Disclaimer: I have no claim on Bones or 'Eleanor Rigby' by the Beatles. Guess I just have to be content with being a crazy fanatic.
A/N: I know this plot line has been done to death, but I just had to try my hand at it. Don't go too hard on me for being so unoriginal. I was listening to the Beatles the other day, which is something I do a lot of, and realized how sad "Eleanor Rigby" actually is and I was thinking about Bones too, which is also something that consumes a lot of my time, and this is the result.
Hope you like it!
Brennan sat in her dimly lit office, her head in her hands. Her blank computer screen stared accusingly at her, reminding her that Chapter Five of her new novel had to be completed by the end of the week. But her Word Document wasn't the only thing that was blank; her mind could not seem to produce a single syllable that she considered worth recording. She just couldn't write when she felt this way.
Brennan prided herself on being self sufficient, but there were times when she was simply forced to admit to herself that she was just plain lonely. She got up and went to flick on the radio in the corner of her office. It was Saturday night and all the squints, except for Angela, were still in the lab finishing up various projects or just needing somewhere to be besides their empty homes. Saturday night meant that most stations were playing the Oldies but Goodies and when Brennan turned on the radio it was the Beatles that filled the hollow space of her office.
All the lonely people; where do they all come from?
All the lonely people; where do they all belong?
She knew where John and Paul could find a few of them, right here at the Jeffersonian.
She thought about Zach. She knew that her student was a genius, but what did that get him if he was alone? Snap out of it! She scolded herself, but couldn't help but think that Zach was headed for a very lonely life. Just like me. He tried to form connections, but always seemed to be met with failure. I really should talk to Booth about that again, if anyone can help Zach….
Hodgins was still at the lab as well. He was possibly one of the richest men in America, but never seemed to want to go home to his mansion. A mansion for one person. Brennan cringed as she imagined Jack walking down a dark hallway to bed, echoes resounding with every footstep. Even she didn't want that much space.
Angela had already looked for affection from probably half of Washington D.C. and was still trying. If that wasn't a cry for help, what was? She went out with man after man, but always seemed to find herself alone.
She thought about herself. She had never been one to label herself lonely. When had that started?
She knew when it had started.
She had begun working with Booth three years ago and for the first time had witnessed someone who made an effort to connect emotionally with people, with her. Well, she was able to observe Angela, but Booth was…..different. She had seen Booth build a relationship with his son despite the fact that he only got to see him two or three times a month.
She had once told Angela that she missed having someone care about where she was and what she was doing. She had been given a taste of what that was like when she and Booth had finally accepted that they could tolerate each other and become friends. It had broken the seal on that box that she had put her heart in so many years ago and she had finally acknowledged that she didn't want to be alone anymore. She had also reluctantly admitted to herself that she didn't want just anyone to make those empty feelings go away; she wanted Booth.
She heard footsteps approach and smiled at the fact that she didn't even have to look up to know who would be standing in her doorway.
"Bones, what are you doing here? What are Zach and Hodgins doing here? It's ten o'clock on a Saturday night!" Booth looked at her incredulously. He suddenly realized how forlorn she looked. .
"Booth," she asked, leaning back in her chair," where do all the lonely people come from?"
"Are you alright? Maybe you shouldn't listen to the Beatles Bones. Their music seems to have quite the affect on your tired brain." He looked at her warily and wondered if she had gotten any sleep at all over the last few days.
"No Booth, I mean it! Why are there so many lonely people?"
He saw that she was genuinely confused and looked at her apologetically.
"I don't know, I guess. . . ." he began, but she cut him off ranting.
"We have everything we could ever want. We have technology that is everyday allowing us to make advances in medicine, allowing us to make our lives easier and more comfortable. We live in a free country, we have rights. There are countries where persecution and genocide are part of their everyday lives. We have the ability, if we choose, to have loved ones, to have people. No one has to be alone, and yet suicides occur and people die with no there to witness their end. We have everything we could possible want and yet we are depressed and hopeless. " She looked so defeated that Booth went over and knelt in front of her taking her hand.
"I have a feeling that the answer to that particular question might be a tad too psychological for you Bones." His voice softened. "Are you lonely Bones? Because you know, all those things that you've just named, they mean nothing in your life if you're not sharing them with someone. You need to let someone in Bones."
"I don't know if I can do that," she sighed.
He lifted his hand to her cheek. "Yes you can." His statement was so full of confidence that she had to look at him.
She saw comfort and warmth in his eyes, but couldn't shake the nagging voice in her head reminding her that people didn't like her, that she made people uncomfortable, that everyone she let in eventually left her.
"How can you be so sure?" she whispered.
"Because I know you Bones. You're tough," he smiled at her, "and you're not one to admit defeat to anyone or anything."
His optimism was contagious and inspired Brennan to do what she had been contemplating for a while now.
She looked him right in the eye and told him: "I don't want to be lonely anymore."
He pulled her into his arms. "That's my girl! You'll find someone Bones, I know you will. Remember, everything happens eventually."
Booth held her close, mentally applauding her for realizing that, just like everyone else on the planet, she needed human love and affection. He desperately wanted to be the one to offer her that, but for now he was elated that he wouldn't be forever wondering if she was going to be closed off from humanity for the rest of her life.
Brennan realized that Booth still didn't understand.
"No . . .Booth, that's not what I mean," she said with exasperation.
Booth looked confused, did he miss something?
"I want that connection; I want to let someone in . . . but I need that someone to be you." She looked at him with fear in her eyes, fear of rejection, fear that maybe he would just laugh at her.
Instead his confused looked turned to one that could only be describes as ecstatic as he crushed her to him again. "Bones, you have no idea how long I've wanted to hear you say that!"
She pulled back from him. "Really?"
"Absolutely, definitely, totally. . . ."
Brennan wondered when Booth had decided to delve into a Thesaurus as she placed her hand over his mouth.
"Got it."
He just gazed at her and she shifted uncomfortably.
"What?"
"It's just . . . well, I've always dreamed of this happening, now I feel like I'm going to wake up at any moment and wish I was asleep again."
"I can prove to you that this isn't a dream if you'd like," she said with a glint in her eye.
"No Bones, I don't want you to pinch me," he groaned.
"Not exactly what I had in mind" she said as she lowered her lips to his and kissed him softly.
There it is. So tell me, love it? Hate it? Maybe you don't care, tell me anyway! Pretty please, something has to keep my going until April 14th!!