Yay chapter!! Sorry for the delay but work on the lab is becoming very tough and using all my time. Anyhow, thank you so much for the reviews, 10 000 hits, chapters allerts and so on... It makes me happy that people are actually reading the story!

Ana Reber: Since you didn't left any contact I'm replying to your review here. Thank you so much for it, you made me smile, I felt so happy with the nice words from you. To know how much people enjoy what I write, it's wonderfull! So, thanks for reading, liking it and spend a little time replying on it. I hope you enjoy this chapter too.

Hard Case

At this point she feared any possible human conversation, anything that could bring back those lovely moments she spent some nights ago. All she wanted to do was burry her mind in work and talk only to dead skeletons, the ones who would never reply back or look at her with pity in their ocular cavities.

She, more than anything, wanted to shut the entire world outside, never again be caught in feelings and ridiculous emotions, and stay forever in the safety of this office. That turned out to be impossible, as a soft knock on the door brought her from the trance and back to the unkind reality.

"Yes…?" Realising a deep sigh and turning her eyes to the door that was now being opened.

A brown haired head peered through the door, his face was as straight as a statue but what caught her out of breath were his eyes. They were full of sadness, nevertheless a smile played over his lips. Entering forward into the office he said as a matter of fact. "We have a new case, Bones! No more excuses."

Her eyes shot open in disbelief. "Excuses? What do you mean?" She said positively dodging his piercing gaze.

She grabbed her purse and forensic kit forcefully making way between him and her desk, moving towards the door. They had a case, it was imperative to stay professional.

"Are you coming?" she said looking over her shoulder to see the dumb folded agent still trying to catch up with her indifference. He turned to follow her out of the door, both moving in the direction of his SUV and the crime scene.

The car ride was filled with a loud silence, an agonizing sound entering their ears uncomfortably. From time to time, his eyes would rest in her direction being greeted by an expressionless face; her eyes were cold as ice looking straight ahead.

He hoped that she would say something, anything at all, for he didn't know what more he could say without being stabbed by the flying daggers coming out of her eyes. A simple word coming from her lips would send him to heaven. There was nothing. He could manage an angry Bones, he even missed their bickering around, their car arguments, the way she would struggle to have the last word driving him crazy all the while. Yes, he could have that any moment, but not this. This indifference coming from her, it hurt as a fiery hell burning down his soul.

Eventually the car stopped, without crossing a single word with her, or even a look. Finally they arrived to the crime scene abandoning the vehicle and walking towards a mess of police, yellow tape and irritating chattering, like so many times before.

Her pace was fast making her way between the cars and people and he found hard to accompany her.

"What's wrong with you, Temperance?" He asked perplexed with her manners, trying to have some insight on what was happening between them.

"Nothing is wrong with me." She said without looking in his face, dressing her hands in white gloves.

"It has to be. You have been avoiding me the past days. Not answering my calls, not being available to see me... please say something." He said a little too loudly, making everyone around aware of their presence.

"Booth, behave! This is a crime scene, not a place to chat." She sighed and approximated herself from the scene. They were in a small alley, there was a great container of toxic waste, and inside rested a what, she thought, once had been a full human body.

Pushing away his emotions, he almost immediately dressed the facade of professionalism.

"What do we have here?" Grabbing his small note book and a pen, preparing to write every word she would say.

"Male, late twenties… Caucasian. Most of the flesh has been burnt by the liquid he's immersing in. There are few bones remaining intact. That's as far as I can go. Bring this all to the Jeffersonian to be identified. My work here is done."

Removing the gloves from her slender fingers, she made way once again inside the car. He stood outside, talking to the other agents, making sure all the container and bones arrived safely at the laboratory, all the time absently looking at her.

'What is wrong with me?' her thoughts danced around her brain, now that she had some peace in the silent car. 'Why am I so irritated at him by not remembering?'

'Maybe, it's because you really meant what you said to him, Brennan.' Said an irritating voice in her brain. Sure she had said the words, and he had been drunk, but still, a deep part of her seemed to want him to remember.

'We're partners, we work together, and there is that stupid line he had drawn.' She released a frustrated sigh. 'Do I really love him?' She felt extremely annoyed at him… but especially at herself.

He walked over to the car, apparently all was arranged and soon she would be at the comfort of her lab not having to deal with the outside world. His pace was quiet but his shoulders were tense, she could see how much he was suffering with her actions just by looking at the dark circles of skin that appeared bellow his eyes.

'I am so sorry… I don't even know what's wrong with me.' She thought offering him a helpless look.

He then smiled faintly at her, turning the keys in the ignition and driving both back to the lab.

I'm a little sad about this story... I think I'm being a little too harsh on Booth's character... and there are so much more hards times in the next chapters, poor man. But hopefully a happy ending soon!

Please make a writer happy and review on the fic, I need some rubbing on the ego:P Thanks for reading.