Hello everyobe. I'm back with a new story. I know my other one's been on low life for a while but I'm kinda stuck with writers block, please bear with me. I promise I'll finish it asap.
This story has been written completely. It's goint to be five chapters. This is the first one. Tomorrow I leave for a few days on vacation. I'm not sure how many chapters I'll post before leaving. I'm not posting them all today, because I'd like to see some reviews first. So we'll see.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bones or any of the characters. I only take credit for the plot of this story.
It's a beautiful Tuesday afternoon. It's April, early spring days, the birds are singing their happiest song, the leaves are growing back on the trees and the sun is shining its first warm rays. Temperance Brennan enters the FBI Hoover building, quite cheery, making her way to the counseling office that's usually occupied by Doctor Sweets. Now, on the other hand, Doctor Gordon Wyatt is awaiting her inside.
Doctor Sweets is assisting on a big case and because Brennan and Booth have to keep attending their sessions on a regular basis, Doctor Wyatt offered to take it over for a while, at least, that's what the two partners think. Little do they know that it's a set up from their friends, which of course was initiated by Miss Angela Montenegro. The so called operation "matchmaking Agent FBI-eye candy and the Bone Lady."
Doctor Wyatt greets Brennan and asks her to take a seat opposite from his. Brennan complies, a little nervous. It's the first time she has a session without Booth with her and she doesn't even know why Gordon-Gordon wants to see them both separately.
"So Doctor Brennan, let's talk about your relationship with Agent Booth". Doctor Gordon Wyatt starts. "Booth and I are just partners.", Brennan answers quickly, maybe just a little too fast. Gordon-Gordon doesn't miss that of course. "Why I didn't suggest something else, now did I?" Brennan realizes he's right. "No, but a lot of people usually do." Wrong answer again, she states after Wyatt's next question. "Well and why do you think that is?" Brennan starts to get really nervous. "Because we're pretty close I guess….But that's only because we're good partners.", she adds. "Why of course. But do you think that's the only reason? Why don't we analyze this…rationally?"
He waits until Brennan nods before continuing. "What do you think the reason is that you and Agent Booth have never pursued a romantic relationship?" Brennan gets her look of pure concentration on her face, seriously considering and analyzing everything Doctor Wyatt says. "Most importantly, there's a line. It's dangerous for people who work in high risk situations to be romantically involved and Booth and I are professionals."
Doctor Wyatt considers this for a second and takes some notes. He usually doesn't do this, but he thinks it might make Brennan more comfortable because Doctor Sweets always does. Besides, the notes might come handy later. "I assume there's another, less important, reason." It's more a statement than a question. "Booth and I are complete opposites, he's the emotions guy and I'm the cold hearted scientist. He can read people's body language, their eyes and the underlying meaning in their words, while I read their bones. He can handle people when they're alive, I only can when they're dead."
Doctor Wyatt nods, clearly interested. "In your words there seems to be a certain admiration for your partner. You describe your partner with a lot of qualities whereas you're much less humbling about yourself." Brennan's not too sure about how to answer this, she has to stay careful with her words, shrinks always tend to use your own words against you. "I find it intriguing how his 'gut' seems to be rather correct most of the time, yes. But don't tell him that please, it would only make his ego bigger, he already shows enough alpha-male tendencies. It also annoys me though, especially because I can't figure it out."
Doctor Wyatt is certain that for a through and through scientist it must indeed be difficult to see people trust their heart over their brain. "They do say opposites attract. And may I add that is pretty much the only difference there is between you two." Brennan looks at him, not understanding. "He loves sports and pop culture, I know nothing about neither of those subjects. He believes in God while I don't have any faith…"
"Don't you have faith in your partner?" Brennan contemplates this statement. "Hodgins once said I did. I didn't see it as faith, because over time I got to see what Booth was able to do, it wasn't faith because faith is an irrational believe. Hodgins did make a valid point though. He said that we were buried alive, oxygen running out and I still said Booth would save us, he said that was faith and maybe he was right." Doctor Wyatt seems very pleased with this answer. "Okay, go on. I believe you weren't ready yet with you comparison."
"Well you already kind of pointed out that Booth usually listens to his heart while I rely on my brain, on logic." Doctor Wyatt butts in again. "Don't you both rely on logic in a way? Maybe not the same kind of logic, but when you try to solve a crime, you both try to find scenarios that make sense, either based on evidence for you, or based on possibilities looking at alibis and places et cetera for him." Brennan thinks this trough carefully. When she doesn't seem to have a respond Doctor Wyatt continues. "The fact that you are opposites is the one thing that makes your partnership work so well. Although it's not even that different from a certain point of view. You both look at what people can tell you, in another way that is… And opposites do attract." Without really wanting to accept such a psychological explanation, Brennan does find Doctor Wyatt's findings reasonable and based on good reasoning. Then the thing about the attraction triggers her mind again. "I…I don't really think attraction is a problem, not for me at least. I mean Booth is a fine piece of species, a lot of women would share that opinion."
Gordon-Gordon decides that this point is as good as treated, there is that other struggle though. "If I'm correct Agent Booth told you about this line in the second year you worked together. So if you are attracted to him, why didn't something occur between the two of you before that?" Brennan starts to think that Gordon-Gordon asks difficult questions, that kind of questions you can easily get yourself into trouble with. She's well aware that she's starting to stammer with everything he asks, it's becoming ever more difficult to answer right away, which doesn't happen to her very often. "I guess we just don't see each other that way…And we kind of hated one other when we first started working together."
"Why was that?" That question Brennan finds much easier. "He wouldn't leave me alone. Drag me out of my office, make me eat or sleep. He just wouldn't back off, no matter what I said or did." Doctor Wyatt's pleased that they're on the good way here. "Why would that make you hate him?" Brennan's taken aback again with this simple question. "I…don't know. I wasn't really used to it. Ever since my parents left…no one really looked after me that way."
"Is it possible that you were mad because he reminded you of how it is to be taken care of and you were afraid you would be left again?" Brennan nods, her head down, staring at her hands that are entwined in her lap. "But he wouldn't give up, he's still here Doctor Brennan. Do you trust him now?" The reply comes almost right away, merely as a whisper. "With my life."
"Are you still scared he'll leave?" It seems that no matter how hard she tries she can't find her normal voice back. "He promised me he won't." "Has he ever broken a promise to you before?" She shakes her head. "No." "So you believe he wouldn't leave you purposely? There are always risks, especially with your line of job. But do you think losing him would hurt less when you're just partners?" She thinks about this for a few seconds. "I guess not."
"Doctor Brennan, I find that you use the words 'I guess' rather often during this conversation, that's not really like you."
"I guess," she realizes she's doing it again and starts over, "My relationship with Booth is probably not as exact as science is." Doctor Wyatt nods affirmative and gives her a minute before moving on to his next issue.
"Do you think Agent Booth would make a good partner, a good lover?" Brennan looks up again, glad that there's a slight change of topic, although this one isn't better than the other. "I believe so, he's sweet and caring, but he'd kill for the ones he loves. He accepts people as they are, although he's always teaching me new things. He's loyal and honest."
"It kind of intrigues me that usually when someone asks you that question you immediately state whether or not the person in question would make a good lover in bed, whereas now you talk about Agent Booth's character." Brennan suddenly decides she's not always fond of Doctor Wyatt's perceptiveness. "Probably because I know Booth much better than other men, I know his character." "Do you fear he won't be able to satisfy your biological urges?"
"Not really, like I said, Booth is a fine piece of species, he is well muscled, nice torso, broad shoulders. His physical capacity is excellent due to his many work out hours." Doctor Wyatt nods, having heard enough about this.
"What about his believes about relationships?" Brennan thinks she can find a little victory there. "Another difference! He has complete faith in monogamy and I must admit that I came to terms with that myself, I can see the benefits of it now and I can admit the failures of polygamy. But Booth wants a life lasting relationship, a wife, kids, a house with a white picket fence…"
"A dog?" Brennan smiles lightly. "No, not a dog. I don't think Booth's really fond of dogs. Just the fairy tale marriage, he believes there's someone for everyone, the one person you're meant to be with. While love is just a release of endorphins in your brain, relationships are temporary arrangements to satisfy your biological urges and to engage in social events. And I certainly don't see the purpose of marriage."
"Not everything needs a certain purpose Doctor Brennan. A lot of people see their wedding as an opportunity to show their family and friends how much they love each other, to show it to their partner and let everybody celebrate in their love. Do you think Agent Booth has problems with the fact that you don't want to get married?"
"He should, cause he wants to get married, it's his dream. And even if I don't share that opinion, I do respect it and he shouldn't change it, for no one."
"That's a very noble thing to say."
"He deserves to be happy, if anyone does, it's him."
"Again, that's very noble, unless it's just an excuse."
"I really want him to be happy, I mean that…more than you know", she adds softly. "And you think you can't give him what he needs because of that. You can't make him happy?" Brennan doesn't answer, simply because it would hurt too much to say it. "What if Agent Booth wants to give it a try? Maybe those things wouldn't matter to him or maybe you'll change your mind." Brennan's voice becomes a shadow whisper again. "You don't know that." She hates it that she sounds so vulnerable, but it seems out of her control. "Nor do you. Don't YOU want to give it a chance?" Brennan tries to answer quickly, without even thinking the question over properly, cause if she's completely honest with herself, which she doesn't want to be, she knows she doesn't want to find out the answer. "That would be too dangerous, even aside from the line. If it goes wrong, which it probably will, for all the reasons I just gave you, it will jeopardize our partnership and our friendship and they mean too much for me." Doctor Wyatt has kind of expected this kind of answer, it's like both Agent Booth and Doctor Brennan give that same excuse on auto-pilot.
After musing for a few minutes, which Brennan starts to find extremely irritating, although she's happy he's not posing questions anymore, Doctor Wyatt starts talking again. "Many people think you are scared of committing to Agent Booth because you're afraid that he'll leave you…"
Brennan mumbles, "Angela just thinks I'm being stubborn actually.". Doctor Wyatt smiles slightly but doesn't let her get him off track. "That would be logical to assume of course, because many people have left you before. And they're right, partly that is, but not in the way they assume." Brennan's not sure whether she's interested or scared about Doctor Wyatt's coming reasoning.
"I personally think you're much more scared that you'll end up hurting him than the other way around. You see, I believe you fear that this would be like all your other relationships, temporary agreements as you like to call them. But you know that's not what Agent Booth wants. So my conclusion is that you're afraid you'll end the relation at some point and in the process will hurt him with the result that you might lose him." Brennan doesn't answer, simply because she can't. She doesn't even want to consider the fact that Doctor Wyatt might be right. "I think that's enough for today. You can go now Doctor Brennan. I'll see you tomorrow." Brennan nods, utterly confused, and leaves the room without saying another word.
When she comes outside again she's not so happy anymore as when she came in. She hardly notices the nice afternoon sun shining anymore, nor does she enjoy the birds' songs. There are just too many things to think about that she'd rather just forget, but no matter how hard she tries, won't let her go.