Chapter 2: 'I don't know what that means.'

"Maybe you could show me some time?" Booth was beginning to get fed up of Trickett's flirting, and they still had three hours to go. They'd already agreed to switch drivers after the first two hours; he hadn't been keen but he was beginning to hope that the distraction would shut him up.

"Why would I do that? I work with Booth." Booth hadn't been listening closely enough to know what they were talking about, but Brennan's response was unmistakably a not-so-gentle-let-down. The tone of her voice told him that he wasn't the only one tired of Trickett's womanising conversation. He recognised it as the tone she'd used with Oliver Laurier – she was being patronising. He grinned as she said his name, more than satisfied with her declaration of her preference of the two men. It felt nice to know that she valued him, that the loyalty he felt towards her was returned.

Booth chuckled to himself quietly as Trickett retreated back into his seat, earning a confused look from Brennan. The fact that she appeared to be so oblivious only served to heighten his amusement. The rest of Booth's stint passed in relative quiet as he explained the case to her, "A guy with a metal detector found the body earlier today; the victim's watch set it off. The local sheriff called in the Feds, agents at the scene ID'd the body as-"

"If they've indentified the body, then why do you need me?" Booth wasn't unaccustomed to Brennan's frequent interruptions.

"Wha- Bones, would'ya let me finish?" She said nothing so Booth shot her a quick glare, watching until she nodded with a slight frown on her face, then returning his eyes to the road.

"So, they identified the body as," he gave another brief look to check he wouldn't be cut off for the second time, and continued, "Freddy Steel, the watch he was buried with had his name in an engraving. I got a couple of people at the Bureau to do a background check. Steel's killer, Luke Seddon, is already inside. Only problem is," he started to use his free hand to gesture, "he was charged on the basis that the police had a witness. James Whitton's testimony said that he was present at the murder and burial of Steel. During trial, the MO was a knife wound to the neck, a slit throat. Only problem is; the body was found four miles from where Whitton said it was. They couldn't dig up the body 8 years ago because it was supposed to be in a graveyard. They requested permission but the judge denied it – said that without a specific spot, they couldn't do it 'cause they'd disturb every body in the cemetery. Whitton couldn't give them an exact location and they were pretty sure they could get Seddon anyway. The guy's creepy, had history and a great motive. All the evidence pointed to him. But it gets worse," He looked over to her and sighed. If that wasn't enough to cause doubt, the next revelation certainly would, "Steel was killed by a shot to the head."

"I don't know what that means." Booth smiled to himself at the phrase, it had been a while since he'd heard that.

"What that means, is… " His expression cleared and he shrugged. "Well they don't know yet, that's why they called us in."

Booth rolled his eyes as Trickett tried his luck again, "They're hoping that you'll be able to help. You've got a brilliant reputation at the FBI."

"Yes. I know." Booth grinned at the frank answer; pleased to see that Trickett's attempt at charm seemed to be having no effect on Brennan, though he knew the feeling. It was a rarity for Booth's charm – that seemed to work so well with most women – would provoke any response at all from Brennan, though he had the occasional victory.

After his time was up, Booth pulled over on the side of the road and got out the car. He stretched and moved to his demoted position in the backseat, pausing when he saw that Brennan had got out too. "Wha-"

"If you don't mind, I'd like to sit in the back?" The question was directed at Trickett, whose face fell even further. "I'd like to get some rest and there's more room back there."

What could he say? "Sure." Booth did his best to hide the smile that surfaced.

BONES-BONES-BONES-BONES-BONES

Half an hour later, Brennan still wasn't asleep. She'd been fidgeting with her clothes, her seatbelt, her phone, trying to get comfortable enough for the sleep to take her. Booth popped the last cashew nut in his mouth and stuck the empty packet in the pocket on the back of the seat in front. Satisfied he'd been fed, he looked across at Brennan. "Com'ere." He gestured to the seat beside him.

She looked at him strangely, then pushed up the armrest that separated them. He patted his shoulder encouragingly, "Go on. Take a nap." His tone was reluctant but his eyes conveyed something entirely different.

She looked up at him, confused for a moment, before the meaning of the words dawned on her. She smiled and looked from his eyes to the shoulder. Slowly, she leant down to rest her head on the top of his arm. She closed her eyes, there was only the thin white shirt between her head and his skin, the warmth felt nice. "Thanks Booth."

He smiled to himself, glad to be able to have her close (and away from his colleague), and glad she was finally sleeping. She'd been spending too long in the lab recently, the rest would do her good.

Booth wasn't tired but the quiet purr of the engine and the soft movements of Brennan as she breathed eventually relaxed him enough that his eyes closed. He was asleep within minutes, though not before catching the glares Trickett was shooting them in the rear-view mirror.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Please review again, especially if you haven't already, then let me know what you think. If you have already reviewed, I'd still love to hear from you, even if it's just one word.