Ch. 2

Dr. Temperance Brennan sat in her office at the Jeffersonian Institute. Things were very slow in the Medico-Legal Lab, so she was proofing the galleys of her latest book. Or she was supposed to be proofing the galleys of her book. Her mind kept wandering off to her partner.

Their time apart had led her to better appreciate him and she had come to realize that she had been very foolish to reject his "proposal" the year before. It wasn't a proposal of marriage, but a proposal that they try being a couple, an "us." Booth had told her he had always loved her and wanted to spend 30 or 40 or 50 years loving her and caring for her. She did want to be with him for 30 or 40 or 50 years, but she remained skeptical about love and the ability of love to last that long. She had thought that 30 years as his partner was a better bet than only 10 as his girlfriend or wife.

But, her time away had helped her see what her friends and family had been telling her for years. What she could have with Booth was worth the risk that love wouldn't last. Besides they kept telling her, if Seeley Booth truly loves you, only death could take him away from you. Everyone said that's the way he loved her.

She returned from Muluku thinking she could take back her rejection and give "us" a try, but Booth had actually moved on. He was now with a beautiful war correspondent, Hannah, who had followed him back to Washington from Afghanistan.

Stupid genius. Stupid, stupid genius. Her best chance for true happiness (whatever that was), and she had blown it off because she was so afraid of losing him completely. Her childhood abandonment by her parents had taught her that love cannot be trusted. Even those who supposedly love you, can leave. She had assumed that work, logical, rational work, and friendship were more likely to survive. And, since you wouldn't be all emotionally attached, you wouldn't get hurt as badly.

Now it was probably too late. Angela and Cam kept telling her it wasn't, but she could see with her own eyes how much happier Booth was now. He had been so sad after she had said she couldn't change and wouldn't gamble on them, on him. She thought this was the only way to protect him from herself and protect her heart from the pain of loss.

That Cam thought it wasn't too late was her one ray of hope. Her boss had known Booth for years. They had been lovers years ago and even for a short time after she came to the Jeffersonian. Who knew him better? Who had his interests more at heart? Well, actually, she, Dr. Temperance Brennan, world-renowned forensic anthropologist and hit mystery writer, did.

Angela, her best friend and an amazing forensic artist cum computer expert, had been trying to help her with strategies for winning Booth back. Mostly they seemed to deal with sexy clothing.

She kicked herself in frustration. She had made a terrible mistake that it was probably too late to fix. Even if it wasn't too late, she had no idea what to do to win Booth's love back.

Lost in thoughts of Booth, she nearly fell out of her chair when her phone jingled the special tune she had set for Booth.

The text message was brief and to the point. "Like Booth," she thought. "Lunch 12:30 Diner?" She texted back "yes."

"Yes!" she said, pumping her fist. Then she realized she'd said it out loud, so she looked around to be sure no one had heard her.

"Maybe today won't be so bad after all. At least I get to see Booth," and she was lost in thought again.

Brennan didn't know it, but Angela and Cam had heard her "Yes!" They had been talking in the hallway and were startled by the exclamation coming from the usually taciturn anthropologist's office.

"What's that about?" Cam looked at Angela.

Angela was grinning from ear to ear. "That's a woman in love getting a message from her man."

"What do you mean?"

Didn't you here the music before Bren said "Yes!"?

Cam shook her head.

Angela giggled, "She doesn't know that I know, but that's the jingle for Booth. I'd guess that she got a text from him. At this point anything from him sends her to the moon."

Angela glanced at the clock. "My guess would be from the time that he asked her to meet him for lunch. Shall we join them?" An evil smile crossed her face.

Cam gave an equally mischievous smile, but responded, "As much fun as it would be to mess with them, they are doing too good a job torturing each other. It would be like taking candy from a baby – just cruel."

"You're right, Cam, but it could have been a lot of fun." They looked at each other and burst out laughing.