A/N: So I've finally figured what's going on. That was lucky. And I apologise profusely for not updating in a about a bazillion years, I've been preoccupied and then they stole my computer.

Chapter Four.

Booth stopped cold when he walked into his office. A woman sat in the chair Brennan had previously occupied earlier that day, her blonde hair tied tightly in a bun at the back of her head. She turned and got up when she saw him, the clothes she was wearing practically screaming at him that she was looking for a man to sink her claws into, the neckline low and the skirt short.

"Agent Seeley Booth?" she asked. Well, she wasn't a Texan. Nor did she look like she wrestled snakes, but then, one never knew. Booth suddenly had the urge to ask.

"That's me," he walked around her to his desk, and her eyes followed him. Hazel.

"Agent Drew Carter. I've been assigned to work on the Jeffersonian gardens case with you," she gave him a hundred-watt smile.

He returned it. "Its nice to meet you. I haven't seen you around, are you a new agent?"

Drew nodded.

"Where are you from?"

"Me? I'm a Minnesota local; my hometown is Rochester. I only moved here about a month ago."

As far as Booth knew, they didn't wrestle snakes in Minnesota. Rode horses and walked through forests maybe, although he didn't think he knew anywhere that wrestled snakes. Perhaps he'd been spending too much time around Brennan. He was starting to think rationally.

"Minnesota, huh? I hear it's nice there." He didn't really know, never having been before, but he figured that was what you said to people when they told you about their hometowns.

"Oh, it is."

There was an awkward silence before Drew started her own line of questioning.

"So you work with a world renowned forensic anthropologist? What's that like?"

He knew what she was doing. Many of the women who he had worked with while being in a partnership with Brennan had asked the same type of question. She was fishing for information on their personal relationship.

"Working with Bones? Well, overall I'd have to say pretty…interesting."

Drew had raised an eyebrow at his use of Brennan's nickname, but didn't say anything.

He tried to fix it. This woman was attractive, and since Brennan was officially off limits, he might as well try his luck. "Bones is a nickname. She hates it so I use it to annoy her," he hoped it sounded plausible and not like he was desperate for her to like him. It wasn't high school; he didn't need to do that anymore.

"Will we be going to see this 'Bones'?" she asked, curious.

"Oh, yeah. I'll take you down to the Jeffersonian to meet her and get you up to speed on the case so far. Did you want to go now?"

"Sure."

-

"Are you okay?" Angela asked, following Brennan into her office. "You've been gone for a while and you look kinda crestfallen. What happened?"

Brennan sat at her desk and absentmindedly arranged papers into a pile. "They took me off field work."

"What?"

"Because of the danger or something. Booth is going to meet his new partner as we speak."

"But it's only temporary, right?" Angela asked, almost as surprised as Brennan had been.

"Ange, you know Cullen. He doesn't like me and has been trying to get me away from the field since I starting working with the FBI. Isn't this pretty much the perfect excuse to find a way to keep me in the lab for good?" Brennan asked sadly, thinking about the idea she had thought of during lunch with Booth.

"Oh, Bren," Angela sighed. "I know how much you love being out working with Booth on cases, but you know my opinion. After everything that's happened, I'd be happier if you were in the lab. I know where you are and that you aren't in danger." Catching the look on her friend's face, she continued, sighing again, "but then I also know that Booth wouldn't let a thing happen to you if he could help it, so I guess what I'm saying is I'm sorry the case is working out like this for you."

Brennan managed to smile at Angela, sitting opposite her. "Thank you for your support, Ange. Now I should really go and work on these bones some more." She got up and let her hand brush over her friend's shoulder in thanks.

Brennan didn't notice Booth and Agent Carter when they arrived, and a look of surprise crossed her face when she straightened from examining the newly-cleaned bones.

"Bones, this is Agent Drew Carter, she's my new partner for this case. Agent Carter, this is Dr Temperance Brennan."

Drew stuck out a well-manicured hand and Brennan shook it tentatively, not sure what to make of the woman standing in front of her. Booth looked kind of like he didn't know whether he find her attractive or find her slightly terrifying.

"Well, Agent Carter, I can get you and Booth up to speed on this case, if you'd like."

"Please, call me Drew," she said, another smile flashed in Brennan's direction.

Brennan gave a small nod and attempted to smile back, though it felt more like a grimace. "Well, as Booth knows, the victim was female, around seventeen or eighteen, blunt-force trauma to the skull was cause of death. I've since found out that the victim was tied at some point before her death, the wrists and ankles show considerable damage, meaning she was tied either very tightly, or for a long time."

"No more calls then?" asked Booth, concern etched on his features.

"Not so far."

"Cullen said he's screening any and all calls to the Jeffersonian and your apartment as of ten minutes ago," said Booth. Brennan nodded and seemed at a loss for anything to say.

"Um, Drew, can I excuse Dr Brennan and myself for a second?"

"Of course."

Booth gestured to Brennan and she followed him off the platform and into her office where he shut the door.

"Are you sure you're okay? You seemed kind of distant out there."

"I'm fine, Booth. I don't need you checking up on me every five minutes."

"I know that, Bones. I just want to make sure you're safe."

"And I know that." Her voice was slightly snappier than she intended it to be.

"Hey, Bones. Calm down a little."

"Look, I can't help that I have to do my job. You can't help that you have to protect me while you do it. I get it. There's nothing more to talk about."

Booth knew she was being short with him for reasons other than just that. He had an idea what one was, but that couldn't be the entire problem.

"I think there is. You don't snap at me unless something's got you in a knot."

Brennan gave him her 'I don't know what that means' face.

"You're annoyed about something other than just me," he clarified.

Brennan sighed. "Cullen isn't going to let me back out into the field, is he?" she asked quietly. "He's been wanting an excuse to have me out since I started working with you." She repeated her earlier qualms.

"Of course he will." Booth actually didn't know, but he had to say something to reassure her.

"You don't know that. I've told you before, I don't think he likes me."

"He likes you fine. Especially after what you did for Amy."

Brennan didn't look convinced, just slightly irritated. "We should probably get back out to your new friend. I have to say I'm disappointed, Booth. Are you sure you didn't pick up the wrong agent? She doesn't seem the one-eyed snake wrestling type."

He grinned at her and shook his head. Though he could definitely see a hint of something in her eyes that could have been jealousy.

They walked out of her office and back onto the platform, where both Hodgins and Zach were entertaining Drew.

They backed off when Booth arrived, though, Drew having obviously told them her position. Either that or they thought they were dating.

"Dr Brennan," Zach said, a file appearing from behind his back, "the victim's dental records."

Brennan took the file from Zach's outstretched hand and her eyes settled on a name. "Maggie Reeds. Seventeen years old."

"I'll get Cullen onto it." Booth almost found himself asking whether Brennan wanted to go with him to tell the parents, but caught himself in time. The last thing he wanted to do was get on his partner- Bones' bad side.

"I guess we'll be going to tell the parents soon, then?" Drew asked Booth.

He noted the slightly downcast expression on Brennan's face as she handed the file silently to Booth and made her way past him and Drew, muttering a quiet 'excuse me' as she headed back into her office.

Booth watched her go, saddened by how dejected she looked.

"We should go," he said to Drew, who nodded her approval. "I just have to ask Angela something, wait here," Booth had noticed Angela moving around in her own office and went over, knocking on the door before hearing Angela telling him to open it and come in.

"Hey, Angela. Quick request. Can you get Brennan to stay at your place tonight? Or at least go over to hers? I don't want her alone but I don't think she really wants me there."

"Of course, Sweetie."

"Thanks," he smiled and she reciprocated as he turned and walked back out the door, shutting it behind him.

He stopped outside the door of Brennan's office and debated getting hit by her wrath by going in. He decided to risk it.

"Hey, Bones? I'm off now."

Brennan glanced up, the dejected look still in her eyes as she gazed at him. "Okay. Have a good time with Drew," she said curtly, a hint of irritation in her voice.

"Sharp, Bones. Sharp words. You know she's only my partner temporarily."

Brennan huffed, still miffed and saddened no matter what Booth said. Booth tried to think of something to cheer her up. Kissing her on the cheek seemed a nice idea to him, he imagined Brennan relaxing beneath him and taking it further, her lips brushing his as she sat in her chair, her hands twining around his neck to bring him closer…

Whoa.

Okay, no.

He couldn't do anything, though he wanted to. What Cullen said went without questioning and there was nothing he could do about it. He'd just have to let go of his partner like she had to let go of him. He said the only thing he could.

"I'm sorry, Bones." He turned and walked out the door, leaving his partner behind, in more than one sense of the word.