This is a short one shot that I was thinking of when I thought of the episode where Booth and Bones went to Washington and discovered a cannibal. I wondered if Bones was able to pick up on Booth's somewhat obvious jealousy from the bar scene and then when he couldn't find her for breakfast the next morning. It's an interesting question since this was early in their partnership and her people skills were not anywhere near what they've become, despite her still needing some work on them. Here's what I came up with. Hope you like it. Gregg.
Disclaimer: I don't own, or profit from, these characters or franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
"I didn't sleep with him," Bones said as she settled back in her seat in the plane next to Booth. Oddly enough there weren't many passengers on this flight from Seattle to Denver, so she was able to have a conversation without anyone overhearing them. She'd also upgraded their seats to First Class out of her own pocket since she refused to fly standard anymore, even if the FBI was offering to pay.
"Huh?" Booth said as he looked up from the magazine he was glancing through. He didn't like flying too much to begin with, as it brought back too many memories of heading out on missions while a sniper, but he could get used to this First Class stuff.
"Charlie," Bones explained. "I didn't sleep with him."
"What are you talking about?" Booth asked, though he knew full well what she was saying. He'd asked Angela about Bones and her obviously carefree attitudes about sex, and the answer had been somewhat shocking. Bones enjoyed sex, like any sane individual, but viewed it as nothing more than 'biological imperatives' which could be alleviated by seeking out a willing male who was a reasonable sexual partner for a night. Bones didn't go in for long term relationships.
"Sex, Booth," she said in an exasperated tone. "I did not have sex with Charlie. I thought about it, and he hinted at a one night stand, but I said no."
"And you're telling me this why?" he grated out through slightly clenched teeth. He was not comfortable at all discussing Bones' sex life with her.
Bones turned in her seat to observe her partner and friend. It was surprising to her that they'd become friends, but somehow, despite his hijacking her on cases when she was backed up with work at the Jeffersonian, they had become friends. She trusted him, and that to her was unbelievably important.
"I noticed how you acted at the bar when he was always wanting to dance with me, and also when the other men there wanted a dance or two," she explained. "I also can tell when a man is jealous, Booth, and you acted jealous when we were in the woods and you asked me why I didn't come down for breakfast. I can only assume you were jealous, and I wanted to let you know that I did not have sex with Charlie, or anyone else for that matter the entire time we've been on this case."
Booth sighed. He was obviously not going to get away from this conversation, so he may as well ask his own questions. "Why didn't you take him up on his offer?" he asked. "He seemed nice enough." He hated saying that last, but he had to be honest. The guy had been nice and there was nothing that Booth could pin point that would negate that conclusion.
"He was handsome enough, and likely would have provided me with a great deal of pleasure," Bones allowed. "But I want my encounters to coincide with my own biological imperatives, and I had no such imperatives to deal with at this time."
Booth almost laughed out loud. It sounded like Bones was saying she hadn't been horny and needing to get laid. He kept his views to himself, though.
"Besides, he wasn't who I want at this time," she admitted.
"And who do you want?" he asked, suddenly curious. He knew about her urges and imperatives line, but he really didn't know what kind of guy she was attracted to. He decided that he would begin doing some quiet background checks on the guys Bones dated from now on to make sure that they were decent enough and good enough for her.
"You," she admitted without any preamble.
Booth choked on his drink which he'd just taken a sip of. "ME???" he spluttered, wiping the remnants of the drink off of his shirt.
"Is everything alright, Sir?" the airline stewardess asked as she came up to see if Booth was having problems.
"It's okay," Booth said with a smile. "Just went down the wrong pipe is all. Could I have another, please?" he asked. He was quickly given another drink and then they were left alone again. He turned back to Bones who was watching him with a slight bit of amusement glimmering in her eyes.
"Me?" he asked again, this time a bit more normally.
"Why wouldn't I want to have a sexual rendezvous with you?" Bones countered. "You are well structured, have athletic prowess, and are considerate of other's needs. I believe that you would make an excellent lover and we would mutually enjoy the experience." She paused. "But I also know that you would not agree to such a rendezvous."
That caught Booth's attention after he spent a moment preening at her compliments of his physical qualities. "How do you know that?" he asked curiously.
"From what I have been able to determine in the months of our partnership, and friendship, you appear to be a man who prefers a committed relationship as opposed to casual ones," she observed. "Whether by religious background, or some other influence is irrelevant. I have also observed that you seem to devote most of your efforts at flirting and other mating rituals for blonds, whereas I am a brunette. I also get the impression that I anger you with my lack of social skills and dismal understanding of pop culture. Your innate kindness would not allow you to engage in a sexual relationship with me as you would not want to do or say something that may hurt my feelings as I don't measure up, I believe the phrase is, to what you would look for in a lover."
Booth decided to set the record straight, but decided not to mention his girlfriend for the time being. Why bring Tessa into this discussion if it wasn't necessary? "You're right on one point, Bones," he told her, not entirely comfortable with the whole conversation. "I do believe in a committed relationship, though I can't admit to being a saint on the subject. The problem, though, isn't that you're a brunette instead of a blond, or that your social skills and pop culture knowledge are less than most peoples. The real problem is that we work together. There are no hard and fast rules for us since you aren't an FBI agent, but in general it isn't a good idea for coworkers to be in a relationship, whether it be casual sex or a more committed one. I don't think it's a good idea, even though I would consider it if the timing were right and the circumstances were something more pleasant than a case where we found a cannibal. Does that make sense, Bones?" he asked.
Bones considered his answer. He hadn't said no, and he hadn't said yes. It was more in the nature of a maybe. "You don't find my personality off putting?" she asked almost shyly, though she was shocked that she'd asked the question. She had never been terribly sensitive on what others thought of her, but for some reason Booth's opinion mattered to her.
Booth smiled, finally. He may be uncomfortable, but he could see that she was trying. "Not really," he admitted. "It may be frustrating at times and come out at the worst of times, but why would I mind it? It's just who you are, Bones. Why would I want to change something about someone I consider a friend? Maybe that's that small ingredient that makes our friendship possible. We compliment one another. Take that out of the mix and we may have a disaster."
Bones thought about that for some time, while she noticed that Booth let her think about what he'd told her. She had been honest in telling him she found him desirable and wanted him sexually, but she could also see that he had a point about coworkers getting involved. She may not agree with it, and she hoped that someday the two of them could explore the chemistry that was between them, despite all the arguing and debating that went along with figuring out this rather unique partnership. Someday. That's what it boiled down to. She couldn't help needling him, though.
"So, if I had had Charlie up to my room to have sex, you wouldn't have been upset?" she asked, keeping a watchful eye on Booth.
Booth had his head back, thinking that the conversation had ended. He gave her that smile that she had come to enjoy seeing.
"Now I didn't say that, Bones," he said in a soft cadence. "I wouldn't have done anything, but I'm a normal guy who knows what is important in this world, and if I see some guy getting what I have dreams of, then I'm not going to be too happy." He turned his head back and closed his eyes, letting the sleep that had eluded him for a couple of night capture him.
Bones smiled even wider. Definitely someday. Until then she would just have to take care of her biological imperatives like she always had. Hopefully Booth would understand and both of them would be ready for each other at the same time. One thing was for sure. She now knew that she had a friend she could genuinely count on. He cared. She opened an anthropology journal and relaxed, feeling more personally secure than she had in a long time.
A/N: Has anyone ever had a discussion that was completely off the record and never referred to again for some reason? I thought that this kind of conversation early on when both were noticing the UST between them, and the formations of a genuine friendship, could easily have happened. It also helps explain the difficulty that Booth had later on with Bones dating other guys, and even later her relationship with Sully. I hope that you all enjoyed this short little piece that allows canon to be maintained, but adds a bit more understanding between the characters. It also puts forth the idea that Bones notices more about Booth than she lets on. Let me know what you think. Gregg.