A/N: Aloha! Here is to a new chapter. I really wanted to write a scene between Lilly and Hacker, so that is where we start this chapter in the Hoover. I am sad to say however I tried to write this chapter I am still not super happy with it. But it will just have to do XD.

Thank you, dear reviewers! Kareneb and Lachelle Nepper and the two guests. In response to the first guest review: Booth with a midlife crisis, that would make one hell of an interesting story (anyone? XD). I sure didn't intend to write Booth as if in a midlife crisis. He is about 40 in this story, so definitely a tad young for that. I do think he is in some sort of a crisis at this point in this story and he was as well in the show after Hannah broke up with him.

As to guest reviewer 2: Yeah, Hodgins kind of did give her a reason to pursue Booth with his answer. Though, that wasn't his intention. Hodgins is naturally inquisitive and he just had to know what Lilly thought. At the same time, he tried to hide what he knew from his conversation with Booth and give his honest opinion on the subject. Try juggling all those things and see what happens XD. I really appreciated your insights on Booth needing to quit being a high schooler. The idea of Angela and Bones finding out was a good one too, we'll have to wait and see how that will happen in this story...

Also, a thank you to the readers who put this story on Alert. I am so glad to see that people are still reading Bones FanFiciton.

WARNING: I've worked in the swear word I think we would all have loved to hear coming from Booth's mouth XD.

Last month she had been summoned to Dr. Saroyan's office and now Hacker had called her in. It surprised Lilly that both the Jeffersonian and the FBI were that involved in their interns. "You wanted to see me?" Lilly asked, standing on the doorstep of the assistant deputy director's office.

Andrew looked up from behind his desk. "Ah yes, miss Johnson, come in." He pointed towards the chair in front of his desk.

Lilly walked in gingerly. She had had brief encounters with the ADD and even though he had been nothing but professionally pleasant, she still didn't like him as much as she liked his subordinates. The man had gotten successful over other people's hard work and in her humble opinion, he was too smug about it. Perhaps he had his own talents but thus far she hadn't been privy to them.

Riffling through files on a large stack Hacker pulled a very thin one out. "I am sorry I have to skip the pleasantries, but I have meeting in thirty minutes, so we'll have to keep this short. I asked you to come in because I received this request for an inspection copy of the file the FBI composed on you." Hacker pointed to the file in his hand before he opened it.

It surprised her request ended up on the desk of the assistant deputy director. "What about it?" Lilly asked curiously. She didn't mind skipping the how do you does and she appreciated his business like rushed attitude.

"Well, the FBI is curious why you want to receive a copy. Are you planning on suing us?" Hacker said jokingly.

Lilly smiled. "No, not unless there is a reason for it. I put in my request because it is my civil right under the Privacy Act of 1974. I got to ask though. Is it a policy to give the request to the second highest officer in a field office?"

He smirked at her quick response. "No, but it isn't that unusual either when the person who asks is affiliated with the federal government and therefore with the FBI. I am just asking if there is any type of problem that made you put in the request."

"No, no problem." Lilly shook her head as she said it. "I am just curious how deep the FBI dug before I got the job. I love trying out the system and I've never put in a request like this before."

Hacker shook his head, as he watched Lilly's enthusiasm and curiosity as she explained her reasoning behind her request and what she learned about the law while writing her request. "You really love your rules, don't you?"

Shrugging she responded: "I guess I do, although the rules aren't mine, they are Federal USA rules."

Hacker rolled his eyes. He started to see why agents thought the woman in front of him was a squint and vice versa. "Tomato tomato, potato potato, right?"

Lilly smiled, glad the man showed some sort of genuine human emotion. "If it is all the same to you anyways, does that mean that you are going to honor my request?"

Her transition made Hacker grin. He liked how sharp she was and not easily baffled, even though he outranked her largely. Some of his new trainees could use some of miss Johnson's quick thinking and reasoning skills. Most FBI trainees would be a little scared of having to talk to him, but he hadn't picked up on any nervousness from Lilly after she had stepped into his office.

He probably should have handled himself differently when she and his star agent, agent Booth, had come in to give him the paperwork. It was just so damn hard to make agent Booth file his paperwork on time. The man was generally a good soldier, but that probably was also the reason he preferred being in the field instead of filling out the necessary forms. Hacker knew all too well Booth tried to keep an as big as possible distance between the two of them after Hacker had tried to date Dr. Brennan. Ever since that, Hacker and Booth tried to keep communications at a bare minimum and usually letting Director Cullen run interference. Which went half affray last time, when Cullen had agreed with agent Booth, even though Hacker had been under pressure to have his department hand in all paperwork to the direction upstairs. After all these years with the federal government he shouldn't be surprised by the level of bureaucracy at the Hoover, but sometimes it had him baffled like a newbie all over again.

"Well, there is the problem that the results are classified information as they could reveal the methods of the background checks."

"So why bother and call me in here?"

"Honestly, I hoped I could get you to drop the request, you know with my charm or something." He couldn't help it but grin at his own joke, mostly because he knew how Lilly felt about his ass-kissing-abilities. She always hid it pretty well, but he wasn't blind enough to not see how she thought about him. Admittingly, ass-kissing was a big part of how he had risen through the FBI ranks as quickly as he had, but the other part was his - if he might say so himself – ass-kicking-people-and-situation-reading-skills. "No, all kidding aside, I really did ask you to come in because I thought maybe there was another reason motivating you to have made the request."

Lilly smiled. "Well, if I am being honest. Dr. Hodgins and I talked about FBI procedure and background checks came up in the conversation and that kind of got the ball rolling."

The ADD groaned at hearing the scientists name. "Yes, Dr. Hodgins has his attorneys put in this type of request at least once a year."

That did sound an awful lot like the anti-government scientist she had gotten to know. "Ah, so I suppose his requests end up on your desk as well as mine did. Why don't you indulge him?"

Hacker smiled at Lilly's smirk. "We give him his file every time he asks, but Dr. Hodgins won't believe that it is all we have on him."

Lilly snorted. "You do know that won't get any better after I get half my file because you don't want insider FBI information to be part of my file."

Mockingly, Hacker groaned louder. "Well, that is going to be something I'll have to take into consideration then. You'll have my decision within a week."

After Hacker had asked her if she enjoyed her Hoover-workdays, and if she got to see enough of the field work portion of the job instead of helping Booth with his paperwork, Hacker's secretary had politely reminded her boss that he had to leave to get to his appointment.

Booth called out for her from behind his desk. "Hi Lilly, you got a second?"

Turning on her heels as she heard Booth's voice calling, she made her way over to the agent's office. Lilly walked in.

"Did you know the gym is re-opening? I've just received an email that most of the damage is repaired, so maybe we can get back to our training schedule next week?"

Lilly nodded. "Sure thing. I hate to say it, but I kind of missed the routine."

Relieved she was open to the idea of returning to working out with him, he gave her a slight smile. After that morning in the file room, they hadn't been alone. Every time they had seen each other since there had been at least one of the team members around. And since the gym had been temporarily shut down to finish the renovations, they hadn't felt the need to get up extra early for fitness.

Lilly eyed the agent. Somehow, he looked nervous, uncomfortable even. It couldn't have been the two sentences she had just said. Wondering if he wanted to talk about it, she turned to close his office door. Looking back, Booth still looked a lot tenser than normal. "How have you been doing this last week? She knew it could open a can of worms they had been trying to avoid ever since that Friday mid-morning. But it would have to come up sometime anyway.

Booth met her observing eyes for just a second before looking back to his screen, pretending to do an urgent task. "Same old same old really." He managed to squeeze out another short smile.

Lilly huffed. "Yeah nice try, don't lie, it isn't a good look on you."

Damn her and her Sweets like skills. They locked eyes and Booth hoped that the classic annoyed stare down would make her leave the matter alone. It usually worked on the original Sweets. When her dead stare matched his, he gave up. "Okay, honestly? I am getting tired of still not being past Hannah. I am tired of feeling angry, sad, so doubtful about myself. I just... I just want to feel happy again you know? I just want to forget this about this whole shitty situation. To be ready for another relationship. Hopefully this time a successful, long time, permanent, one."

Lilly nodded, partly wondering what he meant by the shitty situation. Did that include them or did it not? "Alright. How did you deal with this in the past?" It was another practical comment from the intern, but she figured since they had already perused the more emotional reasons and whys there was no use in going down that road again.

Booth took a second to think. "After Becca and I broke it off I ran back to the army. Other than that, usually getting my heart broken by the next woman." He thought about the marine woman, Catherine Bryar, who had so warmly welcomed him to her bed until she kicked him out for moving forward to fast.

"Have you talked about this with Dr. Sweets?"

Booth looked at her like she was insane. "NO, he's already way too deep up in my business."

Lilly nodded. Deciding to back off a little. "Okay. Have you thought about the fact that this might not even be about this Hannah anymore? Like, maybe there is something else, relationship related bothering you. You have told me about you being worried nobody finds you worthy enough to spend their lives with you. I mean, and I am not a shrink, but that could be like one of those more deeply rooted problems..."

Booth rubbed his face with his palms. "I don't know, but it is tiring. It is like my mind is locked on that same loop of negativity."

Lilly nodded. "I wish I could help, but honestly, I don't know if I can, I mean it sounds really awful and I can see the hurt in your eyes."

Immediately Booth looked away from her well-intended pity. "How did you get over your last break up?" Booth returned the question.

"I think I already told you that." Lilly let her grin die out before she continued. "Also, maybe I partly didn't get over it? I just dove into my work and studies. Like if I couldn't have love I could at least have success on a different part of my life."

Booth smiled dryly. Silently telling her he thought he was doing more than fine in his professional life.

Nodding, Lilly gave a small apologetic shrug. "I am sorry, that is all I know about my own coping mechanisms. Have you asked the rest of the team how they deal with broken heart syndrome?"

Booth shook his head, signaling the negative. "There is no use in asking when I already know theirs. Angela goes out looking for a meaningful sexual connection that will last for about a weekend, half a week at most. Bones, on the other hand, digs a hole big enough for herself and her personal issues, telling the world it is to find human remains instead of burying human emotions. Cam and Hodgins go on a shopping spread. Hodgins for a new car and Cam for whatever she finds."

Lilly smiled at Booth's spot-on analysis. "So, have you tried shopping yet?" She asked, to try and keep the conversation light.

Again, Booth shook his head. "I wish it was that simple but it isn't, you were right about that." He sighed again. "I am not a patient man, not patient enough to deal with my emotional shit. I am a hands-on guy, you know. Problem? Find a solution and fix it. But apparently, I can't seem to fix this."

"I am sure you will", Lilly said.

Ready to change the subject Booth decided to move the conversation in a different direction. "Why were you at the Hoover anyways?"

"Well, your boss called me in." Lilly saw the color drain from his face.

"Why?" He managed to get out through a closed throat without giving into the need to throw up.

"Omg not about what I think you are thinking. Lilly quickly reassured him, stumbling a little to get the words out. "I admitted some paperwork under the Privacy Act and apparently being a government intern is enough to get you on the file pile on Hacker's desk. So, we just chatted about that. He seems nicer than I had put him down for. He just seems so slick."

Booth looked at Lilly, slightly amused at the shudder that went through her. "You admitted paperwork under the Act? Why?"

"Because I can. Dr. Hodgins and I discussed it and I was curious what the FBI would come up with and give out about me when I asked."

Booth shook his head a smile was slowly appearing. "You're spending too much time with Hodgins." He practically sing-sang.

"Oh no, don't you start with that again. I send out that paper about six weeks ago, which I'll admit was around that same time when you thought it was necessary to make me suffer at the gym, but I just promised to go back to working out with you." Lilly pleaded Booth not to make her suffer again.

Booth grinned. "Don't worry, you can have workout free mornings until they fix everything."

Lilly looked up him. "Fix everything? Does that mean they've already reopened?" It didn't feel like the agent to postpone returning to the gym after it had been closed long enough for her to forget what all the equipment was for. From what she had learned skipping a workout was damn close to being a sin according to Booth. Aside from that, a work out would be the perfect way for him to at least temporarily forget his sorrows.

"Yeah, starting tomorrow, but..." Booth squirmed in his seat uncomfortably. "The locker rooms are still shared until next week and I didn't want you to think I was asking you for anything else than a workout."

Lilly nodded. "I understand. I.. uhm... " Suddenly she was feeling about as uncomfortable as Booth was. Now they really needed to discuss it. "Does that mean you made a decision?"

Booth shrugged. "You didn't? I thought there actually was only one obvious choice."

The surprise in Booth's voice made Lilly smile. "Are there ever any obvious choices when it comes to relationships? Look, I am not good at making these kinds of decisions." She fell silent to gather her thoughts but found that putting her elaborate thoughts on the subject that had passed through her mind the last couple of days into words was a lot harder than she had expected. "I am used to having people trying to hunt me down, but I hadn't let anyone catch up with me in a long time." Again she paused. "I've been thinking a lot about that for the last couple of days, actually. Maybe my way of coping wasn't only to work my butt off, but also to shut out every signal that could possibly end in a date. I guess it is time for me to work through that. But as for making this decision. I kind of didn't know how to. So, in the end, I chickened out and my decision was to let you decide. I've also have been thinking about image issues when coworkers are in a relationship. Like, if we would continue, but I came to the conclusion that image issues are other people's problem."

Before Lilly finished her internal debate if this would be the right time for her to tell Booth that she thought she had a more than a friendly connection with someone else, Booth surprised her.

"Not giving a fuck is always a good attitude." He had a grin on his face, knowing the way he worded his agreement with her determination to not give a damn would knock her off her game a little.

Lilly's eyes got a little bigger at the swear word. So far, she had never heard him curse unless he was interrogating someone or was angry. "Did you just say...?"

"Hey, I am an adult, I can swear." He let his grin fade before he continued. "But about us. Well... as much as it would stroke my ego. I think we would be better off just being friends and coworkers. I don't want to complicate things any further. I don't need a web of complications where I try to get over my anger and insecurities through the wrong ways."

Lilly nodded. "That's cool. I agree that would be best."

"Also, I don't want to taint your cheeriness or your happy bubbly personality," Booth added in a softer voice.

Startled at those words of insecurity, Lilly squinted her eyes at agent Booth. "What do you mean that, by tainting my personality?"

Booth sighed, regretting that he hadn't swallowed those words. "It is complicated. Hell, we've already established that. My history is filled with odd things and when people are in a committed relationship those things are bound to seep out and into that relationship."

"Wow, you make that sound pretty dark," Lilly said, thinking about what he was trying to say. A relationship? They weren't talking about their tumble and associated complications anymore.

He smiled a sad, barely-there smile. "See I am already tainting you." I already corrupted your body, protect yourself so I won't get to your mind.

Lilly irked an eyebrow. For the first time, she was almost annoyed by his self-loathing. "Booth, you aren't some soul-eating monster. Did your ex ever tell you something of the sort?"

He laughed dryly. "That is a good one, but no. She didn't stick around long enough to learn about anything from before me becoming a fed."

Lilly fell silent, wrecking her brain as she tried to catch onto what Booth was or wasn't trying to tell her. "Is that what you are worried about? That no one will like you if they get to know you and your history?"

Sometimes it took Lilly a little prodding, but she always managed to find the sore spot, however gentle her approach it still startled him when she found it. He wanted to deny it because it sounded so weak to him but he didn´t expect her to buy that. "I guess." He curtly said.

Instantly she replied. "You know that is just wrong, don't you? From the moment I met you I knew you were a good person. It is just how that works for me, you know? I'll know within 10 seconds if I am going to like someone or not. So, unless you are some sort of psychopath with a second personality which is a really awful one, there is no way I am wrong about that." Lilly smiled at how arrogant that made her sound. "Sorry that didn't come out perfectly, but I am very convinced you are a great guy. Apart from my opinion, the fact that the squint squad likes you means something, too right?"

"Sure, it means something, but it has nothing to do with my personal relationships."

"I disagree", Lilly quickly interjected. "No one hangs around a soul-sucking monster if they can help it. You and Dr. Brennan have been working together for like forever and how long ago did you meet, Dr. Saroyan? Even Caroline likes you and she is hard to sell on like 99.9% of people. It sucks seeing you like this. All down on your luck."

Booth stayed silent.

"When was the last time you did something just for fun? You should call a friend and go to the movies with them sometime this week, maybe on the weekend. Make it a comedy. You need some careless laughter."

"Oh and that will fix all my problems, Dr. Johnson?" Booth said dryly.

"No, probably not, but it will make you laugh for an hour or two and hopefully distract you. I've read that laughing even when someone isn't feeling like it releases serotonin or endorphins and will still make you feel better."

Despite himself, he smiled at her squintyness. "I've heard about that before. I think I'll take that advice, it's been a long time since I've seen a good movie."

"Good", Lilly said, content that he was going to do something other than work and worry. "Now let me get out of your hair so you'll actually have time to catch that movie later."

A/N: I wanted to ease some of the worried FanFictionFans out here by showing this conversation between Booth and Lilly and their ultimate decision. Does that mean we are out of the woods, as in no more complications? Of course not XD, that would be way too easy. Oh, and the Privacy Act of 1974 really exists; according to Wikipedia haha. Reviews are always appreciated :). For now: over and out!