Bonnie. Being the tale of Bonnie Rockwaller during Kim's absence.

This story takes place during the time covered by the Chrysanthemum and the Sword, but can be read independently of that story. It does, however, directly flow from Buried, and that story should be read first. This story starts about three weeks after Buried ends.

Authors notes: I swore I wouldn't post another multiparter until I finished the others, I really did. But it was your fault-- some people sent in reviews for the others in the Buried series, and I realized that as yet, I hadn't explained what had happened back in Middleton-- and that bears tremendously on relations between Bonnie and Kim in the Senior year period, as well as changes in Bonnie's personality. So here we are.

Like I said. It's all your fault. :)

"So she wanted to sleep with me…" James said, the somewhat unkempt Junior making a rather vulgar gesture.

"Bonnie?" A member of his audience asked, and James laughed.

"Oh, c'mon, she's been spreading for everyone at school…she was just clever about it." There were nods all around. Bonnie's promiscuity was a topic of some conversation on campus, even though nobody had ever personally slept with her. It was always a friend of a friend, or a cousin or someone from the other town where she went… as usual, this particular omission was never considered important. Besides, James had seen this.

"Yeah—every time her mom's out of town she goes looking for someone to sleep with…even…" He dropped his voice, "The other cheerleaders." He dropped a particularly juicy bit of gossip that he'd heard just that morning. "In fact…know how people say Kim went nuts and tried to kill her because she was dating Ron?"

"Yeah?" The others leaned in.

"That wasn't it… it's all a cover up. Bonnie took out Kim because Kim had been sleeping with Bonnie and dumped her for Ron!"

"No way!"

"Yep! But anyway, I told her that she could come over to my house tonight…but I wanted her to wear a thong and she said yes! I think maybe she'll do a little strip tease for me and if I can get my webcam working maybe we can see if she shaves…"

It really was his fault, in retrospect. If he'd been paying attention, he would have seen Brick in the corridor behind him. James hadn't. If he'd been more perceptive, he would have realized that his audience was no longer looking at him.

But all James had a chance to feel was a hand holding his head…which then slammed his head into the locker several times, before letting him go, as he slumped to the floor, unconscious. Brick glared at the others, the football star seeming to be even bigger than normal, a menacing scowl on his face.

"Get lost." He growled. They did.

"Brick Flagg! I saw that!" The old lady who had replaced Barkin came walking up to him. "You go straight to the office and I'll talk to you later." Brick turned and walked off, heading towards the office, ignoring her irritating whine. He knew what would happen. A lecture, maybe a days suspension…and nothing. The other kid wouldn't do anything for fear of Brick.

If Barkin had been here, Brick would have been lucky to ever return, to say nothing of playing football again. But Barkin wasn't, which was why attendance was down, tardiness was up, and students had no problem defying the teachers at every turn.

God, he missed Barkin… because he could have told Barkin what was happening. How Bonnie was desperately trying to avoid being alone every night when her mom wasn't home. How she woke up screaming, and the fear in her voice when she'd torn into Brick for refusing to sleep with her.

"I guess you're just a boy then…" She spat, her wide fearful eyes giving lie to her venom. She'd slept over with every one of her female friends, until their parents started to frown and now was working on others…who...

Brick growled and sent a pair of freshmen running.

… were pretty obvious in what they wanted. So far, Brick would bet that Bonnie had gotten away with some petting….but he'd heard other jokes, that she woke up screaming at night even if she wasn't alone and guys weren't going to take that for very long, not without her putting out.

If only… Brick could talk to Barkin, but he couldn't talk to Bonnie's mom. What if she blew up? He needed to talk to someone smarter then he was… One of Bonnie's friends?

No. Then she would get pissed at them, as well. This was his job, and he wouldn't toss it off on their shoulders. He did things himself.

Let her sleep in his house, in his bed have sex with her? No. His dad had died when he was thirteen, but Brick remembered their talk. A man slept with a woman he was going to marry. Period, end of argument. If you didn't know you were going to marry her, you didn't sleep with her, because that was what a liar did.

But Bonnie was hurting. She needed…

More than he could give. There was one person he could talk to… just one. He wished he didn't have to, but Bonnie had respected her as well…even though it wasn't' fair to her. But he had to.

Brick nodded to himself, not realizing that the principal of the school had been talking to him for the last thirty minutes.

The next day, Brick had free, courtesy of a days suspension. He headed straight for the hospital. It took a few minutes, as the desk nurse assured herself that Brick wasn't another reporter (the last one had been arrested for pretending to be patient to try and corner Kim's mom), and was really a classmate of Kim.

"Hello Brick." Dr. Possible said as she sat down beside him. Brick winced, and felt even guiltier then he had when he'd first thought of the idea. There were dark shadows under her eyes, and her hands seemed unable to keep still, playing with a pen, dexterous fingers running over it, putting it a pocket, to pull it out again next. But her voice was steady.

"Dr. Possible…" Brick said, and took a deep breath, "It's about Bonnie."

TBC