A/N: Ok, I forgot a note in the last chapter, sorry. For one I'd really love to thank my "Booth", spookyfox23, for helping me get into Booth's head and such. I have to say that I sadly don't own Bones...otherwise we'd already have B/B and Hodgela babies.
Later that evening
Angela, looking for her friend to tell her goodnight, found Tempe in her office. She was staring off into space, pen in hand, surrounded by balled up pieces of paper, a deep frown on her face.
"Sweetie? Are you ok?" Tempe's head snapped up, she looked around confusedly for a moment before spotting Angela. She shook her head quickly, bringing herself out of her thoughts.
"Oh hello. I'm fine. Why?"
"Bren, you look upset. What's wrong."
"I'm fine, I told you."
"I'm not leaving until you tell me the truth. Spill."
"Why would I want to spill something? It would make a mess." Angela laughed to herself and shook her head at her clueless friend.
"It's an expression. I meant tell me what's on your mind."
"Oh. Then why didn't you just say that?" At her friend's bland look, she continued. "It's just this 'assignment' Dr. Sweets is having us do."
"Oh really. And what is that?"
"He wants Booth and I to write a letter to one another in response to the hypothetical situation he gave us."
"Which is...?"
"We are to write a letter to each other in the context of the other informing us that they were leaving, severing our partnership."
"Well... Are you having trouble writing it then?"
"Yes. I normally have no problem writing letters. But I really have no idea what I would say to Booth in this situation. It's frustrating."
"I'm sure. So, do have anything so far?"
"No. Everything I write seems clinical. I know that Dr. Sweets wants us to say how we would feel. But I just cannot seem to get into the required mindset. I don't see why he is making us do this. we already discussed this in his office."
"And?"
"And what?"
"What did you two say?"
"Oh. We established that while I would simply inform Booth that I'd made the decision to leave, he would come to me to ask for my input beforehand."
"Oh. Not good."
"Yes. Why would Booth come to me before making a decision. I do not control his life."
"No, sweetie. It's not good because you made it sound to him like he has no standing in your life. To him, you said that he means nothing to you."
"That wasn't what I meant! He does have a standing with me, but I am an independent person. I don't need validation to make my own decisions. Not to mention the fact that I worked far to hard for this position to simply leave."
"That's not the point. Sweets is trying to get you guys to understand what you mean to each other. He wants you guys to look at what kind of impact one of you leaving would have. How it would change your environment, so to speak."
"But we are both adult enough to be able to function quite effectively on our own. We would simply go on with our lives if the other was to leave."
"Sure you could both function. But Sweets is trying to get you two to look at the emotional impact you have on each other. Think about how you would feel if Booth left. Go home Bren. Relax. Try listening to some music, read, something to take your mind off this. When you get frustrated, it's better to walk away for a while to clear your head for a while. Try doing whatever you do when you have writers block for your book. It'll help. Just go back to it tomorrow."
"Ok. Thanks Angela. Goodnight."
"'Night Bren. See you tomorrow."
A/N: Thank you for reading! Please tell me what you think! Hugs and (imaginary cause I can't afford the postage) cookies for reviewers!!!! --SSidle--
