This is my first Bones fanfic, so be gentle on me. I'm trying to establish through the song and the first half of the fic that Brennan is strong by herself and indepedent. Towards the end, I'm making her nicer...
Discalimer: I do not own the characters, only the plot. Or the song, it's by Natasha Bedingfield and called Single.
Ah yeah that's right
All you single people out there
This is for you
Yeah
Doctor Temperance Brennan a.k.a Bones flicked her hair over her shoulder as she examined a body on the table. Agent Seeley Booth, her FBI partner, watched her for a moment, trying to catch her eye. Unfortunately, Brennan found something embedded in the flesh of the remains of their body, and didn't meet his eyes. Angela Montenegro and Doctor Jack Hodgins exchanged grins as Booth rushed after her as she stalked toward Doctor Camille Saroyen's office.
Brennan was one of the smartest people alive, but she didn't realize that her partner was crushing on her. She was oblivious to anything which wasn't dead with a mystery behind it. A while ago, Booth and her's relationship had heated up a bit, but that had died out again as Booth had said that he didn't want a relationship with anyone, because it was too dangerous.
Brennan had barely realized they had something then, but she could definitely take the fact Booth didn't need any pressure from any woman to get into a relationship. She was completely dense when it came to human relations.
I'm not waitin' around for a man to save me
(Cause I'm happy where I am)
Don't depend on a guy to validate me
(No no)
I don't need to be anyone's baby
(Is that so hard to understand?)
No I don't need another half to make me whole
Brennan had figured out the answer to the case, and Booth raised an eyebrow, as though to question her. When he did, though, she gave him that look which said 'you really think that I'm wrong?' Booth then grabbed his keys and started toward the car.
Brennan had always been independent, coming from the fact her mother hadn't been very good to her and her father had hardly ever been around. She had always had control over her life, and there never was a time when Booth hadn't seen her in total and complete control over herself. Well, except for the time when she had been buried alive, but that was different….
The thought of her having complete control scared and excited Booth. Brennan was like the only woman that he wanted that didn't want him back. At least, that's what he had picked up.
Make your move if you want
Doesn't mean I will or won't
I'm free to make my mind up
You either got it or you don't
On the way to the house of their murderer's house, Brennan explained in an even voice why she had thought this person had murdered their dead guy and how. Booth said a few things, but most of the time remained silent, not minding having to listen to her voice.
When they arrived at the house, everything was quiet. Brennan had given up the gun she had once carried around, and so Booth was glad when she stood behind him. He opened the door and walked in, closely followed by Brennan.
There was still silence and Brennan boldly walked past Booth. He frowned at her back as she walked on steadily, surveying the room.
"You could at least pretend to be glad you have a protector with a gun," he said sarcastically. Brennan turned around and faced him.
"Why do I even need a protector, when the house is obviously empty?" She asked him bluntly. After searching the house for several more minutes, Booth had to grudgingly admit that she right. Again.
Man, it annoyed him.
This is my current single status
My declaration of independence
There's no way I'm tradin' places
Right now a star's in the ascendant
I'm single
(Right now)
That's how I wanna be
I'm single
(Right now)
That's how I wanna be
Ah yeah uh huh that's right
Back at the lab, the team got stuck into finding out where their murderer was. Usually, Booth was right into this stuff, but Brennan was sitting right next to him, and he kept getting distracted. Cam had put Brennan in charge of trying to find the man and Brennan had taken control, giving out orders left and right.
"Hodgins, can you check all the air-port lists within the past day, since he was here yesterday, and Zack--you check out any of the train lists around here," Brennan told them. "Cam? You and Angela go to the bus depot and question the bus-drivers who drove the buses around his area. See if he got on any and if he did, where he got off."
"Right," Cam nodded, tight-lipped. She didn't like being ordered around, and to see her following directions from one of her own staff, made Booth grin. Another thing which Brennan did unconsciously. Make other seem inferior to herself.
"What do I do?" Booth asked her as she turned toward him. She gave him a grin.
"You get to be my protector again as we search his daughters place," Brennan replied with a smile. She flicked her hair over her shoulder again as she stood up. Booth grinned back and followed her out of the room.
"He is so hooked," Hodgins said under his breath, grinning. Cam heard and frowned at Hodgins and Angela, who was smiling.
Don't need to be on somebody's arm to look good
(I like who I am)
I'm not saying I don't wanna fall in love 'cause I would
I'm not gonna get hooked up just 'cause you say I should
(Can't romance on demand)
I'm gonna wait so I'm sorry if you misunderstood
On the drive over to the daughters, there was a silence, which was different from when they were driving the first time. Booth didn't mind this either, as he could glance over at her from time to time and still see her. Brennan seemed to sense his gaze and said after a while,
"Do I have something on my face?"
"No," Booth replied.
"Then why do you keep looking at me?"
"Because….uh, you're being quiet, and that's….unlike you," Booth stammered. Brennan raised an eyebrow and said,
"Silence is a disposition I choose quite regularly when I want to meditate or think things through," she said in a Brennan-like way. Booth rolled his eyes and laughed lightly. She raised her eyebrows again and shrugged, looking out the window.
Booth sighed and continued driving. She wasn't like the other girls, who flirted hard-out with him. She didn't give all the signals and enjoy a date or two, and everything which came with it.
He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
It definitely made her less available, though.
This is my current single status
My declaration of independence
There's no way I'm tradin' places
Right now a star's in the ascendant
I'm single
(Right now)
That's how I wanna be
I'm single
(Right now)
That's how I wanna be
Booth parked the car just a few houses down from the daughter's house and waited as Brennan got out of her seat and joined him. They both walked cautiously walked toward the house. It was a normal house in a well-off neighbourhood. The daughter had had a few troubles with the law--speaking back to the police officer when he gave her a speeding ticket. She was caught with possession of heroin as well.
"You think he might be here?" Booth asked Brennan. She gave him a look which made him wish he hadn't asked.
"You really think we'd be here if I didn't think there was a possibility he was here?" Brennan raised an eyebrow. "It would be a waste of time, and there is not time to waste while this killer is on the loose." Booth rolled his eyes behind her back and watched as she went up the stairs and knocked on the door. No one answered. Not like they weren't expecting that. "You wanna knock the door down?" Brennan said in an almost sarcastic voice. Booth nodded seriously and past her. He jammed his shoulder against the door, and it burst open.
"Tell the girl she can send me the bill," Booth told Brennan as he surveyed the damage. Brennan shrugged and walked past Booth into the room. The house was silent.
"You check the kitchen, I'll do the lounge," Brennan said. Booth shook his head.
"No. This guy is dangerous, and we can't leave each other—especially if there's a chance he's here," Booth tried not to let the emotion in his voice. "I mean….it's dangerous," Booth said awkwardly. Brennan raised an eyebrow unbelieving, but didn't protest as he followed her into the lounge.
This is my current single status
My declaration of independence
There's no way I'm tradin' places
Right now a star's in the ascendant
I'm single
(Right now)
That's how I wanna be
I'm single
(Right now)
That's how I wanna be
There was no one in the house. On the way back to the lab, Brennan got a call from Zack.
"Talk to me," she said as she answered the phone.
"We got him picked up," Zack said into the phone. "He was at an airport, and we couldn't reach you on your phone." Brennan cursed herself for leaving her cell-phone in the car. "Anyway, the cops have got him picked up."
"Uh, yeah, good job," Brennan said, before clicking her phone shut. "They got him," she told Booth. Booth nodded. "I'm starved," she muttered under her breath. Booth picked up on what she had said and grinned inwardly.
"I'll shout you dinner then," he told her with a cocky grin. Brennan glanced across at him, guessing that he was only doing it to be nice on a business relationship status. "C'mon Brennan, we'll just go to the diner, nothin' expensive."
"Okay, you talked me into it," Brennan grinned at him. She pushed her hair behind her ears and leaned back on the headrest and closed her eyes. Booth glanced across at her and grinned.
This is my current single status
My declaration of independence
There's no way I'm tradin' places
Right now a star's in the ascendant
When they got back to the lab, Brennan had to grab her bag and jacket. She walked in and caught Hodgins and Angela making out. Brennan tried not to make too much noise, but tripped. The two sprung apart like guilty teenagers. Brennan laughed lightly.
"Hey, all good guys, it's just me," Brennan turned and walked out the door. Angela poked her head around the door.
"Brennan?" She called.
"Yeah?"" Brennan turned back around and looked expectantly at Angela.
"Do you know where Booth is?" She asked.
"Oh yeah, he's taking me out for dinner tonight," Brennan replied. Angela gave her a knowing smile. "No….no! It's nothing like that! We're just gonna go to the diner and grab a pie or something." Angela rolled her eyes. "Angela! It's nothing serious!"
"That's what you say!" Angela giggled and then ducked back into the room with Hodgins. "You hear that?" She asked him.
"Yup," Hodgins laughed. "She is so dense." Angela smiled up at him.
"I know."
"You ever thought of getting married?" Booth asked her as she dipped a chip in sauce and then put it in her mouth. Brennan gave him a long look as she at the chip slowly. "C'mon Brennan, you know basically everything about me. But I don't know that much about you." Brennan rolled her eyes.
"Look at, Booth," Brennan said. Booth raked his eyes over her body in the booth next to him before looking back at her face with an appreciative smile. Brennan didn't seem to see it, so she just carried on talking. "Do I really look like the getting married, settling down, having kids, type of person?"
"No, not really," Booth admitted. "But who said anything about settling down and having kids? I was just asking about getting married." Brennan pursed her lips and shrugged her shoulders noncommittally.
"I dunno," she replied. "I'm happy by myself, I guess, I've got everything I need, and I know that if something goes wrong, it's my fault. It's sort of better knowing it's your fault than someone else's." But as she looked at Booth's face, she doubted her words. She was exactly happy by herself. She was content, she guessed, but not exactly happy. Some part of her was missing.
Booth dropped the topic though with a smile, as his burger arrived.
Everything in it's right time everything in its right place
I know I'll settle down one day
But 'til then I like it this way, it's my way
Eh I like it this way
As Booth walked her to her apartment, Brennan thought over the conversation they had just had. Booth had seemed to be wanting to get somewhere, but when she had said she wasn't really interested in marriage, he hadn't asked.
"Where you going to ask me something at dinner?" She asked him as they reached her door. Booth snapped out of his daydream and looked at her.
"I, uh, no?" He tried. Brennan raised an eyebrow.
"Keeping feelings trapped inside yourself is scientifically been proved to be a bad idea, as it can lead to loss of sleep, migraines and—"
"I love it when you do that," Booth interrupted. Brennan frowned in confusion. Booth suddenly moved forward and captured her mouth with his. Brennan was shocked for a moment, but then melted into him. Her arms wound around his neck, while his went around her waist.
They both finally ran out of air and parted, breathing heavily. Booth's hair was messed up, and so was Brennan's. They stared at each other in slight confusion.
"You…why…" Brennan murmured, looking for the right words. Since she didn't have anything else to say, Booth took over.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," he said in a rush.
"Yes, you should have!" Brennan protested. Then she realized what she had said and covered her mouth, going red in the cheeks. Booth looked at her in surprise and blinked a couple of times.
"You….you wanted me to do that?" He asked in confusion. Brennan went an even brighter red as she looked down.
"Well, yeah," Brennan mumbled. She kept her eyes on the ground. Booth took a step closer to her, but she didn't know it, since her eyes were trained on the ground. He put his hand underneath her chin and lifted it up so she was staring him right in the eyes.
"That is the most un-scientific reply I have ever heard from you," he told her. Brennan managed to muster a smile. "And I still love you." Brennan's eyes clouded over, and then cleared as he started kissing her again.
I'm single
(Right now)
That's how I wanna be
I'm single
(Right now)
That's how I wanna be
Single was no longer the way either of them wanted them to be.
Okay, the end bit...no so great. Anyway...
Please review!!