The Face With Two Skeletons

by Tropicwhale

disclaimer: Not mine

Author Talk: This chapter got away from me, and fast. Also, I am posting this on my birthday. Happy my Birthday to you.

Chapter Forty-six

Zack was worried. Bradley had asked him to run away with him. It was a lot to process. Bradley wasn't dead. They could run away together. Is that what Zack wanted too? He had a good job at the Jeffersonian; friends, family that loved him for himself. Bradley was homeless and moved from place to place. And there was that thing with Seeley. Zack didn't understand it. Seeley and he were...sleeping together...but it wasn't like they were exclusive. It wasn't like Booth loved him the way Zack loved Booth. Zack did love Bradley. Bradley was his first love, his first real friend and he needed Zack. Did they have to run away together? Technically, Hector Oscarmann would go back to prison because he escaped, attempted murder, and impersonated an officer of the law. Bradley was free from his influence. Maybe Zack could talk him into staying with him once his apartment was rebuilt? They didn't have to sleep together...maybe, it was better that they didn't. After all, Bradley had been through a lot.

Zack looked up at Bradley who was returning from depleting his bladder. "You thinking about it?" he asked in his soft Alabama draw. Zack nodded. Bradley had understood that it was a lot to take in. Zack had always liked how patient he was. Most people tended to get frustrated with how Zack processed situations and stimulus, even people who cared about him like his father, mother, Hodgins or Booth. Dr. Brennan tended to process things much like Zack. Angela never judged him for anything and Bradley...was Bradley. He was kind and thoughtful and Bradley. Even if he wasn't a super genius he understood that Zack required time to make any large decisions.

"I am thinking about the fact that you are homeless and I am not. Hodgins would gladly let you live with me once the apartment is rebuilt." Bradley looked down. "I know he would like you, everyone would. I love working at the Jeffersonian. My work is important to me, and I make enough money to support us both. Your father is going to go back to prison for escaping, trying to murder me, and impersonating an officer of the law-"

"He tried to murder you?"

"I surprised him by showing up where he was impersonating an officer of the law. He panicked." Bradley shook his head. "What?"

"You. All practical when someone tries to kill you." Zack shrugged.

"It doesn't make sense to overreact emotionally when someone is operating out of an adrenaline-induced panic and anger. If I got angry at him for it, what would that accomplish? It's not like I could take him in a fair fight, or even an unfair fight. He was trying to run from that night...same as me."

"You are nothing like him."

"No. I am not. I can chose not be violent or harbor grudges. I don't think he has that option." Zack pulled Bradley back to sitting next to him and wrapped the blanket around their shoulders. "Bradley, you don't have to run anymore. You didn't have to run in the first place. I would watch out for you...like you used to watch out for me...like you watched out for me that night."

"You were in shock, I had to get you to move."

"I meant before your father found us. You always took care of me, you were gentle when we had sex, checked in with me...told me how to sleep with women, explained my brothers' jokes to me." Zack shook his head. "I counted on you and now you can count on me." Bradley tucked his nose against Zack's clavicle. "I'm glad you showed up now. I would have been happy if you showed up before I went to Iraq, or the day...I...uh...Bradley?"

"Uhhmm?"

"Could you please stop sucking on my neck? I am trying to have a conversation here." Bradley's lips released his neck.

"They know about what happened. I was watching. They were judging you."

"They were judging me for not telling them. Dr. Brennan doesn't care who I am attracted to as long as my quality of work doesn't suffer nor does Dr. Saroyan. Angela thinks it's sweet that I had been with you. Hodgins knew about it before he let me move into the apartment over his garage." Bradley rubbed his scruff of a beard against Zack's shoulder. "They would be happy for me that you were alive. Come back with me. Live with me. Stay with me."

"You and the federal agent?"

"Booth? What does he-"

"In that den of sin he's got going with you?" Bradley sat up, looking at Zack hard. "You can't tell anyone about the two of you either, right? Is that your type now? Guys you can't talk about? Given up on girls that don't want you around for long?"

"Den of sin? Bradley, just how long have you been back?" Zack was looking at Bradley hard.

"I hop around a lot." Bradley looked away. "I try and check in on you once a year or so...sometimes it's longer."

"That's not what I asked." Zack looked at his friend who had jumped up and started pacing. He tucked the blanket tighter around his shoulders. "Bradley, what happened to you after that night? Tell me." Bradley stopped and stared Zack down hard. "Tell me" the scientist ordered. Bradley ran his hands through his hair.

"I ran. I ran all night. I was so terrified that he'd come after me...You remember how he was? By the time I stopped I was in the next county and it had been a few days. I hunted for food, stole some from farms. Stole some clothes. Made it back to civilization to find...I had died….felt like it too." Bradley leaned against the support beam. Arms crossed. He looked like he was going to cry. "I was so scared. I didn't want to go back...if I came back...they would let him out and he really was going to kill me. Be smart about it the next time. Later, I found out that he had dialed 911...that he had said that I was dead...and that he wouldn't say where my body was. It was like he really did kill me. He'd rather be declared a murderer than have me for a son." Bradley's drawl got darker and heavier as tears started to fall. "I found the nearest soup kitchen...figured out how to steal wallets." He shrugged "Hitched to Detroit. Stole a little, hooked a little...sold-sold drugs a little. Watched the news. Saw what they were doing to you….I had a John, rich...he offered me a car to-to do some things….I did em and came back into town. Wasn't recognized. Course, no body was looking for a dead man." Bradley's laugh chilled Zack's heart. "I got close to you once...coming back from the courthouse but...I was scared." His voice trailed off.

"It's okay, Bradley. I was overwhelmed every time I was at the courthouse. If I had recognized you in the crowd I would have passed out." That made the other man smile.

"I went and visited my mom. I told her that I had no intention of coming back. She wanted me to...clear his name...tell the world that he wasn't a murderer...how could I when I knew that was his intention?"

"He shouldn't have gone to jail for murder, Bradley. He should have gone for attempted murder."

"HOW COULD YOU-" Bradley shouted and then turned away abruptly.

"I'm a stickler for the rules. I like them." Zack shrugged. "No man should go to prison for a crime he didn't commit. He should serve justice for the crimes he did commit." Zack stated. "It's important to be clear why we as a society punish people. If we become relaxed in our definition of crime and punishment then abuses of the justice system occur and from those abuses corruption...and from that corruption an end to civilized culture. He should be punished for the crimes he did commit."

"And me?"

"I don't understand."

"I sold drugs and myself, stole money and credit cards."

"You were trying to survive. There is a difference between crimes of necessity and crimes of intentional malice. I recognize that difference."

"Our justice system doesn't. And they don't recognized the actual crimes Hector Oscarmann committed against me."

"Our justice system and our culture have room for improvement." Zack stated. "Your mom knew? That you were alive? That's probably why she helped him escape prison. She didn't see the point of him staying in jail for a crime he didn't commit." Bradley shrugged.

"It doesn't matter anymore."

"It does matter-"

"NO! It doesn't. Zack, what matters right now? Is that we are here together."

"Yes. That is very important. Come here, please?"

"Why are you sleeping with the federal agent?"

"How do you know that?"

"It's obvious to anyone that's ever seen you post-coitus. And he was the only one that could logically be your partner in the set length of time, accounting for, of course, the variable that you don't masturbate."

"I never saw the point of masturbation. You were spying on me."

"Yes. I'm dead, remember? It's not like I can walk up and ask how you were..."

"You could have. You made the choice not too and stalked me instead."

"Zack, stop making this about me."

"It's hard not to make this about you; you were suppose to be dead."

"Never going to live that down, am I?" Zack shook his head.

"No. Not as long as you live." Bradley smiled that smile that he knew made Zack feel like melting.

"Are we at least going to be able to laugh about it, down the road?"

"Nope. Not as long as you live, Bradley." Zack smiled the smile that made Bradley weak at the knees. "But, at least now you're alive. It makes me happy."

"We can be together."

"Slow down. There are things we need to work out before we get to that...like the fact you were legally dead for some time now...and I need to process that. There is also the matter I am sleeping with Seeley-"

"Oh, it's 'Seeley' now. I noticed that it was 'Booth' before and he wasn't on the list of people that would be okay with me being alive."

"Honestly, I don't know how he will react which is why he was left off that list...and its Seeley when we are being intimate and Booth at work. It helps us compartmentalize. I don't know where it's going-"

"Nowhere. It's going nowhere, Zack. If it was just convenient sex, Zack, it should be easy to break it off…"

"It's not that easy. I love him."

"No."

"Yes." Bradley turned away and then came back.

"No. You don't believe in love."

"A lot has changed since you died, Bradley."

"NO! You don't get to bring that up anymore!" Bradley was crying again. "You don't change."

"I did. I had to." Zack stood and walked over to Bradley. He took Bradley's hand and laid it over his car crash scar. "I dealt with a lot of pain and I healed. I did love you...I realize that now. I still love you. I am surrounded by people who love each other and love me and we love what we do. It's quantified data now. Love is very real. I do love you, Bradley but I love Seeley, too. I have to find out if he could feel the same-"

"And if he doesn't? You'll just come crawling back to me? What makes you think I want to be second best to that gorilla?" Zack looked at his friend.

"I would not. You've been through so much. I think we should get you help dealing with that right now. I don't want to be in a relationship that doesn't have us on equal footing. I love you, Bradley...and you're coming home with me." Bradley pushed Zack away.

"That's it? I'm just suppose to follow you home? And-and watch you be happy with someone else? Be-be-be a-a-a-a gh-ghost in your l-life? DAMN YOU!" Bradley pushed Zack who tripped and landed hard onto the concrete, his elbows and hands scraping blood on the floor.

"No? That's not what I meant." Zack looked up at Bradley confused.

"No? You want me to come with you but you don't want to be with me?" Bradley slide to the floor and pulled his knees to his chest. "What happens when your federal boyfriend finds out I use to deal? Or that I occasionally hook?"

"He'd probably help you find a real job...or at least help you reverse your death certificate. He's a good guy." Zack sat up and pulled Bradley to him. "You want me to run away with you? Do you even have a plan for that?"

"Yeah." Bradley sniffed and rubbed his nose on his jeans. "I may have asked for a really high ransom from your so-called friends to get us started." Zack blinked.

"That was stupid." Bradley looked at Zack. Zack looked at Bradley. "That was really stupid. We need to turn you in right now."

"What? Why?"

"My gorilla of a sexual partner? He's an ex-sniper for the Army Rangers. He was really good and you kidnapped someone he cares for." Bradley blinked.

"Oh."

"How did you deliver the ransom?"

"Cell phone. Email."

"How do you have a cell phone?"

"Stolen credit card…."

"We are so dead." Zack's head hit Bradley's knee. "You are so stupid and we are so dead. Please, tell me you got rid of the phone?"

"Yes. Far away from here. First thing I did after I sent the ransom."

"You idiot"

Author After Notes: Bradley was suppose to hurt Zack...he sort of refused...and wanted to tell his side of the story...best birthday present ever! And now I got to sleep so I can wake up, coffee (verb) and go to brunch with my bestest and oldest friend then do "Fiddler on the Roof". I am so tired of this music. I really want to do a straight play.