A/N: Thank you very much for the continued interest in this story and for taking the time to leave a review. I appreciate it.
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Angela froze in her doorway as Booth and Brennan came up from bone storage. They walked side by side, Booth's hands tucked in his pockets, Brennan's close to her sides. The awkwardness between them was apparent, but seeing them together gave her heart a little shock of hope.
Coming forward, she stepped in front of Booth, forcing him to stop. "Hey, G-Man," she greeted, pulling him in for a hug she knew he'd hate. It had been too long and it was nice to see him in the Lab again.
Being there meant that he and Brennan were talking. Angela could only hope it was about important things.
But the surprises kept coming when he reached his arms around her and hugged her back. "Thanks," he said softly in her ear. "I'll make good use of the chance." Then let go and stepped away just as quickly.
She schooled her expression to a neutral one she knew he'd see right through. But there wasn't a chance she was confirming her involvement in the Secret Santa arrangement. Hodgins was annoyed enough considering she'd had to use one of his vacation homes as a bribe. "It's good to see you," she said, ignoring the whispered comment. "Are you guys going to lunch?"
"Yes," Brennan said, moving away from the two of them. "Let me go get my coat." She reached out a hand to touch Booth's arm as she stepped away, but let it fall before making contact.
Both Booth and Angela watched her go, waiting until she was out of earshot. "I have no idea what you're talking about," Angela said.
The snort was soft, but clear. "Of course, you don't. You never do. Don't interfere more than that, please. Things are bad enough between us. I don't need any help making them worse."
Angela waved off the comment. "Not as bad as you think. Trust me on this one, Booth. Be you. And she'll be her. That's always been enough for both of you. But," Angela said in warning, "she's not quite who she used to be. Make sure you pay attention."
Booth wanted to ask what she meant, but Brennan approached again and he was forced to drop the conversation. Who was Temperance Brennan now, if she wasn't who she used to be?
Angela could see his confusion but planned on doing nothing to alleviate it. She had no problem interfering but some things a person had to learn for themselves.
Looking at Bones with an investigator's eye, Booth tried to see what Angela meant. Sure, her hair was different, but she still looked like the woman he'd been trying not to love for more years than he cared to think about.
Which meant Angela was referring to something else. Booth feared he would be adding to the list of things he'd missed during the last year, when he hadn't been paying attention to what was important.
"Come on, Bones." As she stepped in front of him, Booth reached to place a hand in the small of her back. But like Brennan, let it fall before making contact.
It was that small moment, when the gravity of how much things had actually changed between them, fully hit him. How far they'd fallen from who they'd been to each other.
"What are you doing for the holidays, Bones?" he asked once they were both settled in his SUV. She sat primly in the passenger seat, hands folded in her lap as she stared straight ahead.
His own hands were clenched around the steering wheel. Neither of them were comfortable with each other anymore and Booth knew only time would fix that. Unless one of them made some sort of grand declaration about where their friendship stood.
He'd done something like that once before. A second time wouldn't be happening, at least not from him. Angela said Bones was different now. What were the chances she'd do something like that, he wondered, casting a quick glance in her direction.
Maybe better than he thought. She'd sent him an email, after all. Without it, Booth was sure they wouldn't be in his SUV together right now.
"I thought about calling Russ to see if I could spend a couple of days with him and his family." She lifted her shoulders before settling into the seat again. "I'm not sure yet."
If they were talking, if they could fix this, there was a chance Booth would invite her to do something over the holiday. Brennan hesitated to make plans before that chance disappeared.
Would this lunch be enough to set them back on the right path?
"What? No dig in a foreign country?" he tried to joke, knowing that was how she usually spent Christmas. But there was pain beneath the words that he struggled to hide.
That was how she'd spent her time last year. So far away, even a phone call seemed to be too much. It was one of the worst holidays he could remember spending as an adult.
Almost as if she'd heard what he was trying to keep private, Brennan turned her head toward him. There was understanding in her eyes and Booth had his first inclination of exactly what Angela had been referring to. "I no longer have the desire to leave the country for extended periods of time."
Booth blinked, trying to read between the lines of the short sentence. Except Bones didn't do hidden meanings. "You don't want to go on digs anymore?" he asked, pulling into a parking spot near their favorite lunch spot.
Maybe it wasn't safe to assume something like that anymore. "Is the Diner okay?"
"Of course," Brennan said. Exiting the vehicle, she waited for him to join her. "But I haven't been here in some time. I hope they still have the salad I like."
"They do," Booth reassured her, before realizing that his answer meant he'd been here recently without her. And he had, several times. When he wasn't brave enough to pick up the phone and ask her to lunch because he was sure she'd say no.
"Oh." Brennan's eyes clouded over. "I imagine you and Hannah ate lunch here frequently. It is close to your office."
It shouldn't bother her to think Booth came without her. It was only a restaurant. Like many other restaurants in the city.
Except she'd thought of it as their place. And now, his simple comment made it feel less special.
"No, Bones, wait." He put his hand on the door so she couldn't open it and escape. "I didn't come here with Hannah. I was alone when I came to eat. Always alone." He hoped it didn't sound quite as pathetic as he thought it did.
Her head tipped as she considered his words. "Why would you eat alone?" The silent question was obvious to both of them. Why didn't you call me?
"Probably for the same reason you ate alone," he countered, "if you remembered to eat. Just didn't pick up the phone."
"People want to get out, Booth," she pointed out. When he opened the door to allow their exit, she snuck through the gap, not responding to his reply.
Their table was open, and they sat facing each other as they always had. "I still want to go on digs, Booth," she said, continuing the earlier conversation after the waitress took their order. He'd been correct about the salad and she was secretly pleased he'd ordered fries. "What I don't want is to be away from friends and family for such a long time." Not wanting to talk about her travels, or lack of them, she changed the subject. "What is Parker doing for the holiday?"
He loved his son, but didn't want to talk about Parker. He wanted to understand why she no longer wanted to leave the country for months at a time. But he didn't dare to push. "He's helping to organize some sort of Christmas pageant. Creating the costumes and the decorations, things like that. Last night, he spent thirty minutes telling me about the work he'd done on Blitzen's costume." Seeing she was about to comment, he didn't wait to hear what she said before explaining. Assuming, it turned out incorrectly, that she didn't know who Blitzen was. "One of Santa's eight reindeer. Nine, I guess, if you include Rudolph."
Booth smiled, thinking of the pride in his son's voice as he described the work he'd done. Only to let it fade when he focused on Bones again.
"I know who Blitzen is, Booth. My parents did read the poem to me on Christmas Eve when I was a child." There was a weary acceptance in her voice.
After a pause, she decided it was time to bring attention to something that continued to upset her. "I am aware my knowledge of pop culture is limited, but previously, you didn't automatically conclude I wasn't aware of something before explaining. Is there a reason you continue to assume that I don't have certain knowledge?"
"Bones, I didn't mean," he trailed off and shook his head, knowing the accusation was fair. He had been doing that to her. For months. Sure, there were plenty of references she didn't know, but plenty she did too. He used to take great joy in waiting for her to ask about a comment he made and then teaching her what it meant. She taught him about science and he taught her about life outside the Lab.
Now, he explained without thinking. Making her feel bad about her lack of knowledge and taking away the joy he'd gained from the interaction. Angela had warned him. It was time to stop assuming anything about his partner.
Taking a deep breath, he turned to look out the window for several seconds before turning back to her. "I wasn't implying you didn't know who Blitzen was." And he hadn't been, at least not consciously. It had sounded that way though and he'd be more careful now. "Hell, I couldn't name all of the reindeer without really thinking about it. I was just talking about Parker, that's all."
She nodded her head and Booth couldn't tell if she believed him or not. Frustrated, he leaned back as the waitress placed their food in front of them. "Bones, I miss you," he blurted out, reaching for the ketchup, sure their last words had ruined everything. "Please don't get up and walk out if I screw this up. I don't want this to be the last lunch we will ever eat together."
