Chapter 4

This suspect was giving him a really hard time. He was sneering. Smirking. Booth knew the man was guilty. And he knew Booth knew. But he was toying with him.

Catonno said something to him, and all Booth could think was, this wouldn't be happening if she were here. She'd see my approach was failing and jump in with her own, and it would probably work. But she wasn't there. She'd left him. He was alone, and he was failing. The sinking feeling in his chest made him inescapably sad. And that made him indescribably angry. Before he knew it, his fist had connected with Catonno's face, and he was curled on the floor, clutching his bleeding nose in his cuffed hands.

He'd taken a verbal beating from Cullen for that one. But luckily, Booth had at least gotten something out of it. Catonno slipped up, probably shaken from the broken nose, and incriminated himself. He could've screwed up the whole case. Catonno could've walked. A killer could've been back on the street because of him.

Booth jerked a hand through his hair and called Angela to meet him.

"No offense here, I'm glad to see you, but why didn't you call Gordon Gordon if you needed someone to talk to?" Angela asked gently over a cup of coffee at a diner called Red Sammy's. She'd suggested Wong Foo's, but Booth declined quickly for reasons unclear to him.

"I just…" He sighed, "I don't know, I guess. You're just the first person I thought of."

Angela smiled, put a hand to her chest, "How sweet, but that's a lie. I'm the second person you thought of."

Booth grinned sheepishly at her. She was good. "I can see why Bones loves you."

"Oh really, do tell!" Angela gushed, leaning her elbows onto the table, ever sporting her mega watt smile.

"You can read people. You're very empathetic, you know what she's feeling without her having to say it, and you know that's a difficult thing for her."

"That's why she loves you, too."

Booth scoffed halfheartedly, opened his mouth to deny the allegation, but Angela interrupted.

"Don't even try discouraging me, because it doesn't work." Sipping her coffee.

Booth laughed and followed suit, glad to have someone to share a conversation with. Glad to have someone to share his sadness with.

Bones stared at her laptop screen. The notes she'd been typing had drifted far away from her mind. Three loud raps on her door jerked her back to reality. She jumped up to open it when Dr. Paige's voice called to her.

"Dr. Brennan, I've been knocking for five minutes, I was starting to get worried."

Bones sighed and sat in the chair in the corner, Dr. Paige following suit.

"I'm sorry, Jessica, I was in another world. Did I use that phrase correctly?"

Jessica laughed, "Yes."

"Good. It's just that sometimes I use idioms incorrectly and my partner is usually around to correct me."

"Ah yes, the infamous Agent Booth." Jessica said with a smile.

Bones furrowed her brow. "What do you mean by that?"

"It's just that you talk about him a lot. I feel like I know him."

"I don't talk about him that often." Bones insisted huffily, standing to retrieve her laptop from her bed and set it on the table.

"Uh huh." Jessica agreed skeptically. Bones just sent her a withering look, and Jess held her hands up in surrender.

"He seems disheartened." The ever observant Zack noticed.

"No kidding, Einstein, Dr. Brennan's been gone for over two months."

Zack looked at Hodgins, confused.

"Why would Dr. Brennan's absence affect Agent Booth's mood? Other than having no cases to collaborate with us on — oh my gosh, Agent Booth misses us!" Zack came to the exciting conclusion.

"No, he misses Dr. Brennan." Jack dismissed him with a sarcastic glance over his shoulder before returning his gaze to the FBI Agent currently speaking with his girlfriend. Booth had a hand on his hip, the other rubbing his forehead. His shoulders drooped a little, and Angela spoke softly to him, nodding, touching his arm supportively.

"I wonder what they're saying." Jack mulled aloud.

"Maybe they're discussing Dr. Brennan's current project. That seems to be the only thing we have in common with Agent Booth."

Jack rolled his eyes and looked to the ceiling, shaking his head. Sometimes, the genius kid could be so…clueless. Angela waved goodbye to Booth and returned to Jack, who pretended not to be watching intently. Zack, however, made no attempt.

Angela gave him her boyfriend a stern look, so he conceded.

"What were you two talking about?"

She grinned, "How Booth can't function without his other half."

"Really!?" Hodgins smiled conspiratorially with her.

"I'm taking him out to lunch Wednesday. You should come."

"Me? I don't know..."

"Trust me, the more things he has to connect him with Brennan, the better he will feel."

"Logically, I should go to lunch with you, too." Zack reasoned, indignant at not being invited.

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"Geez, Ang, I didn't know you were going to bring the whole squint squad." Booth said as he walked up to their table.

"Well, the girls felt left out." Angela said, and Hodgins kicked Zack under the table as he opened his mouth to protest.

Booth smiled thankfully, and Angela scooted over for him.

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"Hello Ngawe." Bones greeted evenly, setting her elbows on the counter. Ngawe turned in delighted surprise to see her. His bright smile lit up his dark complexion.

"Hallo Doctor. How you do today?"

"I'm alright, Ngawe. The dig's picked up. How are you?"

"Ah, I am wonderful. Just a bit concern for you." He said sincerely, leaning one elbow on the wide counter across from her.

"Why should you worry about me?" Asked Bones, a little indignant.

"You startin to mope, Doctor. You looking tired."

Bones opened her mouth to deny the accusation, but closed it again with a secretive smile. Why should she deny it to the innkeeper she probably won't ever see again? Bones felt unable to confess her loneliness to Angela on the phone, knowing she'd make something bigger out of it. Jessica didn't know her well enough to understand. So, Bones closed her eyes and hung her head. Ngawe chuckled, patting her auburn curls comfortingly.

"Not much longer, right? You be back home to him soon."

Bones snapped her head back up, curls throwing over her shoulder. "What makes you think I'm going home to anyone?"

Ngawe just gave her a look. "I've seen my share of lonesome travelers, Doctor. 'Sides, a woman pretty as you, smart as you, must have a man to go home to, else it's a crime."

Bones chuckled, a little unnerved that her sadness was so obvious, but still glad she had someone to connect with.

Thanks everybody for the great reviews! I'm really enjoying hearing from you!

Austin B.