A/N: OK, cmon guys, this is about to get really good. And I know what you're thinking: *Gasp* A new chapter right on the heels of the last, and - here's the kickster- a long one too. I know you're surprised - I am too, frankly - but I hope, pleasantly so. Read and review if you want more!
[Sorry bout the double post, the site ate up some words/:]
Chapter 3
The Trip in the Woods
'Okay, excuse me. You know what? You really need to learn how to speak to human beings.'
'I speak six languages. Two of which you've never even heard of.'
'You know what? You're a cold fish.'
'You're a superstitious moron.'
'Get a soul.'
'Get a brain.'
'Sweetie, this is not one of those things where you try to keep a secret and I ferret out the truth. This is where I tell you something that's true so you can catch up to your own reality.'
'Ange, I've no idea what you're talking about.'
'Which actually proves my point. I really love you to bits and pieces sweetie. I know, you love me back. We'll talk again, when you catch up.'
Booth had spent most of the (unbearably long) bus journey cramped in a seat with a buxom blonde for a companion, staring out the window whilst drowning out her incessant chatter.
His mind was focussed on another woman, sitting a few seats ahead with her young artist friend. She, too, seemed to be largely unresponsive to her friend's words, choosing instead to gaze outside in favour of taking in the scenery. He scowled heavily as he realised he had once again been unsuccessful in sticking to his resolution not to look at her. What the hell had gone wrong, anyhow? It was the only thing that had been playing through his head all day. He'd met her outside before boarding, turned on the full charming smile and focussed attention, and he was almost sure she'd been about to smile in response, but she'd simply glared at him and marched past with a steely nod, barely stopping short of stepping on his foot. Though if she had stepped that close I could have smelled her incredible scent, just like that day… ugh, he was hopeless. He looked ahead. Brennan was still staring frozen out the window. Angela was attempting to engage her in conversation. As was this Hannah girl beside him, he realised belatedly. He mumbled something incoherent and nodded appropriately and went back to starting out the window. He found his eyes wandering to her first, though. Last time, he promised himself, atleast until they reached. He returned to his vigil, staring out unseeingly. Well, he was going to get to the bottom of this. Good thing he had several days in a secluded location to do it, so she couldn't run away as he had a feeling she would, if given the choice. He also had the feeling he would follow her, anywhere. His eyes were drawn to her figure once more.
He couldn't for the life of him figure out what had happened.
When they reached the cabin, Russ and Amy left the rest of the party to head to Vermont, where they would be spending the weekend with her parents. Russ had looked thoroughly nervous throughout the day – to the point of turning a sickly green colour for most of it – so a somewhat amused Booth had stuck by his friend upon request to 'kick him in the ass every time he started acting like a sissy.' When they were finally ready to leave, having received a pat on the back and a 'you're gonna be fine', from Booth, Russ turned to say goodbye to his sister while climbing into the car.
'You take care of yourself alright, Tempe? And don't abandon the rest of the group because you find a bird skeleton lying on the ground somewhere.'
Temperance just scowled at her brother and Booth grinned. 'Don't worry, Russ, I'll take care of your little sister.'
Russ waved goodbye to the rest of the group and he and Amy took off, and Booth turned to a silently fuming Brennan with a raised brow.
'Dead birds, really?'
She barely spared him a glace and answered shortly, after a moment of quiet. 'Yes. Although trekking through the woods should also provide a good opportunity to scour out some remains of small mammals, as well. I enjoy studying their skeletal architecture.'
'Uh, why?'
'It helps me gain a better understanding of underlying bone structure. That is, ofcourse, until I have access to human remains.'
Booth's eyebrows shot up. She just jumps right in. 'So that's your thing, huh? Bones?'
'I don't know what that means.' Brennan replied honestly with a frown as she continued walking. He kept up with her fast pace easily.
'You know, Russ seems to think you'll go traipsing off to find dead bird skeletons to play with…'
'My brother is aware that I enjoy rearticulating skeletons of animals that I happen to come across in their natural habitat, so he is worried that I might separate myself from the rest of the group in order to go in search of remains.'
'Well, Bones, I'll keep an eye out for you and make sure that doesn't happen', Booth grinned. 'We don't want you getting eaten by any mountain lions now, do we?'
'Even if the Puma concolor is endemic to this region, which is quite unlikely since the last reported sighting within a 200 mile radius was in 1858, it would not be the apex predator. We should be more concerned with bears and jaguars.'
Booth laughed. 'Alright then. Mental note to self: protect Bones from bears and jaguars.'
'I'll have you know I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself.' Brennan finally turned to face him, eyes flashing, and Booth found himself momentarily speechless – not because of her words but because the moment he looked into those blue eyes his heart seemed to skip a beat. As he made no response and simply swallowed, Brennan turned back to resume the walk towards the house, oblivious to his inner turmoil. 'And don't call me Bones.'
'Look, I'm sure you can take care of yourself', Booth's tone sounded a little too placating to Brennan, and the accompanying charm smile that proved all too charming and momentarily disarmed her caused her to be more infuriated. 'But c'mon, Bones, I promised your brother I'd look out for you all the same, so how bout we try being a little nicer to each other, huh?'
'I resent the implication that I need you to care for me simply because I am a woman and you believe that my gender makes me unqualified to endure mildly strenuous outdoor activity such as camping.' Brennan remarked, finishing in a low, even tone, 'I understand that my brother feels a sense of responsibility and obligation towards my person that occasionally prompts him to adopt an attitude that some might call condescending, but I will not tolerate the same sort of overprotective, overbearing behaviour from you.'
'Whoa, easy there', Booth raised his hands in supplication. 'Didn't mean to get your panties in a twist.'
'I can assure you, Booth, you have no effect whatsoever on my panties. Clear?'
Now that pissed him off, for some reason.
'Listen, I was just trying to make conversation.'
'Maybe you should desist.'
'Okay, excuse me. You know what? You really need to learn how to speak to human beings.'
'I speak six languages. Two of which you've never even heard of.'
Unbelievable! 'You know what? You're a cold fish.'
'You're a superstitious moron.'
'Get a soul.'
'Get a brain.'
'Oh, so because I don't want to go playing with dead birds in some sort of freakish blair witch ritual I don't have a brain?'
Brennan stepped closer to him instead of backing down, and Booth subconsciously felt the challenge, responding to it in a most unexpected way. 'You use your physicality and your charm to intimidate people.'
'Really? The way you use your brain to make people around you feel stupid.'
Ugh. He was just so…'Well, you are a stupid man. I hate you.'
'Oh, you hate me.' Booth scoffed, raising a brow. 'What, are you ten years old? I'm not your dad.'
'I will never speak with you again.'
'Who asked you?'
'You did, as I recall.'
'You know, you're right. Maybe I should just sit by and watch while you piss off everyone on this trip and alienate each one of 'em in turn.'
'Fine'.
'Fine.'
'Good.'
They had ended up ridiculously close somehow, so close that their noses almost brushed and their lips were almost touching. And Booth realised in that moment he'd give anything to get closer. Brennan seemed to be overpowered by a similar onslaught of emotions, when a voice interrupted them, cutting through the silent tension that was characterised only by their laboured breathing.
'Hey, you two coming, or what?'
They both turned towards the sound to find Angela standing on the front stoop of the cabin which they were now in front of, foot tapping. 'C'mon, there's no cable but there is a hottub. I call dibs, because we're going to have to take turns if everyone wants to get in.'
Booth licked his lips and cursed internally, berating himself for not being more alert to his surroundings. Brennan still had a slightly shocked expression on her face, her mouth open just a little as she stared at Angela. Booth and Brennan exchanged a look and then immediately turned away, making their way towards the cabin. As they approached, Angela shamelessly looked Booth up and down and Brennan was surprised she didn't just purr as she almost expected her to. 'On the other hand…maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing if everyone wanted to get in together after all.' She grinned at Booth suggestively, raking her eyes over him again and batting her lashes. Booth flushed slightly and forced a small smile before looking away and rubbing the back of his neck, still trying to regain his composure after the confrontation with Brennan, while Brennan rolled her eyes at her friends antics.
'C'mon, honey, we need to talk.' Angela pulled Brennan by the hand. 'We'll stay out here for a minute if you don't mind, Studly.'
Booth just shrugged and looked at Brennan, and then Angela in turn. 'You need me to carry something inside for you?'
Before Brennan could open her mouth to deliver a sharp retort, Angela smiled hugely and cut her off, placing a hand on her arm. 'Actually, if you'd be a doll, I know Jack wanted that cylinder to be brought inside.'
'No problem', Booth grinned, glancing at Brennan almost triumphantly as he was awarded a task by virtue of his serviceable, virile masculinity, but she just set her jaw and crossed her arms, refusing to give him the satisfaction of having any outward effect on her. But GOD, was he affecting her.
Grabbing the cylinder effortlessly without even putting down his rucksack, his muscular forearms bunching as he lifted it to secure a better hold, Booth proceeded into the house. Brennan turned to her friend, but Angela was admiring the retreating view through the doorway, her eyes fixed on a point decidedly south of Booth's head.
'Angela?' Brennan raised an eyebrow.
'Mm,mm,mm.'
'Angela!'
Brennan huffed as Angela finally turned back to her. 'Hm, sorry Sweetie. What?'
Brennan suppressed the urge to roll her eyes again. 'You wanted to talk?'
'Hm? Oh yeah.' She turned her full attention to Brennan with a megawatt smile. 'Sorry, but that man is fine.'
Refusing to respond, Brennan asked coolly, 'I presume that what you had to talk to me about has nothing to do with Booth?'
'Actually, it does.' Angela grinned. 'So what's the story, Brennan?'
'What?'
'You two looked like you were going to jump each other on the spot.'
'I don't-'
'Bullshit, Brennan. You wanted to get it on and go at it like bunnies out there.' She grinned. 'You know, in your natural habitat and all.'
'I still don't know what that means.'
'It means, Brennan, that he is gorgeous but you might want to be a little careful.'
'Why?' Angela raised an eyebrow as she realised her friend had not objected to the gorgeous part – but then, who would?
'Because, sweetie, you have a boyfriend now. And Sully's not the kind of guy who'd be OK with you fooling around with other guys', she looked towards the cabin. 'Even Booth.'
'I fail to see what Booth has to do with my relationship with Sully. Besides, even if I wasn't dating Sully, I assure you that I have no desire to embark on a romantic relationship with Booth. Or vice versa.'
'Yeah, right.' Silently, Angela noted that while she had only used the phrase 'fooling around', Brennan had made the leap to 'romantic relationship' all on her own.
'It's true, Angela. I have no romantic designs on Booth.'
Angela smirked. There we go again with the romance.
'Admit it. You want to have sex with Booth.'
'Wha-' Brennan's jaw dropped. 'I do not.' Liar.
'Yes, you do. And let me tell you, I don't blame you-'
'Angela, I do not want to have sex with Booth.' Liar.
'Brennan, even if you want to lie to me, and lie to yourself, and come up with some lame excuse for not wanting Booth that I'd buy – if you weren't, say, a woman, or straight – you can't seriously tell me you didn't feel that out there.'
'Feel what?'
'That.'
'What?'
'The tension, Brennan. God, being around the two of you is just...PHEW.'
'Tension? We don't have tension.'
'Yes, you do. And an unlimited supply of it. Sexual tension. Lots and LOTS of it.'
'Angela…'
'Sweetie, this is not one of those things where you try to keep a secret and I ferret out the truth. This is where I tell you something that's true so you can catch up to your own reality.'
'Ange, I've no idea what you're talking about.
'Which actually proves my point'. Giving Brennan a quick hug, she pulled away and said with a small, understanding smile, 'I really love you to bits and pieces sweetie. I know, you love me back. We'll talk again, when you catch up.'
And with that, she turned and marched into the house, leaving a dumbfounded Brennan standing out on the front porch with no choice but to follow her inside.
A/N: Cmoooon hit that little button down there. You know you want to. If you don't review then people won't know to read and if people won't read then I'll be writing for noone. :(: I know it's a new story- so spread the word! There's more to come. Lots more.
Sending out BB lovin to all of you. Happy Monday.
