He stared deep into the bonfire. As if his memories were being played back to him within the flames.

"I got bad stuff coming to me. You should keep your distance too." he said, in a voice barely above a whisper.

She couldn't understand him. So much was shrouded and cloudy; and it was frustrating. She felt like the answers were right there, floating just below the surface. She squinted her eyes at him and said "Why do you think bad stuff is coming to you?"

His response was short and constricted "Because fair is fair..."

He didn't even look at her when he spoke. He just kept staring at the fire. As if the bonfire itself was directing the questions at him.

He was impossible. Come to think of it, why did she even care? What did it matter what his past was. She could barely remember her own, as it were...she shook her head...and yet.

"You're not going to tell me?" she continued.

"No...sorry."

And then. Nothing. Silence. She wasn't even surprised by him setting up yet another wall. But still it frustrated her. Actually, It was safe to say it fucking pissed her off. Her hands twitched. Why was he just staring at the damn fire? She wanted to grab him and shake him. She wanted to hit him. He looked so numb. So emotionless. She wanted him to feel something! Even if that meant feeling her fist connect with his jaw.

He noticed her twitching hands, her fists clench, her eyes on his knees, shoulders, face, chest, as if she was trying to decide which part of him to hit or grab. He watched her from underneath his dark sunglasses. It was dark out but he never took the damn things off, just another thing Boone chose to hide behind. He almost wished she would...hit him, that is. For the first time his eyes flicked up to meet hers. But in a split second she turned to walk away from the fire and to her bed roll.

"We should get some sleep." She said. Her back to him. There was still so much she wanted to say, to know. But she was afraid that if she heard him say 'I don't want to talk about it.' one more time, she'd pummel him. They had been traveling together for a while now and she had to admit she wanted to help him, but he would never let her.

"Yeah..." was all he replied, as he watched her walk away. Eventually she was only a silhouette in the darkness, just out of the reach of the orange glow from the flames. Once again Boone didn't get much sleep that night, and once again...she noticed.