A/N: This story is my exploration of what would have happened if Booth and Cam hadn't broken up, and how the Booth/Brennan storyline would have gone from there. There is minimal Booth/Cam interaction because, honestly, they have no chemistry and are boring to write for. Spoilers through "The Blonde in the Game". For the purposes of this story, we are still halfway through Season 2.
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Change Happens Anyway
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"Come alive, come alive on Friday night." -The Click Five
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Friday nights were Temperance Brennan's favorite. Not for the usual reasons- partying, dates, and drinking. No, Brennan loved Fridays because everyone else left early, and for five blissful hours, the lab belonged solely to her. Some people considered it weird, but it worked for her.
This Friday night was no exception. Hodgins was waiting by the door, pleading with Angela to hurry up and finish her sketch of the latest patient so they could make their dinner reservations. Zach had already left, and Brennan was just settling in at her desk for a long night of work. She couldn't be happier. That is, she couldn't have been happier until Booth walked in.
"Hey, Bones." He wore a devious grin, the same one that he often had when he was about to rip her away from her work and force her to go to dinner with him. The glint in his eye was mischievous, and although Brennan feigned annoyance, she secretly loved their spontaneous dinners. Even if they did interfere with her "business only" Fridays.
"What do you want, Booth?" She did her best to sound busy. He didn't need to know that she was happy to see him. His ego was big enough already. She continued to flip through the papers on her desk, staring alternately at them and the lit computer screen.
"Brennan..." He whined, causing her to look up. He never called her anything but Bones. "I'm taking you to dinner." He said, almost as if it were a question. He almost looked nervous. Did she do that? Brennan wondered. She glanced half-heartedly back at her work, and decided, reluctantly, that it could wait. He seemed very nervous about something.
"Fine, Booth. But this better not take too long."
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They arrived at the diner relatively quickly. Brennan laughed as she realized that she couldn't remember the last time she had eaten anywhere else. A little pathetic, she decided. The conversation flowed easily, and Booth seemed fine. Maybe she had misread him in her office. It wouldn't be the first time.
To a casual observer, they would seem like the perfect couple. Talking and laughing, stealing from each others plates - Booth even reached over once to wipe a smear of dust off of Brennan's face. They were obviously so connected that the rest of the world had just disappeared from their line of vision. The young waitress that had been watching them sighed longingly. If only she could find a boyfriend like that. She turned to grab the coffee pot when a voice stopped her. It was another waitress, one that had been working at the diner for a long time.
"Those two are somethin' else, aren't they?" The older woman remarked.
"Yeah." The girl replied. "Do you know them?"
"They've been coming in here for years. Sometimes it's pie and coffee. Sometimes they stay for lunch or dinner. Hell, even breakfast sometimes, but they're always together."
"That's nice." The girl mused. "How long have they been married?"
"Oh, honey, I don't even think they're together." The older woman replied, laughing.
"But they look-."
"I know, child. I just said they weren't together. I never said they shouldn't be. I've been working in this business a long time. I've seen a lot of livin' happening, and I gotta say. I don't think I've ever seen two people more in love than those two."
"But that's just silly. When you love someone, you marry them."
"You ever heard of a state of denial, honey? That's what they're livin' in. But someday, someday that'll have to change. Just you wait and see." The older woman chucked as the girl walked off. "It'll all change someday." She whispered.
