AN: Thought we'd take a break before Part 3 of the Interview, so here's a little B&B interaction. Thanks for the reviews everyone!

Chapter 10: Interval

Brennan was out of her seat and moving towards her partner before Booth's words could register with the others. She hooked her arm through his and dragged him out of the door and into the hall. He didn't even have time to pull out his handcuffs.

Once in the hall, Brennan released her partner's arm and spun around to face him. "What is the matter with you Booth? We don't have anything on Nathans yet that will stick."

"I know but –"

"He could have a reasonable explanation for those particulates, including that he had never been in either of those places. You realize that he rented the car two weeks ago. We'll have to interview everyone who rented it after him to insure that none of them made any expeditions to either location."

"I know but –" Booth rubbed the back of his neck, growing uncomfortable now that his temper was cooling.

"Caroline would certainly have something to say about you arresting –"

Booth held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, Okay, I was wrong, alright? He just really got to me with all that talk about soul mates…and letting go….and wanting someone to be happy above all else…." His voice trailed off as his eyes met Brennan's.

She didn't look away. She understood her partner too well. While everyone else would believe that Booth had been set off by Jake Nathan's description of his deep abiding love for Booth's girlfriend, she saw in his sad, regretful eyes that it was Jake's talk of Hannah that had triggered his emotional reaction. The words rang true, too true. He was confused, disconcerted. Strong emotions like that often triggered an outward showing of bravado in Booth.

Brennan waited to hear what Booth would say next, though she knew it wouldn't be anything she wanted to hear. He was with Hannah now and even if his feelings were conflicted at the moment, he valued honor above all else. He would never betray Hannah, neither in deeds nor in words.

As she expected, Booth was the first to break eye contact. He paced away from her slowly and then, more quickly, walked back. "It's just that all of that stuff it's … it's a bunch of garbage. Jake Nathans is all about Jake Nathans. He pissed me off. And you know when people piss me off, I arrest them."

Brennan nodded. She had seen the behavior before. "Well, in this case I think we should proceed as if your outburst never happened. I'll tell him that you had a reaction to cold medication or something. Isn't that what they always say when a star says something stupid on television?"

Booth tilted his head in question.

"No, I haven't started watching TV, Booth. Angela mentioned that to me once when I described an interview I'd given on one of those inane talk shows that my publisher used to book me on. She said they'd just tell people that I had a reaction to medication. It didn't make sense to me, as I was sure I was perfectly lucid in the interview."

When she saw a smile pull at the corners of her partner's mouth, she knew he was back on solid ground.

"I am going to go back in now Booth. We still need to ascertain Jake Nathans' whereabouts around the time of death. You should go back into the viewing room."

She turned, her hand on the door handle. "And please stop yelling in Sweets' ear, he is going to have a terrible headache by the time we are through."