DISCLAIMER: Booth, Bones, the Jeffersonian and all other characters/settings are property of Fox. I am only asking humbly to borrow them for a while! Please don't sue!
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Are you going to betray me?
No.
Seeley Booth replayed their conversation over and over again as he stared intently at the file Cullen had left for him just five minutes earlier. The black and white photo peeking out the edge of the folder tormented him. He didn't want to believe it. He couldn't believe it. Because if he did, it meant that he had betrayed her. He had betrayed his Bones. He sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes before cautiously reaching for the folder he had been avoiding since its appearance on his desk.
Grabbing the file with both hands, he flipped it back and forth before finally succumbing to the pressure of having to know if the body pictured inside the folder was indeed who he dreaded it would be.
Gingerly flipping open the folder, he glanced at the picture and winced. Although the body had been severely mangled from the wreck, the man's face was still recognizable.
Booth cursed under his breath and slammed the file back on his desk. Standing up quickly, he began to pace back and forth until the events of the previous night intruded once more into his reverie.
He turned to stare at the chair she'd been sitting in when she'd asked if he'd betray her. He remembered her smile at his answer. He remembered the repeated shots they'd continued to drink until they'd emptied the entire bottle. And he remembered how she'd fought him when he insisted on helping her out to meet the taxi he'd called when he'd realized neither one was in any condition to drive.
A small smile curved his lips as he recalled when she'd finally succumbed to the support he'd offered her by slinging an arm around her shoulders. She had tentatively wrapped her arm around his back after a few seconds and grasped the side of his jacket to keep herself upright.
Once they'd made it out to the taxi, Booth had opened the door for her, earning an eye role from his partner for his alpha-male tendencies. But, rather than give her usual dissertation about such acts, she climbed in the taxi without comment and turned to give him a smile before mouthing 'thank you' and shutting the door. Booth had stood and watched the taxi until it was out of sight before turning to hail one of his own.
Snapping back to the present, Booth turned to grab the jacket he had slung so haphazardly over the back of his chair and grabbed the file once more from his desk. Heading out of his office, he stopped briefly to turn and look once more at the space that, only a few hours earlier, had been occupied by the person he trusted most and never wanted to hurt.
After looking back down at the file in his hands, he glanced once more to 'her' chair and wondered if, after what he had to show her, she would ever be seated there again.
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This is my first try at fanfic...I'd love to hear your thoughts! You know which button to push! Thanks!
