[[ wheelsy, south carolina ]]

[ "it's not made from alligator parts." ]

She's glad to be back. As much as she enjoyed being in New Mexico with Doc, hearing his stories and looking at the desert through a lens she'd never dreamed she'd see, she still feels guilty for leaving Bill for three days.

(And, as much as it scares her, his house in Wheelsy feels like a second home when she walks across the threshold. Their home.)

But there's something else behind the tiredness Bill's eyes, something in the set of his shoulders that she can't quite catch -- and the puzzle on the kitchen table doesn't escape her notice.

So once their bags are in and Doc excuses himself to take a shower, she steps close and runs her hands down Bill's chest, tipping her head to look at him.

"Hey."