Author's Note: I changed the title of this collection because frankly, it just seemed to suit what I had in mind better. If that bothers anyone, please just let me know, and I'll do whatever I can. Anyway, I'm loving the fact that people like the idea. I'm not sure how much I plan to do, but I know that there are so many different aspects of the Booth/Brennan relationship that define who they are. There are so many facets that just...well, why am I explaining that to you guys, huh? I mean, crazy obsessed BBers already know, right?;)

Anyway, I thank you TONS for reading this, and ask that you please review. Reviews mean so much to a writer like myself, and I hope that you'll understand.


Booth looked around the waiting room for what he guessed to be the hundredth time before turning his attention to Brennan who sat beside him. "He calls us here. Pretty much demands that we show up, actually. All of that, and then he makes us wait an extra half hour."

"I'm sure that there's a valid explanation as to why we have to wait, Booth." Brennan replied. "Sweets has other patients, you know."

Booth sighed listlessly before shaking his head. He crossed, then uncrossed his legs, hoping for comfort but finding none. "You couldn't tell by the way he follows us around."

"He's monitoring us to make sure that we're still an acceptable partnership." Brennan said, speaking slowly as if he wouldn't understand.

Waving a hand in her direction, Booth shook his head. "Don't you think we'd know if we weren't, Bones? Sweets hasn't once bothered to ask us that question."

Brennan nodded, taking the thought into consideration. "That's true. It's not as if I want to be here, I was just saying that there's a valid cause to be."

He lapsed into silence, thinking of that very reason. While he hadn't said anything, Booth knew there was a real chance that they could be separated. They might have the most successful record of a partnership in the FBI, but if anyone were to realize the underlying feelings he had for her--Booth coughed loudly, stifling any thoughts that he might have vocalized.

"You know that he'll ask, right?" Brennan questioned, the thought occuring to her. She set her magazine down before looking over at Booth, a concerned look etched on her face.

"Ask what?" Booth replied, the same concern now visible in his gaze as everything clicked into place. "Oh." He said, suddenly feeling a warmth spread. "Well, uh..." He shook his head, closed his eyes. "I don't know, Bones."

"It was just a kiss, Booth. You were helping me secure the trailer for my family's Christmas. It's not as if we actually-"

"Whoa there, Bones." Booth said, his voice raising in volume as to detract any possible insinuations from Brennan. He cleared his throat, trying to suppress mental images of what could have been. "Let's not go there."

As if on cue, Sweets hurriedly opened his door. He nodded, calling them in his direction. "It's nice to see you two again. Please-" He said, further opening the door. "-come in."

"It's about time." Booth muttered as he took his seat. He watched as Brennan shot him a look, silently pleading with him. "Fine. I'll be nice."

"I'm glad to hear that, Agent Booth." Sweets said as he walked back behind his desk. He directed his gaze at Brennan, and smiled as he sat down. "How was your trip, Doctor Brennan?"

Brennan shifted in her chair, and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, tried her best to explain simply. "I was able to identify several sets of remains, and assist in several other cases while I was in Peru. I would have been back earlier, but there were complications completing one of the investigations."

"Complications?" Sweets asked, sounding interesting.

"You know that I can't disclose details, correct?" Brennan asked, noting the disappointment, but obvious understanding and Sweets calmly nodded.

"I understand, Doctor Brennan. Booth-" Sweets said, tapping his pen against the desktop. "-without disclosing any incriminating information, what were you doing during the time your partner was away?"

Booth shrugged, clearly he hadn't taken much thought about it. "Worked with the Jeffersonian. I nearly went crazy when all the squints were spouting off scientific theories, but I managed."

Sweets nodded. "Now, when you say you managed, do you mean that it would have been easier if Doctor Brennan were there?"

He shrugged, shooting a look in Brennan's direction. She sat still, hands clasped, but clearly irritated. "Yeah, I guess. What does that matter?"

"It was just a question, Agent Booth. I'm supposed to form a correct analysis, and it's pertinent that you answer questions clearly and correctly." Sweets replied, turning to Brennan. "When you were down in Peru, did you do anything...differently than you would have if Booth had been there?"

Brennan adjusted her position again, glancing at Booth before speaking. "I've worked cases without Booth before, especially prior to our becoming partners. I don't believe that any of my work was made better or worse without Booth being there." She paused, this time looking at Booth longer than she had moments earlier. "Though I admit when I recovered the skeleton, it was easier not hearing the comments over my shoulder."

"It's not just me, Bones. The cops, the people who found them...at least I'm nice about it." Booth said, turning his whole body in her direction.

"That wasn't the point, Booth. I was just telling Sweets the facts. That's what's important to you, right? The fact is, sometimes when I work with you, it's easier to be...distracted." Brennan immediately averted her eyes, her fingers picking at imaginary lint that littered her pant leg.

Though he wasn't sure if Booth had seen it, when Brennan turned her head, Sweets had seen her blush slightly. "Well, then." He said, coughing. "I realize that this might be a delicate subject, but I feel that it is only necessary for us to discuss it..."

"I told you it was coming." Booth said, shaking his head. The image of Brennan pulling him toward her flashed wildly in his mind, the memory of her hungrily pulling at his lapels standing out in full color.

"Booth." Brennan called, shaking her head. "You don't know-"

"I realize that we discussed this partially, Doctor Brennan...but could you please explain to me Caroline Julian's requirements for securing the conjugal trailer at the prison?" Sweets asked, noting the way both partners visibly tensed.

Brennan nodded, thinking about it as a scientific explanation. "I asked for her assisstance to guarantee a trailer at the prison for my family to have Christmas. Russ, my brother...his girlfriend's kids love him. He hadn't wanted to disappoint them, but knew that he couldn't have Christmas in jail. Until the idea came."

Sweets nodded, gesturing for her to continue.

"When I went to speak with her, she mentioned that I needed to do something in return. Caroline said she wasn't feeling puckish enough, and that in order for her to secure the trailer, I was to kiss Booth." Brennan said, staring directly at Sweets, but somehow feeling Booth's gaze burning into her.

"And you agreed?" Sweets asked.

"You already know all of this, we talked about it in the diner before she left. Why do we have to go over it again?" Booth asked, irritated.

"Clearly, as evidenced just now by your outburst, Agent Booth...it is a very sensitive issue. One that could possibly hinder your partnership." Sweets informed him, hands clasped on top of his desk.

Booth sighed, leaning back in his chair. He propped his head up against his hand. "Like her brother." He muttered, hoping no one had heard him.

"What was that?" Sweets asked, noting the tension Booth was currently carrying.

"I didn't mean it." Brennan said, turning her attention to Booth.

"If you didn't mean it, why'd you say it?" Booth asked, regretting saying that he did as soon as the words left his mouth.

"What else was I supposed to say when Caroline was standing right there? Logically, it never should have happened because you've practially been avoiding me ever since. Saying that kissing you was like kissing Russ was my way of-"

"Hello, the kid is right there." Booth said, pointing violently in Sweets' direction.

Rather than interupting, Sweets deciding to take a step back to watch their interaction. If he didn't, he had a feeling they'd only argue further about it later.

"What was I supposed to say after you stole my gum, Booth? I was so surprised, but at the same time relieved because I knew that my family would get the Christmas that they wanted." Brennan said, clearly irritated.

"So you used me, then? That's what it was about?" Booth asked, suddenly forgetting where they were. It was a habit of his lately, whenever Brennan was around. He'd launch into some argument with her, or lose all train of thought the second she acknowledged him.

"What? No, that wasn't it at all." She replied. "I felt bad about it in the first place."

"Why? I even...I told you I was willing to talk to Caroline about it, Bones. But you refused-"

"Because I-" Brennan stopped, frustrated. She bit her lip, slowly looking down at her hands. Sometime during their conversation, she had clenched them together and her fingers were now a stark white.

Sweets cleared his throat loudly, indicating his entrance into the conversation. "Well, then. I think we've still got a lot to cover, but I feel that it's enough for today."

"Finally." Booth muttered, suddenly finding that being anywhere near his partner was uncomfortable.

"For the next week, I'd like you two to simply talk to each other. If talking about the kiss was uncomfortable, I'm sure there are others things that bother you both. Talk about it, but privately...speaking about issues that involve you both in front of an audience will only increase the pressure and stress over answering." Sweets confirmed. He smiled warily. Though he knew he had work to do, he was beginning to believe that they were finally making progress. When neither partner bothered to move, he nodded his head. "You're free to go."


Booth bit into a french fry as he and Brennan sat at their usual spot inside the diner, trying to focus on anything but her. The dark blue sedan that was driving by. The clinking of forks against plates. Salt grating against his lip as he ate another fry. Work. Parker. Anything but Brennan. He was a bit surprised, as he was sure he wasn't angry with her. What he felt was something different, something that he wasn't quite sure how to define. Why had he been offended when she said kissing him was like kissing Russ? It wasn't as if they were involved or ever would be, but Booth felt a little hurt by the fact that she would even say such a thing.

Brennan studied the man sitting across from her, knowing that he was thinking. His jaw was set as his gaze was constantly focused outside of the window. He'd been chewing the same bite for nearly a minute and he hadn't bothered to make an attempt at swallowing. Taking a minute to finish her meal, she looked up to see that nothing had changed. "Booth." She called, and waited until his head turned to speak. "What were you thinking about?"

He smiled, knowing she was genuinely curious. "I don't know, Bones. A lot of things, I guess."

"Define 'things'." She replied before taking a fry from his plate.

Booth watched as she took it, and wasn't at all surprised when he saw the the grin cross her face at her little victory. "Just...what we're doing. Going to see Sweets, talking about our partnership like it's something...different. But why we're there. Why there's a chance that our partnership could be terminated if he chooses to do so, and what I would do if that happened."

"It won't happen." Brennan said, leaving no room for doubt.

"But it could." Booth said, gulping as he watched her startlingly blue eyes turn a shade darker. He'd come to realize that look she held was used when she was formulating a response.

"We hold the most successful record as of right now, Booth. Why would anyone want to ruin that?"

He nodded, rubbing his knuckles against his lips. "True, but maybe that's part of why they would."

"What?" Brennan asked, not following what he meant.

"Give all the other guys a chance." Booth said, grinning a little as she stole another fry. "I'm kidding, Bones."

"Right." Brennan replied, slowly stirring the remnants of what was left on her plate around with her fork. This time she was the one who became silent and contemplative. She felt something kin to fear worm its way into her gut as she knew Booth was right. There was a chance they could be separated, and it scared her. True, in the beginning she hadn't been thrilled at the thought of having a partner, but she'd grown used to having him around. She'd miss the way he got involved in the cases, the dedication he had for what they did.

"Bones?" Booth asked, afraid that she'd fallen back into the recesses of her mind, caught between wanting to run and do something entirely different.

"What if they do, Booth?" She asked simply. Shrugging, Brennan's lips parted as she thought of the possibilities. "You're right."

"I hate being right." Booth complained, his fist coming in contact with the table.

Brennan laughed, happy for the brief reprieve in the conversation. She reached out, putting a hand over his, willing him to calm down. "We'd be more than coffee."

"That's not what you said before, Bones. What if it happens? You'll lurk at the lab, focusing on limbo cases or bones that have been sent from some other country. Work on your novel until you're so tired you go to your couch and sleep the rest of the night. No one would be there with breakfast the next morning, or Thai food or coffee, or-"

"Booth?" Brennan called. She hesitated, but knew that it needed to be said. Warmth spread through her as she realized how much Booth worried about her."Relationships can exist outside of the normal guidelines. Even if we weren't partners, I'm sure we'd be able to find a valid reason to spend time together, and coffee or Thai food would be a reasonable excuse." She said, nodding.

Booth felt her hand sitting atop his, knowing that she had only intended it as a means to reassure him. While he knew what she'd meant, the voice in his head kept telling him that she'd been alluding to something more. 'A reasonable excuse', Booth thought. His eyes squinted in the late afternoon sunlight as he peered across the table at his partner. She puzzled him; was like a problem that he wasn't sure of how to solve. There were times when she frustrated him, but there were others when she just made sense. "You're right."

"You're...willingly admitting that?" Brennan asked, an amused smile crossing her face.

Booth shrugged, trying to act like it was nothing. "Well, it's part of this whole being partners thing, Bones. You win some, you lose some."

Brennan nodded, reluctantly pulling her hand from his. "Are you going to finish your fries?"

Shaking his head, Booth pushed the plate to the middle of the table. "I don't know why you never order your own." He said, willingly sharing the rest of his food with her. He wasn't sure what it was, but somehow talking about everything had made the feeling he'd had before go away. There was still the lingering 'what if' that would come back eventually, but he was content in pushing it away. For now, all he was concerned about was the fact that there was only one fry left on his plate. "You can have it." He said with a wink.

"But Booth-" Brennan protested, staring at him in confusion.

"Trust me, you need it more than I do, and I have to pay." Booth said, watching her until she finally conceded. "You ready to go?"

Brennan nodded, and willingly let his hand fall into place of the small of her back. 'You win some, you lose some' She thought, remembering what Booth had said just minute before. She looked over at him, silently wondering if it was a win, but a smile crossed her face as she realized she already knew her answer.