Across the Line

By: Lifeguard

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I have no money for lawsuits, as the university I go to has taken it all.

Spoilers: Two Bodies in a Lab, and any episode with Sully in it.

Summary: The consequences of a heated argument will change both their lives forever.

Author's Note: This is my first Bones fic, so any constructive feedback is welcome. Any reviews in general are always welcome! Enjoy!

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Temperance Brennan sighed as she signed the final sheet of paperwork to end her day, her very long day. She grabbed her jacket and the piece of paper, and locked up her office. All she had to do now was drop this form off with Booth, and she could go home and take a long hot shower, then sleep. She made her way towards her car and clicked the unlock button on her keys. Her car responded and she climbed in, slipping the key into the ignition. What should have been an engine rollover and rev up sounded instead like a sputtering, then a shut down. Brennan closed her eyes, then tried the key again. Nothing.

"No, no, no…" she muttered to herself, trying the car again with no luck.

She swore under her breath and rested her head on the steering wheel. She did not need this. Not after the day she had had. She pulled out her cell phone and hit speed dial.

"Booth," came a quick reply on the other end.

"Hey, I won't be able to get that form to you tonight. My car just died, I'm going to have to wait for a cab. Can you come get it tomorrow?" she asked him dejectedly.

There was a pause on the other line, "I'm just grabbing my keys, I'll be there in a few minutes k?" he answered.

She raised an eyebrow, "You don't have to come get me Booth."

"I need that form Bones, and you need a ride home."

She smiled absentmindedly, glad not to have to take a cab. She opened the door and stepped out of her car, and popped the hood. She stared down at the insides of her car, wondering what could possibly have gone wrong. It was a far cry from the human remains she worked with all day. Her cell phone chirped and she pulled it out of her pocket.

"Brennan."

"Hey, where have you been? I called your office and home. We had dinner plans tonight," Sully greeted her.

She mentally slapped herself for forgetting, "Sully I'm so sorry. I got held up with this case and Booth needs this form, and my car broke down…look, I don't think I'll be able to make it tonight. Can I take a rain check?"

"Do you want me to come pick you up?"

"No, it's alright. Booth is on his way actually."
She heard him sigh into the phone, "Of course he is."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing. It's just, you know, you could have called me. I would have given you a ride."
Brennan rolled her eyes, "He's coming to get this form then he's dropping me home that's all. There's no need for this male display of jealousy and defending of territory."
"Ok, whatever. I'll call you later ok Temp?"

"Bye Sully," she clicked her phone shut and then slammed down the hood of her car.

"Whoa, maybe that's why your car's not working," a voice behind her said.

She turned around to face Booth, "That was quick," she replied.

He shrugged, "What happened?"
"I think Sully and I just had a fight-"

He took a step back, "Not that…I meant the car."

"Oh, it won't start."
"Here, let me have a look," he popped the hood and peered in, "Go start it for me, will you?"
She hopped back into the car and tried the ignition. Nothing happened. Booth was peering under the hood, eyebrows knitted and scratching his head. He rolled up his sleeves and tweaked something, then asked her to start it again. Still nothing.

"I think you need a new battery. Listen, I know this guy who can have it fixed by tomorrow. I'll call him and he'll look at it here."
"Thanks Booth."
He made a quick call and gestured for her to get in his car. After he hung up, he turned to her, "So you were that long at work getting me that form?"
"Well you needed it. And besides, I just needed to finish up the case. Then I won't be backlogged tomorrow."

"You look tired."
"It's been a long day with a lot of bad luck. And I didn't need Sully snapping on me either."
"He snapped on you? I can talk to him if you want, you know, set him right."
"Why are you males so territorial and think you can solve everything by sparring with each other? He wanted to drive me home, and I think it offended him that you were."
"Well he's just worried about you."
"I can take care of myself."
"I know you can, what with those martial arts skills and all. Speaking of which, maybe it's time we talked about that gun, or rather cannon of yours."
She gave him the look, "What about it?"
"You know you're really not supposed to be carrying that thing," he started.

"No thanks to you," she shot back.

"But maybe you should let me get rid of it for you," he tried.

"Why? It's for my protection and besides, I don't carry it in my purse any more," she said, and got out of the car as it came to a stop. He followed her,

"Really? Where is it then?"
"Right now it's in my apartment. It's safe, and I don't take it to work. So why do you want it?"
"Cause you don't need it, and I don't want there to be any trouble if anyone finds you with it."

"Like who? I work with the feds, they saw me with it and didn't say anything."
"You were also being threatened by a serial killer, you know circumstances and all, I wouldn't have taken the gun away from you either. But now you're safe, you've got me, and" he gulped, "Sully, and no Epps, so give me the gun."

She was getting her keys and unlocking the door to her apartment, "No," she stated simply, not even looking at him.

"Aw come on Bones. Just give me the gun," he pleaded.

She turned around and glared at him, "You think just because I have you and Sully, male protection, that I don't need a gun? Is that all the little woman needs is a man by her side to feel safe?"

He placed his hands on his hips and swore under his breath, "Bones, I didn't say that."

"You implied it," she countered his stance by putting her hands on her hips.

Booth rubbed the back of his neck, trying to think of the right words, "Look, it's not that I don't want you to have a gun-"

She rolled her eyes at him, "But?"
"You're no longer in the position where you need it, and besides, I am your partner, I'm supposed to protect you if something happens. So you don't really need one."
"So you'd let me have a gun if a serial killer was after me, but since there isn't, I'm not allowed. Nice, now you're telling me what to do," she said walking away from him.

"Bones, I'm not telling you what to do, I'm suggesting that…oh hell, all you're hearing is that I'm being some chauvinistic male right?" he mocked her.

She whipped around to face him, "Yes! That's what I'm hearing. That you're the one that's supposed to protect me cause you're the man. I'm sick of that! Why can't I take care of myself?"

"Because you're supposed to trust me to take care of you! I'm the FBI, you're an anthropologist! I believe I'm the one who carries the gun!" he yelled in frustration.

"I can take care of myself! And I was doing a damn fine job of it before you came into my life! When did I ever say that I needed you?" she snapped back in an icy tone.

He stopped in his tracks at her words, caught off guard by what she had said. He shook his head and she took advantage of his silence.

"That's right Booth. I survived without you before, I can do it again. With or without a gun," her voice was quieter this time, almost as if she had to convince herself of her declaration. He was still silent, and she began to regret her words. She wondered if she'd hurt him. He began to turn and walk towards the door, and then he stopped himself, and faced her again.

"You don't need me? You really and honestly don't need me?" he whispered, and she could see the anger in his face, "You know, I don't think I told you this, but I threatened a guy once, someone who might have hurt you, or had someone else hurt you. I stuck a gun in his mouth, and I told him that I'd kill him if he so much as looked at you. And then there was Kenton…" he said, raising his eyes to hers.

Her face fell, and he could see her reliving her nightmares, the horror of being in that warehouse, strung up on the meat hook, waiting for her death, the dog barking in the background. Booth knew he had drawn blood with his words. She met his gaze and there were tears in her eyes,

"Get out."
He didn't move towards the door. Instead, he closed the distance between himself and his fuming partner. His gaze was still locked with hers as he whispered, "You might not need me, but I damn well need you."

Then he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.

He thought she would struggle, push him away, hell, even kick his ass into next week, but she didn't.

She didn't respond at first, but then she was kissing him back, her arms wrapping around his neck, and her fingers in his hair.

The passion between them ignited like fire.
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Her apartment lay in disarray. The books neatly stacked on her shelves were shaken out of place, her nick knacks were scattered and her bedroom was a mess. From the front door to the bed there were clothing items scattered. The chaos and unyielding passion of the night before had left it's mark. Yet lying in the morning light, her eyes closed, listening to the steady rhythm of his breathing, she felt completely at peace.

At peace despite what opening her eyes would bring. A new kind of chaos, a confusion over what lines and boundaries they had crossed in the heat of the night.

She refused to open her eyes. Not yet. She wanted a few more minutes to bask in the afterglow, in the calm after the storm, and before the next.

When she awoke again, the bed was still warm, the sheets still tangled, but he was not there. She heard a soft rustling in the corner and rolled over to face the noise. He was pulling on his pants, and didn't notice her watching at first. When he did, he got a sheepish look on his face.

"Hey," he smiled a little, not really meeting her eyes.

"Hey," she replied back, and raised an eyebrow at him.

"I was going to leave you a note. I just…I wanted to go home and get a change of clothes before work," he explained.

She searched his eyes, looking for any hint of regret. He did the same with hers. They both saw the same thing. Confusion. Denial.

His cell phone chirped and they both jumped. He grabbed it.

"Booth…" he turned away for the short conversation, then flipped his phone off.

"Your car will be fixed by lunch today…listen, I'll go grab some clothes and coffee and come pick you up ok?"

She smiled a little and nodded. She'd take that as a truce, as an offer to just forget about their night and she was alright with that.

He left her to shower and then took her to work like nothing had happened.

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After lunch he found himself in the lab as she and the other squints told him about what they had discovered about the latest body. The case was the last thing on his mind though as he watched her talk. He didn't really hear the words she said, only watched her mouth, her lips, the way her hair moved.

"Booth?" Cam's voice shook him out of his daydream, "You ok?" she asked.

"Fine, just a little tired. Didn't get much sleep last night," he said, and saw Brennan look away from him.

The whole day played out to everyone as normal, but not to them. There was a tension between them, that would play out in glances and startled looks if they so much as brushed up against each other. At the end of the day, she drove off in her fixed car, and he headed home.

Yet that night, she showed up at his door, and then in his bed, and the next night, he was in hers. There was no talk, just the wild passion from the moment their lips touched. At work they were normal, in denial. They didn't talk about it, just let their bodies speak volumes in the heat of the night.

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It was early one morning when Booth and Brennan were called to an empty lot in a shady part of the city. A decomp was rotting its way out of a torn garbage bag under a mound of trash. The smell wafted in their direction as they walked towards it.

"That's terrible!" Booth proclaimed the obvious.

"You get used to it," she lied, as the stench rolled her stomach. She hadn't had time for breakfast, only a quick cup of coffee before being called out to this scene. She wouldn't admit it to him, but the smell was almost enough to make her gag. Breathing through her mouth, she walked ahead of him, pulled on some gloves and went to attack her work. But when she pulled back the garbage bag and took a look at the former person, she lost it.

A wave of nausea hit her and she backed away quickly, and retched as far from the body as possible.

"You ok?" he approached her quietly, handing her a bottle of water.

She wiped at her mouth with a tissue and took the bottle, taking a swig, "I'm fine," she lied.

Booth touched her shoulder and searched her eyes with his, "Really? I've never seen you loose it around a body before."

"Really Booth, I'm fine. It was just the smell on an empty stomach, that's all."

He nodded, accepting her explanation and they continued their investigation.
Yet later in the lab, she still couldn't shake the feeling of being sick. It wasn't long before Angela noticed something was wrong.

"Brenn, you alright?" she asked the anthropologist.

"Yeah, just tired."

Angela didn't buy it, "You look pale. Don't lie to me."

Brennan sighed, "Ok, I think I might be coming down with the flu or something. But I need to work on this case."

"No! You should be at home resting. Listen, go take the rest of the day off as a personal day. No one is going to think less of you for it. And you can come back when you're better and look at this case with fresh eyes."

"But-"
"Go! No excuses. If you're sick you rest."
Brennan knew there was no arguing her way out of this one. Angela was right, she felt like death warmed over as it was. She pulled out her cell and called Booth to inform him that she was heading home.

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Two days later she still hadn't shaken the flu and went to see a doctor. That afternoon, she arrived back at the lab.

She immediately stalked towards her office, ignoring the well wishes of her co-workers, welcoming her back. Angela sensed something was wrong, and followed her friend to her office. She knocked lightly on the door,

"Hey, Sweetie, can I come in?"
"Shut the door."
Angela shut it and went over to the desk, where Brennan was sitting with her head in her hands.

"What's wrong?" she tried.

"Everything."

"What happened? I thought you had the flu. What's wrong?" Angela questioned, the concern growing in her voice.

"I'm pregnant," she answered bluntly, barely raising her head out of her hands.

Angela's jaw dropped, "What?"
"I went to the doctor today and he told me I don't have the flu, I have morning sickness. I'm three weeks pregnant."

"Congratulations-" Angela tried.

"No," Brennan answered sharply, "This is not a happy event. This was not supposed to happen. But it did. I took three pregnancy tests today to make sure, and all were positive," she placed her head in her hands again, "What am I going to do?"

"Is Sully the father?" Angela whispered.

Brennan shook her head, "No, I broke up with him. And besides, we hadn't had sex for weeks."

"You broke up with Sully?"
"I can't do this Angela. I can't be pregnant. How did this happen? Wait…I know how this happened, but we were so careful. The doctor said the condom probably broke…but what now?"
"You have options. But wait. If this isn't Sully's baby, whose is it?"

Bones was silent.

"Brenn?"
"Does he have to know? If I don't tell him, then can I just make this whole thing go away?" Bones answered quietly.

Angela reached out to touch her arm, "Well, I don't know who you're talking about, but I think that if you care about this guy, then he has a right to know. It's his kid too."
"And he'll want to keep it."

"You think?"
"I know."

"Brenn, how long have you been seeing this guy?"
"Officially or unofficially?"
Angela raised her eyebrow in response.

"Unofficially, a year and a half. Officially…well never. It's kind of just this thing…I can't tell him though, it would ruin everything…" Brennann's eyes wandered away from Angela's towards the door.

"Oh my God- it's not, it's his, isn't it?" she gasped at her realization.

The anthropologist dropped her head back into her hands and shook it slowly in a nod.

"What?!" Angela exclaimed, "When did you…what? How long have you been sleeping with Booth?"

Brennan shushed her, "Quiet! No one can know about this!" her eyes darted towards the lab and then back to Angela pleading with her friend.

"Sweetie, when did this whole Booth thing happen?"

"Four weeks ago. We got in a fight, and then all of a sudden we were going at it," her voice got quieter and a smile spread across her face, "And I think it was the best I've ever had…"

Angela's mouth hung open.

"And we've been sleeping together for four weeks now, which makes this his," her voice dropped, looking down at her stomach.

"You have to tell him," Angela said, her tone serious.

"I can't…not yet. I need time Angela, I need more time. I need to decide what I want to do first."

Angela reached out and took Brennan's hand, "You know I'm always here for you, right?"

Brennan smiled, "I know, thanks."

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She fiddled with her bag and checked her ticket one more time. It wouldn't be long now. She gathered her things and made her way towards the counter.

Her cell phone rang and she fished it out of her purse, "Brennan," she answered.

"Bones, where are you?"
"Didn't you get my message?" she answered Booth.

"Yeah, something about a new case and you needing to leave…where are you right now?"

"At the airport. I got called to work in Montreal for a bit. I'll be back in a few weeks," she partially lied.

It was true, in a way. Two days after she told Angela her secret, the Canadian lab had called with a case they needed her help with. She jumped at the opportunity to spend a few weeks away. So she had finished her case with Booth, left him a quick, vague message and headed for the airport.

"How come you didn't tell me about this yesterday?" she could tell he was a little surprised at her.

"It was a last minute call. They need me right away," she lied again.

"Can I come visit you?"

She stopped in her tracks at the sudden tenderness in his voice, and closed her eyes.

"Bones?"
She sighed, "I'll call you when I get there Booth. My flight is boarding, I have to go," and she hung up on him and hung her head. She took a deep breath, fighting back tears that had unexpectedly formed in her eyes. She swiped at her eyes, angry that she was crying, cursing the hormones taking over her body. As much as she wanted to get away, she hated running away from her problems. This wasn't what she did. She was supposed to be brave, face things head on. But here she was, boarding a flight to get as far away from him as she could, and the irony was, her problem was still with her, as close as ever. She subconsciously touched her abdomen and wondered for the millionth time what she would do.

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Two weeks later in Montreal, she awoke to find yet another voice mail message on her phone from Booth. He had called at least once a day when she had first arrived, and had asked on numerous occasions to come visit her. Each time she told him no, that the case was to time consuming for a visit. He believed her, and eventually began calling every few days instead. She missed him, but she still couldn't deal with him yet, as she was still trying to deal with herself.

The case had closed five days ago, and she had decided to stay in Montreal for a bit. She had called the lab in DC and lied to them, telling them she needed to finish up some other work before she could come back. They had easily given her the time, and so she spent her days wandering the streets, wracking her mind for answers she didn't have.

At night, if she slept, she had restless dreams about her own childhood, of her own parents. This had led to the first decision she had made. She would not subject this child to the foster care system. This decision had given way to the realization that she was keeping the baby, that she would have to have it. Somehow she knew that she would never be able to just discard it like trash.

Now, in her fifth week of pregnancy, she woke up knowing she would keep this baby, and raise it as her own. It wouldn't be easy, she knew that much, but it was the only option left. Her maternal clock had always been in the back of her mind, but now it was ticking loudly, and she knew it was probably now or never for kids. So she chose now. She knew if worst came to worst, she could raise this child on her own. She had always been independent, and she could do this without him if she needed to.

The last decision left concerned the man who kept leaving messages on her phone.

She took her cell from the bedside table and played the message:

"Hey Bones, it's Booth. Just wondering when you were coming back…give me a call ok?"

She could hear the undertone in his voice, the unspoken "I miss you" that she knew he wanted to say it. He had told her before, and she missed him too. Yet every time they spoke, she couldn't bring herself to tell him about the baby.

She rolled over and pulled the covers up to her chin, wanting to hide from this problem, from the world. Then her cell phone rang.

She grabbed it and checked the caller ID and answered,

"Hey Ange," she greeted her friend.

"Hey Sweetie, how's Montreal?"

"Same as always. How are you?"
"Good, but we miss you here. Almost done your case?"
"I am done."
"Great, when are you coming home? You know, Booth misses you too. He's moping around here like a lost puppy."
Brennan smiled as she heard Angela giggle.

"Have you told him yet?" Angela asked.

Brennan sighed, "I knew you were going to ask that."
"And that's why your not home yet. Brenn, you can't hide from him forever. He's going to notice in about four months time."

"I know. I just haven't figured out a way to tell him."
"Just tell him the truth."

"I need a few more days."

"At least come home now," Angela pleaded.

"I'll book a flight for Friday."

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Booth flipped his cell phone shut and let out a frustrated sigh. Bones was still not answering her cell, and it was the third message he'd left her in the last twenty four hours. It had been two weeks and five days since he'd last seen her and he missed her so much. He thought he could handle her being gone, but it was more difficult than he'd expected it to be. He missed her voice, the way she looked and her presence in his bed. He just wanted her to come home. But what bugged him the most was the way she seemed to be avoiding him lately. She wouldn't spend very long on the phone or avoid his calls all together. He took out his cell phone again and punched in the number for the lab in Montreal.

"Can I speak with Dr. Brennan please?" he inquired when someone finally answered.

"I'm sorry, but Dr. Brennan finished her case a few days ago. She said she was heading back to DC."

Booth was taken aback, "Really? Thank you," he hung up, wondering what was going on.

He rubbed the back of his neck and paced his office for a few minutes wondering why Bones wasn't home yet if she had finished her case. He hit her number on speed dial, hoping she would pick up and explain this too him. It rang twice and she finally answered.

"Brennan," she answered professionally.

"Hey Bones," he replied, as casually as he could.

"Booth, hi. How are you?" He thought she sounded a little uncomfortable talking to him and he furrowed his brow.
"I'm alright. Just wondering when you're heading back home."

"Friday, I'll be booking my flight today," she answered quickly.

"That's great. How did the case go?" he said, trying not to jump to conclusions.

"Fine, I've just got some paper work to finish up."

"Really? You going to the lab today?" he prodded her.

She hesitated, knowing he knew what time it was and how she liked to get early starts on her day, "Um, yeah. I just needed to take some time off today. I was really tired."

He couldn't hold it in any longer, "Oh, cause I called the lab today. They said you finished the case a few days ago and you were heading home. They didn't seem to know you were still in town."

There was silence from her end. He could hear her gulp, "You called the lab?" she finally said.

"Yeah, cause you won't answer my calls or messages."

"Booth…" she seemed to plead with him.

"What is it Bones? Why are you avoiding me? Are you hiding in Montreal for a reason?"

"I'm not hiding."

"Well you sure are avoiding me."
"Booth…this isn't something I can talk about over the phone."
"So there is a something you're not talking to me about."
"I want to talk about it, just not now."
"When then? You and I haven't really talked since you left."
"I can't do this now Booth, I can't do this over the phone."

"Bones, I need to know what this is. It's driving me insane that you're avoiding me."

There was a pause, and then she blurted,

"I'm pregnant."

There was dead silence on both ends of the line.

In his office Booth stood stock still, his jaw gaping like a fish out of water.

Brennan stopped pacing her room, listening to hear if he was still breathing.

"Booth? You still there?" she let out an exasperated sigh, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, I just needed some time, I needed to figure this out myself…you've got to understand I wanted to tell you and this wasn't how I wanted it to be. Booth? Say something," she pleaded with him.

"How long….how far along are you?" he whispered.

"Five weeks."

"You knew about this before you left?"

She didn't answer.

"When…when were you going to tell me?"

"When I got back, eventually," she said quietly.

"Eventually?"

"Please Booth, don't do this. You don't understand how hard this has been for me."
"What did you need to figure out? Whether or not to tell me?" he sounded frustrated.

"I needed to figure this out, what I wanted to do."

"I wish you had told me…" he trailed off.

"Booth?"
"Listen, I need to think about this. I'll talk to you later ok?" he said, and hung up.

She was left with the dial tone, staring at the phone in her hand. She could feel the tears well up in her eyes and didn't bother wiping them away when they began to fall down her cheeks.

Like it? Love it? Hate it? Please review and let me know. More to come soon!