Disclaimer - Bones and all its lovely characters belong to someone else.

A/N - A big thank you for the kind reviews of chapter 1 of this story. (I hate the title of this story by the way, but couldn't think of anything else!)

Quick explanation of the structure for this story - there's a linear story (odd numbered chapters) intercut with random scenes from the past (even numbered chapters) that don't fit into the progression of the story, but do fit the theme. Basically it's because I have an idea for a nice fluffy plot and some one-shot ideas that don't fit into its progression. Hopefully it'll become clear as I write it!

Interlude: A hot drink on a rainy night

The first time he'd done it; the gesture had been abrupt and unexpected, which had meant that her initial response hadn't been very gracious.

In her defence, it had been a long night and they'd only worked a couple of cases together at that point.

And it was fair to say that at least half the time their working relationship wasn't - as in not working at all.

They still spent far too much time butting heads advocating their own particular way of doing things. In truth they hadn't learnt to recognise the other's strengths yet; let alone rely on them.

If someone had described the easy ebb and flow that they had now settled into, they would both have laughed the idea out of the room - and then looked at one and other in surprise when they realised that they'd found something that they agreed about.

But even then, the promise of how it would be was already there.

So naturally, when they were driving back from a crime scene late in the night after longs hours in the freezing rain, Booth had noticed that she was shivering.

They weren't speaking - so he hadn't said anything - but he'd pushed up the heater in the car.

The jagged silence was the result of a lengthy argument at the edge of the pit that had been inexpertly dug out by the FBI crime scene team.

Booth hadn't appreciated the criticism of the men and women standing all around him, wet and cold from standing knee deep in mud and rain all day and who'd done their best to protect the remains from the elements. Temperance had been utterly frustrated to be brought in to use her expertise only to find that the site was compromised and that half the evidence was gone already. It didn't help that Booth had looked at her expectantly, the half smile on his lips telling her that he was waiting for her to work her usual miracles.

They'd stopped fighting after slowly becoming aware of their gaping audience, but further conversation between Agent Booth and Bones had been minimal and neither had said a word after they'd climbed wearily into the SUV, rain water pooling at their feet.

Booth had the driving and lousy weather to concentrate on. Temperance had contented herself with turning away to stare fixedly out her window.

But now that he'd realised that she was cold, he couldn't help but look over anxiously a few moments later. He'd frowned and gripped the wheel tighter when he saw how pale she was and the tension in her jaw that suggested that she was clamping it shut to avoid her teeth chattering.

He started to peer intently at the road signs and five minutes later swung off into a gas station.

Temperance didn't look away from her window and ignored him as he got out, so she didn't see him walk straight past the pump and head towards the adjoining diner.

She felt the blast of cold air when he opened the door again and reached into the back of the SUV. She was about to tell him to pull it closed, when he stretched over and dropped an FBI sweater and a fleecy blanket in her lap and pressed a hot paper cup into her hand.

She looked up at him her eyes widening in surprise. His expression had been unreadable.

They held each other's eyes for a moment, but when she didn't say anything Booth had looked away.

"I'm going to fill up." He gestured to the pump, "You go ahead and get warm."

Then he'd slammed the door and stood with back against the SUV filling the tank.

She'd sat unmoving for a long moment before hurriedly putting the cup down and shrugging out of her soaking coat and wringing top.

She'd breathed in his scent as she'd pulled the sweater over her head.

Not that she'd admit that that was why she'd immediately grabbed the cup and inhaled the sickly sweet aroma of hot chocolate, banishing the strange jolt she'd felt as his warm, comforting scent had settled around her.

Then she'd wrapped the blanket around herself and taken slow sips of her drink - some part of her mind registering that it was made exactly the way she liked it.

When Booth had got back in, she'd noticed the way that his eyes checked that she was okay without saying anything.

She'd glanced out her window again, before catching him stealing another glance.

Their gazes had locked and she heard herself say 'thank you.'

After a moment they'd both begun to smile.

Then Booth had pulled away from the gas station and she'd settled back into her seat.

They were still quiet, but the oppressive silence had now lifted, and the space between them was filled with the wordless communication of tiny gestures and little glances which would become so familiar as their partnership matured.