TITLE: Undoing
CHAPTER ONE: On-Going
"Brenn, are you even listening to us?"
"Hmm?" She lifted her head, her heavy lids causing her blink to slow. "Yeah, of course I'm listening. Go on."
Details of her latest case with Booth were being given, but Temperance couldn't concentrate. Concentration was fastly becoming a difficulty for her... something she was completely unaccustomed to. She'd always prided herself on having excellent focus, but lately it had been slowly draining out of her. It wasn't the job -- that could never cause her disinterest. It wasn't her colleagues -- she'd always found them brilliant and their ideas fascinating.
Her thoughts kept returning to Booth, to the changes that had been made in their relationship in the past few weeks. She didn't want this, she never had. And all because of her inability to stop Booth from kissing her, she was now neck-deep in something she was neither ready nor willing to deal with.
Once 'her people' -- as Booth referred to them -- had finished briefing her on the new evidence uncovered in her case, Temperance made her way back to her office and shut herself inside, booting up her computer immediately. Her favorite search page was up in nanoseconds and she typed her query into the box, reaching for her mouse to click the 'search' button. Options popped up and she scanned them, oblivious to anything but her plight... until she heard the click of heels on the tile floor.
"What are you doing?"
She flicked her monitor off and spun in her chair, closing her eyes at the brief head rush resulting from the spin. "Nothing. Just doing some Googling."
"About a case?" Angela questioned.
"Yes."
"This case?"
Temperance shook her head and leaned one elbow on her desk blotter. "It's on-going."
"Oh. Is it Booth's case, too?"
She swallowed. "Yeah, it's Booth's, too."
Angela took a seat on her best friend's couch, making herself comfortable as she so often did. "I thought you guys only did one case at a time."
"Normally, but this is on-going, and I wanted to do some research. Booth doesn't know."
"Well if it's his case, shouldn't he know? Are you going to tell him?"
"No, I'm not. I can take care of this aspect of the case on my own."
"Ahh. So how have you and Booth been getting along?" A wide grin spread across her face. "I've noticed you two seem a bit less... tense around each other lately."
"I guess we have been."
"Did something happen with you two?" Before waiting for an answer, she chuckled. "I so knew it would. I knew it as soon as Hodgins told me about you guys clinging to each other in that warehouse. I knew it would only be a matter of time."
"Hodgins told you about that?"
Angela snorted. "Are you kidding? He speed-dialed me to tell me the good news. Apparently, I'm not the only one in the Brennan-and-Booth fan club..." She grinned widely again. "Although, I am the president."
Temperance closed her eyes again, exhausted by the line of conversation. "Any chance we can continue this later? I need a nap."
"Okay." Angela rose to her feet, studying her friend the entire time. She made her way out and paused in the doorway, turning back around. "Are you alright, Sweetie?"
"I'm fine, Ange," Temperance reassured her as she reclined on her couch. "Just need a nap."
"Okay... I'll, uh, come wake you up in an hour."
"Thank you." She closed her eyes and waited until Angela's footfalls faded before she sat up again and went back to her computer. She flicked the monitor on and once again brought up the page she'd been looking at. She grabbed a piece of scrap paper off her notepad and jotted down the information she needed before folding the piece of paper up and shoving it in her pocket for safe-keeping.
Temperance then went back over to the couch and laid down, closing her eyes for her much-needed nap. She'd make the necessary phone calls later. For now, slumber was calling her.
TBC
AUTHOR'S NOTES: In case anyone has been wondering... no, I have not forgotten about 'Nothing Personal.' I have hit a patch of writer's block with it that I am trying my best to struggle through. Please be patient and know that I am working on it. Thanks :D
