Disclaimer: I don't own Bones. I really wish I did though.

I've been re-watching older seasons and this plot bunny came to me. What if Brennan and Booth's reunion at the start of season 6 took place in Afghanistan instead? I've written stories set around this time in the show, I know, but I couldn't help it. When a story idea grips me, I just have to get it out. Other than the Hannah story-line, I thought this was a brilliant point in the B&B story.

This was also not inspired by David's new show. I haven't decided if I want to watch it. Right now, I'm leaning on no. I still can't bear to see him as anyone other than Booth and with anyone else other than Brennan.

So much for the lengthy A/N.

Here we go. This is my alternative "what if" story. Set in Afghanistan, a different take on what happened months after the season 5 finale and our heroes left for opposite ends of the world.

The lone Black Hawk flew through the clear blue sky, making its approach to Bagram Airfield. Other than the pilot and co-pilot, it carried three US Army Rangers, all looking forward to a hot meal and shower back at base. Team leader Sergeant Major Seeley Booth watched as the arid dessert landscape flew by below him. As the helicopter made its approach towards base he took the time to gather his thoughts, reflecting on the mission his team had just completed in preparation for mission debrief with his Commanding Officer.

The mission had been a success by his standards. It had been completed with no casualties from his team and they had completed the sole objective that had been set out for them by the CO. The mission had been an unusual one but it had come straight from Pentagon. A recent drone strike had allegedly taken out known terrorist leader Ahmed Al Kadir, responsible for orchestrating multiple terror attacks worldwide. The powers that be wanted confirmation of his death. An elite team was needed to infiltrate the town where the drone strike had taken place, recovering the human remains that were supposedly Al Kadir and bringing them back to Bagram where a forensic expert, hand-picked by the CIA, would confirm the death of the wanted terrorist. Booth's CO, who was well aware of what he did in the FBI before his return to the Army, instantly knew that Booth was the right man to lead such a team for the job at hand.

While this had not been what he signed up to do, Booth knew his Commanding Officer was right and he was in no position to question his CO or the Pentagon. He chose five of his skilled and trusted men and together they had infiltrated the small town swarming with angry insurgents, retrieved the human remains and got out. Alive. Booth personally oversaw the recovery of the remains to Brennan's exacting standards. He knew that if she had witnessed what he had done, she would have been proud. The thought of Brennan sent a stab of pain to his heart. He had not seen her in seven months. He missed her, more than he would admit to himself. Their time apart, rather than attenuating, had intensified his feelings for her.

The helicopter's rough landing jolted him out of his reverie. Booth jumped out of the Black Hawk, watching as the two soldiers under his command carefully transferred their precious cargo into the waiting Humvee that would drive them across the base to the medical facility where the CIA's forensic expert was waiting. Their mission was highly classified, news of the death of one of the most wanted terrorists in the world would only be released after confirmation of his death.

The short drive across base ended at the medical facility with Booth once again watching like a hawk as the black body bag containing human remains was carefully unloaded from the Humvee. Booth had been given instructions not to use the main entrance but to deliver the remains to the back of the medical facility, away from prying eyes and any possible journalists scouring the base for a juicy story. Booth let out a defeated sigh as he slung his rifle over his shoulder, starting towards the back entrance. He reminded himself that this was Afghanistan, not America. He was resigned to the fact that the forensic expert was probably some old, fat, balding man with thick glasses. Not the forensic expert he had wanted so badly to see. She, was in some jungle halfway across the world.

As Booth led his men around the corner of the nondescript building, he spotted a lone figure standing at the back entrance, facing away from the approaching trio of soldiers. The figure was unmistakably female. A slither of hope started to bubble and rise in his chest. As far as he knew, there weren't many female forensic experts to begin with that the CIA would entrust with a task of such significance, but one who was willing to travel to a war zone? Working in such an environment would not have been new to her and one could hardly blame him for jumping to the conclusion that the person waiting was very possibly his partner whom he had missed dearly. He had spent so much time with her in the past, observing her, studying her movements, he knew he could recognise her anywhere, even from behind. Could it be?

Booth took another step forward just as the figure turned. She was looking down, checking the time impatiently on her wrist watch. He stopped in his tracks, causing Corporal Higgins behind him to almost walk into him. It was her! His eyes travelled the length of her, surveying her body. Her skin had become more tanned by her work under the hot Maluku sun. She had cut her hair and wore it in a shorter ponytail. A snuggly fit khaki tee hugged her body, telling him subtly that she had lost weight. Her slim legs were hidden inside baggy cargo pants and matching boots. No matter, his mind brought back images of those long legs that seemed to go on for miles.

Booth whipped off his helmet, wiping at the sweat on his brow with his forearm. He wasn't entirely sure if he was hallucinating from dehydration. He had missed her so much, it wasn't a stretch to think his mind would conjure her up out of the hot dessert sand. But she was there. Standing before his eyes, his heart stopped beating and he forgot to breathe.

Brennan checked her watch for a third time. The elite team that she had been promised to deliver her human remains were late. Not so top-notch if they couldn't even be punctual. While she understood that this was a war zone, she also understood that she had very little time to accomplish the task set before her and that knowledge added to her irritation. She was unrivalled in her field and when two CIA agents in black suits showed up at her dig site in Maluku requesting for her expertise, she found it difficult to turn them down. She had been briefed on what the Director of the CIA wanted her to do on the plane and had only found out that the plane she was on was bound for Afghanistan then.

While she knew that there was a chance that she could meet Booth, she knew that given her short five-day deadline and the fact that Booth could be anywhere in Afghanistan, the odds of her actually getting to meet him would be slim at best. While in Maluku, she had thrown herself into her work, trying her utmost to forget the simmering of feelings for him she had been experiencing for quite some time. That night after their session with Sweets to correct the errors in his book, Booth had proposed that they try being together. But she had been so very afraid. Afraid to lose his friendship and the one person she cared for more than anyone else in the world should their relationship fail. So she did what she had done all her life as part of her inbuilt defence mechanism. She had pushed him away. She didn't know how to be in a relationship and she didn't want to risk hurting him and losing that precious friendship in the process.

But those pesky feelings she tried to avoid persisted. They had felt exhilaratingly novel, yet scary and annoying at the same time. The gravedigger trial had worn her out and she worried constantly for his well-being. Mentally and emotionally drained, her default escape mechanism kicked in again and she started a chain of events that saw them parting ways and travelling to opposite ends of the world. But now, as she looked up from checking the time on her watch, circumstance had reunited them again. She froze, her heart beating wildly in her chest. She was reminded of just how much he meant to her and her heart while fluttering, ached in an almost good way.

She could recognise him anywhere. His acromia that she had always been attracted to stood out proudly as they always did. He looked gaunt and he wore what looked like a two-day old stubble on his chin. His face was dirty, smeared with grime and dust. In one gloved-hand he gripped his helmet tightly, as he ran his other hand through his dark hair. He wore a look of shock on his face. Clearly, he had not been told she would be there. She offered him a small, tentative smile. His response was to immediately smile back. A charm smile so dazzling that it could have lit up a darkened room.

"What's the hold-up Sarge?" Corporal Higgins asked, unsure of why they had stopped.

"Nothing." Booth replied. Somehow his feet seemed to be moving of their own accord and he fought every fibre in his being not to run up to her and throw his arms round her. It felt like forever to close the short distance between them, but he was finally face to face with her again after seven months apart.

"Booth." Her voice sounded like sweet music to his ears.

"Bones. It's… it's really good to see you." His face betraying his joy at seeing her.

"What, you two know each other?" Corporal Higgins asked.

"Corporal. Weren't you told not to speak unless I said you could?" Booth whipped his head round, annoyed.

"Sorry Sir." Corporal Higgins lowered his gaze apologetically.

"I was told expect you half an hour earlier. My time here is limited. I'd like to get to work as soon as possible." She was all business and it felt like a knife to his heart. Didn't she miss him just as he missed her?

"Right." If she wanted to maintain strictly professional decorum, he could too. "You heard Dr Brennan, get those remains inside."

"This way." Brennan swiped at the keypad with the access card round her neck and pushed open the back door, leading them to the first door to their right. Booth pushed on one side of the double doors, while Brennan pushed the other, together holding the doors open while Booth's men entered what appeared to be an autopsy room, similar to the one Cam had at the Jeffersonian.

"If you could help me place the body bag on the table and leave it unopened there?"

"Yes Ma'am."

The soldiers placed the bag gently on the cold, metal table as instructed.

Booth stepped out of the room, allowing the doors to close behind him. If she wasn't happy to see him, he did not want to witness her displeasure. A part of him still could not quite believe that she was actually there in Afghanistan. His first thoughts were for her safety. They had frequent rocket attacks from insurgents from outside the base. Some of the rockets they fired had managed to travel over the high walls and barbed wires surrounding the base, injuring servicemen in the process. His men exited the room, interrupting his thoughts.

Addressing them Booth commanded, "You're free to go. I'll finish up the paperwork."

"Thank you Sir." Both soldiers glad for a moment to themselves after a gruelling two days away.

Booth watched as his men walked down the hallway, disappearing from view. Booth knocked before entering the autopsy room. Brennan was busy unzipping the body bag. He unslung his rifle from his shoulder, gently resting it against the wall. There was no need for weapons of violence now. He rounded the autopsy table, stopping infront of her.

"I umm… I need you to sign this." Booth fished out a folded piece of paper from the front pocket of his army fatigues. "You know this dude on the table is a big deal and… you know, chain of custody." He hated being nervous around her. It felt unnatural.

"Of course." Brennan unfolded the paper, placed it on the steel autopsy table and signed on it before handing it back to Booth.

"Thanks. I told my guys to recover the remains just the way I know you would want them to. Not that I knew I would be delivering them to you. I thought it would be some old bald guy."

"I'm sure you and your men did a good job in recovering the remains. I'm the best in my field Booth, of course the Director of the CIA would request for me."

"Right." Booth smiled cautiously. Good to know she hadn't changed. "I guess I'll go now. Leave you to your work."

"Yes that would be wise. I was given a very tight deadline and I'm not to have any help."

"I'm sure it's not a problem for Dr Temperance Brennan." Her name rolled off his tongue. He loved her name. Temperance. But he loved calling her Bones even more. He had not said that name in too long.

"You're right it's not. Nonetheless, I would like to concentrate on my work."

Again, she hadn't changed in that aspect.

"Yeah, I'll be going now." Booth turned to leave, his back to her as he stepped towards the doors.

"Booth! Wait."

He turned round, just as she collided into him, flinging her arms around his neck. His shocked brain had only a second to fathom what was happening before instincts took over and he wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her ever so slightly off the ground. She buried her face into the crook of his neck as he turned his head slightly towards her, her hair tickling his nose. He inhaled deeply, she smelled like home. In his arms, she felt lighter than he remembered.

"I wasn't sure if it was appropriate to embrace in front of the soldiers under your command." Brennan explained as he set her back on her feet. Her eyes studying his face, they stood, still in each other's arms. The smile on her face so bright it rivalled the one he wore when he first saw her earlier.

"Yeah it wouldn't have been." Booth quirked a smile. Like a healing balm, her hug had soothed the pain in his heart.

"I really have to get started on the remains now."

"Don't let me stop you," he replied. "Besides I have to go report to my CO. And I probably smell really bad. I need a shower. It's been two days since… but you didn't need to know that."

Brennan inhaled exaggeratedly, then crinkled her nose. "You should definitely take a shower," she teased as she moved back to her spot by the autopsy table, snapping on a pair of rubber gloves.

Booth had missed everything about her, including her teasing. Being around her was addictive and he wanted more. "Listen Bones, I know you're real busy and all but… maybe tonight, after I'm done with my report and if you have the time, we could have dinner? I won't mind if it's late."

"Yes, I find the thought of a meal with you rather appealing." She smiled.

Booth's heart raced happily. He wasn't sure where he stood with her, but she was physically here with him after not being for seven months and that was enough for now.

"Great." Booth smiled back. "I'll see you later Bones."

He turned just as he did moments earlier, his back to her as he picked up his rifle, slinging it over his shoulder. He turned his head to look at her one more time, as if afraid this was all a dream and she would vanish once he woke up. She glanced up at him from the remains with a smile.

"It's really good to see you too Booth."

Any good? Raise your hands, give me a shout out if you think I should continue.