs.
Stepping quietly into the room, he pulled off his shoes, and undressed down to his undershirt and boxers, then climbed into the bed behind Jim, who inhaled deeply and smiled as he felt Leonard’s arm come around him. Jack woke and gave him a one-eyed glare before standing and abandoning his spot.
“Hey,” Jim said sleepily, eyes still closed.
“Hey, yourself. I’m glad you’re home,” Leonard said quietly. He kissed Jim’s neck, and he snuggled back further into the warmth of Leonard’s embrace.
“Mmm…me too,” Jim murmured. Content to rest and lay there holding him, Leonard listened to his breath even out as he skimmed the surface of sleep again.
After another little while, Jim stirred, rousing Leonard from the light doze he’d relaxed into. This time, Jim woke all the way and didn’t feel the pull of tiredness. He yawned and stretched his body, arching his back against Bones’ solid presence behind him. He blinked, the dark of the room, alleviated only by the t.v. and dim light from the open door disorienting. He had no idea what time it was.
“Are you awake, Bones?” he whispered.
“Yes, just resting,” he replied. Jim moved to turn over, and Leonard released his hold on him so he could. Leonard smiled as he settled on his other side, their eyes meeting.
“Hi,” Jim said. He leaned in to kiss Bones, sliding a hand down to his hip and squeezing possessively. “Thanks for the sandwich.” Leonard smiled, searching Jim’s eyes, not seeing anything that would indicate things didn’t go the way he’d hoped today.
“I figured you’d be starvin’. Everything okay with the kids?” he asked.
Jim smiled and nodded. “I was…it was delicious. And yeah, things are worked out for now. My scheming paid off. Their aunt and her boyfriend were both arrested, and it was so bad there Bones. They’re probably going to level child neglect charges on them too. Ryan and Jodi did go in to foster care, but they went to a great couple - Anna, the librarian, and her husband. I’ve talked about them before.” Leonard nodded, indicating that he remembered, and Jim continued. “And they get to stay together. And, even better, Ryan already knew Anna from his school.”
“That’s good, Jim.” He took Jim’s hand between them, fingers automatically going to the silver bracelet, a match to the one he wore. “You helped to save those kids from even more trauma. You’re amazing. Are you going to be able to stay in contact with Ryan?”
Jim’s smile dimmed a little. “Consistent one-on-one work really isn’t my job description. I’m sure I’ll see him every now and then.”
Leonard nodded, and wondered if that would be enough for Jim…if he’d ever decide that one-on-one work with kids was more his thing. That would be a major career change, and a big risk…it was always risky switching to the private sector and hanging your own shingle, so to speak.
One thing at a time, Leonard thought. They still had a house to deal with.
“Well, they’re lucky kids,” Leonard said. “And, seeing that Anna’s a friend of yours, I don’t see any reason why we couldn’t invite them all over for dinner some time.”
Jim smiled, the very thought that had weighed on his mind - losing touch with them - alleviated by that simple suggestion. He’d spent so much time focused on this issue and doing everything he could to make sure that when the bottom fell out - as it did today - the kids would have somewhere to go, he’d fallen behind on some of his other duties, and he knew there were well over a hundred emails that were awaiting his attention. He didn’t even want to touch his office phone. It was going to take a while to catch up, and he couldn’t keep justifying visits to Ryan’s school to keep tabs on him.
“You always know what to say to me,” Jim said. “How do you do that?”
Leonard smiled and pulled him closer, kissing him gently. “I’ve had a lot of practice figurin’ you out, Darlin’. I know how you think. Behind that big brain of yours, you’re all heart.” His tone was light and gently teasing, but his words were sincere. It was one of the things he loved about Jim…how much he cared about others, and how genuine that care was.
Jim flushed lightly, eyes smiling. “You saying I’m a softie?”
“Yup,” Leonard replied with a straight face. Jim laughed, and kissed him again.
“If I’m a softie, then you’re the one with the ooey-gooey center. Don’t think I don’t notice how all the children in this family have you wrapped around their little fingers.”
Leonard smiled and shrugged, conceding the point. True enough. He did love his nieces, and he’d walk over hot coals for his daughter.
“Hey, speaking of that, have you heard from Sam and Aurelan?”
“I haven’t heard from them since we parted ways on Friday. They’ll get a call Monday with the results, and I’m sure they’ll call us then,” Leonard said.
Friday had been a hectic day. Jo had missed part of her school day because of her interview at the Progressive Education University School in the morning. Once they’d dropped her off at McKinley, they’d gone in to Estelle’s office to start the process of buying the house. By the time they were done with that, it was time for Aurelan’s appointment, so Leonard dropped Jim off at home so he could have his car to get Jo and be with her the rest of the day, and Leonard drove to the hospital. He’d wanted to be there to walk them in, because as unfair as it was, family members of doctors usually enjoyed some perks, and he wanted to do everything he could for them.
There were few things more stressful than having to submit to a somewhat invasive test performed by people you didn’t know, in an unfamiliar hospital office, to determine the health of your unborn infant. Aurelan had been a teary ball of nerves when they arrived, but the fact that Leonard met them there and walked them in, waiting with them and spending a couple of minutes talking with the tech, who he’d happened to share a lunch table with a couple of times, made a world of difference to them.
“Sam told me how much it helped having you there,” Jim said. “Thanks for doing that. God, I hope everything’s okay with the little guy.”
“Me too, Darlin’, me too.”
They lapsed into silence for a few minutes, just cuddling together as they listened to the news on the television. They were both still a little too tired to do much of anything else, and Leonard was getting hungry, but he was content to lay there with Jim.
“How was the movie?” Jim asked. Leonard huffed a laugh.
“If you ever doubt how much I love you, remind yourself I gave up some time in my life to spare you,” he said, and Jim grinned. “The girls enjoyed it, though. So…worth it, I suppose.”
“Did Jo say anything else about her interview?”
“No…I asked about it once, but she just said what she already had…that it went fine, she liked the two other teachers she met, and she thought she did a good job.”
Jim frowned slightly. That seemed like a pretty evasive answer to him. Especially for Jo. She was usually pretty open with them. But, that was her story, and she was sticking to it. Before they’d left the school on Friday, DeSalle had indicated that they’d let them know by mid-week. So now, it was just a waiting game. And though they didn’t have to wait long, it was hard. Because if this didn’t work out, they had to figure something else out for her. And soon.
“Maybe this is her way of trying not to get her hopes up,” Jim suggested. “What time is it?”
Leonard picked his head up to peer over Jim’s body. “Only about seven.”
“Hm…feels so much later than that. We should get up...” He paused when Leonard’s stomach gave a growl. “Have you eaten anything?” Jim asked.
“I had lunch with the girls,” Leonard replied. “I could eat again.”
“Let’s go out,” Jim said, pushing himself up. He looked down at Leonard, and ran his fingers through his dark hair. “Get some dinner and maybe do some furniture shopping.”
“You want to go out?” Leonard asked, surprised. “You were sound asleep ten minutes ago.”
“Nah, it was longer than that, Bones. I’ve got a second wind. C’mon, let’s go. Unless…if you’re too tired, I’ll make dinner for you here, and you can rest.”
Leonard smiled and stretched. “No…that actually sounds like a good idea.” He sat up and rubbed his eyes. “We haven’t been out - just the two of us - in a while.”
Both feeling much more refreshed and awake after having rested, they got up and turned on the lights, then spent a couple of minutes getting ready.
“What?” Jim asked, noticing that Leonard was staring at him as he pulled on his jeans.
“Nothin’. Just admiring the view,” he said with a wink.
Smiling, Jim made a show of pulling his sweater up to expose the flat of his stomach. “I’ll let you admire more than the view when we get home,” he promised, wearing his best come hither look.
“You keep talkin’ like that, and we’ll skip goin’ out and just get to that part now.”
Jim chuckled, and together they headed out. Leonard drove, and they settled on La Bamba - a Mexican restaurant they both liked.
Remembering their compromise, Leonard glanced at Jim. “I might order a beer with dinner,” he said. “No liquor, though. That okay?”
“Yeah, that’s fine. I probably will too,” Jim replied. “Suddenly tacos and beer sound delicious.” He was quiet for a moment, feeling a little embarrassed that what Bones did just now was something he needed. But, it made a huge difference to him, and he was surprised how much. “Um…thanks. For remembering to say something,” Jim said.
Stopped at a light, Leonard looked over at him and took his hand. “No reason to thank me, Jim. This is something you need. I get that. You dealt with everything I needed for a long time. You still do, sometimes. We said we’d talk about drinking beforehand, so we did. That’s all.”
And this was why Jim was so sure about everything. He’d never had anyone in his life who loved him and cared about him so completely like this. That Bones loved him so freely and so unconditionally that he’d not only make such a change, but remember and then actually do it, even though he probably thought it was a little ridiculous, was just…amazing. And he felt the same way. And given all of that, buying a house seemed like nothing.
The restaurant was crowded, but they’d expected that. It was one of those places with excellent, cheap food, two-for-one happy hours and live music. The dining areas were full, but Jim spotted two seats at the bar, and Leonard agreed.
They placed their food and drink orders, and munched on tortilla chips and salsa. The bar was next to the dance floor, and they turned in their seats to watch. The music was fast and loud, and there were some excellent dancers on the floor, both straight and a couple of gay couples. Jim leaned close to Bones, his mouth near his ear.
“Dance with me?” Jim asked.
Leonard took a sip of his beer and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “I’d do anything for you, but that’s pushing it,” he said, and Jim laughed. They watched a few more minutes, commenting on the dancers that caught their attention, then Leonard excused himself to use the restroom before their food came.
While he was gone, the food arrived and Jim ordered them each an iced tea. As he was putting together his first taco, he heard his name.
“Jimmy? Oh my god, it is you!”
Jim stopped himself from cringing as he recognized the voice. He turned to the man who’d wedged himself in between his stool and Bones’ empty seat.
“Gary, hey. Long time, man. How’ve you been?” Jim asked, a polite smile on his face. “Didn't you move back east? New Hampshire, right?”
“Connecticut. Yeah, I did, for a while. But it’s just so…boring there. Not the place for me. So I’m back. How about you? You’re looking good,” he said, eyeing Jim up and down.
“I’m doing great, thanks. I met someone…he’s actually in the restroom,” Jim replied, indicating the food that was waiting for Leonard’s return.
“You and this guy…you serious?” He moved closer, dropping an arm around the back of Jim’s chair and bringing his mouth closer to his ear. “Cause you’re still hot as hell. We could see if there’s still…an attraction.”
Leonard paused on the other side of the dance floor, watching as another guy insinuate himself into Jim’s personal space as he leaned toward him to say something. He was younger, in excellent physical shape, and wearing a black t-shirt at least a size too small with jeans that looked like he’d painted them on. But then he saw Jim slide out of his seat and put some space between the two of them, his expression annoyed, and not welcoming at all, and Leonard was ashamed to admit the feeling of relief that flooded him. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Jim. It was just that he was still surprised that Jim always chose him.
He hurried back to the bar, coming up behind Jim and wrapping an arm around his waist. Jim glanced at him gratefully as Leonard nodded a hello with a bland smile.
“Bones, this is Gary. He and I were friends years ago,” Jim said.
“Friends?” Gary echoed, amused. “Is that what we’re calling it?”
“Hi Gary. Name’s actually Leonard. This is the only one who calls me Bones,” he said, tilting his head towards Jim. He held out his hand to shake, but Gary crossed his arms, eyeing him.
“This is your ‘someone’?” he asked Jim. “He looks kinda buttoned up for you. More like a lawyer with a wife.”
Annoyed at Gary’s rudeness, but not surprised by it, Jim rolled his eyes. “C’mon, man.”
“Actually,” Leonard said, ready to be done with him. “I’m a doctor, and I’m divorced. And we were just moving.” He picked up his dinner plate and iced tea, and Jim followed suit. He wasn’t sure where they were moving, but he was happy to do so. “Nice to meet you, Gary.”
“Uh huh,” he said. “Jimmy, I’ve got the same cell number…just in case.”
Jim didn’t even bother with a response. They walked away, and Leonard stopped a server, to ask about a table a busser was just finishing wiping down. The server nodded.
“Over here, Jim,” Leonard said. They sat at the table, choosing to sit on the same side next to each other.
“Sorry about that,” Jim said, uncomfortable with what Leonard had walked in to. “Gary and I were, well, not exactly together, back when I was in grad school. We worked at the same restaurant.”
Leonard nodded, putting his taco together. “It’s fine, Jim. We both have pasts…you’ve been raising one of the results of my past.”
Jim smiled and finished a bite of his taco. “Gary was always a little bit of a jerk. He wasn’t very… stable…in his personal life. And for a while, we had a thing.”
“And then you grew up. He didn’t, apparently. It happens.”
They finished their tacos and iced tea, then lingered over desert and coffee. And when the music finally slowed, they danced.
.