I've been generally unhappy with the way the relationship between Booth and Brennan was handled since Doctor in the Photo. So picking up from there, here's what I would have liked too have seen happen. Same crimes; different stories. Hope you enjoy.
This story picks up directly after Booth drops Brennan off after her big confession in Doctor in the Photo.
I own nothing here. Bones is not mine. Just having fun.
Brennan turned on the light and walked into her apartment. Her clothes and shoes were soaked with rain and mud—normally that would have mattered on the fine hard wood floors of her apartment—but now she was to tired. To emotionally drained. She smiled sadly at the thought and her lack of concern. Only a couple of years ago she would have been more careful—taking off her boots immediately and grabbing a towel from her kitchen to wipe up any water that might damage the floors. Who was this person she'd become? She felt like a stranger in her own skin.
The goodbye had been awkward. A little painful even. Booth usually didn't drop her off on the sidewalk in front of her building. Normally, he'd come up or at least—especially in recent months with the new development of Hannah—walk her to her door. Tonight, however, was different.
Brennan had been silent the whole way back and Booth, as a courtesy to her she suspected, returned the favor. Pain was a very private thing to Brennan, she could think of a thousand classic torture techniques she'd rather endure than let this very private part of her be set on display. With Booth it was worse, though. He knew her to well and while it typically was comforting for her, at that moment sitting in the car—she felt emotionally violated. He knew the extent of her agony and the weight her confession carried. This all made her incredibly uncomfortable as she sat motionless in his passenger seat for those long twenty minutes until they reached her apartment. She stared out the window trying to hide her tear stained face and quite her breathing so that he wouldn't have the urge to look over at her. The gig was up once they reached her place, however. She considered making a bolt for it—he wouldn't have to see her and she wouldn't have to see him. But, although her heart was crushed, she wasn't heartless. If she left him like that, so suddenly and coldly, she knew she would just be giving him another reason to worry.
She opened the car door and stepped out before turning to finally face him. He'd seen her cry plenty of times, but he'd never been the cause of it. The sight of her puffy red eyes and nose sent shooting pain through his stomach as she gave a slight smile back at him. For the last twenty minutes he had been trying to sneak glances of her, and now there it was.
She made brief eye contact with him and broke it as she turned, "Goodbye, Booth". The words made her choke and she moved to quickly get away. Screw politeness—she couldn't let him see her break down again.
"Night. I'll see you tomorrow," the way she said goodbye had made him nervous. He was hoping that maybe she'd turn around or at least call back affirming that he would, indeed, see her tomorrow. He didn't want this night to be the last time he'd ever see her.
Brennan gave no response back and swiftly hurried out of the rain and past her doorman. Booth unbuckled his seat belt and opened the car door—prepared to chase her down. He couldn't lose her as a partner and he certainly couldn't lose her in his life. Maybe they weren't going be together in that way—but she had become such an important piece of his life he couldn't let her just drop out because they hit a rough patch. He didn't leave her when she had done the same to him. It wouldn't be fair.
Booth stood outside of his car. The door was still open and rain was pouring inside. The chase had stopped before it began. Maybe it wouldn't be fair of her to leave him after he had stayed by her—but he would understand it if she did. The situation was different this time. She had turned him down because she wanted to protect him, herself and their relationship. He turned her down for another woman.
Booth slumped back into his car and Brennan stood in her door way.
Alcohol was certainly the tempting option to end her night, but she figured opting for a shower might be the more beneficial choice. She walked to her bedroom; ready to peal off her damp clothing when she noticed her unmade bed. Another sign, like her wet hard wood floors, of the person she was now becoming. She didn't like these new traits she had developed. They were careless and irrational—and maybe they wouldn't be so bad if they had been a product of her finally not being alone—but she was. She was alone still. It hadn't mattered that she had learned to be more open or to let things slide because in the end it was just her and a slightly messier apartment.
It was all so depressing and it was certainly not a productive use of her time standing their in her room staring and wrinkled sheets. Brennan turned on her shower and stripped down. The heat and the steam felt good as it washed the residue of the night off her skin. But as she stood in the down pour of warm water, she could not control her mind's fixation on the previous events of the night.
It always amazed Brennan how, in the aftermath of distressing events, her heart would actually feel physically hurt. She knew she was in good shape and ate very well—her heart should not feel the way it did for all logical reasons. Although she never place much, if any, stock in phycology—emotions should not have the power to effect the body in such a way—but they do. If she metaphorically had her heart broken; she should not be feeling pain in her heart. They should not be inversely related. Yet here she was. It could be the stress of the situation—emotional stress has been proven to create physical stress on the body—but it all seemed like maybe a little more. True heartache.
She loved Booth. After all this time she could finally admit it too herself. She loved Booth and in more than just a platonic way. It was unconditional and sexual and confusing—it was all there and had been for longer than she knew. She could feel her eyes start to tear and her throat beginning to tighten the more she thought about it. It was ridiculous for her to be feeling this way. She was smart and successful—that should be more than enough for her to feel satisfied. It was selfish of her to want more. And selfish of her to want to take Booth away from Hannah when she was the one he loved. She tried to fight off the second wave of break down she knew she was on the verge of hitting, but eventually she just killed her defenses. She allowed herself to have this night to hash it all out with herself and in the morning she'd put it all to rest.
First chapter was really about establishing where they're at emotional. More action will follow.
Please review. I'd love the feedback!
