AN: Okay so i found this half finished on my comp and thought i'd finish it off and post it... so here we go, leave lots of reviews because i live for them :)
After the Big Top
"I think I'd like to talk about your foray into circus life today" Sweets told them before the two partners had even taken a seat on his couch. Brennan had been half expecting this, having been told by both Angela and Cam when she got back to the lab two days earlier that Sweets had been quite impressed by the amount of faith she had in Booth. She'd argued that it wasn't faith merely a careful observation that Booth was a good knife thrower and would not hurt her but neither of the women had believed her.
She sighed, they wouldn't have much choice anyway "Okay" she agreed, but Booth was quick to argue.
"Why do we need to talk about that? We went to the circus pretended we were married solved the case and came home in a little over twenty four hours no less"
"And you don't think there's anything to talk about there?" Sweets asked disbelievingly.
"No I don't" Booth replied quickly.
"Actually Booth is quite messy, he kept leaving his clothes on the floor of the trailer" Brennan told Sweets, hoping that volunteering information that was for the most part irrelevant and was sure to irritate her partner would prevent him from asking any difficult questions.
"Really? Did that bother you Doctor Brennan?" Sweets probed leaning back in his chair.
"Yes, it was a small trailer and I didn't like falling over his dirty underwear it's not like it was hard to open the closet and put them away" Brennan explained and Booth scoffed.
"You're stuff was all over the bathroom, there was makeup everywhere" as Brennan expected the statement got a rise from Booth.
"It was not" she argued, although she knew it probably was, she wasn't accustomed to sharing a bathroom, in fact she hadn't had to do so since college.
"Guys" Sweets interrupted "I think we're getting a little off topic"
"I don't think so" Booth argued and Brennan nodded.
"Okay then, why is it that you have a problem with sharing such a small space with Dr Brennan?" Sweets asked turning to Booth.
"I don't"
"You do, otherwise her leaving her make up in the bathroom wouldn't bother you, same goes for you" he added gesturing towards Brennan.
"I'm used to having my own space" Brennan admitted, Booth nodded in agreement.
"And that's the only problem? What about sleeping arrangements, there was only one bed wasn't there?" Sweets asked smirking.
"We're adults" Brennan supplied, trying to keep the blush from her face, thinking back to the night they'd spend cuddled against each other in the tiny bed. She'd woken up the morning after with her cheek pressed against Booth's chest and his fingers twisted in her hair, but Sweets didn't need to know that.
Booth was squirming uncomfortably next to her "What about you Agent Booth?"
"She's my partner, we were undercover we had to make them believe we were who we said we were" But that wasn't strictly true they'd managed to solve the case and break cover all within one day. By the time they spent the night in the bed the circus people were already getting ready to move, leaving them alone in the middle of nowhere.
"So sharing a bed with your female partner didn't bother you?"
"No" Booth answered quickly, though he didn't fool Sweets.
"What about sharing a bed with your friend?" Sweets probed.
It was not Booth who answered but Brennan "It was awkward, okay, is that what you want to hear. Sharing that tiny bed with Booth was one of the most awkward things I've ever done" Brennan snapped, springing from her seat and making to leave the office.
"Wait Doctor Brennan" Brennan's step faltered but she didn't turn around.
"Bones" at Booth's voice she turned "it was awkward for me too" Booth admitted quietly, and it was enough to convince Brennan to sit back down.
"Okay guys, that's good. It's okay that it was awkward I would be surprised if it wasn't" Sweets didn't elaborate any further, and Booth wondered why he wasn't surprised, but he didn't ask.
Brennan showed no such restraint "Booth and I are adults, just because we are of different genders doesn't mean that sharing a bed should be awkward, I don't understand why you think it would be."
"It's not my place to say Doctor Brennan" at Brennan's look though he continued talking rapidly "When two people who are sexually attracted to one another are in close proximity there is often some degree of anxiety present also, often referred to as sexual tension, I believe that is what happened in the trailer" Sweets finished and was met by surprised looks from both of his patients.
They seemed to recover in the same instant and spoke in unison "We're not sexually attracted to one another"
"Why not? You're both sexually attractive members of the species, it would be natural for you to be attracted to one another"
"Bones is my friend, she's like family to me" Booth was careful to avoid being more specific because the truth was he wasn't sure what kind of family, because he had in the past had thoughts that were certainly not brotherly. Nevertheless he would always be there for her as she would be for him, so he supposed it didn't matter much.
"Of course she is" Sweets agreed "Do you share Agent Booth's explanation for your relationship?" he asked turning to Brennan.
"Yes, Booth is the best family I've ever had" A part of Sweets itched to talk more about Brennan's family and her past but he pushed on there was more to be said about their time at the circus.
"Now you are both aware, I assume, that I watched the knife throwing act you put on while you were undercover?" Brennan nodded having been warned by Angela that Sweets would likely bring up their performance and Booth groaned. He tried not to remember the ridiculous costumes and accents and the fear he had that he just might miss and hit his partner. He hadn't trusted himself to throw those knives squarely onto the board, why had she?
"Doctor Brennan, I was a little surprised that you were able to trust Booth so easily, especially since in the past you have shown a great mistrust towards people in general. Not that I am not pleased, it means that obviously we have been making progress here, but I was just wondering if you were aware of the sexual undertones of your act. In this case the knife being symbolic of the penis... Does that worry you?" Booth was laughing and Brennan looked confused.
"I don't care what you associate knives with, I believe that a knife is just a knife. I know that Booth would never hurt me, I have complete confidence in his abilities, that is why I let him throw the knives at me"
"Let's talk about that then" Sweets suggested, knowing that both of his patients were far too stubborn to admit anymore than they already had "Why is it that you believe Agent Booth would never harm you either intentionally or not?"
"Booth is very skilled"
"But is it just you that you believe Agent Booth would never hurt?"
"I don't know, I've seen him injures suspects before and I know that if someone tried to hurt me or Parker then Booth would hurt them" Brennan admitted, trying to go over the evidence in her mind.
"Right and Parker is Booth's son and therefore special to him, why do you think he tries to protect you?" That was the real question wasn't it, Sweets thought. Just maybe he could finally get her to admit the truth. They'd both forgotten about Booth's presence.
"We're partners" Brennan replied quickly "We've been working together for a long time and we've become friends." Brennan added glancing over at Booth who smiled.
"Aaw Bones, I had no idea" Sweets sighed, apparently they weren't going to get any further today.
"Okay, you two can go" he decided with a sigh, but just as they got up to leave he called them back "Actually guys, can I just ask one last question" he gestured with his finger that he only had one question. Booth groaned but sat back down anyway.
"What is it Sweets and make it fast"
"Are you sexually attracted to Doctor Brennan?"
"Excuse me?" Booth asked offended, but Sweets caught the almost imperceptible nod before he masked his true feelings "I'm not going to answer that. Sweets nodded of course he wasn't.
"What about you Doctor Brennan, are you sexually attracted to Booth?" Sweets turned to the anthropologist again.
"Booth is a very attractive specimen of the human male, and I am a heterosexual woman so yes I am sexually attracted to him"
"Well when you put it like that Bones... I'm flattered" he muttered sarcastically.
"What you wanted me to tell Sweets that I spend all my waking hours thinking about you shoving me up against a wall and fucking me?" she asked innocently.
Booth groaned "No Bones, I wouldn't"
"Is that true Doctor Brennan?" Sweets asked suddenly, wondering if he'd finally hit the jackpot.
"Yes" she admitted without thinking about what she was saying.
"Really? And how does that make you feel Agent Booth?"
Booth ignored the slight twitch of his penis at Brennan's confession "It's her fantasy not mine" he replied nonchalantly.
"Well do you have a fantasy you would like to share Agent Booth, because it only seems fair" Damn Temperance Brennan he thought, but maybe it really was time to set the record straight, too bad if she wasn't ready, too bad that he'd said it could never happen.
"I – I think about growing old with her, with Bones, about getting married and making love to her and raising our children together" he couldn't look at her, couldn't bear to see her reaction.
Sweets nodded "Okay, that's good, I think that's where we'll pick up next session, in the mean time I suggest you both think about what we've talked about today, maybe talk a little about it. Big stuff" It was a few moments before either of them realised they'd been dismissed but then suddenly they were walking out the door, in silence and Booth wondered if Brennan would just pretend he'd never said anything.
"Did you mean it?" she asked when they were in the SUV glad that their sessions took place late in the day and allowed them to leave work straight after. Booth nodded "Good, because you know I have more than one fantasy Booth"
Booth hoped he hadn't misunderstood "Guess we'd better go back to your place and see if we can't make one of those fantasies a reality" he smirked.
"I guess we should" she agreed, making a mental note to thank Sweets, well maybe not, they couldn't have the kid's ego get too big.