A month and a half had passed since one of the most suspenseful, emotional, and gut-wrenching days Temperance Brennan had ever lived through, and yet she still could not fully grasp the idea that her partner, Seeley Booth, had called their engagement off. Brennan had summed up every bit of confidence she owned to propose to Booth. After all, she only wanted him to be happy. She had finally been fully ready to permanently take her heart out of the box and give it to someone else. And even though she had rambled through the proposal, unable to find exactly what she wanted to say to the man she loved, the moment Booth had said, "Yes, of course. Yes," she realized that she didn't even know how to explain the sheer happiness and euphoria she felt. Angela knew how Brennan felt, but she had always known just what Booth meant to Brennan.
Now, at 1:13 AM, sitting on the couch in the living room, Brennan heard Booth's acceptance tumbling through her head. Before she could stop herself, she felt the tears welling up in her eyes. Sitting by herself in the dimly illuminated room of the dark house reminded her of everything that had caused her to be alone for so long in the first place, even though her partner and mate as well as her child were upstairs, sleeping. Putting trust in another person was a risk for her, and opening up, she knew, could almost be dangerous. Another person could so easily choose to disregard everything she had put into opening up. The words that shotgunned through her mind next took her breath away, and caused a very real, physical pain: "I don't think we should do it." A sea of dark emotions churned throughout her body, and, with no other outlet, began to quickly leak down her cheeks. A thousand times she had thought through why Booth might have said those words. None seemed a logical enough reason. Brennan prided herself in being logical and rational, yet every explanation seemed less and less rational and began to frustrate her so deeply and internally that sometimes, even work couldn't provide a distraction. Her throat closing, and gasping a little for air, Brennan slipped her phone out of her pocket and touched the number she was searching for.
"Ange? I need you," Brennan choked out.
"I'm coming."
Not even fifteen minutes later, after giving Christine a light kiss, checking to make sure Booth was still soundly asleep, and writing a quick note in case Booth woke up, Brennan silently pulled the front door shut and locked it. Angela was leaning against her car on the curb, not looking even the least bit upset that Brennan had called her in the very early hours of morning. Instead, her face was soft, but also searching – she studied her best friend as best she could as Brennan walked over to the car. Angela reached out and pulled her best friend into a tight hug. Brennan couldn't help but feel fresh tears glaze her eyes and then proceed to dampen her cheeks. After a few minutes, Brennan let go and walked to the other side of the car to get in.
In a very subdued voice, Angela murmured, "We're going to my house. Jack's asleep and will be for hours." Without waiting for a response, she started the car and pulled away from the curb.
After getting in the house, Angela prodded Brennan into the guest bedroom, away from those sleeping in the quiet home, and watched as Brennan collapsed onto the bed. Angela climbed in next to her and rubbed her best friend's back in an attempt to be soothing. As Brennan shook with sobs, Angela felt her own heart breaking. What could she say to her? She didn't know why Booth had broken off the engagement any more than Brennan, or anyone else, did. With an almost nonexistent smile, Angela recalled the afternoon she had shoved Booth into her office when Brennan hadn't been around and absolutely let him have it for doing that to Brennan. Everyone at work had immediately been able to tell that something was wrong with Brennan, even though she had, of course, been trying to hide it. Coming back to the present, Angela watched as Brennan slowly began to turn on her side to face Angela. With red, puffy eyes, tear-stained cheeks, and her hair a tangled knot, Brennan was a complete mess. Brennan slowly scooted her way across the bed and put her head in Angela's lap. Angela put her arms around Brennan and held her close.
"I…just…don't…understand why," Brennan rasped out. "I don't know. I don't know. I don't – I just – ." New tears glistened in her eyes and squeezed out.
"Shhhhh. Sweetie. I'm here. That's what matters right now," Angela muttered, almost to herself. Her anger at Booth was building up again, and in the moment of frustration, she felt tears rolling down her own cheeks. She held her best friend tighter in that moment.
"Help me, Ange," Brennan hoarsely replied, minutes later. "It's – it's – it's not rational, but it – it – it hurts so bad."
"Sweetie," Angela began, but quickly stopped, because her throat was closing up. Her best friend was hurting and she wasn't even sure how to help her. "One day at a time," she whispered.