A/N: Originally this was just going to be a one shot, but I never expected so many reviews. So thank you for your encouragement. I have no idea how long this will end up being as I'm currently trying to start my own book, but hey, its fun to write.

Chapter 2

Booth had the unusual feeling of being in control as he drove Bones home, via a Chinese take out that he knew could be relied on to not give out food poisoning along side free prawn crackers. Brennan had attempted to dig her heels in at the prospect of fast food, but he had insisted and for once had won without too much of an argument. The man in the Chinese Emperor– Booth knew him as Dave, but he had heard other people call him a multitude of different names – had gestured at Brennan as she sat in the passenger seat in the car outside the window, his eyes filled with humour.

"You have a new girl?" He had asked as he had wrapped up Booth's hot and sour soup.

Booth grinned at the idea and shook his head. "No, she's my partner – working partner."

"Then you are lucky to have such a pretty partner," Dave smiled back, continuing wrapping so quickly that Booth assumed he had a degree in origami.

"She's not bad," Booth said, handing over a twenty dollar bill. "When she's asleep," he murmured under his breath, telling Dave to keep the change.

"I hope this stuff's good," Brennan said, looking into the bag with some distaste when Booth got back to the car. "Have you any idea how many different types of bacteria have been found in fast food outlets?"

Booth rolled his eyes. "I eat from the Emperor at least once a week and I haven't been sick from it once."

Brennan gave him that disbelieving stare she had become a master of. "Once a week! That's not healthy!"

"I'm aware of that, Bones, but seeing as I don't have time to make myself an a la carte menu every day, I grab take out," he responded, grabbing hold of the steering wheel tightly. She could be so damned infuriating sometimes!

They reached Brennan's apartment quickly enough, and she unlocked the door tentatively, switching the burglar alarm off. Booth kept hold of the bag of food, waiting for her to let him in.

Her home was sparse with very few personal items decorating it. The sole photograph was one of the squints, placed in a very simple frame on the mantle piece. Aside from that it could have been anyone who lived there. He put the bag down on the table and Bones brought in plates and cutlery. She sat down on the floor near to the table, not bothering with the comfy sofa or chairs. Booth copied her actions, sitting beside her, as she began to unload the bag, passing a bowl of soup to him and keeping one for herself.

"This is actually good," she affirmed, taking a spoonful of the soup.

"I told you so," Booth retorted. For a few minutes they ate in silence, Booth kept glancing up at her, watching as she ate hungrily. "So," he broke the silence. "What's the score with the three skeletons then?"

Brennan looked up at him, her fingers holding one of the free prawn crackers. "So far I know that the two women I've examined had an impact to the skull caused a blunt, heavy object, probably made of metal. One of them was thirty three when she died, the other twenty seven. They both appear to have been healthy with no other signs of injury evident."

"So they were definitely murdered?" Booth asked. Brennan rolled her eyes.

"They were found buried under floor boards. If they had died of natural causes then I doubt somebody would have bothered to do that," she said sarcastically.

Booth shrugged his shoulders, unwrapping a box of spring rolls. "We'll have a look through the house tomorrow."

"I didn't think that this would be of FBI interest?" Brennan said, looking directly at him.

"It's looking like a murder – multiple murders. Even if it's like you say, two hundred years ago, it will still have some relevance and attract media interest," he explained.

Brennan nodded. "And you don't have many other pressing cases on at the moment," she said, raising her eyebrows at him.

"Well…"

-----------------------

Brennan felt strange having someone in her home. It was a solitary place, and rarely did she invite anyone into it. She remembered that she hadn't actually invited him there tonight, but was actually too grateful for his company than to start an argument about it. Occasionally she did feel lonely, and this evening had been one of those times. The lab had seemed quieter than usual and the odd noises she had heard had rattled her, not that she would be admitting that to Booth. She looked at Booth and wondered what he would have been doing otherwise on a Saturday night.

"What's Tessa doing this evening?" She asked, when a break came in the conversation about the bodies.

"I really wouldn't know," Booth said, almost through gritted teeth.

"And why's that?" Brennan pushed.

"We broke up."

"You didn't say?" She tried to look upset for him and knew that she had failed dismally.

"No, not much to say, really. She didn't like my job and didn't like who I worked with," he said with a half smile.

"Meaning me?" Brennan had never been one to beat around the bush.

"Yes, meaning you," he replied. She saw a glimmer of amusement in his eyes.

Brennan sighed and moved onto the sofa, stretching out her legs. She could see Booth watching her, his eyes taking in the length of her legs and where they led up to, and she felt the hint of chemistry that occasionally became apparent when they were together. Thankfully Angela wasn't there to point out the chemistry this time and Brennan could enjoy it in peace. Booth poured another glass of wine for them both and passed Brennan's to her.

"If I drink this I won't be able to drive," he told her, almost like a warning.

"That's fine," she said. "You can have the sofa. You'll be useful for a lift into work in the morning."

"What if one of your squints sees us coming in together. What might they assume, Tempe?" He asked her, a wicked grin on his face.

"They won't as we'll be in there early. I want to make a start on the third body and get to the house before lunch time," she cut him down, downing the glass of wine and then standing up "I'll get some blankets for you." She left the room, wondering what it would be like if he was to sleep in her bed. She did find him more than attractive, she had done since they'd first met, but she had shied away from doing anything about it, much to the wrath of Angela. And now he was single, in her house, at night. The thought crossed her mind to see what would happen if they enjoyed another bottle of wine, but as usual Tempe held back.

She brought in a pile of blankets and pillows, placing them on the sofa. Booth looked up at her through curious eyes. "You're not joining me for a night cap?" He asked, that smile playing at his lips gain.

She shook her head. "We're up early in the morning," she said firmly. "Sleep."

Booth grinned.

-------------------------

He tucked himself under the blankets Brennan had given him, having stripped down to his underwear. Moving a hand behind him he felt for the switch to flick of the lamp that had been lighting the room, wondering what Brennan was doing now in her room. He scratched his head as he pictured what she could be doing, or more to the point, wearing. He was just a man after all.

She had played a passive part in his break up with Tessa, although he could argue that the break up had been long overdue. The relationship hadn't been going anywhere, they were never going to move in with each other, or get married, let alone have children. His eyes flickered to the door that led to the stairs where Brennan had just disappeared and he debated following her up, seeing what her reaction would be. He knew that they had chemistry. If he hadn't have noticed it due to being completely dumb then Angela would have pointed it out anyway. But Brennan wasn't like anyone else, and even if she was attracted to him it didn't mean that she would accept his advances. Besides, he would like to have a date with her before beginning a seduction routine.

He folded his arms across his chest and began to breathe deeply, full from the food and relaxed from the wine. It had been a good bottle; he was surprised that Brennan spent money on such things, but then again she often surprised him.

His dreams were filled with a tempestuous, red headed scientist that night, ordering him about in a way that made his toes curl with excitement. Sometimes his imagination was just a little too powerful.

----------------

Brennan woke early, before the sun had even thought about rising. She was automatically aware that there was someone else inside her home and it took her a couple of moments to realise that it was just Booth. She wandered downstairs, not bothering to comb her hair or shower first, just needing coffee and something to eat; the food last night had been lovely, but now she was hungry again. She peered into her sitting room and looked in on Booth, still asleep on the sofa, his usually gelled hair now dried and mussed across the pillow. His naked torso was visible as the blankets had fallen down past his mid drift and for a moment Brennan studied the man. He wasn't an unpleasant being to be in her house.

She began to brew the coffee, sticking a couple of pieces of bread inside the toaster. Within two minutes the smell of coffee beginning to permeate the house. Booth had accompanied her in the kitchen, moving round her easily, sussing out where she kept various implements necessary for making breakfast. There was no awkwardness, and Brennan wondered if it would have been the same if Booth had shared her bed the night before.

"I'll need to stop off at home before we get to the lab," he told her. "I could do with a change of clothes and to sort this out," he ruffled hid hair, making himself appear extra boyish.

"I knew that gel would come into it some where," Brennan laughed, handing his a cup of coffee.

Booth scowled. "People will get the wrong idea if they see me like this. Especially if Angela happens to drop by."

"Which she may well do. I asked her to come in any have a go at giving the three women faces," Brennan's expression altered to one of pensiveness as her thoughts returned to her task at the lab.

Booth nodded. "Right then, let's get a move on."

---------------------------

It was a brief stop at Booth's home on the way to the lab. Brennan noticed that his apartment now lacked the small female touches that Tessa had used to leave behind. Surprisingly, Brennan found that she quite liked this fact, somehow glad that Booth didn't have the intimidating lawyer in his life anymore.

"Were you upset that you and Tessa split?" She called to him while he was changing in his bedroom.

"It was going to happen at some point," he shouted back. "Why, you glad you don't have the competition any more?" He entered the room she stood in, still doing up the buttons of his shirt.

Brennan rolled her eyes, refusing to answer.

The drive to the Jeffersonian didn't take long in the early Sunday morning traffic, very few cars were on the roads, so there was little delay. Brennan felt a little strange as she entered the doors to the lab, recalling the noises she had heard the previous night. She immediately went to her desk, looking for the notes she had jotted down before she had gone for her snooze in the office. The notes weren't there. What was even more peculiar was the fact that the sample she had scraped off the bone had also gone. For a second she wondered if Zack had come in early and continued from where she had left off, nut she was reasonably sure that he wouldn't do that. Her eyes flicked toward Booth, worry filling them.

"Booth," she said nervously. "It looks as if some of the evidence has gone." He looked at her puzzled. "A couple of things that I left out aren't here any more."

"You sure you just can't remember where you put them – you were half asleep?"

She nodded, eyes downcast. "Someone's been in and tampered with evidence."

Please review!