Title: A Novel Insight
Author: MsJDarcy
Rating: T for mild references
Fandom: Bones
Pairing(s): Booth/Brennan friendship
Disclaimer: Bones and the characters therein are the property of Kathy Reichs, Fox and their associates. I have no ownership, am not making any money from this and have no intention of doing so
Summary: When Brennan was trapped she didn't write letters – she wrote something else, and Booth couldn't resist reading… (continuation of and spoilers for 2x09 'Aliens in a Spaceship')
Author's Note: I haven't actually seen this episode or indeed any of season two so I apologise in advance if there are details out of place or if it's not quite in canon. I got this idea and it may be somewhat strange but I enjoyed writing it. I was aiming for a hint of something unacknowledged between Booth and Brennan and I didn't want to venture too far into their minds.

Kathy kept patiently digging with her hands into the wall of dirt and rocks that blocked her exit to the outside world. She knew that the mouth of the cave had been unstable but she hadn't thought that it would collapse, trapping her in the small, dark cavern. Kathy took a shallow breath; judging by the stale taste of the air and the lightness creeping into her head, she figured that she had about ten more minutes of air before she passed out. Was she to die in this cave? The same cave that she and Andy had found the body of Joe Green in just two days earlier?

Andy. As Kathy continued to dig, her thoughts started to revolve around her partner. Was he looking for her? Of course he was; she had left him a message saying that she was headed back to the cave to gather more evidence. Andy would follow her to the cave, notice her car was there, find the cave-in and somehow get her out. Never once had he let her down and Kathy had every confidence that he would not let her down this time.

Kathy's head began to spin as she contemplated all the 'what ifs' there could be. What if Andy didn't think it necessary to accompany her when she was just gathering more evidence? He knew that she was more than capable of completing the task on her own. But Kathy knew that Andy didn't always do what she deemed rational. Andy always accompanied her to the crime scene, even if it were just to watch over her, his hands on his hips in that cocky, confident pose – a stance which was irritating and unnecessary yet it was oddly comforting to know that he cared enough to watch her back even though he knew he didn't need to.

What if Andy didn't get her message in time? Kathy's head began to spin afresh as she tried to find a rational explanation to refute that thought. She took another breath to steady herself as she realised that, logically, it was quite probable that he hadn't seen the message yet and that he didn't know of her distress. She had no reason to believe that he was doing his best to rescue her, but yet she somehow knew that that was exactly what he was doing. Against all odds, she knew that he was searching for her. For no rational reason, she had faith in him. Was this what people called their 'heart talking'?

Kathy's vision began to blur and the shallow breath she took did nothing to clear the dizziness in her head. A solitary tear fell down her cheek as Kathy's hands continued to dig, their efforts now feeble with exhaustion. The oxygen was almost gone and Kathy could feel herself slipping further and further away. Further away from life. Further away from Andy. She hoped that he wouldn't blame himself for this; it was an accident and Kathy knew that Andy would have tried his very best to get to her. Kathy took a final breath of air as her feet failed beneath her and she fell to the ground. Her ears faintly registered the sound of a slight blast as her mind slipped away.

---------

Andy ran back to the mouth of the cave as the debris from the small explosion settled. He had used the gunpowder from a couple of his bullets to fashion a makeshift explosive. It was primitive, but it was the only way of getting to Kathy quickly enough; he prayed that it wasn't too late. He forced his head and shoulders through the hold the explosion had created and there, under a thick blanket of dirt, was the unconscious form of his partner. Sweeping the debris away, he thanked God to see her chest move ever so slightly as she took a very shallow breath. Grabbing her under the arms, he dragged her out of her dark prison and into the light.

He gently cradled her in his arms, brushing the dirt off of her face and out of her hair. He should have answered his phone. He should have called her straight back. But he hadn't, and he would never have been able to forgiven himself if he had failed her in this. Placing a tender kiss on her forehead, Andy's eyes glistened with unshed tears of relief as Kathy's breathing became deeper and more regular. He had known that their partnership was important to him, but had never realised just how much of his world revolved around her.

---------

Kathy slowly opened her eyes and found herself looking straight into the deep orbs of Andy's eyes. She blinked a few times to assure herself that she wasn't hallucinating before reaching her arms around his neck and pulling herself into his embrace. All the emotions she had been repressing came to the surface and relief overcame her. She sobbed into her partner's shoulder, seeking solace in the strength of his hold.

Andy's hand softly rubbing her back gradually calmed Kathy and as her sobs subsided and she gathered her thoughts together, Andy pulled back to look into her face. An ocean of emotions flooded both of their eyes as they each took a breath and spoke at the same time.

"Why didn't you answer your phone?"

"Why did you come here by yourself?"

Andy smiled weakly and brought his hand to the base of Kathy's neck as their foreheads gently touched. "I don't think I could have lived without you Kathy."

Kathy felt her chest constrict at his avowal and her breathing became shallow and erratic once more. She instinctively moved her face closer to his and tightened her hold on him. Andy looked deep into her eyes and seeing in them all the emotion she couldn't find the words to express, he brought his lips down to meet hers. The kiss was gentle and tender yet filled with a passion and fire that Kathy had never experienced before.

As they parted, Kathy basked in the loving concern that filled her partner's eyes. "We should get you checked over and taken home."

Kathy smiled as she whispered on Andy's lips, "I'm already home."

Booth walked into Wong Foo's two days after Brennan and Hodgins had been rescued from their underground prison. He sat himself down on his usual seat at the bar next to Brennan, who looked up at him in acknowledgement of his arrival.

"We got Hodgins' car out of the ground today and forensics went over it with a fine tooth comb."

"Did you find anything more that might lead us to the Grave Digger?"

"No. But I did find something I thought you might want back." Booth handed her a few pages of paper with a smirk in his eye. "I've already given the papers in Hodgins' handwriting back to him."

Brennan looked at the papers and instantly recognised them as what she had written while trapped in the car. "Thanks."

The smirk from Booth's eye made it onto his lips. "Well, are you going to tell me why Hodgins wrote a letter to Angela undoubtedly confessing his undying love for her, whereas you wrote a chapter for your next novel?"

"Booth, I didn't read what Hodgins wrote and I didn't ask so I have no knowledge of what he might have been thinking at the time. However, in times of distress it is common for people to turn to those…"

"Bones…" Booth had no desire to listen to an anthropological reason why Hodgins wrote a letter. He was more interested in what Brennan had written. "You were buried alive in a car, running out of oxygen, and you wrote a chapter for a novel."

Brennan looked up at Booth, exasperation crossing her features. "I had an idea in my head and I wanted to write it down so that I wouldn't forget it. I can write quite fast when the ideas are flowing and it's only the first draft of part of a chapter. I don't see what right you had to go reading it."

Booth held out his hands in mock innocence. "It wasn't addressed to anyone so it wasn't private. It might have contained important clues." Brennan rolled her eyes and returned to her drink as Sid arrived with a beer for Booth.

"So what happens next?"

Booth's mischievous grin was met with a confused gaze from Brennan. "With Kathy and Andy… No, let me guess. He sweeps her off her feet, carries her home, they have wild passionate sex, declare their love for each other and live happily ever after."

"I don't write fairytales Booth; the concept of happily ever after is archaic and unrealistic and Kathy and Andy have more important priorities – like capturing a murderer."

"Okay, so insert capturing the murderer between the wild passionate sex and declaring their love for each other. And trust me Bones, there is still happily ever after to be found in this world – you just have to work a bit harder to find it."

"I will trust myself to decide what happens between my characters."

Booth saw the opportunity to pester Brennan with one of his favourite topics. "I see you still base the brilliant, heroic Andy Lister on me."

And as usual, Brennan was unable to resist the bait. "Andy Lister is a purely fictional character. He is not based on you or anyone else."

"Are you sure Bones, cause I see a lot of similarities. You trapped, running out of oxygen. I get your message and come searching for you. I pull you out just in time, make sure you're safe and take you home. Sound familiar?"

"The cases are completely different. Kathy was trapped by accident whereas Hodgins and I were buried alive by a kidnapper and murderer. And besides, you didn't kiss me and we didn't have wild passionate sex."

Booth's grin widened and he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "That could be changed."

Brennan shook her head and went to punch him in the shoulder but Booth caught her hand before it hit its mark. "That car…" Booth looked down at their hands, remembering how the car betrayed the desperate measures they had taken for survival. He locked gazes with Brennan as he tried to shake the thought. "I didn't realise just how close I came to loosing you."

Brennan saw the turmoil in his eyes and squeezed Booth's hand in reassurance. "I'm still here."

Booth squeezed her hand in return. "And for that I'm grateful."

Their hands parted and they went back to their drinks with a contented smile, each happy in the knowledge that their partner was right beside them.


Author's Note 2: This was one of my first fanfic attempts so I'd really appreciate any feedback and constructive criticism you can give. Thanks.