CHAPTER 7-A Bombshell

Brennan snapped out of her reverie as soon as they arrived at the Hoover and went inside the building; she got the requisite visitor pass and started heading upstairs to the offices, saying hello to an obviously flabbergasted Charlie on her way.

"Hi, um Dr. Brennan," he replied his eyes not leaving the tall man beside her. "Booth's in his office."

When she got to his office she marched right in without knocking. "What can I help you with Dr. Brennan?" Booth asked looking up from his papers. Dr. Brennan she thought? "Booth-what is going on, why have you asked that we be separated?"

"Dr. Brennan, it's become obvious that you are focused on another project right now, the recovery of the submarine and it wouldn't be safe for the two of us to be in the field right now when you can't commit 100% to whatever case we may be working on. I believe I outlined that to you already?" he replied, completely businesslike.

"Agent Booth-"Malcolm interjected, "you and I both know that this isn't about the joint venture between the Jeffersonian and my mission, let's be honest with Tempe, this about the three of us."

"Captain Reynolds, I can assure you that this is completely professional and has nothing to do with the 'three of us', so if you two can excuse me, I'm pretty busy here", he said rising and guiding them to the door. "Dr. Brennan, I believe that we had an appointment with Dr. Sweets this afternoon that I am going to miss, please give him my apologies."

"Um okay, yes of course," she said quietly, still unsure of what had just happened.

Malcolm had looked at Booth and saw the hurt on his face when he turned to go back to his office, I'm sorry man he thought, I didn't ask for this and I know it's killing you, but you had your chance, now it's mine and I'm going to do what I can to keep her… you would have done the same.

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Now, at the hockey game, Brennan was watching Booth and wishing that she could talk to someone about the conflicting feelings she was having. She really liked Malcolm and spending time with him was always fun, but she had begun to miss Seeley more and more and wished she knew how to make it up to him. She missed Parker too, the last time she had called to see if he would like to go to the Discovery Center with her to check out the newest dinosaur skeletons, he'd told her that he didn't feel like a date right then, maybe some other time. That had hurt more than anything.

The game ended and the teams went into their respective locker rooms. The FBI had beaten the other team by two goals and was all going to go to the End Zone to celebrate, the squints and Cam had decided that they would join them. Wendell had texted Angela from the locker room to look for Booth and ask him if he wanted to go, he didn't seem to come in with the rest of the team. Angela asked Brennan if she had seen him, and when she said that she hadn't she told her she'd go look for him. Maybe I can talk to him for a minute or so before we all leave. Walking back into the arena, she was thinking about the last time she was in here on the ice with Booth and how they had stayed up all night skating and drinking hot chocolate, the memory caused a sharp pain in her chest that confused her.

Skating over to the penalty box, he said, "There you are, I looked for you in the stands".

"I was there, believe me, I saw it all, the great save at the end, you know you're pretty good Mr. FBI Agent," she replied leaning over the door to grab him as he stood on the ice in his skates. Her fingers rested lightly on his shoulders and felt the rough material of his hockey jersey. Even wearing pads she could feel the heat radiating from his body and knew those muscles of his were hard as the ice he was standing on. "So, now what?" she glanced at him, settling on his lips before raising her eyes to his.

"Well, I was wondering what you were doing standing in the penalty box," he said huskily staring down at her, putting his hands on her hips.

"I've been a bad girl-so I'm being penalized-obviously" moistening her bottom lip slightly, she leaned back, and searched his face. His whiskey brown eyes twinkling as they darkened to mocha.

"Two minutes-unsportsmanlike conduct", he said as he leaned in and crushed her to his chest, his lips and mouth plundering hers.

"Booth!" She'd seen him standing by the penalty box and started to call out to him when she saw the woman's hands come up to his shoulders, Brennan watched and saw Booth dip his head and begin passionately kissing her; abruptly they broke apart and Booth looked over and saw Brennan turning to leave.

"What do you need Dr. Brennan?" he asked breathing raggedly and turning slightly so the woman behind him was out of view, hearing her giggle softly he inwardly groaned at how bad this was all turning out to be.

"Um, well, they…that is Wendell asked Angela to ask me to ask you if you would like to go to the End Zone, to celebrate your win, and I was just coming to ask you that," she finished lamely.

"We'd love to go, wouldn't we Seeley?" Payton Perotta stuck her head around Booth and grinned at Brennan, "Why don't you go get ready and we'll meet the team there?" she reached up and put her arm around his waist in a very obvious 'he's mine' gesture, "well, if you want to Pay, I guess we can go for a drink-thanks Tempe for letting us know." The mask was back on his face and the slight amount of pain that was evident upon seeing her face and the stricken look was hidden again behind it.

Brennan turned and stumbled slightly out of the arena, her eyes filled with tears and her chest hurting she walked past the assembled group of people in the waiting room, the team, her friends, everyone. By the time she got to the parking lot she was running towards her car and her tears were falling fast and furiously. Not knowing what else to do, she got in the car and drove to the lab.

Angela and Wendell turned to each other and then back to the group, what the hell was that all about he asked? Just then, Agent Payton Perotta came out of the back and walked to the group and told them that she and Seeley would meet them at the End Zone. Angela and Cam's identical looks of shock were mirrored all around them. As far as most of the team knew, Booth and Brennan were the hot couple, and the squints didn't even know what to think of with Payton being there. She waved and walked out to the parking lot. "What the hell just happened?" Cam asked the squints as the team filed out to their cars as well. "What is Perotta doing here? And did she just say she was with Booth?"

"That's what I heard," Hodgins said, "and I think that explains why Dr. B just left here the way she did, what do we do?"

"Well," I know what I'm going to do Angela said, "I'm going to find Brennan," turning to the group she said, "Someone needs to do re-con at the bar, and let me know everything!"

"We'll all go," Cam said, "It'll be awkward enough if we don't, so we'll let you know, let us know if you find her, ok?" Turning to go, they caught sight of Booth coming out of the locker room, "Hey guys," he called," ready to hit the 'Zone?". Wendell grabbed Jack whose hands were clenched, as a reflex and said, "Yeah, looks like your ride is outside for you man," Blushing, Booth looked and nodded and headed outside where Payton was leaning against her car and waiting for him to come out, she helped him stow his gear then flipped him the keys and got in the passenger side.

"Oh this is not going to be pretty" Jack said.