Booth reaches across the car in the darkness and runs the back of his finger down the length of Brennan's jaw. She stirs slowly and opens her eyes to look at him. He smiles and pushes a strand of hair from her eyes.

"Bones, we're here."

She glances around, her eyes resting on a cabin facing them.

"This is the motel?"

Booth starts to unbuckle his belt and shakes his head. "I didn't book a motel, I booked a cabin, we're about a mile from the ambassador's beach house. This was the closest accommodation….I can find a motel if you would prefer?"

She frowns and shakes her head slowly "No this is fine."

Booth nods and climbs out of the SUV.

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Walking out of her bedroom Brennan spots Booth lying on the floor in front of an open fire, the case file spread out in front of him and a notepad next to him. She smiles before walking over and sprawling out on the floor next to him, he sneaks a glance out of the corner of his eye and smiles. "What's up Bones?"

"Just wondering if I can help with anything?"

"Nah, there's not much I can do either, I'm just looking over my notes to see if there is anything that I've missed." Sighing he closes the file and pushes it away from him and leaning on one arm turns to face her. She smiles back at him. Suddenly very aware of the silence and close proximity he drops his eyes from hers, looking up he sees an emotion that looks similar to disappointment pass over her features and his heart skips a beat. She pushes herself up from the ground and heads over to the kitchen area.

"Beer?"

"Yeah thanks."

Booth pushes himself to his feet and walks over to the breakfast bar and takes a seat. She passes him a beer from the fridge and joins him at the bar.

"So, tomorrow…."

"Yeah, I'll take you down to the local police station with me and we'll have a chat to the sheriff. See if we can get a clear picture of when they arrived and if there was any trouble or anything out of the ordinary. Then we'll head to the beach house, I've allocated pretty much all day to collecting evidence…I know how thorough you like to be. We'll stay again tomorrow night and then drive back the next day."

"We're staying again?"

Booth takes a sip of his beer and nods. "We're paid up for one more night, I wanted to give you as much time as possible to get what you need, didn't really want to drive overnight."

She nods and takes a drink of her beer. Suddenly frowning at the idea that he might be ruining some plans that she had made he starts to peel the label from his bottle.

"You know what Bones, you're right, we'll drive back tomorrow night, you probably have plans, I guess I need to start thinking about that before I plan your weekend for you."

He goes to get up from his seat and she places a hand on his arm smiling reassuringly. "I don't have plans… It's fine, it'll be nice to have a break." His face lights up and he nods before taking another sip from his bottle.

"Good."

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Booth steps forward to shake the Sherriff's hand, they share a polite smile and Brennan settles for a small wave.

"Sheriff Carter, this is Dr Brennan, she'll be assisting me when we go down the beach house."

"Nice to meet you both, Dr Brennan." He tips his hat at her politely. "I'm so sorry to hear about the Robinsons…nice folks…. I'll just grab my keys and I'll take you both up there."

Booth nods and casts a glance at the unusually quiet Brennan.

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Standing on the porch of the beach house, Booth watches as the sheriff drives away before turning to her. She is standing staring out at the sea with her arms hugged around her body and the sea breeze whipping her hair around her face. He silently muses on how the elements only seem to enhance her beauty, she turns to him an he holds up the key to the house before unlocking the door.

"After you Bones."

She pulls a bemused face "You just want me to go first in case the bad guys are still there, so I get my butt kicked first."

Booth chuckles "No, I want you to go in first in case the bad guys are there because I know you won't get your butt kicked."

She smiles and enters the property.

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Booth waits down on the beach for Brennan to finish collecting any evidence. His efforts had been short lived since there had been no real evidence of anything out of the ordinary. She'd remained inside to collect fibres and he'd helped her out by collecting sand from the beach.

He watches as the waves tumble onto the sand, pulling the top layers back into the water. He feels like the sand, being dragged closer to her by the tide; chuffing to himself realises that once she sucks you in, there is no escaping her grasp…not until she decides to spit you out. If his feelings for her are unrequited then he hopes to hell that she'll spit him out soon. Because the gut wrenching feeling of being so close and yet not being able to have her is unbearable, as well as knowing Marcus' secret and never being able to tell her. Lifting a handful of sand he allows the grains to slip through his fingers.

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She stands on the porch of the house watching him sitting down on the beach. Her work is done, but she can't tear her eyes from him or muster the strength to disturb him. She can feel something between them has changed, and her stomach churns like the sea before her, though whether with fear or anticipation she isn't sure.

Knowing that she is expecting a call from Marcus soon she decides that they should go and calls out to him, he turns and acknowledges her before pushing himself to his feet.

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