Chapter 6.

The Meeting Outside The House.

Angela had left Booth with lots to think about but all of it flew out of his head when he arrived at number 7 Wren Street, the victim's family home.

It wasn't the throng of reporters at the bottom of the road that did this, or the look of despair that befell the detached property.

It wasn't even what he had come to do – informing a victim's family of their loss never got easier and Booth had already done it many times.

Booth had taken a quick detour to the FBI before coming here.

He'd had a discreet look around in the FBI database, searching for a particular file. He'd been shocked by the initial information on it, about an unsolved disappearance fifteen years ago and he'd not had time to go through everything. Now he understood what Angela had been trying to tell him and he wasn't sure how to handle it. Brennan's past wasn't really any of his business but he was starting to think he might have judged her harshly.

Maybe he should try and get along with her.

As he pulled up beside the house he saw that wasn't going to be easy.

Brennan was already there.

Waiting for him.

She was leaning against the front of her own car.

When his car pulled up behind hers, she couldn't resist smiling smugly at him through his windscreen.

Booth didn't move, trying to control his temper and remember what he'd just resolved to do.

Brennan used that time to walk over to his car and speak to him through the open window:

"What took you so long?"

Booth felt his anger flare again.

"What are you doing here Bones?" He said, through gritted teeth, staring straight ahead and not looking at her.

"I asked my question first." Was Brennan's curt reply.

"Cut the crap." Booth hissed, turning to look at her. "I said you couldn't come with me. How did you know the address?"

Brennan shrugged. "You said it was Wren's Street in the lab. Since there are only eight houses on this road I just looked for the mailbox that said Jenkins."

Sure enough, there was a metal mailbox for the house just two metres away.

Booth was pissed. At himself, for giving her the information to defy him, but mainly at her.

This woman knew exactly how to piss him off.

He got out of the car and stood next to Brennan.

"Look Bones, let's get one thing straight right now. I am the cop in charge of this case. What I say goes. When I tell you to do something you just do it-"

"You didn't tell me what to do. You told me what not to do." Brennan retorted smoothly. "I had every intention of not doing, what you told me not to do, but then I got a call from Sheriff Walker. Since I do not have your number I thought I'd better come down and inform you of developments in the case. One of his men found some blood near the bandstand in the park. I dropped Zach off, to get a sample to see if it's the victim's and I still managed to get here before you did. What were you doing?"

Booth ignored her question.

"Well now you've told me you can leave me alone to do this." He said forcefully.

He turned and started walking up the long driveway.

Brennan started to follow him. "Now that I'm here-"

"No." Booth said at once, not looking at her.

Brennan was irritated.

"You don't seem to realise how fortunate you are to be working with me-" She began tartly.

"Goodbye Bones."

Brennan could tell he was smirking.

She stood still, debating her next move.

She quickly realised he didn't have to do anything she asked. In the end, she wasn't the cop.

He was.

She didn't think.

She just blurted it out.

"I want to come in with you."

Booth stopped.

There was something in the tone of her voice.

Was she pleading with him?

He turned around and walked back to her.

"Why Bones?" He asked, when he came face to face with her. "Why do you want to come in with me? I'm about to tell this family they have lost a loved one. They're never going to see Sarah again. Why do you want to be there when I tell them that?"

There was a long moment's silence.

Booth tried to look Brennan in the eye but she wouldn't look at him.

She shifted from foot to foot.

Finally she spoke.

"Because I want to tell them that... I'll try for them." She admitted quietly, still refusing to meet his gaze. "They need to know that someone cares."

Booth remembered Brennan's file and knew she was speaking from past experience.

It was the first time she had said the victim's name.

It was the first time he'd heard her sound... nervous?

Unsure of herself?

Human.

Looking at her standing vulnerable before him, Booth felt a tiny bit of Brennan's hidden pain.

"I care too."

He meant it.

Brennan heard it in his voice because she lifted her eyes and finally met his gaze.