sorry for the long break between the last chapter and this one. work can be exhausting for more than just booth and brennan, and unfortunately insomnia is frequently more disruptive than productive.

should also tell you, this story is currently planned to last to somewhere in the vicinity of 20-24 chapters. maybe a smidge longer, i've been known to have chapters get too long for their own good while writing and split them up. so pace yourself. we will get a hefty amount of smut and fluff when all is said and done. and i do mean hefty, folks, this ain't no one-time payoff. actual smut, so fear not. i shall not remain a tease forever! ;)

that said, mild angst alert.

and super thanks to all my reviewers for the last chapter! mumrulz the wonderlicious, aching bones, jaxtig, laperkin, feistyfox, danireed, kristina-666-85, FAnofBones, tempertemper, spacemonkey13, celticgina, heatherberry, kyizi, hamlets-pirate, bonesdbchippie, bluetigress, tom'ss gg, and mistopher. you all make this ficwriter's heart happy! the same is true for you alert/favorite add-ers, but you've gotta review to see your name up in lights! ;) hehe...

As light filtered through her eyelids, sweet pressure was enveloping her mouth. Whatever it was, it was addictive and her lips strove to maintain the force. She felt as though she were sinking into deep contentment as into quicksand.

The lips pressed against her own moved gently. She slid a little further.

Hers closed and opened again. The others mirrored. Slide.

As her mind refused to engage and question, every movement drew her in deeper. And oh, did deeper feel good.

She slowly came to realize that it was not another dream, that there wasn't anyone she was in the habit of kissing at the moment, and certainly not in her sleep. Her lips froze. At the same moment, the other mouth did the same and pulled away.

She opened her eyes to sleepy sepia brown ones, locked on her in fear and shock.

"Bones. I... I'm sorry. I just woke up and we were..."

"Uhh... me too," she offered lamely.

"Um, well," Booth pulled himself from the pillow they were sharing and stood up awkwardly. He picked up the clock on the bedside table. He flashed the red digits at her and spoke rapid-fire fast. "We'd better get ready. I'll just go hop in the shower."

As her partner passed through the door to the hallway, then that to the guest bathroom, Brennan sat up in bed and wondered what had just happened.

You had a sex dream about your partner, got off thinking about him, and then woke up making out with him. And then he panicked and ran away. Lovely. Because your thoughts about him weren't complicated enough.

Booth walked quickly into the bathroom and shut the door, leaning up against it and willing himself to breathe.

Holy shit.

Booth was not a man to swear...

But holy shit.

This had gone much too far. He had been too lax, too willing to fall asleep with his partner, too accepting of being turned on by her dreams. He had a past to atone for, and the best way for him to do that was in the partnership with the astounding and brilliant woman he had just kissed and left alone in bed. He could not risk his partner, his best friend. Booth was familiar with self-sacrifice. He was Catholic, after all. He could handle it, he just couldn't let it happen again.

For now, a shower was in order. He looked down. A very cold one.

As he crossed back the hall to the guest bedroom, he could hear the water running in the master bath. He changed quickly and moved to the kitchen where a pot of coffee was brewing. Halfway through his mug, Brennan appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, clad only in a white bathrobe.

Booth gulped, somehow maintaining calm. "So, how'd you sleep?"

"Oh, very well," she replied. It was true. She'd been exceptionally relaxed after her post-dream activities and, though she was not in the habit of sharing her sleeping space with anyone, she'd been sleeping very soundly in Booth's arms. It was just the waking that had given her a start.

"Good, good." He downed another gulp of coffee.

"Look, Booth." She forced herself to speak. "There's no need for us to feel awkward. We were sleeping in the same bed, close together, it's a fairly natural and easy mistake to make, regardless of who initiated it." She hated that she'd used the word 'mistake' the moment it left her lips.

"Easy mistake," he nodded, parroting her.

Both of their minds believed it to be true, but neither found any relief in the other admitting it was an error.

The anxiety had been dispelled by their comments, replaced by a mild disappointment. Booth managed to hide it effectively. "So, I have a lot I need to take care of at the office today. Would you mind if we drove separately?"

Brennan had retrieved a mug and was pouring coffee as she replied, "Not at all. I haven't driven my car in nearly two weeks, I think it needs a little activity."

"Great," he smiled at her, then moved to the living room to repack all of his files, now making note of those that had been sorted and checked. In his haste, he knocked over a couple stacks, blanketing the carpet in white. He scowled and collected them in a flurry.

"You want something to eat, Booth?" Brennan peeked her head out from the kitchen.

"No thanks. I'm not really hungry. I'm just going to head in to work early I think. Lots to catch up on from yesterday."

"You didn't need to do all that yesterday, you know."

He looked at her like she had just suggested the Pope was a Buddhist monk. "Of course I did. You weren't feeling well. You've said yourself that a good partnership consists of people being protective of each other."

She had to agree with the thought, though she was quickly becoming churlish whenever Booth used her own words against her.

"I'll talk to the agents watching the building and have someone follow you in to work." He saw her mouth open in protest and spoke quickly, "We do still have someone out there who tried to kill us, Bones."

She rolled her eyes.

"Take it easy today. You are still recovering."

"Yes, doctor." Surly.

Despite her clear irritation, Booth had a sudden inexplicable urge to kiss her goodbye when he passed by her for the door, as though it would be the most normal thing in the world. He refrained.

As he walked from her building, he sighed. It would be a long day and he prayed that the awkwardness would fade quickly.

His morning was a haze of paperwork and more sorting of files, which, while not raising his spirits any, at least managed to distract him. In addition to the complicated morning encounter, he was feeling somewhat depleted due to their lack of suspects in their own poisoning. Her call, promising a very damning murder weapon in the Molly Hunter case made his spirits finally perk up.

"Alright, whatcha got?" Booth asked eagerly as he beeped his way onto the Jeffersonian's medico-legal lab platform.

Brennan spoke as he approached. "Well, as you know, Zack was having trouble coming up with a murder weapon due to trauma and her condition."

"Right. Brittle bones, long fall, puzzler for Zack," he pulled the poker chip from his pocket and began playing with it absentmindedly.

"Angela helped me apply a dispersal pattern map on the crime scene," Zack piped in, "which helped finally reconstructing the skeleton and determining a murder weapon." He stepped to the table behind him and picked up a thin, pointed tool, "The curf marks suggest a 10 inch keyhole saw like this one, used in construction, particularly often by electricians."

Booth caught the chip and smiled, "The ex-husband is an electrician."

"You're looking for a saw like this one," Zack held it up in front of his face before putting it down.

Brennan frowned. "Would he have used his own tools to kill his ex-wife and then kept them? Could he really have been that stupid?"

"That's how they get caught. We'll check his tools for blood." The agent made to leave, calling behind him, "You coming, Bones?"

"No, I have a lot to do here."

Booth stopped as though he'd just ran full face into an invisible wall and turned to look at her.

"You don't want in on the bust?"

She placed both hands on her hips and spoke defensively. The gesture seemed a contrast, but his partner was no ordinary woman. "I have two full sets of skeletal remains to ID as soon as possible and they're in bad shape."

Booth was at a loss for what to say. His enthusiasm seemed to have diminished considerably.

"It'll take Zack and I all day at least to do reconstructions."

"Alright, Bones. You have fun with that," Booth said as casually as he could, but his voice betrayed just a hint of stiffness. And disappointment. He walked from the lab.

He'd been in a mood already when he went to apprehend the ex-husband, so when the man put up a fight, using the murder weapon to attack Booth, the agent was not overly gentle in the arrest. His abruptness had even earned him a small slice on his arm from the keyhole saw. It was superficial, but it was enough to force him to stop by the FBI's medical clinic on the bottom floor of the Hoover building. And the guy had put a bloody hole in his twelve-hundred-dollar suit, Booth thought irritably as he walked to his office, torn coat slung over his arm.

He was so off his game that he didn't notice her until she was upon him.

"Seeley! What has happened?" the rich italian voice gushed, touching his arm below the bandage on his left bicep. Rossi was wearing a very low-cut top which Booth tried not to notice.

"Eh, an arrest got a little colorful. Something I can do for you?" he asked as she followed him into his office.

"Yes, I am looking for the file on the Academy arsenic poisoning. Charlie he said that he pulled the file for you, but he looked earlier and could not find it," she gestured to the stacks filling Booth's office.

"There's a lot of material here, he could have missed it."

She put a hand on her hip. "Charlie is very thorough."

True. His eyes moved briefly to her chest. Dammit, Booth, knock it off.

"You think there's a connection between the cases?" he asked.

"Both involved rat poison, I believe. I would like to check the file."

"Art was hit with rat poison?"

"Yes."

Booth's temper flared. "When did this information come to light?"

"The FBI lab determined that very quickly," she replied calmly.

"You are aware that Cullen wants me kept in the loop on the case?"

"Well, what is it that you would like to know, Seeley?"

He put his hands on his hips and spoke curtly, "What the lab found, Art's story when he woke up, any other little tidbits you've got."

"Certainly. You have this file?"

Was she suggesting a trade? Fine. Booth thought back to the events of the morning. He forced his mind to fast forward through his wakeup call and came to a halt at the paper storm. "I must have left it at home." Perhaps it slid underneath the couch. "I need to run back there to change anyway. This suit is ruined. I'll take a look for it when I'm there."

"I will come with you and bring you up to date on Agent Colombo's case while we drive."

"Fine." It wasn't. "Let's go." It seemed like Booth was spending less and less time in his office, and he was less than enthused about Rossi occupying the seat usually filled by his partner, but if that was how he could get information on Colombo's case, then he would endure.

Rossi was true to her word. Arthur Colombo hadn't noticed any signs of entry upon returning home from the gym. He had gone to the kitchen and consumed very quickly almost a full bottle of vitamin water and before long he had been on the floor, writhing in pain. Apparently the intruder had remained after lacing his water, waiting for him to return home, because once incapacitated, he had been beaten and nearly knocked unconscious. As he lay, unmoving but aware, he had heard the voice of his attacker making a call on a cell phone. He hadn't picked out any of the conversation, but had said that the voice was low and grating. Like a heavy boot in gravel. After the intruder left, Colombo had been able to get to his phone and dial for help before losing consciousness.

No prints anywhere at the scene other than Colombo's and those of his children. No one in the building had seen anything suspicious, nor noticed any strangers coming or going that evening. The security cameras in his building had been on the fritz for several weeks, so no video footage of the hallways or lobby. The landlord had been procrastinating getting them fixed.

The FBI forensics lab had determined that his water had been laced with an arsenic-based rat poison, and had found very little else. Rossi suggested that perhaps his genius scientists might compare it to the poison from Booth's case and see if they could tease any more information from it. Booth assured her that they could.

Booth used his key and disarmed the security system as they entered.

"This is a nice place. Big. You can afford this on a government salary?" Rossi asked, surprised, as she stepped through the living room, taking in the decor.

"This is Bones' place."

"That would explain the artifacts." She fingered a shelf below what looked like an ancient Native American tribal vase, "You live with your partner?"

"I'm staying with her while we're investigating this case and still have some psycho guy trying to season our food."

"It makes sense. But Booth, how do you know it was a guy?"

"You know, Bones said the same thing."

"Women can be just as psychotic as you."

It was true, he thought. He didn't say anything.

He went to the guest room to change. Fastening the last few buttons while he walked out into the hall, he turned right into a face and before he knew it, Rossi had grabbed his shirt and was kissing him.

He froze. His brain had stopped working. After a split second, his temper engaged. Booth hated being out of control, and this included people springing things on him. He hadn't even had any warning. He pushed her away.

"Whoa, Rossi, what the hell are you doing?"

She narrowed her eyes and looked over his shoulder into the master bedroom. Brennan had not made the bed in the morning, and it was clear that two pillows had been used.

"Ah, you are with Doctor Brennan." She made to release her hold on his shirt.

"It's not like that," he snapped. Why on earth did you just share that information?

Rossi pulled close to him again. "It's not?"

He pushed her away again. "Look, Rossi..." he was trying to be diplomatic.

"Yes, Seeley?"

"Things have been over with us for a long time."

"You are seeing someone?"

"Even if they're single, it doesn't mean you can go around kissing just anyone."

"Ah, but I am not just anyone, Seeley. You know how I can make you feel," she purred, stepping toward him again.

He pushed her to arm's length, holding her shoulders there and looked at her sternly. "That's not the point."

"Then what is the point?"

Without planning it, his eyes helplessly slid to a framed photograph hanging in the hallway next to them. In it, Bones and her brother Russ were building a sand castle at the beach. It must have been shot by Angela, the perspective was poetic and suggested a professional eye. But what made it astounding to him were the gigantic, silly grins on their faces, suggesting childhood, though it had only been taken the previous summer. She was radiant and he'd always found it difficult to look away. Every time he'd been at her place and had walked down the hall to use the bathroom, he couldn't help but stop to take in her smile.

Rossi followed his gaze and looked back at him before he could peel his eyes from the photo. She chuckled amusedly and strode back toward the living room. "So where is this file, Seeley?"

After a few minutes of searching, he located it underneath the couch and left her shuffling through papers while he walked back down the hall to the bathroom.

Damn. The last kiss to grace his mouth had been from the sweet lips of his Bones, now he was wiping frantically to make sure he had no lipstick remaining. Despite washing his face three times, he couldn't seem to remove the sticky, chemical feel. At last, resigning, he made sure he didn't have any lipstick visible on him and returned to the living room.

"Yes, I was right," Rossi read from the file open in her hands. "Rat poison. And it appears that there are still samples in evidence."

"It's a long shot."

"Yes, well I have a hunch," Rossi replied with a smirk.

poor booth, fighting off women left and right.

course he shouldn't be fighting off the one on the left, but he'll probably figure that out eventually.

now, this is one of those chapters i was talking about that got too long and got split up. which means the next chapter will be ready in a day or two. the quicker you review, the quicker we get rossi out of brennan's pad. ;)