Brotherly Love?
By wired2damoon
Chapter 15: Awkward Positions and Awful Phone-Calls
A/N: Wow…I just want to take this time out to thank all my reviewers. I was really shocked after I read all the reviews from the last chapter, I really wasn't expecting many as you guys were probably tired from all the reading lol! I'm just getting worse I'm afraid, as this is another long chapter! Not as long as the last one mind you…but long enough! Enjoy xx
The soft rays of sunlight crept through the slit in the curtains and cast shadows upon the darkened floor.
A body stirred gently as the light made it's way up the large hotel bed and resided on their eyes.
Squinting desperately the figure shifted and turned their head to the side, their cheek connecting with something delicately soft.
The forehead furrowed in confusion as the hand began to sense something, it was resting on a flat surface, but a surface that was rising up and down in a soft rhythm.
The arms were now conscious of the fact that they had themselves wrapped around something, something that was slender and petite.
The figure was now so curious, that they allowed their chocolate-brown eyes open for a fraction of a second.
Peering in the near-darkness of the morning, the eyes cast around themselves, immediately recognising the familiar hotel room and furnishings.
This was not what was so confusing however.
'This isn't the couch', the mind reminded itself.
The surface under his hand shifted slightly causing the eyes of the very confused Seeley Booth to widen.
'And that definitely is NOT the bed', he thought panicking, his head snapping down to immediately reveal something that made the agent's heart jump to his throat.
There, lying quite snugly, her head resting firmly on his chest, was Dr. Temperance Brennan, sound asleep, breathing gently.
There she was, his partner, his beautiful partner, cuddled up to him like a wife would her husband, blissfully unaware that he, Seeley Booth, had both arms fully wrapped around her small form.
Booth knew if she did, she'd kick his ass from here into another century!
He realised that the soft surface his stubble-covered cheek connected with was her beautiful auburn hair.
As he stared down at her he noticed that the soft waves had come out of her ponytail and was now flowing freely about her shoulders, some spilling onto his chest, directly beside where the palm of her left hand resided.
'Bones is lying on me, her head and hand are on my chest, I've my arms wrapped around her…this is not good…so it shouldn't feel so right…' Booth thought, his mind reeling as his heart-beat quickened considerably.
How was it that they ended up like this again? Booth struggled trying to remember.
Suddenly bursts of images flashed before his eyes of the memories from the night before.
Bones comforting him when he got scared for Jared, her long arms wrapping around his shoulders tightly. Going to the club where he lost her and found her again. Going back to the hotel room where Angela had contacted them about Jared's shirt…Brennan comforting him again…her lips gently brushing his cheek…
Booth sighed deeply as his eyes remained glued on his sleeping partner.
He sighed for the hardship in his life.
He sighed for the exhaustion he felt, both physical tiredness and emotional drain.
And finally, he sighed for the utter feeling of content that washed over him as he lay in bed with his 'off-limits' partner.
Why was life always so unkind to him?
What did he do to deserve this?
He already found it torture that he was in a partnership with a woman he had dangerously deep feelings for, so why was God punishing him by making Temperance Brennan cuddle up to him?
Booth wasn't even aware that his so-called 'clinical' and 'emotionless' partner was the cuddling-type.
Maybe she just never found the right man? Seeley couldn't help but think, or rather hope.
He began having an inner-battle with himself as he tried to figure out what to do…
Should I move? Get up?
No…you'll wake Bones…
But if she wakes up and sees us lying like this she'll freak out…
But on the other hand if I wake her she'll be mad…so its better if I just let her sleep…
Right…and is that the only reason why you want to stay like this? a sarcastic voice suddenly asked him, he instantly realised it sounded oddly like a certain cheeky artist he knew.
Booth moved his head slowly and glanced down at his partner's face.
She looked so different as she slept. So care-free, so calm, so innocent an free from all pain.
He never wanted to stop looking at her, stop staring at her beauty, but he knew he had to.
He tried desperately to drag his left arm gently out from under her (where it had been wrapped around her waist) but found it was greatly difficult.
Then, he got the bright idea of trying to move her hand off his chest, which resulted in his hand being trapped under her's and she clutching it close to her, placing it under her palm which now resided on her hip.
Booth jumped slightly as he felt the soft skin of her hip connect delicately with his fingers.
This is not very partner-like, men do not touch their 'just partners' like this…his mind quietly told him.
Biting his lip softly, he knew that it was utterly useless. There was no way he was getting out of the bed unnoticed.
But was he truly disappointed?
The voice that greatly resembled Angela's utterly a dignified "NO!"
Smirking to himself, he decided to settle back down (just for a moment) and rest his eyes.
Suddenly, he could feel his chocolate eyes become heavy, his eye lids closing slightly.
Was this really a good idea?
He was falling asleep whilst openly knowing that he and his partner were in quite an odd position…literally…
But it seemed that the tiredness of the poor agent won out overall, and no matter how much he strived to, he could not stay awake a moment longer.
His breathing became slower…deeper…until he was sound asleep…
The body of Temperance Brennan stirred slightly as she felt the soft rays of sunlight basked her face.
The palm of her hand twitched minutely, feeling something resting underneath it.
She tensed her fingers and they instantly enclosed around what she knew to be the interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joints, the proximal phalanx and metacarpal bones of a left hand.
Her brow furrowed in confusion.
Why is there a left hand belonging to another human being lying underneath mine?
And what on earth is my head resting on? That is definitely not my pillow…unless my pillow can respire…
Very slowly, she began to open her eyes a fraction and was instantly met with a mass of black fabric with the words "FB Eye Candy" written on it.
Rolling her eyes at her partner's egotistical garments, Temperance Brennan turned her head, her eyes widening at what she saw.
It must have been the early-morning grogginess but she was now only realising that her head was resting on Booth's chest.
Upon further inspection Brennan's eyes began to get wider and wider with shock.
Not only was her head on his chest, but her hand was clutching his hand too, but that wasn't what made the anthropologist's heart beat faster…
It was the fact that the arms of her partner, (the very muscular and strong arms she noted) were wrapped around her waist, one completely under her back and the other across her stomach, both meeting at her hip, pulling her ever-closer to him, as his chin lolled close to the top of her head.
Well this is quite the…position…she thought nervously, realising that the left hand of Booth's that she clung to was not only being pulled down to clutch in her's but it was touching the exposed skin of her hip.
But even with that being so, to her own surprise Temperance did not panic as quickly and as deeply as she would have originally thought.
She just lay there, her hand still clutched around Booth's, listening intently to his soft breathing, allowing her head to minutely bob up and down in sync with his breathing.
Why didn't this bother her? She never was the affectionate/cuddling-type when sharing her bed with any other man…
So why was Booth so different?
How did they end up this way anyway?
I must have been cold…and Booth was a valuable heat-source, Brennan thought to herself, that is the only reason for my 'cuddling-up' to Booth.
Oh denial, thy name is Brennan, a little voice said in the back of her mind, a voice which sounded oddly familiar.
Temperance rolled her eyes at her own conscious. It really could irritate her at the best of times.
After laying silently content for another few moments, enjoying the utmost tranquillity of it all, Temperance's special rationality began to come into play.
What the hell are you doing? You're cuddling up in bed with your partner! How is he going to react if he wakes up and sees you like this?
Her mind began screaming at her, desperately trying to convince her that what they were doing was wrong.
Suddenly her brain began to make a world of sense and the brilliant scientist began to panic.
Oh god. Booth cannot wake up and find us like this, he just can't! There's a line, a line that is becoming dangerously close to us, we can't pass it, we just can't!
Her eyes bulging and her heart heaving heavily with the new-found anxiousness, Brennan released Booth's hand lightly and began to dry and dislodge herself from her partner's tight embrace.
Her efforts were rather pointless however, as it seemed, even in sleep, her partner was far stronger then she, although she would never, ever, admit it.
Her hands clawed at his large right hand that was clutched at her hip but it wouldn't budge.
Sighing deeply with frustration she knew there was only just one alternative, she'd have to wake him up.
"Booth…" she mumbled, bringing up her hand to clutch his and drag it off her hip.
There was no response from her partner even when she began to shake his arm.
"Booth!" she spoke louder , placing her palm on his chest and shaking him roughly.
Seeley groaned and mumbled something incoherent before turning slightly in the bed.
Rolling her eyes she shoved him as hard as she could.
Her partner snorted and jerked awake abruptly.
"What the-" he began to ask, before his head snapped down and was met by the irritated gaze of Temperance Brennan.
"Oh…h-hey Bones…" he mumbled sleepily, his eyes widening slightly.
Brennan stared at him with her 'squinty-gaze', before adverting her sea-blue orbs to her hip, where Booth's hand still lay.
Booth's chocolate orbs followed intently and his mouth dropped open with shock.
"I need you to release me Booth, I'd like to get dressed…" Brennan smirked up into his face as she saw him immediately redden with embarrassment.
"Uh…right, s-sorry…" he stuttered, instantly dropping his arms from her, scurrying away from her rapidly.
Brennan frowned as he did so, as his arms left her she felt…odd…cold…empty…
Shaking her head vigorously and willing those niggling un-wanted thoughts from her mind, Temperance scrambled up off the bed and turned on her heel, striding towards the bathroom without a backwards glance.
Booth's chest heaved heavily as he watched her go.
Well, that was…awkward…
To say that the silence that the two partners found themselves in was uncomfortable was the understatement of the century.
Booth found himself tapping his car keys against the round, wooden table as he waited on his breakfast whilst his partner tucked into her breakfast, or rather brunch as it was already passed noon.
"Will you stop that?!" Temperance exclaimed suddenly, growing rather irritated at her partner's fidgeting.
Seeley's hand ceased the obsessive tapping and turned to look at the beautiful woman sitting beside him.
He was utterly mesmerised by her beauty and he knew she was completely unaware of that fact.
"Sorry…" he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
Glancing at the clock Booth found that it was already 12:55.
His heart began to race as he knew he would be getting his phone call soon.
Suddenly, a waitress appeared with his order and laid it down on front of him.
Frowning down at it, he realised he was no longer hungry.
Temperance glanced at him oddly as he remained motionless, staring at his plate of pancakes.
"What's wrong Booth?" she asked quietly, leaning into him, feeling guilty for snapping.
Booth leaned away and shook his head mumbling, "nothing…nothing…"
The brunch passed fairly uneventfully, the two partners hardly conversing at all, each steeling awkward glances at one another as they both tried to forget the lovely predicament they found themselves in that morning.
After they were finished the two stood up and made their way out to the balcony and found themselves looking down at the hustle and bustle of the early-morning city, from two storeys up.
The sky was a bright blue, peeking shyly out of the fluffy clouds, there was a chill in the air.
The partners leaned on the railing, several strides apart, utterly alone and both found themselves taking a deep, calming breath.
After a few moments of the less-then-comfortable silence Booth straightened up and stretched, and Brennan found herself watching his body move with great interest, suddenly she found her voice.
"I'm coming Booth."
Booth whirled around menacingly, taking a large stride towards her until they stood a mere foot apart on the small terrace.
"No, you're not!" he growled in the most final and demanding tone he could muster.
"Don't tell me-"
"-I'll tell you whatever the hell I want Bones 'cause there's one thing for certain, no matter what you say or do, its not going to make me bring you!"
Brennan's eyes flashed with something Booth failed to recognise as she stared at something over his shoulder, before lunging forward suddenly and kissing him soundly on the lips.
Booth stumbled back in shock as his partner's lips collided with his in a powerful embrace.
His mind grew foggy and the world began to slip away, but before he had the chance to respond to her touch, she broke it and stepped away from him pointedly.
Silence engulfed them.
Before Seeley could ask her what the hell sort of drugs she was on, he felt something tap his shoulder.
"Excuse me Mr Scallion, I was just wondering would you be needing any fresh towels for your suite?" asked Daisy the hotel employee who had just walked through the hotel glass door and out onto the balcony were the couple stood, again she ignored Brennan and flashed her pearly whites only at Booth.
Brennan laced her arm around his neck before replying sickeningly sweet "no we're fine thank you".
Daisy glared down at 'Roxie' who remained utterly calm and unaffected, the young blonde could tell this was one battle she would not win.
This woman did not cave to intimidation.
When the receptionist turned out her heel and stalked off, back through the door and into the hotel, Booth turned to Brennan (who still had her arm laced around him) and gazed confusedly at her.
"What the hell was that?" he croaked, feeling as if he had slipped into a dream.
First he shared a bed with her, now she was kissing and practically groping him! What the hell was going on?
"I was just saying that we don't require towels", Brennan replied innocently, withdrawing her arm from him and striding into the hotel, back over to their table, and ordering herself a coffee.
Booth gaped down at her as she sipped her coffee quietly.
She just completely ignored what just happened.
"I was acting the part Booth…" she mumbled, answering his un-asked question.
Booth cleared his throat, "and here was me thinking you were just trying to convince me to let you come with me", he said slyly.
Brennan regarded him with interest for a moment, "why, would a kiss from me persuade you?"
Booth's mouth dropped open at what she implied but thankfully Brennan ignore him and continued with her rant.
"Its just that, I saw that woman, hovering around-which is something she seems to do a lot, and I was simply showing her that we were a couple so she wouldn't get the wrong idea and hit on you".
Booth nodded as he remained standing, drinking in her words.
"So you were assuring her that I was your's?" he asked, with a ghost of a smirk, dropping into the chair opposite her.
Brennan looked as if she had swallowed something particularly nasty.
"Absolutely not! I do not believe that an individual 'owns' another individual, that concept is ridiculous Booth! I was merely acting my part, Roxie would definitely not stand for such obvious displays of attraction from another woman towards Tony, they are supposed to be engaged after all!" Brennan said hotly.
Booth shook his head, "I thought you said they were engaged-to-be-engaged?"
Brennan looked livid and opened her mouth to reply, but before she could a loud sound interrupted her.
The two partners merely stared at one another as Booth's cell phone continued to ring.
The anthropologist clawed at her watch and her heart sank as she read that it was exactly 1:30.
"Its them", she mumbled unnecessarily as it was obvious her partner knew well whom the caller was.
As if in slow motion Brennan watched with bated breath as Booth opened his phone and brought it up to his ear.
"Booth", he croaked into the speaker.
"Special Agent Seeley Booth, what a pleasure it is", came a mechanical voice that obviously was digitally enhanced.
"Who-" Booth began to ask but was cut off abruptly.
"-I'll be doing the talking Agent Booth so pay attention. When our conversation is over, I want you to get in your car alone and drive about three miles west until you see a diner called Frank's. There will be a pay-phone out front and under it you will find an envelop, here you will find your second set of instructions. Remember no companions or there will be consequences! You have thirty minutes on a busy road Agent Booth, better hurry".
The line went dead.
Booth took the phone away from his ear.
The two partners now sat in stunned silence, both gaping wide-eyed at the phone Booth held in his hands.
Slowly, he flipped it closed.
As soon as he heard it snap shut he leaped into action. Standing up he shoved his keys into his pocket, smoothed down his clothes, and placed his hand on his breast pocket where Brennan knew his gun resided.
The scientist watched mutely as her partner readied himself, standing up also.
"I'm going to get the car", he mumbled to her, immediately beginning his mad dash to the hotel entrance.
Brennan, hot on his heels, followed him out into the parking lot silently.
Seeley stopped abruptly as the blue mustang came into view.
Suddenly, he turned to Brennan and rested his hand on her shoulder.
No words were passed between them, but their expression said it all.
Taking a deep breath, Booth looked deeply into the beautiful eyes of his partner once last time, before stepping closer to the car and opening it, his back turned.
As he lay one hand on the door handle, he turned to glance at his partner as if it were the last time they'd ever see each other.
"Please Bones, just stay here, go up to the room and lock the door and don't open it until I get back, I'm begging you…" he pleaded, his eyes glistening brightly in the shinning sun.
At the look on his face, Brennan bit back her retort and settled for a quick nod of her head.
Words failed her…
…For a moment…
"BOOTH!" she yelled frantically, making him whirl around in shock.
He placed his hand over his heart dramatically, "geez Bones, you nearly gave me a heart-attack! What?"
He could practically see the wheels in her brain spinning a million miles per second, her forehead frowned in concentration.
"I-I just thought of something…they-they know we're in Pittsburgh", she responded with a tone of finality.
Booth threw her a confused expression, "what-"
"-I heard the guy say on the phone, go west for about 3 miles. But go west where Booth? He must know where we are!"
Her words hit Seeley Booth like a bolt of lightening.
Brennan could instantly see a look of realisation pass over the agent's face, confirming he understood her.
"You're…you're right. Whoever it is, has to know where we are or else they would know I wouldn't get their next message in this sick game of theirs, I can't believe I didn't realise, you're-you're brilliant Bones!" Booth exclaimed, throwing her a smile charm-smile.
Brennan nodded, never the one to pass over a compliment and murmured, "yeah, yeah, just go on, hurry, the guy said you only have half an hour so you better get going…"
Booth nodded, remembering himself, turned, and opened the door of the car.
"And Booth?" he heard his partner say from behind him.
"Yeah?" he asked, his back still turned.
"Be careful".
He nodded once more, got into the car, and slammed the door.
He glanced out the window where he could see his beautiful partner standing there, looking like a creature from heaven in her pale-blue silk dress, the sun omitting an angelic glow off her hair.
He sighed at the sight of her and rolled down the window.
"Bones…go back inside and wait, I'll be back as soon as I can", he murmured, finding that he was unable to meet her gaze.
He could tell that she was not one bit pleased, but nevertheless did as she was asked and began to walk back towards the hotel.
Booth waited until he saw he walk through the lobby, towards the elevators of the hotel, before starting up the engine and driving out of the parking lot-heading west.
Temperance heard the roar of the engine from inside.
She bit her lip as she felt her heart pang with nervousness, this was going to be the longest half hour of her life.
It was quite a hot and sunny day in Pittsburgh.
The scenery was quite pleasing to the eye, birds were chirping in the trees, there were people traipsing around with large shopping bags and even more people having all sorts of fun in the nearby park.
But all this beauty was lost on the special agent that now pulled up at a small diner at the corner of the street.
He was too busy staring intently at a pay-phone that resided at the edge of the parking lot.
Slowly he pulled up in his mustang, parked, and stepped out of the car.
Tentively, he made his way towards the lone pay-phone, in such a manner it was almost as if the agent thought it might blow up.
But in his line of work, even that was a possibility.
As he reached out and touched the phone, he let out a sigh of relief as it didn't explode.
Good, he thought himself, that's a good sign, now…where's that card…
Extending his hand he reached down to the end of the pay-phone and began searching.
He let out a little grunt of triumph as he felt the square paper in the palm of his hand.
He pulled it roughly out and stared at the envelop for a moment, breathing deeply, almost afraid of what could be inside.
Biting his lip, he turned it over and began to open it.
He pulled out a small piece of white card with black, bold, typed, writing-same as the first.
Silently he began to read.
GOOD DAY AGENT BOOTH, WELL DONE FOR MAKING IT THIS FAR. I SUPPOSE BY NOW YOU HAVE REALISED THAT WE KNOW WHERE YOU ARE. NICE LITTLE PLACE PITTSBURGH ISN'T IT? I BET YOU ENJOYED LIVING HERE AS A CHILD…
NOW THAT I'VE GOT YOUR ATTENTION, DO EXACTLY AS I SAY, I'M SURE I DON'T NEED TO REMIND YOU WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON'T.
GO BACK TO THE GRAND HOTEL YOU AND YOUR PARTNER ARE STAYING AT, THERE YOU WILL FIND A LITTLE SURPRISE WAITING FOR YOU.
UNTIL WE NEXT COMMUNICATE.
Booth's eyes widened as he finished reading.
What the hell? This doesn't tell me anything, they brought me out here for nothing what… Booth's thoughts trailed off as something suddenly hit him.
"Oh my God, BONES!" he yelled frantically, before racing back to his car, jumping into the front seat, and speeding off down the road at a break-neck speed.
It was all a diversion! Damn! Why didn't he realise that? He just hoped he got back in time…
He just had to…
Temperance Brennan stepped out of the elevator and made her way down the corridor towards room 13.
She could hear her heels scrape along the carpet as she fished for the room key in her shoulder bag.
Finding it, she slid the key-card into the slot in the door and waited impatiently for the light to turn green.
All she could think about was her partner, where he was, if he was okay, the way his lips felt against her's…
She shook her head vigorously at the last part, refusing to listen to the Angela inside her head, telling her that she was not just acting on 'Roxie's' behalf but her own also.
Withdrawing her key-card, she stepped into her suite lightly and kicked off her shoes, leaving them by the door.
Straightening up, she made her way over to the window to open the curtains.
She slid them open, her slender arms spreading wide.
Her sea-blue eyes caught something in the reflection-a dark figure standing behind her.
Her eyes widened and she reacted within a millisecond.
Whirling around she kicked out at the intruder, her foot connecting with their stomach and they stumbled back-giving her a chance to leap for the door. But suddenly another two men appeared from the bathroom and blocked her off, each grabbing a hold of one of her arms.
She began to yell with anguish but instantly could feel a cloth being pulled into her mouth and tied around her head from behind.
She fought with all her might to wriggle herself free.
Her elbow connected with the face of the figure on her left, whilst her heel stomped on the foot belonging to the figure on her left.
Just as she was about to lift her head to attack the figure on front of her, she could see a 32 calibre shinning gun glide towards her face, hitting her extremely hard.
Temperance's head began to spin and her vision grew fuzzy.
Her mind was screaming at her not to black out but it was inevitable.
She could feel the figures open the door and begin to drag her with them, the gleaming light of the corridor lights glared in her eyes and then…darkness…
Seeley Booth never ran so fast in his entire life.
He stormed across the parking lot of "The Grand Hotel", pushed passed several onlookers at the entrance, was too impatient to wait on the elevators so jumped up the stairs, taking four at a time, sped down the second floor corridor and burst into suite 13, leaving the door swinging off his hinges.
"BONES! BONES! WHERE ARE YOU?" he yelled frantically, dashing around the room.
He checked the bathroom, shower, bedroom, wardrobe, under the bed, anywhere he could possible think of and his heart sank when he found the shoes that she had been wearing, laying sprawled out on the floor beside the door.
"GOD DAMNIT!" he roared, kicking the wall.
She was gone…
Suddenly, something on the bed grabbed his attention, a small, white envelop.
Lunging forward, he snatched up the envelop and hungrily tore it open.
A FIESTY WOMAN THAT PARTNER OF YOURS AGENT BOOTH.
I KNEW IN ADVANCE I'D NEED A COUPLE OF GUYS TO SORT HER OUT. I HOPE SHE'S SMART ENOUGH TO KEEP HER MOUTH SHUT WHEN WE'RE TRANSPORTING HER OR WHO KNOWS WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN.
NOW HERE'S THE DEAL. YOU ARE GOING TO BACK TO WASHINGTON TO THE JEFFERSONIAN INSTITUTE, THERE WILL BE A LITTLE PACKAGE ARRIVING FOR YOU LATER TODAY. WHEN YOU GET IT, YOU'LL KNOW WHAT TO DO.
DO AS I SAY AND NO HARM WILL COME TO YOUR BROTHER OR THAT SEXY SCIENTIST OF YOURS, I'LL MAKE SURE OF THAT.
FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN YOUR BROTHER'S DEATH AND LETS JUST SAY A LITTLE…FUN-TIME WITH THAT BEAUTIFUL WOMAN AND THEN A VERY, SLOW AND PAINFUL DEATH.
YOU UNDERSTAND AGENT BOOTH?
YOU HAVE FOUR HOURS TO GET BACK TO WASHINGTON.
BETTER HURRY.
UNTIL WE NEXT COMMUNICATE.
Hot, salty tears now began to spill out of the agent's eyes as he finished reading.
They had taken her, they had taken Bones…
He crumpled up the paper and began to frantically race around the room, gathering up both his and Bones' stuff.
He would make it back to Washington within the four hours, that was for sure.
He didn't give a rat's ass how many laws he'd have to break to do it…
A/N: Well to be honest that chapter was a nightmare! I've been consistently writing, re-writing, editing and messing around with this chapter for the last six days! And I'm still not happy! All I have to say is I'm ecstatic its over!! Hope you all liked it! Wanna reward me?? Lol! -wired2damoon- xx