By this time, both were fully aware of the tension between them, and they were only inches apart... Booth realized that the emotions that had been building up inside him since his coma were ready to come out, and he couldn't stop it. Brennan realized how strong her hidden emotions were for her partner, and how much she wanted to close the gap between them. How much she wanted to cross the line he had laid down so many years ago. The partners just stood there facing one another, waiting for the other one to make the first move.
The two stared into each other's eyes, both praying the other would close the gap. After moments of waiting, both began to lean simultaneously, both daring the other to cross the line. Then fate stopped the moment they had been waiting for. Brennan's cell began to ring. It was Angela. Damn it, Angela, Brennan thought, you keep trying to get me to admit my feelings for him, and somehow you continuously interrupt the moment that might become something. The moment was ruined, both of them knew it. Brennan answered her phone.
"Brennan."
"Hey, Sweetie. Abe is roaming around, and I think Cam's about to shoot him. Any idea on when you'll be back?"
"We'l come back now, but tell Abe to wait in my office and to stay out of the way."
"I'll try. He's trying to find someone who's willing to listen to him. He's becoming more annoying than Daisy."
"Tell him I'll be back shortly." Brennan closed her phone, and turned to her partner. "Abe is apparently being more obnoxious than Ms. Wick. We should return to the lab."
"What are you going to tell him?"
"That I will forgive him once you do." They had begun to walk in the street again. Booth rubbed his face.
"Bones, I can't just forgive my dad!"
"You said that you shouldn't judge people on their past."
"Okay, let me rephrase that. You shouldn't not forgive my dad for what he did for me. He's helped you."
"But he also beat you. Booth, I'm not changing my mind."
"Fine," he said. Why does she have to be so stubborn? "I'll talk to my dad."
"Really? Are you sure?"
"Bones! Do you not want me to forgive him or not?"
"Of course I do. I just didn't think you would."
"I'm not making any promises, but I'll try talking to him." The rest of the walk was silent, and though neither of them would admit it, but by the time they reached the Jeffersonian, both were wondering what would have happened in the ally if Angela hadn't called.
Brennan and Booth both went into her office, where Abe was waiting for them.
"Abe, Booth wants to talk to you. I have to go work downstairs, so feel free to use my office. Just… don't break anything." The anthropologist left the two Booth's in her office. She hoped that they wouldn't kill each other (well, more specifically that Booth wouldn't kill Abe). But she knew that nothing would be solved if she was standing in the room. Once she was out of earshot, the elder Booth turned to his son.
"Seeley, I need to apologize. I was awful to you and Jared, and there is no reason for you to ever forgive me. I just wanted you to know that I have shaped up. I don't touch the stuff, ever. Hell, I even join AA, and you know how much I like that type of stuff. I'm trying to make things right. I swear I was going to come find you and Jared after I straightened up, but I knew you'd both hate me. I couldn't manage to look into my sons' eyes and nothing but hate for me. Look, I'm going to reschedule my flight for tomorrow, and get out of everyone's hair, especially yours and Tempe's."
"Dad, look. We've definitely got our problems, but Bones wants us to work them out."
"You're willing to forgive me for Tempe's sake?" Abe asked in shock. How does that woman have so many people wrapped around her finger? Abe pondered.
"Yeah. As much as I hate you for my childhood after Mom died, I know what you did for her, and I'm grateful for it. Plus, I don't want to be the reason you two stop talking. You mean a lot to her."
"You really care about here, don't you, boy?"
"She's my partner. She's saved my life about as many as I've saved hers. She's my best friend." Not to mention I'm in love with her. Wait, why am I telling you about Bones and my relationship?
"Don't even try pulling that bull crap on me, Seeley Joseph Booth. I see the way you look at her; same way I looked at your mom. My only question is why a man who has survived so much doesn't seem to have the balls to ask her out."
"See, Dad, this is the problem. You don't have a clue what's going on in my life. You just assume everything! Bones and I are doing fine. We're partners, end of story." Everyone in that room knew that his statement was a lie.
"Wow, you both pulled that 'just partners' crap on me. Seeley, remember who you're talking to. I could always tell when you were lying. And you're more guilty than the time your mother caught you trying to teach Jared the wrong sounds for each animal." Booth couldn't help but smile at the memory. He had decided that it would be funny to teach Jared that every pet animal said meow and everything else said moo when he was seven. He had successfully been teaching the two year old this for about a month when his mom caught him.
"Dad, it's none of your business anyway. Bones and I have a great relationship."
"Son, if you're willing to reconcile with me for Tempe, it's definitely more that a partnership."
"She's my best friend. I can't abandon her either. You off all people should understand that."
"I do; just not why you're willing to let me back in your life for her. You could have waited until I left and told her that we'd made up."
"I don't lie to her. She trusts me too much."
"I've seen the way you look at her."
"You've already said that. And we're supposed to be getting over our problems, not talking about my relationship with my partner."
"Oh lack there of," Abe muttered. At Booth's glare he spoke up, "Look, I don't know what I can do to make it up to ya. I know if I were you, I'd never forgive me. So, tell me what I can do to prove to you I've changed, and I'll do it."
"There's nothing, Dad. The one thing I'd make you do, you've already done." Abe looked at his son with confusion. "You've got Bones' trust, and we both know she doesn't open up easy. I figured it would be an impossible task when I decided it." Booth always thought that his dad would find him eventually- maybe not in this way, but still. After Bones found out about his dad, he thought that if his dad asked forgiveness he would send him to Bones to try and get her trust, and knowing what he'd done she never would. Funny how when he decided this, her father probably had more of her trust than Booth did.
"Look, I'll get out of your life if you want me to, but I do want to make sure you know that I'm sorry for what a bastard I was to you and your brother, even your grandfather."
"You don't have to, Dad. You and Bones need to stay in touch, meaning you're going to be in my life." Booth's dad immediately pulled him into a hug, with a big smile plastered across his wrinkled face. Booth sighed. Somehow Bones' wish that he and his dad would get along had happened. They were acting like they had a normal father/ son relationship- minus the whole 'I'll leave your life' part. After the father ended the hug, he began to interrogate his son again.
"So, will you at least tell what you'd do if you she asked you to go on a date with her?"
"Say yes." Booth answered before he could stop himself, and began to cursing himself internally.
"Well, that was a lot easier than getting an answer out of her," Abe muttered.
"What?" Abe realized his mistake immediately.
"Shit…"
Okay, I can't believe I'm doing this, but I'm going to beg you for a review. I hate when authors do this, but I'm worried that people are getting bored with the story and if that's the case then I'll finish it up more quickly than if people are reading it and enjoying it. So, just let me know? Thanks for those who do!
