A/N: I'm back! It's been a crazy week or so, what with EMT class (which I nearly failed out of!) and vacationing on the Cape. I got a bunch o' ideas from all of that, especially because of my iPod... so I think that from now on my pieces are each going to have a theme song. For this one, it is Straight Lines by Silverchair. Not that it inspired me for this, I just really like that song... Actually, I was inspired by drinking coffee during a break in class tonight. ANYWAYS, this note is far longer than it needs to be. On with the show!

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones or Straight Lines.

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Taking Your Coffee Black is Badass

Seeley Booth strolled into the Jeffersonian at half past 7 with two cups of coffee, a bag of bagels, and a mission. He was hoping to arrive before Bones to surprise her with breakfast, despite the fact that she said she hated surprises. No one can hate a breakfast surprise, he thought to himself determinedly. He came up to her office, stopping with a frown when he saw that she was already hard at work. He could tell she was tired from the way in which her forehead was currently resting on her hand, her right elbow sustaining the weight of that enormous brain. She was scanning the papers in front of her through half-closed eyes, and yet she still seemed to be making progress. Booth watched as she grabbed one sheet of paper and stood from her desk, turning to the door.

"Booth!" She exclaimed, eyes wide with surprise. "What are you doing here so early?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he replied with a smirk. He sauntered into the room, coming to a stop in front of his partner. "I brought you breakfast," he conceded when she kept staring at him questioningly. He held out the bag and one of the coffees. She immediately reached for the bag and opened it.

"Did you get me a cinnamon raisin?" she asked, peering into the bag.

"Of course," he answered with a smile. "And your black coffee," he added.

"Good. I didn't have time for breakfast today," she replied, pulling out her desired bagel and heading over to the couch. She plopped down with a sigh, and Booth had to smile at her behavior. I rarely see her this relaxed, he mused to himself. He followed her to the couch and mimicked her actions, falling to the couch with a small grunt. Brennan, meanwhile, was engrossed in her bagel and the case, chewing animatedly as she looked over the paper she had picked up from her desk before.

A thought came to Booth's head as he looked over to see her take a sip from her coffee.

"Why do you take your coffee black?" he asked suddenly.

She looked over at him with a bemused expression. "And non sequitur for the day goes to..." she replied. He had to smile at her attempt at humor.

"I was just wondering," he said. He kept looking at her expectantly, so she gave it a second of thought.

"No particular reason, I guess," she said. "I mean, I just don't like the taste of cream or milk or sugar in my coffee." She paused for a moment. "Why do you want to know?" She turned her curious gaze to him.

"I don't know," he said. He sent her his patented charm smile. "Taking your coffee black is pretty badass, you know." His grin got even wider.

"I have no clue what that means," she replied, looking at him as if he had grown a second head.

"It's just different, Bones, that's all." He couldn't help but be mildly exasperated at her inability to ever know what he was talking about. She sent him another inquisitive look, and he just sighed. "Go back to your coffee and your paperwork, Bones," he said. He stood up and walked to the door. "Call me if you figure anything out, okay?"

She didn't reply, and he turned around to see that she had returned her attention to her work. He smiled, a bit ruefully, and turned again to leave. As he walked through the door, he heard a small, "Thanks, Booth." And this time, his smile was genuine.

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A/N 2: Something I just noticed - I seem to like to end my fics with smiling. What's up with that? Plus, Booth seems to do a lot of fancy walking, and Bones always asks him what he is doing in her office... I'll have to work on that. : D Hope you liked it!