Breaking Point

Disclaimer: Neither Bones nor any of its characters belong to me. Though I wouldn't mind taking Booth out of Fox's hand if he gets to be too much for them :)

A/N: This is my first Bones fic and my the first fic I've posted in quite a while because real life got in the way. I am planning of finishing my other stories soon, but I've become a Bones addict. I just found the show less than a month ago and can't get enough of it. This was kind of inspired by goldpiece's "The Reality of Things". That last chapter when Bones is tempted to go out with Sully just got me thinking about how Booth would react if he saw them and then that thought grew into how Angela would react and somehow that turned into this. I don't think this will be a one shot because I know what will happen when Angela talks to Booth. But let me know what you think and if I should continue and fix everything at the end or leave them broken. This is not only my first Bones fic but also my first angs, I usually don't like reading them and I don't like writing them, but this just wrote itself and I had to put it on paper.

He looked at her with resignation and a sad smile. "I am going to miss you and us," he said softly.

"What?" Temperance asked in alarm as her eyes widen. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I can't keep doing this, Temperance." He answered with that same resignation that was starting to scare her. "Especially when it's clear that you're ready to give up and move on."

"What are you talking about?!" She demanded getting frustrated and angry as well as scared. "I know that we're having some problems . . ."

"We?" He demanded, getting somewhat angry himself.

Temperance looked at him for a few seconds and then rather ungraciously gave a sigh and said, "Fine, I, I have some problems that I have to work through but you knew that when we started this and you said you had no problems with it."

But Seeley was already shaking his head before she finished. "I have no problems working through problems with you or waiting for you to work through them by yourself. I do have a problem when you stop working through them and are apparently more than happy to flirt with other men."

"Flirting? I was not flirting, I was just talking. And if you've stopped being so damn possessive and such an alpha male. . ."

"Stop," Seeley said so quietly that Temperance was surprised into silence. "You are not that clueless – not now and you won't draw me into another useless argument about my so called alpha male tendencies. I saw how you looked at guy, Temperance. And if you can have that look in your eyes when you look at another guy, then . . ." He sighed and shook his head. "I can't keep doing this," he repeated in such a sad, resigned and tired voice that Angela, who had come to the restaurant with the couple and had been listening to the argument, felt her heart break a little for him. "I won't keep doing this," he said in a voice a little stronger. He then sighed again and asked, "Oh, what's the use? You're not going to listen to anything I say now." He shook his head and said, "I'll see you later." And with that, he left

A somewhat awkward silence descended on the table as the two friends watched Booth leave the restaurant. Brennan finally turned to look at Angela only to find that her friend was getting ready to leave and go after Booth.

"Angela? What are you doing?" She asked, surprised.

"I'm going to try and catch him," Angela answered as if it was obvious, which it was but Brennan still couldn't understand why she was doing it.

"Why?"

"Because he needs someone right now," Angela answered matter of factly as she pushed back from the table.

"What about me?" Brennan asked, incredulous. "I'm the one that's just got dumped!"

Angela paused in mid-rise before continuing to rise as she answered. "That wasn't you getting dumped. That was Booth trying to protect what he can of his heart."

"Oh, please," Brennan snorted. "Don't be so melodramatic. If he would just control those alpha male. . ."

"Could you please," Angela interrupted. "Stop with the alpha male tendencies argument! If you didn't like those tendencies, then you should have stayed away from him. You knew he had them since day one. And I'm willing to bet that if he didn't those tendencies you wouldn't have given him the time of day and that they are one of the biggest reasons you fell for him. Face it, you're alpha yourself and could walk over any one that wasn't as strong as you. And I was not being melodramatic. You may not have seen his face but he's devastated and he needs some support."

"What about me?" Brennan asked again, so surprised at Angela's uncharacteristic reaction that she made an appeal she had never made before. "You're my friend and I need your help, too."

"Not as much as he does," Angela answered in one of the coldest voice Brennan had ever heard from her. "And he's my friend too. So, if you excuse me."

She hesitated, wanting to run after Booth and debating whether to take the time to tell Brennan what she thought of her recent behavior. At the end she was so mad about how her friend had been treating Booth that she couldn't keep quite. "You know, that man has done nothing but stand by you since he met you. He's defended you and fought for you. He's supported you through everything, he understands all your hung ups and neuroses," Angela ignored Brennan's sputter and continued talking.

"He's waited for you to come to terms with your feelings and has withstood everything you've thrown at him. He's respected and encouraged your independence and yet is there if you need him. He knows and understands you better than even me. He's risked his career and life more times than either of us probably knows. After my father and Hodgins, he's the best man I know and he's the best damn thing that has ever happened to you." She stopped for a breath before continuing, "But the only thing you've done since you met him is fight him every step of the way and run away more times than I can count. I don't know what goes on in that brilliant head of yours, but if you push someone far enough, sooner of later they're going to break. I guess you finally found Booth's breaking point." With that she turned around and took a few steps away from the table.

Before she went too far though, she stopped and returned because she found she still had more to say. "You know what just happened here?" She waved with her hand to indicate Booth walking out. "That wasn't you getting dumped that was Booth giving up. I never thought I'd see the day when Seeley Booth would give up on anything – especially on you. But I guess Dr. Brennan just had to prove us all wrong." Angela shook her head again and with a sad sigh said, "I hope you're happy now." And with a last look at a stupefied Brennan she turned around and tried to catch up to Booth.

A/N: please review and let me know if you liked it. Also, I hope goldpiece is not offended in any way and I hope this does not in any way conflict with her story, though it shouldn't.