Hi everyone! So this is the first time I've tried to write a Bones story, and I'm not the best writer so any help is more than appreciated! I think this is set around season 2, but it's been hanging around my computer for a while. Hope you enjoy it!
Booth smiled to himself as he made his way onto the lab platform, swiping his card and wandering up the steps. He had never seen the squints so excited, even Zach and Hodgins grinning happily.
"Come on, sweetie, you gotta tell us!" came Angela's pleading voice, and as he came closer he noticed Brennan was sitting on a stool, looking resolutely down at a skeleton laid before her on the table. She sighed, finally looking up at Angela irritably, despite a happy twinkle in her eyes.
"No, Ang, I don't have to tell you anything! Even if I had anything to tell, which, for the record, I don't..." she started, before noticing Booth appearing on the stage and looking away.
"Hey, Bones, is that actually a blush I see there?" Booth asked, leaning closer as if to study it better. He jumped away expertly as she swatted at him, pushing her stool back to get away from the scrutiny. "What's going on, you guys are like a group of excited puppies!"
Angela rolled her eyes as Booth smiled at his joke, waiting with his arms folded for someone to answer him. Zach laughed, stepping to clap Brennan on the shoulder.
"Dr Brennan has a hot date tonight!" he said cheerfully, missing the dagger filled look that Brennan sent his way.
Booth's face fell for a moment, before it was a mask again and he smiled at Brennan. It took some effort, as his mind reeled from the information. Bones had a date? He thought that they had been getting closer recently. Then again, he hadn't actually managed to ask her to go out with him, so he could hardly blame her for not staying completely single. Still...
"Haven't you all got some work to do? Jeez, you'd think you'd all have actual lives so you didn't have to delve into mine," Brennan replied, feeling distinctly uncomfortable at the centre of the attention as she refused to look up from her work.
Taking the hint, the rest of her team wandered off, leaving her alone. Booth stood uneasily behind her, realising that this was the first time since he met her that Booth felt uncomfortable around Brennan, having no idea what to say to her. He was spared his worry when she turned and smiled easily at him.
"What did you come up here for, Booth? Do we have a new case?"
He shrugged, returning the smile although it killed him to do it. "Yeah, there's a murder on a farm. Looks like the victim was beaten with a rake. But I don't want to keep you, Bones, I'll go check it out, and then fill you in tomorrow."
She nodded. "Thanks, Booth! I promise I'll come and find you first thing in the morning."
"Right." The silence was deafening, even Bones starting to feel uncomfortable as she looked up at Booth in confusion. "Well, have a good time tonight. You deserve a night off."
Brennan smiled at him. "I intend to! And thanks, Booth, I owe you one. Call if you need anything."
He nodded, turning and wandering off, glad to be away from the atmosphere for a while. This was obviously something that he needed to get over, especially when Bones had made it perfectly clear that she didn't want him. Shaking the thoughts from his head that she could ever be more than a partner, Booth sped up towards his car, wanting to lose his mind in the case that night, even if it wouldn't quite be the same without Bones with him.
Brennan smiled happily, sipping on her wine. Steve had turned out to be the perfect gentleman, taking her to a posh restaurant in town, and insisting on buying her dinner. He was interesting, talking about anything and everything over the dinner. He even feigned interest in her work, despite obviously not being the smartest man in the world, and that was something that she didn't often find. So when he had offered to drive her home, and happened to walk her up to her door, it was only natural that she should invite him in. And that was how she came to be drinking wine, while relaxing on her sofa with a really good looking guy who she had only met a few hours before, feeling as comfortable as if he were her brother.
"I must say, Temperance, you really are an amazing woman. I've never met anyone quite like you before," he said, leaning closer as he caught her eyes, Brennan smiling shyly at him.
"Well, I have certain accomplishments, but it's nice of you to say so," she replied, grabbing his shirt front as she pulled him forwards and kissed him.
Somehow, it just felt right. Everything was perfect, the evening, the guy, the girl. And then just as it had started, Steve pulled back, watching her in amazement, breathless. Brennan knew she was flushing, and put her hand to her face, grinning at him.
"Well, I, uh, I think I'd probably better call it a night before I can't tear myself away from you," Steve told her, standing although he was still unable to tear his eyes away from her.
"Or, you could just stay?" she asked, looking at him softly.
Steve smiled, hugging her to him for a moment before releasing her. "As much as I want to take you up on that offer, you're not a girl I want to lose and I don't want to push my luck. How about I buy you lunch tomorrow?"
Grinning like a school girl, Brennan nodded, handing him his coat from the back of the sofa. "Sure. Maybe meet you at the diner at 12?"
"Great." Leaning down, Steve stole another kiss, tearing himself away with great difficulty. "Thank you for a lovely night."
"I think I'm supposed to be the one saying that," she laughed, the sound like music to his ears.
"Until tomorrow then."
He lingered for just a moment longer than needed, Brennan eventually giving in and pushing the door shut. She leant on it, feeling slightly weak. Grinning to herself, and skipping a little as she locked the door and walked towards her bedroom, she wondered how it had turned out so well for her. Yawning, she gave up on the thought and headed to bed, knowing that she would be seeing him again tomorrow.
Booth scowled as he watched Brennan get ready to leave for lunch. She looked absolutely beautiful that day, wearing slightly more make-up than usual, but nothing over the top. He sighed, rubbing his face.
"I can't believe you're ditching me at lunch Bones! Lunch is our thing!"
Brennan stopped for a moment, seeing Booth looked actually put out. "I know, but we can go back to it being our thing after today. Besides, somebody needs to go talk to the family."
"Ok. Fine. Have a good time," he replied, seeing her smile at him as she wandered off, a happiness about her that he couldn't remember seeing before.
He sighed, knowing that he was only playing up because he was jealous. He wished it was him that had made Brennan so happy, and got to take her to lunch as more than a good friend. Especially when she looked like that. How could a man think with her looking like that! Shaking his head, he headed back into her office, counting the minutes until she came back, and hoping that it went badly, no matter how horrible a person that made him.
"You're late," he pointed out as Brennan finally reappeared, a happy smile on her face. She frowned, dropping her bag in a corner and hanging up her coat.
"I'm, like, five minutes late, Booth. Why are you still in my office?"
"Waiting for you," he replied, seeing her getting frustrated as she waved him out of her seat, sitting down and starting up her computer.
"Well I'm here now. What did you want?"
"Yeah, you're here now." Booth folded his arms, desperately trying to keep his feelings under control and failing miserably. Brennan's head shot up at his tone, her frown deepening.
"Seriously, what is your problem, Booth? It can't be just that I'm late, so what's really got your horse?"
"Got my goat, Bones, goat," he replied with a sigh, looking down at the floor as he debated whether to tell her how he felt or not. When he looked up again, he saw Brennan just holding back the tears as she stood and went to move past him.
"Bones..." he started, Brennan whipping around to face him angrily.
"No, Booth, don't even start! You obviously just don't want me to be happy. You don't want me, but you don't want anybody else to have me either."
Turning to leave again, Booth grabbed her arm, looking her directly in the eyes as she looked steadily back, waiting for him to tell her something. Changing his mind, he cleared his throat.
"A booty call shouldn't interfere with work," he stated, hating himself for hurting her but unable to stop.
"What do you mean?" she asked, looking confused and guarded at the same time, Booth letting out a bark of laughter.
"Oh my mistake. I thought you'd slept together..." he replied, trailing off.
He stood and watched from the door as Brennan whipped around and dashed off, knowing that she was upset from the look on Angela's face as she passed. Banging his head against the wall behind him, he cursed himself for being so stupid. How could be hurt her like that? Of course she had the right to be happy. His only problem was that by allowing her to be happy with Steve, he was dooming himself to a life of unhappiness.
So that's the start! Hope you liked it, and thanks very much for taking the time to read it :) I'll try and get another chapter up asap once all the kinks have been worked out. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!