A/N: Don't know what you guys will think of this chapter... it's a little angst-y, I guess, but more twisty in my opinion… and a nice cliff-hanger for you… enjoy =)
Hannah knew she was at a loss, as she watched her live-in boyfriend walked out with HER. She knew that she couldn't compare to Temperance Brennan, she'd known it all along, ever since Seeley had mentioned her name in Afghanistan, and that smile had passed his lips.
She had tried, determined to win his heart, believing if she loved him enough, he'd stop thinking of Brennan. But her attempt was in vain, as she'd come to realize, for he wasn't letting go of his partner.
With a heavy heart, she turned and walked out of the Lab. She dragged her feet as she wondered into the parking lot to retrieve her car, as she contemplated her next move. Hannah had given Booth an Ultimatum, choose between her and Brennan, and he'd evidently chosen Brennan, leaving Hannah without options.
Booth wanted her, his partner, the woman who intrigued him with talk of science, and naïve questions she didn't understand the answers to. How was Hannah supposed to compete with that?
Finally, she knew what she had to do.
… … … … … … … … … … … … …
"Look at me, Bones," he urged touching her chin ever so lightly with his finger. She resisted him, fear evident on her face. She was afraid of him, and the moment he realized that he withdrew his hand from her face. "I won't- I would never hurt you, Bones," hurt that she could be afraid of him.
She rolled her eyes. "You already did," she admitted timidly.
His heart ached at her confession.
"I didn't- I didn't mean to," he told her guiltily.
She looked up and met his eyes. "Why did you abandon me?" she asked her eyes full of pain. The way she saw it, it was no different to what her father had done, or anyone else that wondered in and out of her life. Nothing and no one was permanent, and she saw that now, with Booth. She had once believed he would be the only one to keep his promise, that he would move the earth to stay with her, but her naivety to that was set straight.
Brennan would always be abandoned.
"I trusted you, Booth. I believed you when you said there were two types of family… how can I trust you now?"
"I never abandoned you," he said. "I came back. I always come back. There is nothing in the world that could make me walk away from you."
"Except Hannah," she said quietly. "You preferred to choose Hannah over our partnership and I DO understand," she assured him. "But I won't play second, Booth. I won't allow you to use me…"
He nodded. "Is that what you think I'm doing?"
She nodded gently. "I fail to see any other way to word it. Against Hannah's demand you invite me here, but you terminate our working relationship."
"I made a mistake," he whispered.
Brennan looked away from him. it was too easy to fall back into old habits, too easy to allow herself to fall for his charm and his one-liners that had the potential to throw her into an abyss of confusion. She had to keep her walls of defense up. She had to be on guard at all times.
"Bones, I…" he would have liked to promise her the world, promise he'd never hurt her again, promise to be her partner, her friend, her family, instead he lowered his head and said nothing.
"I'm going home," Brennan announced standing from her stool at the bar. He followed her lead.
"Let me take you," he offered.
She started to shake her head, but Booth took hold of her shoulders and forced eye contact.
"Okay," she agreed.
The drive to her apartment was quite, neither of them said a word. Booth pulled up to her apartment and insisted on walking to her to door, as she unlocked it, she found herself visibly shaking. She looked up at him, unable to hide the sadness from her eyes. His heart broke. He couldn't leave it like this.
"Let me see you again," he pleaded.
"Booth, no…"
"Please," he begged.
She sighed and nodded. She walked into her apartment feeling like the other woman in a game of infidelity, except she was gaining nothing. She knew then, that the statement of 'I won't allow you to use me' had been a waste of breath, for she had agreed to his terms, his way, as long as he was a part of her life somehow.
As Booth opened the door to the apartment, he now shared with Hannah, he was surprised at what he found, what he saw rocked him to his very soul.
As I wrote that last line, I can only imagine how many people thought "YAY, SHE KILLED HERSELF" sorry to disappoint you, that's NOT it… but nice try. =) Care to take another guess?
Reviews are great incentives for quicker uploads *shrugs* just sayin' is all…
