Rating: PG-ish?

Pairing: Booth/Cam, Booth/Brennan-ish

Author's Note: Well, I want to thank everyone who has reviewed because I can honestly say I have never received that many reviews for one of my fics in such a short time. Thank you. This chapter turned out slightly different than what I was aiming for. I blame it on the pain pills advil, tylenol, and motrin all at once and the minor head trauma.

Dedication: This is dedicated to Ems and Jenny. I hope she feels better soon and you better keep me updated on her condition Ems!

Booth swallowed, unsure why the fact that his current girlfriend finding his partner here made him feel unsure and nervous. Maybe it was because Tessa had left him for the same reason, the fact that he spent more time with Brennan than he had with her. Cam was starting to complain about it now as well but try as he might he couldn't keep away from the forensic anthropologist. Even if they didn't have a case he always managed to either drop by the lab for follow-ups, easier now to just say he was visiting Cam and disappearing to find Brennan after five or ten minutes, or to arrange for dinner at Wong Foo's.

Brennan was obviously feeling the strain because she shifted again, toying absently with a loose thread on his shirt and his eyes were automatically drawn to the movement before he quickly returned them to Cam. She still wasn't smiling, simply letting her eyes drift between their various states of dress before locking onto Booth, silently asking the questions he had expected. So he did what every guy in this type of situation would do:

He changed the subject.

"So, Cam, what are you doing here at," he glanced over her head at the clock, "seven in the morning?"

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "I was simply coming over to see why my boyfriend," her eyes darted to Brennan at the stressed word, "had missed a previous dinner engagement with me. I can see why now."

"Cam..."

"And to see if said boyfriend wanted to go out for breakfast," she added. He opened his mouth to respond but Brennan beat him to it.

"Sounds great," Brennan replied and both Cam and Booth looked over at her. "You two should go out. I have a ton of work at the lab and I'm already late enough as it is. I'm just going to um...I'm going to go change," she mumbled, turning and leaving before either of them could say anything further.

Cam turned to him then, arms crossed tightly over her chest as she watched him. "Seeley?"

"I didn't expect you. I'm sorry I missed dinner."

"That's supposed to make me feel better?" she demanded, staring at him. "Why is she here Seeley?"

"Look, I can explain..." He stopped, glancing up as Brennan appeared again, looking nervous and flustered. Her hands were fluttering around distractedly, toying with her hair, tugging at the shirt she was wearing, his shirt he noticed. "Bones?"

"My shirt's still wet," she replied. "Can I borrow it? I'll wash it and give it to you later, I promise," she told him. She glanced at Cam. "Should I tell them your going to be late?"

"Yes," Cam replied, eyeing her. Brennan nodded, side stepping quickly and hurrying to the door but Booth grabbed her arm.

"Do you need a ride?"

She hesitated a moment, glancing between Cam and her partner. She didn't want to cause any more tension than she already had but it would be a long walk. "It's not far."

"The hell it isn't Bones."

"I'll be fine Booth. Have a good breakfast." She turned, slipping out the still open door and pulling it shut behind her before walking leisurely down the sidewalk. She could always try and catch a cab she reasoned.

Brennan sighed as she shrugged on her lab coat. She had ended up catching a cab, not bothering to go home to change, not bothering to shower since last night. She groaned, rubbing her eyes as her office door was thrown open enthusiastically. She didn't bother looking up, only one person would be that enthusiastic to enter her office.

"So, sweetie, I called your house last night," Angela said as she closed the door behind her. "And guess what? There was no answer. Now why was that?"

"Please Ange? Not now, later?"

She turned to her friend hopefully, wanting her to get the hint and drop the whole subject and let her go about her job. This way she could shove all thoughts of Booth, Cam, last night, and this morning out of her mind. Not to mention forget about the case they had been on as well. No such luck it seemed.

"Sweetie," Angela gasped, grinning wider. "Are you wearing a shirt that belongs to a certain FBI agent who we all know so well?"

"Angela, please?"

"You are! Oh honey, I want details!" Angela exclaimed. She dropped onto the couch, grinning widely at Brennan. "Come on, you can't show up to work wearing a guy's shirt and not tell your best friend all the wicked details that entitled you to that shirt."

Brennan sighed, going over and sitting next to her, knowing there really wasn't anything she could do at this point to dissuade her friend from pestering her until she eventually told her everything. Or mostly everything. "It's really nothing that interesting," she said.

"Showing up wearing one of Booth's shirts isn't interesting? Spill Brennan and quit beating around the bush."

"I don't know what that means."

"It means quit side-stepping the issue and hoping it'll go away. Tackle it head on. Now, spill, tell me everything. Every steamy little detail you can remember, and you better remember a lot of them."

"Alright. Booth and I were on a case and it got a little out of hand."

"The case or you and Booth?"

"Angela!"

"Okay, okay, I'm shutting up."

"The case. Anyway, we caught the guy and it was pouring when we left so of course we got wet, both before and after we left."

"Please, sweetie, tell me you kissed in the rain because that is always so hot."

"I won't continue if you don't quit." When the artist made no response Brennan sighed heavily, sinking into the back of the couch. "We didn't kiss. We're partners Angela, that's all. Anyway, Booth was taking me home but there was an accident so we went to his place to wait until it could clear. He gave me a change of clothes because mine were soaked and he changed as well. Then he made ice cream sundaes and we ate them in his living room and watched tv. It was this movie, The Princess Bride? It was illogical but funny. He fell asleep and then I did. When I woke up it was today."

"That doesn't explain why you're still wearing his shirt."

"Well, I offered to make breakfast because he isn't really a morning person but while I was searching for the frying pan Cam came and she didn't seem all that happy to find me there."

"Wonder why," Angela muttered. "Go on."

"So she mentioned something about him missing dinner and she wanted to go out to breakfast so I told them to go and I went and changed. Only I had forgotten to put my clothes in the dryer so only my pants were dry. He said I could wear his shirt and I left them. I didn't want to get in their way. Booth doesn't have much luck with relationships and I don't want to be the cause of ending one of them."

"Bren, honey," Angela said, looking at her. Brennan turned, looking at her friend curiously. "You do realize that what Cam and Booth are doing...it isn't really a relationship? It's just sex."

"Then why was she so upset?"

"I don't know sweetie, maybe because she's worried you're going to steal the hunky FBI-man away from her." At Brennan's blank look Angela sighed, shaking her head. "Forget it Bren, just forget it," she said, wrapping an arm around her friend's shoulders.

Booth picked at the eggs and pancakes on his plate, not really that hungry all of a sudden, he couldn't help but feel bad for not giving Brennan a lift to her apartment or to the Jeffersonian or wherever she was going. Cam was silent across from him, still waiting for him to explain himself and Brennan's appearance at his apartment. He knew he shouldn't mind explaining, after all it wasn't a very big deal.

"Are you going to tell me why she was there?" Cam asked, eyeing his untouched food.

He took a drink of milk, setting the glass back down carefully, and poking once more at the soggy pancake. Too much butter and syrup he decided. "Cam, trust me, nothing was going on."

"Why was she there?"

"She spent the night." He winced as soon as the words were out of his mouth, mentally slapping his forehead and Cam's eyes narrowed slightly over the coffee mug she was drinking from. "What I meant is, we had a case and it was late so she stayed at my place because there was an accident near hers."

"And she was wearing your clothes because they were more comfortable."

"No. Because hers were soaked through." He glared at her. "Why are you acting so paranoid anyway?" he asked.

"Acting paranoid? Seeley you're my boyfriend and your partner knows more about you than I do! How do you think that makes me feel?" she demanded. He glanced around at the other diners before returning his gaze to Cam.

"It's a partnership Cam, we need to trust each other."

"Are you referring to our relationship or yours and Brennan's?" she asked, voice icy. She took a deep breath, stirring her coffee over and over, the spoon scraping against the sides of the mug.

"I'm referring to my partnership with Brennan. Cam, I understand where you're going with this, really, I do," he said. He did know. Tessa had told him the exact same thing before she'd slammed the door behind her. "Think about it though, if Bones was a guy and my partner nothing would be different," everything would be different, "you just wouldn't think it was strange. Because we need to trust each other in this line of work."

"No, if Brennan was a guy I'd think you were gay then. Nothing would change Seeley!" she exclaimed, slamming her spoon down on the table. He winced as the other diners gave them curious looks. "The fact is you spend too much time with her. We had something once Seeley, don't tell me that it's gone."

"Maybe we never had anything," he replied. He clenched his fists under the table, wondering momentarily where his brain was and who or what was controlling his mouth. Of course they had something. Once. Long ago. Before he had met Doctor Temperance Brennan. He opened his mouth to respond, to try and make amends before the shock wore off her stunned face but his cell rang and he grabbed it quickly, thankful despite himself that it had saved him some unpleasant apologizing. "Booth."

"I think you should get down here."

"What? Bones, what is it." He saw her eyes narrow and turned away, looking out the window they were sitting next to and hoping it was obvious he was trying to get a better signal.

"You have to see it for yourself." A pause. "Oh, am I interrupting your breakfast? I'm sorry.."

"I'll be there as soon as I can." He closed the phone, looking at Cam who looked angrier than he had seen her before. "Cam..."

"Just go."

"Aren't you...?"

"No. I'll get a cab or something. Go."

He felt he should have hesitated, should have insisted, but all he did was put money down for his meal and grab his jacket, already heading for the door. It wasn't slamming this time, but the message was clear nonetheless. It was over.

"Alright, want to tell me what I'm looking at?"

"That is a third phalange of a left foot. Presumably a female but that's only a hypothesis."

"And in human speak?"

"It's the middle toe of a left foot, I'm guessing a female based on bone density and structure."

"From our victim?" he asked, gesturing to the table where the remains of fifteen-year-old Sally White were being gone over by Zack.

"No. Her third phalange is there, this is extra. This belongs to someone else."

"What?"

She looked up at him, pushing some auburn hair out of her face and he noticed the bandage again, wincing as he noticed it. She raised an eyebrow but he ignored her, turning his attention instead to the toe she held in her hand.

"How can you tell? It looks just like the other bones. Maybe it's a different phal...toe?" She glared at him and he held his hands up in mock-surrender. The last thing he wanted was Bones on his case today as well. "Sorry, never mind. I trust you."

"Thank-you." She set the bone down on a plastic tray and turned her attention back to him, chewing her lip between her teeth, looking uncertain. He didn't like it when she wasn't certain about something.

"Bones?"

"You realize what this means, don't you?" she asked softly.

"No, not really," he lied. He didn't want to know what it meant because what he thought it meant was something he knew neither of them wanted to think about. It meant they had to go and talk to Valdez and by talk he knew that meant interrogate and threaten until he got what he wanted and to keep Brennan as far from him as possible. No, he did not want to realize what this meant.

"Booth, are you listening to me?"

He jerked a bit and sent her an apologetic look. "What was that?"

"I said, this means we have someone else we need to be searching for. And..." she hesitated a moment, "based on the skin fragments taken from it. She might still be alive Booth."

"Shit."

"What?"

"Nothing, never mind." He turned away from the table, running a hand over his face. She walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder and he winced as the mostly forgotten pain raced through his veins. Her hand moved away quickly and he turned back to her, managing a small smile when he saw the worried look on her face. "Look, I'm going to go to the jail and talk to Valdez. You stay here and do whatever it is you do and see if you can find out anything else, okay?"

"What? No, Booth!" She hurriedly stripped off her gloves, following him as he headed for the stairs. "Booth, no, I'm coming with you!" She grabbed his arm and used the momentum to spin him to face her. "Please, I'll make sure...I'll be fine."

"Bones."

"No Booth. We're partners remember? You're not backing out on me now."

"Agent Booth. Ah, doctor Brennan." A smile lit up Javier Valdez's face when he saw Brennan enter the room and Booth clenched his fist. "To what do I owe the pleasure of such enticing company?"

"Cool it Valdez," Booth growled, slipping easily in front of Brennan, blocking her mostly from sight. Valdez glared but remained seated, fingers drumming against the tabletop. Booth noticed, with some small amount of satisfaction, that Valdez's shoulder was bandaged, as well as his head, and he didn't seem to be as smug as last night.

"We found the phalange."

"The what?"

Brennan rolled her eyes. "The toe," she simplified. Her eyes narrowed as Valdez's grin widened. "What's her name?"

"You should know I don't give anything away easily." His eyes flickered to the bandage peeking through her hair and the bruises on her face. "Give me something and I'll tell you."

"Her name Valdez," Booth growled, glaring at him.

"Agent, it's rude to interrupt a conversation, didn't you learn that when you were younger? Doctor Brennan and I were discussing something here if you'll excuse us."

"Doctor Brennan is my partner, you'll treat her with respect."

"Wasn't I doing that?" He flashed her a grin and she looked away from the rotting teeth. "Now doctor Brennan, can I call you Temperance? I read all your books..."

"That's enough Valdez." Booth walked around the table, dropping a hand heavily onto the injured shoulder and Valdez hissed between his teeth. "Now, give us the girl's name."

"Not nice agent." He gasped as the pressure increased and glared at the agent standing over him. "Mara."

"Mara what?"

"That's all you'll get if I can't talk to the good doctor on my own."

"Try again." Brennan watched the exchange impassively, watched Booth increase the pressure again and Valdez grumble and moan, but the inmate didn't give the last name and Booth lost patience, doing a quick move, probably learned from being a Ranger, and left Valdez gasping and clutching his shoulder. "We're done here," Booth said.

He returned to Brennan, ushering her out the door, a hand pressed firmly to the small of her back. She didn't realize she was trembling until they were in the parking lot and he had stopped them, pulling her into a quick hug. "I'm fine Booth."

"It's okay to be upset you know."

"I know, but I'm fine." She took a deep breath before stepping away and looking at him. "What now?" she asked softly.

"Now? We look for a missing person report on a teenaged girl named Mara something." He looked at her, noticed the pale complexion and drawn features and offered her a smile. "Bones, you can sit this one out."

"No, I want to find her Booth."

She looked up in surprise as he entered her office without a knock, then again, she was almost used to it now. He offered her a tentative smile and grabbed her jacket, walking over to her. "Come on Bones, time to go home," he murmured, pulling her to her feet.

She groaned, rubbing her aching muscles. She had been pouring over the case files of the past victims, Zack's notes, and she hadn't even started on Jack's findings. "I have a lot to do," she protested.

"I know, but you need sleep. I know you're tired, come on."

He led her out of the Institute and to the SUV parked in the nearly deserted parking lot, opening the door and helping her inside. He gave her another smile before closing the door and going around to get in on the driver's side. She was quiet as he started the car and he looked over at her, wondering if she had already fallen asleep.

"Have you found out who she was?"

"Is. Yes. Mara Kirkpatrick. I'll be visiting her family tomorrow," he replied, not letting on that she had startled him.

"Can I come?"

"Do you want to?"

"Booth, there isn't much I can do with only one phalange. Zack can manage that and Hodgins is really the one who needs to get the insect life and..."

"I get it Bones, I get it," Booth replied quietly. He pulled up in front of her apartment building and she smiled at him.

"Thanks," she yawned, grabbing her jacket and bag, standing shakily. He raised an eyebrow as she almost fell closing the door before turning the car off and going around, helping her. He locked the door as they entered the building. "You don't have to do this."

"You think I want you to fall and kill yourself before getting to your apartment?"

"I wouldn't kill myself, unless it was from somewhere high," she replied. He rolled his eyes, escorting her to her room and she sighed as she managed to unlock the door, stifling another yawn. "Do you want to come in for a moment?"

"Sure," he replied. He followed her in, dropping his jacket on the back of the sofa and she smiled at him. "You got a tv?"

"Yeah. Last week." He grinned at her and she smiled back. "I don't have the full fixings, but...do you want some ice cream?"

He laughed. "Sure, sounds good." She smiled, rubbing her back and he smiled as well. "Go get changed into something more comfortable than pants you've worn for two or three days and one of my old shirts. I'll get the ice cream ready."

"Sounds...great." She shot him another smile before disappearing into the back and he made his way into her kitchen, eyeing the replaced refrigerator cautiously before pulling out the ice cream, slicing a couple of bananas, and finding chocolate syrup in the door. It was ready when she came back in sweat pants and...

"You're still wearing my shirt?"

She blushed, looking at the bowls of ice cream, then her feet. "Yeah, well, it is pretty comfortable," she mumbled, grabbing her bowl and spoon hurriedly when he laughed. "Shut-up." He followed her into the living room and they sank down onto the couch. "I don't know what usually plays so you can pick whatever you want."

"Sure," he replied, channel surfing. "Satellite? You have satellite and you don't watch tv?" he asked incredulously.

"The guy said it was the best."

"You really do amaze me sometimes Bones," he mumbled, hooking an arm around her. She only smiled, leaning into him.