Chapter 14

The next day Booth had to go to work. So with a guard at the door and a quick kiss for Bones he left. Two hours later there was a knock at the door.

"Dr Brennan?" It was one of the agents assigned to her.

"Yes, Frank?"

"You have a visitor. He says his name is Sullivan."

Brennan looked up in surprise. "Let him in, please." She didn't know what to think of this unexpected visit.

Sully walked in with a nervous smile on his face. "Hi, tem…I mean Brennan. How are you? That's a stupid question. Sorry, I'm nervous. I wasn't sure you'd see me. I heard what happened on the news. I just had to see you to apologize for what happened at your house that day. I shouldn't have just barged in on you like that and I am sorry for the way I freaked out on you. I was just surprised by the whole Booth thing and I overreacted. Can you forgive me?"

Brennan watched his face closely throughout his speech (which he had obviously practiced) trying to see what Booth would never miss. The subtle changes. Any hitches in his breath. (How did Booth do it!?!) He seemed to be telling the truth.

"It's okay, Sully. I forgive you."

"You do! Oh, thank goodness."

"So, how was Florida?"

He answered enthusiastically. They set there chatting about the last year of their lives for nearly two hours. Then Sully left with a promise to see her soon.

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Meanwhile back at FBI headquarters' Booth was being called into Cullen's office. Booth knocked and was immediately granted permission to enter. Booth entered closing the door behind him.

"You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, please have a seat." Booth sat across from Cullen

Cullen sighed, templed his hands in front of him and looked Booth in the eye.

"Booth, there's no easy way to say this so I am just going to say it. I am reassigning you."

"Excuse me?" Booth wasn't sure he had heard him correctly.

"I will be reassigning you and putting a different agent with the Jeffersonian."

"No, you can't be serious."

"I assure you I am. You are both distracted when you are together. You nearly lost it when she was taken and don't think it went past my notice that she was returned the day after you were taken off the case."

"Are you saying that the reason she was returned was that I was no longer on the case?"

"I think that is fairly obvious."

"Well, than that helps. Not many people could have known I had been reassigned. That helps us narrow down the suspect list."

"Normally it would, but when were leaving my office you slammed the door so hard the glass broke and you were yelling so much that the whole building knew about it before you hit the parking lot."

That took some of the wind out of Booth's sails. He seemed to deflate right there. "Was I really that loud?"

"Do you want me to play you the security tapes?"

"That won't be necessary." Booth replied with a grimace. "So, who is getting the Jeffersonian?"

"I have one agent who has just returned from extended leave." Booth felt a moment of dread. "He is the only one adequately qualified who is not already assigned somewhere." 'he couldn't mean' Booth thought. "Special Agent Sullivan."

"No!" Booth stated. "He is not right for the position. He practically attacked Bones just two weeks ago and now you want to assign him to her. Absolutely not. If anything he should be one of the suspects in her disappearance.

"That is ridiculous. I talked to Sully about that when I heard and he told me it was all a misunderstanding and I believe him. My mind is made up about this. You will be receiving your new orders tomorrow. Now you are excused."

"But sir, I really think…"

"I said you are excused."

Booth walked out trying to control his temper. He still slammed the door on the way out, but at least the glass didn't break this time.

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Booth raced all the way to the hospital. He just had to see her. He rounded the corner to her hall pleased to see the guards still standing outside her door.

"Hey, Frank. John." He greeted the agents. "How were things?"

"Pretty quit. She had one visit that lasted about two hours, but that's about it."

"Let me guess. Angela." Booth smiled.

"No, Agent Sullivan."

"WHAT! Sully was here."

The guards looked worried. "Yes. Should he not have been?"

Booth was confused. "You said he was in the room for two hours?"

"Yes, sir." They both answered.

"I guess I'll just ask her about it. I'm here now so you two can go home."

"Thank you sir." They leaned in the room to say good-bye to Brennan and then headed down the hall.

Booth walked across the room and kissed Bones before taking the seat next to her bed.

"So, how was your day?" Brennan asked with a smile.

"Oh, no, lets start with your day. We can talk about mine later. I heard Sully was here." Booth searched her face for any signs of Sully bothering her, but there was none. She just smiled.

"Yes, he was here for a long time. That thing at the apartment was just a misunderstanding."

"Are you sure about that?" Booth asked. It was clear he was not sure.

"Yes. I am sure. He was just surprised by the turn of events. Which is understandable. Now tell me about your day." She looked at him waiting for tales of deskwork and striking fear into junior agents, but instead she got a shock to her system."

"I got called into Cullen's office today." This was going to be hard to say. He could barely stomach it himself.

"Oh, what did he want?" Brennan asked curiously.

"He wanted to inform me that I am being reassigned."

"What! Why? He can't do that. We're the best team he has. He can't actually mean to split us up. Did you tell him that?" Another thought occurred to Brennan, 'if they weren't working together would Booth tire of her?'

"I know, but he wouldn't listen to me. He has already assigned a new agent to the Jeffersonian."

"Who?"

"Sully." Booth stated simply.

"Sully is assigned to us?" Brennan let out a breath of relief

"Yes."

"Well, that could have been worse. At least I have worked with Sully before. We work well together. What about you?"

Booth was not pleased with her reaction to the news about Sully. "I will be getting my new orders tomorrow."

"Alright, so lets talk about something else."

Booth pulled out the cards from the bedside table and they sat about trying to distract themselves.