Booth awoke to find himself sore. He glanced to his right and frowned when he saw that he was alone. Pulling himself up, he winced and rubbed his shoulder. The bed was obviously not made for two people.
Dr. Brennan had laid out more clothes next to the bed, and Booth dressed quickly. He could smell breakfast cooking, and he was relieved that he hadn't been deserted. He made his way into the kitchen and saw Brennan sitting at the table, sipping coffee and typing on a laptop. She looked up and smiled.
"Good morning, Booth. How do you feel?"
Something inside of Booth stung sharply, but before he could identify the feeling, it dissipated, and he did his best to shake it off.
"Alright. Is there breakfast?"
"On the stove." She nodded towards a small stack of pancakes, and Booth eagerly helped himself. As he ate, he asked her what their plans were for the day.
"Dr. Sweets would like to see you," she said, "He asked me to take you down to his office as soon as you're ready."
Booth nodded and ate quietly. He was so eager to try to get his memories back, especially those involving the wonderful person sitting across from him, but he was also nervous. Something he hadn't considered until that moment was that there might be a reason the two of them were not romantically involved. Perhaps they had tried in the past and it had ended badly. Or maybe she didn't feel that way for him, or for that matter, he might not even feel that way for her. Booth looked at his partner carefully, and decided that couldn't be. It was almost instinctive for him to want to be near her, and he smiled when he thought that this was almost like a memory. Maybe he could remember her after all. He decided to put his fears out of his head for now, and worry about them later. He had other things to concentrate on for the time being.
It didn't take long for the two of them to get ready and make their way to Dr. Sweet's office. As they walked in the door, Booth glanced around. It was getting to be a habit for him to look for familiar things in every new situation he was introduced into, and this office apparently was a place he went often. He wasn't surprised to find it unfamiliar, and he sat in the chair Dr. Brennan indicated was his. Dr. Sweets seemed almost nervous, and Booth leaned over to his partner.
"This is the kid I met yesterday," he whispered. "What is he, like twelve? How did we get him as my therapist?"
He was confused to find a huge smile spread across Brennan's face, and Sweets, while looking annoyed, said dryly, "Well, his personality is definitely still intact."
"Dr. Sweets has proven himself highly qualified," Dr. Brennan explained. "Don't worry, you like him."
Booth looked skeptical, but shrugged.
Over the next two hours, Dr. Sweets worked diligently with Booth and Dr. Brennan. Booth got tired very quickly, but he did his best not to show it. Brennan seemed so eager to help, and Dr. Sweets was trying so hard that Booth pushed his desire to rest to the back of his mind and concentrated as hard as he could on Sweets' efforts.
By the end of their session, Booth was exhausted. Brennan needed to stop by her office, and Booth almost didn't have the strength to follow her in, but he made himself go. He knew he needed to be exposed to as many familiar places as possible.
"Booth!" The woman he remembered was introduced to him as Angela came running to meet him. "How did it go with Sweets? Do you remember anything yet?"
Booth shook his head, but tried to smile. Brennan dragged him into her office before her other co-workers could come after him. He was relieved.
The moment he walked into her office, his heart skipped a beat.
"Temperance," he said curiously, "This place smells familiar."
Her head snapped up sharply from where she had begun digging through her desk.
"Do you know it?"
He looked around him. "I don't know. It smells likeā¦" He stopped and smiled at his friend. "It smells like you."
Dr. Brennan blushed and went back to her paperwork. Booth bit his lip and continued to look around. Did he actually know this place, or did he just know her smell? Frustrated, he walked over to where she sat and leaned over the back of her chair, his face pressed against the back of her neck to take in her scent. She didn't move, but he felt her tremble slightly, and she stopped rustling through her desk.
"Booth," she whispered, "What are you doing?"
He found himself unwilling to step back, and he leaned his head forward, brushing his cheek against hers. He just knew that he was supposed to be close to her. Nothing else felt as right as touching her skin. He reached up and pulled her hair away from her neck. She seemed paralyzed and afraid somehow; she hadn't stopped shaking.
"It's okay," he whispered. "Don't be afraid. I just want to remember."
His stomach was in knots and he found himself trembling with her as he gently laid kisses on the back of her bare neck. He felt so much going on inside of him, he couldn't tell what was nervousness, and what was that same sharp feeling that he kept having with her. He could almost reach out and grab the memory, but it always seemed just beyond his grasp. His thoughts were shattered when she turned in her chair and faced him, her eyes looking closely into his. A question was forming behind them, he knew, but before she could get it out, he heard a knock and Brennan practically leaped from her chair.
"Sorry to interrupt," Angela said regrettably, "but Cam needs you to look at something while you're here. Sorry."
Dr. Brennan excused herself from Booth and left the office. Standing alone, Booth tried to sort his thoughts. What was he doing? He couldn't be acting this way with this woman. She was practically a stranger!
No, she wasn't a stranger. Even though he didn't remember knowing her, Booth still felt a connection. It was there, and he had to pursue it. Who knew, maybe once he remembered everything, the reason he couldn't be with her would resurface and he would have to go back to just being her partner. This thought stung, and Booth sighed as he collapsed into Brennan's chair. Up until this moment, he had wanted his memories back more than anything, but suddenly, he felt as if it was his enemy, and it would bring more pain than relief.
Brennan walked back into her office, and Booth sat up in his chair. As she gathered her things and he followed her out the door, Booth made himself a silent promise. He would remember, but whatever the reason they were apart before, nothing would keep him away from the woman he loved.
