Big shout out to all those who reviewed! Here is the next chapter, as requested.
Disclaimer: If I owned these characters, would I have eaten chicken fingers for dinner?
Italics are Temperance's thoughts. Any details about Washington are totally made up as I've only been there once, when I was 14, and the only thing I remember about the trip is standing in front of the Canadian Embassy and hopping back and forth while yelling "Canada! America! Canada! America!"
Temperance Brennan sat straight up in bed, heart pounding as it does when one is woken suddenly in the middle of the night. It took a minute for her to process why she was awake and to find her bearings in the dark.
Phone ringing. Cell phone.
She reached to her nightstand and grabbed her cell phone.
"Brennan."
"Bones!" She grimaced and moved the phone a few inches from her ear. There was only one person who called her 'Bones' and right now, he was being extremely loud.
"Booth? Why are you calling?"
"Bones, I knew you'd answer!" She realized that not only were his words much louder than normal but they were slurred as well. "I told 'em you'd answer but he didn't believe me!"
"What? Booth, what are you talking about?" She groped for her watch and turned on her bedside lamp. "Why are you calling me at one-thirty in the morning?"
"See, I told you she'd answer!" Seeley's voice sounded further away.
"Booth!"
There was no answer. She pressed the phone to her ear and strained, trying to discern what was happening based on the background noises. It sounded like Booth was not alone. Then there was a loud clattering noise which caused Temperance to jerk the phone away from her ear again before replacing it when she heard a distant "Hello?"
"Yes?"
"Uh, Miss Bones is it?" This voice was gruff, weary and unfamiliar to Temperance.
"Actually, my name is Temperance Brennan."
"Look lady, I don't care if you're the Queen of England. I got your buddy down here at my bar…"
She interrupted him, "Booth?"
"Yeah, that's him. Anyway, he's been here a while, hitting the bottle pretty hard. He started causing some trouble when one of my guys cut him off and tried to take his keys away."
Temperance frowned and sat up straighter in bed. "I see. So based on your observations, Booth is too inebriated to drive himself home?"
"Inebri – what? Hey buddy, where did you find her?"
"Museum." Temperance answered without thinking. She could here Seeley shout the same answer in the background then dissolve into laughter.
"Geez. Okay, museum lady. When Charlie tried to take your buddy's keys away he lost it and took a swing at Charlie."
Temperance groaned. "You'll have to excuse his alpha male tendencies. He demonstrates those when he is not intoxicated as well."
"What? Forget it – I don't think I want you to explain. I threatened to call the cops, which is when your buddy here pulls out his FBI badge. He said if I didn't call the cops then he would call someone to come and pick him up." He raised his voice, "And he wouldn't cause any more trouble!"
Temperance was silent. She could hear Booth proclaiming his innocence on the other end of the phone. Booth called me? And since when does he drink this much?
"Hey lady? You comin' to get your buddy here or would you rather he be taken away in handcuffs?"
"Don't call the police. I'll come. What is the name of your bar please?"
"McAdams. On Shaw Street, past 13th. And hurry okay? Before he punches someone else or worse, starts singing again."
And with that, the bartender hung up.
Temperance sighed, climbed out of her bed and dressed quickly in jeans and a long sleeve shirt. As she locked her apartment and headed out to her car she reflected on the bizarre situation. What is going on with Booth today? And why call me? She set her jaw as she began to drive. It's hard enough getting answers from Booth at the best of times. I think tonight is going to be particularly difficult.