May 2005
Sitting in the corner or a bar, his back to the wall, a window at his side, Seeley Booth had a unique vantage point where he could monitor the street and most of the bar while remaining half hidden behind a pillar, an excellent position to observe surreptitiously without being observed.
At the table with him was Special Agent Jeff Stone, an old friend in town visiting his family and old office after transferring to the Minneapolis field office two years earlier. Why he had thought he could handle the intemperate Midwest weather, Jeff laughed at his folly, eager to transfer back to headquarters.
Visiting some directors at the Hoover building, Stone had run into his former friend who was in the process of finding a file amongst the many boxes in his new office. This happy meeting led to an invitation for drinks at the end of the day, bringing them to Booth's favorite bar, seated across from one another reminiscing over their past and celebrating Booth's promotion to Supervisory Special Agent.
"I have to hand it to you, doubling your solve rate was impressive, but you know, now they'll expect you to keep up that pace!" Stone advised.
"I'll do one better. I'll double it again!" Booth laughed, clinking beer bottles with his companion.
Stone threw his head back with glee. "Ha! Now you're just being cocky! What will your girl say to your hours then?"
"Don't have one, don't need one," he answered smugly before taking a swig of his brew.
Stone sat back melodramatically, hand over his heart in jest, "Seeley Booth doesn't have a girl? Never thought I'd be more lucky in love that you."
Less than amused, he managed a smirk with a sarcastic "ha-ha" before defending himself. "I do just fine in the dating department, thank you very much."
The other man maintained his jovial demeanor, teasing, "So a player then. To each their own, if that's your style."
Once upon a time, Seeley Booth would have been proud of the title, but now he was in his mid-thirties. If he was serious about wanting to get married and have more kids someday, he couldn't just dick around – he had, in fact, become somewhat of a serial monogamist, constantly trying to find the family life he wanted. Playing the field, he had realized, only led further away from his dream. A little too defensively, he shot back, "What's that supposed to mean?"
Finally reading Booth through his slight buzz, Stone was quick to mollify, "Nothing wrong with dating around. I never pictured you as a relationship kind of guy anyway."
A slight awkward pause ensued while one agent looked out the window reminding himself that Jeff meant nothing by it while the other kicking himself for teasing the man about what was obviously a touchy subject. Changing the subject, Stone prodded congenially, "So what's next for the unstoppable Agent Booth?"
"I told you. Double my solve rate." Booth grinned cockily.
"Not possible, not without a partner at least." Stone shook his head with a worried smile, realizing his buddy was earnest about the goal.
He looked his friend in the eye as he answered in all seriousness, "Just watch my friend."
Stone leaned on his elbows, ready for friendly debate. "I don't think so, Booth. You're just one person, there's only so much you can do on your own. Now, if you were to work with someone, it might actually be doable."
"I don't do that. It just ends up being a fight for control. We all want to be the one to crack the case, get all the accolades." Booth was resolute.
"No partner at work, no partner in life. Must be lonely." Stone took the last swallow from his bottle.
The agent in the corner grinned mischievously, countering, "I don't have time to be lonely. Too busy solving cases."
A shout of laughter broke out as Stone tipped his empty bottle in mock toast. "Boy, would you look at the ego on this one."
"Like you don't have your own," Booth taunted back, meeting the bottle in the air with his own.
Stone sighed, deep in thought. "I suppose we have to maintain decent egos to do what we do. Heaven knows Jenny complains about mine every time I come home celebrating a closed case."
Booth smiled, nodding in agreement and looked out to the street. Stone glanced at his watch at the thought of his wife at the same time Booth met the eyes of a familiar woman from his dreams standing on the sidewalk with a man's arm around her shoulder. Booth's smile faded as he subconsciously stopped breathing and she turned away.
Stone, oblivious to the silent exchange, slid his chair back with a loud scraping on the floor, jarring Booth's attention back to his old friend. "Speaking of Jenny, I suppose I should get back to her. I'm serious about the partner thing, Booth." He stood. "Find yourself a partner – someone who you need as much as they need you. You'll be better for it."
"Thanks for the advice. Have a goodnight."
Shaking hands, the one departed for his hotel while the other looked out the window again to see if he could see her. She had vanished and he debated within himself whether she had actually been there or if it had just been his wishful thinking.
Rubbing his face and taking one last look out the window, he decided it must have been a doppelganger. But those mesmerizing eyes were just too memorable. Relaxing in his seat, he focused on the rest of his drink and took in the bar scene, trying to distract himself from thoughts of her. If he were being completely honest with himself, he would have to admit that he was hoping to see her in the bar, even if she was on a date, just so he could show her what she was missing.
Instead, nothing but an average Friday night was all that played in front of him.
Groups of friends gathered at tables, "So I told Greg…"
Business deals were being made at the high tops at the far end, "…transfer pricing studies will protect you from…"
Patrons lined the stools next to the bar, "Could I get some wings here?"
Others stood in clumps waiting for a seat, "…if we hurry."
Everyone was with someone else and, unfortunately for Booth, not one of the groups included anyone he recognized. Without an option to join anyone or grab a seat at the bar, he stood to clear space for another crowd.
Shuffling his way towards the exit, he couldn't help but hear snippets of an annoyed woman.
"Thanks but no thanks. I'm here for a girl's night."
Booth rolled his eyes at the poor guy who didn't know how to pick-up women at a bar. Always wait for a group of three!
His progress was slowed by a party making a rush for his deserted table when he heard her voice again, more agitated. "I'm not going to say it again. I'm not interested."
Booth began looking around for where the voice was coming from. He spotted her sitting at a table ten feet away, a man leering over her, both of their backs to him as she raised her voice once more, "Please go away."
Obviously this guy needed a better hint. Readying his badge, he made his way to her side. In one fluid motion, he discretely tapped her shoulder, flashed her his badge and greeted her, "Hey babe, sorry it took me so long."
Seeing the badge had given her a sense of security but as she craned her neck to look up at the agent, she broke out in a grin, instantly recognizing his ploy, and far from disappointed that the cop coming to her rescue was so hot.
The other man looked back and forth with confusion between their faces as Booth hovered to his side, leaning on the woman's chair.
When he made no motion to leave, Booth chided, "I believe you're in my way."
He opened and closed his mouth twice before thinking the better of it and skulked off to the other end of the bar complaining to himself, "she could have just said no," as Booth made a show of taking the seat to make sure he stayed away.
As soon as he was out of earshot, the blond woman sighed a heartfelt, "Thank you."
"No problem. He should leave you alone now," Booth smiled, noticing for the first time how attractive she was. Seeing behind her head that the persistent man's attention had been claimed by the dartboards, he moved to leave.
"Enjoy your ladies night. I'll stick over by the bar in case he bothers you again. Seeley Booth, by the way." He reached to shake hands.
She held onto his hand preventing his departure. "Tessa Jankow. Would you like to join us? I'm sure my friends won't mind."
"Sure," his charm smile attached itself to his face, "unless you actually do have a boyfriend. I wouldn't want to get my hopes up."
He was rewarded with a giggle, a blush, a smile and a "no boyfriend" reply as she ran her fingers through her hair.
Tessa's girlfriends arrived but stayed only one drink. Significant looks from the woman and continued smiles from the man to their friend was enough hint for them to take an early leave.
The remaining two stayed until the bar was half empty. He walked her to her cab and was compensated with her phone number and a sweet kiss. He ignored her hints that he should join her – If I'm going to make a relationship work, I am not starting it by sleeping with her – but he did call her before her taxi was out of sight.
"Just making sure you didn't give me a fake number." He smiled into the phone sensing her smile on the other end, talking to her all the way until she said she had reached home.
He collapsed into bed that night with a smile on his face. Wow. Smart and beautiful. And she's into me.
"Hey there Temperance, you ready to go?" Peter entered his girlfriend's office and moved behind her to place a kiss on her neck.
"Just… a… second…" her words drawn out, she put a hand up effectively giving him the brushoff while she remained distracted by the chemical analysis reports on her screen.
He should have known by now to not even try to interrupt her when she was focused so wholeheartedly on work, so aggravated, he sat on her couch, waiting impatiently, checking his watch and letting out a not so subtle sigh every couple minutes.
Fifteen minutes later, Brennan closed the program, organized the few papers on her desk and stood, asking Peter abruptly, "Are you ready?"
Tonight was supposed to be about having fun, letting loose and celebrating. He bit his tongue and squashed his desire to argue with her implication that it was his fault they were going to be late, instead asking, "Isn't Angela coming with us?"
"She left at five. I wanted to finish looking over some reports for tomorrow morning."
"Tempe, tomorrow is Saturday," he whined as they walked down the hall. "Can't you take a normal weekend off? Like a normal person?"
She bristled internally at his remark. "Yes, I have a body that needs to be identified."
"Oh come on. You have hundreds of bodies that need to be identified and they've been dead over fifty years. Waiting a few more days won't hurt."
"Which is why I need to remain diligent in continuing the identification process. Their families have waited long enough. It's not like we had plans for this weekend anyway."
It was true and he knew it would be a fruitless endeavor to argue with her logic. He just wanted a lazy day in bed with her. A lazy day where they could have some real conversation. And maybe a little fun, too. He exhaled loudly and slung his arm around her shoulders, admitting defeat as they exited the museum and began their walk to the appointed bar where they would meet up with Angela and her guy-of-the-month date.
The rest of the walk was more peaceful. Peter asking questions about her work, she answering succinctly with the facts about the bones and reports, pleasant enough together bringing them back to tolerably amiable moods. When that conversation died, they lapsed into comments on the nice weather to avoid any more fights. Conversation grew to a lull and Brennan's trapezius was aching from the weight of his arm by the time they saw Angela waving down the street: she ignored the discomfort.
"Hey Sweetie! Hi Pete. This is Brad." Angela was quick to make introductions, excited to have convinced her best friend to go out for an evening. "I'm glad we waited outside for you. It's an absolute madhouse in there, we never would have found each other."
Brennan rotated her body and peered in the windows to confirm Angela's claim and found herself suddenly staring in the chocolatey eyes of a man who haunted her dreams and whose calls she had been avoiding. Stomach twisting, she swiveled to face their small party, tight lipped and suggested, "Let's go someplace else," a little too forcefully.
"What? Why?" Peter gave up on being agreeable, "It's not that crowded!"
Angela, noticing Brennan's severe reaction to seeing inside, looked inside herself and immediately noticed a certain FBI agent staring at her friend. Coming to her rescue, she chimed in, "Bren's right. There's another good bar three blocks that way," she pointed the direction the other two had just walked from. "Maybe it won't be as crowded."
Brennan shook Peter's arm from her shoulders and the ladies led the way, leaving a trail of complaints from the men in their wake.
Walking alongside her friend, Angela tried to pacify her date, calling behind her with a wink, "Just go with it Brad. I'll make it up to you tonight."
Brad followed her advice and Peter's complaints were listened to only by the wind.
Brennan's stomach remained firmly knotted as they trekked across and down the street to the other bar. She secluded herself in her own thoughts until she couldn't stand the whining anymore. "Peter!" paired with a steely glare shut him up at last. They walked the last block in silence, arriving at last at a bar more crowded than the first.
"Should've stayed at the last place," was mumbled, smartly enough, to himself.
Sensing the tension, Angela smiled broadly and suggested to the men, "Why don't you two go get us drinks while we stake out a table?"
Brad kissed her cheek as he passed her, readily complying. Peter scowled like a petulant child, trailing behind the other man, annoyed at the entire evening.
The ladies inched along the wall of the room in search of seating for four.
Spotting a table to young business men with empty glasses and beer bottles, Angela abandoned Brennan to catwalk in, using her charms on the group, somehow convincing them to give her their table. The scientist observed from the sidelines, fascinated at her friend's charm and sway.
Not bothering to wait for the table to be cleared once the men left, Brennan swooped in invade the table with Angela, earning themselves some nasty looks and comments from other patrons who had been waiting for much longer.
"Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Angela shot back at one particularly foul remark. Flipping a switch, she turned to her friend for some girl talk. "Okay honey, what was that all about at the last place?"
"I don't know what you mean"
"It's just that, in all the time I've known you, you've never seemed like the type of person to avoid conflict."
Brennan inspected her nails but did not answer.
"It's been almost a year since that Booth guy grabbed your arm. I think it's time to let it go." Angela's face held conviction and compassion.
"Not even a year," Brennan retorted, "And then eleven weeks ago, he manipulated me into analyzing those x-rays for the other case. He's still a jackass."
Angela looked at her disbelievingly, "I'm just saying, maybe it's time to give the guy another chance. Besides, Booth is way too hot to…"
"Sorry for the delay. It was a mob scene at the bar." Brad broke in apologizing, returning with Peter, beers in hand.
Never letting on that they were discussing another man, Angela kissed Brad's cheek smoothly and grabbed her drink. She raised her bottle, cleared her throat and announced, "I'd like to propose a toast!"
When she had all three bodies at attention, she continued, "A toast to my best friend who excels at everything she does."
Peter rolled his eyes, but forced a smile. He would be happy for his girlfriend tonight. It was her night.
"Here's to your book being released next week," she continued smiling, "so I can finally read the rest of it. I wish it immensely successful so you make boatloads of money and you can take me shopping."
Brennan smirked, Angela giggled and the men smiled while Brennan admonished, "Angela!"
"To you and your brilliant brain!" Angela finished her toast. With a chorus of 'cheers' and many clinks of bottles, they drank to her future fame and fortune.
Peter was the first to tap out, dropping hints for a solid twenty minutes that he wanted Brennan to come home with him to continue their own personal celebration. She managed to feign ignorance to his insinuations until, unsuccessful in his pursuit, he left in a cab alone.
The other three stayed only a short time after that. Brad, being a gentleman, left the ladies outside the entrance of the bar while he went to find a taxi allowing Angela to question her friend in private.
"Are you and Peter doing okay?" she asked pointedly.
"Why wouldn't we be?" Brennan looked up and down the street for Brad or a cab.
"Not sure if you noticed, but you two have been bickering all night – and not in a flirty way either. You're acting like you want to break up with him is all. I mean, you didn't even go home with him."
"We're fine, Angela. I'm just not in the mood for sex tonight."
"Is that what it's all about? Sex? Good sex is important, but there has to be something else if you're going to call it a relationship, sweetie. Otherwise it's just sex."
Brennan narrowed her eyes, studying her friend as if she were bones on a table, trying to make sense of what she was saying.
Angela put her hands up in surrender, uncomfortable under the scrutinizing eye. "No judgement on my part! You know I love a good fling. But if that's all you're looking for, just make sure Pete knows you're not in for the whole emotional support thing."
"Peter knows what I need out of this relationship."
"If you say so. I just know you have a hard time sharing yourself with people."
Brennan opened her mouth to retort but Angela cut her off, "More than sexually."