Closer

Summary: "It's not all that strange, if you think about it." He said aloud, forgetting that Bones couldn't actually read his thoughts; it just felt like she could sometimes. She threw him an odd look over her shoulder, and he smiled softly. "How close we are, I mean."

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own it.

"Oh, hey Cupcake!" Angela greeted Booth as he bounded up the steps to the platform containing his squints, Bones and a set of bones.

"Hi, muffin." He returned dryly with a crooked grin. "Whaddya got for me, Bones?" Was his greeting to her.

Normally, Temperance wouldn't be bothered. She'd usually wouldn't even look up from the body she was examining, she'd simply relay the information she'd uncovered to her partner. But today…something was different today. She'd felt it for a while, but it had become too much.

"Good morning, Booth. I'm fine, thank you. How are you today?" She said sarcastically, not looking up. Booth blinked, surprised, then he laughed.

"Bones, was that sarcasm I just heard?"

She clenched her teeth, shaking her head in dismissal and launched into her work again.

"His name is Jordan Mooney, if you're interested. Twenty six year old Caucasian male, most likely played baseball in his youth for several years. Cause of death is a blow to the back of the head with a round object a quarter in diameter."

Booth eyed her suspiciously for a moment, deciding that he'd have to talk to her later. In the mean time, he'd do his job, and that meant not letting his concern for all things Temperance Brennan get in the way.

She stared at her computer screen blankly, willing words to come to her head. Temperance closed her eyes and cursed, feeling the familiar burn of frustrated tears behind her eyelids. She pressed her head into her hands and tangled her fingers in her hair tightly.

Wiping at her tearstained face with the back of her wrist, she decided it was time to give up this torment and go home to another one. She turned off her computer and stood quickly; too quickly. Her limbs felt like lead and spots clouded her vision. Her knees buckled, and Booth came to her doorway just as she leaned heavily on her desk and slipped to the floor.

He was quickly beside her, helping her to her couch. Temperance vaguely acknowledged relief and happiness that he was with her. She just hated being alone. Once her vision cleared, she looked up at him, color rising to her cheeks.

"You alright, Bones?" He asked softly, pushing her hair off her shoulders.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. I've just been feeling a little faint today." She said, unconvincingly, and made to stand, but Booth's hand around her wrist pulled her back down.

"I don't think so. You just nearly passed out. You need to rest a while before you get back up."

"Booth, I'm FINE. Stop trying to protect me! I don't need it!" Temperance shouted, yanking out of his grasp and standing, leaning on her desk.

Booth was taken aback by her anger. Now he knew something was definitely wrong.

"Did you eat anything today?"

"Of course I did." She snapped, grabbing her coat. Booth stood, blocking her path, his finger touching her chin.

"Look at me."

Her jaw clenched in anger, but after a moment she complied.

"Did you sleep last night?" He asked suspiciously, and when she looked away, he knew he'd hit it.

"Well, I…kept waking up and I…only got a couple hours, but-"

"How often does this happen?" His hands encased her shoulders. Her forehead creased, her eyes searched the floor. Damn him and his warm eyes that begged to be let in. Damn the soft way he treated her in her moments of weakness, which seemed alarmingly frequent in the days following the Grave Digger.

"Ever since…" She knew she didn't need to finish the sentence.

Booth let out a long breath and ushered her out of her office with his arm around her shoulders. But she shrugged him off.

"I don't need-"

Booth stopped abruptly and interrupted her angrily.

"You don't need my help, I know. You never pass up a chance to tell me just how much you don't need me. But have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe I get concerned about you. I want to be the one who's there for you when you need it. I want to make sure you're really as okay as you pretend to be!"

Temperance was shocked. He'd never yelled at her before, not like that. He'd never really gotten angry at her. It wasn't a good feeling, to be on the receiving end of his wrath. What made it worse was the pain she saw lurking in his chocolate eyes.

He waited for her to say something. Anything! But she still couldn't find any words. So he just turned on his heel and left. Temperance blinked, wondering if that had really just happened. She was so tired, she could hardly think straight. She didn't really want to drive, but asking Booth for a ride now was out of the question. So she plodded to her new car, parked close to the door in a well lit, well documented spot.

Hey all!! There will be at least one more chapter that I know of. I'm still writing. The title may change. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear 'em, cause I'm plum out. Thanks for reading, I'd love it if you'd review!!

Austin B.

:-)