A/N: This story is a sequel to the story I wrote a month or so ago called 'The Man In The Lecture Hall'. It can be read without reading the first but I suggest you do (if only for a little ego boost for me) because I might reintroduce some characters I created for that.
This chapter was altered significantly 28th November. If you originally read this before then, please scroll to the bottom for an extra treat! Thanks for reading.
Night had descended slowly, shrouding the park in total darkness. The children's laughter had long been sent to bed, the swings now hanging still in the playground.
He waited patiently, making sure that everyone had left and the coast was clear. He didn't want to be there, he didn't want to be doing the things he had to do but he knew there was no other choice.
This is the only way. I can't protect them if I don't this, I won't be able to keep them safe. This is the only way.
Sitting cross-legged in the dirt, he looked up through the rustling branches swaying above him, straining to see the stars. Somewhere from the hazy depths of his memory, a female voice echoed through his thoughts.
When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are. Anything your heart desires will come to you…
A tight smile briefly crossed his lips before it slid away as he watched the stars disappear behind the silver clouds. With a heavy sigh, he clambered to his feet and stared through the trees at the park around him.
Such a beautiful little place. So many wonderful memories.
The moonlight glinted against the trail of the solitary tear sliding down his cheek. Wiping it away angrily, he got to work.
oo00oo
Temperance Brennan was exhausted. Every muscle in her body ached and complained, while her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton wool.
Attempting to stifle a yawn, she watched her partner from under heavy lids. His eyes were bloodshot above deep dark circles, his shoulders tense and his mouth a tight line across his unusually pallid face.
With his head in his hands, Booth was staring down at the file in front of him but from the unfocused glaze covering his eyes, Brennan knew he wasn't really reading it.
"Booth, I think it's time we called it a night."
He jumped at the sound of her voice breaking through the eerie silence of the deserted lab. He blinked rapidly before hiding an enormous yawn behind his hand.
Slowly, he nodded.
"You know what, Bones? You're right. As usual… God, I hate paperwork."
He slammed the file shut and slid it away from him across the table. Clambering to his feet somewhat unsteadily, he turned his tired eyes back down to her.
"You alright getting home?"
She nodded as she gathered up her things.
"I'm going to call a cab and just leave my car in the parking structure for the night. I don't really trust myself driving home when I'm this tired."
He looked down at the keys in his hand, shaking his head a little. He threw the bunch up in the air, catching them and sliding them in to his jacket pocket in one slick move before flashing Brennan his best charm smile.
"Mind if I share the cab? I don't really fancy waking up with my car wrapped around a tree."
She grinned back at him as she headed towards the stairs.
"Of course. Give them a call and I'll just drop this stuff in the office."
She disappeared across the platform as he leant against the railing, pulling his cell phone from his pocket to ring a taxi. Staring down at the silent lab shrouded in darkness, the dim light seemed to make his partner's hair glow, almost giving her a halo as she wandered in to her office.
She really is beautiful.
The line connected and he turned his attention away.
He had become an expert at ignoring the strange fluttering in his chest he often felt when she was around, he had taught himself to ignore it and pretend that there was nothing there.
Turning away, he didn't see his partner looking back up at him from the shadows, a faint smile on her lips.
oo00oo
The gentle sound of snoring from the back seat caught the taxi driver's attention, though he had to strain to hear it above the growl of the engine.
Glancing in the rear view mirror as he came to a stop at the red light, the driver couldn't resist a broad smile.
The couple he'd picked up at the Jeffersonian were now dozing behind him. The beautiful and familiar looking woman was leaning against the well-built man beside her, her head resting against his shoulder. The man's arm was draped casually across her lap, her auburn hair ruffling with his every breath.
The driver turned his attention back to the road and moved away from the lights.
They really do make a beautiful couple. They remind me of how me and the wife used to be all those years ago.
Heading towards the first address they had given him, he couldn't help but wonder why two people who were clearly so perfect together weren't already living together.
Maybe they're one of those religious couples with all that no sex before marriage stuff.
Pulling up in front of the building, the driver cleared his throat loudly and purposefully. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty as he watched the pair begin to stir in the back seat.
They both looked somewhat embarrassed finding themselves wrapped around each other, their eyes looking anywhere but each other. The woman began to root through her handbag, mumbling something about paying her half while the man waved her off, practically pushing her out the passenger door.
She paused, half out of the car to turn back to the man she had travelled with. The driver looked away, staring through the windscreen to give the pair some privacy, though his ears strained to listen to how the couple would say good night.
Hearing nothing, the driver risked a glance in the rear view mirror to find the lady passing the man some money. He rolled his eyes but dutifully took it, obviously aware that there was no point arguing with her. She nodded at him with a tight smile as she clambered out.
Pulling the door closed behind her, the man flashed his lady friend an enormous grin. She returned the smile through the window and he watched as she marched up the steps towards her building.
The taxi driver turned back to the man, checking the second address. Pulling away from the curb, he couldn't help but ask his passenger what the deal was.
"So, things going well with your girlfriend then?"
The muscular man raised his tired eyes to the mirror to meet the driver's own.
"Excuse me?"
"You and your girlfriend. You seem very much in love."
The man blinked rapidly and shook his head.
"Oh, she's not my girlfriend. We're partners. You know, work partners."
The driver attempted to suppress a smile.
"Of course, sir. My mistake. If you don't mind me asking, she looks rather familiar."
The man nodded absently, obviously having had this discussion plenty of times before.
"She's an author. She wrote that book 'Bred In The Bone'."
The driver's eyes widened to the size of saucers.
"You mean, that was Doctor Temperance Brennan?"
The man just nodded as he stared out the window. The driver shook his head in disbelief.
"Just wait till my wife hears about this."
Frowning, he glanced at the passenger's reflection again.
"So… Does that make you Agent Andy whatever his name was?"
The man grinned as he caught the driver's eye.
"In a manner of speaking, yes. My name's actually Agent Booth."
"Oh, the one she dedicated the book to?"
The man's smile widened and he nodded before turning his attention back to the scenery whizzing by, his expression somewhat wistful.
They drove on in silence for a few minutes before the passenger cleared his throat loudly. The driver glanced in the mirror, finding the man frowning deeply and obviously struggling to find the words he wanted to say. Eventually, he seemed to give up and returned to just staring out the window again.
Pulling up outside the man's building, the driver watched as the passenger stared up at one of the windows and frowned as the light switched off. The man sighed heavily as he dug through his pocket for his money.
The man clambered out of the cab and the driver couldn't resist leaning out of his window to talk to the FBI agent as he handed over a twenty.
"Thank you sir. And if you don't mind me saying, you can't choose the people you fall for but you should never resist it. Sometimes that means hurting others but to be honest when love's as obvious as it is with you and Doctor Brennan, trust me, the people around you will already know."
With that, the taxi driver roared away in to the night, watching the imposing man shrink in the rear view mirror. He just hoped the man had listened.