Brennan gets out of her cab and watches it drive away. She closes her eyes and then opens them again, somehow hoping that the disorientation might magically disappear. Recognizing the door to her building she heads towards it. As she is reaching the main entrance she can hear her name being called, the voice sounds distant and muffled but distinctly like that of a certain FBI agent. Turning towards the sound she sees Booth walking towards her.

"Bones. Wait up." She groans. When did she start considering that Bones was actually her name? Pulling her keys from her pocket she starts to unlock her door. "Where have you been…actually never mind answering that, I can smell where you have been… I've been waiting for hours."

"Did we have an appointment?" He looks hurt momentarily by her response and lowers his eyes. "Look Booth, I don't complain when you are out on dates, I don't show up at your apartment and wait for hours for you to come home…. Why are you here?" The irritation in her voice is coming through and his anger is rising. "Come on Booth, what is it…upset that I went out with Angela?"

"I thought you would want to know how my interrogations went today. You know that case that we are working on, the body of the unidentified woman who is lying in the lab.. Do you even care?"

Brennan looks up at him sharply. "That's right Booth, why would I care? I mean that's me isn't it… unfeeling, uncaring…. Workaholic. I mean what more could I possibly want out of life? Except to run around after you, identifying the bodies that you bring for me… My office hours are between 9 and 5 agent Booth. If you want to carry on any discussions about the case, I suggest you call my lab between those hours."

Booth looks taken aback, the anger returns to his eyes. "You make a lousy drunk Bones." With that he turns on his heel and leaves her. She is too stubborn to call after him even though she is immediately sorry for the loss of his presence. She pushes the door open and runs up to her apartment. Once inside the door she closes it and leans against it. The alcohol is making her head swim and she can almost measure how sorry she will be in the morning for allowing Angela to talk her into the Tequilas.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Booth stalks back to his SUV and climbs inside. He leans his head back against the headrest and takes deep soothing breaths. He can't believe that he let her get him so worked up, the stench of alcohol had angered him, and her words had cut through him. 'Agent Booth'… what had he done to deserve that.?Looking up he sees her lights flicker on. He hadn't managed to sort out whatever the problem was between them, that was the whole reason why he had shown up in the first place and he'd only gone and made it worse. She was right; he shouldn't have sat here for hours waiting for her like some over controlling boyfriend. He closes his eyes then goes to insert the keys into the starter engine, pulling his hand back slowly he takes a glance up at her window again.

"Damn you Bones, we're gonna get this sorted out one way or another."

With that he jumps out of the SUV and heads back to her building fully prepared for round two.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Brennan has managed to change into a camisole and pair of men's pyjamas when she hears the knock at her door. Holding onto the frame of her bedroom door she contemplates answering.

"Come on Bones, don't make me use my lock pick." She rolls her eyes and turns off the lights. Going through to her bedroom she crawls under the covers and closes her eyes. Hearing another knock she sighs and turns away from the door. Her head feels heavy and sleep is threatening to carry her away. She feels his presence in her room but chooses to ignore it until she feels the dip of the bed under his weight. "Ok Bones, you can ignore me. But I don't want us to end up hating one another. If this is about David, then that's fine. Just talk to me. I'm here for you." She opens her eyes to stare into darkness as he speaks to her. "I can't work like this, with us not being honest. Not something I thought I would ever have to bring up with you, you are usually the epitome of truth. And I love that about you Bones. Lately I just don't know where I stand with you. If you want me to find another partner or have someone else assigned to work with you, then I will. I just, I guess that I thought we were friends."

She turns over to look at him, the outline of his face illuminated by the moonlight escaping through her closed blinds. "We are friends." She can see him smile gently at that, his head ducks slightly.

"Then what is this Bones, what is this sudden tension between us? I can't understand where it has suddenly appeared from. I thought it was the case, but now I understand that it has to be something more than that… it's affecting our work, and to be honest I never would ever expect you to allow something to get in the way of that. I don't think you're without feeling Bones. I know that you feel more than you can communicate to people around you, but I want you to know that I think of this as a partnership… an equal partnership."

She slowly sits up to face him and touches his arm, he looks at her hand on his arm and takes it into his hand, his fingers run over her perfect fingers and he feels a gentle tremor run through her. He looks up to meet her eyes, they are wide and she looks afraid of him. "Can you be honest with me?" She nods mutely. "What happened with David?" Her eyes drop to their hands, he has managed to thread his fingers with her own, she marvels at how tiny her hand looks in his.

"He called it off…. Said he didn't want to be in a relationship with 2 other people. He said he'd never be able to compete with you for my attention."

Booth swallows hard, his mouth suddenly dry "Did you try and correct him?" He eyes drop back to their hands and she shakes her head slowly. His confidence soars momentarily as he reaches out and cups her cheek, with the alcohol still in her system her head lolls towards his touch. "Why didn't you correct him Temperance?" Her eyes snap open and she is met by his gaze. The words once again won't come to her, his hand is warm against hers and she is afraid that he will feel the pulse coursing through her, afraid that he will see the unshed tears in her eyes. She draws her hand back from his and drops her eyes again. The fear is like another presence in the room. Booth moves closer to her and drops his head to catch her gaze, meeting it once more he smiles gently, patiently. "Temperance, if I am wrong… then please let me know." Suddenly his lips are inches from her own, his hand at the back of her head and her responses seem slower in this one moment, her eyes flutter closed in anticipation and then just as she can feel his breath on her lips they shoot open and she pushes him back again.

"I'm sorry Booth, I can't do this with you…. I can't…I'm sorry." He nods sadly and gets up from the bed letting out a sigh. Running his hand through his hair he lets out another shuddery breath.

"Bones, do you have any idea? Can you even begin to imagine?... I'm sorry. I'm out of line. It's late. I should be going."

Before she has time to stop him he is out of the apartment leaving her completely confused and full of regret. Why was the love thing so complicated, why is she too scared to let him get close?