Author's Note:
Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed!! I'm so thrilled to see that people are actually enjoying reading this like I am writing it! This chapter is nice and long, and I'll do my best to post another one as soon as possible!
Please review – I'd love to hear what you think! Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! And if there's any particular thing you'd like to see happen (haha other than the obvious performance... it's the next chapter, I promise!) let me know and I'll see if I can work it in!

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones OR the Phantom of the Opera! Just the storyline…


Chapter Four

"But that still doesn't explain why…" Booth could hear Angela's voice from her position on the forensic platform. He rolled his eyes and took a sip of his hot coffee and promptly joined in on their conversation.

Zach and Hodgins nodded at Booth, but Angela didn't even acknowledge his presence – she was too deep in thought.

"Oh my God. I wonder if she's pregnant!" she whispered, her eyes narrowing.
At that declaration Booth choked on his coffee and spat it back into his makeshift Styrofoam cup.

"Angela, this is Bones we're talking about. Come on—" He said, clearly irritated by her speculations. "Speaking of which, where is she?"

"In her office." Angela said, looking him up and down. "She isn't, is she?"

"Isn't what?"

"Isn't pregnant."

"Of course not. I mean, I don't know. Ange how would I possibly know that?"

Angela continued to stare at him strangely and then just smiled. Booth shook his head and headed to Bones' office, hearing faint laughter behind him.

As Booth approached her office door he heard the melodic sound of humming. He couldn't quite place where he'd heard the song before, but smiled at catching Tempe in this intimate moment. Intimate moment… don't remind me… Booth thought to himself, still embarrassed about the night before. Not for a second did he regret trying to kiss her, he just wished it had turned out another way. Maybe she just needs time…

"Coffee?"

"Oh Booth! You scared me!" Brennan said, quickly closing out of an email she was writing.

"I've been doing that a lot lately, huh?" Booth said with a smile, the double meaning to his words was not lost on Brennan. Clearly he was referring to their "almost-kiss" the night before.

"Booth I wanted to say that I think –" Brennan was cut off as the phone rang.

"Brennan." She said, kicking herself. This was the second time in a row that that bloody phone had interrupted something so important.

"Dr. Brennan, this is Sadie from Purchase Dry-Cleaning, I just wanted to let you know that your wardrobe from the DC Theatre Company is ready for pick-up any time before 3PM today. Would you like to pick it up in person? Or we could –"

"Uh, no that shouldn't be a problem. And how many articles are ready?"

"All five dresses are here, and may I say they are truly beautiful! I can't wait to see the show!"

You're not the only one… Brennan thought, glancing up at Booth who was pouring sugar into his own coffee – completely oblivious.

"Thank you for your help, I'll be there to pick them up as soon as I can." Brennan said as gracefully as possible, before replacing the phone in the cradle.

"Who was that?" Booth asked.

"Dry cleaners. I have to pick up stuff by 3." She said, gulping down a mouthful of coffee like it was pure oxygen.

"Wanna pick it up on our way?"

"On our way where?"

"Did I mention we had a case?" Booth said, tilting his head mischievously. Brennan shook her head as she continued to down her coffee. She switched her lab coat for a Jeffersonian windbreaker and grabbed her kit. Just as they were both heading out of her office, Booth turned to her and said, "Hey, what were you going to say earlier? You know, before the phone rang."

"Oh. It can wait."


"Just pull in right here. I'll be just a minute." Brennan said as Booth pulled the SUV into a parking space in front of a big sign that read 'Purchase Dry-Cleaning'.

A few moments later Booth jumped out of the car and opened the trunk when he saw Brennan stumbling towards him with an armful of clothing wrapped in opaque green plastic wrap.

"Holy crap, Bones! Enough dry cleaning?"

Brennan grunted a reply to him as she plunked the load into the trunk.
"What is all of this?" Booth said with a chuckle as he reached to peek inside the plastic wrappings.

"Nothing." Brennan said, swatting his hand away and reaching to shut the trunk. "Just some dresses that I'll never wear again. Now come on, we've got a case."

"That's my girl." He said with a wink, closing his car door and starting the engine. Brennan just rolled her eyes and swatted him again.


"I'd say the victim is male, between the aged 25-30. I see major trauma to the lower fibula and multiple breaks to the…" Brennan's report continued as the air whipped through her auburn hair. The crime scene was located just five blocks away from the dry cleaner's at the mouth of a long alleyway. The Caution tape continued past the sidewalk and out near the street, as a group of onlookers had gathered – morbidly fascinated by all of the excitement.

"Cause of death?" Booth said, glancing up at her over his large sunglasses.

"Undetermined at this time." Brennan stood up, taking the latex gloves off and disposing of them. "Once the scene has been processed I want the remains sent to Zach. I'll get him to do a preliminary study and –"

"Tempe!" Brennan looked up, trying to place a face with the voice she had just heard. She finally looked up and saw James grinning at her from behind the yellow Caution tape.

"James." Brennan said with a smile as she headed over towards him.

Seeley Booth felt something in his stomach flip. Was that jealousy? Come on, Booth, she's allowed to smile at guys… he thought to himself. But who the hell is he? Booth debated staying exactly where he was, knowing it would probably mean Brennan wouldn't bite his head off, but ultimately curiosity – and testosterone – got the better of him.

They were speaking in hushed voices and immediately clammed up when Booth approached. "Hey, I'm James." He said, extending his hand with a smile.
"Special Agent Booth." He replied, not meaning to sound as stiff as he did. Booth glanced over at Brennan for a second who seemed a bit paler than usual.

"Nice to meet you. Anyway, I was just on my way to the dry cleaner's when I thought I saw you here and I thought I'd just say hello. I'd better get going though – gotta pick it up by 3! I'll see you later" he motioned to Temperance and then quickly added, "Nice to meet you Agent Booth!"

They both said goodbye, and when James was out of earshot Booth finally asked, "Who was that guy?"

Brennan answered him with a question, "Special Agent Booth? Feeling a little inadequate are we?"

Booth slightly chuckled and straightened his sunglasses.

"God, you are such an alpha male!"

"And you love it."


"And why have you not told him yet?" James demanded to Temperance, who was sitting across from him in the small café.

"I told you, it's just private."

"You're shy." James grinned, taking a sip of his coffee.

"I am SO not shy! I am anything but shy. This is not me being shy." Brennan contested.

"Well then, what is it?" He insisted.

"Look, can we just not talk about this now? Dress rehearsal is in 20 minutes and we still have to go through the last script book."

"Fine, have it your way. But he'll know by tomorrow night anyway. Is that really how you want him to find out?"

"I like to keep him on his toes." Brennan said with a grin as she reached for her highlighter.


"Alright everyone. You know the drill. This is a full dress rehearsal. It's gotta be perfect – we open 24 hours from now." Gisele clapped.

"Whew. She sure means business tonight." James said quietly as he snapped the elastic on the back of his phantom mask. The cast was waiting for their cues backstage.

"Haha yeah, look- she has her Dennis the Menace shoes on and everything!" Matt said jokingly, pointing at Gisele from across the room.

"I don't know what that means." Brennan said.

"Of course you don't." Matt smiled as he playfully tugged on her billowing skirt. "Nice costume by the way, very fetching."

"Fetching? Who are you, my grandmother?" James said.

The group fell silent as the orchestra began the opening bars of the overture. The overture made Brennan quiver in anticipation. Aside from 'squinting' at bones, she was truly in her element.


THE NEXT DAY: (early Saturday evening)

"I can't believe Bren took the day off! She never takes personal days!" Angela said to Hodgins. She was tapping her foot impatiently, glancing up at the clock. 30 minutes and they'd be out of her. Then I'll go home, get changed, and meet Booth and Parker! She thought to herself, excited for this evening's entertainment. It had been a long time since Angela had seen a musical, and she was really looking forward to it.

"Yeah, well you said yourself how strange she was acting. She's probably just stressed with her book or something." Hodgins replied, not looking up from his work.

"Ugh. I'm going to try and call her once we get home tonight and figure her out."

"You make her sound like a puzzle."

"Sweetie, she's Bren. She is the physical manifestation of puzzle! Ugh and I can't believe you and Zach backed out on us!"

"Hate to break it to you Ange, but I'm not a musical watching kind of guy. I'm actually a little shocked that Booth's going. And Zach's family's in town, so there's no way he could get out of that -"

"I wish I could have…" Zach mumbled under his breath as he stared into a microscope.

"Well, you're gonna be sorry! I heard it's supposed to be an amazing show! I can't believe Bren isn't going either. You guys are such party poopers…" Angela said as she leaned against the table, glancing up at the clock for the second time in one minute.


"You have reached the residence of Dr. Temperance Brennan. I'm not home right now, but if you'd please leave your name, number, and a brief message I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thank you."

BEEP.

"Uh hey Bones, it's me again. Just wondering where you are… I just wanted to let you know that Zach and Hodgins aren't coming to the show anymore, so there's going to be a ticket waiting for you at the Box Office if you change your mind. The show starts at 8. I really hope you come. Don't work too hard."

Temperance Brennan paced the living room in her apartment, listening as the message as it came in from Booth. She smiled at his persistence, but knew that she was in for quite the humiliation that evening.
What if he laughs at me?
Come on Tempe, when have you ever really cared what other people thought of you?
But this just isn't any person… this is Booth…

She plopped down on the couch and downed another few gulps of water; hydrating her throat for this evening. Absently staring at the ceiling, she began to sing slowly:

Masquerade,
Paper faces on parade,
Masquerade,
Hide your face so the world will never find you…

But she knew there was no hiding now.


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