BOND

49.

And you're braver than me

And you love the ones around you here so naturally

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

After a day of daze and fantasizing, Joey found himself on Elena's porch. By its own accord, his hand lifted up and knocked the door hard.

It took half a minute before he could hear the multiple clicking noises of the surplus locks turning to let him in. For an instant he wished it would be her and then with each apocalyptic scenario that started going through his mind he would have taken anybody to be on the other side of the door than her.

It was Chase. Pasty skinned, dark-circles-visible-from-another-state, sporting a constant case of bed hair, Chase. He looked dreary and though Joey hadn't looked in a mirror, he was sure he was donning a similar look.

"She's okay," Chase turned around and walked into the kitchen.

Joey stood there for a second longer, gaping at the normal greeting. Maybe she hadn't told Chase yet. Or maybe he wanted to hear it from him. Joey closed the door and followed Chase on padded feet.

The boys were all there. Ben got up to give him a short hug and the others settled for benevolent smiles. Maybe they had told Chase.

Taylor was there too but Joey steered clear of her. She detested him for what had happened at the airport, nothing new but he did too, and he couldn't bear to think what her reaction would be if she found out what had really transpired.

The unspoken words hung like a dark cloud in the room. All of them were restless. Too wired to sit down or picking on their hands or moving their legs to erratic rhythms.

Joey suspected that the boys, and she, could hear the crack that by now had burned itself deep into their conscience. That instantaneous final breaking of the bone and the jarring silence that followed. From the victim obviously, him being dead and all, but also amongst any who witnessed it.

He couldn't hear it. His ears had been ringing with anger then. But he could feel the vibrations all along his arm. The breaking of the bone and the body slumping into him afterwards.

He looked around the room again. Nobody could meet his eyes, too engrossed in their own calming movements. He wanted to, needed to, have the first word but Chase beat him to it.

"Thank you," he said firmly, leaving no room for Joey to wallow in remorse. "For being there," he added.

Joey thought about his reply. You're welcome would imply, on some level, that he would do it again. He would but he rather he didn't have to.

"I'm sorry," he finally said. Applicable on a multitude of fronts. For letting it happen again. For what she saw. Heard rather.

His eyes flicked over to Ben and his expression softened, molding into one of gratitude. Ben nodded back reciprocating the sentiment. He, Joey, shouldn't have done it with her so close but at least Ben had thought quickly and turned her away. She wouldn't have moved from her spot if he hadn't forced her to. 

Chase floundered about and then stepped out of the room, motioning with his head for Joey to follow him. Once he was satisfied with the distance, he turned around to face him.

"You killed somebody in front of her."

So much for nobody telling him. Joey nodded.

"I don't doubt that he deserved it," Chase went on. "But I can't have that kind of carnage being done around her. Or having a person capable of doing it in close proximity of her."