So sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out you guys! Yesterday I went on the field trip to Wild Rivers with 70 kids for work, which was exhausting in and of itself. Then I took the three I baby-sit regularly out for dinner and the new Harry Potter movie last night. By the time I got home I just kind of fell down and went to sleep, so no chapter got written. But here it is tonight! Another follow-up chapter for 2x22 Stargazer in a Puddle, set a couple of weeks after the ep, so spoilers for all episodes.
Chapter 18—Father
"Bones?" he called, knocking on the door to her office before sticking his head in.
She was in the same position she had been every time he had come by in the past two weeks, hunched over her keyboard, eyes focused intently on the screen. And as usual, she didn't hear him.
"Bones," he said again, sitting down in the chair in front of her desk. "You need to eat."
"Uh huh," she said off-handedly, barely acknowledging his presence.
He let out a sigh and leaned back in the chair. Today was no different from the past thirteen days. Their conversation, or lack thereof, was exactly the same. She had been moping around her office since Zach left and Angela and Hodgins had gone on their quasi-honeymoon. Without a team, Cam had gone to New York on vacation, and they hadn't had any cases. Brennan had drowned herself in identifying cases from Limbo and working on her next book, which was almost complete after nearly two straight weeks of writing.
"Bones, you need to eat. Let's get lunch," he said, standing up and walking around to the other side of the desk. Pulling her chair away from the desk, he put his hands under her arms to lift her out of the chair, forcing her to stand.
In accordance to their new found routine, once she was standing she quickly saved the document and closed the window. Without talking to him, or even looking at him, she walked out of her office to the SUV.
Their arrival at the diner wasn't any different, either, as they sat at their usual table and Booth ordered the usual for both of them. However, this new routine wasn't working for them. Booth was quickly getting fed up with Brennan's avoidance of him and the things that were really going on. He had tried giving her time to deal with it on her own terms, but she hadn't, and he couldn't go much longer without his best friend.
"I'm going to see your father this afternoon," he said finally, breaking their new-found rule of not talking while they ate.
For the first time since the squints had left, she actually looked at him. Granted it was in shock, and a hint of annoyance flashed across her face, but it was progress and he knew it.
"You're what?" she asked, unsure if she had heard him correctly.
"I'm going to see your father this afternoon," he said again, knowing he finally had her attention. "He called me this morning because you haven't been answering his calls."
"Do you blame me?" she asked, her annoyance fading and sadness taking its place.
"Of course I don't, you know that," Booth responded, taking in her changing moods. "He just wants to make sure you're alright. And if he can't talk to you, he wants to talk to me."
They had finished their meal, but for some reason, Booth hadn't ordered pie. Dropping some bills on the table, he stood and offered her a hand. She ignored it and stood on her own, following him as he left the diner.
They climbed into the SUV, neither speaking as they drove. But instead of heading back to the lab, Booth drove to a small park where he parked and got out. Walking over to a tree, he sat down with his back against the trunk, watching to see if Brennan would join him.
It took her a few minutes, but she finally followed, settling down on the grass next to him. She looked over at him, her unspoken questions written across her face as a deep sadness was reflected in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Bones," he said, watching her as he spoke. "If it was up to me I wouldn't have arrested him, but he gave up for you. He couldn't leave you again."
She dropped her head, breaking their eye contact. "I know," she whispered softly. "And I don't blame you, I'm just worried because he could get the death penalty, and seeing that is worse than him leaving me," she said, her voice growing more and more faint as she spoke.
Booth strained to hear her, his heart breaking as he heard the complete hopelessness in her voice. "Bones, it will be a long time before that happens," he said, "we have the trial to get through first, then appeals…"
"I know," she replied, looking back up at him, unshed tears of pain filling her eyes. "I just can't seem to make myself believe it."
"Bones," he said softly, scooting closer to her and wrapping his arms around her torso, pulling her closer to him.
Safe in his arms, she finally let herself cry. She let go of the emotions she had fought for two weeks to hold down, and cried for herself and her father. Her face was buried in his t-shirt, soaking it through as he held onto her, tears coming to his own eyes as he thought of everything she had gone through.
"I'm here, Bones, I'm right here," he said over and over, unable to tell her it would all be okay because he wasn't sure it would be.
An eternity later, she lessened her grip on his shirt, moving her head to his shoulder to look up at him.
A lock of hair had fallen in front of her eyes, which he gently brushed back behind her ear, his arms still wrapped around her. "I refused to testify for the prosecution, Bones," he said softly, praying she would understand everything he was doing was for her.
"Thank you," she replied, receiving a small drop of happiness in the ocean of sadness of the past few weeks. She knew the only reason he wasn't testifying was because of her. She smiled up at him, his wording finally sinking in. "Why did you specify you weren't testifying for the prosecution?" she asked him, surprised by the guilty look that flashed across his features before disappearing just as quickly.
"Umm," he hesitated, knowing she would find out eventually. "Your father's lawyer called me this morning and asked if I would serve as a character witness."
"But isn't Cullen going to be mad?" she asked, struck by what he was doing for her. He was putting his job at risk, again, for her.
"Oh he threw a shit fit the minute he found out I had even received the call. But when I told him I was doing it I thought he was going to kill me," he confessed, a smile and small chuckle escaping as he remembered Cullen's face.
"But he can fire you, Booth. Or split us up. You can't sacrifice our partnership for my father, Booth. I won't let you," she panicked momentarily, realizing what it could mean for them.
"Don't worry, Bones," he said, his voice soothing as his fingers traced shapes on her abdomen. "The night of the arrest I told Cullen I wouldn't help prosecute your father, and he understands. He's not happy about it, but he understands why I'm doing this. Our partnership is safe, don't worry."
They sat there a while longer in silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Brennan broke the silence with a question for Booth, "Do you think I could go with you this afternoon?"
Hugging her tightly, he smiled. "Of course, Bones. Of course."
