A/N: SEASON 6 SPOILER ~ When I heard about Catherine coming onto the show last season I freaked out and got really angry. When I heard Booth was getting a new girlfriend this upcoming season I had a momentary freakout and then thought that maybe it was a good thing. Still not really sure what I think, I guess I'll have to wait and see. But I have a feeling that she is going to be a super nice person who Brennan is going to be so jealous because she thinks that this new girl deserves Booth. Anyway enjoy and please review.
Brennan didn't know why she was there. Perhaps it was because she had not been to Booth's apartment since they had returned to DC and she had missed the homey feeling that his apartment exudes. Whatever the reason, she was risking having to face his new girlfriend Hannah in order to feel that sense of belonging and homeyness. Would she still feel that way if Hannah was there? What if she interrupted them while they were in bed together. She knocked on the door before she could talk herself out of it.
Hannah opened to door; she didn't seem surprised to find Brennan on the other side.
"Hi Dr. Brennan. Come in." She said politely, holding the door open for her guest.
"Seeley isn't home right now; he and Parker are at a hockey game." She said. Brennan wondered how she didn't know that Booth had Parker for the weekend.
"Oh. Well I'll leave then. Sorry. I didn't want to ruin your evening."
"No, please sit. I need to talk to a woman. I'm so tired of talking about sports." Hannah said. She was smiling, Brennan assumed she had enjoyed Booth and Parker talking about sports (it did always put a smile on her face to watch the father-son interaction). Hesitantly she made her way to the kitchen table and sat down on one of Booth's high chairs. Hannah followed her and poured them each a glass of red wine. They sat in silence for a moment; Brennan had no idea what to talk about with this woman. This new woman who was an important person in Booth's life.
"Seeley told me that you have a huge jazz collection. I love jazz." Hannah said, attempting to break the ice. The two women had met many times, but they both quickly realized that they had never been alone with each other. There had always been someone there to be the buffer or mediate the conversation.
"Oh. Booth doesn't like that much jazz." Brennan said.
"Yes I know. But he said that he started listening to a lot more after he saw your collection. He gave me the names of some of the ones you lent him. They're really good."
"I'm glad you enjoyed them." Brennan replied. She was being sincere. A small part of her was jealous that Booth had shared her tastes in jazz with Hannah. Another part of her just held onto the knowledge that she and Booth had a song – no matter who came along, Hot Blooded would always be theirs. It was irrational but it was what she felt.
Hannah looked down into her wine glass before turning to Brennan again.
"He still loves you, you know." She said softly. There was no anger or jealously in her voice, she was simply stating a fact.
"No. He moved on. He has you now." Brennan argued. Hannah laughed.
"I may be here, he may have me, but I don't have him. He loves you and he's struggling because he wants to try and make it work with me but he loves you." Hannah said. Brennan didn't know how to respond. Since coming back and seeing Booth with Hannah she had regretted her decision to turn him down.
"I'm sorry." She said. Hannah shook her head.
"Don't be. Seeley told me before we even started a relationship that he was in love with you. I was just his friend then and he told me he didn't think he could ever love a woman the way he loved you. But that he had to try because you don't love him back." Brennan lowered her head. It was better that he thought that she said to herself.
"But you do love him." Brennan looked up at Hannah. "I know a woman in love when I see one. You love him. I don't know why you turned him down, but now he thinks that you don't love him. That's why he's trying to make it work with me."
"It's not fair to you that he loves someone else. I am not an expert on relationships but I would think that it's not a nice feeling." Brennan said. She was surprised at how candid Hannah was being with her.
"It's not a nice feeling." Hannah confirmed. Brennan sat uncomfortably on the chair. She wanted to leave immediately, before Booth could come back.
"Even though he told me I didn't want to believe him. I guess no one really wants to believe that the person they're with is in love with someone else. Even after we came back and I saw the two of you together I didn't want to believe it. You know what finally made me give up the denial?" Brennan remained silent. Her throat was closing up, she didn't think she could speak even if she knew what to say.
"Your book. The first one you dedicated to him. His copy is so worn. He looks at the dedication all the time and there's this picture of the two of you just looking at each other…" Hannah trailed off. "I don't even know if he realizes he does it." Brennan still didn't know what to say. She wanted to run from the apartment and irrationally find a time machine and talk herself out of even going to Booth's apartment.
"I am unsure of what to say." Brennan said truthfully. She wasn't sure if Hannah was waiting for her to say something or what Hannah expected of her. Usually she would ask Booth or Angela.
"I'm surprised actually. You've been handling the situation really well. If I was in your shoes I'd be doing everything I could to get me to leave. There's just one thing I need to know Dr. Brennan." Hannah took a breath, Brennan waited patiently.
"I know myself. I know I could fall in love with Seeley. Should I let myself fall? Or should I back off?" Hannah laid her cards on the table. It was up to Brennan to make a decision that would impact the lives of three people. She was frozen.
Finally she spoke.
"It would hurt Booth if you left." She said.
"You'd be here." Hannah replied.
It would be so much easier of Hannah was a horrible person who didn't deserve Booth. But Hannah was a sweet, professional woman who had similar interests as Booth, who would make him happy. He deserved to be happy.
Hannah got up and placed her wine glass in the sink. She disappeared into the bedroom for a moment before returning.
"I have a staff meeting I need to get to." She said as she handed Brennan an envelope. She left Brennan sitting at the high table in Booth's kitchen. Brennan waited until she heard the door close completely before she opened the envelope. Inside was the picture that Hannah had been talking about that Booth looked at on a regular basis. She couldn't help the smile that grew on her face or the tears that began to well up in her eyes. She knew what she wanted.
