page10 (1/2)

"Moet you another place soon I would say you could stay with Bones and ain"

"I can get a hotel," she insisted

"Registered under the saet you a new ID and another house, but until then-"

"She can stay with me"

The offer didn't coround in a rapt way during this exchange Bones lifted his brows in surprise

Rodney shrugged "I have a house about two hours from here I'm not there much, since I travel a lot, and it would be safe until your uncle found her so else, Cat"

I sighed "Rodney, thanks for offering, but-"

"You don't have body parts there, do you?" erator and find a head on the shelf"

Rodney laughed "No, Justina, it doesn't look like Jeffrey Dahmer's hideaway"

She gave aand then back at Rodney "Ifnew vahoul, I'll take the ghoul Catherine, I'ive us a ride?"

She swept away toward the barracks, Rodney following after herDead Man Walking, I thought, and it had nothing to do with hihoul

Bones watched the"

I snorted "I've felt that way my entire life"

Bones stared atif I was going to start bitching at hiain over how he'd kiddie-tabled reed with his reasons, but Annette's admonition struck a chord in me My relationship with Bones orth a hell of a lot more than h this issue with hi wasn't the way to do it

Still, I felt aard, not knohat to do withMy normal routine would have been to kiss him, but that didn't feel appropriate, either I settled on stuffinguneasily on my feet

"So"

I let the single word trail off Bones gave me an ironic smile

"Better than 'rack off,' as it were"

"I understand why you did it, but we need to find a way to get past this sort of thing," I said in a rush "Protecting the other person from e assume he or she can't handle, I mean I didn't think you could handle Don and o, so I left, but I should have trusted you to make that decision for yourself Just like you should have trusted me to decide about this"

Bones snorted in disbelief "You're co on me for over four years?"

I felt a flush rise in my face "Well, noer, I mean, the principle's the sa and stupid and I can honestly say I regret it ive me a choice, Bones"

I paused, taking a deep breath and trying to let

"If you would haveasked o, for the same reasons youordered me not to, I would have been okay with it I would have still thought you were being paranoid, but it wouldn't havebad vairl' routine"

Bones shot me a frustrated look "Of course I don't think you're a silly little girl"

He began to pace I watched hi

"I'," he said, his eyes edging with green "Because ofwhite slavers years ago You had to drive a car through a house to rescue your randparents' blood You took a job with Don that's nearly gotten you killed countless times All because of me"

He stopped pacing to co my shoulders

"I ath on ain with Max Can't you understand that?"

I covered his hands with s, Bones Even if I'd neverafter vampires, and I wouldstill have to handle the consequences of that"

He was silent for a long aze of his Then at last, he gave a short nod

"All right, luv Next tiive you the choice, not make the decision for you"

I gave his hands a squeeze "I proain, either"

His ood on my word over this new accord There have been soave us the na to use on your car"

"Do you knohere he is now?"

"Yes"

I felt cold anticipation at the thought of confronting that person

"I' with you"

Bones's expression said he hadn't expected any other response

"Tomorrow"

This was my third trip to Canada I'd traveled there on ara Falls as a tourist and not kill anything