"Bones!"
The familiar voice boomed from outside of her office, and Temperance Brennan raised her head from her computer just in time to see her partner, Seeley Booth, breeze through the door, an easy grin on his face.
"It's after eight, and once again, you're the last one here. You've been working nonstop and now it's time to grab a late dinner and go home," he informed her, moving around her desk in order to pull her chair back gently.
Planting her feet on the floor in order to resist the movement, Brennan shook her head. "I can't leave, yet. I'm in the middle of someth-"
"You're always in the middle of something. If I didn't come here to drag you out, you'd end up falling asleep in your office sometime after midnight. When was the last time you ate something?" Booth asked and watched as she rolled her eyes, both of them knowing that they had had the same conversation enough times that he didn't expect an answer.
"Diner or take-out?" he asked, watching as she stood up and reached for her jacket. His hands moved automatically to take it from her, holding it so that she could slip her arms through the sleeves before tugging it up and patting her shoulders lightly.
"Either. What are you in the mood for?" she asked, flipping her hair from beneath the collar before turning to face him.
"There's a new Greek place nearby," he suggested, fishing his keys out of his pocket. "But I'm driving."
"I brought my car to work," she reminded him smugly as she picked up her bag before they left her office.
Booth shrugged as he led her towards the exit. "I'll pick you up at your place tomorrow morning for our appointment with Sweets."
Temperance shook her head. "I'm perfectly capable of driving myself. "
Releasing a frustrated exhale, Booth looked towards the ceiling as if silently asking for patience. "Just go with me for once, all right, Bones? Instead of putting up a fight about whatever I suggest, just go along with my idea because you know that it's the practical thing to do. We're both going to the same place, and we're both meeting at Sweets' office tomorrow, so-"
"Fine," the forensic anthropologist interrupted his minor rant.
Unable to hide the surprise from his face, Booth raised his eyebrows as he glanced at his partner. "Fine?"
"Yes, Booth- fine. I'm satisfied with your argument and I appreciate the offer. I see no reason to continue the discussion when it's obvious that you aren't going to relent, and considering the fact that you've come all of this way to check in on me, I'm prepared to give in and 'go on' with you."
"Go along- it's 'go along', Bones," he corrected her, grinning.
***
"How's your chicken souvlaki?" Brennan asked as she brought a forkful of Greek pasta salad to her mouth.
"Good," came Booth's muffled reply as he chewed his food and swallowed before reaching for the beer bottle sitting on the table in front of him.
Popping a piece of soft pita bread into her mouth, Brennan gave an absentminded nod before reaching for her wine, glancing at Booth over the rim of her glass as she took a sip. These kinds of meals had become almost a ritual between them. She couldn't even begin to count the number of evenings that they had shared- either after a particularly difficult case, or, more recently, simply keeping each other company for no other reason than because it felt natural.
When they had finished their meals and carried their plates into the kitchen, the pair stood in comfortable silence washing and drying the dishes before making their way to the sofa in the living room to finish their drinks.
"Do you have Parker this weekend?" she asked, leaning against the cushions behind her.
"I was supposed to, but he was invited to a sleepover, so Rebecca promised that I could have him next weekend, instead," Booth replied, setting his beer bottle on the coffee table.
"You must be disappointed," Brennan commented. "I know how much you look forward to your time with your son."
"Yeah, well… I guess it's good that he's having fun with his friends. I'll survive," he shrugged.
"Well of course you will. Disappointment isn't fatal, although it-"
It's just an expression, Bones," Booth chuckled, nudging her shoulder with his own.
"Oh. Right," she nodded. "Well, since you don't have any plans for tomorrow, perhaps you'd like to stop by the Jeffersonian in the evening for the annual Christmas party. Angela is insisting that I stay for at least part of the festivities, and I'm certain that it will be more bearable if you're there. You can act as a buffer when she tries to talk me into participating in that gift exchange game that she insists that we try this year."
"Thanks, Bones, but I'm actually taking Christie to the Caps game tomorrow," Booth explained, missing the look of surprise on his partner's face.
"Christie?" Bones echoed, trying to place the name.
"Yeah, Officer Jensen. You remember her from that case that we had last week with the guy that was found in the park?"
"You mean the one that you were arguing with at the scene? The one that was questioning your handling of the crime scene?" Bones asked, recalling the veiled, good-natured insults that he and the pretty blonde officer had exchanged as she had examined the body.
"Yeah, well… she mentioned that she was into hockey, and I told her that I had season tickets, and… well, I invited her to go with me since she hasn't been to a game yet this season," Booth explained, suddenly feeling uncomfortable for reasons that he wasn't willing to examine.
"Oh," Bones replied, her expression unreadable. A beat of silence passed before she continued. "I understand. I'm sure that you'll have much more fun at the game than at the party. "
"No, that's not true. I just didn't realize that the party was tomorrow night," Booth stated hurriedly, watching as Bones avoided his gaze by focusing on retrieving her wine glass and sipping it slowly.
"Booth, it's fine. My invitation was very last-minute. Of course you already have plans. I should have mentioned it to you sooner- you have nothing to explain or apologize for," Bones assured him.
"No, I'm not… I mean- I'd still like to stop by tomorrow- you know- after the game, maybe- if you all are still there. Maybe I can swing by for a few minutes," Booth suggested, and Bones gave a curt nod in reply.
"Yes, if you have the time, then by all means- you're certainly welcome to drop in."
Another awkward moment passed between them, which wasn't something that either of them was used to, and Booth took in breath before making a point to check his watch.
"It's getting pretty late," he commented. "I should probably head home. I'll be by tomorrow morning to pick you up for our appointment with Sweets. Is seven-thirty okay?" he asked as he stood up, his eyes fixed on his partner.
"Yes, thanks. I'll be ready; just give me a call when you arrive," Brennan said as she stood up, straightening her spine as she followed him to the door.
"Lock up after I leave, all right?" the special agent instructed, echoing the same directions he gave her each time he left her place.
"I will. Drive safely- I'll see tomorrow."
Booth paused briefly in the hallway, waiting to hear the click of the locks behind the closed door, his hands braced on either side of the frame as he bowed his head slightly. Taking in a deep breath, he turned to leave.
***
"Come on, Sweetie; have another glass of champagne," Angela offered Brennan the beverage that she had clasped in her left hand before tapping it lightly with the glass in her right. "I know that you're not a fan of the holidays, but I've never seen you this down because of a Christmas party," she observed gently.
"I'm not really in the mood to be festive," Brennan admitted, running a hand through her free-flowing wavy hair and then taking a sip from the glass. "Booth and I had a disagreement during our session with Sweets this morning and I've been a little irritable since."
Brennan recalled the discomfort that she felt as Sweets had unknowingly struck a nerve by mentioning the fact that neither she nor Booth had been dating recently, and he then questioned whether they had fallen into a rut by depending on the other for companionship. Booth had immediately tried to deny the comment, and when she had conceded that there might be some truth to the observation, the partners had proceeded to argue in front of the therapist. When she brought up the fact that Booth was having his first date in several months that day, Brennan realized that it had sounded like an accusation instead of a statement of fact, which unnerved her.
Needless to say, the drive back to the Jeffersonian had been tense- at least until Booth had apologized, which had made her feel even worse, and then asserted that he would make a genuine attempt to show up that evening for the party.
"And I don't quite understand why you insisted that we dress formally for the occasion," Brennan added. Looking down, she examined her form-fitting dark blue dress and heels and then back over at Angela, silently waiting for an answer.
"Oh come on, Bren'. This is supposed to be a party, and what better way to get in the mood than to get dressed up?" Angela asked. "Plus, I really wanted an excuse to wear this hot little number," she admitted, posing teasingly in her low-cut red dress.
Temperance couldn't hide the smile that formed on her mouth and she shook her head in response to her friend's antics. "Well, at least I know that Dr. Hodgins is suffering as much as I am," she admitted, turning her head to glance at Jack, who was struggling with the tie around his neck, a scowl crossing his face briefly.
Giggling, Angela waved dismissively. "He's fine. And he agreed to wear the suit as part of a deal that will leave us both satisfied," she grinned wickedly.
"Okay, I think I've already heard more than I need to know," Brennan smiled, accepting a quick hug from Angela before she turned to watch the scene before her.
Zach and Cam were talking animatedly, their expressions relaxed and happy. Jack was in the middle of a conversation with several other employees from the institute, his tie loose and slightly askew. Even Lance Sweets had shown up, moving from one group to another and greeting them with ease.
Despite her outward image of reluctance, Brennan realized that the scene before her brought a warmth that was much less foreign than it had been just a couple of years ago. Glancing at her watch, she realized that only one thing was missing—correction- one person.
As if on cue, she felt something shift in the room just then. Without even turning around, she knew that Booth had arrived. Steeling herself, Brennan straightened her back and took a deep breath before raising her eyes to scan the room.
Their eyes met almost automatically, as if they each knew instinctively where the other one was. Brennan's mouth curved into a smile as she watched Booth's expression mirror her own- a combination of relief and amusement. He was dressed in a grey sweater and jeans, a far cry from the wardrobe of the rest of the party participants, but Brennan couldn't deny that he was still the most attractive man in the room.
She raised her hand in a small wave as she noted the way that her partner's eyes took in her appearance as well, his gaze skimming her outfit. She could have sworn that his jaw had slackened almost imperceptively, and her own mouth dried at the look on his face. It was something she had seen when he'd looked at her a few times in the past- was it desire?
As she made a move to walk towards him, Brennan saw a figure suddenly appear beside him, a hand resting on his arm while offering him a glass of champagne. Stilling quickly, she watched Booth's attention turn to the familiar blonde who appeared far more comfortable with him than Brennan wanted to admit.
Of course; Booth had come straight from the game to the party. It was only natural that he would bring his date along. Watching the pair's exchange, Brennan felt her chest tighten with an emotion that she had felt more than once in recent months when it came to the attention that her partner received from other women. Swallowing thickly, the forensic anthropologist turned her head from the scene and set down her glass before walking towards Angela, who was in the middle of a friendly debate with Sweets and Cam.
Leaning in so that she could be heard above the music, Temperance informed her friend that she was leaving. Angela's expression revealed her disappointment and she started to speak in order to convince her otherwise. "But Booth just got here! And we haven't even started the gift exchange, yet!"
"I know, but I'm really tired. I just want to turn in and get some sleep. My gift is on the table with the others so you can take my turn during the game, okay? Have fun," Brennan replied as she hugged her good-bye.
Quickly wishing Cam and Lance a good night, she made her way towards Jack and Zach, who were conversing a few feet away. Once she had said her good-byes, she found her coat and clutch and made her way to the exit, holding her breath the entire time in the hopes that she wouldn't run into Booth and his date.
***
"Where's Bones?" Booth asked Angela over the noise as she was busily trying to gather everyone together for the gift exchange.
"She left a few minutes ago," Angela replied distractedly as she busily wrote numbers onto pieces of paper before folding them in order to put them into a bowl for the participants to pick from.
"She left?" Booth asked in disbelief, his eyes doing a quick scan of the room in the hopes that his partner hadn't had the chance to leave just yet.
"Yeah, I'm actually pretty impressed that she stayed as long as she did. You know how she feels about the holidays and these kinds of parties," Angela stated, only half-focused on the conversation. "It's too bad that you missed her. She looked hot."
"She's the one that mentioned the party to me; she saw me when I showed up. Why would she leave without saying hello?" Booth wanted to know.
Angela shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you, Hon. I'm sure that it wasn't intentional."
"Booth, you have to try this pastry. It's amazing," Christie told him as she approached, holding a plate of the sugary concoction.
Angela raised her eyebrow as realization of the situation hit her and she gave Booth an exasperated roll of her eyes. "Or maybe it was," she added with a disapproving frown.
***
Temperance had intended to go straight home when she had climbed into her car and driven out of the parking lot. But the unseasonably warm weather convinced her to go for an impromptu walk along the streets near the Capitol. She pulled her coat tighter around her frame and tried to push all thoughts of her partner out of her mind.
The fact that Booth's arrival with a date had resulted in her fleeing so quickly caused Brennan to silently berate herself. She had reacted in a way that she had never experienced before, acting solely on emotion instead of intellectual reasoning. It had unnerved her.
By the time that she had returned to her car, she managed to convince herself that she would never react so emotionally again. Brennan was so focused on the relief and return of control that she felt that she neglected to notice the vehicle that was parked outside of her building. Which was why the image of a visibly distressed Booth standing outside of her doorway was such a surprise.
He turned at the sound of approaching footsteps and watched as she froze on the steps a few feet from him.
"I- Booth, what are you doing here?" Brennan asked, stunned.
"I actually came here to ask you the same thing," Booth admitted, leaning against the door frame. "You left the party before I'd even had a chance to talk to you. You didn't even say good-bye. I've been standing out here for ten minutes, trying to figure out where you could possibly be since your car wasn't in the parking lot."
"I'm sorry; I know that I shouldn't have…" Brennan trailed off, casting her eyes towards the sidewalk before stepping past him in order to unlock her door. "I went for a walk," she explained as she walked inside, holding the door open so that Booth could follow her.
"You went for a walk?" Booth repeated, closing the door behind him without taking his eyes off of her.
"Yes- I hadn't planned to, but I-" Pausing briefly, she turned to face him, her blue eyes locked on his brown ones. "Wait, why aren't you back at the Jeffersonian? You had just arrived right before I left."
"Exactly, Bones. I had just arrived and the next thing I know, Angela's telling me that you're gone. What's going on? You invite me to a party, and then you don't even stick around when-"
"There were plenty of people still in attendance when I left, Booth," Temperance interrupted him, setting her clutch down before removing her coat and hanging it on the coat rack by the door. "I'm certain that you would have been thoroughly entertained had you stayed."
"That's not the point," Booth countered heatedly, taking a step towards her. "I wasn't there to spend time with them. I came for you."
"Why?" Brennan asked, her short tone unmistakable. "It's not like you were short of companionship tonight. Where is your date, by the way? You didn't leave her at the party, did you?"
Booth's brow furrowed in confusion. "No, of course not. I dropped Christie off at home on my way here. I explained that I needed to check on you, and-"
"You didn't need to do that," she cut in matter-of-factly, moving to the far side of the room, her arms wrapped around herself. "I'm fine."
"The hell you are," he volleyed back.
Furious, Brennan whirled to look at her partner. "I don't need you or anyone else to check up on me. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, and I don't need to feel responsible for you cutting your date short."
"I'm not trying to insinuate that you're responsible for anything like that," he told her, and she could tell that he was trying to read her- trying to figure out why she was so upset- which only made her angrier. But she wasn't angry at him- she was angry with herself.
"No, you shouldn't feel responsible for me, Booth. You should be able to go out with a woman and have fun and not feel that…" She trailed off suddenly, realizing that she was already giving too much away. Her cheeks reddened and she reluctantly glanced over to see his reaction.
"Not feel what, Bones?" he asked quietly, hesitantly.
"I just mean that… you deserve to have fun… to be happy. You didn't have to come all the way over here. I didn't mean to ruin your date," Temperance explained hoarsely, desperate for him to stop looking at her so intently.
"You didn't ruin anything," Booth assured her. "But you still didn't explain why you left so suddenly."
The momentary relief that she had felt when Booth had seemingly accepted her explanation was suddenly gone, and Brennan felt a renewed sense of panic. "It was nothing, okay? It was just time for me to go. It really wasn't a personal affront," she informed him, unable to look him in the eye.
"It sure felt like it," he stated plainly.
She didn't know how to respond, and several beats of silence passed between them. Brennan shivered, suddenly aware of his lingering gaze as he regarded her quietly.
She finally spoke. "I'm sorry for hurting your feelings, Booth. It certainly wasn't intentional. I guess I'm still not very good in social situations."
"You're usually pretty good with me," he reminded her, shoving his hands into his pockets.
Brennan shrugged, prepared to use her usual excuses. "I'm not very good at explaining my-"
"Don't explain, Bones. Tell me what you're feeling," he interjected before she could complete her sentence.
Brennan's eyes registered her surprise. "I… I don't know," she replied, suddenly focusing much of her attention on the edge of one of her sofa cushions.
"Yes, you do. You can trust me, Bones. You can tell me anything," he promised her.
"No, you don't understand! It's not that I don't want to share this with you- it's that I genuinely don't know what it is that I'm feeling! None of it is logical!" Brennan exclaimed, her voice rising to reveal her frustration.
Before Booth had a chance to react, she continued, almost hysterically. "I didn't want to spend time with you tonight," she admitted, catching the expression of hurt registering on Booth's face. But she was too caught up in everything to stop. "I saw you with… her- and I suddenly felt out of place. I didn't want to watch you smiling at her or bantering like you did last week. I didn't enjoy it the first time, and I certainly didn't want to experience it again. I had an intense aversion to witnessing the two of you together tonight, and I knew that I wouldn't be able to behave in a polite manner… so I left."
"Bones-"
"It's ridiculous, I know. But I'm used to you bickering with me… I'm used to your smiles being directed at me, and-- I'm not doing this right…" Brennan shook her head and closed her eyes, feeling her face turn crimson.
Suddenly, Booth was in front of her, one hand on her bare shoulder while the other one tilted her chin upward.
"Open your eyes, Temperance," he ordered in a whisper.
Brennan did as she was told and found him staring intently at her. Her breath hitched and she tried to find her voice.
"I sound like a selfish and irrational child, and I'm sorry," she began.
"No you don't," he insisted, moving his hand to cradle the side of her face, his thumb stroking her cheek gently.
"I don't understand why you put up with me. I've acted horribly and I've ruined your evening. I reacted out of some misplaced sense of jealousy," she choked out, embarrassed by her outburst. "I didn't want to see you with her. I hated thinking about you going to that hockey game with her, and I couldn't stay at the party tonight and watch you two together."
"Bones, do you know that the entire time that I was at that hockey game tonight, the only thing I could think about was going to that party so that I could see you?" Booth admitted, the hand that had been on her shoulder suddenly dropping to her hip.
Brennan blinked; sure that she had misheard his words. "You what? But… you came to the party with… I mean- you were on a date, and-"
"The only reason I brought Christie with me was because of what happened between us this morning, with Sweets. We were arguing, and you were talking about our partnership preventing us from having a personal life, and… Look, it was stupid, and I'm sorry," Booth explained.
"I don't… I'm not sure that I understand," Brennan denied hesitantly, hoping that he would explain further to clear up her confusion. She waited, feeling her heart rate speed up while watching Booth from beneath her eyelashes.
Booth sighed. "I was reacting to all of the things that you and Sweets were saying, and I was trying to prove a point. But after I found out that you had left… I realized that I didn't want to be there if you weren't. I didn't even get to tell you how nice you look," he said, his eyes drifting down the length of her body again before returning to her face.
"Thank you," Brennan murmured and suppressed a smile as she tried to maintain a neutral expression. "You don't have to explain, Booth. Just tell me what you're feeling," she echoed his words from a few minutes earlier.
Catching the playful glint in her eye, Booth smirked, his hand drifting to cup the back of her neck as he leaned closer to her. "I'm feeling… that I want to kiss you," he revealed as he captured her mouth with his own.
He wrapped an arm around her waist as her hands moved up so that she could trace her fingertips along his jaw, tilting her head to grant his mouth better access. She whimpered when his tongue slid wetly along her bottom lip before delving further to meet her own, caressing the inside of her mouth softly.
When they broke apart for a breath, Brennan leaned her forehead against Booth's and smiled. "I suppose that we should explore those 'feelings' some more, don't you think?" she asked, her laughter muffled by the return of his lips on her.