Chapter 4 – A Party - and A Surprise
A/N – Thank you again to anybody who has reviewed, and if you haven't, the shiny blue button is right there .
Disclaimer - I own nothing apart from this plot.
Booth's SUV pulled up outside Angela's house. The car ride had passed in companiable silence, with both the anthropologist and the agent lost in thought. Now and then one of them would turn to look at their partner then quickly look away again. They were acting like teenagers, but neither of them gave a damn. As the pair undid their seat belts, Brennan and Booth simultaneously turned to look at each other. The chemistry between them crackled and fizzed in the air as crystal blue eyes met chocolate brown ones.
Brennan took Booth's hand. She looked troubled. "Booth." She said, looking down at their clasped hands. "You have no idea what you are getting into and you should probably get out of it while you can."
"Why?" Booth asked simply.
"I'm not worth it. I don't deserve a great guy like you, and it's not fair on you to be stuck with someone like me. I'm just not worth it." She repeated the words quietly.
Booth looked at her, concerned. "Temperance." He said softly. She looked up. That's the second time he's used my first name. "Who told you that you weren't worth it?" He questioned gently.
"Nobody did. I just know." Booth was amazed by her lack of self-confidence.
"Bones," he told her. "You are worth it. You are worth it more than anyone I've ever dated. Trust me."
She said nothing, but smiled at him gratefully as she turned around and stepped out of the car. They walked up the drive and Booth knocked loudly on the door. Angela opened it and gasped when she saw Brennan. "Wow, sweetie, you look amazing!"
"Thanks," Brennan muttered self-consciously.
"Come on in, everybody's in the living room." Angela ushered them through to where Hodgins and Zach sat talking about bugs or whatever the hell they talked about. They both looked up as the two partners walked in, Booth first, Brennan hiding behind him.
"Hey Booth," said Hodgins, "Where's Dr. Bre- Wow." Brennan had tried to sidle unnoticed into the room, but had not evaded Hodgins' sharp eye. Zach also looked round, and his jaw dropped at the sight of his boss.
Brennan shifted uncomfortably under the combined stare of Hodgins and Zach. She mumbled something incoherent and slid into a chair, where she began fiddling nervously with her necklace.
Booth saw how embarrassed Brennan had become, and moved to stand in front of her, blocking the two squint's view. He gave them a fierce look. 'Cut it out!' he mouthed. Hodgins and Zach saw he was being serious, and abruptly stopped staring at Brennan.
"Hey, don't you guys have to go somewhere?" Booth asked meaningfully.
Zach started to say no but Hodgins was already dragging him from the room. He could be heard explaining to Zach about questions he was not supposed to answer.
Booth turned to face his partner. "Hey, that's what you get for being beautiful," he said.
"I'm…beautiful?" Brennan breathed.
"Incredibly." murmured Booth, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.
At that moment, Angela came in, followed by Zach and Hodgins. "Who wants drinks?" she asked brightly. A little too brightly.
"Have you been listening to our conversation?" Brennan asked, frowning in suspicion.
"Of course not!" said Angela quickly.
"Oh really?" put in Booth dryly, "So its just a coincidence that there is a print of the door handle on your cheek?"
"Ange!" Brennan was indignant.
Angela laughed easily. "Ok, ok, I'm guilty. But it is my birthday."
Brennan smiled in spite of herself and reached over to take a drink from her friend. She took a big mouthful, trying to make herself relax a little.
The alcohol was slowly doing its job. Dr. Brennan was thawing out, joking and laughing with her colleagues. Angela left the room to go and get something, but nobody took much notice, and went on talking. Suddenly, Brennan froze. Booth, who was sitting next to her, felt her body go tense. He looked up.
Angela had just re-entered the room, carrying a large silver machine with speakers and a microphone attached. Why does a karaoke machine freak Bones out so much? Booth wondered. But before he could ask, Angela began to speak.
"Ok you guys, it's time to begin our very own American Idol – squint style!"
Hodgins and Booth laughed, Zach looked confused, and Brennan turned pale. Of course, she had never seen American Idol, but she was smart enough to figure out what it involved. If only I could be wrong for once… she wished fervently.
Unfortunately, Angela explanation confirmed her fears. "Zach, American Idol is a singing contest."
"Oh." Understanding. "OH." Horror. Obviously Zach was not a singer. Brennan felt sick. Okay, she said to herself, stay calm, don't…freak…out. But she couldn't stop herself. She freaked out. Oh God, Oh God, Oh God, I can't do this!
Meanwhile, Angela was talking to Zach. "Well, for that insightful speech, you get to go first." She said cheerfully.
"Oh no," said Zach bluntly, "I sing like a strangled cat."
Angela considered this. "Fine," she concluded, "I'll let you off. I don't want any angry neighbours banging on my door." Zach laughed, relieved.
"Right." Angela was determined. "Care for a duet, Hodgins?" Hodgins, who either had a huge crush on Angela or perhaps just drunk a lot, readily got up and began to sing.
Over the two voices singing 'Summer Nights' from Grease, Booth touched Brennan on the shoulder and asked her the question he had been wondering about. "What's the matter?" he muttered out of the corner of his mouth.
Brennan was losing it. The sight of the two friends singing together had brought back so many memories, too many for her to bear. Everything was turning black and white, and noises were muted, as if she was watching from underwater. It was some time before his words got through to her. "I'm going to pass out," she whispered faintly. Booth quickly took Brennan by the arm and led her out of the room.
Angela and Hodgins were looking at each other and didn't notice their friend's departure, but Zach did. What's happening? He thought, but he said nothing and, after a minute, went back to watching the duet.
Brennan barely made it past the door, fainting at the bottom of the staircase. When she came around a few seconds later, it was to see Booth looking over her anxiously.
"Did I pass out?" she asked, her voice tremulous.
"Yeah. Bones, are you okay to walk?" Booth asked concernedly.
Brennan nodded, but only managed a few steps before her legs gave way. Booth caught her in his arms. "Well, maybe not," she conceded.
"C'mon Bones lets get you a drink of water." His voice was steady, but she could tell he was worried.
"I'll be okay." She tried to sound reassuring, but her voice wavered.
"Bones, you couldn't even walk a couple of steps a minute ago. There's no way you'll be able to make it to the kitchen."
"How else will I get there?" Brennan felt vulnerable, and that irritated her. The words came out sharper than she intended. She was too tired for more words, so she just tried to look apologetic.
Booth seemed to understand. He picked Brennan up in his arms, ignoring her sounds of protest, and carried her down the hall to the kitchen. He sat her down on a chair, poured a glass of water, and handed it to her. She took a few tentative sips, and seemed to wake up a little. Booth moved to sit down next to her and took her hand in his. A frown of worry was etched onto his forehead.
"Bones," he said gently, "Why did you get so freaked out?"
Her voice was faint and shaky. "The singing."
"You don't like to sing?" Booth enquired.
Brennan's voice was now scarcely more than a whisper. "I loved to sing."
Now Booth really was confused. "Loved to?" he asked, stressing the past tense.
Brennan took a deep, shuddery breath, and began to speak. "When I was little, my mom sang all the time. I grew up with the sound of her voice. It would be the first thing I'd hear every morning, and the last sound every night. Sometimes, Mom and I would sing together, at parties. Then she disappeared, and everything stopped, I never sang again."
Then the memory became too much. Brennan leant her head on the table and sobbed. Booth stared helplessly at her shaking body, face obscured by a wall of hair. Suddenly, he had an idea.
"Temperance," he asked, "What was the last song your mother sang?"
She told him. "Why do you ask?"
"Because," said Booth, a smile appearing on his face, "I've just had a brilliant idea."
A/N – Sorry, I know that was a long chapter, but hopefully it wasn't too bad. Coming up, Brennan puts Booth's idea in action and surprises everybody. R+R!
