A/N: Sorry for the delay. This chapter gave me a hard time. The words I used were fireworks, concrete, and constrict. It's set in season 6, after the Doctor in the Photo, and is slightly AU.

Seeley Booth nervously glanced at the rearview mirror as he drove his SUV down the crowded street towards the Founding Fathers Pub. Gripping the steering wheel tightly, he silently gave himself a pep talk. "This is no big deal, okay? It's perfectly normal for you and her to be seen in public together at times like this…"

Sighing softly, he glanced at the perky blonde sitting next to him. There's no good reason why we shouldn't go to Wendell's birthday party together. After all, everyone knows we're a couple, right? We've got nothing to hide…

Still, it felt odd, deliberately bringing Hannah to a party when he knew Bones would be there as well. That being said, however, it was time for both he and his partner to move on with their own lives. No more tippy toeing around it, okay? No matter what Bones said the other night, I'm with Hannah now, and that's that…

By the time they arrived, the party was already well under way. Taking Hannah's hand, Booth led her through the crowd to the back of the restaurant. "Here we are. Hey, thanks for saving us some seats, Angela."

"No problem." She pointed at a large platter of loaded nachos in the center of the table. "Help yourselves. Since I can't drink alcohol while I'm pregnant, I have to resort to other vices instead…"

"Yeah…," Hodgins gasped, quickly reaching for a glass of water. "...like tons of extra hot jalapenos…"

Sweets laughed as he took a sip of his cocktail. "Yeah…those babies are caustic…"

"Um…no thanks. We've already eaten." Booth got the server's attention so he could order some drinks. "A beer for me and a glass of white wine for the lady, okay?"

As they waited for their order, the couple chatted politely with Sweets, Hodgins, and Angela, with none of them saying anything of substance. Suddenly, Booth paused as he heard Hannah's phone chime. Looking at her in surprise, he raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that your work tone?"

"Uh huh…but don't worry. I'm not being summoned to go on a trip or anything…" She wore a self-satisfied smirk as she craned her neck so she could see the pub's front door. "I asked a friend from the office to join us this evening, and he texted me to say he was almost here. That's all."

Booth scratched the nape of his neck as he considered her statement. "A friend from work? Why would you invite one of your coworkers to a birthday party for someone he doesn't even know? That's weird."

Hannah giggled playfully. "I set up a surprise blind date for Temperance! I showed him her picture and told him all about her, and he can't wait to meet her! It's gonna be so much fun! I love 'meet cute' scenarios like that…you know, like the one we had where you rescued me from that sniper in Afghanistan."

Booth frowned at the unpleasant memory. "That wasn't 'meet cute', Hannah. That was 'meet stupid'! You could've been killed!"

"But I wasn't…and look where we are now…together as a happy couple." Hannah gave Booth a peck on the cheek. "I think it'll do Temperance good to meet new people, Seeley. You know, she's been so blue since you went out and picked her up during that heavy thunderstorm a few weeks ago, so I decided to try something to cheer her up."

Seeing Booth's grim expression, Angela raised an eyebrow at Hodgins before chuckling softly. "Well, this should be fun, Honey.," she whispered. "Booth is definitely not happy with Hannah's idea! It looks like we'll have a ringside seat for all the resulting fireworks…"

"Yeah…to put it mildly." Hodgins nodded, curious to see what happened next. "It may be more like the start of World War III…"

"Of all the shitbrained ideas…," Booth sputtered furiously. "I cannot believe you did that…"

Hannah gave him an innocent look. "Did what?"

Clenching his fists, he glared at her. "Did you tell Bones she was gonna meet a new guy at the party tonight?"

Exasperated with what she considered an over-reaction on her boyfriend's part, Hannah brushed her long blonde hair over her shoulder. "No, of course not. That's what makes it a surprise, okay? I knew she'd back out if I mentioned it to her. This way, she won't have any excuse to avoid him. They'll both be here at the same time and at the same place, and that'll give them the chance to get to know each other easily. All we have to do is provide the introductions, and then the magic can occur between them."

"Look, Hannah…" Trying to control his temper, Booth hesitated slightly before continuing. "In the first place, Bones hates surprises like this, okay? Secondly, she's not very good at casual conversation when she's with people she doesn't know. And thirdly, she's often uncomfortable meeting people in an uncontrolled environment, like a large, noisy party. It makes her nervous…" Seeing the stubborn tilt of Hannah's chin, he sighed. "So basically, this whole plan just sucks big time, alright? So call your friend and tell him not to show up…"

"No way!" Annoyed at having what she considered to be a good idea so thoroughly shot down by her boyfriend, Hannah crossed her arms over her chest with a pout. "Your explanation makes Temperance sound like some kind of weirdo, okay? But she's really smart, Seeley…and I'm sure she can easily adapt to new circumstances…and it won't hurt her to casually meet some guy at a party. It's not like I've arranged a marriage between them, okay? It's just an impromptu thing…and who knows? They might really hit it off. Maybe there'll just be a natural attraction between them, okay? Maybe there'll be a spark between them and things will just flow easily. You know, when she and I went out drinking together the other night, she was checking out the guys at the bar, so I think she'd be open to meeting someone new! Anyway, a new relationship will help her get over you, right? After all, you said she still has feelings for you. This way she'll have a reason to move on, okay? Isn't that what you want? For her to move on?"

"Yeah…I suppose so." Booth pinched his lips together to avoid saying something he might regret later. "And you're right about one thing. Bones is really smart, but even so, sometimes unstructured social gatherings make her really anxious, okay? You know that, and you know she's a concrete thinker, right? She likes things to be done one way, and one way only? And after being around her for awhile, you may think you know her pretty well, but I know her even better than you do, and I'm telling you that your little matchmaking scheme is fucked up, okay? Things with Bones are black or white, and making small talk with some guy she's never met will seem like a ridiculous waste of time to her, especially if the guy isn't as smart as she is. It might even come across as her being rude, okay? People don't always know how to take her, and that causes a lot of misunderstandings." Seeing his girlfriend's jealous scowl, he lowered his voice and took her hand in his. "Look…I get it, okay? I mean, I don't care if you introduce the guy to Bones in a different setting, but springing a new guy on her at a party like this with no warning is a really inconsiderate thing to do. Bones needs to know in advance what's going to be expected of her, so she can work out how to handle anything that might arise…"

"Ahem. Don't forget…I'm sitting right here, Booth." Picking up another nacho, Angela wore an artificial grin. "I can help Brennan figure things out with the new guy since you'll be busy with Hannah…"

"And I believe Ms. Burley has made an excellent point, Booth." Sweets sat back in his chair. " Even though Dr. Brennan prefers to have structure in social settings, she can adapt, and it's also true that she may benefit from having a new person in her life…as a sort of emotional outlet…"

"No, that's not the point…not at all!," Booth growled. "The point is that this is no way to treat a friend who's prone to being uncomfortable in social situations, okay, Hannah? You should've asked her if she was interested in meeting someone!"

Hannah rolled her eyes at her boyfriend. "I see. So what you're saying is that because Temperance is really quite odd, you feel like you're the one who has to make excuses for her awkward behavior…AGAIN. Seriously, Seeley…if you worried about my happiness as much as you seem to worry about her weirdness, it'd be a welcome change…"

Hannah's complaint was interrupted by another chime from her phone. "Well, anyway…I guess we'll find out if you're right. Chris is here." She sat up in her chair and looked over the crowd for a few seconds before spotting someone. "Chris? Chris…over here!"

A tall, well built man quickly joined them. "Hey, Hannah…"

"Hey! Glad you could make it. Everybody…I'd like you to meet Chris Simmons. He's a meteorologist with the network." Hannah smiled as she made the introductions. "This is Angela Montenegro…Dr. Jack Hodgins…Dr. Lance Sweets…and my boyfriend, Special Agent Seeley Booth."

"Hi." After sitting down and ordering a beer, Chris grinned at Hannah. "So where's this hot chick I'm supposed to be meeting tonight?" He cringed slightly as he glanced around the table. "It's not like you're not hot, Ms. Montenegro, but…you know…it looks like you're not exactly free this evening.."

"Yeah…" Laughing sarcastically, Hodgins put his arm around his wife's shoulders. "...we know…"

"You need to watch your mouth, buddy." Booth gave Chris an obvious 'go to hell' look. "The so called 'hot chick' you're here to meet just so happens to be a world famous anthropologist, okay? She's tops in her field, and you need to show her some respect."

"Noted." Sarcastically acknowledging Booth's bluster, Chris took a quick sip of his beer. "Anyway, where is she? If she's that smart, she oughta be able to tell time…"

Hannah quickly checked the time on her phone. "She should be here any minute. It's not like her to be late."

"Just relax, weather boy…," Booth said sarcastically. "She'll get here when she gets here. After all, it's not like she knew she had a date, right, Hannah?"

"Don't start that again, Seeley." Hannah gave him a pointed look, which made him roll his eyes in disgust. "I'm sure she's coming…oh, there she is. Temperance! Temperance! Over here…"

Waving back, Brennan strode over to the table. "Hi. Am I late? I was in the middle of studying some osteocytes from the skull in an unidentified set of remains from bone storage, hoping to get an age range, and I'm afraid I lost track of time." After asking the server for a glass of red wine, she looked around the room. "Where's Wendell? I have a gift for him!" She held up a wrapped package. "It's a tee shirt with a skull printed on it."

"That sounds nice, Temperance." Hannah smiled as she pointed to her coworker. "There's someone I'd like you to meet. This is Chris Simmons. He's a meteorologist, and we work together. Chris, this is Dr. Temperance Brennan."

"Hello." Chris smiled happily as he shook her hand. "I recognize you from the picture on your books. I really enjoy reading your novels. You know, if you ever need information about authentic meteorological phenomena for your stories, I'd be glad to assist. I know you like to have a factual scientific basis for whatever you write."

"Um…thank you." Sipping her wine, Brennan nodded as she studied the attractive man sitting across from her. "Normally, I do my own research, but I'll be sure to contact you should I need assistance."

Chris grinned happily. "I'd like that…feel free to contact me anytime, even if it's not about research for your novels…"

"I think she may be too busy working to waste her time on some random guy, Sunshine.," Booth commented in a snarky tone. Chris was exuding a smarmy sort of charm as he tried to ingratiate himself with Brennan, and as her partner, Booth was not impressed at all. "We solve murders, you know, buddy? We've got important work to do…and she doesn't need some weather guy taking up her spare time."

"However, knowing about the specific meteorological conditions in the area where a crime was committed might be quite helpful, Booth. Temperature and precipitation can affect the rate at which a corpse decomposes, and knowing more about those factors might help us pinpoint time of death." Brennan ran her fingers around the rim of her glass. "Why don't you give me your phone number, Mr. Simmons, so I can have it for future reference…"

"Here's my business card." He handed it to Brennan with a flourish. "And please…call me Chris."

Brennan gave him a coy smile as she rose from her seat. "Thank you…Chris. Now, if you'll excuse me for a few minutes, I need to find Wendell so I can give him his present."

"Why don't I go with you?," Chris asked, picking up his glass. "Maybe we can discuss the plot for your next book, and I can help you set the scene. I mean, imagine a murder taking place during a hurricane, right? All that evidence washed away by the storm…it'd be a perfect crime…"

Brennan nodded as she thought over the suggestion. "That does sound like an interesting scenario…"

As the couple walked away, Hannah elbowed Booth. Wearing a smug smile, she couldn't help but crow about her matchmaking success. "I told you so…I told you they'd hit it off, didn't I? I knew she'd like Chris…"

Booth rolled his eyes at her. "Give it a rest, Hannah. They're talking about a mystery plot, okay? That doesn't mean anything…"

However, no matter how hard he tried, Booth found that he couldn't keep his eyes off his partner as she laughed and talked with that bastard Chris. Is she really having a good time with that guy? What could she possibly have in common with that bozo?

As he contemplated the possibility that his Bones might really be moving on with her life, Booth noticed that his throat began to feel constricted, tightening even as he tried to keep his discomfort at bay. Suddenly, he felt like he couldn't breathe. "I need some fresh air.," he announced. "I'm gonna step outside."

Worried about his friend, Sweets waited a few minutes before clearing his throat. "I'm gonna check on Booth…"

"Good idea.," Angela said quietly. "He didn't look too happy…"

There was an awkward pause as Angela, Hodgins, and Hannah sat at the table, waiting for Booth to return. Finally, Hannah coughed softly. "I'm going to go freshen up a little."

"Okay." Angela pretended to yawn. "I'm tired. I think we're gonna head for home."

"We are?" Hodgins looked at her in surprise. "I haven't even gotten to tell Wendell 'happy birthday'!"

"You can do that tomorrow. Come on…" Angela took his hand and led him away from the table. "Listen…Booth is gonna be embarrassed about how upset he is over Brennan liking Chris, so we're gonna give him some space, okay?"

"Yeah." Hodgins sighed softly. "You're right. He's gonna need a ton of space, isn't he? Like several million acres…"

"Yeah."

As the couple left, they passed by the bench where Sweets was talking quietly with Booth. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, a little." Booth exhaled slowly. "Look…there is no fucking way I was having a panic attack, okay, Sweets? I'm fine. It was just a little too hot and stuffy inside, that's all. No big deal."

"I see. Well, whatever you say..." Shrugging slightly, Sweets spoke softly. "You know, sooner or later, Dr. Brennan is going to fall in love with someone else, Booth. It's just a matter of time…"

"Yeah, but you know she has really lousy taste in guys, and I'm pretty sure Chris is no exception to that rule. I bet he's just looking to get into her pants…"

"Listen, Booth. You can't worry about Dr. Brennan's taste in men any more. If you truly want to be happy with Hannah, you need to let Dr. Brennan go…completely. You need to remove yourself from her personal life for everyone's sake…or things will go downhill quickly."

"Just mind your own goddamn shrinky business and leave me alone, okay? Me and Bones are friends, that's all…and I'm not gonna stop being her friend just because she's seeing someone else."

"Fine." Sweets shook his head as he stood up. "I need to get going. Good night."

"Night."

After watching Sweets walk away, Booth sat back on the bench, listening to the noise coming from the pub. He'd been to the Founding Fathers literally hundreds of times, and he'd never felt as bad as he had just a few minutes ago. What is up with that? Was Sweets right? Was I having a panic attack? No way! There must be some other explanation. Maybe I'm coming down with a cold...

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he tried to let his mind go blank. Think good thoughts…lower your heart rate…calm down…

Suddenly a memory flashed through his mind. It seemed like a million years ago when he'd been sitting on that very same bench after leaving a birthday party, and Bones had come out to see him, carrying a plate that held a piece of cake and two forks. And then I spilled my guts about my dad's drinking, but she didn't care…she just listened to me spout off like she always does…because she's…my best friend.

He ran a hand over his face. "Sweets is right about one thing, though. Bones needs to move on from me. I need to let her go. No problem, right? Maybe she wants to date Chris, okay? No big deal…"

He rose from the bench and turned to walk back inside the Founding Fathers. "Right." Laughing sardonically, he shook his head. "You keep telling yourself that, buddy. Maybe someday, it'll actually be true."

A/N: Please note: I'm not a member of the 'make Booth pay for Hannah' club. However, I wanted to use those 3 words in some way other than in reference to the 4th of July, and this is what happened when I started to write the chapter.

If you have time to review, I'd appreciate it. Laura