Transparent Confessional

Note – I played with the timelines a little.

It started like any other normal day. Well, as much as my days can be considered "normal." But the beginning was the same as all the rest. I got up, showered, had a bad feeling about the outfit I was wearing but wore it anyway, and drove to the lab ready for work.

That was where the normalcy ended. I was bombarded by Angela just as I was setting my things down in my office. She'd been on my case lately, and I guess I should have seen what happened that Friday coming.

"Good morning, Tempe." She sounded too bouncy, like she was nervous about something and trying to hide it.

"Good morning," I said, finding her with a look that asked what she was up to.

I was hoping she hadn't come to bug me about not going with Sully to sail the ocean blue. I had better things to do than rehash that. Then there was the business of not going because of Booth, if that even made sense, and I also hoped she wasn't going to bring that up. I hoped too soon.

"Planning on confessing today?"

I gave her a puzzled expression, "Confessing?"

"That you skipped out on Sully because you couldn't leave Booth." With his name, she cocked a brow and bit her bottom lip. Subtleties that told me she was not going to let me out of this.

"Angela," I sighed. "I did not stay here for Booth. I stayed here because I have a job to do."

"With Booth." Her hips cocked this time, arms crossed.

"How was dinner with Hodgins?" I changed the subject, hoping it would stick.

"Good…" Her eye roll was world class. I had to think quick.

"Did he propose?"

She looked surprised, mouth forming a perfect 'O'. Take that, Ange. "How… how did you know about that?"

"I have my ways."

"I said no. I can't explain it, but it doesn't seem like the timing is right." She mused a moment, then recovered. "Oh. You're tricky."

"Me?" I feigned incredulity, "never."

"You'd better get out of denial soon, honey."

"I'm not in denial."

Angela made a "tsk" sound and shook her head, making a break for my door. I breathed silent relief. I'd survived another round without giving myself away.

The reason I was so guarded about the subject of Booth lay in the fact that I had no idea what I felt for him. In the beginning, I'd hated being around him. He was everything I disliked about men. But he grows on people, and he grew on me. If I were to be honest with myself, I'd have to admit that I began enjoying his company a hundred cases ago. Even still, it was just friendship in a working relationship.

And then came that day.

I could barely breathe anymore. Hodgins and I huddled close together and I pressed my eyes shut, simultaneously exploding the airbags of the Suburban. For an earth shattering moment, my ears rung and lights popped behind my eyes. Dust motes flew everywhere; rocks pelted the dashboard and the top of my head.

I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't see. I thought I'd died. And then I felt it. Warmth wrapping my hands, human touch. I hadn't even realized I'd been reaching through the collapsed earth. The grip was strong and pulling me through dirt and rocks. My head breached ground level and I coughed as the clean oxygen hit my lungs.

An eternity later, when I opened my eyes, I was staring into dark brown irises. For a moment, I thought I'd drown. My throat felt lodged with pain, and not from anything that had happened in the car. For the first time in a long time, tears burned my eyes. All I could do was hold onto him. And I held onto Seeley Booth for my life.

I pressed my fingers against my temples. Even weeks later, I still wanted to cry when I thought of it, though I'd never allow anyone to see. Sure, I'd been partially responsible for saving my own life, but if Booth hadn't been there to pull me out I'm not sure what would have happened. And I felt much more than I was willing to admit that day.

It was then that Angela interrupted me. Again. She looked like trouble in heels.

"Tempe, sorry to bother you again but Booth needs you."

"Why?"

"Interrogation, or something."

The "or something" made me suspicious. I didn't buy it for a moment, simply because Booth didn't normally use messengers, but I decided to follow her anyway. I can't say what caused that decision, only that it ended up altering many things.

Angela was on my heels as I made my way to the interrogation room. That made me nervous enough. I nearly turned around, but I didn't want to prove anything to her. If I chickened out, she'd assume it was because she had my feelings pinned.

"Room four," Angela said.

I made it through the door, assessing the situation quickly. Booth, leaning against the table looking a little surprised. Too much grin. No witness. But I wasn't quick enough. The door slammed shut behind me. Booth shifted from surprised grin to shock. I found Angela with a red hot glare. She smiled and lifted her palms with a shrug.

"Angela!"

She continued smiling, dangling the key in front of me. I couldn't believe it. I didn't realize it was that easy to lock someone in. Then again, when a suspect is here, flight risk would be doused by a lock door. Hello, Brennan. But how did she get a hold of the keys?

"Shit," I cursed. "I'm going to get you."

"She can't hear you…" Booth.

"I know, but she can read my damn lips." I whirled to face him. "And why aren't you angry?"

"I am, but yelling at sound proof glass doesn't help."

It was obvious which of us was less prone to idiocy when angry. I huffed and faced the glass, only to find Angela gone.

"Oh… oh, no. She can't leave us here all day."

"Then you'd better hope that's not her plan, 'cause anyone else with keys won't be by anytime soon."

"God," I groaned.

"You don't believe in God."

"Wouldn't help me in this case anyway."

I left the glass and took a seat across from the one Booth had just settled into. Looking into his eyes, I always thought about how it'd felt to be in his arms.

"What now?" I asked, distracting myself.

"We wait. There's nothing to do in here anyway."

I was calming, realizing that my anger wouldn't help.

"What'd she tell you?" I asked.

"Hodgins called and asked me to meet him here. Said he needed to talk. I figured it was about Angela."

Explained why he was surprised when I walked in. Also explained that this was a joint effort and that I'd be getting them both.

"What'd Angela tell you?"

"That you needed my help with an interrogation."

"Brilliant."

"Not really," I added.

"I was being sarcastic, Bones."

I palmed my forehead. "I can't believe this."

"What are they trying to pull anyway?"

I looked up, "Don't play coy."

"What?" He honestly looked clueless.

"I can't believe you don't know."

"Know what?" Now he was agitated.

"Angela thinks I didn't go with Sully because of you."

"Is that why you didn't go?" He gave me one of those shit-eating grins.

I had nothing to say. I tipped my chin and stared at the glass. It was like a transparent confessional. For all I knew, Angela and Hodgins were watching from the observation room. And I was supposed to "confess."

"What's the truth, Tempe?"

And I was caught off guard. He'd changed his tone and he'd called me by name for the first time in ages. I took a deep breath, lowering my pulse.

"The truth? The truth is that I didn't want to go. That's a big part of the equation, don't you think?"

Obviously not the answer he was expecting. I'd had suspicions that he reciprocated my hidden emotions. A twisted little web, neither of us brave enough to admit anything. But there were hints. And maybe everyone else saw those hints, and because of our stubbornness, decided to lock us up until we admitted to something.

"But why didn't you want to go?"

"Because, Seeley, I have a job to do." Standard issue answer, add a name to throw him off.

That seemed to satisfy him and knock him off balance all at once. We sat in silence for a while, and I watched him pick apart his watch with his eyes. Yes, that'll help time pass.

"You know that makes time crawl."

"It's gonna crawl anyway. I was just thinking that I have a billion things I needed to get done before the weekend."

"So do I."

"Big plans?" he asked with a smile. I had always found his smile infectious.

"Dinner with The Good Shepherd."

"Bones…" he rolled his eyes. I realized my error, knowing he took it as a joke about his religion.

"Sorry, the movie. I rented it."

"It's… odd."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"When did you have time to see it?"

"I haven't."

"Then how do you know it's odd?" I laughed a little; he could be so strange at times.

"Well, the guys were talking about it and I've seen the previews."

"It's just like you to judge a book by its cover. Or in this case, a movie."

"Ha ha. I've got good taste. I've never actually watched a movie I didn't like."

"Well there's a talent… how on Earth do you manage that?"

"You're ruining the mystery."

"Oh, excuse me."

I hadn't ever been so candid with anyone of the opposite gender. Our conversation just seemed to flow and it was easy. I liked that. And I realized that he was crumbling walls one by one. Had been for weeks.

"Why don't you watch it?"

"What time?"

Oh. He thought I was inviting him over. And I almost let it go that way.

"I meant on your own."

He looked disappointed. I felt it. I'm not sure why I kept up a charade for so long. The best explanation I could come up with was that I'd wanted to prove something. I didn't want to do what everyone had predicted. I am as stubborn as they come, and I certainly showed it with Booth.

"You can be such a pain."

"Me?" I gasped a little, all fake.

"So, what's the deal, Tempe? Does Angela have a point?"

His eyes wouldn't let up and he'd used my name again. I'd failed to redirect conversation, but I wasn't disappointed. This game of 'round the mulberry bush had to go.

"Maybe she does." It had slipped before I could think better. And it shocked him.

"What…?" One brow was cocked, his jaw was slack but he smirked anyway.

I wanted to lay my forehead on the table and fake an aneurism.

"Mm." I chewed my lip nervously, "I said maybe she does."

"No, I heard you. What I want to know is… what you meant."

"Look, Booth, I don't even know what I mean. This is one big mess that I was trying to avoid."

"Then stop avoiding."

He had a point.

"Do you have a crush on me, Bones?"

And there was that stupid tone and stupid smile. I glared.

"Grow up, please," I practically yelled. "I'm trying to tell you that I've fallen in love with you and all you can do is tease me…"

Oops.

If he'd looked shocked at any point today, he topped those expressions at that moment. And I couldn't blame him. That was perhaps the most uncharacteristic moment in my life. I'd let all the guard down and said something completely without thought. I leapt before I looked.

His jaw was moving, tongue searching for words that just wouldn't come. I'd left him speechless.

I got up, scared of rejection and nervous to the point of shaking. I wanted to sink into the walls. I settled for hiding in the corner.

I'd been so wrapped up in what I'd said that I never heard him walk across the room. His arms came around me, chest against my back.

I turned in his embrace, laid my forehead on his shoulder. He was stroking my hair when he said, "Don't you realize that I've love you?"

The way he worded it was odd, but I was too drunk with the moment to care.

For the first time in a long time, tears burned my eyes. All I could do was hold onto him. And I held onto Seeley Booth for my life.

When I finally let go and inched back, he found my lips with a kiss. Clumsy as it was, it elevated the temperature in the room. That is, until the lock clicked and the door squeaked open.

I immediately pulled away and played innocent, like a kid caught in the cookie jar.

"Angela," I started, interrupted when Booth draped an arm across my shoulders.

"Thank you," he said.

I was speechless now.

"I told you, Temple," Angela said.

And she had told me. I was just too stubborn to let the walls down. Now that I had, I was vulnerable and scared, but I knew that I was loved. And I knew that I'd be inviting Booth to watch that movie after all.

"Now, I've got to go collect."

I did not want to know what Angela meant, or how many of them had been placing bets or watching our little confession.

"So, how about that movie?" I said, glancing up at Booth.

"After work?"

"Sure, I'll order in."

"Sounds like a plan."

He gave me several quick kisses and left me to finish up his work. I had my apprehensions, but I was more excited than anything. And I couldn't wait to see him later.

Silly. That's one word for it :) Really, it was just too much fun to write. It was the sudden plot bunny I had while writing a little more on my multi-chapter BB thriller The Pattern of Death. It was just for kicks, and I'm glad I wrote it.

Anyone else glad? I'd love a review 3