A/N: I don't own anything. Well maybe the writing but the characters or songs. Nope not a one.
Potential spoilers for Double Trouble in the Panhandle.
Dr. Wyatt hit it right on the head. I need to be in control of the situation. If I have control, then I can focus clearer. And when my focus is clearer, I always hit my target whether it's tangible or not.
When I'm interrogating suspects, it might look like I'm a grandmaster playing chess with a novice but what I'm really doing it sizing up my target. It's no different than staring through the scope and making sure the crosshairs are on the correct target.
I've killed many and wounded more but I've always managed to maintain some semblance of control of the situation.
But there she stood, looking gorgeous as always, even with that ridiculous eye patch that matched her outfit. I still maintained control. I knew that she understood that moving would be costly and she didn't want to get hurt. While she trusted me not to hit her with those knives, I trusted her not to move and to trust me.
Those balloons didn't stand a chance. I knew I could hit them without hurting my Bones. After all, I always hit what I'm aiming for.
Some might call it arrogance, cockiness or hubris. And they might be right but nothing had prepared me for when she put on that hat and expected me to continue with the show.
The only saving grace was that I had a moment to compose myself. It felt like I was back in college shooting free throws with the game on the line. The crowd was silent in anticipation and I had a few seconds to properly aim and hit my target.
I could breathe easy again as the crowd went crazy with applause. God I miss performing in front of a crowd.
And then it happened. That little plastic nose she put on. Are you kidding me? The crowd grew silent as I refocused and tried to regain control of the atmosphere. I could certainly throw a knife with that kind of accuracy. I'd done it before when I escaped my captors by nailing that guard in the eye from 50 feet. This distance was nearly a third as far. The only difference was that if I missed the guard's orbital socket by an inch, I still would've incapacitated him. I couldn't do that with my Bones. I had to be spot on. I had to make sure I hit my target. It was the most important shot of my life and I didn't even have a gun to make it with.
I could imagine the headlines, "Famous novelist killed by FBI partner" or "Big mess under the big top" or "The greatest tragedy on Earth." It would certainly be the greatest tragedy of my life. I had to shake out these thoughts and concentrate. Here goes everything.
And the crowd goes wild!!!! Not that I really had any doubts I'd miss but it was damn risky and stressful.
And she just smiled and waved to the crowd. She could've curtseyed or even cart-wheeled and I wouldn't have noticed. All I knew is that she put so much trust in my abilities that I couldn't let her down.
Trust is an amazing thing. Even more so when it's mutual trust. However, I will yell at her for putting herself in danger again. I always tell her to stay safe and then she takes a big risk like that. Well I guess I can't be too hard on her. She only put herself in harm's way if I couldn't perform. And I knew I could. I always hit what I'm aiming at.