Friday, August 29th- 3:30pm-
Brennan stepped out of her therapy appointment with a refreshed feeling. Her cheeks were flushed, her mind much clearer than it had been in months. It wasn't that she felt that her problems and issues had been solved, she was far too smart to delude herself like that. She just felt that she was on the right track. She was quite pleased with Doctor Saunders' demeanor, comfortable in her approach and respect toward her. The session had gone longer than an hour, but she had been assured that because it was their first session, she had allotted more than the typical session time to get to know Brennan better. She glanced at her phone as she stepped toward her car, scrolling through the text messages that she had amassed in the short time she had put the phone on silent. She was about to call Booth when her phone started ringing in her hand the moment she took it off silent, with his name promptly displayed.
"Brennan." She said, resting the phone against her ear, she pulled her keys from her pocket and approached her car, pressing the lock to disengage it.
"Hey, Bones. You out of your appointment?" He asked, knowing that clearly she was out of her appointment if she was answering her phone.
"You called twice before." She said, her humor sliding through the line easily, she listened to him chuckle.
"I figured it would only be an hour. I wanted to check on you." He said, trying to sound innocent. She could hear him typing in the background. "How'd it go?"
"It went fine." She said, knowing that standing outside of her car was probably not the best time to reiterate her experience with Doctor Saunders. "How did the interrogation go?"
"He lawyered up. We sent his car to the lab. Techs said there was what looked like blood in the trunk, and I would rather have your squints work on it." He said, listening to the pause on her end. "That way, I can come over and see you." He smiled.
"I knew there was more to your decision making." She teased. "I am heading to the lab right now. Hopefully we can wrap up the case today. I'd like to have a relaxing weekend." She said softly.
"Well, Parker will be over tomorrow morning. I'm not sure how relaxing it'll be." He teased.
"Parker is extremely well behaved. I believe that it's his father that has proven to be quite the handful." She laughed, climbing into the car. She sighed tenderly, listening to his laugh.
"You sound a little happier." He said suddenly.
She wasn't sure she believed what he said was true, or if she felt that he was simply being kind. Instead of arguing, however, she decided to surprise him. "I am feeling a little happier." She replied. "Thank you for making me go see Doctor Saunders." She said, closing her eyes as she settled behind the wheel.
"You know I can't make you do anything, Bones. I can only encourage you. You're the one that makes the final decisions. I know that. I just love you very much, and I'm willing to have an argument if it means that you're listening to my side of things."
"Are you heading over toward the lab soon?" She asked.
"The car should be on its way now. The techs sent ahead some samples. I'm leaving in about ten minutes." He said, his tone soft and full of emotion.
"I'll be there in about twenty minutes." She said, saying her goodbye quickly as she hung up and started her car.
Friday, August 29th- 3:50pm-
Brennan pulled her car into her parking space in the parking garage, and lifted her bag from its place on the passenger seat. She climbed from the seat, her mind on her visit with Doctor Saunders, the case, and of course the big conversation that she and Booth were going to have. She shouldered her bag and stepped toward the elevator, glancing down for a moment, she stopped when she heard the sound of familiar footfalls behind her. She smiled slightly to herself, and when he put his hand on her shoulder, she reached up and pulled it, listening to his resounding 'oof' when she swung him around and pushed him back against the nearby concrete wall.
"Geez, Bones." Booth whined, though it was short lived when he saw the mischievous glint in her eyes. "I thought you were going to try to strangle me."
"You know that grabbing me in a parking garage is a no-no." She said, narrowing her eyes, she saw a flash of panic in his and her grin widened, her hands still flat against his chest as she held him against the wall.
"Sorry." He said, smiling innocently, his eyebrow lifting in permission. "I should know better." He said, letting his voice drop an octave, his own gaze holding its own mischievous sparkle.
"I thought you were going to meet me at the lab." She said, tipping her head curiously. She knew why he met her in the parking garage.
"Because if I met you at the lab, then I couldn't do this." He said, leaning forward. Her hands gently slid from his chest to his tie, pulling him even closer as their lips met, a gentle groan in both of their throats.
She pulled from the kiss and stared at his tie for a moment. "I do like the way you think." She said, looking up into his dark eyes. "You're a very perceptive man."
"And sexy." He said, a smile on his lips. "And charming."
"And horribly modest." She said, pulling the tie, she captured his lips with another kiss before she turned and walked toward the elevator. He was right behind her, sidling up beside her with his hand at its place on her back. He pushed the button on the elevator, and she looked up at him, feeling a bit of the electricity between them that was always there.
They stepped into the open elevator, and turned, standing beside the panel as Booth pressed the button for the floor of the lab. He stepped back beside her and they waited. He could feel her leaning into him gently and turned his head slightly just to breathe her in. "You're sniffing me." She mumbled.
"So?" He said, fully aware that she was calling him out, but not caring for a moment. "I like the way you smell." He mumbled. She looked up at him with a perplexed glare, and he tipped his head as he smiled. "What?"
"It's a wonder we got any work done in the first five years of our partnership. With me smelling the way I do, and you looking the way that you do." She said flashing him a smile just as the elevator door opened. She stepped out into the hallway and let out a laugh when he wasn't immediately behind her. "Let's go, Booth." She said, walking toward the lab, she didn't turn to look toward him as she scanned her card.
"Wait a minute!" He called. "What does that mean?" He asked, trying to sound offended as he jogged after her. "Bones, wait." He laughed, moving right into step beside her as their bickering began once again.
As was usual, the workers in the lab could hear Booth and Brennan before they could see them, though the conversation was in hushed tones, it was very clear that it wasn't a true argument of any kind. Their words were muted, but their laughter was true and happy. Brennan moved toward her office, and the bickering died down, and Booth slowed by the platform. He stopped when he saw Hodgins look down toward him with a friendly wave.
"The suspect's car should be here any minute." Booth said. "Did the techs send the samples ahead of it?"
"Yep." Hodgins nodded. "It's definitely blood. Cam is running tests on it to see if it matches the victim. Any other evidence we find in the car will just be gravy."
"Gravy. I like gravy. Gravy is good. Gravy makes for a good case." Booth said, watching Hodgins nod.
"You're always thinking with your stomach." Brennan said, walking up behind him, buttoning up her lab coat. She was looking down as she passed him, climbed the steps and scanned her card, looking back toward him to see his jaw was open just a bit. She smiled at him and he snapped his mouth shut.
"Gut, Bones. I think with my gut. Not my stomach." Booth argued.
"Last I checked, one's stomach is part of the digestive system, which is part of the colloquial 'gut' that you continually refer to." She said, listening to the small grunt that Booth let out to announce his displeasure.
"I'm going to go sit in your office until the car gets here." He said, watching her nod her head as she turned toward a microscope.
Brennan listened to the sound of Booth's shoes slapping the floor as he walked toward her office, and looked up toward Hodgins, where he was standing nearby. "You're wondering why I'm so mean to him."
"Nope." Hodgins said, shaking his head. "You guys do you." He laughed. "With the solve rate that we have, and his relationship with everyone here. I am not going to mess with the way that you guys work. It's a process like everything else here." He smiled. "If he wants to call me bug boy, and rattle your nerves every once in a while, but we catch the bad guy… well then who am I to argue."
"Very rational of you, Doctor Hodgins." She said politely. Then she straightened slightly. "I spoke with Doctor Saunders this afternoon." She said, watching Hodgins nod, stepping toward her. "Thank you for the recommendation. I believe she will be quite helpful."
"It's no problem, Doctor B. Anything you need, just ask." He shrugged.
"I appreciate it." She said with a sigh. "How about we ensnare us a murderer." She smiled.
"Snag." He said. "Snag us a murderer, Doctor B." Hodgins said, watching a familiar look of confusion on her face. "Forget it." He smiled, and they both turned back to the work at hand.