A/N Thankyou for the great review it means alot. I decided not to have Booth rush back to Brennan because I think that even though we all know he cares for her deeply he would care for his son more. Besides i'm not going to have Brennan in the typical damsel in distress mode. Later she will prove she really can take care of herself, although Booth will eventually have to help out a little.
Chapter 3.
This really had to have been the hardest thing Agent Seeley Booth had ever had to do, especially after ten failed attempts at contacting his partner. Any normal time he wouldn't have hesitated to race to her apartment at ground breaking speeds just for that tiny piece of mind that she was alright. However, this night time really was of the essence for him and Parker to make it to the cabin. Light flakes of snow had already begun to fall and his son had been constantly yawning for the past twenty minutes.
"Try her again daddy," came Parker's half conscious request as he struggled desperatley to keep his eyes open.
"Sorry bud but it looks like it's just you and me now, don't worry about Bones though, she really is capable of looking herself." In one respect he was right. He couldn't count the number of times she had shown just how well she could could look after herself, but of course then there had been the time with Jamie Kenton, and the gravedigger. They had preyed on her vulnerability then, and they had almost won.
There was a gentle nod from the sleeping boy in his child seat as he mumbled a few incoherent words, but it was unknown whether he had heard his fathers reply. "I'll try again when we get to the cabin," Booth reminded himself out loud.
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After Tom had tended to his bruised jaw and the cut on his lip that she had also managed to inflict, he brought back to the table a bottle of red wine. As he popped open the bottle and poured the liquid he settled himself down opposite her and shifted the glass towards her.
"I don't drink," she stated bluntly, as she pushed the glass away from her.
"Has anyone else told you what brilliant blue eyes you have," he asked as he ignored her lack of appreciation again. "They really are captivating. I just bet you have guys falling at your feet, I know Agent Booth feels that way."
"You know nothing about Booth," she spat. "As a matter of fact you know nothing about me, and besides Booth is just my partner, nothing more." Why is it that people just can't accept the fact that we are just partners. It can never be nothing more can it? He was the one who gave his speech about lines that can't be crossed and that is theoretically what we would be doing. So why then was I was a little disappointed when he broke the news that he was going to be spending Christmas in Vermont with Parker. No Temperance now you're just being selfish. How could you just begrudge your PARTNER spending valuable time with his only son.
Tom smirked as he slid her cellphone across the big oak table. "You might beg to differ on that one, Temperance." The way her name rolled from his tongue gave her the creeps. "It seems your partner cares about you more then you are willing to admit."
Brennan lifted the phone and immediately accessed her missed calls. Sure enough as she scrolled down the screen the same number appeared, although she was quick to counter his assumption. "This doesn't mean anything, he's just being...well Booth. Besides have you ever thought he could have just been calling to wish me a Merry Christmas."
"You can keep telling yourself that but we both know the real reason he called, and that was because he thinks of you much more as a partner. I bet even now he's dreaming of the time he is going to get into your pants."
"That's ridiculous! and even if that was the case it wouldn't be any of your damn business." Does he honestly think that I am going to discuss my innermost desires with him. Not of course I have any. She was trying her hardest not to blush.
A malicious grin spread across his clean shaven face. His dark eyes pierced her very soul. "Why don't I show you something."
Brennan watched as Tom reached for a video tape and took it from it's sleeve and pushed it into the VCR. The picture was grainy but she could definitely make out her partner standing in her office..alone. What is he doing in my office?..and alone. Wait there are no security cameras in my office. Brennan folded her arms and scowled at him. "How did you get this?"
Instead of offering her an explanation he shushed her by placing a finger to her lips. "Just watch, and all will be revealed." Standing directly behind her he placed his hands on her shoulders to keep her fixed on the monitor.
Booth was standing in her office and by the looks of him, he seemed nervous. Although she was no expert on body language by the way he kept sweeping one hand through his hair whilst the other rested on his hip, and the fact that he was jiggling slightly told her that he was preparing something, most likely some speech. You know Bones we've been partners for three years now...and.. there was a momentary hesitation before he continued. We've been through alot together..I feel a connection with you that I have never felt with any other woman i've ever been with. It was true that when we first met you were so stubborn and headstrong, and quite literally a pain in the ass.
Brennan rolled her eyes at that one. Well being around you was no picnic for me either you know. A harsh jerk from behind her reminded her to keep focused on the screen.
I guess I thought of you as just some once spoilt rich kid who had born with a silver spoon in her mouth, now living it up in some goverment funded institution with a bunch of squints who lacked real intelligence, but how wrong was I? It was only when I got to know you I came to learn how your life hadn't been a bed of roses and I truly saw you in a different light. I grew to respect you and the work that you do. I can put away all the murderers on this earth Bones but you...you give their victims a face, a name and give their loved ones the closure they so desperatly need. I think what I am trying to say is that I feel that we could be more then just partners. There was a brief pause as the agent stared up at the ceiling. You have no idea how hard it is to look at you everyday, smell your perfume, even when we have our little banters I still want to kiss you. Booth shook his head at what he was saying. When you were taken by the gravedigger I felt like I had failed you by not keeping you safe. When I pulled you out of the sand and you were alive I couldn't have thanked god enough for giving you back to me. Then there was Sully, well you'd never believe how jealous I was of you and him. Everytime I saw the two of you together I kept telling myself that if only i'd been more honest about my feelings then that could have very well been us. That day when you told me that you had slept with him it felt like my heart had been ripped in half. He made the biggest mistake of his life sailing off to the Caribbean, not that i'm complaining though as it gave me another chance to tell you how I feel. Wow I can't believe i'm able to say all this now but when i'm face to face with you it'll probably be another story. If I never have the courage to openly admit it to you then at least I can relish in the knowledge that I am able to say this now. I love you Temperance, I'll aways keep you safe, even if you protest, but the most important thing is and I swear to god that I will never leave you..ever.
A tear slipped down her cheek. He loves me..He loves me. Just hearing herself say those words caused such pain in her heart. She was always afraid to let people in because she feared she would get hurt and this time was no different. She was not ready to take this step..at least not yet.
"Did you enjoy loverboy pouring his heart out, pity he was right when he said he would be too cowardly to admit it."
"You bastard!" She spun around ready to hit him, but this time he was ready and he grabbed her wrist twisting it painfully.
"I wouldn't if you know what is good for you." He released her wrist and carried on his conversation. "Now I'm guessing you're wandering how I managed to capture Booth's heartfelt speech. Well it's quite simple really. I planted a small camera with a teeny tiny microphone just for good measure. It was well hidden of course, no-one would have even known it was there...except me of course."
Who is this guy? Why would he do this? Then realization dawned on her as to when he had installed it. "How long?" she inquired still reeling from the shock that firstly he had broken into her office and and secondly he had invaded her privacy.
"Three months," he answered simply.
She was about to respond when they were both startled by the ringtone belonging to Brennan's cellphone. Booth looked at the screen and both didn't seem the least bit surprised when it turned out to be none other then Booth.
Tom immediatley put his large hands round Brennan's slender neck squeezing it gently, but enough to impose a threat. "It seems the only way your precious boyfriend is ever going to leave us alone is if he is led to believe that you are safe and sound. So this can either go two ways. You tell him that you're still alive and well and we can carry on having a pleasant night together. If however you choose to alert him to the fact that you're in..lets say perhaps as you might call it an uncomfortable situation then I may have to hurt you."
Brennan nodded before hs voice boomed again.
"Answer it!"
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It had been a long journey but finally pulling up outside the family cabin brought back memories. This is where his dad had taught him to fish, where him and his brother Jared swung from a rope into the nearby lake, which if course now was on the verge of freezing. This the place he had spent every Christmas as a child he could remember. Fortunatley the only bad memory he had was when his mother had fallen and badly hurt her wrist, although she still went on to cook Christmas dinner which had amazed everyone.
"Wakey..wakey Parker," Booth whispered as he gently coaxed the sleeping child awake.
"Are we there yet?" he asked groggily.
"Yeah bud we're here." He unbuckled the straps and lifted his son out. The snow had continued falling appearing thicker now as a thin layer had spread evenly on the ground.
Once the cold air hit his tiny body Parker perked up and now seemed wide awake. He ran up the set of three steps leading to the cabin and waited patiently at the door for his father who was busy retrieving their belongings. "Come on daddy. Hurry up."
There was a slight musty smell from inside, but not too bad considering how long the cabin had been shut up for. The first thing that Booth did was dump the two bags in the main bedroom and then proceeded to light the wood fire in the living area. Heat soon emanated around the room warming them both in no time.
"Hey Bud i'm just going to try calling Dr Brennan again okay?"
Parker leapt for joy. "Yay! I can't wait until she gets here."
"Well we'll see Parker. Now sit quietly and when I come back we can roast some marshmallows." That always kept him happy as a child so he hoped it would keep Parker happy too.
He had to stray a fair distance from the cabin before he was able to get a signal. It wasn't that strong but it was good enough to make an outgoing call. When he dialled her number he was half expecting to get her voice mail again, but when he heard her voice on the other end he breathed a big sigh of relief.
"Hey Bones." Great now i'm lost for words.
"Why are you calling me Booth?" It wasn't like she wanted to sound harsh, but she needed to act normal and like it or not this was normal for her.
She's agitated. Not surprising at the amount of times i've tried calling her. "I guess I just wanted to make sure you got home okay and to apologise for just running out on you like that."
"I understand Booth. You had plans and i'm a big girl i'm more then capable of finding my way home."
There was tension in her voice Booth could hear it, and this made him anxious. He was alot more qualified at reading people then she was. "Well as you can see..or rather hear I made it here in one piece, Parker too. You know he was asking about you."
"He was!" she asked ecstatically. Tom's hand squeezed tighter at her sudden joyous tone of voice, and she almost gasped down the phone.
Yeah and he even suggested... No this is not an ideal time to bring up my wonderful plan since with the unpredictable weather it was never going to happen now.
"I hope you guys have a good time and I'll see you Monday." She was just about to hang up when she heard Parker's excited voice in the background.
"Wait Bones it looks like Parker wants to say hi."
There was a moments silence and Tom nervous that she was about to say something inapt he snatched the phone away as soon as the boy was put on the phone. "Times up!"
"Dr Bones..Dr Bones." As there was no repsonse he handed the phone back to his father who too listened for her voice. "She hung up daddy."
"Did she say anything?"
"No, but I heard a mans voice and he sounded angry."
Mans voice? Who could that be? Oh don't be stupid it could be anyone she's crossed paths with. Wait shouldn't she be home by now. As hard as he tried to shake the feeling he couldn't. He wanted to believe that she was safe but his gut instinct was telling hm otherwise.
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Thankyou for reading now please review and I promise another chapter up soon.
