Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, but I am obsessed.

Author's Note: It's been a month. I'm sorry. Hang in there with me, I know where I'm going, and I hope you will still enjoy the ride.

Chapter 36: Guess Things Happen That Way

October 5, 2006

Brennan made her way through the Hoover, focused on their current case and hoping that Booth had made some progress interviewing their victim's two wives.

Her progress was slowed by an unfamiliar voice calling her name. Brennan turned to see an agent holding up her visitor pass, which had become detached as she had rushed down the hallway. The man hurried the last couple steps towards her and thrust the pass at the scientist.

Brennan reached for the item and primly clipped it back on her lapel, checking its security. She expected the man to move on, but the agent was staring at her, and she found that she couldn't ignore him. She cleared her throat before addressing him. "I'm sorry, how do you know my name?"

He didn't even blink as he responded. "Everyone knows you, and we've all read your book. It's fantastic by the way."

"Thank you, uhh, Agent..."

This time he thrust out his hand at her and she shook it after a slight hesitation. His grip was firm, but lacking something that Brennan couldn't describe. "Fairfax, Eddie Fairfax. Feel free to call me Eddie."

"Yes, thank you for the badge, Eddie. Have a good day." Brennan withdrew her hand from his, he seemed reluctant to let it go.

The man flashed a smile, "Actually, Dr. Brennan, I'm glad that you dropped it. I've been looking for an excuse to talk to you."

Brennan boldly met the man's eyes. "Why?"

"I've noticed you. And of course your work precedes you. You've made Agent Booth look very good this past year."

Brennan stammered, "Booth is a superb agent in his own right."

"But you make him look damn good. Cullen practically does back-flips over him. I hear that you are brilliant."

"I am the best in the world at what I do." She replied with her usual hubris.

The man chuckled, "Yes, I'm sure that you are. Forgive me if I'm being too forward, but you're stunning as well."

"Excuse me?"

"You, Dr. Brennan, are stunning. By any chance are you free for dinner, maybe drinks? Saturday night?" The man gazed hopefully at Brennan as she eyed him, analyzing him. He was in a rather poorly tailored suit, with a staid tie that was hanging just a bit too long on his relatively short frame. If she had been wearing heels she would have easily been taller than him. He wasn't exactly handsome, but there was a rakish scar over one eyebrow that she assumed most women would find attractive. He was not unappealing, but he was no Booth, that was for sure. She wasn't sure why exactly she was making the comparison, but there it was.

"I don't think so." She expressed herself in her very frank manner and Eddie's grin fell.

"You have a boyfriend?"

Brennan was blunt in her reply, "No."

The agent's smile reappeared and he pulled his wallet out of his jacket pocket. "Well then, here's my card. If you change your mind, give me a call." He winked at her as he fished out a pristine business card. "I'll be waiting. Have a lovely day." He thrust the paper into her hand without waiting for another comment, whistling as he backed down the hallway.

He reappeared at the bullpen, feeling a bit smug. He had asked out Temperance Brennan. Sure, she hadn't said "yes," but she hadn't slugged him either. Agent Ryan Stuart sauntered over to Eddie, shaking his head. "You're a brave man, Fairfax. Brave and insanely stupid."

Fairfax pretended to be interested in some files at his desk. "Don't know what you mean, Stu."

"That's Booth's girl."

"She says she's single. She's fair game. Frankly, I'm surprised no one else has made a move on her."

Stu shook his head a bit harder. "Because, she's Booth's girl."

"I didn't see a ring. Don't you have some work to do?"

Stu held up his hands in surrender. "Well, I tried to warn you. Just watch your back. He's a trained sniper."

"Whatever, Stu." Stuart walked away, still shaking his head as Fairfax tried to better hide his smug smile.

Brennan stared at the bit of paper in her hand for awhile. She was sure that Eddie was a capable agent, but she felt nothing at his blatant flirtation. She was used to men asking her out, and she wasn't shy about reciprocating interest when the mood struck her. Still, Brennan had refused all recent offers of companionship. She didn't have a chance to brood on her recent choices as she was once again interrupted by a voice, this time female.

"Hey. Dr. Brennan, right?" Brennan quickly placed Eddie's card in her pants pocket as she turned to address the voice. She was a bit taken aback as she recognized Booth's ex.

"Rebecca, hi."

"Is Booth here?" Rebecca asked impatiently.

Brennan eyed the woman warily. "He is, but it's not a good time. We are in the middle of a case."

"Aren't you always?" Brennan nodded curtly in reply. "I just need him to sign a form for Parker's hockey team. I should have brought it over last night when I saw him, but I forgot. I had other things on my mind."

Brennan snapped to attention, "You saw Booth last night?"

Rebecca smirked before schooling her face into a more neutral expression. "Yes, I went over late last night. We do that from time to time."

"It's a school night. Was Parker with you?"

"No, he was with my parents; it was just the two of us."

A strange feeling rose in Brennan's chest. She couldn't name it, but she didn't enjoy it. "Well, clearly the two of you are compatible, you do have a son together. And he seems like an ideal candidate. Strong, alpha male, good protective instincts."

Rebecca nodded, "Yes, he is all of those things." She felt petty at the rather crestfallen expression on the anthropologist's face, but she was still bitter about the previous evening. "I'm very lucky to have him in my life."

"Yes, of course." Brennan nodded as she glanced at her watch. "If you'll excuse me, I really need to speak to Booth about our case. He's been expecting me. Would you care to walk with me so that you can get your signature?"

Rebecca shrugged, "No, that's alright. I'll let him focus on work now. I wouldn't want to distract him. Actually, you don't even have to mention that I was here. I'll catch up with him later."

Brennan turned away from the blond woman, feeling a bit numb, "Fine, say hello to Parker for me." Rebecca watched the woman walk away, the usual confident bounce in her step absent. Rebecca exited to the elevators, feeling cold, yet somehow justified. She wasn't used to rejection, and despite the pettiness, it had felt good to exact just a little bit of revenge.

Brennan knocked on Booth's door before entering his office. His ear was pressed to his land line and his nose was attached to a file. Still he gave her a quick grin and waved her into the room. He ended his call as quickly as possible and set his file down.

She settled herself in her typical seat as he continued to gather himself. He was clearly in work mode, and she was glad for the focus. She needed to concentrate on work, not on random, inferior agents attempting to sleep with her and definitely not on beautiful blond women who had pasts and presents with her partner.

They spent nearly twenty minutes discussing theories and steps to solving the case, but eventually they had used all of their work related talking points. Booth attempted some small talk, but Brennan didn't engage him, even when he purposefully said something scientifically inaccurate to goad her into a response.

Finally giving up, Booth just stared at his partner. "You OK, Bones?"

Her head snapped up to meet his eyes. "I'm just fine."

"You sure?"

"Actually," she paused and seemed to be gathering her thoughts, and Booth hazarded a smile, pleased that she was about to confide in him. "Would you be willing to watch Lucy on Saturday night? Perhaps she could sleep over at your place, actually, and I would join you Sunday for that football match."

"Why?"

"Well, she and Parker have both been begging to have a sleepover, and it seems like an appropriate time."

Booth looked at his partner with curiosity. "Well, we'd be happy to have her. She can sleep over, Parker will be thrilled. But why now? What's up?"

"I have plans on Saturday night, and Angela is going to an artist's retreat this weekend, so she will be unable to stay with Lucy."

"What do you have going on Saturday night? You didn't mention it last night when we talked."

"It actually just came up. I'm going to have a date."

Booth had to reign in his reaction, "Going to have a date?"

"Yes, Agent Fairfax has asked me out. I initially turned him down, but I've reconsidered. And since you are willing to keep Lucy with you, I will be available this weekend."

Booth inhaled sharply, choking on his own breath. It took him a moment to recover. "Eddie Fairfax, you're going out with Eddie?"

"Yes, I believe so."

Well, Booth couldn't believe it. She was considering going out on a date with Eddie Fairfax. He was an average agent with average looks and in Booth's opinion, below average intelligence. He couldn't imagine what Brennan would see in that man. A jealous beast rose inside of Booth's chest. Suddenly, he was angry with her.

They had kissed, multiple times. They had shared a bed. They had eaten breakfasts and lunches and dinners together. They had shared desserts. He had taken her kid to the park and the zoo and the aquarium. He had calmed his partner when she was upset, he had soothed her daughter when she needed it. He had helped to reunite them with their family, he had helped solve her mother's murder.

The fact that Brennan was his partner was reason enough to do all of those things, but he'd always known that there was more between them. Everything that they had done over the past year, he had thought that they were working towards something, together.

It just didn't make sense. He couldn't wrap his head around it. He couldn't wrap his heart around it. One word kept running through his mind, pulsing in his brain. Why? And he didn't have an answer.

The snapping of Brennan's fingers brought him out of his stupor, a concerned expression on her face. "Booth, are you alright?"

Booth shook his head rather harshly in order to clear it. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You look rather pale."

Booth changed the subject, "Do you want to drop Squirt off or do you want me and Parker to pick her up? And what time should I be expecting her?"

"I don't know yet. We'll talk about it."

Booth pursed his lips. "Right, of course, yeah. We've still got a case to solve."

"Yes, we do."

"I'll get on those leads." Booth clapped his hands together, his signature gesture of impatience.

"You'll call me if you need me?" Her eyes were large, the lost little girl expression etched into her face. His anger softened a bit. Whenever she showed even a small bit of vulnerability, he felt a pang in his chest.

"Don't I always?" He gave her a small smile, one that wasn't completely sincere, but she wasn't able to tell the difference.

Releasing her own relaxed breath, she gave him her own half smile. "I'll see you later, Booth."

"I'll be in touch." Brennan gave a curt nod and exited the office. Booth watched her exit, still confused and a little heartbroken. Why didn't she understand? And why couldn't he just man up, grab her, and kiss the living daylights out of her? What was stopping them? He knew there were hundreds of reasons, but he couldn't think of a single one at just that moment.

Booth grunted, he had a case to solve, and he'd have to make a detour. He'd have to see a man about a date.