Missing Scene: The Man in the Mansion

Sorry its been a bit everyone… I've been working a lot this week. But I promise I'll get back into this quickly.

XxXxX

"I slept with Sully last night." Temperance said, in response to Booth's questions about hers and Angela's previous conversation.

Booth rubbed his neck somewhat uncomfortably. "Oh. I thought you already, uh …"

"No. Last night." She affirmed.

"Ah. It's really none of my business." Although he wanted it to be, Booth couldn't shake the sickly feeling in his stomach.

She looked at him then, needing his support in this. "Except we're partners."

"Yeah, there's that-" He said, trying his best to offer her something.

"And you...told me about your socks." She tried.

"Mhm. Sex. Socks. Pretty much the same word." Shrugged Booth, trying to draw some humor into their situation.

After a light pause Brennan spoke. "Do we have a case, or are you just visiting?"

"Yeah, I'll fill you in on the way. It's messy, better get some protection." Booth wiggled his eyebrows at her.

She walked out of her office as she spoke, leaving him to follow. "Let me get my gumboots."

Her tone was serious and Booth laughed lightly. As he stood he fidgeted with his tie. "Yeah. I'm gonna need a flashier tie."

When she returned to the office, boots in hand, he was standing in front of the closed door. "Ready to go?"

He nodded and they walked towards the parking garage together. They were silent for a long while until they had safely driven out of the confines of the concrete structure on onto the busy roads of the city.

"Is something wrong Booth?" She asked looking at him across the car.

Booth blew out a long stream of breath. "Nah, you know its all this therapy crap and work."

"Liar." Her bluntness startled him. "I mean I know that you don't like therapy, but you love your work."

"That's not it Bones." Booth said honestly, making eye contact with her briefly.

"Then what is it?" She asked, her concern evident in the tone of her voice. "Come on, Booth. Is this about Hodgins betraying some kind of man law?"

"It's the 'Man Code', Bones." He sighed again, this time in frustration. "Are you sure you want to know?"

She nodded fervently. "Yes, Booth. You're my partner."

"Alright." Booth caved, he had said he'd be honest and now was his chance. "It's this thing with Sully."

"You mean me and Sully?" She asked, turning as far in her seat as she could to face him. "What about us?" Her last word was said with force, as if waving the 'Temperance and Sully union flag' in front of his face.

"I just-" he didn't want to hurt her, and he knew that being honest would do just that. So he decided not to tell her how he felt about her, instead he went with telling her how he felt about her and Sully. "Bones, I just don't think it's a good idea. He's- well he-"

"He's what Booth?" She shot back. "He's nice? He's good to me? Is that what you wanted to say Booth, because all of that's true." Her eyes were frozen hiding any signs of emotion. She pointed an accusatory finger at him. "Don't you ruin this for me."

He said it then, unable to hold back how he felt any longer. "What about what we could have had, huh Bones?"

"No!" She yelled. "That's not fair. You had a whole month to talk to me about Vegas and you never did, Booth. Its not fair to bring it up now."

Booth pounded a hand on his steering wheel. "I can't help it. I think about it all the time. I shot a clown because of it."

She held up a hand. "Wait, I thought you shot the clown because of what happened to Cam with Epps."

"You would think that wouldn't you?" He said angrily, his voice raising more than he'd have preferred.

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Temperance, shooting him an accusatory glare.

They pulled into the site of the crime scene. Pulling the gear shift into park he unbuckled his seat belt and turned to her pointing a finger at her. "Everything is so clinical with you! You can't see anything other than the Bones on your table. You cant' see who really has feelings for you."

She slapped him, hard across his cheek. In reality, she was surprised she'd done it. But as she removed herself from the car she showed no sign of remorse. Before slamming the car door, she turned to face him. "Sully cares a lot about me Booth. And I care a lot for him." She exhaled, willing her insides to cool down. "What we had, or could have had is non-existent now. I need you to see that and be happy for me." She was about to leave, but turned around once more. "Because you're my partner and friend, I'm going to compartmentalize everything that was just said and try to forge it. And for your sake, I promise not to breath a word of this to Sully."

She closed the door surprisingly lightly for how angry she must have felt. Booth sat alone in the car for a few minutes before joining his partner in the field.

XxXxX

Hope you're not too angry. Let me know how you feel about it.