"It wasn't like that!" she defends, pulling her arms in toward her body in a defensive maneuver. Not because she's afraid of him, just because she's upset. Nervous. Ashamed.

"I didn't tell him, he saw the bruises and made me explain what happened. It was just... it was so stupid. He wanted to take me out--Trout--and when I told him 'no' he got upset. He didn't hit me 'r nothin', he just grabbed hold of my arm to keep me from leavin' and I... Damn it, Doc, I ain't a little girl, needs mindin'. I told him off, and then Sam came round and..."

She trails off, wondering if she's just making things worse.

"He got scared off. He hasn't given me no trouble since. And Ben... I told him not to tell you. You was out, facin' Garrett and his boys. Last thing I wanted when you got back was to be worryin' over me over something like this. It was nothin'. Anyways, you came back, shot all to hell, and it just didn't seem to matter anymore!"

She pauses, drawing in a breath and letting the words settle in the room, before going on.

"You weren't here. I--I don't know if I would have told you, if'n you was, but you weren't. And I didn't want to upset you."