Booth shoved the medal into his pocket and checked his reflection one more time in the mirror before spitting toothpaste into the sink.
He wiped his mouth with a towel and turned off the bathroom lights, patting his pocket once, then again, just to make sure the medal was still there.
Just as he reached his door and opened it, a slight knock rang out from the other side. Surprised, he opened the door more quickly. Ah, hell…..
"Bones"…Booth shifted his weight from one foot to the other, not opening the door any further. It's not that he DIDN'T want her around, but…now wasn't really the time… "Can I help you?"
Her eyes widened, but he just hardened his heart to that. Mostly. He still felt that light blue right down to his gut, and with the way the hall light shone on her hair…well….
He swallowed and shifted again, clasping his hand on the top of the door. "What's up?"
Her brow furrowed and she clasped her hands in front of her waist. "I'm not the public, Booth."
Booth pulled in a deep breath, "I…what? What do you mean?"
He patted his pocket once again without thinking. If he didn't hurry, he was going to be late. And he REALLY didn't want to be late.
"I mean…" she rolled her shoulders back, and her voice lowered in that way it always did when she was about to confess something that she thought might be embarrassing her for her. "I mean that…that I am not just any person. I'm your partner, so…I want to know what you were doing this afternoon."
"Why's it such a big deal, Bones?"
Brennan frowned and swallowed, looking at the way his car keys dangled from one index finger, "Are you going somewhere?"
Booth sighed. "Yes."
Her eyes lowered slightly, then rose to meet his for a fleeting moment. "To India?"
Ah….
His arm lowered from the doorway, and he stepped fully into the hallway. "No, I'm not going to India. I'm going to see my brother. Before HE goes to India."
Brennan nodded once, and clenched her teeth, crossing and uncrossing her arms as casually as she could. "I see."
Booth watched as she tilted her head to the side and considered her next works.
She shrugged a shoulder, "I could come with you, if you…" she shrugged again, "If you wanted, that is."
Booth sighed. He didn't want, actually. He stalled for time by closing his door and locking it. But when he turned around, she was still standing there, an expectant look on her face. She pretty much wasn't going to go away, so he figured he could let her come along, or he'd end up telling her about it later anyways.
"Okay, you can come…" he paused and clenched his fist at the tiny spark of triumph in her eyes, "BUT, you stay off to the side. I mean it, okay, Bones?"
"Sure" she nodded as they made their way down the hallway to the steps, "Although, I have traveled extensively, so I might be able to provide some valuable insight—"
"—No!" Booth interrupted and blocked the door, "I'm serious, Bones. This is between Jared and me. If you can't handle that, then don't come along. I'm serious." He repeated.
Brennan swallowed and met his eyes. "I can handle it" was all she said.
Booth pressed his tongue to the inside of his cheek and looked at her for a moment longer before opening the door behind him and motioning for her to walk through it.
They were quiet as they entered the SUV and as they drove through the city.
Booth could see her right foot tapping slightly, a sure sign she wanted to talk, but thankfully, she stayed quiet.
Brennan could see the way his knuckles shifted and whitened against the steering wheel, a sure sign he had something on his mind, but he didn't say anything.
Once they arrived and parked, they both paused, and Brennan saw Booth pat his pocket once, then again. She opened her mouth to ask him what that was about, but then he looked at her, his eyebrows raised. She just closed her mouth and smiled in what she hoped was an encouraging way. The right side of his mouth hitched up, and his head nodded a bit in acknowledgment, "I'm going to be at the bar. You join me when Jared leaves, okay?"
"Okay" Brennan agreed and followed him as discreetly as she could. It was almost thrilling, almost like being undercover, she thought as she slid to the side of the restaurant, having a seat in a darker corner.
A hint of a smile crossed her face at the thought of being able to watch, and she craned her neck to get a good view of what was happening at the bar.
After a few moments, she could see that the brothers had connected, and she watched with interest as Booth motioned for a drink and one was delivered almost immediately. A flush of something warmed her stomach as she saw both brothers side by side. It was only the second time she'd seen them together, and now, it was clear that Booth was….well, he was Booth.
After a few more moments, she saw both men stand and hug, and then Jared turned to leave. Brennan watched as Booth called out for him and tossed him his coat, a smile on his face like one she hadn't seen before. One that was reserved for helping out his brother, she guessed.
But then Jared was gone, and Booth was walking around the bar, sitting on a different stool. Brennan stood quickly, and then paused.
But then she gathered up her courage and her beer and made her way to sit beside him.
"So…how'd he take it?"
The end.