Chapter 3
Realization
Brennan wasn't sure what she was going to say. All she knew was that she needed to talk to him. And that's how she had ended up here, at ten thirty at night, standing on her partner's front step.
She was cold. She was tired because she had been working all day straight, without stopping. Hungry because she had just kept working, forgetting to eat. Worried that she had hurt he partner. Afraid that he wouldn't forgive. Confused as to why he was even mad at her. Lonely because with out him she was…empty.
So there she stood, waiting on his front steps, trying to make herself ring the doorbell. His neighbors probably thought she was crazy. She had been walking up to his step and turning around only to go back again and repeat this process numerous times. She'd only been there for five minutes but to her it had felt like a half an hour at least.
She was walking back down the driveway when the picture of the little boy's bones on her examination popped into her head along with a picture of Parker, Booth's son. If anything do it for the little boy, do it for Parker so that he doesn't end up like that. She turned around and walked to the door.
As she approached, she thought of all the facts that they had come up with today. Angela hadn't been able to give the boy a face because the skull was deteriorating. The boy had a disease that had caused his bones to slowly deteriorate; it was a rare disease. So although they didn't have a face, they were able to narrow the search down extensively. And Hodgins had been able to determine a selective area in a town not far from D.C. where the boy was killed due to various dirt and pollen on his body. From there they could narrow the search even more. And that had left them with three candidates who could possibly be the boy back at the lab.
Now she just needed to get up the courage to talk to Booth. Maybe I should just call Sam instead. She started to turn away, but thought of how that would just make things worse with Booth made her stop. After all, they were partners, so she should tell him first.
With that she lifted her hand and knocked on the door three times.
Booth walked out of his bedroom. With the sound of the shower in the background he had barely heard it, but he had heard it none the less. So he headed down the hall, looking at the clock on the vcr as he passed his living room. Seeing the time, he stopped and wondered who would be knocking at this time of the night.
Not bothering to look out the little peep-hole to see who it was, Booth opened the door to the chilly night air, suddenly regretting it.
Standing on his front step was the woman who he had spent all afternoon and all evening trying to get out of his head. And of course, here she was. He was still mad at her, but had decided that he was definitely more than mad at himself, which was why he hadn't been able to face her.
Brennan turned around about to walk away seeing as how no one was answering when the door opened. She looked back and saw Booth standing at the door with nothing but some pajama pants on, looking very cold in the night air.
Figuring it would be better to talk inside, she pushed her way in past him. She walked into his living room and turned to face him. He just stood there in shock. Why is she even here? And then it hit him, Oh God, she can't be here right now!
As Booth came closer to her she fully noticed for the first time his lack of shirt. She gazed at his chest, the fine tuned, well toned muscles that defined themselves as he reached up and brushed a strand of her hair out of her face. And his touch! It sent shivers down her spine, how his gentle hand skimmed across her face.
She finally found the strength to lift her head up and face him. Locking eyes with him, she was entrapped in his beautiful eyes….She needed to look away, to concentrate on what she came here to do. Apologize and Information. Purely work and nothing else. He was her partner and she needed to stop thinking about him in any other way.
She opened her mouth to speak…
He couldn't understand why she was here. He turned around to ask her that when he saw the look on her face, one that confused him. It was a look of fear, and tiredness, and worry, and hurt, and something that he couldn't place.
Booth stepped closer to her hoping that he could get her to say what was bothering her. She looked down. I wouldn't be able to look at me either after what I had done today. He softly pushed away some hair that had fallen out of her messy ponytail and away from her face. He smiled to himself, he knew that ponytail and he loved that ponytail. It was messy, put up quick in order to just get it out of the way while she worked. It always outlined her features, making her face even more beautiful.
Then she looked up and locked eyes with him. Her icy blue eyes were so beautiful; he couldn't help but get caught in their rip tide that just pulled him in.
And then it hit him and he hated himself. Her messy hair, her tired eyes. She had been working all day since he had left, trying to find out who the child was. A feeling of guilt swept over him as he thought about how he had yelled at her earlier saying that she didn't care about her work enough. He blamed himself.
He decided that he needed to break the silence, but was surprised when she opened her mouth.
"I'm sorry." She looked down again, showing how insecure she felt.
"You shouldn't be the one who's sorry. I should." He hated himself even more. Bones was apologizing to him. She didn't apologize; she always thought it showed weakness. "You didn't do anything wrong. I was the jackass."
She looked up at him and saw that he meant it, she saw that he had been beating himself up for the fight they had had today.
"I honestly don't care who did what to start it Booth." She placed her hand on his arm for comfort. "I just want to end it."
"But that's not fair to you for me to start yelling at you and then you apologize to me for it. That's just not right." She stared at him quizzically.
"Well, then make it right." She said barely audible. Looking down, avoiding his searching eyes. She looked up shocked when he took her hand in both of his own.
"Bones, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I yelled at you. I'm sorry that I hurt you. I'm sorry that I left you. I promise that I'll never do it again." She stared at him as she heard him apologize amazed at the idea that he thought that he had abandoned her. She held back the tears that were trying to escape. She couldn't imagine how Booth would ever abandon her.
Adverting her eyes from their intense stare, she remembered the folder that was in her hand. She unwillingly pulled her hand from Booth's and held out the folder. Leading her over to the couch, they sat down and opened it up.
"Due to dirt and pollens we located where the murder took place and due to the disease we were able to narrow the names to three boys. These are them." She stifled back a yawn as she watched Booth flip through the possible children.
He smiled at her and stood up helping her stand. "Bones, your amazing. And your incredibly tired. Go home and get some sleep you deserve it." He smiled at taking in the stunning picture that he was holding in his arms. "I think I should drive you home though, that is if we want you to make it there alive."
Brennan was basically sleepwalking with one of Booth's arms around her shoulder for stability and her head on his shoulder; he made the perfect pillow. At some point she realized, he had wrapped a blanket around his shoulders, which just made it all the more comfy.
They were practically to the front door when Brennan heard something that made her snap out of the daze she was in. Or rather it was the lack of a sound that she didn't hear.
Hadn't the shower been running when she had gotten here? She thought back to when she arrived and thought that she had taken Booth away from his shower. But then she realized it and she pulled herself away from Booth's warm body.
He wasn't alone.
She had just barged in on him with some woman after they had – god she didn't even want to think about it. She had to get out of there.
Booth had felt her tense up and then pull away. He was unsure of what had caused her sudden tense state and was about to ask when she quickly pulled out her phone.
"Actually, someone's picking me up. Ange had dropped me off." Brennan was quickly texting someone with her cell phone without even taking her eyes away from Booth. Panicking she sent it to the first person she could think of at the moment.
"Bones, it's cool I can give you a ride." He looked at her confused and then it hit him. Why she was freaking out all of the sudden. With his Bones there in his arms he had completely forgotten.
"Hey, Seeley, where did you put the conditioner?"
Brennan looked up, almost afraid to see who was walking out of his bedroom, fearing that her assumptions had been right. Which, of course, they were.
Out walked Dr. Saroyan, her boss, in nothing but a towel.
Booth turned around seeing Cam walk out of the bedroom. He looked between the two women. Cam looked pissed that it was Booth's precious 'Bones' at the door and yet slightly triumphant at the fact that it was her in the towel in Booth's House and not Brennan. The look on Bone's face making it all the better for Cam and all the more worse for Booth.
The awkwardness growing until a knock at the door broke the silence between the three. Booth went to answer the door, Brennan turned quickly and told him he didn't have to, it was just her ride here to pick her up.
But it was too late Booth had already opened the door to none other than Agent Boyd.
He smiled at Booth, "Hey, I'm just here to pick up Temperance."
Booth glared at him and turned around to face Brennan, "He's your ride?"
Brennan quickly tried to avoid him but it was hard seeing as how he was blocking her exit. Trying to get past him, she looked up with nothing in her eyes except pleading. She softly whispered to Booth, "Please, just let me go."
Shell shocked from what she had said, she easily passed by Booth and walked out the door with Boyd. As she made it down the drive way, he put his arm around her for support because he noticed how drained she was from the long day. He helped her into the passenger seat and then got in the driver's seat and drove out of the driveway.
From the door, Booth saw Boyd hold held her slight and light frame up; jealousy seething from him thinking about how that should be him right now. He turned and looked at Cam.
"Why was she here?" She asked.
"The case, I was going to drive her home since she was tired from working all day but…"
He looked exhausted and confused and he felt it. Cam came closer to Booth and just touched his arm. "Come on Seeley, lets go to bed."
And with that he followed her to bed, thinking of the difference he felt between when Brennan had touched him and when Cam had touched him.
Boyd looked over at the figure asleep in the passenger seat. He was driving around trying to figure out where she lived. He had tried waking her up and asking her but she would just mumble something and go back to sleep. He didn't want to take her to his place. It would confuse her, waking up somewhere she didn't recognize. Suddenly her phone started to vibrate.
Recognizing the name on the screen as someone Temperance worked with, he quickly answered the phone.
"Uhhh, Hello?" Not quite sure what he should say.
"Booth? What's wrong with your voice? I hope it's not hurt from your fight with Bren. Speaking of which, why are you answering her phone?"
"Actually, this is Agent Boyd. I was giving Temperance a ride home, but well, she won't wake up long enough for me to find out where her apartment is."
"Oh right, Agent Boyd. Hi, I'm Angela."
"I kinda got that when I read the caller id. So could you by any chance direct me towrads Temperance's house?"
About an hour later, Boyd had finally stumbled his way around the city, finding it difficult to follow Angela's, and reached her apartment. Now the question was, how was he going to get her up stairs?
Angela had told her which apartment was Temperance's and he figured he would walk her up, but she was sound asleep. So Boyd opened the door and carried her to her apartment. After trying a few different keys, he finally got it open on the fifth try.
Her apartment was so nice. It was so clean too, but he figured she must not spend that much time at home, seeing how dedicated she was. He carefully carried her down the hallway looking in each door as he went, trying to figure out which one was her room. As he reached the last door he opened it to find a luxurious king sized bed and guessed that he had the right room. Quietly he laid her down and covered her in the blanket.
Silently Boyd made his way to her kitchen and looked for something to that might wake him up a bit. Pouring himself a glass of water, he sat down on the couch to rest for a second. He had rushed over to pick her up as soon as she had texted him without even thinking and now two hours later he was sitting on her couch trying to fight the drowsiness overcoming him.
Booth woke up early the next morning; unable to fall back asleep he got up, showered, dressed, and left before Cam could even notice that he had gotten out of bed.
He drove around unsure of where he was going. As he pulled over, he realized that he was parked out front of the Jeffersonian. Looking at the clock, Booth saw that it was nearly eight o'clock and figured she would probably be there by now. So he exited his car and entered the building.
The lab was quiet. Seemingly unopened. But Booth new better, she was probably just sitting at her desk going over any e-mails she may have received last night or working on her next novel. When he reached her office he was shocked to find it empty. He opened it, silently thanking himself for getting a copy of the key, and sat down to wait for her. He needed to see her.
But an hour later there was still no sign of Bones and he was beginning to panic. All the possible scenarios running through his head.
"Still nothing?" Booth only shook his head at Angela who was standing in the doorway and took out his cell phone to try calling her again, to no avail.
"I'm gonna go and check her apartment." He stood and walked out of the office.
"Let me know. Okay?" Booth feebly smiled at her.
Booth swung through Dunkin' Donuts and grabbed some bagels and two coffees, just incase he found her. Pulling into the parking lot, Booth got out of the car and walked into the building. Failing to notice the car parked there that he would have recognized.
Knocking on the door, Booth heard noise coming from inside the apartment. He smiled to himself, realizing that he had worried for nothing, she had just overslept. She was only human after all.
Booth looked up as the door opened and his smile quickly faded, turning into a growl.
Brennan woke with a start. She was sweating from her dream and was completely out of breath. She had been running down a white hallway. For some reason she felt as if she should would have died if It had caught her. What was this It?
Turning over on her side, she looked at the clock on her nightstand. 9:30! Shit, I'm late! Jumping out of bed, Brennan ran into her bathroom, quickly taking a shower before changing into a new pair of clothes and fixing her hair.
As if Cam doesn't have reason enough to hate me, now I show up late for work. Just my luck. Then Brennan suddenly remembered that she had left her car at work the other day…wait how did I get home? Bits and pieces of the night still eluding her. She remembered being at Booth's, she remember seeing him half naked, she remember seeing Cam in nothing but a towel. After that she couldn't recall what had happened. The pain coming back to her. Why do i even care?
And with a new found confidence she walked out of the room. As she ran into her kitchen she rapidly turned on the coffee pot and turned to grab her bag, when she noticed someone stirring on her couch. Brennan put down her mug and walked over to see who it could have been.
Agent Boyd awoke to the sound of someone running down the hallway. Unsure of where he was or what time it was, he just turned over on his other side. Hearing a pair of footsteps near, he quickly lifted his head.
Everything came back to him as he remember driving Temperance home from Booth's and how he had fallen asleep on her couch by accident. He looked up into the face of a slightly confused Brennan who was unsure of why he was on her couch. Slowly he began to stand.
"Sorry, I guess I didn't realize how tired I was after I dropped you off. I sat down for a second and I was just out."
"So you drove me home last night?"
He smiled at her and nodded, hoping that she wouldn't notice how awkward he suddenly felt.
"Right," She looked at him for a second and then gave him a sly smile, "So could you possibly drive me to work?"
This time he full out grinned. She wasn't mad at him, and he was celebrating inside. "Sure, but you have to promise to eat something for breakfast. Your stomach sounded like a monster truck last night. When was the last time you ate?"
Brennan walked to the kitchen and pulled out some cereal for her to eat. "Maybe a day or so ago. I was slightly busy working." She explained as she devoured the bowl of cereal.
"Alright, I just need to grab my bag from my bedroom and then we can go."
Boyd just nodded as he looked around her place, taking in every inch of it, when he heard a knock at the door. He walked over and opened the door without even thinking; somewhat shocked as to who had been knocking.
What was he doing here? Had he spent the night? He was wearing the same clothes as the night before. Chill, you're over reacting.
Hundreds of ways to beat the man to a pulp started to run through Booth's head.
He saw a smiling Brennan appear from the hallway. "Okay, Boyd. I'm ready." She turned slightly confused as to why he was already standing there with the door open. Then she realized someone was at the door.
She walked towards the door only in time to get a quick view of Booth shoving a bag of bagels and a cup of coffee into Boyd's hands and storming off down the hallway.