A REASON TO STAY
Booth has a girlfriend and an incident between him and Brennan a few months ago has left things awkward between them. When she is offered a six month trip to Africa, it could seem like the perfect chance to get away. But will Booth realise what he feels in time and give her a reason to stay? BB, angsty and romantic. Please review!
This one is dedicated to my saviour and favourite person in the world right now, Ronata21, for putting season 3 of Bones on Youtube for me!!!! You rule!
Italics is flashback.
Her phone was ringing. She leant over from where she was laid in bed to reach for it, but managed to knock it on the floor in the process. She cursed, climbed out of bed and picked up the phone.
"Brennan."
"Dr Brennan, it's Dr Silas Carter from the Anthropological Institution at Harvard. We have a dig coming up in Libya next month, and we wondered if you would be interested in joining it."
Brennan closed her eyes for a second. A dig in Libya. Up until about a year ago, that would have seemed like the best idea in the world. But something had changed in her in the past months. She had become attached to her work at the Jeffersonian, with Angela, Hodgins, Zach and even Cam. And with Booth. She wasn't sure at what point he had stopped being a nuisance and started being an asset, but somewhere along the line he had. Somewhere along the way he had become more than just her partner. At some point he had become her friend.
"Dr Brennan?"
"Oh, sorry, Dr Carter. I… what would the dig entail?"
"It's for six months, uncovering some of the ancient ceremonial graves of some of the high cult priests, as well as a site from an apparent massacre and some mass graves from unconfirmed illnesses. We're taking twelve of our best students with us, an anthropology professor from the university, I'm leading the expedition, and we're looking for an actual anthropologist who's had experience in the field."
"What about pathology and entomology?" she asked, sticking to straight scientific factual questions so she didn't have to think hard about what this really meant.
"We don't need pathology. All the bodies are at least a century old, we believe. And we have two entomology students on the list, and an entomology professor will be coming out half way through the proceedings."
"Archaeology?"
"Oh, we're going in conjunction with the archaeology institute. They're sending about 20 students and a professor."
"And you really want me?"
"Sure. You're a bit of a household name to most of the students, everyone's heard of Dr Temperance Brennan, or at least Kathy Reichs and Andy Lister. They'll love to meet you and I'm sure that the dig will be quite unlike anything you've ever done before."
She thought hard. She wanted to go on this dig, she really did. But it was like there was some invisible string that tied her to the Jeffersonian. And to Booth.
"Can I let you know, Dr Carter?"
"Sure. Can you make your decision by Friday? Because if you don't come we'll have to find a replacement."
"Of course. I'll give you a ring. Thanks for asking me."
"My pleasure. Goodbye, Dr Brennan."
"Bye."
She flopped back down on her bed, sighing. Libya. Well, it would certainly be an experience. A solid anthropological experience, something she had never had a chance to see before and would probably never have a chance to see again. The rational part of her brain was raring and ready to go. The other part, the part she liked to pretend didn't exist, that part wasn't so sure.
Booth had his arm round someone, and his eyes were closed. For a moment, as he drifted out of sleep, he had a sudden vivid picture of his Bones in his mind, drawing her lips back away from his, her eyes full of tears. But then he opened his eyes and looked at the woman sleeping next to him.
Hannah Webster was beautiful. She had long blonde hair and big blue eyes and tanned brown skin. She had big, soft red lips and skin smooth and unblemished. But he didn't know why the hell he was with her right now. Because he knew from past experience that when you start to wish the other person in a relationship is someone else, that's when you realise you've gone past your sell by date and you need to let the other half go.
And, after the first night, he was imagining that Hannah was Bones. Which he should not be doing. For his sake, for Bones' sake and for Hannah's sake. He should not be even thinking about her. Not ever. Because all that was ancient history now. They were both clear on that front. They'd agreed on that, at least.
Dammit, he was still thinking about her. He should be thinking about Hannah. He was thinking about Hannah. Beautiful, funny Hannah, who he'd been dating for a month now. Hannah who he had met in a park whilst watching Parker. Hannah, who had a six year old daughter called Poppy, and no one else. Hannah, who worked in a primary school teaching four year olds to read. Parker's primary school. Hannah, who, although he wasn't sure, he suspected had whispered 'I love you' in his ear that night. He didn't deserve her love. He didn't deserve anyone's love when the only love he wanted was love he would never get.
"Hey." He heard a breathy whisper in his ear, and he turned to face her.
"Hey yourself." He said, and reached out a hand, tucking a blonde curl behind her ear. He'd always been one for dark hair.
"Sleep well?" she whispered, raising an eyebrow. He nodded, and then closed his eyes and kissed her gently.
"You?" he asked, when he drew back, making her giggle slightly.
"Best I have in years." She said earnestly, and a wave of guilt hit him with her solemn honesty. She had twisted one of her hands into his short hair and was absent-mindedly fiddling with it. He sighed.
"We should probably get up." He said gently, making sure he sounded like he didn't want to.
Hannah pouted slightly.
"I don't mind you staying here, Seeley."
"I should get up and get dressed at least before Poppy wakes up. I don't want to give you something awkward to explain."
"It won't be. She's never known a Dad or anything. It's always been just her and me. It'll be good for her to see a man in my life again."
Booth sighed. He wasn't sure that this was what he wanted. He had never introduced any of his girlfriends to Parker. To him it seemed kind of final, like once the child knew about them, you were bonded to them so much closer. You couldn't just throw them away, for fear of how you would explain everything. Of course, Hannah had met Parker. But she was his teacher. And to him she was still just Miss Webster, who happened to be friends with his Daddy. But Poppy had never met Booth before. And once she did, Booth would know longer be able to leave if he wanted to. It would be so much more definite.
"Seeley?" Hannah asked, her smile fading. "What are you thinking?"
That I don't know if I'm ready to have this now. That I think I'm still in love with someone who'll never love me. That I'm such an ass that I really have no plans for the future with you at all. That I don't want to meet your daughter because then I won't have an escape route.
"If you're sure Poppy won't mind."
Hannah grinned, and instead of feeling glad that he could make her so happy, Booth felt guilty. Hannah kissed him and again he closed his eyes. And there was a flicker of a second where he wished that the woman with her lips on his was Temperance Brennan.
He was sat at the breakfast table, eating some of Hannah's Cheerios, when Poppy Webster walked into the room. Hannah had gone to use the bathroom and he was sat alone, reading the back of the cereal box.
"Who are you?" She said indignantly, and Booth couldn't help be shocked by the likeness between her and her mother. It was extreme. They could easily have been sisters, years apart, or even the same person, different times.
"My name's Seeley Booth." He said, because he couldn't think of anything else to say.
"That's a stupid name." she said. But she was smiling. "Why are you eating my cereals?"
"Were they yours? I'm sorry. I thought they were your Mom's." he said.
"Why are you eating my Mommy's cereals?" she asked, and Booth opened his mouth and then closed it again, unsure of what to say next that wouldn't incriminate him.
"Poppy, this is Seeley. The man I told you about. Parker's Daddy." Hannah stood in the doorway.
Poppy smiled at him. "Nice to meet you." She said politely, and Booth grinned. She was an adorable little girl.
"You know Parker?"
"Yep. He's in my Games class."
"Really?" Booth said. Hannah walked across the room and pointedly kissed him on the mouth, right in front of her daughter. Poppy didn't blink an eyelid. Booth almost wished she had. He almost wished she had screamed and shouted, and Hannah had told him she was very sorry but if Poppy didn't agree to it then there could never be anything between them. But Poppy said nothing just sat down next to Booth.
"Are you really a spy?" Poppy said, her eyes wide with excitement. "Parker said his Dad was a spy once."
Booth chuckled. Trying to explain to his five year old son what the FBI actually did had been difficult, and he wasn't sure he had come out with the most accurate idea.
"He is." Hannah said, giving Booth a conspiratorial wink. Booth smiled. Hannah's hand reached across the table and took his. He clasped his fingers around hers and smiled as hard as he could. Maybe if he convinced himself hard enough, then he might be able to make this work.
OK, so Booth is dating Hannah and Brennan is thinking of going to Libya on a dig. Let me know if you like this.
xgreyslostwhox