Chapter 2

"Bones, we need to talk."

I walked into her office, clutching the letter close to my heart. I fought for the last month trying to get out of it, trying every government connection I could think of, trying to forgo all the pain I knew would come. I knew she would be disappointed too, but somehow, I think it was destiny. To test the kind of man that I had become.

She swung around in her chair, facing me.

"Sure Booth, what can I do for you?"

I took a deep breath before beginning what I thought would be my last statement, "I got this letter about a month ago. I am being recalled into the Army. They need my expertise to execute a specific set of missions. I leave next week."

Her face went blank and pale. The emotion that flashed across her face was one of pain, anguish, worry, anger, and many others. She looked at me, then the letter I was holding, then got up gracefully, walked out of her office, and left the room. She must have thought I didn't follow her because as I turned the corner, she was running into Angela's office. The door slammed shut and I ran after her, trying to pick the lock. Hearing struggling sobs from inside, I tried rattling the door handle, and was stopped by Came who was approaching me, with a scathing look on her face.

"Seeley Joseph Booth, I need you to leave this lab right now. For your safety. Dr. Brennan needs her space, especially after news like that. I will call you to confirm that she got home safe. Angela will be staying with her until she is ready to talk to you. So don't even try getting into her apartment after we leave."

"Camille, I don't think you have any right to tell me what to do."

"Actually Seeley, I do. Dr. Brennan asked me if I could get rid of you so that she could go home. She cannot face you and her emotions at the same time. So please, Seeley, let her mull things over."

Shrugging my shoulders, realizing I would never win, I turned on my heel and left. Getting into my truck, I picked up a case of water, and some supplies for a stake out. I set myself up across the street from her apartment, behind a huge pick-up truck. They would never notice me there. I rolled my seat back, relaxed a little. When I saw Cam's truck roll by, she looked right at me and rolled her eyes. I had been spotted. She must have known that I would camp out at Bones' apartment. Cam knew me well, a little well sometimes.

The hours dragged by ridiculously slow. Angela switched with Cam after about five hours. Her car stayed there for almost the entire day. I slept for about two hours, waking up every fifteen minutes, making sure that Angela's car was still there. When I saw Angela leave the apartment, she pulled up aside my car, and rolled down her window.

"You know, if you want to talk to her, you really shouldn't smell when you do it. But I am still mad at you, and worried for you. So go now, if you want. I won't tell her that I knew you were there. You have fifteen minutes, then I will storm in and throw you out. But you better explain later mister."

I gave her a quick nod, kissed the hand she extended, and let her go. I swung open the door to the SUV quickly and strode across the street. Running up the stairs in her building, I knocked on the door, but didn't wait for her to open the door before I opened it myself with my key.

She was sitting on the couch, hair fuzzed, eyes red from crying, tissues spread across the floor, ice cream cartons on the living room table, and looking shocked. Her expression was empty, emotionless as it changed when she saw me.

"Agent Booth, you need to leave."

I swallowed, remembering that the last time she had called me that, she threatened to cut off our partnership.

"Bones, please, you need to know that I am trying to get out of it. But I can't. Cullen tried to help me. Hacker even tried. But the Army doesn't want to hear it. Sweets even tried to get me declared mentally unfit. Trust me, we have explored every possible angle. But I need to know what you are thinking right now?"

By this point, I had sat myself in front of her, on the coffee table. She had shrunk back into the couch, trying her best to distance herself from me.

"Booth, I can't do this right now. I can't process all the news plus process my ever changing feelings."

"Tell me. What is flying through that pretty little head?"

I lifted her chin with my index finger, letting her look into my eyes to see the sincerity I was trying to put across.

"I'm thinking that I'm scared, I'm worried, I'm nervous for you, for us. I'm scared shitless that I will never see you again. I don't want to lose you. I can't lose you. I think that its irrational for me to be feeling this way. But Angela and Cam say that it's about time."

I blinked twice, hoping I heard her right, "Bones, us?"

"Yes, I think that I may have feelings for you, something more than 'I love you in the 'atta boy' kind of way.'"

She leaned into me, placing her hands on my chest, and laid her head on my shoulder.

"Bones, I think I share those same feelings."