Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters and stories belong to FOX, Kathy Reichs, and Hart Hanson.
A/N: Another chapter. I decided on a multi-chapter. Please review. Thanks. Love, Lawabidingchild.
Booth finally found the strength in his legs to get out of the building without feeling like he was going to fall. He stole a glance back at Brennan's apartment door. He didn't think that there was anything that he could do to save this friendship. He didn't think he would be welcome back to her apartment.
When he was a much safer distance, he took one last forlorn look and headed out into the cold.
The ride in the SUV never seemed so lonely. Normally he'd have Brennan with him and they'd be disputing a case or having a conversation in the car together. Not trying to push each other away. Now that feelings of love and regret were out in the open, they couldn't continue a friendship, let alone maintain a work relationship.
Booth had his regrets, and his regrets were giving his life over to another person, despite how sweet and delightful she is, and not being more persistent with her. If he had been more persistent, he could be in her apartment with her, kissing her, making love to her. But he wasn't and he did and there was nothing he could do about it without hurting someone else.
In a way, there was nothing he could do without creating an even bigger mess than the one he started out with.
The rain was becoming heavier. He had to flip the switch to a much higher setting in order to be able to have some visibility. It was fitting, however. Bones, this goes with everything, doesn't it? he asked her in his head. You went to a terrible part of town already broken and looking for answers. The rain started pouring. Then I break your heart and it begins to rain harder. Don't worry, because I feel just as shitty as you do.
Brennan kept her spot down on her floor. She felt like a broken toy. She felt like each step she could take would be her last, but she decided that, for her sake, she should get up and change into some dry clothes.
Standing up took all the strength she had left. She removed her coat and slumped it over her chair, the wet fabric soaking through the soft threads of the chair. She brushed a wet strand of hair out of her face and pressed on.
She could feel tightness in her chest. The tightness caused by a broken heart. She suspected Booth felt this long ago, when she rejected him because she wasn't ready for a romantic relationship. That made her sick. She proceeded to the bathroom and heaved as hard as she could, taking a paper towel off the roll to rid her mouth of the vomit. She wanted to rid of every single disgusting ailment of her past affections. Maybe there was something she was missing. There was something somewhere that she was somehow overlooking.
She missed Booth so much. She felt like his rejection was like saying good-bye. Maybe tomorrow he'll ask for a new partner and not use the Jeffersonian team at all. Maybe he'll ask to be stationed somewhere else where the may never have to meet again.
She didn't want that.
She didn't want any of that.
She never wanted any of what happened to happen. That was her regret, and now, here they were. On opposites sides of the door. On opposite spectrums of the universe. On two completely different planes of life.
You deserve to be happy, Booth. I don't want to take that away.
