Title: A Dangerous Aficionado
Disclaimer: Not mine. Fox.
Rating: Eventually an M.
A/N: Unbelievably, I have the next chapter written, too. I haven't stopped today! But I hope you like it anyway! Let me know. You know I am a review whore!
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"I don't have a sword," she says when I step into her office. She doesn't look up from her computer, but there is a small smile tugging on her lips.
"I beg your pardon?" I say, setting a cup of coffee on her desk. She removes the lid, peering into the darkened liquid.
"You remembered!" She says. I've had trouble reminding myself that she doesn't take cream. "I don't have a sword," she repeats. I still don't get it. Apparently my expression conveys this point to her. "The Bodyguard," she explains. "When we get to that scene, we'll have to do it sans sword." I chuckle. She's in fine form today! Normally she's completely no-nonsense.
"Angela explained then, did she?" I ask. I am momentarily distracted from the many thoughts of Brennan's stalker that have kept me awake all night. I don't often get the chance to see this side of her. I intended to enjoy it, however long it lasts. Knowing Bones as I do I can safely assume her moment of normality won't last long.
"She paid particular detail to the sex scene. The rest she was a bit vague on." She is typing again, then enlarging images of bones on her screen. She squints at them. "Personally I cannot see the sexiness in a sword." I smirk. Maybe because I can. "Anyhow, I don't think we're going to be enacting this movie." I shrug.
"I didn't expect you to comply. Any letters this morning?" She shakes her head. "Don't be assuming it's over yet, Bones," I warn her. "There was a buzz of activity around your apartment. He might be a bit freaked." She sips her coffee, her eyes darkened in thought. "I have someone posted outside your apartment. The bastard isn't getting in now." She blinks at me, and I almost believe I see affection there. If I did, it's gone in an instant.
"Thank you," she says, pushing her chair back. She has her lab coat on in a second and she's out the door, coffee in hand. I follow her, but, having not acquired enough sleep to maintain her hellish pace, I feel like I am tagging.
"Who could have access to your keys?" I ask, finally falling into step beside her. She shrugs.
"I was thinking about this. I really do not know. I carry my keys everywhere with me." My mind turns, exploring all avenues. This is my job, and I know she hates unfounded conjecture. But at the moment, science has turned up nothing but dead ends. O'Malley called me this morning with a giant nothing. Wilcox had only started analysing the hand-writing.
"Could it be someone in here?" I ask. She downs another mouthful of coffee.
"I doubt it. Although my office is not locked…" after a few moments, she dismisses it. "No. I really doubt it. The only people here that I talk to are my friends. Angela, Zach, Hodgins and Goodman. They wouldn't…" I nod my head. I know they would not. Despite my original doubt of the Squints, I have come to like them. All of them. They respect and adore Brennan.
As we near the quarantined lab, I hear Angela's voice. She is murmuring conspiratorially and I know instinctively she's talking about me.
"…they'll be doing it soon. It's the FBI hero thing…" she says.
"I get ya," Hodgins says. "Boom, boom, boom…" Zach nudges him and they all turn.
Brennan blushes. "There will be no booming! Aren't you meant to be working?" Angela is the only one who does not look contrite. As far as she's concerned, everyone else's business is hers, and she can gossip about whoever she wants. "Hodgins?" The Bug-Boy sighs.
"Sorry Dr Brennan…"
"You should be." She turns to me. "I have someone coming this evening to change the locks. So there will be an end to this!" I watch as she bends over a microscope, diving into her work as usual.
"A new lock won't stop the letters, Bones," I say. She grunts. "I'll be doing the 'stay over' shift tonight. Just in case." She glances up.
"No you're not. Angela can stay again." I glance up, and Angela is grinning like a Cheshire cat.
"Actually sweetie… I can't. I've made plans." She gives her best apologetic smile and Brennan totally sucks it up. I cannot believe a woman so intelligent is so gullible. Can she not see through Angela's blatant matchmaking attempts? I'm cringing here! "Don't worry," she whispers as though I can't hear. "He won't bite…unless you want him to, that is!"
"Angela!" Brennan hisses, glaring. "Enough… please…" I am so satisfied by the rosy tinge that comes over her cheeks. In the back of my mind, though, the sinister reason behind our banter plays on. There's a very sombre reason why we're discussing Brennan's bodyguard situation. I can't appease the nagging feeling that tells me a change of locks is not going to remedy the problems we're having. "Booth…? I think I should be alright here today," Brennan says. "If you have work to be getting on with back at your office." I shake the disturbing feeling off, and smile reassuringly.
"I have brought the work with me, Bones. I'm as efficient as hell." I really believe I am, too. I've crammed a month's worth of work into the back of my car, and if I can find a spot to work in peace, I can get through a lot of it. As long as Brennan is in my sight. "All I need is a desk and a telephone…"
"Someone kick you out of the FBI headquarters, Agent Booth?" I turn. Dr Goodman smiles at me with his usual good humour. This is another man I like. Despite his stern appearance, he is, underneath, a great guy, who cares about his staff and he seems to have a good rapport with them all. Even Hodgins, who, despite always having something to say, seems to be genuinely fond of him.
"Booth is playing Frank Farmer today, sir," Angela chirps.
"Miss Montenegro," Goodman says, never taking his eyes off me. "Don't you have something aside from prying to get on with?" Angela taps her pencil on her sketch pad.
"As a matter of fact, I do." She jumps off her stool, and nudges Hodgins on her way to the steps. "Forty eight hours," she winks. "Max." Hodgins clears his throat, and I get their little 'in' joke immediately. Brennan, however, frowns at Zach who does nothing to fill her in.
When Angela is gone, Goodman speaks. "Frank Farmer, Agent Booth? Whatever is that woman talking about now? She pretends to be vague, but she has insight into everything that's going on which is exactly why I am not disregarding her movie reference, this time." I sigh. Brennan hasn't informed her boss either, then.
"Dr Brennan has been the victim of some unwanted attention recently," I explain. "Very recently, actually. When did all this start, Bones?" It feels like an eternity. When did I start feeling like this towards her? When did I start walking this fine line? I have only one target in mind; protection. This is one duty I cannot fail.
"Yesterday," she replies. I cannot believe it only started a day ago.
"What kind of attention do you mean?" Goodman asks, crossing his arms. He is an imposingly large man. I am more afraid of this man than I am of my own boss. And he has no authority over me!
"A letter," I say.
"Just a letter?" I realise he's not likely to be contented with vague details.
"No post mark. He then got into her apartment while she was here and left behind a book she had signed for him and a specially selected track on her CD player." Brennan clears her throat.
"Must you talk about me like I'm not here?" Goodman ignores her.
"Have you found anything?" Brennan growls and turns back to her microscope.
"Not yet. It's safe to say we're dealing with someone clever, here. Brennan's having her locks changed today. But…" Goodman senses my concerns, and nods. I know he's thinking the same thing. He's intelligent, like Brennan, but he's a lot more streetwise than she is. Where Bones carries a naivety, Goodman does not. "Which is why I am staying here today. And tonight," I lean close enough for Brennan to hear me. "I am staying with you tonight, okay? And you're not getting out of it. Like Angela said, I won't bite." And as I turn towards the steps, ready to collect my things from my car, I hear Hodgins speak.
"Unless you want him to, that is…"
Damn! He and Angela conspire together!
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On to the next chapter which is up already. Busy bee me!