Disclaimer: Bones and its affiliated characters do not belong to me. I mean no copyright infringement.

Author's Notes: I hope this Hannah talk isn't too long. Please let me know how I did when you're done reading! Thank you Aching Bones and luckywynner86 for your reviews on chapter 19.

What Could Have Been

Chapter 20: The Trouble with Hannah

From chapter 19:

"That doesn't answer my questions, and since this affects the case, I must insist on some answers. What kind of relationship? Are we talking about one that was sexual?"

Booth sighed in defeat. "Yes." His eyes said sorry when looking at Brennan.

"And you didn't think that was something I needed to know before we questioned her?"

"No."

"Your answer is still no? Serioulsy?"

"I'm not a psychologist, but I would have to guess that it would have interfered with your first impression of her. Wouldn't that have affected your profiling stuff and lie detecting magic?"

xoxoxox

"I appreciate your confidence with me, but won't this affect your testimony when the case goes to court?" asked Sweets.

"Don't tell me I just heard the case was compromised," bellowed Caroline.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

All three turned to see Caroline standing in the doorway with a hand on her hip and wearing a scowl.

"Nothing's compromised," declared Booth.

"Yet," added Sweets.

"Someone better start talking before I lose my patience." She didn't sit down. Instead, she motioned for them to sit and she remained standing. Caroline looked every bit as intimidating as she planned.

Sweets looked at Booth with raised eyebrows that said, "Are you going to talk or do I have to do it?"

It was Brennan who shared her knowledge with Caroline, first. "Hannah Burley was brought in for questioning with our number one suspect, Steven Williams. Booth and Ms. Burley had a sexual relationship while in Afghanistan."

"Cherie," she bellowed at Booth. "Tell me the good doctor has gotten her facts mixed up."

Brennan was indignant. "I do not make mistakes. Those are the facts. Do you want the rest of what I know?"

Looking back at Booth and disregarding Brennan, "You questioned her, too?"

"That's what we were discussing," answered Sweets.

"Alright let's not panic, people," said Booth. "The reasons why the case is not compromised…"

"They better be good, Cherie," interrupted Caroline.

He sighed. "Yes, I questioned her, but Sweets was right there next to me and Bones was watching from the observation room."

"That doesn't make you impartial," she said exasperated.

"And that's why I didn't tell Sweets about my past with Hannah," Booth continued. "So he could be the impartial one."

"That might save us, but it still isn't ideal. And I like perfection."

"I find that I'm agreeing with you," said Brennan. "But I'm backing Booth on this one."

Booth sent her a grateful smile. His eyes spoke of deep adoration. He would always be able to count on his Bones.

"It's late and it's past my bedtime. And I get grouchy when I need sleep," barked Caroline.

Brennan looked at her watch. It was 9:00 PM. "I've left work later than this on many occasions."

"And that's why you have me, Bones." He said with a smirk. He turned on his charm for Caroline. "What time would you like to meet tomorrow? I could bring breakfast."

"Don't try and butter me up, Cherie."

"Wouldn't think of it. Just offering breakfast."

"Right. Then save the charming grin for your girlfriend. Let's meet back here at 8:00 AM. No. Make that 9:00 AM. I need at least a twelve hour break from this place." She paused. "I'm glad there are no objections." She swiftly left the office.

Sweets grinned, Booth chuckled and Brennan looked confused. "But Booth, she didn't even ask if we could meet at that time?"

"She wasn't exactly asking, Bones."

"Well, she should be more precise with her language."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

"Thanks for backing me up in there."

"I'll always have your back, Booth."

He kissed her softly and then opened the door to the SUV for her. Once behind the wheel and leaving the parking structure, he knew he needed to begin talking about Hannah before he would be able to relax that night. There was no way he wanted to deal with the following day wondering how Brennan felt about it all. But he was going to ease into it.

"You know, you had me worried this afternoon when I didn't know where you were. And then to find out that you were holding a stake-out unarmed and with Hodgins of all people."

"Maybe you should let me carry a gun." She grinned. But her hope died quickly.

"Not likely. You're dangerous with a gun!" He was smiling and she glared at him in return. "And besides, I'm supposed to have your back. It goes both ways, Bones. Right?" he asked her for an agreement.

"Of course, but I still think I should have a gun."

He sighed. Attempting to redirect her thinking, he asked her if she wanted to go for a drink.

"It's been an intense evening at the end of an eventful day. Aren't you tired?"

"I'm wound up. I need something to help me relax so I can sleep tonight."

"I can think of another way to become relaxed," she countered with a seductive voice.

He groaned. "And that would work, but we really need to talk. And I'd rather not do it at home." He wondered if she noticed that slip of the tongue.

"Is this really the best time? When we are physically and mentally exhausted?"

"I see your point, but I also feel like I need to come clean before anything gets revealed to more people tomorrow."

"I accept your logic. But Booth?"

"Yeah?"

"You're not going to drive me away. I ran away once and I regret it. I don't want anymore regrets."

"No more regrets," he repeated her words. "I've gathered enough of those in the past year than I care to remember. I don't want anymore, either."

They rode in comfortable silence for the next several minutes until they arrived at a nice bar & grill. He guided her through the entrance with his hand at the small of her back. She had really missed that while they were separated. It was just another small gesture that she had taken for granted.

"Mmm." Booth breathed in the delicious aroma in appreciation. "It smells heavenly in here."

"I'm having a difficult time imagining a holy place smelling like a food establishment."

"It's just an expression, Bones. I think it smells fantastic and it's reminding me that I haven't eaten dinner. You must be hungry, too."

"Yes, actually, I do feel the need to eat."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"Did something happen at the press conference that would warrant you to worry about me before you knew where I was and what I was doing?" Brennan asked once they were settled and had ordered.

"You had been at Hacker's office and Hannah told me she had been in the Hoover but couldn't tell me who gave her clearance. And she knew I wasn't working in the building. And… You weren't answering your cell phone."

"I still don't understand. You didn't have as much information as you do now. How could you possibly have made a connection?"

"I hadn't made the connection, yet. But I knew that it was very possible that there had been a security breech and you were at the Hoover."

"It must be hard to realize that Hannah may be involved with this even if it is indirectly."

"No kidding," he said sarcastically. "I guess I didn't know her very well."

"How well did you know each other?"

"I guess this is when I start confessing all my sins."

"I highly doubt you did anything wrong. I wasn't talking about sex. What I meant was, how well did you get to know each other on a friendship level?"

He sighed and sipped his beer. "Not much. It was all in the present, you know? Like we would talk about how the events of the day affected us. We were there for each other to lean on. I mean, it was so much different this time around. Most of the men I was working with were 15-20 years younger than me. They were just kids, really. I was responsible for them. And when the first one was killed, I just wanted to dull the pain."

"And that's when you commenced a sexual relationship?" All he could do was nod. "Booth, that's completely understandable. You have nothing to be ashamed of." She pleaded, hoping he would believe her.

"I still feel guilty. I knew the relationship wouldn't continue when one of us left Afghanistan. I was using her and I've never done that before."

"Was she fully aware that the relationship wouldn't last?"

"We didn't talk about it, but we both knew. We never talked about the future." He paused for a few moments. "It still leaves an emotional scar that I allowed to happen. I'm not the same person and it makes me wonder how you can have the same kind of trust in me that you had before we left D.C."

"You're a good person, Booth… a good partner and a good father."

"Thanks, Bones. But I feel like I let you down."

"That's not rational. We were not in a committed relationship. And I didn't give you much hope for one after the year away was done."

"Yeah, but I knew I wasn't going to give up. I had made up my mind to win your heart no matter how long it took. You're the standard."

"How long have you known all of this?"

"I knew when I met you that there was a spark there between us. But I think it was a gradual realization that I loved you. When did I actually know? Well, when I was being prepped for brain surgery, I had an overwhelming feeling of sadness… that it might be too late. And when I woke up…"

"You didn't know who I was. Then you thought we were married."

"I'm sorry I was confused, Bones. I think maybe why I had that dream was because I was afraid that I'd never get the chance to tell you how I felt."

"But when you did, you said it was in an atta' boy kind of way." She was confused.

"Sweets and Cam put doubts in my head and I didn't want to hurt you if I was wrong. I chickened out."

"When you told me that you loved me in an atta' boy kind of way, I thought that you realized I was not the person you dreamed about and I didn't measure up to her."

"That is not true. No one measures up to you. And when I finally decided that my brain wasn't broken and playing tricks on me, I wasn't sure how to change things. And when we were saying good-bye at the airport, it was like being prepped for surgery again. I thought I may have lost my chance for a second time. I was determined that if I made it back…"

"Booth! That right there… that way of thinking is why it wasn't wrong to be with Hannah. You could have been distracted thinking about how I felt and if it was too late. It could have gotten you killed. I wasn't there for you and Hannah was. Hannah saved your life." She was very emotional by the time she was finished with her speech. The waitress delivering their food gave her a chance to calm down.

"Look, I think you're giving her too much credit and I …" he held up his hand to signal for her to wait and let him finish. "I knew who I wanted to be with. That's why I gave you that poker chip. I was planning to take that final leap of faith and gamble with my heart. And then all of a sudden, we were leaving each other for a year. I hated myself for losing a second chance."

His eyes became watery and Brennan reached across the table for his hand.

"When she left a month before I did, I was more determined than ever to get home and show you how much you mean to me. I swear, I did not allow myself to be distracted while I was working and I didn't take any unnecessary risks."

When he was finally done, she was quiet and studying him from across the table with their hands still clasped together.

"What? Say something," he choked, barely getting out the words.

"You didn't lose anything there. You regained focus and determination. That knowledge gives me more self-confidence about myself because I'm still the person you want to be with. You need to stop worrying that she has damaged you or caused any problems for us. The Hannah in Afghanistan is gone. The Hannah in D.C. is the one causing problems and we'll solve this case like we always do. Okay?"

"You're the best, Bones. Talking to you always makes me feel better."

"Yes, I know."

He chuckled. "Let's eat and get out of here. I'm thinking maybe some dessert at your place?" he said suggestively.