The Doctor Will See You Now

Chapter Nineteen (UPDATED)

Star Date 2261.168 / 17.06.2261

Strangely, everything returned to normal very quickly on board, with no outward signs of awkwardness. Bones and Jim appeared to everyone else to be the same as before, behind closed doors, however, was another matter. Jim had tried to talk to him repeatedly, but Bones had skilfully managed to avoid every attempt to get him alone, until yesterday, when he'd been cornered in his office. Lex had observed Jim stomping from the cantankerous doctor's office half hour after he entered, with a very sour look on his face. Neither one was willing to talk about what had transpired, both changing the subject when she'd attempted to bring it up.

Most worryingly while he was being perfectly friendly and professional in public, Bones had barely said more than two words strung together to Lex for a week.

It hadn't helped that they were short a doctor, as Dr. Kane would not return for another week, necessitating Lex to move temporarily onto the night shift.

Finally, after a week of Stoney silence Lex couldn't take it anymore. Waiting for Bones to return after dinner, she tackled him before her shift, cornering him as he sat unwinding from a long day with a whiskey in hand.

"Leonard, we need to talk" She sat in front of him, perching on the edge of the coffee table, a determined look on her face.

He didn't reply immediately, regarding her over the edge of his drink "What about?" he asked at last.

"You know damn well what about" Lex sighed heavily, irritated by his treatment of her in the last few days "You've barely spoken to me for a week"

Bones shrugged offhand "I don't have anything to say"

"Well, that would be a first" Lex scoffed "Talk to me, I don't understand what I've done. Why you're treating me this way" she entreated him, her voice cracking slightly at the end.

Bones sighed setting down his drink "You shouldn't have kept it from me" he stated quietly, a hint of annoyance in his voice but otherwise his face wiped clean of any emotion.

Lex didn't need to ask what he meant, having expected something like this "Be fair Leonard, I had less than two weeks' worth of prior knowledge"

"But would you have told me?" he asked quietly, folding his arms across his chest.

Lex was taken aback "What do you mean?"

"Had I not found out the way I did, would you have told me?" he clarified carefully.

Lex opened her mouth to respond "I..."

"Be honest" Bones interrupted, leaning forward out of his chair, and resting his elbows on his knees, watching her face.

She closed her mouth again then shook her head "No, I wouldn't have"

"There, right there" he growled "That's what you did"

Lex threw her hands up in the air, flying to her own defence "What would you have done in my shoes? I was stuck between two of my best friends and my boyfriend it was an impossible choice, either way I would be upsetting someone..."

"I would have chosen you" Bones stated, interrupting her again.

He spoke so quietly she didn't immediately register what he'd said "What?"

Bones stared at her sadly "I'd have told you, sided with you" he finished heavily, falling back into his chair.

"It's not about sides" Lex cried out shrilly in frustration.

"Of course it is, and you chose Jim's" he snapped, the bite in his voice evident.

"I didn't choose him, they said it was a one off" Lex shouted back, her irritation starting to rise as he continued to glare at her, barely reacting. She'd almost prefer if he shouted at her, this quiet indifference was torture.