A/N: I have just discovered Bones. Sort of extrapolation from The Man In The Morgue. Go with it, and leave me a review? :)
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He doesn't even know why it catches his eye in the first place. But it does. He can see it in the corner. Touching the table leg. Oh God. And the detective hasn't even seen it yet.
Of course she hasn't, she's too caught up blaming Bones.
He can lean across and touch it with the tip of his boot, if he were so inclined. Just casually walk over to it and no one would know. All of his better instincts scream not to touch it, it goes against everything he's been taught. All of a sudden so very much hangs on the piece of silver hiding in the corner of his vision. His eyes stare toward the front, unwavering; but his mind just cannot stay away. Such a small piece of metal too, quiet and unassuming as it sits beside the wood, snickering at him as it dares him to do the unthinkable.
No one will know.
Not much time has passed, he knows, but for some reason the minutes tick by interminably slowly. Flowing by like a thick gelatinous liquid, trapping him in that one moment of indecision as he hovers behind Bones.
It doesn't take long for him to react and moments later it clinks in his pocket, nestled safely next to his wallet and car keys. He's risking his career, his integrity and so much more; he knows that but he doesn't know why. He's acted on sheer instinct, and for a moment he's back to when he was in his twenties. Alone in the field, with nothing but a small piece of silver and instincts. He doesn't know it, but one of his hands unconsciously drifts toward the metal that dangles from his neck, while the other stays in his pocket.
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Much, much later he's sitting with Bones and the rest of his squints, and he feels at ease enough to close his eyes and just take in the conversation. He can hear Hodgins make an ass of himself and smiles. His smile widens further when Zack brings up the question of Bones' faith in voodoo. He opens his eyes and watches the exchange, taking comfort in the knowledge that whatever they had faced was over and done with. He hears Bones talk about her belief, and grins briefly as he fingers the silver in his pocket. She's still sitting there in front of them, chin tilted obstinately, "I do not believe."
He leans forward and allows a hint of devil-may-care to enter his face as he appears to carefully consider his next words. "Maybe just a little?" She looks him straight in the eye and replies. "No." "Good. Because, you know, if you have any doubts, we'll just have Benoit send you back one of those little satanic mojo pouches from prison." He leans back and lets his hand slide out of his pocket as he hears her make her case. She'll never see this one coming, he thinks as he rests his head on the flat of his palm, the one not holding the little piece of silver.
"Booth, objects have no intrinsic power. A person's future does not depend on some...thing. Things are just things. They do not have magical meaning or powers." He says nothing in reply, and instead opens his hand in a fashion similar to a conjuror's trick as he reveals the earring.
He sees her surprised face and cannot help but smile. He hands her the earring and deflects her questions easily with sarcasm borne with years of practice as he gets up to leave. But as he looks at her face, he can't help but get in the last word.
"No, uh, magical power over your future."
He doesn't wait for her to answer, but the look on her face as he leaves is enough. He shakes his head as he walks down to his car. Bones may not believe in the power of symbols, but he does. His hands drift to the metal on his chest and he smiles again.
A/N: Review please.