Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, but I am obsessed.

Author's Note: Well, we are reaching the end of this little adventure, just a few chapters to go. I'll leave what really happened at the end of this chapter to the imagination. Enjoy.

Chapter Sixteen: Litost

Litost: Czech: Milan Kundera, author of The Unbearable Lightness of Being, remarked that "As for the meaning of this word, I have looked in vain in other languages for an equivalent, though I find it difficult to imagine how anyone can understand the human soul without it." The closest definition is a state of agony and torment created by the sudden sight of one's own misery.

"You don't understand. She was going to leave me! She was going to leave me, and take Becky away forever. I couldn't let that happen! They were my family. I loved them."

Booth looked at the broken man in disgust. "You loved them so much, that you killed them both and buried them in a park. You didn't love them."

The man cried out again, "I did love them! More than anything. I'm in that park everyday, telling them how much I love them. You have no idea how much I loved them, how much I needed them."

Booth's fists clenched in anger, and he took a few deep breaths in order to calm himself. Earlier in the interrogation he had stood, towering over the defiant suspect, but now Booth sat back in his chair. His partner's hand reached out and discreetly squeezed his thigh before standing and exiting the room. The open door allowed two other agents to enter the room and begin processing the guilty man. The man's eyes followed Booth as he took his own exit. Catching the glint of the observation mirror, and staring at his own reflection, the man burst into tears. Booth didn't even spare a look back.

Booth's exit was slowed when he was cornered by Sweets in the hall, and Booth tried to side-step the psychologist without engaging. He wasn't in the mood.

"Agent Booth." There was a seriousness to Sweets' tone, and it made Booth pause and look the younger man in the eye.

"What, Sweets? I'm kind of busy here."

"I just wanted to make sure that you and Dr. Brennan were all right. This case has been difficult for both of you."

"We're just fine."

"Then where is Dr. Brennan?"

Booth ran his tongue over his teeth and glared at the man. "Well, I would maybe know if you weren't blocking my exit. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go find my partner and then we are going to grab dinner and a drink, like we always do. Night, Sweets."

The psychologist called after the agent, his voice trailing off as Booth marched to the elevator. "Maybe you and Dr. Brennan should schedule an appointment for therapy. You clearly have some issues to deal with after a case like this one." But Booth was already abandoning the slow moving elevators for the staircase, hoping to make an even quicker escape.

Two floors down, Booth paused on the landing in order to dial Brennan's number. She picked up on the first ring. "I'm sorry that I just left, I didn't want to have to talk to Sweets, not today."

"Good call. He cornered me after Wakefield's confession. I am so glad that this case is over. This week has been terrible. Are you hungry?"

Booth heard a door slam in the background. "I'm sorry, I'm already on my way back to the Jeffersonian. I promised Angela that I would go out with her tonight. She and Hodgins had a disagreement earlier, and she has decided to be rebellious. She made me promise that I would celebrate with her tonight."

Booth groaned, no good could come of Angela and Brennan going out together. And he couldn't hide his own disappointment that they wouldn't have a chance to comfort each other after the stress of this case. Maybe he'd swing by her place later with some dessert and aspirin. "Well, have fun and stay safe. Call me if you need anything."

Her voice was wistful as she called his name. "Booth?"

"Yeah, Bones?"

"Would you like to join us?"

Booth hesitated. "Wouldn't I be intruding on girl time?"

"I don't really care. I promised Angela that I would join her, I didn't say that I would come alone."

Booth smiled as he finished making his way down the stairs and into the open air. "Well, Bones. I like your logic. Just let me know where to meet you and when."

Four hours later, Booth's head was pounding and he was regretting the decision to accompany the women on their night out. The music was throbbing in his ears, he was starving, and Brennan was on the floor, dancing with random men. Dancing on a crowded hot floor. She had removed her blouse before entering the club and was currently moving to the beat in a thin tank top. He glanced a look back at her through the crowd. Dear God, she was sweating, and her pony-tail was bouncing, and there was a man with a hand on her back and it was trailing down, south of the Equator. A gaggle of drunk girls blocked his view at that point, and he turned away in disgust.

"You know, Studly. You could just ask her to dance." Booth whipped his head around to face Angela.

"Don't want to interrupt you guys or your fun."

"You're pathetic, you know that?"

"Excuse me?"

"You look miserable, sitting here all alone. You know how many girls have been eyeing you?"

Booth huffed, "I have a general idea."

"And how many girls have actually offered to buy you a drink and you've sent them away?"

"Enough."

Angela leaned even closer to Booth's ear so that she could whisper more effectively. "She's noticed the women staring at you. I don't think that she's a fan."

"She doesn't seem all that heartbroken." He gestured back to his partner, who was now sandwiched between two young men. Men that even Booth had to admit were handsome. Damn them.

"Seriously, your face is going to freeze like that Booth if you aren't careful." Booth caught his own reflection on the mirrored back wall of the bar. The scowl did indeed look like it was going to permanently etch itself onto his face.

"Whatever. Are you ladies about done here? I'm ready to go."

Angela smirked, "Well, Hodgins is coming to pick me up. He's been grovelling for three hours, and I've decided to put himself out of his misery. Maybe you could offer your partner a ride home. What have you got to lose?"

Booth huffed again. "Good night, Angela."

Angela's tone was light in response. "Good night, Booth. Have some fun. It won't kill you. And neither will a smile."

Booth gave her a wide, fake smile. "Give Hodgins my love, will you?" Angela swatted him gently and sauntered out of the club.

Booth glanced once more at his reflection, determination replacing the annoyance on his face. When had he given up going for the things he wanted? Since when had he just given up on ever being more to Brennan than a partner. Why had he drawn that damn line in the first place?

Booth swaggered through the throng, knowing his destination. He was stopped by a few women, but he impolitely ignored them, focused on finding his partner. She was dancing with yet another man, and Booth's frustration was momentarily side-lined by the fact that the men who had made a Brennan-sandwich were now making out with each other. Well, at least they were no longer a threat. With renewed purpose, Booth approached his partner, staring down the man that she was currently dancing with. Seeing Booth's intensity, the man put his arms up in surrender and found another willing woman.

Booth quickly stepped in and claimed his dance. The beat continued to pulse, but to Booth, time seemed to slow down as he placed an arm around her waist and held her close.

"So, you having fun tonight, Bones?"

"Yes, I enjoy the music."

"Beats Tibetan Throat Singers. That's for sure." A drunken behemoth bumped into Booth, and he was pushed even closer to his partner. Perhaps a little too close. But she didn't seem to mind.

"Are you having fun, Booth? This isn't a place that you would normally frequent."

"Not unless there's a mummified body and a cloud of meth in the air."

Brennan smiled, remembering one of their early cases. "I noticed that many of the women here find you attractive."

"You've had your own choice of men here tonight."

"You sent them away."

"So did you, after awhile."

Brennan smirked, "Well Angela said that I should dance with men. She said it would make you jealous. Ridiculous notion."

Booth felt himself press even closer to his partner. "Ridiculous, yeah." The song switched to an even more up-tempo song, but the partners were standing nearly motionless in the center of the floor. Booth placed his lips close to her ear. "Were you trying to make me jealous?"

Brennan pulled back slightly. "I... I don't know." Now they were both completely still, dancers jostling around them, but neither cared.

Booth found her ear again. "Because, you know, Angela was right. I was extremely jealous. More than that, I was miserable seeing you with those other men."

Brennan turned her head so that she could speak directly into Booth's ear. "I didn't like seeing you with those other women, either."

"I didn't even talk to them!" Booth protested.

"But I'm very observant, I noticed them staring at you, and I didn't like it."

"You know, if we leave now, I won't have to be jealous of you and other men dancing, and you won't have to look at other women checking me out."

"That is logical."

Booth once again pressed close to her, "You do love logic." Brennan nodded as Booth began to lead them toward the edge of the dance floor. "Let's get out of here and grab a slice. I'm starving."

Brennan grinned, "I have a better idea."

"Hey, Studly. Looking good today."

"Thanks, Angela. How was your night?"

Angela shrugged and gave an innocent smile. "Fantastic. And I don't think that I need to ask you how your night was. I can tell by the stupid grin on your face. You know, Brennan seems to have a very similar expression on her face this morning, but she seems to have no explanation for it. Anything that you want to share with the class?"

"Nope."

"Come on, Booth. What happened last night? Tell me, tell me."

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

Angela narrowed her eyes. "You know, sometimes I really hate you, Booth."

Booth gave her his best smile before walking away. "Careful, Angela, or your face will freeze like that."