Chapter Seven
"Bones, what's wrong? Two days in a row of not going to work, are you sick?"
"Booth, I really need you to go."
"Not until I find out what is going on."
"You don't have to know everything about me Booth."
Her voice was cold. He wasn't giving in so easily though. He took a few steps back, sat on the couch, and crossed his arms and legs, waiting for a response.
She looked at him with intent and fury.
He replied with raised eyebrows and tightened his self-embrace.
The silence was deafening and with two extremely self assured people it could go on indefinitely. Deciding the only way to get him to leave so Angela could take her to her appointment was to bare it all. Staring directly into his eyes, she loosened the knot on her robe and pulled it to the side, expressing her left breast.
As she had silently predicted his eyes widened and arms fell to his side.
She switched to scientist mode which had been temporarily abandoned, "I have a two-inch diameter lump in my left breast. I am going for a biopsy this morning." She stepped closer to him. "It could be malignant."
Malignant. He knew that meant cancer.
No. Bones can't have cancer. She can't.
"Bones, I'm – damn." He covered his face in his hands for a moment then stood before her, their proximity even closer now.
"Why didn't you tell me Bones, I could have--?"
She cut him off, "What Booth, you could have what? Cured me? That's what I will need Booth, a cure. Your faith in God can't help me."
"What? Why did you bring that up?"
"You can't fix this Booth. I knew you would try but you can't fix this."
"Bones you are not making any sense."
"Booth, you always try to fix things, but this," she gestured to her bare breast, " is out of your realm."
He had a startling revelation.
"Is this why you said you don't want me to wait for you?" He took a step back, wanting, no needing, to see her face, her eyes, when she answered him.
"Booth, you deserve more," she replied, pulling her robe back over her bare skin.
"More what Bones?" He did not like where this conversation was going but it was too far along to let it go.
"More than I can give you."
"Like honesty?" It was now his voice that was cold.
"I didn't lie to you."
"You didn't tell the truth either."
"I don't have to tell you everything about me, Booth. I am certain you don't tell me everything about yourself."
They were still standing toe-to-toe neither wanting to let it go – until Bones spoke the crushing words, "You think you would still want me, but if I was, incomplete, I know it would mean something to you. I don't want to be incomplete for anyone."
He wasn't conceding when he stepped back, ran his hand over his mouth, took a deep breath and then leaned forward so they were barely an inch apart. He tilted his mouth to the side of hers so as to make sure she heard him and saw him.
"I have encountered many types of people in my life and you Temperance Brennan are one of a kind. Until this moment my commitment to my friends, family and country were never questioned. I offered you my heart, my soul, my everything and you couldn't even give me the truth." He pulled his head back slightly, " I don't deserve more, I deserve better."
