(The Signs in the Silence)

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I don't own Bones, not even a little bit.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sitting in the Royal Diner, Booth stared at his cup of coffee without really seeing it. Not sure what was going on with her partner, Brennan reached her hand out and touched his hand. "Booth is something wrong?"

His thoughts interrupted, Booth looked up and gave her a sad smile. "I don't know . . . I was thinking about Samantha and how her parents just beat her because she's different . . . they kidnapped her because they wanted a child and when Samantha turned out to be deaf and she wasn't the perfect child they wanted they just beat her . . . It's sad . . . and I thought about you in Foster Care and how no one seemed to understand you and you suffered for it and . . . well, Bones I love you and it makes me sad to think that you were treated so badly and I want you to know that I will try my best to make you happy. It's what you deserve."

The sincerity of his words reaching into her and making her feel emotional, Brennan squeezed his hand and cleared her throat twice before she could speak. "Perhaps that is why we're drawn to each other Booth. We seem to understand each other better than anyone else. You suffered at the hands of your father and I was mistreated by my foster parents. It was terrible to live through, but it has given us insight into each other. It's true that Samantha was mistreated, but now she's been returned to her birth parents and she'll have the life she should have had. She will be loved now instead of hated."

Aware that he was causing her emotional pain, Booth patted her hand. "Sorry . . . sometimes I get a little depressed with the things we see especially when it comes to kids. I really hate it when kids are hurt . . . anyway, next week we can take our vacation. It's a pretty nice place and you like historical stuff, so we may be able to take a tour of Williamsburg . . . I'm glad that we're doing this . . . Moving forward."

Excited at the prospect of finally moving into a more intimate relationship with her partner, Brennan teased him. "And over that line."

"Yeah." He'd drawn that line between them to protect her and everyone else he cared about, or so he'd thought at the time, but now he realized that all he'd done was help build a wall between them that took years to bring down. "Yeah, no more lines or walls or draw bridges or anything else to keep us apart . . . You and me were made for each other. We understand each other and we're friends. I've never had a friend like you Bones and I want you to know that I hope we will always be friends. I know you don't like absolutes, but I just think that our kind of friendship can never end. It's something that will stay with us until the day we die."

Giving his hand another squeeze, Brennan withdrew her hand and reached for her coffee cup. "I believe our friendship is very strong, Booth. I'd like to think we may be friends forever. It seems that we have been through a lot and we're still together." Sipping her coffee, she paced the cup back down on the table. "I think it's possible we will always be friends too."

Amused that Brennan had to back into an absolute statement, Booth smiled. "Yeah and next week, we're going to be more than just friends, much more."

With a twinkle in her eyes, Brennan leaned forward and spoke softly. "And you're going to give me a full Booth meal instead of your snacks."

Slowly nodding his head. Booth leered at his girlfriend. "Oh yeah. Kissing is one thing, but well, I plan to mark my territory very thoroughly."

"I'm your territory?" She wanted to make sure she understood him completely. "Well, since you're my territory I will also mark you as well."

Guffawing, Booth patted her hand. "I almost can't wait Bones . . . almost can't wait." Excited Booth grinned. "God, once we get there I may not let you leave the room."

Amused, Brennan shook her head. "That was what I was thinking Booth. We really are on the same page you wanted us to be on."

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Word came that Brodsky was on the move again. He'd been sighted in Virginia and Booth knew that meant that he needed to postpone his and Brennan's vacation. "Look, Bones. I'm sorry. I know I told you that we were going away for a week, but we can't go right now. Brodsky has popped back up on radar and that can't be good. I need to find him before he kills anyone else."

She knew that Booth took everything Brodsky did personally and he needed to capture the assassin as soon as possible. "I understand, Booth. You served with him in the Army and he's broken his oath. You feel like he's betrayed everything you believe in and you want to stop him before he assassinates anyone else. I do understand and I agree. We can have our vacation after you've captured Brodsky."

Relieved that she understood, Booth moved from the open doorway of her office over to the chair in front of her desk. Once he was settled on the chair, he glanced at the empty hallway and then back at his partner. "I hate the idea of Brodsky using the skills he was taught by the Army to kill people for money. To kill for money . . . that's so far from where Brodsky started. Sure, he's killing very bad people, but he's still doing it for money and collateral damage . . . hell he doesn't give a damn about who else he kills either to get the job done . . . He was the best of the best and something got twisted inside of him. I'm pretty sure I could never do what he's doing, but a few months ago I would have sworn that Brodsky could never do what he's doing now. What pushed him? What made him do what he's doing? . . . It worries me that someone I considered so dedicated and honorable could turn into a murderer like that. I wonder what it would take to twist me like that . . . We're different people but we started in the same place . . . it just . . . worries me."

Shocked that Booth would even think such thoughts, Brennan stood up and moved around the desk. Standing over him, Brennan placed her hand on his shoulder. "Booth . . . you are the most honorable man I have ever met. There is no way that you could ever become like Brodsky. You are too good of a man to ever become that twisted. Brodsky is bad . . . for want of a better word, he's evil and you are most definitely not those things . . . You will capture Brodsky and you will end what he is doing. I have faith in you, Booth. And once he is captured, we will go away for a week and we will start the next phase of our relationship."

His hand resting on her hip, Booth smiled at her. "Thanks Bones. We'll get through this and when we do . . ."

"We're fine, Booth." She knew he had to do what needed to be done. She knew who he was and she never wanted him to change that. "We're fine." Leaning over, she kissed him. "In the mean time, I can enjoy more of your snacks."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

That evening, Booth started to wonder what was wrong with him. He and Brennan were in the middle of some very intense kissing and he knew that if they kept it up, they'd cross that line and quickly. He wanted their first time to be special, but her touches were so exciting and he realized that he really didn't want to wait. It wasn't fair to Brennan to keep putting off their final step because of his obsession with his former friend and yet he wanted to show her just how special she was to him.

His feelings torn, Booth broke from another breathless kiss, placed his hands on the side of her face and smiled. "The hell with Brodsky, Bones." Giving her one more kiss, he shook his head. "The hell with waiting and murderers and psychopaths and the hell with my job. The world will always find ways to stop us if we let it. I want you and you want me. I want to go to Williamsburg with you tomorrow."

Thrilled that Booth actually felt that way, Brennan moved her hands up his sides, moving his t-shirt with them. "I don't need Williamsburg Booth. Williamsburg is your idea. We can do a vacation some other time. We can stay right here and finally do what we've been waiting for. Williamsburg is just the icing on our . . . um, cupcake? . . . Cake . . . whatever it's supposed to be, Booth . . . it's not necessary. I want the cake. I don't need the icing."

Surprised that she'd used a metaphor, Booth chuckled. "Oh so you want to move right to dessert and skip the meal? You might regret that decision."

Unable to stop herself, Brennan giggled. "Maybe you're right, first this Booth meal you've told me about and then dessert."

When she pushed his shirt further up, Booth helped her by grabbing the back of his shirt and pulled it over his head. Tossing the shirt over his shoulder, Booth pulled her against him. "It was getting a little warm in here." His hands finding the buttons on her blouse, Booth tried to kiss her while he fumbled with the buttons.

Too slow for her liking, Brennan unbuttoned the top two buttons and drew the shirt over her head. "I should have worn a knit blouse. Buttons can be so inconvenient."

His eyes now mesmerized by her lacy cream colored bra and what it contained, Booth moved his hands to touch her when his phone rang. Furious, he grabbed it from the coffee table. "What the hell do you want?"

Listen Cher', just because I'm interrupting one of your games is no reason for you to answer the phone like that.

Embarrassed that he'd spoke to Caroline like that, Booth shook his head at Brennan as she unzipped his pants. Standing, he moved the phone to his other hand. "I'm sorry, Caroline . . . I have a headache. I didn't mean to be rude like that. Sorry."

Well, that's okay then. It looks like Brodsky has killed someone else. A body was found in an apartment belonging to a congressional aide and once the District Police had a chance to get to the crime scene they realized that it was a hit and it wasn't the aide. It was Congressman Tiller. They contacted the FBI and Hacker had some techs check it out. They think this was Brodsky. He's here in the District or at least he was and he's crossed a big red line. I'm getting calls from every congressman and congresswoman in town and they're scared shitless. Get in here as quickly as you can. We need to find Brodsky before he kills some else . . . like a senator.

Resigned that he had to go back to the Hoover, Booth grabbed his shirt from the floor. "Alright. I'm on my way." Ending his call, he turned to Brennan and explained what was going on.

Pulling her blouse back on, Brennan stood up. "I'll drive over to the Hoover and wait for the body to be brought there."

His pants now zipped back up, Booth moved closer to Brennan. "I'm sorry, Bones. I'm so sorry."

Brennan knew that they would have to wait and she was fine with that. "Don't worry Booth. This is important too." Moving over to the dining room table, she picked up her purse. "We both have an incentive to find Brodsky as quickly as we can and we will. He's not going to get away from us this time."

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That damn phone. How many times have you wanted to throw Booth's phone away? Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.