A/N: More angst. :P
Disclaimer: Not mine. Sorry.
Prompt: Finger, for livejournal community 100(underscore)situations.
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When Booth first spotted the sleek, silver band around her finger, he had to do a double-take.
And even then he still didn't believe it.
She'd been avoiding him lately, and he hadn't been able to figure out why. Even Angela was evading his questions, for once despising her role as office gossip.
So he entered Brennan's office quietly, shutting the door softly behind him. Temperance, reading a file, glanced up at him for a short moment before returning her eyes to her work.
He took a seat across from her desk and watched her eyes dart back and forth across the page.
"Nice ring, Bones."
Brennan's eyes stopped scanning the file, but she didn't meet his gaze. "I guess."
Booth waited for more of a response. When he realized one wasn't coming, he spoke again. "David?"
She sighed, shutting the file and placing it gently atop her desk. Slowly, she nodded.
"Ah."
"Yeah."
He paused, cocking his head slightly as he looked from her to the ring and back. "Do you love him?"
Brennan broke their eye contact and began sorting the folders strewn across her desktop. "We're getting married."
"You didn't answer the question."
She didn't speak, but instead continuing her organization, hands moving quickly across the manila material. He reached out with both hands and pinned hers to the desk, the icy coldness of the ring searing through his right hand.
It doesn't belong there.
"Temperance, look at me."
Brennan sighed before slowly lifting her gaze to meet his.
"Do you love him?"
She paused a moment, taking a deep breath. "Yes. I do."
Booth nodded before releasing her hands, which she immediately twined together. He stood, looking into her eyes for just a moment too long before walking slowly out of her office.
He knew she hadn't meant it, but what could he say?
That wasn't his ring around her finger.
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End