"Hey Bones!" The voice on the other side of the phone startled her. He hadn't called her in over a week.
"Booth?" she asked. She couldn't keep the surprise out of her voice. "What do you need? Do you have a new suspect we need to question?"
"What? No, of course not. There haven't been any new developments since two hours ago when I dropped those files at the Jeffersonian." He laughed. "I don't only call you about work Bones. I thought maybe we could go out to lunch and go over those files together," her heart warmed, "since Hannah's out of town for a story." And it went cold again. When she replied, her tone was cold and emotionless.
"Well, gee! As nice as that sounds Booth, I already have plans. I'm leaving work early today and taking half a personal day, so you'll have to go over the files alone. Will you let me know what you find?"
"You have plans? You're taking a personal day?" he asked. "But we always go out to lunch to go over files. It's a tradition. Can't you cancel?"
"We don't always do anything anymore Booth. I do have a life outside of you—outside of work, and no, I can't cancel." She took a deep breath trying to calm herself. She still wasn't used to the intenseness of the emotion she now allowed herself to feel. "These plans are important to me. Perhaps you can call Cam and let her know what you find. She will be more than capable of passing along the information." And with that, she dropped the phone back on its cradle.
She sighed, pushed her irritation, and walked out of her office and into Angela's.
"Ange, I'm headed out," she called "If there are any developments on the case that absolutely can't wait for tomorrow, you know how to reach me, but please, only call if it is an absolute emergency. I have a—a very important appointment to keep." A smile crept over her face when she thought of who she was meeting.
"Sure," Angela replied coming out of her office with a worried look on her face. She hesitated before she asked, "Sweetie, are you sure you're alright? You haven't seemed like yourself since the Lauren Eames case…"
"I'm fine Angela. I've decided that I need more of a life…you know, outside of work. I will not end up like Lauren. I just can't." She paused and Angela cut in,
"Sweetie, I'm really worried..."
"Don't worry about me Ange. I'm taking half a personal day to go have some fun. I know I haven't allowed myself enough of that in the past, so it'll be good for me." She gave her friend's shoulder a squeeze and walked out the door, leaving a stunned Angela behind her.
She knew her friend could see through her façade, but she was grateful she knew better than to push it. When she reached her car, her phone rang. She smiled as she read the caller ID.
"Hello, Chris. I'm just leaving." She listened to his reply and laughed. "Don't worry; I'll see you in a few minutes!" She hung up the phone feeling better than she had in weeks.
She wasn't Lauren; she wouldn't allow herself to become like Lauren. She would show the metaphorical 'them' that she wasn't Lauren. She had a life outside of work now. She had someone who would miss her if she were to disappear. She had something she'd never really had before…