A/N: I got an inbox message from SouthernLady on another story and she mentioned that most stories of late (which I have to agree with) are full of angst and pain, as everyone rids their frustration of Hannah in their FF stories, since HART is NOT doing anything where she is concerned, except making us all HATE Booth, and so I am taking a slightly different approach. I wrote this story for SouthernLady. =) I hope this is a little more to your liking…
It was over as quickly as it started. Brennan had been working on a limbo case when Booth poked his head around the corner. She stiffened as he approached her, as past experience over the previous months had taught her to do. He looked almost relieved as he wondered into her office.
"Hey Bones," there was something about the way he said her name; it was relaxed, like the weight of the world had leapt from his shoulders. He looked almost comfortable. "What's up?"
"I'm working," she replied impassively.
Booth flopped down on the couch beside her, as she sat positioned on the floor, her back against the couch. She flipped through the pages of the file in her hands.
"Need any help?" he asked.
"No. Don't you have some place to be? Dinner with Hannah perhaps?" she smiled weakly. For some reason it hurt when she uttered Hannah's name. He noticed her flinch.
"No dinner with Hannah," he reassured her. "I'm free. You hungry?" he offered.
A smile lingered on her lips as she watched him, relief flooding through her. No Hannah. A dinner offer. Brennan suspected a change in him… or more likely, a change back. He was beginning to resemble the Booth she left at the airport, before Afghanistan, before Maluku, before Hannah Burley.
She considered his offer.
Booth pulled out his bottom lip, making a doe-eye Bambi face.
Brennan laughed. "Alright," she nodded. "I'm hungry." The prospect of eating out with Booth was appealing; it had been too long since they had shared the comfortable atmosphere of the Royal Diner without the presence of Hannah hanging over their heads.
Booth jumped from the couch and snatched her hand pulling her to her feet and out the door in seconds, before she had the chance to change her mind.
Booth didn't bring up Hannah until they were settled at the breakfast bar, a coffee in hand, cake on a plate in front of them, a large piece to share between them. Though, Booth felt like pie, he compromised, knowing her dislike for cooked fruit.
"Bones… I-" he found it difficult to open a sentence.
She narrowed her eyes and waited patiently.
"I ended it with Hannah…" he confessed.
Relief washed over her like a title wave, confusing her further, ever since Hannah had come into the picture she was experiencing many different emotions, some of which she didn't understand.
Booth smiled watching her.
"I take it, your all cut up?" he teased.
Brennan frowned, subtly searching her body. "I appear to have no physical contusions on my body Booth, to back up that statement…"
Booth grinned resting his chin in his hands. He had certainly missed her naivety, among other things.
She laughed watching him. He looked happy, happier than she had seen him since his return from Afghanistan he seemed to have the spark back in his eyes, that missing piece of himself. The desire was there, the same look he used to give her every time they were alone together, every time he looked over and smiled at her. She'd missed that. She'd missed him.
"What?" she couldn't help the curiosity getting the better of her.
"It was an expression, Bones," he said. "I was making a point that you looked far too happy to hear about my break-up with my girlfriend…" he pointed out.
Brennan suppressed a grin, she wasn't denying it. As she locked eyes with him everyone else seemed to evaporate. "Technically, she is now referred to as your ex-boyfriend…"
Booth laughed. "Don't you mean… GIRL friend," he corrected.
Brennan seemed to blush. "I was just-"
"You made a grammar mistake," he teased thoroughly enjoying her discomfort. She was rarely wrong about anything; it was nice for Booth to be right for a change.
Brennan cleared her throat. "Fine, Booth. I was wrong…"
"Can I have that in writing?" he whispered.
She shook her head. "No…" she replied.
Silence filled the empty time space.
"So are you going to ask why I broke up with Hannah?" he inquired after some time had passed.
"No. I figure you'll tell me if you want me to know."
"Maybe I'm waiting for you to ask?" he said adopting a more serious tone.
"Why?" she asked almost nervously.
"Because I kept thinking about another woman, and it wasn't fair on her," he said honestly. "I know I've been a jerk lately, but I really thought it was the best way. Every time I saw you it just stirred up something that was I trying to avoid. It was easier to ignore you… but your face haunted me, every day, every minute I was away from you… I know this is forward and blunt but-"
Brennan nodded. "It's okay, Booth, I understand."
"You do?"
Brennan pulled out a photo from her jacket pocket and looked at it briefly before handing it over to Booth. His eyes lingered on the image and when he looked back at Brennan, he was evidently confused.
"Why do you carry a picture of me?" he asked.
"I took it before I left for the Maluku Islands," she explained. "I wanted to have a picture of you, I wanted to remember you, in case I forgot."
"And did you?"
"Never," she admitted. "Despite your absence, I could envision every facial feature, every wrinkle," she smiled.
"I'm not THAT old," he denied.
Brennan smiled.
He looked back down at the photo, it was torn and crinkled, as if it had been taken out time and time again. "It looks used?"
"I've looked at it a lot over the past few months, ever since H…"
He nodded suddenly understanding.
"It just seemed like you were a different person, a different man, I don't know what happened to you over there, but you weren't the same when you came back. I looked at the photo every time you walked out of the room, trying to decipher what changed about you," she said.
"Did you work it out?" he was curious.
"You lost the spark in your eyes," she admitted. "But you got it back."
"You gave it back to me, Bones. Thank you. But why are you giving it back to me now, the photo, I mean?"
She shrugged. "It's rightfully yours."
"You can keep it, Bones," he offered handing it back. "It's yours now."
"Thank you, Booth," she smiled.
"Now that I gave you that will you do something for me…" he looked nervous.
"Yes," she'd do anything for him now.
"Give us a chance?" the words hung in the air. She felt her heart explode in her chest then as she realized what he was asking of her, since Hannah it was the only regret she had, and her time in the Maluku Islands had only made her see the flaws in her own personality, the mistakes she had made, and the lack of faith she had in Booth. He had always had faith in her, and she had never been brave enough to give it back… but she would now.
"Alright, Booth…" she nodded gently.
His eyes widened in deep surprise. Had she really said yes?
Brennan nodded to make her answer clearer. "I'll be your Girl friend," she said elaborating on the word.
Booth shook his head with a giddy smile. He had never felt this measure of happiness, and he took her hands pulling her to her feet. She did not resist him. She locked eyes with him, as he pulled her closer, entwining his fingers in her hair. "I'm going to kiss you now, alright?"
"Ok-" he crushed his lips to hers before she could finish the word.
Turned out differently than I first expected… but as writing goes, it happens that way… hope it was worth the read… reviews are more than welcome… like the wait on our B&B getting together in the show… VERY welcome =)