A / N – Thankyou for your amazing reviews. And to my beta - Moonlight Gardinias. Based around the song - Counting down the days by Natalie Imbruglia.

Disclaimer – I do not own the characters featured. If I did? Then it would happen like your about to read.

"So why am I here?" Temperance Brennan shifted in the chair. While the room was overly familiar it didn't seem right that she was here alone. Conscious of the vacant space in the chair to her right, Brennan's eyes flickered around looking at anything - as long as it was not the person opposite her, sat confidently behind the desk.

He smiled and wrote on his notepad.

"Well?" she demanded impatiently. "I have a lot of work waiting at the Jeffersonian."

Dr. Lance Sweets placed his pen down and sat back in his chair. "Dr, Brennan, it's good to see you."

"And?"

"And, as your designated psychologist, I was wondering how you were coping with Agent Booth's absence?"

"Coping." she responded flatly. "Is that the best you can come up with?"

"After you believed Agent Booth to be dead there were unresolved issues."

"Dead? He's undercover and he is coming back. Unless..." Temperance frowned. Was Sweets suggesting that Booth was...

"No, Dr. Brennan. To the best of my knowledge Booth is fine. You however-"

"Have experience of much worse. I understand that Booth has a job to do" she interrupted.

"That is not the general consensus among your colleagues"

"You have been discussing me with other people? You have no right, no right at all!"

"They are concerned."

Brennan folded her arms in disgust and scowled at Sweets. He knew he had to change tactics - quickly.

You were right
And I don't wanna be here
If you're gonna be there
Was that supposed to happen

It had only been nine days since he had gone undercover. Today was December 17th and she had found herself bothered by the fact that he would miss Christmas with Parker. She wondered if she should buy him a gift on Booth's behalf. Yes, later she would go shopping. It can't be that hard to buy an interesting gift for a young boy.

After all, she had found Booth's gift months ago. A Saturday morning shopping trip that Angela had forced her to go on. It had almost screamed out at her. And when Angela had spotted what had caught her attention she insisted that it be purchased there and then.

And now she wouldn't even be able to give it to him.

I'll hold tight
I'll remember to smile
Though it has been a while
And without you does it matter

It had been quiet at the lab. The FBI hadn't had any cases that required their expertise, and without the fieldwork that she usually accompanied Booth on, they had identified fifteen bodies from Limbo. Plus, many of the staff were winding down for Christmas. So it was all the more noticeable when she was arriving at seven and not leaving until after ten, every day since he had gone.

There's no room
No place to start
When our souls are apart

Her latest book. Now that was a different matter completely. She had always denied that her characters were based on actual people but she knew all her colleagues – her friends – saw too much of themselves in her fictional world. And Seeley Booth wasn't just her motivation, he was her muse.

She hadn't typed a single word in the time he'd been gone.

I wanna travel through time
See your surprise
Hold you so tight
I'm counting down the days tonight
I just wanna be a million miles away from here
I'm counting down the days

She had pushed her previous realization of mutual romantic inclinations to the back of her mind, blaming it on the alcohol – and Angela's innuendo ridden conversations. Of course he'd only meant it as a friend. Why should she think any different? Any interpretation of romantic feelings, she'd concluded, were due to her own biological satisfaction, or rather, lack of.

She was sure it was fine to think of him in that capacity, as long as she never acted on it. After all, his physical appearance was very desirable to her. As to many other women. The fact he knew her so well was irrelevant. The way he could always make her smile. The way he made her feel safe. The way he-

He was her best friend. Nothing more.

How've you been
It's just the usual here
And days are feeling like years
And every day's without you

Yesterday he had called her. Not that she would tell anyone that. When she finally arrived home the answering machine was flashing at her impatiently. She had missed him by twenty two minutes. She stared at the device as the message played.

"Hey Bones. Um... I kinda hoped you'd be home. Geez, I hope you're not spending every waking hour at the lab. Well... I just wanted you to know I'm OK. Wow... um... I'm calling from some random payphone, so err... you can't call back. Sorry." The sound of his voice made her smile. "So you should probably delete this message as soon as-Anyhow, thought you might wanna chat, catch up, vent your frustrations... have crazy phone sex? That was a joke by the way. Obviously. A joke." The panic in his voice now apparent, she heard him chastise himself under his breath "Idiot." He continued. "I probably should go now. I-I...miss you."

She listened to the message again.

And again.

And again.

She knew it needed to be deleted, but the sound of his voice...

Now I cry
Just a little too much
When I think of your touch
And everything about you

She had slept better last night. His words wrapped around her, keeping her warm in the Winter frost.

I feel cold
I'm in the dark
When our souls are apart

"Dr Brennan." Sweets brought her back into reality. "An opportunity has presented itself, and we, the Bureau, were wondering if you would be able to clear your schedule for the next few months?"

It had been her intention to spend the holidays in Chile, where a new mass grave had been found. Since Booth left, she had found herself questioning her desire to go.

"I'm listening."

"Would you be prepared to participate in an undercover operation yourself? Of course, we would send you for intensive training at Quantico first, but it would mean you would be joining Agent Booth-"

"I accept." She replied quickly, struggling to maintain her excitement.

"The FBI thought that Agent Booth needed a link to us that he could trust implicitly. It was suggested that a" - Sweets paused before continuing. - "girlfriend would be the most practical solution. Someone it was viable for him to be alone with. Of course we can't just send in any female agent. Booth needs to recognize this person as a confidante. And there needs to be chemistry. It has to be believable. These are very dangerous people."

"I'm OK with dangerous" she said thoughtfully. "You mentioned chemistry. Um... just how...err...intimate would I need to be. With Booth?"

"As I mentioned,to ensure the safety of you both, it needs to be believable. You are free to take it as far as you need to." Sweets smirked at his last statement. He imagined that, under the circumstances, whatever alias Temperance Brennan chose, it was likely to be the type that 'put out' on a first date.

"So if I can ask you to make any necessary arrangements this afternoon," he continued, "then I will have a car pick you up this evening so Undercover Ops can start briefing you first thing tomorrow."

I wanna travel through time
See your surprise
Hold you so tight
I'm counting down the days tonight
I just wanna be a million miles away from here
I'm counting down the days

Temperance Brennan's head was racing. She knew she had so much to do but it didn't matter. In a few days they would be back together, and while he might not be able to spend Christmas with Parker, at least he would have her.

I'm gonna be your surprise
I'm gonna hold you so tight

"Oh, and Dr. Brennan?" Sweets continued, "you will not be the only civilian participating in this operation."

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