Booth knocks on the connecting door between his motel room and hers. After a couple of seconds of silence he leans his forehead against it. "Bones?"

"Go away Booth, I don't want to talk about it."

He closes his eyes and sighs. "Then we won't… we can talk about other things, maybe go get some dinner? You've hardly eaten all day."

"Booth, I just want to be by myself. I want to be alone."

He steps back from the door and walks backwards until he can sit on the bed. Waiting for a few moments in hope that she might change her mind and let him in, he is disappointed that she doesn't. He knows that she has a problem with letting herself close to anyone emotionally and guys like Marcus are just going to make it tougher for him to show her that he loves her. He knew that Robinson being in Chicago was pure luck, making her find out for herself was the best possible resolution to this situation, but he still felt like he hadn't done anything to help her. Just the idea of Marcus' hands on her was enough to make his skin crawl, his hands in her hair, his lips on the skin behind her ear. He'd imagined more than he cared to admit what she would feel like under him, and knowing that Marcus had that knowledge angered him. Grabbing his keys he pushes himself to his feet and leaves the room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She lies on her bed replaying this afternoon out in her head. Happy not to have gotten too deeply involved with Marcus she is relieved to find herself unscathed by the experience. Her pride was hurt by his deceit, but her heart was not wounded and she is grateful for that. The real anger brews from her humiliation in front of Booth. From the fact that he knew before she did, that she looks like a fool in front of him now. She needs time until she can face him again, face the pity in his eyes, the sympathy in his touch so when she hears his door slam shut as he leaves the motel she is more than relieved.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Booth sits in his car, watching, waiting. The campus is quiet at this time of night with very few students taking evening lectures, Booth is happy for the darkness and the quiet of the streets. A group of students exit the building laughing, one of the male students clowning around trying to impress the girls. Booth smirks as he watches them disappear towards the university accommodation, after a few more moments he sees his target exit the building. Marcus. His eyes narrow and he waits for Marcus to reach the bottom of the building steps. Getting out of the car he quickly makes his way across the road, nearing Marcus who is oblivious, juggling his books while searching for his car keys in his pocket. Booth puts his hand on Marcus' shoulder and forces him around, as quickly as Marcus has turned to encounter his assailant Booth's fist has connected with his face. Marcus looks up at Booth from his new position on the ground, his books sprawled around him. Booth holds his fist as the pain courses through his knuckles and smirks at Marcus who is now looking at the blood covering the tips of his fingers.

"Well, Agent Booth, I'm pretty sure that they call that assault in every state."

"Yeah, me too. But you see, if you don't want your wife finding out about your little secret, then I am sure you'll be more than happy to keep mine."

Marcus pushes himself to his feet to meet Booth eye to eye. Booth steels his gaze and leans in close to whisper. "If you come anywhere near her again, I'll make sure she's the one to ID your body." Marcus searches Booth's eyes for any hesitation and on seeing none nods slowly. "Stay out of her life Dr. Like I said, I've been watching you… Now if I were you, I'd get cleaned up..wouldn't want to worry that pretty wife of yours would you?"

Booth starts to back up, Marcus watches after him. "She wasn't worth it….. All this hassle for a quick lay, and I didn't even get that…. What a joke."

Booth steps back up to the man and Marcus flinches, satisfied that he has made his point he smiles and steps back again. "She's worth it. It's you that didn't meet standards."

"She's too good for you Agent Booth."

"Booth turns on his heel and heads to the car. "I know." Marcus stoops down to pick up his books and papers, watching Booth get into the car and drive past he picks up his keys.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lying on her bed in the darkness of the room she sees the lights of Booth's rental car shine through the window as he parks up outside of the rooms. The engine dies and she hears him close the door and enter into his room. The sudden rumbling in her stomach makes her hope that he has brought food to his room and she has the sudden urge to finally face him and scavenge some of his dinner. Pushing herself up she goes to the connecting door and pulls it open, Booth is sitting on his bed with a pack of ice pressed against his hand. She frowns and sits next to him on the bed, he refuses to meet her eyes and she instead settles for lifting the pack from his hand to wince at the bruises covering his knuckles.

"What happened Booth?"

He shrugs. "You want the truth or should I make something up?" Her eyes meet his.

"The truth."

He sighs. "Okay, if you must know, Marcus' face hurt my fist." He ventures to look up at her then, expecting anger he is stunned to see mirth in her eyes.

"I hope you didn't hit him too hard."

"Hard enough to cause me a world of pain." His eyes soften as he regards her. "Hard enough to make sure that the son of a bitch never gets to hurt you again."

The humour disappears from her eyes and she places the pack back onto his hand, holding his palm and the pack between her hands. Her eyes focus on her task. "You must think I'm a fool."

He is taken aback by the statement and he places a finger under her chin to bring her eyes level with his. His features solemn and honest. "Hey…. I don't think you're a fool. You couldn't have known. He's the ass in this. Not you. I could never think that of you."

"Then why can't I do relationships?"

Her question is innocent but all of a sudden his head is swimming with answers and he is certain form the look on her face that his eyes must be crowded with emotions. He withdraws his finger and closes his eyes. Looking back at her he smiles genuinely.

"There is nothing wrong with you Temperance. Nothing at all. One day, one day you are going to fall in love with someone who knows exactly how lucky he is to be loved by you, and you are going to prove yourself wrong, and me right." He chuckles quietly. "That may be a cold day in hell, not when someone falls in love with you, but when you're wrong and I'm right."

She smiles at him gratefully and shakes her head. "I guess I have some serious ass-kissing to do with Angela." He chuckles.

"Nah, she knows that you're sorry."

"But I lied to her."

"Whatever it was, I'm sure she'll forgive you."

Brennan gets up form the bed and walks over to the window staring out into the courtyard. Booth watches her from the bed. "Bones?"

"I told her that I slept with Marcus…. She was trying to tell me that I needed to find out more about him, I got angry.. I thought she was treating me like a child. I didn't see that she was trying to protect me." He watches as she hugs her arms around herself and turns to face him.

"So you didn't sleep with him?" He decides not to let her in on the fact that he already knows this piece of information form his encounter with Marcus earlier this evening. She shakes her head and he has to fight hard to hold in the sigh of relief at her affirmation.

"He came over and, it was going that way… but, I froze… I felt like I was doing something wrong. I told him that I needed some time, to work something out."

"Work out?"

She smiles nonchalantly "Oh, I don't know. Just a stupid gut feeling. It was nothing…. I'm hungry."

He rolls his eyes at her in mock "Bones, you're always hungry."

"Pizza?"

"Already on it's way. I ordered on my way back…should be here soon."

He shuffles up the bed until his back is against the headboard and picks up the remote flicking on the TV, looking over at her he smiles gently and pats the space on the bed next to him.

"Come on Bones, I'll explain what the moving pictures mean to you."

She smiles at him brightly and walks over to join him. Settling on the bed next to him he nudges her with his shoulder before flicking through the channels.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Couldn't let Marcus get away with it all, could we?