(After The Feet on the Beach)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I really do appreciate it.

I really don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

As she hurried into Brennan's office with her latest search update, Angela noticed Brennan talking on the phone. Since she knew Booth and Brennan were interrested in her information, she sat down on the couch and waited. It also allowed her the opportunity to eavesdrop on her friend which was always a plus in her book.

Brennan ignored her friend and continued to talk. "The play starts at 8, so I'll meet you there . . . Yes . . . I haven't seen Les Miserables yet, but I've heard it is quite good . . . I'll see you Saturday . . . bye James." Her call ended, Brennan placed her phone on the desk.

Surprised, Angela leaned forward and smiled. "James?"

"Did you want to talk to me about anything work related?" Brennan wasn't in the mood for Angela's meddling.

Not to be deterred, Angela stood up and walked over to the chair in front of Brennan's desk and sat down. "Yeah, I tried tracking Brodsky through his financials, but I think he's using cash again. He stopped using the credit card I linked to him . . . so who's James? You're going on a date?"

Brennan was reminded of Booth once telling her that Angela was like a dog with a bone when it came to gossip. Once it was in her possession, she wasn't going to let it go. "James Montgomery if you must know and we're going to go see Les Miserables together on Saturday."

Angela was torn and not sure what to make of Brennan's date. "I don't know . . . I thought since Booth dumped Hannah . . ."

"Angela." Annoyed with her friend, Brennan stood up. "What Booth does and doesn't do in his life has nothing to do with my life. Now I'm busy. I'll let Booth know that Brodsky is off the grid again."

Disappointed that Brennan didn't want to talk to her, Angela stood up. "Okay, I get it . . . I think I do anyway." Turning, she walked over to the doorway. "I know Booth is in a pissy mood right now, but sooner or later he's going to let that anger go and when he does I hope you're ready to step in."

"I don't know what that means." Brennan was tired of everyone trying to manipulate her. She was determined to handle her private life privately.

Pausing in the doorway, Angela glanced at her friend. "Yes you do, but okay . . . I was just trying to help."

After Angela left the room, Brennan sat back down and called Booth to let him know about Brodsky.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

After a rather boring morning, Brennan met with Booth for lunch at the Royal Diner. While they waited for their food to arrive, Brennan stirred her squeezed lemon in her iced tea. "I won't be able to go bowling with you this Saturday after all . . . I have a date."

His eyes watching the traffic slowly move by the large window, Booth nodded his head. "Okay."

Surprised with his reaction, Brennan placed her spoon down next to her glass. "Okay? That's it?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Booth turned to look at his partner. "You said you're going on a date. I said okay. What else is there to say about it?"

Confused, Brennan sat back against her chair and folded her arms against her breasts. "I thought . . ." Not willing to remind him about their conversation in the elevator and in his apartment during the blizzard, Brennan changed the direction of the conversation. "You usually want to know the name of the man I'm dating, where we're going, what we're going to do."

"I'm not that guy anymore Bones. I don't need to be." He saw she was confused and he wasn't sure how to explain it without causing a problem between them. He'd done way too much assuming for the last year and it had only brought him pain. Her pain had been just as bad and there was no way he was going to spoil their friendship. He wasn't going to risk that. "It's fine Bones. You said you're going on a date. Great, I hope you have fun." The look on her face a little strange, Booth wasn't sure what he was doing wrong. "Okay, what are you going to do?"

Booth's mild countenance rather surprising, Brennan nodded her head in acceptance. "I'm going to go see a musical."

Slowly nodding his head, Booth smiled. "I know you like those. I hope you enjoy yourself."

Worried about what was going on, Brennan nodded her head. "Thank you."

Pleased that he'd made it through the Brennan landmine field, Booth sipped his coffee and started to talk about Parker. A safe topic of conversation if ever there was one between them.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

In her office, Brennan glumly stared at a journal opened on the desk before her. The fact that she hadn't turned a page in the last fifteen minutes was not lost on her. Abruptly, Brennan stood up and walked out of her office and over to Angela's office. Relieved to see her friend, she at first smiled and then frowned. "Angela."

Startled, Angela smeared some of the paint on her brush onto the canvas sitting before her. Turning she saw the look on her friend's face and wondered who she was going to have to kill. "Bren what's going on?"

Moving into the room, Brennan stepped over to the couch and sat down. "I told Booth I was going on a date and he said okay . . . Just okay."

Not really sure what Brennan was upset about, Angela wiped her brush clean and placed it down on the table. "Honey, I . . . I don't think I understand. Was Booth angry or did he threaten you or . . ."

"Of course not Angela." The thought of Booth threatening her was laughable. "Booth would never to that . . . I told him I was going on a date. Normally that invokes a torrent of questions about who I'm seeing, where I met my date, what he does for a living and a myriad of other questions . . . this time he just said okay."

Understanding hit Angela and with it a frown settled on her features. "Yeah he usually is very protective of you even when he was dating Baghdad Barbie . . . I don't know Honey. Maybe he just wants you to be happy even if he isn't."

Anxiety growing within her, Brennan stared at the canvas that Angela was working on. "I thought Booth and I were . . . we talked a few weeks ago and we . . . I thought there was going to be a . . . "Standing, Brennan sighed. "It's alright, Angela. I have to go."

Standing, Angela held up her hand. "Honey, I . . ." Brennan breezed out of the room, leaving a very confused friend behind.

Ooooooooooooooooo

Striding into Booth's office, Brennan closed the door behind her. While she stood just inside the room, she glared at her partner. "Booth, I want to know why you just said okay after I told you I was going on a date."

Very surprised to see his partner in his office, Booth placed his pen down and leaned back on his chair. "What the hell, Bones. It means what it means . . . Okay, I heard you tell me you're going on a date and like the good friend that I am I hope you have fun . . . What?"

"Are we just friends, Booth?" Riddled with anxiety and confused, Brennan lowered her voice causing her partner to strain to hear what she said next. "I thought we were going to be more. Not now, but soon . . . we burned papers so that imaginary deities would read them and make our wishes come true . . . I don't . . . "

Totally confused, Booth stood up and leaned on his desk. "Bones . . . Yes, I hope that we will be more and soon, but in the meantime if you want to date then go ahead. I mean, you're allowed to have a life and who am I to tell you that you can't." The look on her face made Booth wonder why she was near tears. He was trying to be the friend she needed and deserved and he wasn't feeling threatened by her date so . . . oh. "Bones you dating someone right now doesn't bother me because I know it's not serious. It can't be because of our talk . . . you and me agreed that there's going to be an us someday, so what do I care if you want to go see a musical with someone? You and I both know I hate musicals and if you've found someone to go see one with then great. Get that out of your system, because I got to tell you, I am not going to go see singing and dancing plays when we are together. I'd end up shooting someone and . . ."

Moving across the room, Brennan stepped around the desk and placed her arms around her friend. "I thought you changed your mind and you didn't want to be anything other than a friend. You're normally very jealous if I pay attention to very handsome men."

"Whoa!" Booth placed his hands on her arms. "Very handsome? Just how handsome are we talking here?"

Laughter erupting from her, Brennan stepped back and looked into his disturbed face. "He isn't as handsome as you are, but he is quite attractive in his own way."

Staring intently at his partner, Booth shook his head. "What's this guy's name and what does he do for a living? Does he work at the Jeffersonian? He isn't someone you met online is he?" Agitated, Booth glared at Brennan. "What the hell, Bones. You promised to go bowling with me this Saturday and then you tell me you're going on a date to see a crummy musical and now you tell me the guy is handsome. What . . ."

The Booth she needed now standing before her, Brennan kissed him to make him stop talking. "Booth . . . never mind. If you don't want me to go on the date then I won't."

That kiss was the first kiss they had had in a long time and her lips were just as soft as the first time he'd tasted her. "Well, you did promise to go bowling with me and you don't normally break your promises to me, but if it's important to you then . . ."

Releasing her hand from his sides, Brennan moved the shoulder strap of her purse back on top of her shoulder. "No, that's okay. If we plan to be a couple in the future then I really probably shouldn't date other men now."

His hands pulling her back into his embrace, Booth stared into her blue eyes, "No you shouldn't . . . It might make me jealous and well . . . you know I carry a gun and I'd hate to have to scare off your Adonis."

"Not Adonis, Booth." Brennan was pleased to see Booth behaving in character. "Not at all . . . well, I have to go back to work . . . Do you want me to meet you at the bowling alley?"

As he watched her cross his office, Booth held up his right hand. "No, I'll pick you up. Maybe we can eat first."

Before she opened the door, Brennan turned back to look at her partner. "I'm glad we straightened that out."

"Me too, Bones."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.

A/N: In Greek Mythology, Adonis was the god of beauty and desire.