8
Angela's eyes opened to darkness. She was groggy and disoriented, her eyes flickering to the bedside clock, the red numbers not making sense. A few more glances back to reality and she realized it was after three am. Her first instinct was to pull the covers back over her head and sink deeper into the empty slumber she had awakened from.
A more urgent and stronger need forced her to throw the warmth of the fleece and down from her body, signaling for her to relieve herself. Her bare feet padded across the cold hardwood of the spare room and down the hallway to the restroom.
After taking care of her biological needs she walked towards the floating stairwell, making her way down into the silent house. There were still lights on, the soft sound of the low TV breaking the silence she had earlier encountered on the second level of the house.
She entered the room, her eyes landing on the trio at the table, exchanging files and reading them intently. Perhaps the bedside clock had been wrong, perhaps it was not nearly so late, she thought at she glanced at the clock on the cable box. Still it read after three.
"Brennan?" her voice caused all three heads to look in her direction, seeing the startled expression on them.
"Angela, what are you doing up?" Her best friend asked, concern flicking through her blue eyes.
" I should ask you the same thing, you appear to be hard at the grindstone." Angela said, taking a seat at the end of the table, running a nervous hand through her messy hair.
"We are looking for anything that we missed in the reports." Booth said, holding up a folder for emphasis.
"It is after three AM," She said.
" We are not resting till we solve this." Brennan said with a conviction she had not heard before.
" Why?" Her mind was still fuzzy and as far as she knew they should be in bed.
"You did it for me once," Brennan said quietly, her thoughts going back to the body of her mother, the answer to so many questions. She wanted Angela to have that closure, so it would not always be a hole in her chest.
"Thank you." Angela said with her gratitude raw on her features as she pulled her legs up under her.
" Well, I should probably get going, I doubt that I will be any good tonight as it is." Perotta said, standing and pushing her chair into the table. She was uncomfortable suddenly, the closeness of the people around her making her feel excluded.
Booth stood as well, ushering their guest to the door, saying a warm goodnight to her. He stood in the open doorway, watching, ensuring that she got to her car, which had been parked on the street since early the previous morning. He waited till she was inside and the vehicle had started before closing the door and making his way back to the women at the table.
Angela was sitting with a cup of tea; presumably one that Brennan had made for her. She looked tired, despite having just awoken, her eyes still looked heavy, and Booth wondered when the last time was that she had slept peacefully. Hell, he wondered about the last time he had slept peacefully. Ever since bringing Angela to stay with them, Brennan had been fitful at night, tossing and turning, waking him at all hours. Perhaps that was the reason for the slight disconnect they seemed to be having.
Walking over to his wife he placed his heavy hands on her shoulders, basking in the warmth of her, letting it relax away the tension in his heavy shoulders. This whole situation was starting to take its toll on everyone.
"We should all head to bed," Booth said, squeezing Brennan's shoulders lovingly.
"I guess a fresh start would be helpful." She said around a slight yawn. The room seemed blurry through her tired eyes as she stood up, pushing the chair in behind her. Only Angela remained with her full cup of tea and look of discontentment.
"If it's all the same I think I am going to hang out for awhile." She said nodding towards the steamy mug in her hands.
"Sweet Dreams, Ange." Booth said with a kind smile before ushering his wife from the room and up the stairs to retire for the night.
**********
The shrill ringing was irritating. Brennan slapped her hand on the alarm clock, attempting to silence it with no success. The electronic buzz continued, despite her perseverance. It was not until she heard the smooth bass of her husband's voice that the noise stopped. Her sleep-clouded mind did not process the words he spoke only the velvet of his tone as she lulled back to sleep.
His hands reached out, caressing her cheek, running their way down to the crevice where her shoulders met her neck. She basked in the warmth of his hands on her, inviting the tingling sensation they still left on her skin after all this time. He knew her body just as well as she did, knowing what buttons to push and when.
Still feigning sleep, she felt his breath on her ear as he leaned in, his lips moving against the strands of brown hair that rested there. " Bones," He said, the sound sending shivers down her spine.
Keeping her eyes closed she pressed against him, inviting the contact, trying to drive it forward, to make her intention clear, while giving him the illusion that she was still asleep.
"Come on Bones, we have a case." His breath blew at her hair as he spoke, rousing her beyond her desire, catapulting her into reality. Suddenly her blue eyes opened, her libido feeling as though someone had thrown ice water on it.
"What?" She asked her own voice indignant at being disturbed.
"There is a body; we have to go check it out." He responded, pulling away from her and sitting on the edge of his side if their bed. Using his hands he rubbed the sleep from his face, ending with sending his fingers through his tousled hair. She watched him, staring at the long lines of muscle in his back, following the curves down to his shapely rear end, still partially covered by the sheet.
He got up, as if to signal that she should follow, but something in her wanted to stay in the warm security of blankets and pillows, not to mention the slow fire he had started burning in her belly that had not hope of getting put out anytime soon. Groaning she slammed her hands down on the bed and sat up.
"Throwing a temper tantrum, Bones? That's very unlike you." Her eyes wandered to the naked man standing beside her bed, a hint of joking behind his brown eyes. He could read the frustration on her face, knowing exactly what his touch had done to her this morning. It made him hot; know that she was going to think about it all day, that the only way she would gain relief was if he chose to give it to her. She could tell both from the hint of humor in his voice and the physical evidence of his arousal, that he enjoyed it way too much.
" I am not throwing a tantrum. I am not a two year old. What time is it?" She huffed, feeling slight anger at him for holding out on her, even if the reason had to do with decomposing remains and a fragile crime scene.
" It's a little after nine-thirty."
" No wonder I am so tired." She said throwing the covers from her own silk clad body and getting out of the large four-poster California king.
" Well, if you are too tired." He shrugged as he leered at her.
" Oh for crying out loud, I'm getting in the shower." She huffed, stomping off to their bathroom and slamming the door behind her.
Once in the quiet of her large master bath she turned on the shower, letting the steam float around the room, fogging up the mirrors before stepping under the forceful spray. Even the force and heat of the water made her tremble, she needed to get through today. Later tonight, she could make Booth pay for waking her up so sweetly, for pressing buttons he had no intention of using. The mental image of herself hovering over him, making his eyes roll back into his head, gave her a Cheshire cat smile. She would take her sweet revenge with blissful release.
So lost in her thoughts she did not notice the change in temperature as Booth entered the shower. He was standing there watching her smirk at the steaming spray of water, turning her skin a pink rosy color. Her face was flushed, just the way it was when she came, her eyes closing just before she would call his name.
Suddenly those eyes were on his, holding his gaze as she ran her hands through her wet hair. The grin was still faxed on her face as she stepped forward, trying to make her way out of the shower. Booth blocked her exit, his own skin flushing as the scalding water beaded and ran down his perfect chest. She was facing him, her wet body pressed to his, her libido in full swing, regardless of what was waiting for her in the outside world. All she wanted was a little relief from the coil she felt tightening in the very core of her.
His lips were on her wet neck, licking away the droplets starting to pool in her collarbone. It felt like forever since they had been here, this turned on by each other, but holding back from something else. The tension in the air seemed to crush her, making it that much more painful.
Then, just as abruptly as it began the sensations stopped. Brennan was still pinned to the shower wall with water streaming down her body, still feeling unsatisfied and edgy, yet the embers within were no longer being stoaked. She felt cool air as he released her, allowing her to move past, desire burning in his eyes as well. She could tell he wanted it just a badly as she did, the physical evidence seemed overwhelming. Still he let her pass, pressing a light kiss to her cheek before closing the shower door and reaching for the faucet. Silently she slipped from the bathroom, not trusting her voice to speak as she did so.