Hey everybody! I'm a first time fanfiction writer, so this is my first shot at writing something BB. I've been reading much longer than I've been writing, but I'm currently home with my ankle in a cast, came across the 100-themes-challenge and couldn't resist. This is going to be a nice way to spend my time in solitude at home!

Feedback is much appreciated! Whether they're positive or not, I accept them all. This story is unbeta-ed, and English is not my native language, so any mistakes are completely on my account. Oh, and I of course don't own Bones, because if I did, I wouldn't be sitting here in the Netherlands, but in the much warmer Los Angeles on the other side of the world. I think…

Anyway, I can't wait to hear all your thoughts. I hope you enjoy the story.

Allyson Hale

Truth Be Told – by AllysonHale

1st theme: Introduction

Just a day. Temperance Brennan sighed as her eyes moved up from the busy road below. White and red lights moved their way through the town, beeping their horns and blinking as they went. Procrastinating had never been her thing. The anthropology journal dated back from the year '00 laid folded in her lap. She was glad that she had saved all of them, as she had read the ones from this year at least three times already. Although she found that most of the ideas and articles were now outdated and unpractical, it was mildly amusing sometimes.

Sometimes. She found herself looking for alternative sources of entertainment. Maybe she was going to start writing herself. A novel maybe. She was inspired enough. Temperance averted her gaze from the opposite building to her right foot that was resting on a pillow on the couch. Luckily the cast was coming off tomorrow and she could get back to work. Light work, yes. Field work…well, in cases that required her urgent attention, the doctor would probably understand that she needed to make an exception. After all, the next nearest forensic anthropologist was located in Montréal. Parlez-vous Français?

Temperance was startled out of her train of thoughts by the front door closing. She sighed again and returned her attention back to the forensic journal. She did not look up, not even when the footsteps entered the living room and paused.

"You're not going to ask me where I've been?" A male voice questioned. Temperance raised an eyebrow, but kept her gaze fixed on the journal.

"I know exactly where you were, Pete," she said, turning a page. "You were with Katie, Amber, Patricia or whoever it may be this time." Temperance had been living with Peter St. James long enough to know how to respond in certain situations.

"And this doesn't bother you?" Pete folded his arms and looked down at the beautiful woman sitting on the couch. She had her auburn hair tied together in a pony tail, revealing her slender neck. Her dark camisole was cut low enough in the front so he could look down her cleavage.

"Nope," she said, knowing very well that that answer would aggravate him. He took a few more strides towards her and forced his eyes up to her face.

"Would it bother you if I told you that the girls I'm with are lot more pretty than you are?" Tempe lazily turned her face to him and feigned disinterest. Pete bend forward and placed one hand on the couch to steady himself and he leaned in towards her. "They're much thinner than you are. They've got gorgeous blonde hair, fantastic breasts, amazing eyes…"

"I hope for you that they're as good in bed as they are pretty," Temperance spat at him. Pete took a step back, his lips reduced to a small narrow stripe. She was taunting him. And it was working. He slapped his hand on the couch, right beside her head, startling her.

"Sometimes I wonder what I'm even doing here!" Temperance narrowed her eyes at him, while resting her head on her hand.

"Yeah, I wonder too."

"Doctor Brennan, so nice to have you back with us," Doctor Goodman welcomed Brennan as she walked through the glass door, without crutches for the first time in weeks. Brennan paused in her steps as he went to stand before her. Her face formed a questioning look as Goodman placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm okay, thank you," Brennan replied, nonchalantly trying to shake his hand off. "The cast was removed, it's taped now and I'm all good to go. Do we have a case?" Without paying any further attention to Goodman, Brennan stepped beside him and walked towards the forensic platform.

"Doctor Brennan, you have been away for four weeks, do you think you can wait another five minutes to get back to work so that I can introduce you to somebody you'll be working with?" This caught her attention and Brennan turned herself around, frowning. Her swipe card was already clutched in her hand, desperate to give her quick access to the place she wanted to be most.

"To who?" Only now did she notice a man standing a few feet beside him. He stepped out from the shadows and approached her, holding out his hand.

"Special agent Seeley Booth, FBI," Brennan remained frowning while she reached out her hand to place it in his. He gave it a firm squeeze while smiling at her. Her eyes examined him from top to bottom, from the leather shoes and colourful socks to the dark suit, with the 'Cocky' belt buckle and the blue striped tie. Wait, did that belt buckle really say 'Cocky'? Brennan looked down once again. Yes, it did! She looked back up and her eyes locked with his. Their hands dropped, but their eyes remained fixed on each other. Booth was still smiling at her, which Brennan returned with that same frown she was wearing before. Goodman cleared his throat.

"Did you two know each other?"

"No," Brennan said, sounding surprised. "I'm doctor Temperance Brennan." Booth's smile widened playfully.

"Yes, I know. You're the bone lady!" Goodman looked from Booth to Brennan, who were still caught up in looking at each other intensely.

"My name is Temperance Brennan," she repeated again.

"Yeah I'm just gonna call you Bones," he replied. Oh, was this self-centered, overconfident, arrogant man just trying to drive her on the ceiling?

"Don't call me Bones!" she warned him, emphasising the 'don't'. Their eyes remained locked until Goodman literally stepped in between.

"Alright, kids, let's focus on the case here. Doctor Brennan, Agent Booth will explain everything to you in the car. This is a case that involves the death of a federal agent, hence the FBI is involved. I hope that your partnership in this case will very fruitful. Off you go now," and with that doctor Goodman walked away. Brennan looked from Booth to Goodman's back disappearing and walked after him.

"Wait, doctor Goodman!" Goodman put on the best patient face he could muster as he stopped in his tracks to wait for Brennan. When Brennan caught up with him, she inhaled deeply. "I don't think mister Booth and I can work together."

"And why would that be, doctor Brennan?"

"Because I have to do things here in the lab, that's my top priority. And rationally speaking, since I haven't been able to work fully-functioning in four weeks, I think it would be wise if I were to sit this case out in the lab and make sure that everything goes well."

"Well doctor Brennan, if I remember correctly, I believe that that's the reason why we hired your assistant Zach Addy, so that you can focus more specifically on the cases. So, this case you can work with Agent Booth, while mister Addy takes care of the simple lab work." Brennan winced as she tried to put more weight on her right ankle.

"What about Angela and Hodgins?"

"I think they are fairly aware of what their job description contains. Now, let them do their job and you do yours. Goodbye, doctor Brennan," Goodman left again, leaving Brennan behind with her arms slumped to the side. Booth joined her a few seconds later, with a sly grin plastered on his face. He placed his hands on his hips and raised his eyebrows at her.

"Looks like you're stuck with me on this case, Bones. Whether you like it or not." She swallowed one time and pretended to ignore him.

"I'll go get my gun," she huffed, before quickly walking off in Goodman's direction. Booth smile formed into a frown. He dropped one hand from his side and held it up in the air.

"Woah, wait! You work in a lab! What the hell do you need a gun for?" Brennan did not turn back to answer him.

"To shoot people," she muttered under her breath, loud enough for him to hear. Booth did not know whether that was a statement or a threat.

Next: Booth and Brennan in the car to the crime scene, alone together. Will there be a spark of chemistry or will they eat each other alive? Or both? And what the hell happened to Brennan's foot? To be continued, very soon (if you like it)!