"With his sister?" Aden chuckled in disbelief when they were in the truck.
"Yeah, well, not his biological sister, but they grew up together. She was an adopted foster kid, he wasn't. They've been in a relationship for three years now. One kid so far."
Aden shuddered. "Ew."
"That's what I thought." They shared a giggle at Larry's expense.
"How'd you know what the captain was telling me without touching him?"
"I don't have to touch people all the time. I can get it by listening to a room, handling a weapon, picking up a pen. Anything really."
"So... you could just touch my coat and know everything about me. You wouldn't have to touch me at all." He grinned at the prospect.
"Not exactly. I would hear and see things you did while wearing the coat, yes, but not you. I wouldn't see anything about you beyond what you did in the jacket. It's like I would see the jacket's life not yours. Like your truck for instance. I know I'm the first person who has ridden in it since you purchased it last summer. I know that you clean it every day off you have and that you have no social life. You also have no love interest despite the wedding ring you wear."
"Oh, I see." He let that settle without further comment. "I was thinking about what you said the other night. About me knowing you."
"I said you knew God, not me."
"Well, can you help me remember more?"
"Look, it's good that you want to remember but it's... I'm just not sure you should."
"But I think I do remember." Her eyebrows arched slightly. "At least I remember something."
"What? What do you remember?"
"You really want know? I mean will you help me remember more?" He pulled into her drive and killed the engine.
"First, tell me why? Why do you want to remember anything from before? You have a great life now."
"Please?" He begged. "For seven years I've been haunted by dreams of a reality I can't remember. None of the faces in focus, but always there. Every night. A nightmare I can't shake. Look. Maybe my life wasn't all that great before the accident, but being haunted by it is not letting me live the life I have completely. A big part of me is missing and I really need to find out what it is."
"Okay. Fine." She snapped. "Tell me what you do remember."
He smiled. "You. I think. I remember you. Younger and with violet eyes, but I'm sure it's you. A dream I keep having of a girl who was afraid to touch me."
"That's just borderline obsession, Agent. I'll pretend to be flattered." She rested her head on the back of the seat. "Anything else?"
"Just bits a pieces, really. Nothing that makes any sense. I know I was in love with her. With you. But a lot of the details are missing. Fuzzy faces of strangers we knew. Snapshots of a life I've lived, all out of focus. It's maddening."
"And just what makes you so sure this girl in your dreams is me? In case you haven't noticed, my eyes are red, not purple." She shook her head and exited the truck. "You know what? I don't have time for this kind of nonsense. I catch killers. That's it."
"But wait!" He got out and ran after her. "Can't you just touch me? I mean, that would tell you everything about me, right? Then I would know too, right? Then we'd both know for sure whether the girl in my dreams is really you or not."
"No!" She squared her shoulders. "You really have no idea what happens when I touch a living being. It's not just painful and frightening for you, but it's the same for me. So, if you can't seem to understand and appreciate how lucky you are that I have spared you, at least have enough compassion to spare me. I don't want to know your past. I don't care about your past. And you shouldn't either! Now go home!" She entered the house and closed the door before he could argue.