AN: Thanks so much for the awesome response to my last chapter! I love you guys already! Haha Hope I can keep up with the standard I've set. :) Enjoy!

The whiskey burned as it made its way down his throat. He'd completely lost track of time, although he did notice that the sun had started to rise. Booth reached over and finished off his second bottle of the liquor. He just didn't give a damn about anything anymore, he couldn't. Not when he was sure that he'd lost her forever.

He heard a knock on his front door. He prayed to God that it wasn't her; he prayed that it was her. He wondered if he'd even locked the door…

The door swung open. Guess not…

"What the hell did you do now?"

It was Angela.

"Get out," Booth slurred.

"Get out? Get out?! Is that what you told her to do?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Brennan."

Just hearing the name made Booth itch for another drop of whiskey. He examined the empty bottle in his hand.

"What's wrong with her?"

"She didn't come in to work this morning. Neither did you. She won't answer me and you're surrounded by empty liquor bottles. What the fuck did you do?"

Booth laughed, full of venom.

"She's the one who fucked things up. You should be over at her place asking her what she did to me."

Angela visibly softened slightly.

"What happened?" she asked.

"She broke up with me before anything ever happened."

"What?"

"She's your friend. Go ask her."

"I already told you she won't answer."

"Did you go to her apartment?"

"Yeah. Unlike you, she locked her door."

"Her hide-a-key is in the plant across the hall. You can go now."

"And just let you wallow in self-pity all day? I don't think so."

"So what do you plan on doing, exactly? I can't go in to work drunk. I refuse to go talk to her."

"Why?"

"She won't listen to me."

"Booth, what did she tell you?"

"We could never have a relationship because she's afraid of hurting me."

"Oh God," Angela breathed.

Booth shook his head, remembering every stinging word that had been exchanged.

"I told her she was a cold fish."

"A cold –"

"But the thing is, she's not a cold fish. She's Switzerland."

"Okay, you've lost me."

"I've lost her…again."

"Again? You two got together and I missed it?"

"It was when we'd first met. Caroline had told me to fire her, so I took her out for drinks. She rationalized that since we no longer worked together, we could be together. And after the most amazing kiss of my life, I let her get in a cab and leave. When Caroline told me to re-hire her, this huge argument ensued. She slapped me and walked away and I thought that was the last time I'd ever see her. Even back then I knew that she was perfect for me. I guess she just doesn't feel the same way."

"But she does, Booth. I've seen the way she looks at you."

"Then why does she keep pushing me away?"

"Because she's scared."

"Whatever. I'm done talking about this."

Booth made his way into the kitchen and came back with another bottle of whiskey.

"You're not seriously going to drink that are you?"

"What are you going to do to stop me?"

"You know what, Booth? Do whatever the hell you want. Just remember how Brennan reacted the last time you were dead."

And with that, she stormed out.

~*~

It was brutal making it into work the next morning. He had almost given up and stayed home, but he had remembered that some psycho was killing people and giving the bodies to Bones as gifts. He may have been furious with her, but he was still worried that this guy was going to go after her too. That was something he would never let happen.

Booth stood at the entrance of the lab, watching her. Her hair was up in a messy bun on top of her head. She moved around the platform sluggishly, almost as if she hadn't gotten enough sleep. She had definitely not taken her own words well either.

Hodgins was holding up that bone with a carving in it. Either he'd found something helpful or he was upset because there was nothing to find.

"I don't care what it takes, Hodgins," Brennan was telling him. "Just get it done."

"But I don't have the resources to –"

"Then find another method!"

She was on edge. Booth wondered if Angela had ever talked to her. As if she had read his mind, Angela appeared next to him.

"She won't talk to me about it," she told him.

"Why not?"

"She said what goes on between you two is just yours."

Booth watched as Brennan threatened Hodgins with the bone.

"You should probably go stop her before she kills your ex," Booth suggested.

"Do it yourself," Angela smirked, walking away.

Booth sighed. He knew he would have to face her sooner or later; he was just opting for later.

"Put the bone down and back away from the bug man."

Brennan slowly turned around and Hodgins took the opportunity to escape. Her eyes were bloodshot and just as icy as before.

"Any progress on the case?"

"What are you doing here?" Brennan asked.

"I work here."

"No, you don't. You're FBI. You work at the Hoover."

"And this," Booth started, gesturing to the remains, "is an FBI case."

She looked like she was about to cry.

"I can't…I can't work with you anymore."

"Bones –"

"No! Just…don't. I'm not getting into this with you again. Goodbye, Agent Booth."

"I'm not going anywhere."

She started to walk away and he reached out and grabbed her in that way she seemed to hate. Brennan responded by slapping him.

"What is wrong with you?" Booth asked, rubbing his jaw.

"I told you. I can't do this anymore."

"Too bad. You're stuck with me."

"Booth –"

"Hold on," he sighed, answering his ringing cell phone.

Brennan groaned and retreated to her office. Seconds later Booth was right behind her.

"You're not going to believe this," he told her.

"What, the fact that you're still here?"

"Ha! No. Your friend left you another 'gift.' This one had a gift tag on it."

She stopped fiddling with her stack of papers, but didn't look up.

"This is serious, Bones. Some guy is killing for you. I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before you're next."

"Don't you think I know that? He called me again last night. Told me he was ready for another round and was disappointed that I hadn't solved round one yet."

"You were supposed to call me if that happened!"

"Like I wanted to talk to your egotistic self last night!"

"Egotistic? Where did that come from?"

"Three words. Cocky belt buckle."

"I thought you loved this buckle."

"So not the point."

"Then what is?"

"You need to leave me alone so I can figure out who this guy is who's stalking me."

"Have you noticed someone following you?"

"No."

"Bones, we're a team. This is what we do, together. No matter what we're feeling for each other right now, this is our job. We have to stop him before he kills anyone else…or you."

"I don't –"

"Yes, you do need my help. You can't get warrants without me."

"What if I don't need them?"

"I'm not just going to sit back and watch some psychopath murder you!"

"I can take care of myself, Booth! I've been doing it for years without anyone's help and I'll be damned if I start needing it now."

"Uh guys?"

Booth and Brennan turned to find Cam standing in the doorway.

"Sorry to interrupt, but they really need you to go examine the remains," Cam explained. "They keep calling. Apparently, they're in a middle of a park and they're attracting a lot of attention."

Brennan shot Booth another icy stare. "Fine. We're going."

She brushed past Cam out of her office.

"Did you two have a fight?" Cam asked, clueless.

"You could say that."

"Booth, are you coming or not? I'm capable of doing this without your assistance, you know."

"Yeah, Bones, I'm coming."

AN: In the words of a Janet Jackson song, "Feedback." :)