Chapter 10

Cullen meet Sully at 9:30 the next morning. Sully had refused to come into the office so they had agreed to meet at a coffee shop two blocks from the FBI building.

Shacking hands with a smile Cullen welcomed Sully back before taking the seat across from him and asking the obvious, "What is this about and why couldn't you come into my office?"

Sully sighed, "Alright, Cullen. Here it goes. Are you aware of the relationship between Agent Booth and Dr. Temperance Brennan?"

Cullen looked at him for a moment before he asked the question he had never intended to ask for fear of the answer.

"What relationship?" He was holding his breath waiting for the dreaded answer.

"It seems they have developed a romantic relationship."

"Why are you telling me this?" Cullen hated having this conversation. Previously he had been maintaining a 'don't ask, don't tell' police with this particular partnership.

"Because I believe that this relationship is a liability."

"They have the single highest success rate in the entire bureau." Cullen said. Defending the power team. Half the rookies in the bureau looked that those two like they were superheroes.

"Cullen, when they are together their focus is not 100. When they are in a dangerous situation who do you think they are going to try and protect? The victim or each other?"

Cullen hated that that made since. He did not want to admit Sully might be right. While there were policies about this sort of thing Dr. Brennan was not technically FBI.

Sully could see that he was swaying Cullen's way of thinking. He had to fight to keep the victorious smile off his face.

"I think you should go in the field with them for one case to observe them together. Then you can decide if they should stay together or not."

Cullen thought that was actually a good idea, but he was hesitant to admit that to Sully so he simply nodded and said, "Thank you for sharing this with me."

"Sir, could you do me a favor?"

Cullen looked at him expectantly.

"Can you keep this conversation between us? Booth is a good friend of mine. I don't want him to hate me. I was just thinking about what is best overall." Sully did a wonderful job looking nervous as he asked.

"No problem, Sully." Cullen gave him an understanding look. "Don't worry about a thing."

"Thank you, sir."

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

"Booth." Booth said answering his phone on the second ring. He was sitting in the dinner with Brennan.

"Yes, sir. Yes, sir. I will be right there." He hung up looking slightly confused and waved to the waitress to bring their check.

"What's wrong?" Brennan looked at him a little worried.

"That was Cullen. He wants to see me in his office immediately."

"Alright, I'm sure he just has a few follow up questions about our last case."

"No, all the information has already been given to the prosecutor there is nothing left to do and considering he confessed I will not even have to testify."

"Well, there's no use worrying. Just go see him and I will see you this evening. Call me if it is something important. He smiled at her. "I love you." He stood and kissed her.

"I love you, too." She smiled contentedly as she watched him leave.

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

"Come in." Booth heard muffled through the door. He opened the door and made his way toward the chair that Cullen was indicating. He sat and waited for Cullen to begin.

"Agent Booth is it true that you have began a romantic relationship with Dr. Brennan." Cullen thought it was best to just dive in and gage the reaction he got.

Booth sat in shock for a moment. 'How had he found out?' He had spent everyday for the first few months expecting Cullen to discover that he was spending every night with his partner, but he never had (until now). 'Might as well be honest'

"Yes, sir."

"Even though you know our policy?"

"Dr. Brennan is not FBI, sir." Booth had had six months to ready his arguments.

"No, but you are partners, are you not?" Cullen was frustrated he had to reprimand his best agent.

"Yes, sir, we are." Booth thought it was best to stay very polite through out this conversation.

"Booth, can you stay focused on your responsibilities while you are working with her?"

"Of course I can, sir. Dr. Brennan and I are always extremely professional." Booth was shocked Cullen could even imply that they weren't.

"That is not what I mean. There is a question that has been bugging me ever since I found out about you two. Would you protect Dr. Brennan before a victim?"

Booth couldn't breath. How could he answer this honestly and still maintain his partnership with Bones. He couldn't actually be considering breaking them up.

"I would die for Bones." That was the only answer he could think of.

Cullen had been watching him closely throughout the interview. "I have made a decision."

Booth looked surprised that Cullen didn't need more time to think about this. He couldn't quite decide if it was a good thing or a bad thing.

"I am going to be accompanying you on your next case. I will observe how you work together and then I will make a decision. You are dismissed."

Booth just sat there a moment before he realized that Cullen had told him to leave.

"Yes, sir. Goodbye." And he walked out making a beeline for his car intent on seeing Bones.

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

Ten minutes and three traffic violations later Booth found himself walking through the doors of the Jeffersonian Institute looking for his voice of reason. He didn't see her on the platform so he walked to her office.

He walked in, not bothering to knock.

Brennan, noticing something moving out of the corner of her eye, looked up. "Booth! What are you doing her?" Seeing the look on his face she immediately began to worry. "What? What happened? What did he say?"

"He knows about us, Bones."

Bones had a thoughtful look on her face. "How did he find out?" She finally asked.

"I don't know. He didn't say, but it was only a matter of time anyway. Right?"

"Yes, I suppose so. Alright, well what is he doing about it?" Brennan began to look worried. "He's not splitting us up is he?"

"Not yet. He wants to go in the field with us on our next case. He says he wants to see us working together."

"Well, that is perfect!" Brennan began to look upbeat.

"Why is that good?"

"Because. He will see how professionally we work together and realize that we are still perfect partners."

"There's one more thing."

"What?"

"He asked me who I would protect first you or a victim."

"And you told him the victim, right?"

"I didn't actually answer him. I just said that I would die for you."

"Booth! I do not need someone to die for me! You and your alpha male ways…"

Bones was interrupted by the ringing of Booth's cell phone; she ignored the interruption and continued talking Booth simply wasn't listening.

" Booth." Booth listened to the voice on the other line. "We're on our way."

"…and another thing who says you get to die for me why can't I…"

"Bones!"

"What?"

"We have a case."

"Oh, let me grad my kit. You better call Cullen and make sure he knows."

Booth groaned in dread "Alright." He opened his phone as they started for the door.