Chapter 2: Strangers at the Jeffersonian
(TWO YEARS LATER)
The forensic anthropologist, Dr. Temperance Brennan, huffed from her boss' office into her own, and slammed the door. However the door didn't stay closed, for her best friend was on her heels, "Bren, what's wrong?"
Brennan shook her head violently, and as she did the cross around her neck wiggled against her collarbone, "Goodman is making me, us, start working with the FBI!"
Angela perked, "The handsome kind?" At Brennan's glare, she asked seriously, "What's wrong with that, sweetie?"
"Ange, the FBI doesn't take us seriously!" She picked up a pen just to throw it back down, "Every time we've worked together in the past or had to testify, the FBI always has some smart remark about bones, unless of course the bones are on their side."
Angela smiled at her friend, she did have a point, but maybe this time would be different.
The next day, Brennan was hunched over the steel table, under the skeletal remains of Tony Marcello, when she heard Dr. Goodman's voice and another man, whom she assumed was the FBI agent who was to become her partner.
She never once looked up during the introductions. "Dr. Temperance Brennan, this is Special Agent Seeley Booth; Booth this is Dr. Brennan."
The agents hand was extended in her line of sight, she glanced at it and then extended her gloved hand that she just pulled from the liquid she had a femur in, still not looking at the owner of the hand; Booth pulled his hand away and mumbled something to Dr. Goodman, to which Goodman replied, "She takes a while to get used to, don't worry about it though, just don't take it personal."
The agent nodded his head and made the second mistake of the day, the first being walking in expecting her to jump in the arms of the FBI; he perched himself, with the use of his hands, on the steel table holding the remains she was studying. It may have been a mistake but at least she spoke to him, "Get your hands off my table!"
At that he immediately pulled them away and smiled to himself, this was going to be an interesting partnership; so far she hadn't even looked at him, as for him… he'd looked at her, very pretty, however her face was still a mystery to him.
Brennan then was visited by Angela, as she whispered in her ear, "Sweetie, please at least look at the hot G-man before you make a snap decision about him…"
Brennan rolled her eyes, turning around as she straightened. As she pulled her gloves off and pushed her goggles up onto her head she apologized, "I'm terribly sorry Agent Booth, I was busy with something that couldn't be interrupted," she lied, turning, holding out her hand and raising her head to his, "I'm Doctor…" She trailed off.
He had raised his hand up again, seeing that she was doing the same, but as their hands and eyes came into contact, she forgot her name, or at the very least her sentence. "Do you two know each other?" But it was no use they'd forgotten everyone around them and everything between now and two years ago. They each let out a breath neither knew they were holding, then as if suddenly their hands caught fire they pulled from each other so fast and so hard that Brennan's hand hit the table below them, causing parts of the skeleton to reach the floor.
They hardly noticed though. Their eyes were still boring into each other's souls, their hearts, wondering if they were dreaming. When Brennan slowly raised her hand to lightly touch the cross at the base of her throat, he took a sharp intake of air, realizing that he'd found her.
He then gave a shocked smiled and whispered loud enough for her to hear, "You look like you could use a dance, Dr. Brennan." She gasped, closing her eyes, for only a minute as images of them came flooding back. She raised her head to look him in the face once more, while licking her suddenly very dry lips. His eyes were dark, just like on the dance floor, his voice was tender just as it was while telling her the necklace's background. Then coming back to reality she ran from the lab area, to the safe confinement of her office.
Strangers in the night
Exchanging glances
Wondering in the night
What were the chances
We'd be sharing love
Before the night was through
How had this happened? First she was inspecting the femur of Tony Marcello, then she tried being civil as she took her mind away from her work to shake the unwelcome agent's hand. From the moment she laid eyes on him, the moment her hand came into contact with his, she couldn't breathe. It took all her control not to run her hands over his torso and face, to make sure that she wasn't dreaming. But deep inside her soul she knew that there was only way to prove that he was real and not just a figment of her imagination: the dance they shared so long ago.
He was still standing in awe of the women that had left him, once again. He couldn't believe the voice didn't register, even if they'd barley spoken ten words to each other, he should've remembered hers. His body suddenly felt as if a weight had been lifted, he smiled to himself, sighing. "Agent Booth?" Angela interrupted him, "May I ask what that was all about?"
"Yes ma'am, you may," He then paused, "But that doesn't mean I'm going to give you an answer." The agent turned toward the direction he'd last seen his mystery woman go and did what he should have done two years ago; went after her.
Something in your eyes
Was so inviting
Something in your eyes
Was so exciting
Something in my heart
Told me I must have you
She faintly heard the knock on the door, and the creek of it as it was being opened. "Angela I don't want to talk about it know." Her voice was full of surprise and tears.
He spoke softly, "Would you talk about it with me?"
Brennan looked up to the man from years ago. "I'm sorry." She finally said.
His eyebrows furrowed, "For what?"
She sniffed, forcing the rest of her tears not to fall, "For leaving." Her attempts were to no avail, because the tears began to roll down her cheek the longer she looked at him, unable to touch him.
"Can we try introductions again? I never really learned your name." he asked her.
She smiled, "We were never too worried about each others lives were we?"
He shook his head seriously, "Just the dance."
Brennan bit her lower lip and stood, holding her hand out once more, "I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan. You can call me Bren or Brennan."
"Special Agent Seeley Booth, just call me Booth." He said as he gently shook her delicate hand.
They both felt the spark between them and each shivered, looking at their intertwined hands. Hands still in the others, they looked into each others souls by way of the eyes, just like those nights on the dance floor.
Her tears were threatening to slip once more, she swallowed and regretfully let go of his hand. "So we are becoming partners!?"
Booth's head nodded, "Who would have thought, that while working an undercover assignment I'd meet a beautiful women who'd become my partner a few years later. "
Brennan had heard every word he'd said but was thinking of something that had bugged her since the night she left. "Why didn't you come after me?"
They each walked to the couch at the right of the room and took a seat. "I don't know. That's something I still ask myself."
"I waited." She stated thinking back. She had kissed him and walked out the door, hastily. Then she suddenly stopped and held the cross in her hand. She had leaned up against the outer wall of El Lagarto, for an hour, even when it had started to pour.
Strangers in the night
Two lonely people
We were strangers in the night
Up to the moment when we said our first hello
Little did we know
Love was just a glance away
A warm embracing dance away
"I get questions all the time about this necklace." She told him after about thirty minutes of getting past the regrets and on to the more memorable times.
"Why?"
She closed her eyes, Bren he hasn't seen you in two years, and even then you weren't being yourself. He doesn't know your beliefs of religion, or lack thereof. "I love this necklace, don't get me wrong. I've never gone a day without it." He smiled at that, "But, I don't believe there is a god." She told him.
His eyes widened in shock, "Wow!" He decided however to push that aside for now, and ask something that he'd missed in the years since El Lagarto, "May I be so bold as to ask you for one more dance?"
She was touched, but it didn't stop her from glancing out the windows of her office to make sure no one was watching them, "I'd love to dance."
He stood first, and helped her up by holding out his hand and pulling her to him. She gasped as the familiarity of it all came back to her. They were so close; there was no room for air between their bodies. He started to lead and she followed; neither needing music, for each had the music of El Lagarto playing softly in their heads.
Then to her surprise he started to hum the music. Their eyes found one another as their hands found their familiar homes, in the others. While the two hearts between them were pounding out the beat of the music. He saw so much intensity in her stare, so much desire, and passion but he also saw fear, doubt and regret. What these were for he wasn't sure, but they were still there.
She watched from the corner of the lab as they quietly talked. When the handsome agent stood from the couch and pulled her friend to him, she gasped, and quietly called the other doctor and the apprentice to her side. She hesitated slightly as she saw Brennan look around, Angela hoped that she hadn't been caught spying.
When they began dancing she was shocked. She had never seen her friend let someone touch her in such ways. His hands were all of over, they seemed not able to find a place they liked best. First they lightly caressed her cheek, traveling down her neck and shoulders; all the while the other ran softly down her back in a swirling motion. Stopping for only a minute at the small of her back: a gesture she assumed was meant to tease for they both smiled cheekily before her friend took her hand to his rear motivating him to finish what he'd started.
Strangers in the night
Exchanging glances
Wondering in the night
What were the chances
We'd be sharing love
Before the night was through
While the woman in Brennan loved every minute of this, the anthropologist hated all of it. She knew that they were to become partners, that this was unethical, un—just plain wrong. He was an FBI agent, he faced danger everyday, if something were to happen to him, and they were involved, she wouldn't be able to handle it, inside. Outside it would seem as if nothing was wrong, she'd bury herself in her work like she normally does, and her colleagues, with the exception of Angela would know to leave her alone. She had every intention of telling him all of this…as soon as they were finished dancing…maybe…
Something in your eyes
Was so inviting
Something in your eyes
Was so exciting
Something in my heart
Told me I must have you
Unbeknownst to her, it didn't matter that it had been two years since they had saw one another, Booth still understood those breathtaking eyes; he watched everything that ran in her mind shine in her eyes. He too felt the same, in away. He knew that they couldn't jump into anything, but he had hoped that maybe they could take things slower than in Argentina. While they may not have slept together, what they did do not only made him think about and want it; it was so passionate, so intimate, the thoughts couldn't help but run through anyone's mind. However, he also realized that he probably never got to know Dr. Temperance Brennan, he'd only known, the mysterious woman in the silk dresses—red and black—who danced like an angel—and devil for that matter—and who drank two vodkas each night—before he arrived—and a daiquiri once they'd danced.
He noticed that her eyes were tearing up again, he stopped their dancing and brought her over to the couch. Sitting they looked at each other softly, "Are you crying because you missed me that much, or because working relationships hardly ever work out right?"
The look she saw in his eyes told her he understood what she had been thinking about. "I just… I don't think that anything … other than the occasional dance can develop from this." She paused and smiled at him, "I have missed you. But…I'm not good at relationships, even friendships…so we should start with that first." He nodded to her, agreeing to take things slowly, very slowly.
…Three Months Later…
They hadn't worked together for long but she could still tell that he was a nightmare, the real man, behind the dance; how could one person be so annoying.
Booth stood over her shoulder watching her as she put the last bit of evidence together, "Booth do you think you could not stand over me like that?"
He straightened from his position behind her and smiled amused, how could one woman be so annoying and so easy to annoy? Walking from the steel table, he grabbed a portion of the body in his hands and wondered about the person it belonged to. "Booth! Put that down! NOW!"
"It's just a bone!" he exclaimed, "It's not going to hurt anything for me to touch a foot!"
She closed her eyes in an attempt to regain her composure, "Agent Booth, please would you put her foot down?"
"Now, was that so hard Bones?" he asked her, not really noticing the name that had slipped out.
Her hand had been reaching for the foot, when he'd said it. She grabbed it from him and spat, "What?" she was thoroughly confused, "Did you just … what did you … why did you say bones … it doesn't make sense?"
He thought about it, Bones was something he referred to her as while not being around her… had he let it slip? "Uh… did I say 'bones'?" At her nod he bit his upper lip, "I'm sorry… it's just what I call you…"
"Why?"
He looked at her stupidly, "Uh…you work with bones…"
She sighed, "Don't call me that."
He watched her continue with her work, and then realized that he liked seeing her annoyed at him…and it was so fun to make her that…that's how the name stuck. "I'll be with Cullen and Dr. Goodman in his office, call me when you find something, Bones!"
Hodgins, and the rest of the squint squad, walked up as she shouted to him, "Don't call me that!"
"What'd he call you?" Jack asked.
Brennan rolled her eyes and kept working, "Nothing. He's just being stupid."
They all went back to their work, each doing their own part to help their fellow FBI friend. But something was keeping Zack from his work. They'd all wanted to ask since the day he first walked in the Jeffersonian but no one had gathered the courage…until now. "Dr. Brennan…"
"Yes, Zack?"
"How exactly do you and Agent Booth know each other?" Zack's innocent question brought a deadly silence over the lab. As everyone tried to continue working, they also listened for her answer.
Brennan ignored the question at first, seeming to be very interested in one of the left ribs of the woman in front of her, but as the silence grew on she let out a deep breath and stood, "Why do you ask, Zack?"
He looked at her and then glanced to someone for help, "Sweetie… we've all noticed the sexual tension between the two of you."
"I don't know what you're talking about." She feigned ignorance.
Hodgins smirked, "You have at least four doctorates, you may be a slight bit pop-culture illiterate, but we all know you can feel it."
They were right, no matter how hard she and Booth tried to hide the nights they'd shared, they never would completely get over them. She opened her mouth to speak but the only thing that came out was a sigh. When she tried again words finally surfaced, "We met few years ago. We had a few—"
"Hey, Bones, you got anything for me yet?" he looked at the squint squad as he walked up the stairs, "Why do I get the feeling I was being talked about?"
He locked eyes with Brennan and smiled knowing what they had been talking about. She lowered her eyes, "I was just telling them that we met two years ago."
He nodded softly, "Did you tell them anything else?"
Angela smiled, "I do believe she was fixing to us that you two got drunk."
Booth's eyebrows rose and his head snapped toward Brennan. Her eyes had widened, "We didn't get drunk!" she paused as she took a breath to calm herself, "We were perfectly sober." As she said this, his chocolate depths met her blue pools and every memory of the nights they'd shared flew between them.
She bit her lower lip as she suddenly felt his hands roaming her body, even though he hadn't moved from his spot on the top stair. As her eyes darkened his sharp intake of air caused his eyes to close and the image of her in the silk black dress ran through his mind. When he opened his eyes again, he was seeing things, for there she was standing in the middle of the lab, surrounded by the squints, wearing the sexy dress. He shook his head and the mirage was gone, but Brennan was still there. Even in the white lab coat and green gloved hands she was just as sexy as in silk.
"Uhm… I hate to interrupt this… uh… whatever it is but…you never answered my question." Zack broke the memories.
They smiled shyly, as Brennan turned a slight shade of pink. "We met in South America…I was on an undercover assignment…"
"and I was there working on something that, at the time, neither of us realized was a body involved with his case."
Angela smiled as Booth continued, "We never knew each others names, only that we were both going through a lot at the time."
"Hardly ten words were spoken, but our eyes said everything we needed to know. We forgot about all of our problems while… while—"
"Dr. Brennan, Booth, I need that evidence, three days ago!" Cullen shouted running up the stairs to the lab.
Angela groaned, they were so close to telling them what happened. She had been going out of her mind for the past few months trying to get it out of her and now here she was actually opening up to them and Booth's boss has to interrupt.
Comments? Anyone... for disclaimer see chapter 1!