A/N

Sorry for the long delay. I got sidetracked by work, family vacation, and a new interest in Smallville that I had to get out of my system to get back on track with Bones.

Here's a small down payment, pulled forward from the next chapter I've had on simmer. You might want to back up a few chapters if it's been a while for you.

Monday Morning, 8AM

On Monday, reality closed in…

On the drive in to the Hoover Building Booth could barely think about work, excited as he was about seeing Temperance later in the day. He'd even forgotten that he wasn't exactly looking forward to seeing Hodgins again. He felt his resolve to hold back slowly weakening, as he considered kissing her if the right opportunity presented itself the next time he had her all to himself for an extended period. He still drew the line at their first kiss not being the conventional good night one – once things escalated he needed time to cement the relationship. If it only came at the very end of an evening he was afraid she'd have too much time on her own afterward to decide that it was a mistake. Instead, he needed to make sure the hook was firmly set before leaving her. God, but she made him feel like he was back in high school sweating over a girl, except now he was hopefully a lot smarter about things. He pulled into the parking spot, eager to meet the challenge.

However, by the time he went to the break room to get his morning cup of coffee he was already irritable. It was bad enough that he'd learned he'd have to piss away most of the morning getting a statement from a patient at Bethesda Naval Hospital northwest of the District in Maryland, something a rookie agent could do just as well. It got worse. He'd been working through the inbox of his email and was made livid by the bone-headedly bureaucratic reply to his query about when he would get the rest of his tactical gear – the flashbangs, smoke and CS grenades as well as the encrypted hands-free tactical radio set. Some dumbass had determined that he would be issued them only if and when actually needed in some emergency. His explanation that his purpose under the new program was to serve as a quick reaction force in the DC area as well as an extra body to round out the full time HRT guys fell on deaf ears. The damned gear was sitting in the armory four floors down but he couldn't just walk down and take it. He made a couple more phone calls and got nowhere so he fired off an email to the HRT honchos at Quantico bitching about it and blind copied Cullen for the hell of it.

So he was already in a pissy mood when he encountered Agents Williams, Donovan and Brown in the break room shooting the shit. It was the first time he'd seen Williams since he'd returned.

Williams spoke first, "Hey Booth, welcome back." The other agents nodded in greeting as well. Booth didn't know them real well, but he knew by reputation that Donovan was cool, an old pro, and Brown was his rookie partner.

Booth just grunted in reply such was his mood, and went straight to the coffee maker, not exactly feeling like chitchat. Not too mention that, though he knew Temperance would disapprove, he was still enough of an alpha male to resent the ass clown who'd been hitting on his girl, even though she really wasn't his at the time and still wasn't, not exactly.

But Williams didn't take the hint. He was a little different when he wasn't laying it on thick for the ladies…

"I was just telling the guys here how while you've been off learning to play Rambo I had to cover your gig with the lady scientist for you. You know, I don't envy you. She's easy on the eyes, but she sure is a cold one. That bitch's gotta be at least half Vulcan. I don't know how you put up with her."

Booth fantasized about finishing the job Bones had started on his shoulder as the other two agents laughed along with Williams' jibes. You prick, you don't know shit. He made himself count to three."We reached an arrangement a long while back," he matter-of-factly replied out loud, trying to behave. Be cool… don't draw any attention…

But Williams kept it up, "For all I know she's one of those lipstick lesbians. You know she and that glorified sketch artist are mighty chummy."

First Booth had to push aside the scorching image that charge evoked. Then as he finished fixing his mug of coffee he gave in and struck back, speaking to the other two agents, "Of course he's just got sour grapes because she was too smart to fall for his lame bullshit and kept her panties on." That scored a good laugh at William's expense from Donovan and Brown. He took a sip and made a face. Someone needed to toss this batch and make a fresh pot. He ignored Williams' vehement denials and left the breakroom.

On second thought… Ah, what the hell… he ducked back through the doorway…

"… or maybe he's just embarrassed because a squint girl kicked his ass." He patted his shoulder when he said it.

He left for his office without waiting for a response, wearing a shit-eating grin at the sound of the ruckus he'd stirred up as the other two agents jumped all over Williams demanding an explanation. Maybe his day would be ok after all, he thought.

He couldn't have been more wrong.

A/N

Please sit back and enjoy the ride, keeping your hands inside the vehicle at all times. When we get there you you'll know it. Trust me.

As always, please review, sounding off if you're still out there.