Friends with Benefits - Chapter 4 - Part 2

[whatshouldntbe]

Romeo and Juliet opens that Friday.

Jim peeks out through the slit of the heavy red curtain to look at the gathering crowds. Gloria had warned them that opening night would incur a full house, and the theatre looked crammed with half of Hudson Hill.

"These people really like their drama," Jim mutters to herself before Asiyah grabs her by the wrist and drags her to the dressing rooms where Zuhi and Zonta are fitting everyone to their costumes and applying makeup.

It had taken some convincing, but Jim got Gloria to take Zuhi and Zonta onto the costume crew. They were really capable and Gloria was already short-staffed.

Zonta shoves Jim's costume into her chest and fusses at her to get dressed.

Jim reappears in renaissance attire suited for the men during that period.

Zuhi works quickly to pin a dark haired wig on Jim's head before giving her enough makeup to be seen on the stage. "Alright," she says as she steps back and gives Jim a once over. "Damn. You make a hot love-sick teenaged guy," she compliments.

Jim laughs and looks herself over in the mirror.

Asiyah comes find her. She's wearing a royal blue period dress with a matching hijab. Her makeup looks truly amazing and she makes a stunning Juliet.

"I'm not going to have to fake that kiss," Jim says as she presses close to Asiyah with a flirty smile and shifting eyebrows.

Asiyah giggles with a blush and pushes Jim away. "Stop it," she says.

Jim press close again and bites her shoulder, sneaking her hands over Asiyah's waist.

"Jim," Asiyah hisses with a deepening flush.

Jim just slides her cheek along Asiyah as she presses Asiyah's body into hers and whispers, "Did my heart love 'til now? Forswear its sight. For I never saw true beauty 'til this night."

Asiyah's eyelashes flutters and Jim grins devilishly as her lips brush the corner of Asiyah's pink mouth.

"Save that for the stage you two!" Gloria yells from across the room.

Asiyah manages to escape Jim's grasp.

Jim pouts at her fun being spoiled and says, "I was building our chemistry!"

"Consider it built!" Gloria replies and herds her out the room and to the stage. "Brace yourself. You're on in five, four, three, two-"

Jim is shoved onto the stage just as the curtains pull open again. She takes a deep breath and lets it all wash over her.

For the next couple of hours all she knows is the bitter depression of rejection, the consuming euphoria of new love, the passion and stubbornness that comes with it, and the tragic heartbreak that spurs on the desire for death.

As the curtain falls, Jim hears the thunderous clapping and cheers from her position on the floor under Asiyah. She smiles and stands, helping Asiyah to her feet as they stand and join hands with the rest of the cast. The curtain lifts and they all bow in tandem.

Gloria is standing off to the side with proud tears in her eyes.

Jim smiles when she spots Eleanora and Bones in the audience. She waves at them and gives them the thumbs-up before she follows the rest of the cast to the backstage area. She changes out of her costume and shares a few brief congratulatory hugs and kisses with her fellow cast mates.

"Good job everyone!" Gloria praises. "And remember. From now till the end of June, we'll be giving performances Sunday, Wednesday, and Saturday nights, every other week. See you then, and again, you done me proud!"

Jim slips away and finds Eleanora and Bones in the lobby area. She's a bit surprised when Eleanora presents her with a bouquet of white roses. "Thank you. You didn't have to do that," she says.

"Oh hush," Eleanora says. "You deserved them. You were amazin' up there. Had me bawlin' my eyes out and everythin', sayin' to myself, 'Oh to be young again'."

Jim laughs and accepts the kiss that Eleanora gives her on the cheek. She looks over to Bones. "What's the verdict, Doctor?" she asks.

Bones tucks his left hand in the pockets of his slacks as he uses the right to straighten his tie. "Not a fan of Shakespeare, but I reckon you did fine all the same," he remarks with a neutral expression.

Eleanora rolls her eyes. "For God's sake-he was bawlin' along with me," she accuses. "I never seen him so glittery-eyed, nor so invested in the theatrics of this play."

Bones flushes and glares at his mother as though she has betrayed him.

Jim hides her smile in her bouquet of roses.

"Well come on," Eleanora says, steering Jim towards the exits. "Let my softhearted boy and I treat you to a meal."

They go to Mom and Pop's Diner and get served by Dixie, who is, by this point, swelling around the stomach with child. They take a booth by a window because Jim favors doing such, and she sits on the inside with Eleanora to her immediate right while Bones settles across from them.

Jim and Eleanora order a turkey burger with sweet potato fries while Bones is content to order the house chili.

Midway through their meal, Jim decides to bring up a topic she's been meaning to. Well-two topics. She says, "So Bones, have you got any calls yet about those lessons?"

Bones snorts. "I've got more people askin' after me than I know what to do with. I should have known that was your doin'. I've got about seven different kids booked for lessons this weekend." He doesn't sound upset or thrilled, so Jim pegs it down as a win or something close to it. He does still look unsure about the whole situation.

"Don't give me all the credit," Jim says after a brief swallow of fries. "Florence helped. Like a lot. You've met her right? She said she took you out for lunch so you two can get comfortable with each other."

Bones shoves a spoonful of chili in his mouth and lifts a brow as his reply.

"If its any consolation, she said you two hit it off," Jim offers as she jams a few more fries in her mouth.

Bones snorts and pulls his glass of iced tea close. "She's somethin' alright," he states quietly, more to himself than to Jim.

"Well I think its good you're taken up these lessons," Eleanora chimes, putting her bid into the conversation. "It'll be good for you to see the outside of those clinic walls more often."

"Here, here," Jim adds and winks at Bones when he sends them both a flat look. She goes on to say, "So what's this I hear about debutante balls?" Eleanora and Bones share a look that Jim certainly does not miss. "What? Am I missing something?"

"Who told you about them?" Eleanora asks instead.

"Mayor Treadway. Made the suggestion that I should try it. Get you to sponsor me and-why do you two keep looking like that-seriously, what am I missing?"

Bones chuckles amusedly down at his bowl as he adds more crackers.

Jim frowns.

Eleanora explains, "Don't let that old peacock, Mayor Treadway, fool you. Those darlin' debutante balls are just catfights in disguise of glitzy gowns, big hair, and shallow pageantry displays. I wouldn't recommend it."

"Not even if I ask you to sponsor me?" Jim presses, just to see what she'll say and what she thinks.

Eleanora does something unexpected. Her face goes soft and her eyes fill up with the kind of warmth Jim's only seen her direct towards Bones. But she also looks very sad. She says, "It's no small thing you ask, Jamie." She covers Jim's hand with hers. "Debutante balls are significant to mothers and daughters, and they focus a lot on those bonds-it's part of the whole presentation. Forgive me, but-I just wouldn't think you'd care to take me on as that type of figure."

Jim suddenly understands. Eleanora is trying to tread carefully in regards to Jim's comfort zone. She always knew Eleanora was perceptive woman, and this just proves it. "Oh, well," she says and really takes the time to think about it. "I wouldn't, you know, mind. Not really. You-I mean, it's fine. I'd be open to trying and-but that's only if you want to. I just thought it'd be interesting, um, something to try."

Eleanora smiles carefully. "I'd be honored to help," she says, sounding intensely genuine.

Bones flicks his hazel eyes between them with that indecipherable expression of his.

Jim wonders about what he might be thinking. She doesn't really know how to ask and so she doesn't. She just goes back to eating what's left of her burger. She stays quiet as Bones and Eleanora argue over the finer points of Jim's performance, even comparing her to today's actors and actresses. She's flattered to say the least, but more amused than anything.

Eventually they finish their meals and forgo dessert in favor of eating the caramel cake that Bones, surprisingly, made.

Jim has a sneaking suspicion that Bones is just as good in the kitchen as his mother is. When they make it home and Jim cuts an obnoxious piece of cake Bones chastises her for, she takes one bite and she just knows.

Bones is an undercover chef genius.

Eleanora takes her slice up to her room and bids them a goodnight.

Bones and Jim settle out on the back porch and sit on the middle of the steps under the full moon.

"So what else don't I know about you?" Jim questions but she's pretty sure it comes out muffled because she has so much cake jammed in her mouth. Her cheeks are puffed out with it.

Bones makes a disapproving face but he also looks like he wants to laugh. He hands her a napkin instead with a vaguely fond expression. "I'm gonna pretend what you said was actual words," he decides, watching her. "You look like a chipmunk, just so you know."

Jim aims a sunny smile his way, puffy cheeks and all.

Bones lips twitch and eventually curl. He wouldn't admit to it, but Jim thinks he's secretly pleased that she's taken by his baking prowess.

Jim swallows. "I was attempting to say that I think you're hiding more skills under that scowl of yours."

Bones snorts and starts forking his way through his own piece of cake. "I got nothin' to hide, Kid. You just ain't been askin' the right questions," he counters.

Jim considers that with a heavy moment of silence. She waits until Bones forks another bite of cake in his mouth before she asks, "Is it true you used to do gymnastics?"

Bones chokes violently and goes beet red as he hits at his chest while trying to hack up the bite of cake that's obstructing his windpipe.

Jim just watches him with an innocent expression as she takes another bite of her cake.

"How the hell did you-Jesus that burns-who told you about that?" Bones rasps with watery eyes. His flush doesn't look like it's dying anytime soon.

"I consulted a soothsayer," Jim lies and laughs when Bones glares at her. "Okay. Your mom keeps a stack of photo albums in a box under her bed. I flipped through it when I was watching some film adaptation with her the other night. I saw the pictures of your competitions. I have to say, those were some tasteful leotards."

Bones swears colorfully under his breath as he pinches the bridge of his nose.

Jim chuckles and scrapes up the last few threads of cake and frosting into her mouth before she licks her fork clean.

A warm breeze coils around them and dances through the field of trees, making the leaves shake in a noisy whisper.

Jim tugs off her cowboy boots and sets them in a neat row on the steps.

"And what about you?" Bones asks when he finishes. He wipes his mouth clean with a napkin.

Jim stands and goes to the last step, tucking her hands in the back pockets of her cutoff shorts and begins pacing the length of that wooden step. She says, "What about me?"

Bones follows her movements with his eyes. "Well it's only fair you tell me a bit about yourself since you know about my short affair with gymnastics," he elaborates.

Jim continues to pace. "Not much to tell. I'm a bore," she lies.

"Pull the other, Kid, cause I ain't buyin' that for a second," Bones huffs knowingly. "Why're you so against me knowin' anythin' about you?"

"What makes you think you're so special? Maybe I just don't want anyone to know anything about me," Jim explains and it is partially true. No one needs to know the sordid details about her or her less than amicable past. "And why do you want to know anything about me anyway."

"No need to get defensive," Bones grumbles crankily. His mood seems to be souring, just like the expression on his face. "That's what people do, don't they? Interact-talk. Get to know each other."

Jim spins on her foot to face him as she ducks her head to look at him from under her lashes with a thoughtful expression. "You trying to be my friend, Bones?" she questions with a cynical grin.

Bones blinks and furrows his brow in confusion like he doesn't understand why she would even ask such an obvious question. "I would-if you'd let me," he states with an honest frown.

Jim lifts her head and takes a step back on one foot in surprise. Or maybe she shouldn't be surprised. Why is she surprised?

It must show on her face because Bones rolls his eyes with an amused scoff. "Honestly, Kid. I'm not that prickly am I?" he asks in good humor.

Jim smiles faintly before it slips away. This is a little strange for her. Outside of Eleanora, Bones is the only other person who is genuinely interested in getting to know her. She scrambles to cover her long gap of silence. "I, um, I used to go around, collecting strays and taking them to the animal shelters," she admits and feels a bit exposed for it.

Bones lifts both his eyebrows but he doesn't look particularly shocked. "And you were how old? You could have contracted-"

Jim can tell he's gearing up for some kind of lecture so she waves her hands frantically to distract him and explains, "I know! I never said it was the smartest thing I ever did. I was a little over eight and at the time I was a charitable kid with optimistic views and I just thought it was awful they were alone and had to survive on their own. I could kind of relate and so I wanted to give them a chance at something better."

Bones grows quiet. He appears to be deciding something. He finally says, "I wasn't bein' judgmental. Hell, I'm the reason we've got so many horses in that stable. I couldn't ever be content with just one."

Jim smiles. "I'm not an animal lover though, so don't make that mistake."

"I think you always mean the opposite when you say things like that," Bones quietly decides with a thoughtful frown.

Jim just shrugs and doesn't bother to confirm how accurate he is. "Come take a walk with me and let's go back to the basics. Like, um, what's your favorite color? Mine is brown," she says as she walks backwards towards the trees.

Bones stands and descends the steps to follow. He says, "I don't have one."

"How can you not have one?"

"Simple. I just don't."

Jim rolls her eyes as they carry on their moonlight stroll through the apple trees. "Well then, how about this-why'd you want to be a doctor?"

Bones gives a vague explanation at first before he really opens up about it. Then he talks about his father, something that neither his mother nor him seem to do. When Bones gets around to explain why, and also how his father died, she understands. He talks about his diminishing marriage and his never-ending love for his daughter Joanna.

Jim doesn't know how they even get to the point where they're standing on the edge of the McCoy property, and she's telling him about her shitty childhood. She still leaves a lot out (Tarsus and her absentee mother), but Jim gets the sense that Bones knows and he understands.

"Wait, you almost ran off to Starfleet?" Jim says as they sit side by side under the stars between two trees, leaning back on their elbows. "Seriously, what?"

"Man named Pike tried to recruit me. I almost listened to him. I was out there that day, you know, on the shuttle headed to San Francisco on that shipyard in Riverside," Bones explains as he looks out into the fields of tall swaying wheat. "I was there, drunk off my ass and bitter. I sat in that shuttle and right before take off I changed my mind and circled back here. Couldn't really commit to it-didn't have a reason to."

Jim shakes her head in amazement as she stares at the side of his face. "Shit, Bones. Now I'm really freaking out because I was supposed to be on that shuttle. Pike tried to recruit me too."

Bones turns his head and looks at her. His right brow slowly escalates.

"No, I'm being so for real right now. I was probably going to sit next to you or something," Jim says as her eyes glaze over with the thought. "God, can you imagine that? Us meeting that way?" She could, and she wonders if she could have convinced him to stay. She shakes the thought away and feels guilty for it. He does have a family he would have been leaving behind after all.

Bones gaze burns into her temple and he seems to be considering that fact. He looks away and mutters, "Might not've been so bad then."

Jim flushes and tries not reading into it. Reading into it would be very dangerous. "Funny how the universe works. But I could never imagine you in space," she says, shifting the conversation to safer grounds.

"Space is disease and danger wrapped in darkness and silence," Bones responds in kind.

Jim rolls her eyes. "Okay, you don't have to be dramatic about it. I actually wouldn't mind going up there. Just to see what I'd find."

"You can't be content to just sit still can you?" Bones huffs.

"Nope." Jim smiles and it's all teeth and charm. "So you better enjoy me while you still can. Who knows when I'll be kicking up the dust and moving along?"

Bones doesn't seem too fond of the idea of Jim leaving and his deep frown expresses that. "You could stay," he quietly suggests and meets her gaze.

Jim snorts and shakes her head. "No I couldn't. This place isn't really my cup of tea."

"What's wrong with here?" Bones asks, and Jim could swear he sounds offended.

"Nothing," Jim says in a soothing tone as Bones sits up with a scowl. She sits up too. "Really-Hudson Hill is a jewel. I just-I don't think it's my kind of-come on, Bones. You can't say you're surprised."

Bones glares at the wheat fields. "I can't say why I'm ever surprised," is his terse reply. He rips a bit of grass with his fingers before he exhales slowly. "You could stay," he insists.

"I could stay," Jim agrees. "I just don't think I will. But I guess you never know."

Bones says nothing. His shoulders are sitting in a tense line, his jaw is clenched and his frown is slowly becoming more and more prominent the deeper he winds himself in his thoughts.

Jim makes a mental note to avoid this line of conversation at all costs in the future. She hates when Bones gets moody and quiet. She says, "Tell me about Joanna."

Bones blinks and his eyebrows push together. He doesn't quite look at Jim but he also doesn't seem to be avoiding her gaze either. He scratches the side of his jaw and says, "She's nothin' like me or her mother. She's her own person." A smile starts to creep its way on his lips. "She likes violins a lot. Jocelyn used to play to her all while she was pregnant with her. She was as active in the womb as she is now, and the only way Joyce could calm her down is by playin'."

"Jocelyn can play the violin?" Jim asks with a curious frown. "I-that's like-I don't know. I imagined she was more of a cello person."

Bones shakes his head. "She's always been playin' for as long as I've known her. She used to have concerts when we were teenagers. Everyone came out to see." His face turns wistful and Jim knows he's remembering the woman he used to love.

Jim looks away and threads her fingers through the grass while she tries to cut down the surge of envy that attempts to rise up.

"Don't ever let Joanna talk you into playing Jenga," Bones warns softly. "Jo'll play game after game until she falls asleep on her feet." He smiles briefly. "Her favorite fruit's mangos. She refuses to eat anything that's yellow and I can't even explain why. She's stubborn, but I figure she gets that from me. That determination, however-she gets that honest from Joyce. She also has this thing when she gets read to, where she likes to start in the middle of the book and work her way backwards before going forward again."

Jim feels her mouth quirk again.

"She's allergic to strawberries and shrimp," Bones goes on to say.

"What a coincidence, so am I," Jim states. "I knew I felt a kindred spirit in her."

Bones snorts. "Only unlike you, she wouldn't press her luck by tryin' to eat them anyway," he points out and tosses her a knowing look.

Jim flashes a disarming grin in reply.

Bones flicks his gaze away and says, "When she was born, she had a mop of brown hair and weighed in at about 2800 grams."

"Did you deliver her?"

"Not for the better lack of tryin'. Joyce wouldn't let me. She refused," Bones replies with a mere shrug.

"Can't blame her."

Bones whirls his gaze on her and he bristles. "And just what do you mean by that?"

"I mean what I mean. I don't blame her. Have you met you? I can only imagine how you would've been while trying to bring your child into this world."

"There'd be no tryin' about it," Bones snaps, face riddled with an angry scowl. "I'm not incompetent."

"No you're not," Jim agrees calmly. "But if it were me, I'd want you right next to me, holding my hand like you're my husband. Not down at my danger zone treating me just like any other patient. Having a kid is a big deal, not that I'd know, but it's not too hard to imagine."

Bones reddens curiously before it washes away into something more attentively mindful. "Guess I can concede to the point when you put it like that," he mutters.

Jim folds her legs under her and straightens out the line of her spine. "Yeah, well, I know some things," she supposes. "Now, tell me more about Ms. Joanna."

Bones does.

888

Mayor Treadway makes a house call in the middle of June when Bones is busy giving his last horseback riding lesson of the day and Eleanora's away because she's sorting out some business in town at the post office.

This leaves Jim to be the one to awkwardly invite the grinning mayor inside. She's not used to playing host so she's isn't quite sure of what the protocol is for this type of thing. She wings it.

"Have a seat. Can I get you something to drink?" Jim offers as she yanks on the hem of her floral dress.

Mayor Treadway sits down on the couch facing away from the windows and towards the foyer. "Cup of lemonade will do just fine if you have any. Iced tea if you don't," he replies and runs his eyes over her unabashedly.

Jim nods tightly and tucks away in the kitchen. She grabs a glass and the pitcher of homemade iced tea from the fridge. She pours a glass and tries to work out just why he's here.

Mayor Treadway is leaning back against the back of the couch with his arms spread out against it and his legs crossed. "Thank you," he says as he leans forward and accepts the glass.

Jim sits across from him and watches him drink it. "I'm sorry to say that Eleanora and Leonard aren't here right now. Did you want me to pass on a message?"

Mayor Treadway just hums before he snags a coaster to set his glass on. He leans back and pins Jim with his green eyes. "I know it's no secret in this house that Leonard and Jocelyn plan on finalizing their divorce tomorrow," he says. "I'm here to see if I can't persuade my son-in-law to some different alternative."

"With all due respect, sir," Jim begins, a bit affronted on Bones's behalf. "What they decide about their marriage is between them, wouldn't you say?"

Mayor Treadway aims a pristine smile her way and it's both cold and threatening. "With all due respect to yourself, Ms. Kirk-this is family matter and the last time I checked you had neither a McCoy nor a Treadway tacked to your name," he curtly clarifies. "Now don't get me wrong. I've seen the way you and Leonard get on. It's rather sweet-like a brother and his little sister." His grin is glaring. "And I can see you have some sway with him."

Jim's hands curl into fists on her lap as she fights to maintain a neutral expression.

"I'll tell you somethin' you may not know," Mayor Treadway drawls as he leans forward, like he's doing Jim a favor. "My daughter is expectin' her second child."

Jim quietly inhales sharply.

Mayor Treadway grins. "So you can see why I'm so adamant to stop this separation. My daughter is strong, but I'd die a thousand deaths before I let some backcountry boy who pays more attention to his horses than he does his own family walk out on her and leave her to fend for herself with two children." His grin fades and his expression becomes as severe as his tone. "And since my daughter was foolish enough to agree to a pre-nup-well that's not goin' to leave her with much, now is it? So maybe, Ms. Kirk, we can help each other. I can talk until I'm blue in the face at him and he's stubborn enough to dig his heels in the ground and not let up. That's fine-it's somethin' I always like about him. But you-oh, you." He smiles sharply again. "You've got that unflappable charm about you, don't ya girl? You can flutter those pretty blues and he'd put a knife in his own gut if you asked him to."

Jim stares angrily at him. "I don't think-"

"I'm not askin' you to think!" Mayor Treadway snaps.

Jim flinches and presses her lips together, trying not to tremble. He reminds her too much of Kodos and that is fucking with her calm.

Mayor Treadway runs his hand down his tie in an attempt to reign in his temper. "Pardon," he bites out tersely, before continuing, "You do this for me, Ms. Kirk, and-well I don't ever soon forget a debt." His expression clears and he straightens just as the sound of the back porch door creaks open and slaps shut.

Bones rounds the corner from the kitchen and pauses beside the stairs when he notices Jim and Mayor Treadway. He's wear dark jean and a black t-shirt (both are streaked with some dirt). He frowns and flicks his gaze to Jim.

Jim tries her best to mask her expression of sullen outrage. She's not sure if she's successful when Bones steps in her line of sight with tense shoulders and suspicion in his hazel eyes as he casts them towards Mayor Treadway.

"Mr. Treadway," Bones greets and accepts the hand offered to him when Mayor Treadway stands. "What brings you by?"

"I thought I'd stop in," Mayor Treadway lies.

Bones doesn't look like he buys it. He moves to sit by Jim and h'se close enough that their shoulders and legs touch. His silent way of assuring himself that she's fine.

Mayor Treadway raises an eyebrow as he pointedly stares at the lack of space between them.

Bones refuses to move and he looks at Mayor Treadway expectantly. "Won't you sit?" he suggests and spreads his arms along the back of the couch behind Jim.

Jim can feel his arm brushing the back of her neck and it's comforting to say the least. She feels less threatened and cornered with Bones here.

Mayor Treadway's expression pinches but he sits down across from them. "I won't beat around the bush here," he begins with a somber expression. "I get that you and Joyce are plannin' to make the separation official tomorrow."

Bones face becomes closed and he says nothing.

"I just want you to think long and hard about what you're doin', son," Mayor Treadway lightly warns.

"I've done nothin' but think about it," Bones says.

"I just don't want you to do anythin' you'll regret," Mayor Treadway insists. "Think of Joanna."

Bones bristles. "Spare me the lecture," he brusquely retorts. "Jocelyn and I have both considered every avenue while keepin' Joanna at the forefront of our minds."

Mayor Treadway frowns. "I can see I'm upsettin' you. I apologize. I'm not gonna argue with you about this." He stands. "I've said what I came to say. I'll leave the rest in God's hands. You have a good day, Leonard." He glances briefly to Jim and his lips curl. "Ms. Kirk," he murmurs. "I'll be seein' you, I'm sure."

Jim doesn't respond as she looks away and listens as Bones walks him to the door. She exhales and flexes her fingers.

Bones returns and he sits directly in front of her on the edge of the coffee table. "What'd he say to you?" He sounds upset and completely knowing.

Jim smiles sadly. "Eleanora will kill you if she sees you sitting on her table like that," she says, because of course she can never really say what's bothering her. She needs it dragged out of her.

Bones levels Jim with a stern stare. "You ain't gotta spare my feelings," he bites out and his anger doesn't appear to be directed towards her. "Man's got no right to impose on us like that. I'm no fool, Kid. I know he wouldn't think twice before tossin' you at me if he thinks that's what it'll take to get his way."

Jim feels her smile slip and all she feels is cold and sad and alone. "Jocelyn's pregnant." She ducks her gaze. "Did you know?" It's none of her business, really, but-God, this is so messed up.

Bones waits until she's looking at him again before he says, "Yes. I know."

Jim exhales as quietly as she can and tries to not feel disappointed or abandoned because she has no right-no right. "I know you don't like him and I have my reservations certainly. But maybe he's right, you know," and the words taste bitter in her mouth. "Maybe you two should consider-"

"It ain't mine," Bones interjects before she can really get started. He lets that sink in before he continues, "I know what you're tryin' to do. You can quit it."

Jim blinks at him. "What? But I thought-what?"

Bones smiles in a self-deprecating manner. "The baby she's carryin' ain't mine." He shrugs but he can't hide the glimmer of hurt that betrays his thoughts on the situation. "It kinda became the final nail in the coffin so to speak. Jocelyn thought the situation would be less messy if we got things taken care of as soon as possible. She's happier with someone else and I don't blame her for it. People will talk but-she'll be fine. She's always been fine. I'll be fine."

Jim wants to know who this someone else is and she wants to ask a whole bunch of questions but she's just silenced by her undeniable relief and hoping it doesn't show on her face.

"Now tell me what that old coot said," Bones says and gives Jim his undivided attention.

Jim scratches the side of her nose and looks up towards the ceiling with a sigh. "Nothing really. Nothing you haven't already figured out anyway," she mutters.

"Tell me anyway."

Jim catches his eyes and shrugs. "He just wanted me to use my pretty face to convince you not to go through with the divorce," she admits.

"Did he threaten you?"

Jim's mouth fidgets because she wants to smile at the fact that Bones looks ready to go to war for her. "No. But even if he did, I can handle myself just fine," she points out.

"I agree," Bones merely says, expression still somber. "Doesn't mean you should have to."

Jim shrugs again. "Do you think he knows that the baby isn't yours?"

"He'll find out soon enough."

Jim hums thoughtfully as rubs her arm.

Bones studies her for a minute longer before he sighs and stands. "Momma's not comin' back tonight. She's run off with one of her gentlemen callers."

Jim smiles. "Good for her."

Bones foregoes commenting. "Come help me make dinner," he says instead as he looks down at her.

Jim scoffs and spreads herself out on the couch, lacing her fingers behind her head as she looks up at him. "That was a funny joke you just made."

"Wasn't a joke."

"Yes it was. I'm not helping you. I can't cook."

"Which is why I'm gonna teach you. The best way to learn is with hands-on experience."

"I'm more for the 'wait till its done and then eat it' method."

"Lazy."

"Truly I am," Jim agrees easily and closes her eyes. "Wake me when it's ready."

Bones sits her up, ignoring her squawking protests, before he tosses her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and carries her into the kitchen.

"You put me down right now! This is nonconsensual cooking! I'll press charges!"

"With who? The cooking police? Stop bein' such a baby," Bones grumbles and sets her down in front of the fridge. "Grab two sticks of butter from the bottom drawer. I'm teachin' you how to make homemade hot wings from scratch and that's the end of it."

Jim pouts but she does as she told, only because she likes when Bones is bossy. She grabs everything he tells her to and they move around each other like orbiting planets that comes close to drifting towards each other but never quite make that final touch.

Bones is patient in his explanations and he refuses to do any of the physical work because he believes that Jim is benefiting more from doing it herself than from watching him. The only thing he does really do is peel the potatoes for the fries but he makes Jim deep-fry them.

Jim mixes the buffalo sauce the way he tells her to as he keeps an eye on the fries and she complains that her arm is getting tired from all the stirring.

"Wimp," is Bones's goading reply. He lifts a challenging brow at her as he spoons out all the steak-cut fries that are floating to the top of the crackling oil.

Jim glares at him but she does stop complaining, if only to prove that she's no wimp.

Once Bones has the fries all sorted, he pulls free the two pans of chicken wings from the oven and set them on top. Grabbing a dressing brush, he eyes the bowl she's working on before he says, "You can start covering the wings with that sauce. Try to go light at first-it'll take about three coats but if you over shoot it then you won't have enough to go over them all."

"Kay," Jim murmurs and takes the brush from him, dipping the white hairs of it in the bowl before she carefully blankets each wing with the red sauce. "So I've been reading this book of poetry," she says, dividing her attention. "And one of the poems really kinda stuck with me."

Bones just grunts and watches her hands.

"It was a guy and I think he was talking about this woman he loved, but the way he put it was so-I don't know," Jim goes on to say. She lifts her thumb and sucks a bit of the sauce off as she dunks the brush in the sauce again to apply the second coat. "I think I can still remember it line from line. It starts, 'You opened your legs to me and it was like watching an oyster unfold. When I said that I thought I was in love with you, that's just what it was. A thought. But I never followed the tendrils down or tried to reason the network of future possibilities it wove in my mind. We were always tangent, but like that oyster, you were deep and wet. I found no pearl, but don't you ever assume you tricked me into thinking you had none. I just wasn't the one you were waiting to give it to. We parted ways with our eyes dry.' I mean, don't get me wrong, it gives you a lot to think about. But I don't know. I feel like I'm missing something." She finishes the last coat before she looks up at Bones. "You're a guy."

Bones snorts as his lips curl in amusement. "Am I?" he retorts in a sarcastic drawl. He takes the bowl and the brush and delivers it to the sink. He starts rinsing it out. "I'm guessin' you want to see what I make of it?"

"It might help me understand," Jim says before she sits down at the kitchen table. "So tell me something. Zuhi, Zonta, Asiyah, Dixie and I have started this little book club and I want to have something profound to say during our next meeting."

Bones dries off his hands before he grabs two plates. "Oyster's are considered to be an aphrodisiac," he points out as he puts a handful of fries and wings on both of their plates. He sets hers before her while he settles down across from her.

"True. I considered that too. But like, that's not what I'm confused about. I totally get, you know-" She pauses and points down at herself. "-the power of the 'V'."

Bones eyebrows rise as he jams a few fries in his mouth and he looks entirely too amused.

"What I'm saying is," Jim continues as she picks up a chicken wing and starts gesturing with it. "That the whole, 'I think I'm in love with you'. What does that even mean? To think you're in love with someone? Love is supposed to be a feeling, right? A knowing? An unquestionable intuition. But he says he thinks."

"Lots of people think about love. Thinkin' is different than feelin'," Bones supposes as he bites into a wing. "Sounds like he was considerin' a future with her but it didn't really pan out with the real thing."

Jim perks up just as she jams a few fries in her mouth, still holding that one chicken wing with her other hand. "Oh my God. Yes. That's it. It's like that one movie-500 Days of Summer."

"Never heard of it."

Jim guffaws and swings her chicken wing roughly. "Never saw it? Okay, we are so correcting that tonight," she decides.

Bones stares at her and it looks like he's fighting back a smile. "You've got a bit of sauce…" He makes a gesture to his face.

Jim plays dumb. "Where?" She frowns and presses her chicken wing completely against her cheek. "Here?"

Bones starts to laughs and looks at her like he can't believe she just did that. She decides to roll with it.

"Or maybe here?" Jim presses the wing to the other cheek. "Nah-I'm definitely feeling some up here." She swipes the wing across her forehead and laughs when Bones leans out of his chair and makes a grab for it. She presses her clean hand to his chest. "Wait, wait, wait! I'm trying to get it," she says, smearing it across her chin.

"You're makin' it worst," Bones protests but he's laughing with her. "You're worse than Joanna!"

Jim tries to look offended, but that's hard to do when you have buffalo sauce smeared all across your face like a lunatic.

Bones swears under his breath as he grabs a napkin, wets it, and rounds the table to her.

Jim tries to squirm away. "No, let me keep it. I heard it's good for the skin."

"You're ridiculous, you kno-hold still." Bones tangles his left hand in the hair of her ponytail and angles her face up. He clucks his tongue disapprovingly as he begins to carefully rid her skin of the red sauce.

Jim's nice enough not to squirm, but that's probably because she's too busy trying to chase the napkin in his hand with her tongue.

Bones mouth fidgets between a scowl and grin as he glares at her for it. "Stop that."

"I didn't do nothin'," Jim drawls in her best Georgian accent.

Bones huffs amusedly and dabs her forehead clean.

Jim traces her blue eyes over his face and takes in how the expression of concentration on his face suits his comely features well. She thinks about how Jocelyn is making a big mistake to let a man like Bones slip through her fingers. He's incredible and if Jim could-

She cuts the thought out of her mind viciously, but it creeps back in. She can't help but to wonder what it would be like to have a good guy like him. She's used to giving herself to people who could care less about what kind of brain is lurking behind her eyes but rather of what she's got between her legs. Bones though, he cares and he's not fooled by the masks she tries to wear.

It's not fair, Jim thinks. Why can't she deserve someone like him?

Bones swabs the napkin under her bottom lip and over her chin. "There," he rumbles. "Can't believe you graduated high school as early as you did with your fool behavior."

Jim grins and she knows she's about to do something stupid. She can feel it coming. "I probably could have cleaned my own face, you know," she points out.

Bones fingers twitch in her hair and he turns an interesting light shade of pink.

"But thanks anyway," Jim adds and holds his gaze as she wraps her small fingers around his large wrist. Her grin gets mischievous and some dangerous compulsion takes her over. "Is this what you'd call second base around here? You clean a girl's face and put your hand in her hair? How forward of you, Dr. McCoy."

Bones flushes and he swallows down whatever it is he knows he should be saying in that moment. That only encourages her to stand and press herself against the hard line of his body.

"You know normally," Jim says as she ducks her gaze and loosens her grip on his wrist and slides her fingers slowly down his arm as she looks up at him from under her lashes. "I make it my priority to break bones when someone touches my hair. But I don't know. I guess there's something about you," she suppose as her fingers slide over his shoulder and to the back of his neck where she tangles her fingers in the shorthairs.

Be mine, she thinks desperately, scared that she'll chase him away because of her own stupidity. Just for a little while. Belong to me.

"Jim-" Bones hesitates and he must read it in her eyes. "Maybe we oughta just-"

Jim presses her lips to his before he can say anything at all. She feels selfish enough to go for what she wants and right now she doesn't care that he's still technically married. She doesn't care that this could be a disaster waiting to happen. She doesn't care what kind of woman this makes her. She just opens her mouth under his and tangles her fingers in his hair, biting at his lips as his hands drop to her waist. She trembles when he licks his way in her mouth, responding to the kiss with as much fervor she shows and he sucks on her tongue with every bit of thoroughness he does with everything else. He sucks on her tongue like her mouth it belongs to him now, like he's claimed it for himself and he'll be damned if he lets anyone else violate that claim.

Jim pulls away with a gasp and yanks his belt and his fly open. Her hands are shaking but she doesn't care. She kisses him as she unzips his belt. "Come on," she pleads against his mouth. "Come on-please, Bones. Just this once-just-"

Bones swallows the rest of her words and picks her up, settling her against his waist. He large hands are curling on the outside of her thighs as he kisses her deeply like he's trying to drink her in.

Jim whines desperately as he presses her back against the refrigerator, making it rattle nosily. She helps him hike up her dress as he presses deeper into the space of her thighs and he adjusts himself. "Oh-fuck," she yelps as he pushes up and sinks inside of her, opening her up like it's he's got every right to do so, like all that she is and has belongs to him. She throws her head back and cries out as he thrusts up and solidifies that claim with a low curse.

Bones pulls her down for a kiss, sucking the quick little whimpers out of her mouth as she clutches his back and holds on for dear life. "Jim," he groans against her mouth. "God-you gorgeous thing-you take it so well, come on-" His thrusts are precise and searching, selfish and giving, and the fridge is rattling against Jim's back.

Jim groans and pants, "Shit, Bones-not-not here. You can't fuck me in this kitchen-fuck, fuck-God, it'll be all I ever think about every time we're in he-oh shit, yes-"

Bones growls and for a moment he seems like he doesn't even care as he angles his hips and wrenches a particularly loud sob from Jim's mouth.

"Bones-not here," Jim whines and he swings her around, stumbling towards the steps, but not without spending a good minute fucking her against every wall they collide against.

By the time they reach Jim's bed, Bones falling backwards so she's on top, and she's coming on a choked shout, riding it out over him as her fingers tangle in a painful grip with his. Her hips jerk one final time before she sags against him with a broken stream of moans she breathes against the side of his neck.

Bones hasn't come yet, still hard and desperate inside of her and Jim pulls herself together long enough to swing around so that her back is facing him and she builds herself up again in a nice rhythm (reverse cowgirl-she knew he'd appreciate the irony), working her hips back and forth. He sits up and plasters himself against her back, touching her wherever his hands can reach, and they still have their clothes on and its messy and crazy but she likes it. He presses his wet forehead into the side of her neck as his hips move in tandem with hers, steady hands holding her close and yanking her down into every thrust up.

Jim's sobbing her way into her second orgasm as he shudders with a soft shout, biting down on her right shoulder hard enough that she's riding the waves between pleasure and pain. He circles his hips and stops when Jim begs him to-she's too sensitive by this point and she knows she can't take anymore. She eases off of him and collapses on her side, kicking her purple monkey on the floor as he falls on his back beside her.

Jim blinks up at the ceiling for a long moment. She turns her head and she stares at him, and before she can help it, she laughs.

Bones is using his fingers to comb his hair off of his wet forehead when he swings his gaze over to her with a frown. "What's funny?" he asks in a deep rasp. If he didn't sound like pure whiskey-laced sex before he certainly does now. He sits up and tugs his shirt over his head.

Jim tries not to ogle him as she explains, "We just fucked. Twice. Because I rubbed a piece of chicken around my face." She starts laughing again and covering her face with her hands.

Bones snorts before he starts chuckling too, seeing the utter ridiculousness of it as well.

"Oh my God," Jim mutters into her hands. "We just had sex." Her laughter dies as it all hits her. "I just had sex with a very married man." She sits up. "Shit. I am so going to hell."

"Hey, hey-" Bones reaches out and grabs her wrist, tugging her close so that she's settled against his side. "Last I checked, this very married man willingly participated. Twice."

Jim shouldn't be blushing but she is. Her emotions are weird like that.

"Way I see it-if you're goin' to hell then I'm hitchin' my wagon to yours and comin' right along with you."

"Don't coddle me."

Bones rolls his eyes. "I'm not. I'm just sayin' you don't have to feel guilty." He continues, "Sure we probably could've handled this better but we didn't do anythin' wrong. I may have a ring on my finger but Joyce and I haven't been married for quite some time."

Jim frowns but the knot of guilt trying to tighten in her gut loosens. "Well," she says. "I mean I could have probably waited at least two weeks after your divorce before trying to jump you. I could have done it right, you know? Baked you a pie and took you out for another moonlit stroll. I bet I could've even talked Mrs. Gloria into playing chaperone for us."

Bones makes a face before he leans forward and bites her bottom lip. "Never say that woman's name while I'm in bed with you-Jesus, I'd never get it up," he complains.

Jim throws her head back and laughs. "Oh my God, I can't believe you just said that."

Bones shrugs and lies back, looking as fucked out as Jim feels.

Jim slides on top of him and lays her head on his chest as her thighs press against the sharp juts of his hips. "Bones," she says as she feels his breathing start to even out. "I-I wouldn't hold it against you if you didn't want this to mean anything."

"Go to sleep, Jim," Bones simply says.

"I'm serious," Jim insists and she can feel his gaze boring into the top of her head. "I don't do relationships anyway, so-" She stops suddenly and doesn't know what she's trying to say.

Bones is quiet for a long moment before he cups his hand over the back of her neck. "We'll talk about it later," he promises. "Sleep."

Jim closes her eyes.

Chapter 5

Author's Note: Um. So. I totally didn't see that coming either. Please tell me how shocked you are-review, comment, criticize.