Author's Note: This story acts as a prologue to a mulit-chapter story that I'm in the progress of writing. I posted this serperately though because I felt it could stand alone as it's own fic.
Disclaimer: The TV show Bones and all characters involved do not belong to me...unfortunately.
A Present for the Future
Her body collapsed onto the stairs.
Zach's betrayal hurt her deeply, deeper than she'd ever admit. He was her charge, her responsibility. She was supposed to teach him everything she knew, everything he would need to know to become a renowned forensic anthropologist.
She had taught him about bones, about different analysis techniques. She had taught him about anthropology and its different uses in modern society. She had taught him that logic and reason were the only necessary tools in this life and that conjecture and faith were useless. She had taught him how to put his heart in a box.
Zach's logic was flawed, but it was what she had taught him to use, to believe in. It was this logic that he had followed when making his decisions. She was as much at fault in this situation as he. Zach was simply doing what he was taught. She taught him everything he knew.
While she had evolved, accepting intuitive leaps and quasi-faith into her realm of understanding, he had not seen the transformation. He had not been able to pick up on the nuances of her behavior. He was socially inept, just as she was when she had first become his mentor. She was unable to teach him the skills necessary to read more than just bones.
She was supposed to teach him everything she knew. But maybe she didn't know as much as everyone, including herself, thought.
She had failed.
Booth sat down next to her. He tried to explain to her that she had given Zach a gift, an opportunity, by choosing him as her graduate student. He had been the one that failed, not her. But his reassurances went unheard.
She laid her head upon Booth's shoulder, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
She figured Zach would have gotten a more well-rounded education with another mentor, one who was more socially adept, one who didn't fear emotion. Perhaps she should have turned him down. If he hadn't been working here, he wouldn't have been working on the Gormagon case.
Booth shrugged his shoulder lightly, dislodging her head from its resting place. She eyed him questioningly. He looked into her eyes and saw the turmoil that was taking place right underneath her stoic exterior. It was then that he decided that "guy hugs" just wouldn't cut it anymore.
He slipped a bent finger gently under her chin and tilted her face up towards his. The feel of his breath mingling with hers sent a shiver down her spine. For a moment they sat there silently, an understanding passing between the partners. They knew what was coming, and neither was surprised.
Slowly, he brought his lips to hers.
The kiss was gentle. In it, Booth gave to her all the comfort, strength and understanding she sought. He knew she felt Zach's actions were her fault. He knew she felt Zach was just another family member turned criminal that betrayed her, that left her. He knew her world was crumbling around her as logic failed her.
After a few seconds, Booth pulled away. Her eyes were still closed and a single tear danced its way down her porcelain cheek.
There were no fireworks; no shooting stars. The earth didn't shift on its axis and time didn't stand still. In fact, nothing changed.
No declarations of repressed love or past desires.
Just a simple kiss.
A sense of peace for the present and a promise for the future.
2nd Author's Note: Reviews are greatly appreciated and please look for the sequel, Me Too, which should be posted within a week or two.