A/N: Wow guys! Your response to this story has completely blown me away. Just the number of alerts alone, I'm shocked. And honored. I don't like to give anything away…so just know that the ending to this story has been thought about and I know what I'm doing. (And I don't like sad endings.)
Melissa and Lori, thanks for the encouragement! It means to the world to me!
Disclaimer: If I really had any claim over this would I be writing on here? Heck no, I'd be planning a spectacular season 6!
ooo
Booth hated living in the barracks on base but that was like living in a five star hotel compared to camping out while on a tracking mission. The heat in the middle of the desert was stifling and without the luxury of electricity and fans he felt smothered in the small tent.
This mission was taking longer than any of them had considered and Booth could tell the younger soldiers were weary. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't either. But three weeks in the middle of nowhere would do that to you.
Booth shut his eyes, lying on the hard, hot ground. He needed to get to sleep because his shift for look out was coming up and he needed to be rested. They were getting close to the insurgent camp, but it seemed as if whenever they got within a few miles they would pick up and move around a bit. He wasn't sure it was because they knew they were being tracked or if it was just a part of their normal lifestyle and that concerned him. He knew that the previous tracking missions had returned unsuccessful if they had returned at all. Booth was desperately trying to change that pattern.
Their GPS and satellite information put them close to the Chinese border and they were careful not to cross the border unnecessarily. There were dangers with crossing over into the other country as an American soldier and he was doing everything in his power to keep himself and his team safe.
Forcing himself to take his mind away from the war and where he was a pair of blue-grey eyes flashed in his mind. A smile spread slowly over his face. He wondered what she was doing at that moment and then had to laugh at himself. Roughly figuring in the time difference she would be asleep and he hoped she was dreaming of him just as he wanted to be dreaming of her.
He prayed silently for her safety and then he quickly sent another out that seemed fairly selfish, but he desperately hoped this time apart was opening her eyes to the option of them in a relationship. He had originally wanted this time apart to help his heart heal from her rejection, but if anything, especially in the last few weeks while he was on this mission, he knew that was a futile attempt. His heart would always been owned by the anthropologist who had blackmailed him into a partnership so many years ago.
Living a life without her in it at some capacity was impossible and he knew it. Even if that meant he would only be a partner and friend.
Drifting to sleep his dreams opened up a life he could only wish for.
ooo
"You need to take a break Bren," Kendall stated firmly, "you're being ridiculous."
"We're already behind," Brennan argued, "I'm fine."
"No, you aren't. You've barely slept in the last week and you aren't eating enough. Please, Bren, come take a break. Eat a snack with me and rest in the shade. The others have it under control."
"You should listen to her Dr. B," Daisy offered eyeing her mentor carefully. "You really don't look well."
"I'm not hungry," Brennan said curtly, "and I don't need to take a break."
"But Dr. B…"
"Daisy that's enough. Please just get back to work."
Daisy nodded silently, surprised at Brennan's outburst and turned to continue carefully uncover a piece of the remains she was focusing on.
"Brennan," Kendall pleaded. "Five minutes."
"I can't Kendall," Brennan told her. "I can't stop. I have to stay focused. I just want to work."
"Why Bren? What is wrong? You've been working hard since we got here, but seriously now you are boarding on insanity."
"Because when I stop working," Brennan said quietly, "I worry about him. And I would really rather not do that."
"Brennan."
"Please Kendall," Brennan begged, "just let me work."
"Fine," Kendall agreed reluctantly. "But I'm going to talk to Doc and see if he has anything that will help you sleep tonight. You need your rest."
"That is acceptable I suppose," Brennan answered and with only a moment's hesitation she reached over and wrapped her arms around Kendall's shoulders. "Thank you for caring about me."
ooo
Wendall was on the platform working on another set of limbo remains when Sweets entered the lab. Sweets smiled and waved at the young intern before making his way over to Cam's office, with a quick knock he let himself in.
"Hey Sweets," Cam greeted as she was filling out paperwork on her desk. "I was kind of hoping you were Agent Fitz. Is it completely morbid of me to say that I hope we have a murder soon? I'm going crazy doing nothing but paperwork."
"It is pretty morbid Cam," Sweets answered with a laugh, "but I can understand. How many limbo cases has Wendall completed in the last couple weeks?"
"He's on his twelfth one now," she supplied. "He's ready for his dissertation, but I don't think he'll do it before May."
"He wants to wait for Dr. Brennan?" Sweets asked and when Cam nodded her confirmation he shrugged. "She won't see the reason for it, but I think that's nice."
"Yeah," Cam agreed. "I tried to explain that to him, but after the whole scholarship debacle last year he wants to wait. I told him I understood."
"Have you talked to him about coming on full time once he's finished with the dissertation?"
"We've talked about it a couple times and he's very interested. He just feels weird accepting the position without discussing it with Dr. Brennan. He's a good kid."
"Yeah," Sweets agreed. "So you are shutting down the lab for the Christmas holidays right?"
"Yup," Cam confirmed. "We're closing on the fifth and won't reopen until January third. Michelle is excited about our trip to Hawaii. Paul and I told her about it over the weekend."
"Good," Sweets said happily. "Jack and Angela have invited me to spend Christmas with them. I haven't decided if I'm going to yet."
"It's been great having them back," Cam said with a grin. "I just feel bad for closing the lab only a couple weeks after they're back from vacation. They could have stayed a little longer in Paris."
"They would have come back anyways," Sweets said with a shrug. "Angela was anxious to see her doctor."
"True." Cam agreed with a nod. "So, how long are you going to stall before telling me about your date last night?"
Sweets groaned a little, but he couldn't hide the smile that was on his face. "I wasn't going to say anything…"
"You can't not tell me about it. It was what, your third date with Julie?"
"Fourth," Sweets corrected, "and it went good. I like her."
"Good," Cam nodded. "You deserve to be happy."
"I think that I was holding on to the thought of Daisy coming back and us picking up where we left off. But with the news that he agreed to extend her commitment, I knew I had to move on. She picked her career over me. I want someone who picks me."
Cam nodded and Sweets shook his head as if to clear the thoughts he had allowed in. "Anyways, I'm having a good time getting to know Julie. And Wendall was right, we get along great."
They were interrupted when Sweets' cell phone went off and glancing at the number he did a double take.
"Hold on Cam, I have to take this."
"Sure thing," she said, "I'm just going to finish up here and then we can go get lunch."
Stepping out of her office Sweets put the phone to his ear. It didn't take long for him to react to the voice on the other end and Cam noticed the change in him quickly. When he motioned for her to follow him she didn't hesitate.
ooo
"Did you sleep at all last night?" Kendall asks Brennan when they sit down to breakfast the next morning and when all she gets as a response is a shrug she knows the answer. "The pills Doc gave you didn't work."
"Not really," Brennan answered honestly, "I slept for a little while but woke about three after a nightmare and couldn't get back to sleep."
"You didn't work did you? You did, didn't you?"
"I figured if I couldn't' sleep I might as well get something done. I wrote a couple letters and then started working on categorizing the remains from yesterday. It'll speed up work today."
"You're going to work yourself into the ground if you're not careful."
"I don't know what that means."
"It means," Kendall explain, "that you have to take care of yourself. And not sleeping is only going to hurt you."
"I don't know how many times I have to tell you, but I'm fine. Really." Brennan assured her, "I've worked much crazier hours and much harder in the past. I know my limits."
"Okay," Kendall relented, "but I want you to know that I'm going to be watching you. And I want you to promise to listen to Doc. He's here for a reason."
"I'll listen to him," Brennan told her. "And if I get too worn down I'll stop. I promise. And I know I need to sleep. I just wish I could without the nightmares."
"You still haven't heard from him?"
"No," Brennan said with a shake of her head. "I know it's illogical of me to worry so much, but I do. I can't explain it."
"You love him," Kendall supplied, "we worry about the ones we love."
"But…"
"No arguments for that one Bren," Kendall told her. "It's just the way it is."
"I wish it wasn't though. I just wish I could talk to him."
"Why don't you call him?"
"I tried."
"You did? When?"
"Four days ago," Brennan admitted. "I was told he was unavailable but the information was classified. They wouldn't even tell me when we would be available. They said they could pass along a message but that's it."
"I'm sorry."
"And the worst part is that just made my worry grow."
"I'm sure he's fine."
"I'd rather know it for sure. I have a falling feeling in my stomach…"
"Sinking feeling," Kendall corrected without thinking. "It's sinking feeling. And I thought you didn't go by your gut."
"Typically I don't. It's not pleasant for me, but I just can't shake this feeling."
Before Kendall could respond the two were interrupted by a member of their tech squad, Marissa Habeshy a grad student from Egypt.
"Doctor Brennan," she exclaimed hurriedly, "there's a call for you. Said it was urgent and you need to take it immediately."
Brennan glanced quickly at Kendall who couldn't hide the worried look that past through her eyes. Heart pounding, Brennan followed Marissa back the main base where the technology tent was located. Expecting the worst she was surprised at the face that was waiting for her on the screen.
"Cam? What is it?"
"Dr. Brennan…its Booth."
ooo
A/N: Okay, breathe in and out people. And if you want the next chapter I'd recommend leaving a review. *evil laugh here*
