Getting slightly better at the updating...thanks so incredibly much to nane and csi for their lovely reviews...and thanks to everyone else for reading!

Bones is not mine. Oh, the fun I'd have with it if it was...

The rich, bitter smell of the coffee flooded her senses like perfume. She closed her eyes and breathed deep, allowing the aromatic drink to infuse with her brain and still her racing thoughts.

Booth held his own cup to his face, using the brightly coloured ceramic to hide the impulsive smile currently dancing across his lips. The tension was visibly leaving Brennan's body. Her shoulders relaxed and the creases smoothed from her brow. The tightness around her mouth seemed to soften, her lips looked more cheerful even though she wasn't physically smiling.

He hated how hard she worked, how she never seemed to be able to stop pushing herself. He knew this case was getting to her and it frustrated him that his bewildering involvement in it was increasing her anxiety. But the hot, familiar drink appeared to be soothing her fraught nerves. One of the few things that made him happy, truly, deliriously happy, was seeing his Bones content. If that wasn't possible, then seeing her relaxed was the next best thing.

It took a few minutes for the intoxicating drink fumes to release Brennan from their spell. Eventually she opened her eyes slowly, shaking her head gently as though to buffer the hazy aroma rising from her steaming mug. All Booth could do was stare at her. He was actually rather proud of himself that he wasn't draped across the table, jaw hanging slack, panting like a dog. He nodded admiringly to himself. It really was an incredible display of self-restraint on his part.

The fog clouding Brennan's thoughts cleared and she focused her gaze on her partner. Booth gulped audibly. Maybe it was just the effect of the steam rising in front of her face or the fact that she had hidden her eyes from him for such a length of time, but he could never remember her look being so direct…so sparkling…so…blue. He had a sudden unbidden image of the brown of his eyes mixing with the intense blue of hers, much like the swirling drink she was now absently stirring with a tinny metal spoon… He snorted and hastily took another gulp. Damn voodoo coffee.

Brennan gave him an inquiring glance, her eyes playful and relaxed. Booth shrugged in answer to her unasked question and she nodded in acceptance. Neither seemed to realise the fact that they were now so close that many of their exchanges could be completed silently, words being irrelevant. They had reached a level of intimacy where their unspoken thoughts were often more than enough to communicate their feelings to one another.

Booth broke the silence first, "So…"

Brennan nodded silently. Minutes of suffocating uninterrupted quiet passed, pregnant with all of the unspoken grievances rushing around the pair's minds.

The tension finally got to Booth and he slammed his fist down on the table. Brennan jumped clean out of her chair, the last few drops of coffee splashing her surprised face.

She hastily settled herself back down and leaned across the table conspiratorially, hissing "Booth!" as she moved her upper body forward.

He sighed heavily and buried the heels of his palms into his eye sockets. He moved his tired fingers up to run across his eyebrows, stretching the skin taut. With a grunt, he settled his arms back on the table.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to…it just…GETS to me, you know?"

She nodded sympathetically and slid a hand across the table. She rested her cool fingers on top of his before he had a chance to realise what she was doing. The contact of her skin on his sent a bolt of electricity through his being, right down to his very core, and he jumped back reflexively.

Brennan pulled her hand back, stung. She had only been trying to help. He didn't have to… She never had a chance to finish this thought as Booth suddenly moved his hands across the tabletop and rested them firmly and possessively over her own. She raised her eyes to meet his.

"Sorry, Bones. I didn't mean to…I just…I'm nervous…."

Her eyebrows shot towards her hairline and a surprised, though teasing, smile lit up her face.

"I make you nervous?"

She felt his warm hands jerk slightly at her words. He cleared his throat roughly.

"No, I…eh…I just meant, I'm nervous about the case…and I…"

He stared unblinkingly down at their hands and nodded once, almost to himself.

"The case…"

She smiled but didn't push it.

He groaned, the sound rumbling deep in his chest. Brennan immediately switched to her best sympathy face. She felt terrible for Booth. The poor guy was taking it so hard.

"Two down…" he croaked, shaking his head in despair at the Formica table.

"Shh," she encouraged, knowing full well that it wouldn't stop him but she'd seen people use this particular tactic enough times to know that this was what was traditionally done when someone was getting themselves worked up.

"Ten more to go," he whispered, his fingers suddenly gripping tight to her hands, the fingernails digging into her skin, causing a quiet gasp to escape her lips.

Deciding that toughness was the best course of action to take, Brennan shook off Booth's hands and crossed her arms firmly in front of her chest.

"Yes, Booth, two girls are dead. I'm sorry we couldn't save them but, really, there was nothing we could do. You're going to have to toughen up and forget about it and, more importantly, forgive yourself if we're going to have any chance of helping the others get through this alive."

She thought she'd gone too far. For one brief, insane moment she thought he was going to reach across the table and hit her. Then, as suddenly as the idea flared in her brain, the fight seemed to leave him. The fire flashing in his eyes was extinguished and he seemed to retreat in on himself.

"Sorry. You're…you're right."

He sighed and looked up at her, a small smile dancing on his lips.

"But I never admitted to it, Bones, and if you say anything about it I'll deny it with my last breath."

She smiled back, her eyes sparkling. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Booth."

He leaned back in his seat, chuckling at her laughing face. She nodded once at him then leaned back and stretched, a yawn briefly distorting her face. He glanced quickly at the fluorescent clock hanging over the counter.

"I think it's about time I get you into bed, Bones."

She choked in surprise and he nearly cried with embarrassment.

"No, I meant…your bed…no, what I meant was…I will get you home to YOUR bed and then I will go home to MY bed."

Grinning wickedly at his obvious discomfort, Brennan simply ducked her head and slid out of her seat. She threw down some bills, laughing quietly to herself that Booth's normal reaction of violently protesting at her attempt to pay for anything was noticeably absent as he dealt with his little slip of the tongue.

Not trusting herself to speak, she gathered up her jacket and bag and strode out the door. Heavy footsteps a few seconds later told her he had followed her. Without exchanging a word, the two fell into step as they crossed the car park in the direction of Booth's car.

"You know, Bones, technically it's not such a crazy idea me trying to get you into bed…"

She snorted and slapped her hands against her arms to buffer against the cold night air.

"I'd like to see you try, Booth."

A wide grin suddenly threatened to split his face in two. He didn't stop smiling for the entire journey. Well, Seeley Booth was never one to walk away from a challenge.