I KNOW THE UPDATES HAVE BEEN SLOW GOING FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS AND I HOPE TO IMPROVE ON THAT. I'VE BEEN A LITTLE BLOCKED ON HOW I WANT TO CONTINUE BUT I WILL TRY TO START UPDATING MORE FREQUENTLY. THIS IS A MUST BECAUSE OF THE STELLAR REVIEWS THAT HAVE COME IN FOR THIS STORY. I DIDN'T MEAN TO SOUND AS IF I WAS WHINING FOR REVIEWS BECAUSE I FIGURE, IF YOU LIKE THE STORY YOU WILL LET ME KNOW (EVEN IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT LET ME KNOW). I HAVE BEEN SURPRISED AT THE AMOUNT OF REVIEWS. WHEN I STARTED THIS STORY I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT PEOPLE WOULD TAKE TO IT SO WELL SO I FEEL OBLIGATED TO UPDATE OFTEN.
HERE WE GO WITH CHAPTER 28…
"I don't think I have made a conscious decision to jeopardize my safety." Temperance told Carmella. "I tend to rationalize things so that I fully understand what's going on around me but lately it's been difficult, to say the least."
"So then, what is guiding your decision making?" She could tell that the question caused her to pause and reflect.
"I have never been an emotional person in my whole adult life but lately I seem to be ruled by emotions. I am a rational empiricist. It's what I rely on to do my job and is essentially how I look at everything but lately emotions seem to be guiding influence of my decision making."
"This is obviously troubling to you," she stated simply.
"I learned how to cope on my own at an early age."
"Why? What happened?" Carmella asked.
"My parents disappeared and my brother left me and I went into the foster system. I have never let myself get close to people after that. I guess someone like you would call it 'abandonment' issues." Carmella couldn't help but laugh at her assessment.
"Yes, we would most likely call it something like that. It must be difficult for you to lean on Agent Booth or others during this time because of these issues."
"There you go again bringing Booth up. Why do you keep doing that?"
"We all have an inherent need to form emotional attachments to other people. That is part of what makes us human. You are human Temperance, it's important to remember that."
"I
can understand the need for physical release with others but I don't
think there has to be an emotional attachment to feel complete. Our
culture is predicated on the fact that…"
"Stop right
there," Carmella cautioned. "I would never insist you deter from
you empirical thinking but as an anthropologist, I would think you
would see deeper into the human psyche."
"I have observed many cultures and I know there are people that do not feel fulfillment unless that are emotionally attached to another person but I don't think it is necessary for the survival of the species." Temperance was simply stating the facts of her case and trying to make it understood that emotions so not have to factor into her life.
"I think we have indeed gotten off topic this time. Do you mind if Agent Booth joins us?"
"I don't see the point."
"There is always a point. He is your support during this time. I know that he must feel as helpless as you do at times and its important for him to know what to expect when dealing with someone who has been through the type of trauma you have. We don't have to talk about specifics if that makes you uncomfortable but I would like for us all to be on the same page regarding your recovery."
"Fine, only because I have the feeling that you won't drop this until he sits in with us."
"We just see things a little different but we are all working towards the same goal. Just try to remember that okay. If you get to a point when you would like him to leave then we can make that happen. Remember that he is suffering in his own way. We're all on the same team so just try to trust my expertise a little bit huh?"
"I don't believe in psychology." Again Carmella couldn't help but laugh at her statement. Dr. Temperance Brennan was indeed enchanting. She couldn't say that she had ever met anyone like her and it was quite refreshing except for the circumstances of their meeting.
Carmella called the receptionist and asked if she could escort Agent Booth to her office. A few moments later he was standing in the doorway and relief washed over him when he saw Bones. "Bones, I…"
"Booth…" she began at the same time. The partners stood there looking at one another for a long moment before turning to look at the therapist.
"Agent Booth, how are you?"
"Better now," he replied looking back and Brennan.
"I've asked Temperance to include you in our sessions because of the support system the two of you have. I think it is equally important for you to have an active role in recovery along with her. If you guys would like to sit down we can talk for a bit before our time is up." They both complied and sat down in the chairs Carmella had indicated.
"Agent Booth, I appreciate your willingness to participate in our sessions. It shows how much you care for your partner"
"Please call me Seeley and yes Bones and I are close…as coworkers and partners. I will do whatever is necessary to help her."
"That is excellent news. I know we haven't discussed it yet but I was curious about the hypnosis you wanted to undergo Temperance. I spoke with a few of my colleagues and I think Arthur Judson is an excellent choice. I have worked with him on several occasions and he is one of the best I've seen. If you like I would like to set you up with an appointment for next week."
"Do you think its alright for Bones to do this?" Booth asked, unsure of whether he was crossing some invisible line.
"I think it is a safe procedure and we will try to combat any duress that Temperance endures."
"I still want to do it, as soon as possible," Temperance said.
"I'll call Arthur Monday and make an appointment." Carmella looked at Temperance thoughtfully for a moment before speaking again. "There is another matter the Temperance and I were discussing earlier. I will let her relay the information to you however." Brennan knew that she wanted her to tell Booth about the call but she was not yet certain she wanted to do that.
"What is it Bones?" Booth said looking at her.
"It's nothing really," she muttered.
"Obviously Dr. Stewart thinks it something. "
"Okay, I received a phone call while I was in the waiting room." She averted her eyes from his. "It was him Booth. He said he couldn't wait to do it again." Booth was pulling out his phone before she even finished.
"This is Booth. I need a trace on all numbers received on this cell number," he said and then relayed her number to his contact. Booth had stood to face a wall. He was livid and was attempting to get his anger under control. She should have called him the instant she got the call and the fact that she hadn't made him irate. "You should have called me Bones."
"Seeley please, sit back down. Temperance, why didn't you want to tell him about the call?"
"Because I didn't want him to feel obligated to do anything about it."
"Obligated, for god sake Temperance you know better." He almost yelled.
"Perhaps, but you were so angry…"
"Is that what this is about? You put your life in danger because I got angry?"
"Would you guys like to fill me in on what's happened?" Carmella asked having watched the exchange between the partners.
"We had an argument, that's all."
"A big enough argument to ignore your own safety. That sounds pretty serious to me Temperance. What was it about?" Temperance looked away. She didn't want to discuss this here and now with Booth in the room but maybe getting it out in the open with a neutral party would be for the best.
"I was pushing the envelope with Booth and he got his feelings hurt." She said it in a matter-of-fact way that made Booth gape at her.
"You said I was an experiment."
"Booth…I said I was sorry. Maybe I didn't word it correctly." She replied defensively.
"How else could you word it? You were pretty clear and that's saying a lot for you."
"I'll ask again and maybe this one of you will answer, what was the argument about?" Carmella asked again.
"I kissed him." Realization dawned on her as she put the rest of the conversation to her. It seemed to her that Temperance had taken her advice and rationally and literally explained to Booth what she had done.
"After our last meeting?" Carmella asked.
"Yes, actually it was."
"So you explained that you kissed him because I thought it would be a good way to initiate intimacy with the opposite sex?"
"Now you sound like a doctor," she mumbled. Booth just sat there listening.
"Is that why you kissed him? Because I nudged you that direction?"
"It's not that simple," she answered. "It's not as if I would have just kissed anyone."
"So you wanted to kiss Seeley?" Just then the alarm went off signaling that their time had come to an end. "We can finish this now Temperance."
"NO! I know you are busy. Could you please make the appointment for the hypnosis?"
"Absolutely and I will have my receptionist give you a call. I would like to make a suggestion before you leave. You two need to talk this situation out. It is clearly affecting you and causing Temperance to act irrationally and that is not healthy."
Booth was agitated as he left because he was waiting to hear her answer and he didn't get it. He vowed that they would talk about it and work through it because he would be damned if he let her get her because of anger at one another.
