His phone ringing woke him at around one o'clock. Reaching over, he recognized a number he hardly ever saw anymore. Unless, of course, it was work related, because that's what he had asked of her. Of course she would take what he had said at face value and turn around and do exactly what he had said to, but not what he'd really wanted her to. Her inability to read between the lines annoyed him, but he wasn't thinking about any of that right now. No, now he was just annoyed that his phone was ringing, that it was her calling, and that she was disturbing his first good sleep since Hannah had left.
"Where's the body?" he asked harshly into the phone.
"Well," a slurred voice said, "it seems someone's a little cwanky. Wha's wrong?"
"Bones?" he asked. "Are you drunk?"
"You know very well Booth," she slurred, "that I do not get drunk." There was loud laughter in the background.
"Where are you?" he asked. His protective side was already kicking in; he couldn't just leave her…. If Bones was drunk, something must be up—something major. She just didn't get drunk.
"Getting drunk is for weak people; only weak people get drunk. I, however, am not weak; therefore I do not get drunk. I can hold my liquor." Or so she'd said.
But it appeared that, whatever she'd said before, Bones was drunk.
"I'm at the," she paused to think, "Bagman's Bar. Huh, that's strange," she paused again. "Oh well, actually, there was a reason I was calling you… think Temperance… a reason…. Oh!" she exclaimed loudly.
Booth, who had been pulling on his shoes, was startled by her loud exclamation and hit his head on the door frame.
"It's karaoke night, Booth!" she continued. "I wanted you to come! I have a song to sing to you!" And then she fell into a fit of giggles. That's right…Temperance Brennan was giggling. Booth knew that something had to be wrong—or, at least, it wasn't right.
"Bones," he said slowly, "just stay there, ok? I'm coming." He walked out and got in his car. No matter how annoyed he was with her at this point, there was no way he was just going to leave her there to fend for herself. Not while she was so obviously drunk.
"Oh, goodie!" she said. "I can't wait! See you soon!" Then the line went dead.
What the hell was that? She's obviously drunk, but why… And what do I do with her when we leave. I'll have to take her home, but I can't… I'll call Angela. Yeah, that'll work.
He picked up his phone and dialed the artist's number. She answered on the first ring.
"Where are you, and how many have you had?" she asked in place of a greeting. She sounded concerned. When he didn't respond right away, she said, "Bren? Is this you? Where are you?" She sounded very worried.
"Angela, this is Booth," he said.
"Oh, thank God," Angela said with a sigh of relief. "So we have a case?"
"What? No, Ange, this is about Bones," he said. A case? She thinks I'd call her at one in the morning for a case? "She just called me, and she sounded really drunk. Like beyond what I've ever heard before."
"She called you?" Angela asked surprised. She laughed a little. "Then she's beyond drunk, Booth. She's wasted." He tried to cut in, but she continued, "Look, where is she? I'll go get her."
She sounded way to calm, almost like she'd been expecting Bones's call. It was too… routine, and suddenly, Booth realized something. This wasn't the first time Bones had called Angela, and this wasn't the first time she'd been drunk. But how could that be? His partner wasn't the type… Bones would never…
"So, has this happened…before?" he asked. Though he knew what she would say, it still surprised him. Having Angela confirm his suspicions was harder than he'd thought it would be. What was going on with his partner, and why hadn't he seen it? He knew the answer to those questions, but he wasn't ready to face them yet.
"Well, yeah," Angela said. She was quiet for a moment before continuing quickly, "I know Bren wouldn't want me to tell you this, but I had to bail her out of jail two weeks ago for drunken behavior in a public place. This has been happening…often. Not jail—that was a one-time thing—but something is wrong, Booth; something is really wrong, but she won't let me help."
"Why is this the first I've heard of it?" he asked angrily. How could he not know his partner was going through…whatever it was that she was going through? How had he become such a horrible friend?
"Don't even start with me on that, G-man," she said. He could hear the restraint in her voice. "Am I correct in assuming that you can handle her tonight, or do you need me to go get her?"
"I'm on my way," he said, "but I'd really appreciate if you'd meet me there. I don't—I'm not sure I'll know what to do, or that I'll even be welcome. We don't… we're not… it would just be helpful if you were there." As he spoke, a new possibility came to him. Sure, Bones had been happy and giggly on the phone, but what if she turned on him when he got there? They weren't really friends anymore, and she could, in her drunken state, mistake him for an attacker. The very thought of Bones thinking he was going to hurt her made him sick. How had it come down to this? Angela didn't make him feel any better.
"Yeah," she said. "She might not be happy when she sees you, and I know she'll be mad as hell in the morning when she realizes she drunk-dialed you. She erased your number from her phone, but I guess she couldn't erase it from her head." Angela chuckled a little; otherwise the line was silent as Booth took in this new information. She erased my number? So she didn't want me to know anything; she didn't want to call me, and she didn't want to see me, at least, not consciously. "I'll be there in a few minutes."
"She's at—"Booth started.
"Bagman's Bar," Angela cut him off. "I've done this before, Booth." Then she hung up.
Bagman's was a local establishment, but it was way off the beaten track. At least, it was way off the track Bones usually beat, if that makes any sense.
Why would she choose a bar so… unfamiliar? he wondered. But, deep down, he knew the answer. It was a place where she wouldn't have to worry about running into him. He wouldn't have even known about it if she hadn't drunk-dialed him tonight, or this morning, or whatever.
Finally, he arrived at Bagman's Bar. He parked and rushed inside. It wasn't very crowded, so he spotted her easily. She was by the stage, surrounded by drunken men who looked as if they were absolutely under her spell.
"Bones!" he called. She turned at the sound of his name. Too late he remembered that he was going to wait for Angela before approaching her. His worries were unfounded; she smiled when she saw him.
"Booth," she slurred. "You're just in time. I thought I was going to have to sing to you without you here! That wouldn't be very productive." Then she giggled again. The picture was so foreign, it made Booth uncomfortable. "Just sit here with John, Booth. I'm going to go sing!"
"Yeah, Tempe!" the man, apparently John, yelled and held out his fist. Booth was shocked when Bones bumped fists with this John and then scurried up on stage. Yes, scurried. She didn't use her normal, purposeful, graceful stride; she scurried.
When she took the mike, the place began to quiet. Someone called out "Tempe's on! Go Tempe!"
That she was a regular in this bar was obvious. She was on a first name basis with the men sitting at the bar! When she spoke, the whole room listened in reverent awe.
"Hello everyone!" she said cheerily. "I'm going to sing for you all in a moment, but first, I have a toast of sorts to make." She reached behind the stage, pulled out a shoulder bag, and began to rummage around in it.
"Oh no, what the hell is she doing?" a voice behind him said. "She's going to hate herself in the morning."
"Angela," Booth said turning around. She ignored him.
"Bren," she called, but she was too late, and she seemed to know it. She stood helpless at Booth's side.
Bones pulled something out of her bag and turned back to her rapt audience. Booth couldn't see what she had in her hand; it was hairy and strange looking.
"This is for my partner, the one I've told you all so much about," she said, smiling at her friends at the bar. "Booth, say hi!" she sang at him. Reluctantly, he raised his hand in a small wave. The men at the bar scowled at him.
"I don't think they like me," he whispered to Angela with a trace of humor.
"No, they wouldn't. They like Bren, and so anyone who hurts her—"she was cut off by Bones speaking into the microphone again. He didn't get the opportunity to respond.
"This is for Booth!" Bones yelled. At that moment, he realized that the object she was holding in her hands was a wig. A long, blonde wig. And she put it on.
Oh hell, he thought. This isn't going to be good.
"This is my Hannah Montana wig!" she said with a smile. "Now I'm just like Hannah, Booth. We even have the same name." Her smile widened. "So, now that I'm Hannah, you can love me! 'Cause now I'm blonde, and she's blonde, and my name is Hannah and her name is Hannah! See, I worked this out! It's entirely logical!" When he didn't respond her face fell, and her smile disappeared. "Okay, so logic still doesn't work for you," she said. Then she sighed, "Well, this is for you Booth. I'm sorry I wasn't enough before, but I promise to be enough now," she said. "Don't you see? I'm everything you want now! And I'll do that heart stuff that you need too! See, I can even apologize! Play that song Lenny!"
Strains of music filled the bar, and she sang into the mic in her beautiful voice.
I'm so glad you made time to see me So this is me swallowing my pride It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you These days I haven't been sleeping So this is me swallowing my pride It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you I miss your tan skin So this is me swallowing my pride It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you
How's life, tell me how's your family
I haven't seen them in a while
She misses me and Parker; she misses the Jeffersonian family that we all were before. Of course she does! And I really miss you too Bones. She looks so… lonely….
You've been good, busier than ever
Small talk, work and the weather
That's all we ever talk about anymore. Work and the weather. I am so stupid. How could I let our partnership come to this?
Your guard is up and I know why
Because the last time you saw me
Is still burning in the back of your mind
But I forgive you, Bones! I understand now why you did it. I forgive you!
You gave me roses and I left them there to die
Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night
And I go back to December all the time.
Wishing I realized what I had when you were mine
I go back to December turn around and make it all right
I go back to December all the time.
Staying up late playing back myself leaving
When your birthday passed and I didn't call
Then I think about summer All the beautiful times
I watched you laughing from the passenger side
And realized I loved you in the fall
She loves me?
And then the cold came and the dark days
When fear crept into my mind
It was fear all along… she didn't leave me because she didn't love me, but because she was afraid. I should have known that. I knew her best… I should have known.
You gave me all your love
And all I gave you was goodbye
Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night
And I go back to December all the time.
Wishing I realized what I had when you were mine
I go back to December turn around and change my own mind
I go back to December all the time.
Your sweet smile, so good to me, so right
And how you held me in your arms that September night
The first time you ever saw me cry
Maybe this is wishful thinking
Probably mindless dreaming
If we loved again I swear I'd love you right
Could it be possible? Could there be another chance for us? If there was, he swore he wouldn't mess it up again.
I'd go back in time and change it but I can't
So if the chain is in your door I understand
I'm sorry I chained you out for so long, Bones. I want to let you back in. Will you come back in?
Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night
And I go back to December
Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine
I go back to December turn around and make it all right
I go back to December turn around and change my own mind
I go back to December all the time
There were tears running down her face as the audience applauded. She collapsed on the stage.
"Bren!" Angela cried. She ran toward her friend, and Booth followed close behind. Bones was laying in a ball on the stage sobbing. Booth reached her first.
"Hey there, Bones," he said. "It's okay. Let's get you home." She looked up at him, and her eyes were confused behind her tears.
"Booth? What are you doing here?" she asked. He opened his mouth to answer, but suddenly, she didn't seem interested. "Go away," she said. Then louder, "Go away!" He reached out his arms to pick her up, but she shoved him away, flailing her arms and legs at him in an uncoordinated, un-Bones-ey way. Though her aim was off, due to her drunken state, her force was not lacking. He would have bruises in the morning.
"Booth," Angela said firmly, "I've got her. Just… go, okay? You're not helping matters right now." She knelt down and helped her friend to her feet. "Let's go home Bren," she said.
"'Kay," Bones slurred through her tears. As she helped his drunken partner to the door, Angela glared at him over Bones's back, and then they disappeared out the door. He just stood there looking after them, completely frozen.
He'd discovered many things tonight that he'd been avoiding since he'd returned to D.C. First, people at the lab didn't consider him a friend anymore, let alone part of their family. Two, his partner was hurting and he was the cause of it; he was hurting his own partner, the most important person in his life. And finally, perhaps most disturbingly, his partner was someone he didn't know. She seemed to be an entirely different person since they'd returned. Sure, it had been mostly small stuff, like she now drank her coffee black, but some of it was big, like the fact that she now got drunk… on a regular basis.
So, of all the things he'd discovered tonight, the last was the most clear. Looking back, he could see, as is always true with hindsight, and he wondered why he hadn't seen it at the time. But he wouldn't get anywhere by dwelling on the past. He'd been stupid and made stupid mistakes. He had to learn from them to be able to take the only path forward: a path that involved her.