I'm not sure what I'm doing with this, if it should be a oneshot or more. I jsut had it in my head and had to write it down. Reviews are always appreciated. Enjoy.

Early in the morning, Brennan is scuttling around her office collecting random files and piling them in her arms when Angela walks in, a computer print out in her hand.

"Hey Bren." She greets her friend. "I have that image you wanted. Where's Booth?" Brennan moves over behind her desk and dumps the files before tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"He called, said he'd be over at the end of the day to pick up the case file." Brennan tells Angela.

"Oh right, I forgot what today was." Angela sighs and perches on the arm of the couch

"What today is?" Brennan looks up in confusion.

"The custody thing with Rebecca over Parker." Angela states. "He told you about right?" she suddenly wonders if Booth said anything because Brennan looks very confused.

"Uh of course, I just forgot." Brennan covers while her mind races.

"Okay. Well you can add this to the case file." Angela steps over and hands Brennan the image. "Need anything else?" she asks tentatively.

"No." Brennan replies curtly. Her mind is rushing with thoughts and she barely notices Angela leaving. Why wouldn't Booth tell me about the custody case? We're supposed to be friends. Friends tell each other things like this. He told Angela. They're friends. Maybe we aren't really friends. Suddenly Brennan starts to feel angry. For months now she's trusted Booth with things she never trusted anyone else with. She's let him into her life and now he's pushed her away. Her eyebrows furrow as she realises what Booth is doing. If a professional relationship is all he wants then that's what he'll get.

Later in the afternoon Booth arrives at the lab dressed in his usual suit and tie. He spots Brennan in the centre lab examining some remains, her shoulders hunched over and her eyes focused on a skull.

"Hey Bones." He greets her as he swipes his card and jogs up the steps to join them.

"Here's your file." At the sound of his voice Brennan picks up the manila folder from the table beside her and thrusts it towards him.

"Uh thanks Bones." Booth is caught off guard by her attitude and fumbles to keep the file in his hands. "Aren't you going to break it down for me?" he asks. Usually Brennan would be explaining the details by now, in a way he can understand.

"I'm busy. Zack will explain it to you." Brennan brushes past Booth and down the steps heading towards her office. Booth stares after her a moment then jumps when Zach speaks behind him.

"She's been like that all morning." He comments. Booth pushes the file at Zach and takes off after Brennan. Something is bothering her he knows. I have to find out what.

Inside her office, Brennan types angrily at the computer as Booth knocks on the door frame.

"What is it Booth, I told you I was busy." Brennan says without glancing away from her computer screen.

"You don't seem busy Bones, just…angry?" he ventures.

"I'm not angry." She retort as she saves what is on her screen and rises to her feet. Booth walks further into the room as Brennan steps around her desk and moves over to the bookcase.

"Is something bothering you?" Booth asks.

"No. Why would you think that?" Brennan replies, keeping her back to him.

"You're acting kinda off." He says, feeling a little hurt.

"I'm not acting off Booth, merely doing my job." Brennan states. She senses him standing close to her as she pulls books off the shelves into her arms. She hates when he hovers around her, it makes her nervous.

"Since when did ignoring me become part of your job?" Booth asks.

"I'm not ignoring you either Booth." Brennan spins around and finds herself face to face with Booth. She clasps the books to her chest protecting herself from him. "You came here for the case file, I gave that to you." She states. "It's my job."

"Bones, are you okay?" Booth asks. "We're friends; you can tell me if something is wrong." Brennan snorts at his remark.

"Friends." She laughs. "No Booth, we work together that's all." She steps around him, anger building up again.

"Since when?" Booth follows her back across the room, confused and frustrated at Brennan.

"Since you decided not to tell me when something important happens in your life." Brennan says with her back to him.

"What are you talking about?" Booth asks, throwing his hands in the air. He is thoroughly confused.

"If we were really friends you would have told me what you were going through with Rebecca and Parker." Brennan spins around and confronts him. "As I see it, you only told Angela. Clearly you don't see us as friends Booth." Brennan drops the books on her desk and makes for the door. Booth sighs heavily, a guilty feeling crossing his chest and heart.

"Bones, wait, I can explain." He calls after her. It isn't what you think.

"I don't want to hear it." Brennan waves him away as she strides towards one of the other labs. Angela has been standing near the office and heard most of the conversation. Guiltily she walks in to talk to Booth.

"Booth, I'm sorry. This is all my fault." She admits. "I asked when you were coming over this morning. Brennan said 'later' and I mentioned the custody thing." She hangs her head apologetically. "I didn't know you hadn't told her."

"It's alright Angela." Booth assures her. "I should have. She's right."

"Why didn't you?" Angela asks.

"I didn't want to burden her with all my troubles. She's been through enough. What with Kenton and New Orleans, then finding her mom and learning her dad is still alive." Booth explains. "She doesn't need me adding to that." He shakes his head.

"Maybe she does Booth. Maybe she needs to know you're relationship goes both ways. You're the one always helping her. Maybe she feels she needs to help you too." Angela suggests. Booth looks at Angela realising she's right.

That night Booth drives over to Brennan's apartment to sort things out. When he knocks at her door he prepares himself for what she might say and knowing Brennan, it could be a lot. As the door opens he shifts from foot to foot nervously.

"What are you doing here?" Brennan asks. There is no anger in her voice, just exhaustion and pain.

"I need to talk to you." Booth pushes his way into her apartment. He didn't want to ask if he could come in just in case she said no.

"Come on in." Brennan says sarcastically and she closes the door.

"Bones, about this custody thing." Booth says.

"You don't need to explain anything to me Booth. I get it. We have a professional relationship. We're not friends." She states. "That's fine by me." No its not.

"We are friends Bones." Booth says softly. "I didn't tell you because…" he trails of, not sure how to best phrase it.

"Because?" Brennan urges.

"I didn't tell you because I didn't want to pour my troubles on top of everything else you're dealing with." He states. Brennan looks confused. "Bones, these last few months you've been through so much, physically and emotionally." He tells her. "I didn't want you to have to deal with me and my problems too." He hangs his head and Brennan feels guilty for being so nasty to him.

"Booth, I'm sorry." She apologises. "I never should have snapped at you."

"I would have if I were you." Booth smiles.

"I just felt…left out." Brennan admits. "You told Angela."

"She caught me at a weak moment." Booth smiles again. "She sure has the knack of getting you to admit your problems." He steps over to Brennan, standing only a foot away. "I didn't know you'd feel this way Bones. I never meant to make you feel like you didn't matter."

"I know." Brennan cracks a smile.

"I thought I was protecting you."

"You can't protect me from everything. I'm not going to break if you tell me a problem Booth."

"I know." He says. "I guess I just…" he trails off. "I'm really sorry Bones."

"I accept your apology." She smiles. "Beer?" she asks. Booth nods and watches as Brennan makes her way to the fridge.

"So what happened?"

"With Parker?" Booth asks.

"What else?" Booth pauses, not answering her. "Booth, you're doing it again. If you need to talk, talk." Brennan turns around and walks back over handing him a beer.

"Rebecca is refusing to let me have more weekends with Parker." Booth explains. "We were meeting with a family arbitrator to try and come to an agreement."

"And?" Brennan probes as they sit down on the couch. Both place their beers on the coffee table.

"We couldn't come to an agreement. Rebecca won't give me more weekends without going to court. I don't want to put Parker through that so I guess I lose." He sighs heavily. Brennan reaches out and places her hand on his arm.

"Booth."

"It's alright Bones, I still get to see him. Just not as often as I'd like."

"Are you sure not going to court is the best. I mean you could get a lot more from a judge."

"I could but Parker is at an impressionable age. I don't want to drag him to court with lawyers and everything. It's bad enough Rebecca and I don't get along. I don't need Parker to see us arguing in court over him too." Booth leans back into the couch and sighs heavily.

"Booth, you're a good father and Parker loves you." Brennan says. "I'm sure you can make it work."

"Thanks Bones." Booth replies. "And I really am sorry for leaving you out."

"I forgive you Booth." Brennan replies.

"Good because I like what we have." He says. Brennan feels herself blushing at his words.

"What we have?" she asks. "What do we have?" she looks at him expectantly. Booth twists to face her, his eyes narrowing with concentration.

"I don't think we can categorise what we have Bones. It's a partnership, friendship." He pauses. "We have a bond." He suggests. Brennan feels a vibe coming from Booth and she isn't sure she understands it.

"A bond?" she asks. Booth scoots a little closer to her.

"We understand each other." He says. "At least most of the time. Sometimes you surprise me." He laughs.

"Yeah?" she asks back. "Well sometimes you surprise me too Booth."

"How?" he asks. I'm pretty straight forward.

"When you let me see your sensitive side."

"I don't have a sensitive side." Booth immediately denies.

"Come on, when you talk about Parker." Brennan reminds him. "When you…" she trails off and hangs her head. Booth lifts her chin with two fingers.

"When I what?" he asks.

"When you held me in the barn." She admits with a little embarrassment. "Hearing you tell me that you know who I am. It meant a lot to me."

"Bones, I do know you." Booth says in a soft tone. "I know you very well." Booth leans in a little closer. I can't do this, not here, not now. I'm not ready yet. "Well enough to know…" with his fingers still under her chin Booth places a soft lingering kiss on her cheek. "That if I don't let you get some sleep you'll be crabby tomorrow." He quickly gets up off the couch, afraid if he stays any longer he might do more than kiss her cheek. Brennan seems momentarily stunned but as Booth makes his way to the door she rises and follows him across her floor.

"I'll see you tomorrow Bones." He smiles as he pulls open the door and steps into the hall.

"Goodnight Booth." Brennan watches as he waves and walks down the hall to the stairs. Before he steps into the stairwell he takes one last look at her in the doorway. One day Bones. One day I'll tell you everything.