Booth walked into the living room. When he got in there, Parker was concentrating hard. Harder than he'd ever remembered.
It was amazing how the Mario Brothers still held the attention of kids decades after he remembered playing with an NES.
"Park." No response. "Parker. Wanna pry yourself away from that game long enough to put shoes on? I've got somewhere to be at five, so Michelle's gonna keep an eye on you for an hour."
Parker paused the game. "Even after someone broke in?"
"Yeah. I figure that Michelle's the best babysitter you've ever had, so why mess with a good thing? Go on. Get your shoes."
Parker sighed. "Can't I find a good stopping place first?"
"No. I told you ten minutes ago we were leaving. You chose to procrastinate. Get your shoes. We're going." Booth put his jacket on and followed Parker to the hallway. As he passed by the telephone stand, his hip bumped against it, a stack of papers fell to the ground. The hand-written message from Brennan slipped beneath the table. "Don't dawdle."
Parker groaned shoved his heel into the shoe. Booth opened the door and the two walked out.
--
"Got everything?" Angela asked. "Toothpaste, toothbrush... lipstick?"
"Lipstick?" Brennan asked.
"Just because you're gonna be in a jungle for three months doesn't mean you have to look like a native."
"I remembered everything, Angela. This isnt my first international consultation." Brennan's eyes drifted momentarily over Angela's shoulder's. "And BrasÃlia is urban."
"Waiting for Booth?"
"Huh? No. We already said good-bye. He--He might slip past security to see me off, but--I told him that it would be awkward, so... It's better off this way."
"That's very reserved of you, sweetie. But what do you really think?"
"I think I need to go through security already. I should have gone through an hour ago."
"Well, I'll miss you, Bren. Stay safe, K?" The women stood, then embraced.
Brennan found herself, twenty minutes later, walking down a lonely terminal, wishing that this whole thing had gone down differently.
And she felt... dejected. Rejected. Forgotten. Booth had forgotten about her. Rationally speaking, Parker could have forgotten to give him the message, but she couldn't help but to think irrationally--like... like a woman.
She shook off the feelings that were reeling inside of her. What had happened with Booth was simply physical. It was the culmination of pressurized tension. Things would be back to normal when she came back in August. It was simply a release of pressure. They were both under a lot of pressure. Booth with his brother in jail. Brennan with Max's recent health issues. The Gravedigger case coming to light. Perotta being burned--
It wasn't her fault, she reminded herself, reaching her hand into her pocket.
Of course, their first encounter spoke a multitude to that fact. Brennan's injury, brush with death--It's only natural that one would seek that release, that comfort--
But she still couldn't help but to feel so completely terrible as she watched the tarmac speed by. Slower, slower. Faster. The wings lifting into the air. Clouds growing thicker outside of her airplane window. Washington DC disappearing below the horizon...
Nothing made her happier than pursuing her love of anthropology.
But she found that nothing made her sadder than knowing that she was leaving someone behind.
--
Booth ran through the airport. He was late. Not by much, just long enough to know that he wasn't going to spend as much time with Brennan as he wanted to before she left for Brazil.
Her plane left at six and it was five o' five.
A hundred might-have-beens ran through his mind before his gate slowed and two familiar faces came into view by the arrivals board.
"Angela? Hodgins?"
Hodgins nodded.
"Hi, Booth. Did do a little badge-flashing to get past baggage check?" Angela put her hands on her hips and smirked.
Baggage check?
"What? Did you miss Brennan's flight?" Angela laughed at first, thinking that Booth was joking. Then her smile slowly disappeared.
"Oh, dude. Wife's gonna be pissed." Hodgins chuckled. He wasn't as sympathetic as Angela. "Sorry," he said, noticing that Booth had a death-glare locked on him.
"I'm sorry, Booth. Didn't Brennan tell you what time her flight left?"
"Yeah," Booth said. He pulled a yellow Post-It from his pocket. "Six-fifteen. She... " She wrote it down herself.
The sympathetic look on Angela's face was too much to bear. "Oh. It--It left at five, Booth. I don't know why she told you the wrong time--"
"Sorry, man," Hodgins said. "Look, we're about to go out to dinner with Cam and a bunch of lab rats before we all split up for the summer. Wanna come? It's at the bar, so--"
Booth shook his head. "No... It's--It's alright. I'm--I've got things to do anyway."
"Booth..." Angela attempted to console him.
Booth shook his head and pretended to shake it off. "It's no big deal. I just must've misheard, that's all. I'll-- see you guys later, huh?"
Angela whispered, "Something happened."
"Like they slept together or something?"
"I was afraid this would happen if they hooked up."
"You have the heart of an angel," Hodgins whispered. He kissed her cheek.
Angela didn't even notice. She was still watching Booth walking away with slumped shoudlers. "I wish I could do something."
"He has Parker this weekend, that should take his mind off it--"
Angela shot him a look. "No. Something real, Hodgins."
"Um... stay here for a second, Angie, OK?"
"Sure..."
Hodgins ran up to Booth. "Hey, Booth! Wait up, man."
Booth slowed and turned. "I gotta pick up Parker, Hodgins. Cam and Michelle are going to that dinner thing, so--"
"Just wait a second, OK?" Hodgins took his bag off from his shoulders and unsnapped the flap. He produced an accordion file, which he opened, and then handed Booth a photocopied letter. "Look, I promised I'd stay out of everything and all, but-- Y'know..."
Booth looked down at the letter, trying to register what it was.
"I gotta go." Hodgins jogged off, taking Angela by the waist and walking out of the airport with her.
Booth was still trying to process the letter. It was short and to the point. But his mind was spinning so fast that even the signature--"Bones"--seemed to be written in Greek.
Glad that you've all loved it so far! Thanks for the responses!
-Mama