Disclaimer: I don't own anything
As promised I got the next chapter up before the end of the year (in my time zone). Enjoy!
Booth was finally going to see his partner. This dinner date was finally finalized after weeks of cancellations and rescheduling of all their usual dates. He was getting a little annoyed with Brennan's excuses and how she was avoiding him. Booth knew Brennan all too well. He knew she would definitely deny it if she was confronted about Agent McCormick. He pushed back his cuffed sleeve to look at his shiny Wittnauer watch which read seven thirty. He was early; they were meeting at the Founding Fathers in fifteen minutes. He wondered if at the last minute she would cancel again. He checked his phone; no texts or calls from her.
He blew out a long breath before entering the crowded restaurant and bar. Instead of heading to the bar he grabbed a table in the back of the restaurant. If he was going to talk to Brennan it was going to be in private. He had to admit, he was nervous, he didn't want to cause friction between himself and Brennan. Their relationship had been on thin ice for the past couple months. He never regretted saying 'I love you' but in retrospect he thought it might have been a little too much for her to handle at one time. He pushed the thought from his mind, it was in the past. He didn't want to keep dancing around the subject of the two of them. He knew you couldn't change the past. He always tried to live in the moment. He knew that lately he was failing miserably at it. The whole Briggs thing was in the past. There was just part of that case that was nagging at him. The case had been closed for so long how could the FBI be wrong? Did he do something wrong? These were just a few of the questions that kept him up at night. These nagging questions had kept him going back to Sweets office frequently. He ran a hand through his spiky brown hair and decided he would look through Grant's file again when he got back to the office.
"Hi…" Brennan said softly as she approached the table. Booth broke away from his thoughts and looked up and smiled softly. She was dressed in a pair of designer jeans and a puffy black winter coat. Before she sat down she wiped fresh fallen snowflakes from her shoulders, "It started to snow again." Brennan attempted at small talk. Her waterproof boots squeaked on the tiled floor as she slid into her seat. She placed her napkin on her lap before she started to fix the polished silverware.
"That's December in DC." Booth replied with a soft but forced smile. He quickly noticed Brennan playing with her silverware, "Everything alright?" he asked sipping his chilled scotch. He had already ordered Brennan's favorite red wine.
Brennan looked up her brilliant blue eyes were half covered by her long, blunt, dark chocolate bangs, "Of course. Why would you think differently?"
Booth leaned back in his chair, "You're playing with your silverware."
Brennan's eyes looked down at the silverware. She fixed the fork one last time before she put her hands in her lap. She didn't mean to play with her silverware. It was something to keep her distracted. She was kicking herself for agreeing to come to dinner. Caroline, Chase, herself and the rest of the Squint Squad were extremely unsuccessful on finding anything pertinent to the Grant Briggs case. Without Grant's body or movement on his case it would be extremely difficult to find him or his possible kidnapper. She stopped herself again, that was strictly speculation. They didn't have any evidence to support that he had been kidnapped.
Booth leaned forward over the table and placed his elbows on the soft white linen table cloth, "We're partners, and we can share anything."
Brennan looked at him. She had to pull this off, "I told you. I haven't been sleeping well."
"Me too." He confessed taking a big sip of his drink.
Brennan found this a perfect opportunity to change the conversation from her to Booth, "Why haven't you been sleeping?" she asked swirling her burgundy wine. She took a sip before placing the glass back down and looked at him.
"I've been thinking a lot about the young agent that was working with me while you were in India."
Brennan raised any eyebrow, "Agent Briggs?"
Booth nodded sighing deeply, "I feel like something isn't right with it. "
Brennan half smiled, "Going with your gut again.." Brennan said half joking half serious. She knew how Booth always went with his gut. No matter how many times he mentions his 'gut' she found it to be ridiculous and cute all at the same time. Maybe it was a coincidence that he was bringing up this subject now.
"My gut is usually right though." Booth stated as their appetizer came and the waiter refilled their drinks. As the waiter left Booth started speaking again, "Come on, you have to give me that." He joked; Booth was relieved that their conversation was a little lighter than how it began.
Brennan smiled her signature smile and laughed lightly, "Okay, I don't like to admit it but you're gut usually does have the right idea. What do you think is suspicious about it?"
Booth took a bite of the appetizer they had ordered before speaking again, "I haven't decided yet. I need to look at the case file in the morning."
Brennan suddenly felt a rush of panic. She knew that if he went to look for the file tomorrow morning it wouldn't be there. She didn't know if calling Caroline or Chase would be too obvious. Her other option was to tell Booth. Would Caroline kill her if she mentioned it to him now? Brennan was sure that she could reason her way through it with Caroline. Booth could possibly help with the case. She dismissed that thought, Caroline wouldn't buy it. Booth's side of the story was already documented in the file. Brennan decided quickly that telling him now wasn't the best option but it was the right thing to do.
"Booth…I lied.." Brennan stammered softly looking down at her food.
Booth looked at her suspiciously as his phone started to ring, "Hold that thought Bones." He said pulling out his phone. He looked down at the caller id and his face went white, like he had just seen a ghost.
"Booth…" Brennan said slowly her eyes searching his face frantically.
Booth had to find the words to say what he needed to say. He couldn't believe the number that appeared on his phone, "That's impossible…..it's…."
That's it until next time. I know it's a cliffhanger but I will try and get another chapter up soon!
Please R&R if you would like. Hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year!
