Vision

 There was blood soaking through Dustin's jeans. Blood leaching into the arid ground. A lot of blood. But, it could have been worse - undoubtedly, would have been worse - if there hadn't been a stopper in the hole.
 It was so coated with blood, that at first he couldn't figure out what it was.
 I-Is it bad? Dustin asked.
 No, Josh lied. It was a tooth - or, maybe, a spine.
 Josh's mind rejected it. It can't be... Reason told him he should leave it in, to help control the bleeding. But something else - some other instinct - told him bleeding wasn't the worst of Dusty's problems. Better to make it bleed... With a shaking hand, he grabbed the back of the tooth and started to yank it back, out of the hole.
 It didn't want to come. It had gone all the way to the bone.
 Josh's gorge rose. Maybe into the bone -
 Good, Dustin was saying, and it took Josh a moment to realise he was responding to the No. It bothered him that Dusty couldn't feel what he was doing.
 Dusty was still talking, but he didn't sound right. Josh, he muttered, feeling a little weird...
 His voice trailed off. His bloodied hand went limp. Josh swore he could feel it, when Dusty's head flopped down, onto the soil.

***

 What do you mean, you 'helped him set it up'? Ren asked him angrily. In other words, you set him up! You know what he's like!
 I know, Josh admitted. But when he heard what I was looking for - so I'd know whether to push for funding... His words tapered off, a little dismally. It sounded like he was making excuses. You're right, Ren. He knew it, I knew it. He shook his head, his own eyes glassy. I didn't know it could touch him like that! Hell, he didn't know it himself!
 It shouldn't have, she replied, staring out the window. It never has before. She turned, to meet Josh's eyes. You know how I knew, don't you?
 The telepathy thing?
 Don't sound so dismissive, Mr. Clairvoyant. Of course, it was the 'telepathy thing'. She rubbed her left leg. I even felt it when it jabbed him, she whispered.
 Don't tell him, Josh warned.
 She shook her head. For one who was supposedly sensitive, Josh could be so dense. Of course I won't, she said impatiently.
 Josh grinned. I get it. Because of the affection thing.
 She averted her eyes. Ridiculous, she grumbled.
 Hey - at least you're finally admitting you can read minds, Josh told her annoyingly.
 Hardly. Merely sympathy pains, brought on by -
 Josh smiled, and put an arm around her. - your sympathy for your subject.
 She nodded and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
 You know, some day Dusty will get his mind out of the past, and back into the present where it belongs.
 She couldn't believe she was hearing this from him. Her expression said as much.
  Oh, I'm not saying he shouldn't visit the past from time to time -
 She snorted.
 - but he doesn't like it any more than you like ' picking up vibes'. Do you realise I'm the only one of us with appreciation for my 'gift'?
 Since nobody else appreciates you, she said with a slight smile, I guess you have to start somewhere. She added, Did you forget Dainler? He 'appreciates' his gift, too - that's why he has a limo. Ren sounded disgusted.
 At the coffee machine, she turned Josh's way expectantly.
 F7, he supplied.
 There was a flicker of annoyance in her eyes.
 He grinned. I had one earlier, he explained, with mock innocence.