AN: So, I have an hour commute to work on most days and lately I have spent the time thinking of ways for Hannah to gracefully exit. My first two ideas formed my first two fanfics. This is my third idea, not yet fully formed. I figured if Booth has unresolved issues from his past that Hannah doesn't know about, why couldn't Hannah have the same thing? Let me know what you think. I updated quickly in my other two stories because I knew from the beginning not only where they were going but how they would get there. For this one, I know where it ends (of course) but the road there is not yet fully charted.
As always, I don't own Bones...
Hannah's History
Chapter 1: The Return of the Photographer
"Mind if we join you, Booth?" Without waiting for a reply, Angela lowered herself awkwardly onto the chair opposite the FBI Agent.
With a bit more hesitation, Brennan sat in the other chair. Although she had done an excellent job of compartmentalizing her relationship with Booth on work matters over the past few months, the two of them were a still awkward in social situations. It helped to have a buffer so that they could channel their attention to whoever else happened to be with them, as Angela was in this case.
"Uh..yeah…sure," he replied with a lopsided smile, turning his attention to Angela. "I'm just waiting for Hannah."
"Well then maybe we shouldn't—" Brennan started, making a move to get up.
"Sweetie, if you think I am going to heave myself out of this chair before I've eaten, you'd better think again," Angela said seriously, picking up a menu. Now in her sixth month of pregnancy, the expectant mother became very grumpy if not regularly fed.
Brennan slid back down in her chair and smiled apologetically at Booth. She noticed then that he was gazing out the window with narrowed eyes. She followed his gaze and saw Hannah across the street greeting someone. A man. A gorgeous man, tall with dirty blond hair and very symmetrical features. Glancing briefly back at Booth, Brennan was not surprised to see the scowl on his lips.
Turning her head once again towards the window, Brennan observed Hannah in very animated conversation with the stranger. While speaking, she touched his arm with discernable familiarity. Then she gestured towards the diner and said something but the man shook his head. Hannah then gripped his arm with both of hers and pulled him in their direction. Booth abruptly grabbed a menu and held it up in front of him.
"I don't think that will work Booth," Brennan said, extracting the menu from his grip and putting it back in the stand. "You never use the menu here. Hannah will see right through it. Better to just pretend we're discussing a case or something."
"Thanks Bones," Booth said, looking directly at her for the first time. "So, how is the analysis going on the Mason case?"
Angela lowered the menu, confused. "What? What'd I miss?" Her gaze sharpened as she noticed Hannah and the ruggedly handsome blond man come in the front door of the diner. "Ah, so who—"
"We've identified cause of death," Brennan said loudly, cutting Angela off, "so now we just need to narrow down the murder weapon. Definitely steel, serrated –"
"Seeley, Temperance, Angela," Hannah interrupted, practically bouncing with excitement. "There's someone I want you to meet. I just ran in to him on the street outside the diner." She was still gripping the man's arm with one hand and now she pulled him forward so that he stood by her side in the aisle. "This is Jake Nathans. Jake and I had a lot of assignments together when I first started out." She gazed up at him with undisguised admiration. "This is my boyfriend, Seeley Booth and two of his colleagues, Temperance Brennan and Angela Montenegro."
Booth's face took on such a look of unadulterated disgust that Bones kicked him under the table. Without visibly reacting to the jolt, he did manage to rearrange his features into some semblance of interest as Hannah continued the introduction.
"Jake pretty much taught me everything I needed to know about journalism in a war zone. He's an amazing photographer."
"And a whole lot more if I am any judge," Angela murmured under her breath so that only Brennan could hear.
Booth stood up to shake hands with Jake, using a bit more strength than was technically required judging by the slight wince on the man's face.
"Very pleased to meet you all," the man drawled in a deep gravelly voice with a hint of a southern accent.
Angela sucked in a breath and softly gasped, "Oh my god, does it get any better than that?"
Brennan refrained from kicking her friend as she had her partner, but only in deference to her condition. If Booth heard Angela going on about the man's voice – admittedly very arousing in tone – he'd be even more upset than he already was.
Jake turned to Hannah. "I really need to get going. Duty calls."
The reporter didn't release her grip however. "Wait, are you here with Jane?" At his nod, she continued, though to Brennan she seemed just a bit less enthusiastic. "Great, let me give you my number and the four of us can get together while you are here."
"Well, it may only be a few days and Jane is …um…a bit hard to reach at the moment, but I'd love to get together if we can work it out." He pulled out his cell phone and typed in the number as Hannah dictated it. Then he gently extracted his arm from her grasp, bent to kiss her softly on the forehead and left.
Four pairs of eyes followed his retreat, two filled with curiosity, one with hostility, and the fourth with undisguised adulation.