Disclaimer: I don't own the Bones characters.
A/N: Don't worry, I'm not giving up on TQIY. There'll be an update soon. My muse just got this idea and for the entirety of this weekend, I've been sprint writing this. Basically, set sometime in season 4, if you're trying to figure out a timeline. But not canon because of well, you'll see when you read *wink wink* This is my first M-rated fiction so please be kind ha-ha! But enjoy! Happy reading!
Brennan tossed and turned, her body sweating so much the duvet begun to cling to her. Whimpering she rolled over, unaware of anything but the visions dancing around in her head.
The first thing she was aware of was the smell of dirt. Moist soil that she knew if she reached out to touch it her hands would go right through it. Groaning, she moved her head around trying to get a bearing for where she was. But her eyes wouldn't cooperate. "It's okay," she told herself. "Just breathe and you'll be okay."
But it was almost as though reminding herself to breathe caused her to lose the ability to do so. Brennan tried to inhale but couldn't. She began choking, smoke filling her lungs. Arms. Her arms. She tried to move her hands, but it was as if they were laden down with pounds of dirt. Molded into the ground.
"No. No. No." she thought. This wasn't good. Just as she was about to try breathing or moving, her eyes opened. Complete and utter darkness surrounded her. Brennan knew instantly where she was; it was the only place she could be in. Back in the car. But it was okay, Booth would find her. Their friends would find them.
She looked around to find Hodgins but couldn't see him or hear him. A sinking feeling gathered in the pit of her stomach and before she could do anything about it, the light flashed before her eyes and a loud explosion detonated everything around her.
"AAAHHHHHH!" Brennan shot up in bed. Her throat dry and rough. Panting, she looked around. She recognized the feel of the silk sheet under her and the light patterns on the floor being cast by the streetlamps outside. Squinting a little harder, she could recognize the outlines of her dresser and see the door to her bedroom. She mentally reminded herself that she was in her bedroom, safe and not buried six feet under but, still afraid to fully lay flat, Brennan propped up the pillow behind and sat back.
She closed her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths trying to calm her racing heart. The nightmares had been going on for almost a week and she knew exactly why. The anniversary of her kidnapping was approaching. While it'd been two years since, it still shook her every November that rolled around. She hadn't bothered telling anyone else though. Why would she? What could anyone do to help her?
So, for the past two years, around this time, she'd go through this sick routine by herself. Going to bed, anxiously awaiting the night tremors only to be woken up by them a couple of hours later. Opening her eyes, she glanced at the alarm clock on her nightstand. 3:46 A.M.
There was no way she'd be going back to sleep. Sighing, she threw the duvet off her and went to the bathroom to get ready. She'd held off going into the lab at this ungodly hour to begin working so far, instead opting to sit out in her living working on her newest book. But sitting in her apartment tonight didn't appeal to her at all. She needed something more tactile to take her mind off her dreams.
She went into her adjoining bathroom and got ready. Throwing her hair in a high ponytail, Brennan walked into her kitchen, made herself some coffee and then locking and securing her apartment, went down to her car and drove to the Jeffersonian.
With it being November, fall had already blown into D.C. The late-night/early morning air held a chill to it. Not too uncomfortable or unbearable. Just enough that Brennan could roll her window down and enjoy the slight sting it gave her face. Anything to remind her she was alive, above ground and that she had as much air at her disposable as she needed. The streets were also quiet, so the chill air combined with the quiet of the night allowed her some peaceful moments to gather herself.
She'd also driven to the Jeffersonian countless times; she was basically on autopilot until she parked. This was the one thing she couldn't do as normal though. Park in the parking garage. No matter how much she tried to psyche herself up, she couldn't bear to walk through the underground deck. She opted instead to park on the street and walk the block.
Taking another moment to herself, Brennan took a breath, grabbed her messenger bag, coffee thermos, and exited. She wrapped her oversized woolen brown coat around her and made her way to the lab entrance. The night watchman didn't question her arrival at 4:25 A.M. They all knew Dr. Temperance Brennan was a workaholic and so, never questioned when she came in to work at these hours. Swiping her card at the front desk, Brennan walked down the hall and entered the passcode to the lab doors.
"Night Dr. Brennan." Kevin, the other watchman at the lab doors greeted.
"Hello, Kevin. I'll be down in Bone Storage just so you know," Brennan nodded and continued on.
Kevin nodded in response and made a quick note of it in his logbook.
Brennan made a quick detour to her office to pick up a couple of files she would need and continued down the stairs to Bone Storage. Setting herself up at the computer station, Brennan logged in to the system, donned her lab coat, and began the tedious yet rewarding process of her identifications. There'd been a shipment of bones from a Mayan site down in Central America that had been shipped to the Jeffersonian for her review and identification a few days ago that she was eager to begin working on.
The archaeological organization that founded them wanted only the best to identify the bones. And well, who better than Dr. Temperance Brennan? The team had taken care to wrap all clothing and artifacts found with the bones, though it wasn't many, as well as send soil samples and other environmental factors. She carefully placed those aside making a note on her recorder to have Hodgins look at them when he got in later.
She snapped on a pair of gloves and began methodically laying out each bone to begin her preliminary analysis before cleaning them. She hooked up her recorder and began, "This is Dr. Temperance Brennan commencing preliminary analysis on set of remains #34982 excavated by the Central American team in Honduras. Subpubic angle suggests female mid-forties."
Brennan had always enjoyed the quiet and focus required to do her job. It was something she was good at and had relied on in the system to avoid getting hurt more than usual. Then, it came in the form of her books and studies. Getting lost in something that required all her concentration and efforts gave her the reprieve from having to think about her home life. Now, that focus gave her reprieve from the nightmares that had haunted her only a few hours ago and had been for the past week. She stood over the table examining and making notes, pulling out another set and laying it on the other for a couple of hours. Taking short breaks here and there to stretch her back or sip her coffee.
She had no idea how long she was down there and that the sun had well begun rising in the sky until her partner came looking for her.
It was 7:15 A.M. when Seeley Booth strolled into the Medico-Legal Lab at the Jeffersonian. Normally, he wouldn't be here so early, but he wanted to see his partner and spend time with her before they both got sucked into the heavy demands of their jobs. He knew that Brennan liked to get an early start on her days especially when they didn't have an ongoing case. Booth figured he'd find her in her office sorting through her files, compiling a to-do list for the day. He'd give her the coffee he bought, made to her preference, and just spend time with her until he had to go clock in at the Hoover at 8 A.M.
Kevin, whose shift would be ending in the next forty-five minutes nodded at Booth as he walked in.
"Morning Agent Booth. Here to see Dr. Brennan?"
"Hey, Kevin. Yeah, figured I'd bring her some coffee before she starts her day."
"Oh well, she's already started her day. Quite early I'd say."
Booth stopped in his tracks. He looked at Kevin, feeling something wasn't right. "What'd ya mean? Bones always starts early."
"Oh, I know agent. Simply meant she came in around four this morning. Been in Bone Storage since."
Booth sucked in a breath. Why the heck was Bones in the lab so early? What the hell happened? Not wanting to waste any more time before getting to her, Booth nodded at Kevin and made a straight path down to Limbo where he did in fact find his partner hunched over a set of remains.
He took a minute to study her. Her body was stiff as if it'd been in that position for quite some time already. The numerous files by the computer station told him that she had indeed been working some time. He took a step into the room.
"Bones, you, okay?"
He watched as she jumped a little before looking up. Booth almost gasped when he saw her face. Her eyes were sunken in, dark circles prominent. It looked like she had been giving up sleep for some time… how had he not noticed before? He sighed; he hated seeing her so weary.
"Booth. What- Why are you here? What time is it?" Brennan lifted her lab coat sleeve and the glove she was wearing to check the time.
"It's seven in the morning Bones. How long have you been here?"
"Oh. Not long, just decided to come in earlier than usual today." Brennan could tell that Booth would begin prying but she had no intention of letting him know the real reason why she'd come into the lab so early. So, she decided to just brush off his concern.
"Not long… Bones, Kevin said you've been here since four. Why?" Booth had walked closer to her and upon closer inspection, he could see just how exhausted she was. Her body was stiff with it, she looked ready to collapse if he'd handed her a pillow.
"Booth, please it's fine. Don't worry. I needed to catch up on these remains anyway so I can send my results to the Honduran government by next week." Brennan snapped off her gloves and walked over to the computer to make a few more notes on the bone anomalies she'd found.
Having been her partner for about four years now, Booth knew her tells. He knew exactly when Brennan was putting up walls and trying to avoid answering his questions which is what she was doing now. But he also knew to not push her. The last thing he wanted was to push her too much, but he still cared enough to be the little voice on her shoulder giving her a push. Just as he was about to suggest she go with him to the lounge and take a break, his phone rang.
"Booth," he answered. Cursing inwardly at the voice on the other side, agreed and told the person to text him the address. He saw Brennan looking at him, already beginning to pack away her things.
"We have a crime scene, don't we?" She asked as he ended the call.
"Yeah, but if you need to take a break, I can have Cam and Wendell report to the scene with me."
Brennan shook her head immediately. "No need Booth. As I said, I'm fine. Give me five minutes to get this put-away and we can go. Besides, I'm your partner." Before he could respond, she already started walking down one of the aisles, container of bones in hand. He did smile at her partner comment but made the mental note to keep an eye on her as the day progressed. Brennan tended to push aside her needs and well-being while working and if she had already been working since four, it was only a matter of time until she really started to push herself. Or until she broke.
The two made their way back up to the main level of the lab and Booth reluctantly handed Brennan the extra coffee. He knew she needed rest more than another dose of caffeine but when she took it with an appreciative smile, he knew if she was going to make it through, at least, the morning, she needed it. As they walked to the SUV, his hand took up the familiar spot on the small of her back. He could feel the tension rolling off her but felt it more so when she stiffened as they walked into the parking garage. She didn't stop but stood straighter, her eyes darting around.
Okay, he thought. Something was clearly wrong, and his suspicions were further confirmed when she practically sank into the passenger seat. Almost in relief at being inside the vehicle.
"Bones, I know you'll probably be upset with me constantly asking but are you sure that you're, okay?" he asked in concern as he started the SUV and drove out of the parking garage. Sneaking a glance towards her, he noticed how her shoulders relaxed even more as soon as he exited the parking garage.
He heard her sigh. "Yes, Booth. I'm fine really. Stop worrying. Now, where is the body?"
Booth decided to leave her alone for now. He told her what dispatch had called in and for the rest of the ride there, they both spent it in silence. Brennan closed her eyes briefly and Booth was deep in thought, trying to decipher what was wrong. When they arrived at the scene, Brennan immediately jumped out of the car and headed toward the perimeter that had been blocked off. Booth followed closely behind her and stood with his index cards waiting to take notes.
The entire on-scene analysis took them about forty-five minutes and Brennan instructed the FBI forensics team to take it all back to the Jeffersonian. She made the mistake of standing up too suddenly and swayed when she got to her feet. Booth, being right there beside her and not having stopped his monitoring, caught her by the elbow.
"Woah, easy there, Bones." He spoke gently, not wanting to draw attention from the techs that were still close by.
Brennan blinked a couple of times and without thinking, laid a palm on his chest. "Thanks, Booth."
"No problem. Now listen, you're going to go take a break, okay? We'll go to dinner, grab something quick to eat, and then go to the lab."
"No, Booth – "
"Uh-uh, Bones. I'm not taking no for an answer. If not for yourself, take a break for me so I know you're okay." He looked at her, his eyes pleading with her to just drop her resistance for a bit.
Brennan looked back at him, aware that the techs were still around and probably looking at her and her partner caught in a staredown. She could see the concern in his eyes and the determination. He wasn't going to back down. She didn't want to admit defeat, but she was starting to feel the effects of having only slept three hours and most of that being broken and unrestful because of her nightmares. Not to mention that had been most of the nights this past week.
"Okay, but only until we get the call that the remains are at the lab." She conceded.
Booth breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. Thank you. Now, c'mon. I think Donna said that there was a new pie recipe Frankie was trying and I want a taste of it asap."
Brennan shook her head and followed him as he gently led her back to the SUV, hand in place at the small of her back. When she got into the SUV the second time, she could feel her body shutting down wanting a nap but ignored it. She didn't want to give Booth any more reason to worry about her.
They made small talk on the way. Booth had Parker the weekend before and was telling Brennan about his son's very enthusiastic response to learning about the skeletal system in school.
"You should have seen him Bones, he was bouncing on the balls of his feet the whole time he was telling me. He was like, 'I'm gonna learn something that Dr. Bones is really good at!'"
Brennan laughed, "You know Booth, if you want and if Rebecca doesn't have a problem with it, I could spend some time tutoring him after school while he's learning it."
"Are you sure? I mean they move pretty fast with covering the units they teach, and we just got this case."
"Yes, of course, I don't mind. I can use the skeleton I keep for my grad students – it's not real bones – they're fake in case of an accident. So don't freak out."
"Me, freak out? Nah, c'mon. But… seriously thanks Bones. I'll talk to Rebecca about it and let you know. Just don't go turning my kid into a squint." He joked.
Brennan rolled her eyes at his squint comment and simply nodded. She'd taken to Parker, unlike any other child. Maybe that had to do with the fact that he was Booth's son and was quite literally a mini version of him. But Parker was a sweet child, very inquisitive and eager to learn more. A trait that she loved about him. Since Booth had told him that she was the smartest person he knew, Parker was always asking her questions whenever he saw her.
Booth had been worried about Parker annoying her, but she never got upset or impatient with him. She took the time to answer every one of his questions and when she didn't know, she told him she'd research it and tell him next time she saw him.
Throughout the years of their partnership, she had managed to get close to Parker and spend time with him. Courtesy of course of Booth extending an invitation for her to join them when they went out. She didn't know though that Booth was all too glad to pass along an invite wanting any excuse to spend time with her. But after witnessing how patient and caring she was towards Parker and how attached Parker had become to her, he genuinely wanted them to spend time together and bond some more.
They arrived at the diner and claimed 'their' table. Booth was in luck; Frankie had just finished a fresh pumpkin and cinnamon pie and Booth happily ordered two slices of it. Brennan, still not a pie person, ordered her favorite vegan quiche and some tea.
Booth took the time to watch her again. Her hair was still up in a ponytail which wasn't new, she'd often wear her hair up while on the scene but would also take it down as soon as they were done. Bones typically didn't cake on makeup but even now, he could see that she barely had anything on and was practically bare-faced. Her eyes were duller than normal. There was usually a spark behind her blue eyes but today, they looked lost in another world.
Booth thought back to this previous week to see if he had missed anything, but he couldn't think of anything. Bones had been her usual self. Granted they hadn't had any active cases, so they hadn't spent as much time together. He wanted nothing more than to give her a hug and comfort her until she told him what was wrong, but they were 'just partners'. He couldn't cross that line, nor did he think she would be receptive to that right now.
Brennan sat across from Booth, slowly eating, and nursing her tea. She could feel Booth's gaze on her but didn't want to acknowledge it. She was already exhausted and knew that if she looked into those concerned brown eyes, she'd crumble. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, she just didn't see the point in belaboring over a nightmare. Especially since the cycle of them was almost done. She also vividly remembered how distraught and torn up Booth had been when she first got kidnapped.
While he didn't outrightly tell her, she knew that he considered it his fault for not protecting her and the reality of how close to death she and Hodgins came tore him up even more. Brennan couldn't burden him with this. Besides, it'd been a while that she'd been struggling on her own. She was an independent woman and could handle it. She turned her gaze away from outside the window to find him still staring at her. He gave an apologetic smile and she returned it.
"Really, Booth. Don't worry about me. Okay? I'm fine. Do you trust me?" she tried again to calm him.
Yeah, Bones. I trust you. I trust that you'll keep fighting me on this. He thought. But if he was going to find anything out, he needed to give her the space until she was ready to tell him. "Yeah Bones, I trust you." He gave her his best charm smile. Brennan nodded and pulled out her phone at its beep.
"Remains are back at the lab. I should get going." Booth nodded and dropped a few dollar bills on the table to cover their meals.
Cam and the others had already gotten to the lab and were up on the forensics platform. Wendell was on rotation this week and was talking to Hodgins about the soil and particulate samples they had. Brennan walked in and told Booth to go ahead up on the platform while she went to go grab her coat. Swiping his ID, Booth was shocked to see Angela yawning as she stood waiting for the skull so she could do the facial reconstruction.
"Hey studly," she greeted.
"Hey, Angela… you good?"
"Hmm yeah, just a little tired."
"Does it happen to be related to why Bones is also tired?"
Angela looked at him in confusion. "Why would it? I'm tired because Jack called me pretty late last night."
It was Booth's turn to look confused. "Wait. Aren't you guys like not dating anymore?"
Angela turned and looked at Hodgins who was still talking to Wendell. She led Booth to a further corner on the platform, so they were out of earshot. "We aren't together anymore but… do you know what time of the year it is?"
Booth shook his head confused. "It's November why is that… Oh shit."
Angela nodded. "It's the anniversary of his and Bren's kidnapping. Not to say much but he was struggling pretty much all week with sleep and so, when he finally gave in and called me, I invited him over to my place and we stayed up watching movies. Just trying to get his mind off things."
Booth groaned. That would explain why Bones looked so worn out. "God, why didn't she tell me…"
"I don't know Booth. You know how stubborn Bren can be. Just don't push her too much, okay? You know her, she'll shut down and compartmentalize as much as she can. Besides I don't think either of them want us making a big deal about this."
Booth swallowed. He wanted to run up to his partner and do everything he could to make her know she wasn't alone and that he was there. But he also knew Angela had a point – the same point he'd been trying to remind himself of all morning. Brennan would run and compartmentalize if pushed too much. She was probably compartmentalizing as it was, and Booth's biggest fear was her shutting him out completely.
"Look Booth," Angela began, seeing his torment, "Just try to be there for her like you always are. Don't push it too much but be there and if she tells you, let her lean on you."
Brennan was walking up the platform now and Booth nodded. Angela then turned to her and in no different from her usual upbeat tone, asked her friend how she was doing. Booth closed his eyes trying his best to compartmentalize the sinking feeling he felt.
He remembered the desperation he felt when he learned she was underground. And the dread and guilt when he watched that clock count down to the final second. He'd agonized over it for weeks not able to process a world where he couldn't see his partner every day. Hear her laughter or see the spark behind her eyes. Or simply watch her invest herself in her work. Seeley Booth had long since fallen in love with her but knowing how she felt about relationships, he kept it to himself. He resorted to having her in his life any way he could and with that damn line he placed, he couldn't very well do much without going to her guns a blazing confessing his mistake at drawing it in the first place.
Brennan hadn't shown much of her feelings after she'd been rescued. She'd pretty much compartmentalized the whole thing and turned him down every time he tried to ask her how she was doing. Which also explained her resistance today and constant replies of "I'm fine."
He had no idea how Hodgins and Angela was handling it between themselves, especially since they had just recently broken up, but he did wish Bones had called him. He wanted to be there for her, comfort her and protect her. God, he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and hold her until she could fall asleep again or simply sit up with her in the comforts of her home, so she didn't come running into work exhausting herself.
But all he could do was watch her, carefully and not overstep as her partner lest she do what Angela and him feared and close in too much. He'd been so lost in thought; he didn't hear her calling out to him.
"Booth. Booth. Booth! Did you hear me?"
"Huh, I'm sorry Bones, what did you say."
She eyed him before responding, "Compact fractures on the hyoid indicate strangulation but we're still going to need to clean the bones before we know more but with the teeth intact, Dr. Saroyan checked dental records and we got an ID."
"Okay good. Who is it?"
"Sasha Hayes, 34, lived in Bethesda." Cam answered.
"Okay good. I'll go back to the Hoover and see what I can find. Bones, I'll call you when we locate next of kin?"
"Yes, that's fine." Brennan turned her attention back to the bones instructing Wendell to begin cleaning them after he concluded the notes from preliminary analysis. Booth shared a final look with Angela, who smiled softly, as he walked off the platform. He was already worried about having to drag Bones home later today. Hopefully, they would be able to get through as much as they could without her feeling the need to stay extra late working.
The rest of the morning passed by without much excitement. Booth was able to track down the victim's sister who was unfortunately out of town until the following day so, he couldn't do much with that angle. Instead, he started looking into where the victim worked and set up an appointment to meet with her boss. He printed out the necessary records and files putting them in the folder to be able to take with him to lunch and share it with Bones.
He glanced at the clock and saw that it was nearing mid-day and decided to text Brennan.
Hey, managed to find the vics boss to talk to. Wanna share progress over lunch?
Her reply came immediately.
Okay, sounds good. Do you think we can order take-out and eat here in my office? I don't want to alarm you, but I have a slight headache and find I'd much rather not go out.
Of course, Bones. Do you want me to get you anything else?
No, it's okay. Thank you.
Frowning, he pocketed his phone. He wished that she could just go home and rest but given the significance of what this time of the year was, he knew that even during the day, Brennan probably would not be able to rest.
He decided that he'd go ahead and get her some pills and maybe even a treat from the bakery she loved. Booth grabbed the things he needed and headed out the door. He called ahead and placed an order for their usual takeout and made a quick stop at the bakery. It was a small, local, family-owned bakery about three blocks from Brennan's apartment. She'd once told him about it and how much she loved it because of its specialty vegan recipes. He picked up a slice of the coconut yogurt cheesecake and a few pieces of the creamy lemon bars he knew she really loved.
He also spotted some small daffodil bouquets at the counter and decided to get her one. Getting everything, he quickly ran down the street to get the pills and was just in time to pick up the food. He made it to the lab about thirty minutes later. It took some maneuvering to take everything in, but he managed.
He walked right into Brennan's office and wasn't that surprised to see her lying down on the couch in her office. He placed the takeout and flowers on the coffee table and the desserts in the mini-fridge she kept by her desk. He then closed the blinds and door to her office figuring no one would need her while on their lunch break.
Booth walked back over and squatted down in front of Brennan. Her eyebrows were creased, a sign she wasn't resting as soundly as she should be. Her arms were bent, hands resting under her face. Without even thinking about it, he reached out a hand and gently swiped away the strand of hair that'd fallen into her face.
"Bones, hey, wake up," he whispered. She twitched and whimpered. "Shh, Bones, hey, it's me." When she whimpered again, Booth wondered if she was having trouble waking up from a dream. He reached out placing his palm on her arm and rubbed gently trying to soothe her. "Bones, c'mon I brought lunch. Wake up, Bones. It's okay."
Her eyes slowly opened, and he could see the brief panic in them before she relaxed.
"Oh Booth, I'm sorry. I must have fallen asleep after closing my eyes for a bit."
"Don't be, it's okay. I got lunch and some extra-strength pills you can take."
Brennan smiled in appreciation and slowly sat up. Her eye caught the flowers on the table, and she looked to Booth curiously.
"Yeah," he chuckled. "I also may have stopped by the bakery and picked up a few goodies." He waited for her to admonish him, but she didn't. Instead, she gave him a smile.
"Thank you, Booth. I – thank you…"
"You're welcome, Bones. Now c'mon we should eat before the food gets cold." He stood up and grabbed two bottles of water out of her fridge and sat back down beside her. They ate in companionable silence. The closed blinds and door provided them with a moment of reprieve among themselves. Switching takeout boxes between themselves and getting into a little fight with their chopsticks over the last spring roll. Brennan of course won by stabbed her chopsticks through it and snatching it. Even if he wanted to, Booth couldn't be upset. Especially not with the grin on her face and the glint in her eyes.
They finished lunch and Brennan took a pack of the pills he brought her without a fight.
"I know I said it before Booth but really, thank you. I… It's… ahh," Brennan huffed at her flustered speech. She wanted him to know how much she appreciated him and how much he cared. It had been a while since anyone had cared the way he did or looked out for her the way he did. Brennan knew she wasn't an overly expressive person emotionally and her insecurities crept up wondering if he really knew how grateful she was.
Booth looked over at her and could see the inner battle in her eyes. "Hey, I know." He reached and pulled her in for a 'guy hug' holding her impossibly close to him. "I know Bones. I do." Brennan sighed as she melted into him. He always knew exactly what to say to her; it amazed her. Neither wanted to let go so they held on for a bit longer, but both aware that they were holding on a lot longer than normal. Finally, she shifted.
"I should go check on the remains, they're probably all cleaned by now."
"Yeah, okay. I'm going to go meet with her boss, you going to stay here?"
"Yes. I want to go but my head still hurts, and it'll be quicker if you go, and I keep analyzing the remains for more information." Brennan stood up and walked over her desk to grab the lab coat she draped on her office chair.
"Okay. I'll call with any updates."
"Sure. Be safe Booth." She called out as he left.
"Always."
She sighed as she watched him go. Brennan knew that she felt something for her partner and while she couldn't bring herself to say the words out loud, she also knew there was no other way to describe it. After he got shot last year and she had to spend those two miserable weeks believing she would never see him again, she knew she felt for him in a way she hadn't with anyone else.
But also having not experienced it before, Brennan was scared to act on her feelings. Experiences taught her that people left but Booth was the enigma. He stayed even when she thought he would leave and today, bringing her lunch, medicine, and goodies. Speaking of… she bent over and looked in the fridge. She giggled when she saw her favorite desserts sitting on the top shelf. Of course, he would buy her favorite desserts. She closed the fridge door and was more motivated to get as much as she could get done before stepping away for a sweet break.
