A/N: Cannot apologise enough for lack of updates. Now, I would come up with a bunch of excuses but I know none of them are any good and you will proberly be more interested in the story, so here it is...

Chapter 7 – Decisions, Decisions?

She stared at the piece of paper. That single word hit her more than anything else that he could have said. And the thought that he had actually remembered the discussion they had had. She turned the piece of paper over as she sat on her bed. What should she do now? There was only one thing that she could think of. Brennan reached over to her bedside table and picked up her phone and dialled the only person who could sort out this mess.

"Hello, Angela Montenegro speaking." a sniffing Angela was on the other end of the line.

"Angela, are you o.k.?" Brennan's brow furrowed in confusion as she registered Angela's voice.

"Bren. What do you want?" her voice was harsh but she was no longer sniffing.

"Angela, I wanted to apologise. You were right and I should have believed you over him." Brennan paused to wait for a reply.

"O.K. you're forgiven. Do you want to come around, mum's making pasta and cheese bake?"

"Actually Ange, I was wondering if you could come around here for a while, I have something I need to show you."

"Sure Bren, I'll be around in a few minutes." Angela hung up the phone, as did Brennan.

Few Minutes later…

Angela knocked on Brennan's bedroom door and entered at Brennan's voice.

"Hey Bren… Now what did you want to show me?" Angela took a seat next to her best friend and noticed a slightly crumpled piece of paper in her hand.

Brennan stood up and walked over to her desk. She picked up the book and handed it to Angela. Angela examined the cover and carefully opened it.

"Wow, your parents finally caved then." Angela flicked a few pages then shut the book handing it back to Brennan. She looked up to see her shacking her head and Angela also noticed that her eyes had gone a little red and where clouded over with confusion.

"Your parents didn't get you this. Then who did? Russ? No that doesn't sound like him." She laughed a little and Brennan smiled along with the joke.

"No, it wasn't Russ. Here." She handed the piece of paper to Angela who read it. "Sorry, I know you're sorry. You don't have to tell me again, much less write it down." Angela laughed again and Brennan sat down on the bed next to her, her face as serious as ever.

"It's not from me. It's from Booth. I found it in the book." She sat and stared at the wall across from the bed, avoiding Angela's gaze for as long as possible.

"Wait, Booth. He bought you this book? Wow, maybe he means it." Brennan's head whipped around and she saw a look of slight wonderment on her face.

"What, does he mean?" she looked completely confused and she furrowed her brow again.

"Well, look maybe you should just forgive him? I know what he did to you was really bad, but maybe he really means it. You know, I haven't seen him talk to any of his mates since, and he hasn't been as annoying and immature and, and…Booth, since he first…you know." She smiled at Brennan who breathed in and exhaled deeply whilst staring at the wall again.

"Well, Ange, what do you want me to do then?" she turned to Angela who had a thoughtful expression.

Angela took Brennan's hand and said quietly and softly, "Talk to him."

Next Day…

Both the girls and Hodgins stepped off the bus, laughing about something Hodgins had said. They noticed Booth walking towards them and Hodgins stepped in front of her while Angela guided her away.

"Wait, Temperance…" Booth shouted after Brennan who ignored him. As he went to follow her Hodgins grabbed Booth's arm and pulled him back.

"Listen, dude. At this point in time, I know I don't like you, but Brennan is still unsure of whether she can trust you or not. Especially after the gift." Hodgins raised his eyebrow.

"She told you?" Booth voice was a little higher than normal and he could feel the blush running up his neck to his face.

"Yeah, well actually Angie told me, but not the point. She just, she just needs her space right now. But when she's ready, she'll find you." He gave Booth and understanding nod of the head.

"You're sure?" nervousness over came this normally cocky boy.

Hodgins patted Booth on the arm, "I'm sure." and walked away to where the girls had disappeared to.

Inside…

"Hey!" Hodgins called out to Brennan and Angela where stood at his locker. "Hey, what are you two doing here?" He looked from one of the girls to the other. His eyes lingered on Angela.

"Bren wanted to know what you said to Booth." She eyed him curiously while Brennan waiting slightly anxious.

"I told Booth that Brennan needed her space and when she was ready, she would talk to him." Hodgins smiled smugly.

Brennan smiled and silently excused herself, heading for her own locker. Hodgins stared after her then turned to Angela, "Is she going to be O.K?"

Angela turned in the direction Brennan had headed. "I sure hope so." Angela took Hodgins' hand and dragged him towards the main hallway.

A few lessons later…Biology…

Brennan walked into Biology and walked straight up to Mr Keenan.

"Sir, I would like to request a new partner." She looked down at her hands and waited for the teacher to say something.

"Well, you're a bit late. That request has already been made. You are now partnered with only Mr Addy and Mr Booth has been paired with Julia and Tim." He gestured for her to sit down at the desk, so she did as she was told and sat down next to Zack.

When there Zack greeted her and sensing something was wrong but not wanting to make things worse, he sat in silence, waiting for her to speak first.

Through the whole lesson, Brennan only spoke about the work, and then she only spoke a few times. By the end of the lesson she actually felt worse then before, even more confused. When the bell went she gathered her things and left with Zack. She could feel someone watching her all through the lesson and as she left the room the feeling only slightly faded.

When she met up with Angela and Hodgins, Angela immediately asked what had happened about the partner situation.

"Sweetie, hey. What happened in biology, about you being partnered with Booth and all?" she looked at Brennan, concern evident in her face and her eyes.

"It's been sorted." With that Brennan walked away and left Angela slightly bewildered.

"Zack," Angela turned around to Zack who was talking, or rather arguing, with Hodgins about something. "What was that all about?"

Zack stopped talking to Hodgins and took note of the fact that Brennan wasn't there anymore. He turned to Angela, "She and Booth aren't partnered anymore. Mr Keenan put Booth with a girl called Julia and that Sully kid." He said with ease, as if it was nothing, before turning back to Hodgins to continue their conversation.

For the rest of the day, Angela couldn't find Brennan anywhere. When she finally gave in and realised Brennan had gone home, she decided it was time to intervene in her decision. And to do that she had to have all the facts.

At lunch time she went looking for Booth. She managed to find him at lunch time hanging around with his old friends. Even though he was back in his normal environment, with his mates, Angela noted that he looked slightly depressed and whenever the rest of the group would start laughing, he would suddenly join in and then stop once every one realised he had indeed laughed. It looked kind of like an outsider in the loud group now.

Angela walked casually up to them and was spotted by every other member of the group before Booth finally looked up, and he only looked up when a few of the members announced Angela coming. He slowly stood up and she stopped dead in front of him.

"Booth, we need to talk." She stared him straight in the eye and all Booth could manage was a small nod of the head. Angela took his arm and dragged him out of earshot of all his friends before starting her conversation.

"Booth…" she started but was stopped by Booth's interruption.

"Look Angela, I'm done. I will leave Bones alone and I won't talk to her again, I'll pretend I don't know her. I'll just leave her alone to live the remainder of her life without me being involved." Booth went to turn away and felt a hand on his arm.

"Wait, I wasn't going to say anything like that. I wanted to know what happened?" she looked at him curiously.

"When?" he looked at her confused and turned back around to her.

"When, when you first made the bet? What happened? How did it happen?" she sat down on the wall that was slightly to the right of them. Booth followed suit and started the story.

"Well. I guess the bet was made because one of the guys caught me looking at Bones. I saw sat at that bench writing in a book. Anyway, I must have been staring or something, you know, I actually genuinely thought she was beautiful. Anyway, I heard something come from one of the guys and they made a bet that I wouldn't be able to get her to go on a date with me by the end of the week." He let out a deep breath and looked over to Angela.

"And that's what started the bet? But if it was just a bet why are you so…so, upset that you're not talking to her anymore?" She turned around slightly and placed her hand on her cheek and rested her elbow on her lap.

"What, I'm not upset." Booth sat up straight and looked straight ahead, trying to act all tough guy and like a typical male.

"Oh, come on Booth. That the very same expression has been placed on her face ever since I first saw her, after she found out about the bet of course. But you know what I really want to know? Why did you get her that book and then give up on her?" she took her hand away from her face and shifted so she could see his face a bit more clearly.

"I don't know. I just…I just really wanted her to forgive me. But being unable to actually talk to her I thought that giving her something like that, and then maybe she would see what I've been trying to tell her." Booth balanced his elbows on his knees and sat his face in his hands. "But it obviously didn't work if she has decided not to talk to me."

Angela touched a hand to Booth's arm. "But she hasn't given up. Not yet. She hasn't made up her mind on whether or not she can really trust you anymore. She doesn't trust as easy as most people normally do and that why I was actually surprised that you came to be such a close friend when you did. What with it being only a few days ago, she was thinking of you as that popular, jerk of a boy." Angela was smiling and Booth had a hint of a smile playing at his lips.

"Really?" he turned to Angela, who simply patted his arm and stood up, leaving.

"I gave up the bet." Angela turned back around. Booth's head was facing the ground.

"You, what?" Angela slowly made her way back to Booth and heard him whisper under his breath.

"I threw the bet." He looked up at the shock on her face.

"Wha…when?" She sat back down next to him, eyes staring intently at him.

"Yesterday. Before school." He looked back at his hands.

"Why?"

"She's different. A…a good different. She's not like any of the other girls I've met. She's smart and she's pretty. She's…different." He smiled at his hands and looked around to Angela's face; she too was graced with a smile.

"That's sweet. You know Booth; you really are a good guy." Angela gave Booth a quick hug and got up once more.

When she was a few feet away she turned around and called back to Booth, "And just remember, I can sway her either way." She smiled widely and Booth smiled with her.

Angela turned back to face the way she was going and continued on. Booth walked away from the spot where him and Angela where talking and headed back to his friends.

Brennan was at home, lay in her bed and was hugging one of the pillows that were surrounding her. She had a box of tissues next to her and a bin was on the floor next to her bed. The bin was filled with tissues that she had used whilst she was crying, which worried her because she was not one to cry at silly little things like this.

Silly, this is not a silly little thing.

Of course it is.

No it's not. You trusted him, and he betrayed you.

You didn't trust him. He was just another guy.

The mental argument that she was having was only contributing more to the unusual behaviour that she was experiencing. Her mother had only been able to get off work long enough to pick her up so she had to go back to work. With Russ and her father also at work, she was left at home alone. When a knock came at the front door she tried to ignore it but it wasn't until a voice accompanied that knock did she decide to move.

"Bren?" it was the voice of her best friend, Angela.

Brennan stumbled out of her bed and walked over to the window. On the way she picked up a key that her mother had left. She opened the window and called down to Angela.

"Ange, here." She dropped the key to the left of Angela and walked slowly back to her bed. She heard Angela come in the door and quietly come up the stairs to her bedroom.

"Bren?" Angela opened the door and entered Brennan's bedroom and saw her sat, hugging her knees and a quilt wrapped around her. Angela placed the key on the desk across the room and walked back to the bed, sitting down and gently rubbed Brennan's back, soothingly.

"Hey, you ok?" Angela took her hand off of Brennan's back and knelt down in front of her.

Brennan had a blank expression on her face, showing Angela nothing on how she was feeling at this time. Brennan fell back and leant on the wall behind her bed0 closing her eyes. Angela sat back up on the bed next to Brennan again. She sat there for about five minutes before Angela said anything.

"Bren, talk to me." Brennan opened her eyes and looked at Angela.

"What do you want Angela?" Angela looked intently at her and turned slowly so she fully faced her.

"Brennan, I need to tell you something. Booth…"

"Angela, no more about Booth, OK. If you're going to talk about him you might as well leave now." She turned to look out the window and closed her eyes again.

"Bren, Sweetie. When your ready I need to talk to you, but before you make the decision about…him." She climbed carefully off of the bed and slowly and quietly out of the bedroom and out of the house.

Brennan put her television on and watched whatever was on it, she wasn't paying attention. She just needed anything to distract her from thinking about Booth or what Angela had said.

She woke the next morning, where she had laid to watch the television, a pillow resting on her arm with her head on her pillow. The bright light of the 7 o'clock sun shone into the bedroom. Brennan raised her head at a light tap on her bedroom door. The door opened a crack and she could see a sliver of her mothers face. When the door opened completely she saw a weak smile on her face as she walked over and perched on the edge of Brennan's bed.

"Hey honey. How are you today? You were asleep when I got back." Christine tucked a piece of hair behind her daughter's ear.

"I'm great mom. I think I'm good to back to school." She smiled a tired smile at her mother, before sitting up.

"Well, in that case, up you get, ready for school." Her mother stood up, a smile across her face as she left the bedroom.

Brennan jumped out of bed and went through her usual routine of getting ready, with one difference. Today she was putting an extra book in her bag, the one that Booth gave her; 'Bones to Ashes'.

"Tempe. Russ says he'll give you a lift today. If you hurry." Her mother's voice carried up the stairs.

Brennan grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder, before running downstairs to meet her brother.

The ride to school was silent. Russ pulled up outside the school and Brennan climbed out quickly. She found Angela stood by the bench, talking to Hodgins and Zack.

She stood next to Zack. "Hey guys."

"Hey, sweetie. Have you made a decision?" Angela stepped forward and placed her hand on Brennan's arm.

She reached inside her bag and pulled out the book, handing it to Angela. "You're giving it back?"

Brennan replied with a silent nod. Her eyes had started to glisten a little.

"Bren you can't!" Angela stared intimidate at Brennan.

Zack spoke to Hodgins. "I feel like I'm missing something?"

"You and me both Zack-o. Would someone car to explain?" Hodgins directed his question at the two girls who were staring each other down. "What is the big deal with this book?" Hodgins gestured towards the book still in Angela's hands.

"Booth gave it to her." Angela blurted out. "If she's giving it back it means that she isn't going to forgive him. Which Bren, is a big mistake."

"Why? What's wrong with me not forgiving him?" She looked at her, incredulously.

"Because…"

"Wow, that's a good argument, 'Because'. Why didn't I think of that?" the sarcasm in her voice almost made Angela want to reconsider getting her and Booth to patch things up.

"Because, Bren, he loves you."

"What?"

"Well, maybe I wouldn't go as strong as love, but I would defiantly say there is some strong emotion there. I mean, he gave you this book and he threw the bet."

"What? He threw the bet?"

"Yes Sweetie. He threw the bet. Does that tell you how much he likes and cares for you?"

"Why did he throw the bet?"

"Basically? He said you where worth more to him than any bet he could make."

Brennan just stood there, staring out into space, a smile adorn her features. Never, and she meant never, had she thought the any guy, let alone Seeley Booth, would say that about her. She looked down at the book in her hands and let her fingers trace the cover of it, remembering the time she told him of the book. She carefully placed the book back in her bag and smiled at Angela.

Angela was positively beaming, "So, does this mean that you're…" she waved her arms wildly and Brennan nodded along to her. Angela squealed quietly and hugged Brennan.

Hodgins and Zack looked at the girls incredulously and smirked at them. When their embrace ended Brennan excused herself and walked inside the building. The three of them watched her as she walked away, all grinning at the realisation that she had come to.

A/N: What do you think? Please leave a review with any ideas as to what i can do next. I'm stuck. (