A/N: Ya'll are amazing. I say that a lot, but it's true. And because of that I'm updating again! Another chapter is here and my muse has been cooperating amazingly. Hopefully I didn't just jinx myself, but we'll see. Hope you enjoy another look into the lives I've created for our favorite couple.
Lori and Melissa I can't thank you enough for the encouragement. I don't know if I would have the courage to post these without you.
Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own them. This is only for my own enjoyment. And hopefully yours.
ooo
"My country needed me," he answered modestly. "It's hard to say no to the Security of Defense."
"And Dr. Brennan went to Indonesia."
"Yup."
"And you didn't tell her you loved her before either of you left, did you?"
The question hit him hard and he stuttered looking into Sarah's green eyes. A million things were running through his head but the only thing he could get out was, "It was heavily implied." He touched the charm that rested against his bare chest and sighed, memories flooding his senses.
He shifted from foot to foot in front of her apartment door. His hands idle at his side despite his attempt on several occasions to raise one up to knock. In one arm he held a peace offering, her favorite Thai dishes from their favorite Thai restaurant and his pocket housed a special gift. One that he had taken some time to find once he knew it was certain she was leaving.
He wasn't sure what she would say in response to the delicate pendant in his pocket, but he was giving it to her anyways.
When his hand finally made contact with the door in front of him it took merely seconds before the door swung open and Booth wondered if she had been on the other side waiting for him to get the courage to knock.
"Booth."
His name on her lips made his heart leap and he wondered why, after all this time she could still have this affect over him with a simple word. She opened the door wider and moved to the side to allow him to slip past her and he held up the take out bag and shrugged.
"I figured we should eat."
"I'm not really hungry," she said quietly. "But, if you brought coconut brown rice and veggie rolls…"
"Like I would show up without coconut brown rice," he joked and the tension lessened between them, "Please Bones. I know you, remember."
She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes and she took the bag from his hand and walked back towards the kitchen. He followed silently the smooth sounds of her favorite jazz CD coming from nearby speakers.
She split the meal onto two plates loading his with the meat dish and hers with the tofu. The scene was painfully domestic and he had a hard time keeping the emotions he'd been working on subduing for weeks silent. He grabbed beers from the fridge and followed her into the living room where they sat for several moments in silence, both picking at their plates.
"You have to promise me that you'll eat right and rest and not overwork yourself Bones," he stated when he couldn't keep it in any longer. "I don't want to have to worry about that when I'm already worrying about your safety."
"We'll be safe Booth," she assured him, "but I'll worry about you too."
"I'll be fine Bones…"
"You're going into a warzone Booth," she said and he noticed a catch in her voice. "Just, be careful and watch out for things. And drink lots of water, you'll be in the desert and could get dehydrated easily. And try to get a comfortable bunk; your back is going to be hurting…"
"Bones," he interrupted and reached out to grasp her hand in his, "you know what they say..."
"Who say?"
"Just, people Bones. It's a saying."
"Oh," she said quietly. "Well, what do they say?"
His voice was quiet when he answered, "That giving out advice in a caring manner is a indicator for love."
She paused, her eyes studying their joined hands and when she looked back up and met his eyes he could see the tears in them.
"Be careful Seeley," she whispered, "please. I…I can't lose you."
"You're not going to lose me Bones," he assured her desperately trying to not read into her words, "I promise I'll be careful, but only if you promise to be careful too. I'm already worried about you and you don't leave for several days."
"I'll be careful," she promised quietly. "A year seems so long…"
"It'll be over before you know it," Booth told her confidently, "and then we'll be back here and back to solving murders like nothing has changed."
"But things have to change," she said, "You said that."
"I did."
"Booth…"
"Just," Booth interrupted gently, "just know that for me, nothing has changed. And in a year, we'll meet for coffee and see how things go."
"Okay."
"At the mall," Booth informed her, "that little cart you like so much. We'll meet there in a year."
"They have the best brewed coffee," Brennan said quietly and nodded. "I'll be there."
"I should go," Booth told her eyeing the clock, "I have to report to base first thing in the morning. I don't know if I'm going to be able to see you off at the airport. I'll try…"
"It's okay, I understand. Thanks for coming by tonight Booth. I'm…I'm going to miss you."
"I'm going to miss you too Bones," Booth whispered, "more than I can even imagine. We'll write though and call. I uh…I got you something. I know you don't hold much credence to religion or Saints but, I want you to have this."
He pulled out the silver beaded chain from his pocket and dropped it into her hand. Tears flooded her eyes again and threatened to do the same to him. The delicate St. Christopher's medal dangled from the end of the chain and she closed her hands around it tightly.
"I'll wear it every day," she promised him. "I want you to have something too…"
He watched as she left the couch, disappeared down the hall and several moments later reemerged with something in her hand. When she motioned for him to hold out his hand he did so without question and she dropped a necklace into his hand.
"I'm not taking this," he argued immediately recognizing the charm on the end of the long chain. "I'm not."
Brennan forced his fingers to close around the charm and nodded, "yes you are."
The silver dolphin charm dangling from the matching silver chain brought back memories of graveyards and flowers and hope and he reluctantly nodded.
"Thank you Temperance," he whispered against her ear when he pulled her into a hug. "I'll make sure it gets back to you safely."
"I just want you to come back safely."
"Love was implied," he repeated.
"But not said."
"No."
"Why are guys such idiots?"
"Excuse me?"
"Idiots. Most men, I do have to admit it's only most, are idiots."
"She knows how I feel. She turned me down. I wasn't about to open up that wound again and say something that could push her away forever." Booth argued his anger growing at the Sarah's approach. "And she didn't ask me to stay or say anything..."
"You didn't ask her to stay either."
"You are young, idealist, and a romantic. Your views will change."
"I hope not," Sarah said wistfully, "but I'm sure you're right in some aspects. Everyone changes. Even when they don't think they can."
"Try telling her that." Booth mumbled.
"What?"
"Nothing," he corrected quickly, "she just don't think she can change."
"That doesn't make sense."
"I know that," he assured her, "and I've tried to tell her that, but she has to figure things out for herself."
"So you're just going to move on if she can't figure things out?"
"I can't," he answered and Sarah cocked her head to the side in question, "I've tried."
"Right," she said in remembrance of his long tale, "with Catharine, right?"
"Yeah, Catherine."
"You were right," Sarah said with a laugh, "you're life is complicated."
'Try telling me something I don't already know."
ooo
The lab is quiet and dark when Hodgins entered it, the hour still much too early for the staff to have started to arrive. Not that they would today as this was supposed to have been the day that started the month long vacation for the team. The skylights allowed some of the early morning light to filter through and the security lights left the lab looking eerie. Hodgins was sure he had never seen the lab so empty. The lights in his wife's office were glowing brightly and he made his way through the quiet lab.
He had wanted to come with her when she left the warmth of their bed, but she had convinced him to get as much sleep as he could and to come in with coffee later when she would need it. He had reluctantly agreed, kissed her goodbye, and slipped back into sleep. He was now anxious to find out what had pulled his wife away from their bed.
When he stepped into her office he immediately noticed the connection between her computer and the Angelatron was running some kind of scan and she was sleeping on her couch nearby. Her hair was a mass of unruly curls that framed her face and he snickered when she snored quietly. Hodgins walked towards her computer to try and figure out what was so important that Cam and Brennan called her from Afghanistan and made her jump out of bed so early.
"It's a letter," her voice said sleepily as she stretched, "they think it's from Booth. It was found in one of the rooms Cam was working in."
"Is it?"
"I'm not totally sure yet," Angela told him and scooted over so he could sit down. Once he did she placed her head in his lap and let his fingers run through her hair. "The paper from what I could see on the screen was in pretty bad shape, burnt and wet. I'm trying to get something from it, but I don't know how successful I'll be."
"They aren't just sending you the whole thing?"
"The army requested they didn't," Angela explained, "security reasons or something like that. And don't call conspiracy."
"But…"
"Don't do it," Angela warned, "I'm not in the mood. I haven't had my coffee yet."
"Oh that reminds me," Hodgins answered with a smile, "I picked some up on my way over."
"You're a godsend," Angela breathed and sat up to take a long drink of the warm beverage. "It's going to be a long day."
"The lab is closed," Hodgins reminded her, "no limbo cases. So this will be the only thing you are working on."
"Oh, I know," she told him, "I just have a feeling this isn't going to be easy. And Bren is going to want the info as quickly as possible."
"Is she going be too able to withstand this Ange?"
"I hope she doesn't have to," Angela told him. "I'm hoping that he's not gone or de..."
Her voice trailed off unable to finish the word that none of them wanted to hear or think. Jack wrapped his arms around her shoulder and pressed a kiss to her hair before speaking.
"I know you do," Hodgins told her, "and so do I. But if he is, will she be able to…"
"I don't know Jack," Angela interrupted him with a sad shrug. "But I don't think so."
ooo
A/N: The flashback came from a discussion I had with some of the members of the message board I'm on, that the necklace Brennan was wearing at the airport looked a lot like a St. Christopher's medal. Was it? I have no idea, but I liked the idea that they had a private goodbye already so I invented it. Thus flashback. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I would love to have your feedback!