Ok, just a little one-shot to keep me busy. I cant really decide if I like it, its definitely not my best work but it wouldnt leave me alone so here it is :)

Disclaimer: I dont own Bones

Working with Girls

Seeley Booth didn't work with girls, everyone knew that, it was common knowledge, an unspoken fact. In the army he couldn't recall ever being within ten feet of a woman in the same line of work as him and during his time as an agent all four of his partners thus far had been strictly male…at Booths request.

It wasn't that he didn't like women, on the contrary, Booth was very fond of women. He was hardly short of bed companions and he had been raised the good catholic boy to respect women. He enjoyed their company over a good bottle of chardonnay, could chat at ease with any receptionist in the country and often shared an animated conversation with his elderly cat-loving neighbour. Yes, he liked women…he just didn't want to work with one.

He'd seen it time and time again. A promising agent, a man at the top of his game, the pinnacle of his career…then a woman came along. A female partner changed an agent, there was no doubt about it. One minute you're steadfast and determined, decorating your office with golf trophies and plain yellow post-it notes, the next thing you know your car has fluffy dice in it and your post-it notes are suddenly pink and heart shaped. A female partner ruined a man. Booths previous partner had shared copious horror stories of a partner he had once had. A woman who by all accounts decided that being his partner meant she was qualified to assume the role of his wife, planning his day to day movements and never leaving his side.

Other agents had told him how they argued constantly with their partners, the camaraderie of the justice system apparently not crossing the male/female barriers. Others had complained how uncommitted their female partners had been, husbands, the school run and dinner with the mother-in-law taking precedence over whatever case they happened to be working on. However, these were not the worst consequences of a female partner, there was a fate worse than that…love.

Love. The very thought of the word was enough to terrify most young men. Again, it wasn't that Seeley Booth avoided love, finding someone, falling in love and settling down were definitely on his to-do list…but they weren't at the top. Seeley Booth was a good agent, it wasn't that he was boastful, it was true, he was good at his job and in his opinion at that particular moment in time falling in love, especially with another agent, was the last thing he wanted. He had heard tales, whispered stories passed through the FBI grapevine, of fallen agents, ensnared by their female partners who had used their feminine wiles to trap their partners, turning game nights and hunting trip weekends into family planning meetings and cosy weekends at expensive spas.

No. Love was a dangerous prospect and one he wasn't willing to entertain with a female agent, which was why he avoided them. In six years he had been through four partners, not a situation he was proud of but then, it was hardly his fault. His first partner, an elderly agent from narcotics had unfortunately suffered a sudden heart attack just three weeks into their partnership, his second partner had left the FBI after eight months of working with Booth to open a medieval themed nightclub in Maryland. His third partner had apparently taken an instant dislike to Booth and had requested a transfer to a desk post just five days after they met and his final partner, steadfast and true had regrettably terminated their partnership in favour of retirement after over four years together. It wasn't Booths fault he was currently short of a partner, it was an unavoidable situation, an unfortunate twist of fate that couldn't be helped. So now he was alone, partner-less again.

And that was how he found himself in his current position, sat in Deputy Director Sam Cullen's office with an undesirable task ahead of him.

'So, here we are again Booth.'

'Yes Sir.'

'I must say finding a partner for you is nothing short of a challenge. The other agents are beginning to think you're jinxed Booth. Four agents in six years isn't exactly something you should be aiming for.'

'But sir its not like…'

Cullen waved him aside.

'I know, I know its not your fault but still Booth, could you please try to be a bit more accommodating with this one because I don't want to be doing this again any time soon. Am I understood?'

'Yes sir.'

Cullen nodded and nudged three cream folders towards him.

'Sir?'

'These are your choices Booth.'

'Choices, I get to choose?'

'Well none of the partners I've picked for you have worked out, I thought maybe you could do better yourself.'

Booth raised an eyebrow slightly puzzled.

'I've narrowed it down to a shortlist of three possible partners.'

Cullen picked up the first folder and flicked it open to read the details. He slid a small passport sized photograph in Booths direction. Booth flicked his eyes over the photograph taking in the image of the small balding man beaming from it.

'Agent Theodor Thomas. He was once quite a promising agent.'

Booth frowned.

'What do you mean was?'

Cullen avoided Booths line of sight and frowned, giving a little cough before he answered.

'A year or so ago, he erm, well the long and short of it is he had a breakdown. He hasn't done field work in a while but I'm err sure he's ready and eager to go.'

Cullen tried his best to muster a smile but a singular quirk of Booths eyebrow told him all he needed to know.

'Well…there's the other two to look at still.'

Booth nodded, hoping the other two candidates were better suited than Agent Thomas seemed to be. Cullen opened the second folder and one glance at the photograph made Booths decision.

'Oh…no…sir…please…'

'Oh come on Booth, he's not that bad.'

Cullen picked up the picture from inside the file and stared hard at the image of Agent Daniel Saunders.

'With all respect sir he is that bad. Everyone knows that Saunders is on the take, that's why no one wants to work with him. He's a crooked agent.'

Cullen gave a wry smile.

'I know that, you know that but until crown prosecution and internal affairs can prove it he still needs a partner, preferably someone we can trust to keep an eye on him.'

'Sir, I don't wish to be unreasonable…'

'Then don't be.'

'But when I requested a new partner I wasn't really after someone to baby-sit.'

Cullen looked at him as if wondering whether or not to reprimand him for his slight rebellion. Booth was of course right, Cullen couldn't help but muse, he was far too promising an agent to dump with someone like Saunders.

'Fine Booth, have it your way but you only have one choice left. If this one doesn't take your fancy so to speak then that's that, you have to pick one of them.'

Cullen pushed the other folders to one side and took a deep breath before beginning what he knew would be a hard sell.

'Right Booth, this one's a bit different. Strictly its not a position with FBI personnel, this partner wont be permanent, just on kind of a supply and demand basis.'

'Okay.'

Booth was beginning to wonder where this was going. A temporary partner, more free reign, it sounded like the perfect partner…there had to be a catch…

'Now I know they might not be the easiest people to be around but how do you feel about working with a squint?'

Ahh, there was that pesky catch…

'Squints Sir…?'

'Yes. What do you know about the Jeffersonian Institute?'

'The Jeffersonian? I took my son there a few weeks back…he likes the dinosaurs.'

Cullen smiles.

'Well aside from their excellent taste in fossils the Jeffersonian also happens to a leading institution in the world of forensic science with somewhat of a specialty for solving homicide cases where the victims are hard to identify. We've worked with them a few times in the past and its been decided that a permanent liaison officer should be set up, that's where you come in.'

'But squints sir?'

'I know, but they're good at their job Booth and certain cases require their assistance. Besides, no ones asking you to be best friends with them, we just need you to act as a sort of go-between, meet with the head of their forensic team from time to time.'

'Ok, so who is this mysterious head-squint?'

Cullen scanned the file to find the appropriate name.

'Ah, here it is…a Dr Temperance Brennan.'

Booths eyes widened.

'Wait a minute! Temperance! You want to partner me with a girl?'

Cullen raised an eyebrow.

'She's a highly respected member of her team at the forefront of forensic science.'

'She's a girl.'

Cullen shook his head.

'Is that a problem Agent Booth?'

Booth fumbled for a minute.

'No…I…I just…'

He couldn't tell the truth. Telling his partner he didn't think a woman could do his job was grounds enough to have him up in front of human resources for discrimination in the workplace. The love option was worse. Telling your boss you were scared of falling for your partner made him sound ridiculous. Booth closed his mouth and looked away from his boss. Cullen smiled slightly.

'I thought so…so shall I tell the Jeffersonian you'll be there as soon as a case turns up?'

Booth nodded regretfully wishing there were more options…Saunders and Thomas were starting to look pretty good right about now. Cullen beamed.

'Right, glad that's settled. You can go now Booth.'

Effectively dismissed Booth sighed and stood up, making his way slowly from the office. Booth decided that during that meeting, right there and then, his career could be over and it was three cups of coffee and two slices of apple pie later before he could let himself think otherwise. A female partner wasn't what he had wanted but like Cullen had said, it was a temporary position, he'd only have to work with her when they had a case and besides, he had evaluated the chances of falling in love to be very slim. He was safe. She was a squint right? Booth figured he was safe with a squint.

Three days later he met Temperance Brennan…Two days after that he recalculated the risk of falling for her to be very high indeed.