Brennan boards her flight to Jakarta with a little more than human remains on her mind. Set after the Season 5 finale, 'The Beginning in the End'.

A/N: So... This is my first Bones fic and it all came out in a bit of a rush so I hope it's okay. I found the eps after the 100th really interesting because neither of Brennan nor Booth could really go back to normal, no matter how hard Brennan tried... This is just my thoughts on Brennan's thoughts after their parting - I reckon she's savvier than she lets on but just thinks she's doing the better thing.

Also, if I were Hart Hanson, I'd have some canon Bones to write so... Not me.

The Booth on the Brain

Brennan stowed her bag carefully in the overhead compartment and sat down in her seat. She didn't think she'd ever been more grateful for the fact that she didn't have to fly coach - as intelligent as Daisy was, incessant chatter wasn't what Brennan needed right now. Right now, she needed some time alone with her thoughts.

She breathed out heavily and felt her eyes well up. It was okay when she was moving, busy, purposeful but whenever she paused to think about anything - which always ended up with her thinking about everything - she found she struggled to contain her emotions. And so she started with the things she knew, in an attempt to gain some semblance of control.

She knew that she wanted to be going to the Maluku Islands. For anthropology. For herself.

She knew that she needed time away from D.C.

She knew that, despite that, a part of her was still back in the Royal Diner, waiting for her partner, for Booth. For Booth, who had snuck of base to say goodbye:

She knew she was glad she'd gotten to see Booth again.

It had been a shock to see him in his uniform. Sure, she'd seen pictures before but they were of a younger Booth, Booth the boy, not the Booth she knew now. It scared her, the uniform. Brought home to her where he was going - that she couldn't follow him there. Another deep breath.

She knew she had to have some time apart from Booth.

She knew things couldn't keep going like they had been, that something had had to give. Because she had told him no, because she couldn't gamble, couldn't change. She had told him no. Brennan stood by her decision; she wasn't what Booth needed in a relationship. They weren't a logical match. And yet, with her eyes closed, she could still see his face outside Sweets' office building. Could hear herself pleading with him to continue their partnership in spite of it all…

What were they doing now then? Voluntarily running from each other, even when it felt… Booth would probably say it felt like losing a limb and although, scientifically, that was incorrect, Brennan felt the metaphor might have some credence after all. When she'd let go of his hand in the terminal, it had felt a lot like losing an extension of herself.

She shook her head. There was no real reason to be sad; a year from now, she would see Booth again - and Angela and Hodgins and Cam, even Sweets. They would all still be friends. Somehow, though, things felt a lot like they were ending.

Brennan saw Booth's face behind her eyelids, turning back to look at her. One year.