(8) Three Months


"What story?" she asked in a flustered tone, afraid of the answer. Bones put his hands on her shoulders, and pushed her back into the lab with a strange look in his eyes that she couldn't perfectly identify. The door closed with a dangerous hiss behind him and Izzy couldn't help but swallow. "You're scaring me," she muttered.

Bones wasn't angry. At least he was more confused than angry. He didn't exactly know why, but he liked Izzy and knew there was a small chance that something would happen between them. That kiss and the look in her eyes when he'd woken up proved it. Plus even Jim had mentioned something like that. "Ensign Gerard found someone's underwear here, in the science lab. She told you that and you said you knew who the owner was. She was curious, so she checked the recordings of the security camera and what did she find? You and the green blooded hobgoblin having sex on that god damn table, only about half an hour or an hour after you'd kissed me in the medical bay. What's wrong with you!?"

Dead silence.

"The flowers," she started pathetically, looking him in the eye. What else could she say? He was angry - and he had every right to feel that way - and that definitely made the whole explaining part harder for her.

"What flowers?" he demanded angrily, crossing his arm over his chest and leaning against the table.

Izzy took a deep breath before answering. "The flowers we found with Spock on the planet. It probably infected us with something," she explained, but he didn't look like he believed it. Running a hand through her hair, she stepped closer. "You have to believe me."

After thinking for a second, Bones ran a hand through his hair, laughing dryly. "It would be such a stupid coincidence, don't you think?" His tone

"Please, just test it on a lab rat or something if you don't believe me."

She was begging him to believe her. That surprised Bones, and he had to take a deep breath to clear his head and not to forgive her instantly. "There are patients I have to look after," he replied coldly.

'Men and their pride,' Izzy thought for a short second. "Then... try to believe me," she offered quietly, but he didn't say anything. "Okay, look. Have I ever shown any signs that I'm attracted to him?"

"No," he replied slowly, trying to figure out what was she up to.

"Now, have I even shown any signs that I'm attracted to you?"

"Maybe," the doctor replied with a nonchalant shrug.

Izzy's eyes widened in shock as she took a step back. "Maybe? I kiss you and that's only a maybe?" she demanded incredulously.

"Alright, then you did. What's your point?"

"Bones, seriously, you want me to scream?"

That was the kind of question he was waiting for. She was a bit annoyed by his question and, in all honesty, he was happy to see it. "It's up to what kind of scream are you talking about," he replied casually with a mischievous smirk.

"Aw, James had such a bad influence on you," she noted, letting out a long sigh.

Bones sighed and took a step back. "Look, Izzy. I like you. I really do," he started. "But I don't know how to handle this, even if I know it wasn't your fault and even if I'm not your boyfriend. But you know what? After we picked up Jim, we'll go on a date, and start everything again. What do you think?" he asked, and a small smile appeared on his lips as Izzy flashed a happy smile at him.

"Sounds great," she said.

"Good. Now go back to work, Dr. Krause," he ordered seriously.

She laughed a little. "As you wish, Dr. McCoy," she replied, heading off to work.


Long, long hours later...

"You really did it," Izzy commented in an amused tone as they were sitting at a table.

The mess hall was empty, except for the two of them. Bones made sure that no one would interrupt them so, even if it was late at night, they were spending their first official date there, now, after finishing the dinner, drinking champagne. Jim was sleeping in the medical bay, since Bones had taken care of this, too: he had sedated him. First, he was electrified by Colonel Evans. They didn't know what kind of consequences it could have on him. Second, he didn't want to rest like the CMO ordered, so the doctor didn't have much choice but to sedate him.

Bones looked at Izzy who was wearing a black dress, which was a delight after the usual blue uniform he had always seen on her. He, on the other hand, didn't leave the uniform's blue color. The sleeves of his blue shirt were tucked up to his elbows, making sure it wasn't too formal.

"I told you it will only be the two of us tonight," he replied with a smile, pushing a few buttons on the remote control before him. Music filled the room as he stood up and walked over to her, offering a hand.

The woman took it and stood up as well. "It's Fever from Ray Charles and Natalie Cole, isn't it?" she asked with a smile, remembering the first time she had heard the song. Bones nodded as he slid his arms around her waist. "You never cease to amuse me, Doctor."

"I do my best," he replied with a smirk.

Izzy chuckled as she shook her head. "You're always acting like you were some kind of a saint compared to James, but you know what? You're not better than him."

"Oh, if you have a problem with that, I can just go," he replied playfully, removing his hands from her waist and taking a step back. Izzy didn't want it to happen, so she simply took a step forward and folded her arms behind his neck. "So, I think last time we were interrupted by that pointy-eared hobgoblin. Do you remember what were we doing?"

"Hm... No, I don't. What about you?" she asked, slightly tilting her head to one side.

Bones pulled her closer and leaned in to kiss her. It wasn't the kind of passionate kiss they'd shared before. It was something different, something full with emotions. "So three months, huh?" he asked as he pulled away for a second.

"Yeah."


Author's note: Okay, I have good news and bad news. Bad news: that's it. I mean the first part of the story is over. It was a short and lame chapter, but I had a huge writer's block because I've been concentrating on my original fictions lately. Good news: the next chapter will be the first of part 2, and we will jump about five years. And I have ideas.

By the way, the Bones-Izzy date was supposed to be a kind-of-hot club scene. Well, maybe I'll write something like that later. Thanks for the reviews, the favs and iluvstorms' help!

S.E.