A/N: OK, sorry this took a bit longer than usual. My muse is in a bad mood, pouting in the corner. I was lucky enough to get some input from a fellow writer, so here it is. Oh, as usual I want to thank all my faithful reviewers, jerseybones, brennanmars, christmasinhollywood, btvsfifi and all the rest—I love you all! No, seriously, I love you and love the reviews 'cuz they make me smile!

Secret No More

Chapter 10

If Cullen had known she was going to show up in his office, he would have found someplace else he needed to be. Urgently. He wasn't a coward and he didn't usually try to avoid confrontation, but he wasn't in the mood to deal with her, especially if she was mad. But he had no warning and he resigned himself to dealing with her as well as he could under the circumstances.

"Mr. Cullen, we need to discuss these 'ground rules' that Agent Schmidt gave me this afternoon," she began in a deceptively calm voice. Cullen could tell by the flush in her cheeks and the firm line of her mouth that she was barely controlling her temper. He suppressed a sigh and wondered how quickly Booth could get here if he called him right now. But then the problem would be holding her off until then. He discarded the idea. Booth probably wouldn't be much help anyway. He was on her side.

"Dr. Brennan, won't you have a seat?" he asked, hoping she'd remain calm if she was seated.

"No, thank you, I'm not staying long." She took a deep breath and plunged in. "I don't think you realize that one of the most important aspects of my partnership with Booth was the field work. Just ask Booth—my help in the field often led to solving the case. Restricting me to the lab could seriously hinder the investigation." She was proud of the reasonable tone of voice she was able to maintain. Shouting and getting emotional wouldn't solve anything, she reminded herself.

"Do I need to remind you that being out in the field has also put you in danger many times over the last couple years? Field agents go through rigorous training in handling dangerous situations. Have you had any training?" he asked.

She folded her arms. "I'm trained in three martial arts disciplines and I'm an expert marksman—"

"Do you know the proper way to enter a building to minimize the danger of being shot or physically attacked?" he demanded, though he already knew the answer.

She frowned. "No," then she brightened. "But I'd be willing to learn whatever you think I need to know in order to be cleared to go into the field."

Cullen sighed in frustration. "You're not with the FBI—"

"I know that, so what makes you think you can tell me what to do?" she interrupted, her calm demeanor beginning to crack.

He stiffened. "I'm not telling you what to do—"

"Yes, you are. Limiting my field work and telling me I can't carry a gun—"

"Both issues that are well within my purview," he asserted. That brought her up short. Damn, he was right. After a moment she rallied.

"So, that's your reason for doing it? Because you can?" Her voice was rising.

"No, that's not it." His gaze was level. "Look, Dr. Brennan, your expertise is very important to the cases we bring to the Jeffersonian. Without it, it would be harder if not downright impossible to solve the cases. I'm concerned for your safety."

His honesty disarmed her. She had no idea how to counter that. "You're making another mistake. First breaking me and Booth up and now this." She stepped closer to his desk, forcing him to tilt his head at an uncomfortable angle. "Now, I'm well within my purview to request that Dr. Saroyan assign another forensic anthropologist to liaise with the FBI. I hope Schmidt enjoys working with Dr. Addy."

Cullen frowned. He'd never met Dr. Addy, but he suspected he wasn't going to like him. "Is he any good?"

Brennan smiled a little, sensing she had the upper hand for the first time since she'd walked in. "He's a genius—literally. Of course, he doesn't have a lot of experience since he only recently received his doctorate, but he did spend several years as my assistant. It should be fine," she said, halfway hoping it wouldn't. It was time Cullen felt what it was like having someone else calling the shots. "Well, I'll be going now. I have some World War I skeletons awaiting identification." With that she was gone. Cullen sat staring for a long moment, then he picked up the phone. He wasn't going to take this lying down.

Brennan decided not to waste any time. She found Cam in her office doing paperwork. She had been working with her for a year now and after a shaky start, they had developed a working relationship that, while not close, was at least harmonious for the most part. They each had a healthy respect for the other's knowledge and expertise and Cam had learned to give Brennan a lot of leeway. That was about to change.

"Hi, Dr. Brennan, I'm glad you're here. I was about to send for you. Have a seat," she directed. Brennan sat down warily. Cam rarely sent for her.

"I wanted to talk to you about assigning Zach to liaise with the FBI," Brennan began. Cam's next words stopped her cold.

"I know. Deputy Director Cullen just called. He wants me to deny your request," Cam said, bracing herself for the argument to come.

Brennan's blood pressure shot up. "I suppose you're going to do as he says," she said, anger just simmering under the surface.

Cam made a helpless gesture. "I see no reason not to—unless you have a good one?"

Brennan shot up out of her chair. "It's this new liaison, Agent Schmidt. He's going to exclude me from all of the field work!"

Cam sighed. She should have expected this. "Dr. Brennan, I'm afraid I agree with Cullen. You aren't trained for field work and it has put you in danger too many times." Brennan glowered at her. Cam sighed again. "Would you please just try it his way for awhile? I promise, if it's not working, I'll speak to Cullen personally."

Brennan's lips were pursed in frustration. "Fine. We'll see if it works. Don't be surprised if it doesn't. Now, I'm going home." She turned to leave and Cam moved around behind the desk and sat down. Goodman had warned her there'd be days like these.

Brennan was pacing the living room when Booth came home. Dropping his keys on the table by the door, he hung his suit jacket on the coat rack by the door. He approached her warily. Anger and frustration were radiating from her in waves.

"What's the matter?' he asked, even though he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

She stopped mid stride. "Schmidt and Cullen are going to exclude me from the field work and Cam is allowing it!" she exclaimed.

Booth tried not to show how relieved he was over this bit of news. At least she would be safe, he thought. But that left him to deal with a very angry Brennan. "Now, Temperance, calm down. Why don't you give it a chance?"

Her face was flushed and her eyes blazed with fury. He thought briefly how beautiful she was when she was like this. Until he was the target of her ire, like now.

"If one more person tells me to give it a chance, I'm going to scream!" she shouted. She really thought Booth would be on her side. She should have realized it would satisfy his protectiveness to see her confined to the lab.

Booth pulled off his tie and unbuttoned the top couple buttons of his shirt. "Stop being so selfish, Bones. We're all just concerned about your safety."

"Selfish!" she yelled, insulted.

Booth groaned. He'd just made it worse. "Okay, wrong word. What I mean is, you should try to see it from our point of view. You're reckless sometimes—"

"I'm not some defenseless, fragile little woman. I don't need to be coddled!" She looked like she wanted to hit something. Or someone. He wondered if maybe he should make himself scarce until she calmed down.

No. He decided if anyone could calm her down, it was him. "Hey, it's me," he said in a soothing tone. "I know that." He caught her hand and squeezed. "You're a very capable, strong woman who doesn't seem to know her own limitations. You tend to leap before you look and it's almost gotten you killed more than once."

That took the fight out of her. She had no answer for that. Booth pulled her into his arms, rubbing her back. She accepted his embrace, grateful for the comfort. He felt the tension slowly seep away. She pulled back to look up at him. "Do you think I made any contributions in the field?"

He looked down at her for a long moment, loosening his hold on her as he considered the best way to answer her. She wouldn't accept anything less than the truth, but he wasn't sure how she was going to take it.

"I loved having you with me in the field, Bo—Temperance. But there was a cost. Being in a dangerous situation is incredibly stressful, but add to that my concern for your safety, and it was difficult at times. But I accepted that when I agreed to take you into the field with me. It was a trade off in order to get your cooperation."

She pulled away and folded her arms. "Are you saying I was a hindrance? You never said—"

He sighed. She seemed determined to take his words and twist them on him. "I wouldn't say a hindrance. Yes, there were times I wished you would stay in the car, but many times it turned out that it was better that you insisted on coming along. You saved my life more than once."

Her gaze bounced up to his and she was warmed by the sincerity she found there. She stepped up close to him. "I'm glad I was there to save you," she said softly. Looking down, she sighed. "I suppose I could try it their way. But I won't give up hope that they will find it harder to solve the cases."

He wrapped his arms around her again and sighed, relieved the storm had passed. He tried to share in her hope, but a little part of him still wanted her safe in the lab rather than out in the field getting shot at.

Please R&R, you know, click the lonely little blue button down there and make my muse happy so she'll quit pouting and get busy.