Ok, another Bones fanfic, because after last night's episode I coudn't resist. Try ignoring grammar errors, 'cuz it was not revised.
I wrote it after reading Bookdiva's "The Doctor in the Photo Promo Scene" and decided that would be fun to see what would happened if Booth called Bones by her name.
Read, enjoy, review.
It was late at night. At his office, everything was calm. That last weird case of the doctor who looks like Bones has been finally closed and he was just ready to go home, see her girlfriend and relax just like every other Friday night.
But that was before Sweets knock on his door, looking agitated, almost as if worried about something.
– Sweets… what you're doing here…? – He asked, surprised.
– I really need to talk to you agent Booth. About Dr. Brennan…
– What happened to Bones? – His heart beat faster for a second. What could have happened to her? Last time he saw her, she looked pretty scared about the resemblance between her and the victim of the last case.
– And Hannah…
Booth was now both relieved and angry. Sweets had been filling his patience with that for weeks now. It was not that important. Bones was a rational person completely capable to understand his relationship with Hannah without further problems.
– Oh, sorry. Not gonna happen.
– It's serious this time, Booth…
– Serious what? What do you want me to do? – What the hell he wanted, after all? He realized he had never really known. Couldn't be that hard and he could finally get Sweets out of his foot. He might even have done it, already.
– Have you talked to Dr. Brennan about Hannah, already?
Touché.
– No, I would I?
– You do really not understand what's going on here, do you? – Oh. That. But that couldn't possibly be his fault. No way it was.
– What? You think Bones' acting weird because I'm with Hannah? That's completely lame.
– Why? Is kinda obvious here that she think she lost you t-
He, now, understood why Brennan hated shrinks.
– Sweets, stop, ok. Stop. You could have all the qualifications in the world, but, still, you wouldn't be able to understand it.
– What do you mean? – The boy looked confused.
– … Look, don't get me wrong here ok, I love Hannah, I'm mad about that girl, but… Bones?... Me and Temperance, what we have is special. Unique, ok? – He started, unhesitating – She doesn't think she lost me. That's crazy. I'm attached to her in too many levels for that to happen… I love her. As my best friend. As my partner. There's a very thin, tenuous line that united us, Sweets. But it's unbreakable.
After that, Sweets was speechless. He looked down, as if trying to comprehend the dimension of all that.
– I'm not the person who you should be telling this, agent Booth. – He started.
But Booth wasn't paying him attention. His cell phone rang and he was too busy reading the text someone sent him.
– It's Bones. See? If she thought she'd lost me, why would she send me a SMS asking me to go to the Jeffersonian? It's her second home, why would she invite me if she's pissed with me? Your theory is lame Sweets. – He said, with a smile, in relieve.
Booth had to admit it. Sweets had almost convinced him with his shrink talk. But as he, himself, had explained him, it was just impossible that Bones lost his faith in him. That was impossible.
He got the keys to his car from the top of the table and directed a serious look to Sweets.
– Everything is fine with me and Bones, ok? – He screamed, mostly to himself, already out off his office. – Everything's just fine.
Another dead body was in the autopsy table. This time a mummy. Every squint was around it, examining, testing and… squinting. Poor guy, that one in the table. With a little luck, Booth would skip the autopsy part when died. He asked himself why Temperance wasn't with all the other genius, analyzing the ancient remains. It was her true passion, after all.
– Hey, Ange… Have you seen Bones? – He asked, trying to make himself visible in the midst of squints.
– She was looking for you... She's at Limbo, sweetie.
– Thanks – He said, walking his way to Limbo, but being interrupted by Angela.
– Booth…?
– Yes…
Angela hesitated a little. He noticed how her fingers gripped on the tablet in her hands, as she got closer to him.
– Easy on her ok? She didn't seem like herself these days. She's a little touchy…
– Ok… – He said, going downstairs.
Weird name, he thought while entering the place, but still appropriated. Limbo was the most peaceful place one could find in the museum. One of Booth's favorite places in Jeffersonian, it was the only area where he didn't get uncomfortable. Bones normally didn't go down there unless necessary. She probably wasn't over the last case. Temperance Brennan was finally acting like a real person.
Now he was worried.
The place was too big. Lots and lots of bodies inside transparent boxes, creepy enough to make you lose direction. It was very easy to get lost there, so Booth looked very carefully to every turn he take, every corridor. And that way she found Temperance.
But she was lying on the floor.
– B-bones! – Booth's voice was no more than a whisper.
Oh my God, please, be alive.
Scared to death, he knelt at her side, placing his hand at her neck, right below her ear. Her slow pulse could be felt under her skin. He sighed in relief for the third time that night.
– Hey, Bones? – He said, basing her neck in his hand and rapidly lifting her head of the floor. And old cop trick to make people wake up. – Temperance… Temperance.
She opened her eyes, blinked a couple of times and gripped at his shirt, sitting on the ground.
– Don't make me ask…
– What you're doing here? – She asked, resting her forehead in her free hand.
– Brennan, what the hell happened here?
She turned her head to face him, stunned, and Booth noticed something he hasn't seen before, because of the shock: she was pale and her eyes were red. She had been crying pretty bad.
A sad look filled her face and she stood up.
– It's nothing… – She lied, cleaning her face with the lab coat sleeves. – I slipped; probably just knock my head on the floor.
Temperance looked at him again, as if expecting for something. But when that something didn't came, she took a step, walking her way to her office.
– Temperance, since when you're down here? – He asked, grabbing her arm.
– I don't know. Since last night I think.
Another lie. Another tear that went down her face.
– Last night? Have you eaten since then?
– I… Booth. Let me go, ok?
– Brennan I-
– Please, d-don't do that…
When she finally turned to face him, her face was covered in tears. He'd seen her like that before and it scared him just as much as seeing her lying on the floor. It broke his heart to know that he was the reason of it.
– Please, don't call me Brennan.
– Why?
– It just… – She hold her breath for a second, taking control of herself again. Distancing herself from the victim. – It confirms some facts that I… – For a second, Temperance thought of what was she saying, and couldn't help laughing a little at it. That was a fact. Why she was crying so badly? – Look. The fact is that I-I've been replaced by your new girlfriend. That's… ok. I mean, everything changes and-
– Oh. My. God. Sweets was right. – Damn it – Bones. Bones… – So that Roman melodrama was really because he didn't just talk to her…
Booth hugged Temperance tightly, felling her hands gripping in his suit as she always done it. He sure missed that. And so did her. His heart beats tended to calm her down. Make her think straight again.
– Bones, I told you, I do love Hannah, but that doesn't mean I don't love you too.
Temperance moved away his body and cleaned her face again, but this time, she didn't need to struggle with the tears. They were not coming anymore. The facts and the rationality were taking over the control off her mind again. The world was upside up, finally.
– I'm not sure I understood…
– Look, Bones, once I heard this quote, I think it's Van Gogh's or, whatever… But, it said that true love can't die, it only changes.
– You never said you loved me, Booth, not the actual words.
He knew that that was true, and deeply regretted never saying exactly how much he cared about her.
– Yeah, but it doesn't mean it isn't true. – He said, seeing a shy smile in her lips. – You, for example, never said you love me, still, I know it.
Temperance opened her mouth to protest but he didn't let her.
– It's ok, Bones… Don't even bother trying to deny it.
For a moment, silence.
– So, we're ok? We're fine, even as just friends?
She laughed easily, looking down to hide her red cheeks.
– Of course, we are, Booth.
He sighed.
– Thank God. I could never live without you, you know?
She knew it, but still, her chest was lighter and her thoughts free again just to listen he saying that. She was sad, but still, happy. And ashamed. She was not the kind of girl who cries when a guy leaves her. She was stronger than that. To prove it for herself, she just nod her head in response to his question, and started to walk her way out of Limbo.
Two steps later, her sight went black, and she felt herself falling. Booth quickly got her in his arms before she could hit the floor.
– Ok, you need to have something to eat, and now. Maybe go home, sleep a little…
He looked at the woman in his arms. Her blue eyes gazing his in that moment of comprehension that the two of them had every once in a while. Her face was so close to his, he could sense the warmth of her skin.
She was not completely right, he realize. Not everything changes.
Some part of him always was and always would be her's.
No reason to be offended by the fact.