A/N: I recently went to a Sara Bareilles concert and therefore, her music is infiltrating every aspect of my life, even more than usual. (That's saying a lot because I'm obsessed!) A songfic, which I don't usually do, and don't even read that often but the muse struck so I must obey. Takes place after 6x1. Reviews (good or bad) are encouraged!

Disclaimer: I own neither Bones nor Sara Bareilles. The interpretation of both is all mine.

"Bones, what's wrong?" Booth asked, knowing that something wasn't right with his partner.

"Nothing." She said, completely lying.

"Bones…" He said again, waiting for her real answer.

"He was a baby." She said simply. "He was just a baby. We deal with murder all the time and we handle it, but this was an accident. He was loved and taken care of. It's almost worse."

"I know." He said, rubbing her shoulder. His comforting gesture and the way he was concernedly staring at her caused her to lock eyes with him. If this had been any other man, she might have kissed him. Instead, she recalled Hannah's photograph that he had flashed before her only a few days earlier.

"I'm sorry." She said, breaking away from him. "I'm probably just tired. I'm still on Maluku time and we just jumped right into this case for Cam's sake. I'll be fine after I get some sleep." She said, hoping he was as off-kilter as she was at the moment and he wouldn't catch the lie. She held her breathe as she glanced over at him. If he saw through her, he never showed it.

I don't want to talk about it to you
I'm not an open book that you can rifle through
The cold hard truth that you'll see right to
I'm just basket case without you

"Let me take you home." He said, wrapping an arm around her waist. She fought the wrench of her gut at his hand on the small of her back. She used to think that his touch was the only thing that could truly comfort her but what was once steady and familiar was now the only thing that could truly hurt her.

He's not a magic man or a perfect fit
But had a steady hand and I got used to it
And a glass cage heart and invited me in
And now I'm just a basket case without him

She sat in the passenger seat, the spot that was rightfully hers, and stared out of the window. There was a time when no one could touch her, back when she was guarded and clinical. He was the one who had taught her about having an open heart. He was the one who taught her how to feel, to love, and to really experience life. For the seven years that they had been partners, there had been stolen moments when he had made her feel loved and wanted. Every one of those moments was now coming at an expense. To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction, she thought.

Hannah. The name alone made her stomach turn all over again. Even from the other side of the world, the woman was destroying everything good that they had once had. Although, she was partly to blame as well. She had waited seven months to return and tell him how sorry she was, how much she regretted her decision to turn him down. At the time it had been a panicked move, and with the light of day, she had immediately realized what she had missed out on. It took flying halfway around the world to realize that she wanted nothing more than to be next to him.

Ever since that night, she had been haunted by an old conversation: one that had taken place with Rebecca of all people. Brennan could still see the blonde discussing her missed opportunity with Booth.

"By the time that I realized I had made a mistake, that I'd still be the same person... I think there's a moment for two people, a single moment, where they can either catch fire or… Seeley and I, we missed our moment."

The only reason Brennan had remembered the conversation at all was because, at the time, she had applied it to her own missed opportunities with Booth when she got in the cab instead of trusting him. She mentally scoffed at her own foolishness. If that first night outside the bar was a missed opportunity, what was that night outside the Hoover?

Yet despite being miles apart at the time of her revelation, she had been convinced that he would understand the thoughts behind her actions, just as he always did. She had been patiently saving his place in her life, awaiting their reunion and the chance to apologize to him in person, just as he deserved. But when she finally returned, he wasn't there to claim his spot. He had moved on, just as he promised he would. Seven months apart had single-handedly erased seven years together.

"Bones." She heard him say her name and she turned her attention to him. "Are you sure that you're okay?" He asked, the concern in his eyes showing how honestly worried he was about her. She nodded and glanced out the window again.

You're begging for the truth
So I'm saying it to you
I've been saving your place
And what good does it do?
Now I'm just a basket case

Now I'm just a basket case

He stopped the car and got out, wanting to open the door for her. It was a move that she usually fought him on, but tonight, she was too tired to care. He walked her silently up to her apartment; his hand on her arm in that familiar way that was too much for her to bear. It took everything she had not to shake it off. Like a red hot branding iron, it was driving through to her core and she couldn't decide if she wanted to scream or cry as she slid her key into the lock and opened the door to her apartment.

I don't say much and it'll stay that way
You got a steel train touch and I'm just a track you lay

"I'll see you tomorrow Booth." She said coldly, dismissing him from his duty of watching out for her. He recognized her dismissal and he looked hurt by it, but he didn't argue. What could he really say at this point?

"Get some sleep." He said, unable to stop himself from wanting to take care of her. Once upon a time, she might have believed that his care for her was actually due to love but now she knew better. He had spent every day of the last seven years doing just that. He was simply conditioned to respond, like Pavlov's dog.

So I'll stay right here underneath you
I'm just a basket case and that's what we do

She nodded as she closed the door on him and fell against it, unable to stand up anymore. She slid down the wood, letting herself finally fall apart. Angry, silent tears streamed down her face as she took the blame for the situation out on herself. Why had she been so stupid as to think that a man like Booth would wait for her after she had clearly broken his heart? There was a knock on the door as Booth's voice softly made its way through the wood.

"Bones…" He sounded like his heart was breaking. "I know you're on the other side of this door. I can see your shadow." He said and she suddenly found herself hating him for only knowing her so well only when it was the most inconvenient for her. The hatred took her by surprise and she quickly reeled it back in. "Bones, open up. Please? I'm begging you to let me in." Too late, she thought bitterly. I've already opened up and what good did it do? "I'm not leaving until you open this door." He promised and she knew that he would stay right there on the hallway floor until she obeyed.

You're begging for the truth
So I'm saying it to you
I've been saving your place
And what good does it do?
Now I'm just a basket case

She didn't bother wiping the tears from her eyes as she stood up and opened the door. One sight of her sad and angry features and Booth was inside the hallway with his arms around her. In her already weakened state, she didn't fight him this time and she let herself cry, mourning what might have been as he held her gently in her own entryway.

"Shh. It's okay." He said as he held her firm. "I've got you." He promised.

"I'm sorry." She said through her tears. "I'm so sorry."

"I'm here. It's okay." He rubbed her back and fought his own tears.

"I'm just so tired." She whimpered. She knew that he heard what she was really saying, 'I'm too tired to pretend for you.'

"I know." He said. Of course he did. He knew her better than anyone. "It's okay." He promised. "I'm not going anywhere."

Won't somebody come on in and tug at my seams?
Oh, send your armies in, of robbers and thieves
To steal the state I'm in I don't want it anymore

Booth had stayed by her side until she fell asleep, which admittedly, didn't take long considering how sleep deprived she had actually been. He had quietly sat next to her bed, refusing to leave her side until she fell asleep. When she awoke, she expected to be alone so she turned over to stare at the ceiling and let out a sigh. It was then that she saw the jacket lying across the chair in the corner of her bedroom. Underneath it, one Special Agent lay sleeping quietly. She suddenly hated herself for being so weak. He was just as tired as she was, she was sure, but she had been the one to uncharacteristically fall to pieces in her own doorway. He deserved to move on and here she was, pulling him back in. She was going to do better. She was going to be happy for him, be a good partner, and that started with being supportive of his decisions.

You're begging for the truth
So I'm saying it to you
I've been saving your place
And what good does it do?
Now I'm just a basket case

Sensing that she was now awake and staring at him, Booth stirred under his makeshift blanket and opened his eyes, confused by his surroundings.

"Hey." He said, once he spotted her. "How are you feeling?" He asked before letting out a yawn.

"Better." She said. "You should get going. It's Saturday. You've got to pick up Parker soon." She said, glancing at the alarm clock on her bedside table.

"Don't have him this weekend. I wasn't exactly planning on being here." He said as he stretched and sat up, stiff from sitting at a terrible angle all night long. She hadn't thought of that as she pursed her lips together in thought.

"Then do you want breakfast?" She asked him. It was the least she could do after putting him through all of that last night. He stared at her a moment, unsure if she was just being polite.

"Sure." He said. "I'll tell you what. I'll run home and take a shower and we can meet at the diner in, say, an hour?"

"Okay." She nodded as he made his way for the door. "And Booth?" He turned around just before he left her bedroom. "Thank you." He nodded slightly.

"Any time." He replied softly. "You know, after seven years together, you would think that a genius like yourself would know that by now." He said, a small but teasing smile on his lips breaking the intensity of the moment. She watched as he disappeared around the corner and waited until she heard the front door close before climbing out of bed and getting ready for her day.

A/N: Okay, so I know that the current show's bitterness sort of seeped into this. Even I read parts of it and went…whoa, where did thatcome from? I think I could make this into a small story, a couple of chapters at the most. I like angst, but I like happy endings more. Thoughts? Opinions?