Twenty-one Weeks at Quantico

By: Lesera128

Rated: T

Disclaimer: I own nothing... Obviously. Just playing in someone else's sandbox for a bit.

Summary: When the FBI establishes a pilot program for consultants to receive training at the FBI academy, Brennan and Booth clash over whether she should enroll. AU.

4. T-minus 7 Weeks until Orientation

She was angry. He knew that as soon as he saw her standing in his office doorway. The tell was how rigid she was holding herself. She was angry… and by the way she was looking at him, she had already found out.

'Damn', he thought.

Fortunately, he wasn't with anyone… just finishing up some emails on the desktop computer when he noticed her standing there.

Putting one of his best smiles on his face, he glanced up, made eye contact, and said, "Hey, Bones! What's up?"

Brennan frowned. "Agent Booth, I need to speak with you for a moment if you're available."

He had to stop himself from wincing. The name and title… it wasn't just 'Booth'… he had gotten the 'Agent Booth' from her… which was the equivalent of when he was a little boy and had gotten into trouble, and his mother would pull out the whole name 'Seeley Joseph Booth'. Oh, yeah, she definitely knew and was angry. However, he decided to play it cool, see what would happen, and hopefully try to diffuse the situation as much as possible before tonight.

"Sure, Bones, you know I'm always free for you," he said saucily.

Taking a step in, she nodded and took the liberty of closing the door behind her. With a sharp flick of the wrist, she pulled the blinds shut and then spun on her heels. "I cannot believe… that you… would do this."

This time… this time Booth couldn't help himself as he said, "You're upset."

"Damn right, I'm upset, Booth!" Brennan said. "I can't believe that you actually thought something as childish and petty as using your smooth lines and sexy smile to charm that sweet old lady would actually get you access to my file."

Booth waved her off. "Now, let's be fair, Bones… I wasn't trying to steal your file… I just was… hoping it might get misplaced." He grinned up at her… "And, just FYI, if Anita heard you describing her as either 'sweet' or 'old' she would not be pleased."

"You know that it was a waste of a morning for you, right?" Brennan said. "Everything is digitized anyway. And, they already have the faxed versions of the waivers I sent last week."

Booth frowned. "Okay, maybe it wasn't one of my more brilliant plans, but I had to get your attention somehow."

At this Brennan's eyebrows raised in fury. "*You* had to get *my* attention?" She shook her head in disbelief. "You have really crossed the line on this one." She looked up at him and said, "This goes beyond just arguing between us, Booth. I can't believe you did this… deliberately… to try to sabotage my position in the program."

"I know you're not happy right now, Bones, but—"

"But what, Booth? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't have your ass sleeping on the couch for the next week with you pulling this crap," Brennan muttered.

Booth stood and moved over to her. He moved close, and she immediately backed up. He moved forward and pulled her to him. "Hey…"

"No—"

"Hey," he murmured again. "I'm sorry… but… time just keeps ticking by, Bones. We agreed not to talk about it two weeks ago… fine… we haven't. But, the situation is still not resolved… and time's running out. I…I'm sorry I tried to misfile your applicant's folder. But… I still don't want you to go."

"If there is one thing the past month has taught me," Brennan said with a heavy sigh, "It's that you don't want me to go. But, that still doesn't answer my earlier question, Booth."

"And which one was that?"

"Can you give me one good reason not to stay angry enough at you over this stupid little stunt of yours to let you sleep with me?" Brennan huffed.

Booth smiled into her hair. She felt it, and again, she stiffened. "Don't do that."

"Don't do what?"

"Don't try to manipulate me with by attempting to elicit a physical response from me. That's not fair," Brennan said.

"Yeah, well, we both know life isn't fair, Bones," Booth said with a chuckle. He then pulled away from her and turned her cheek to look into her eyes. Nodding, Booth said, "But, to answer your question… yes, I can give you a very good reason. We have dinner reservations at eight, remember?"

Something flashed in Brennan's eyes, and she suddenly deflated as she shook her head. "That is so not fair."

"I know," Booth said. "But, on the bright side of things, the restaurant does have an excellent fried zucchini appetizer that I know you've been dying to try."

Brennan continued to shake her head, pulled away, and yanked the door open, muttering as she went, "Not fair… so *not* fair."

"Remind me again why we are 'pretending' that we aren't still fighting, Booth?" Brennan asked as she turned from the SUV and didn't frown when he placed his hand in the small of her back.

"Because," Booth said. "It's our anniversary, Bones. And you don't let a little thing like a disagreement ruin an anniversary."

"I fail to see how the commemoration of the first day when we both agreed to embark on a romantic relationship can be significant enough to overcome the weeks for which our disagreement has been transpiring, Booth.. let alone that let stunt you pulled this morning," Brennan said testily.

"Because," Booth said. "We made the agreement. For tonight, one night... the terms 'pilot program' and 'Quantico' don't exist. You did agree to it," Booth reminded her.

Brennan thought back to that previous night. She had been weakening in the past week... Booth still slept in bed with her... still said goodnight and good morning to her... still brushed his teeth next to her at the sink... but he didn't hold her before they fell asleep at night (not usually... not unless she was really tired and gave in... and how she hated when she had to give in), and she was the first to scoot away in the morning when they awoke and realized one or the other had gravitated to the other at some point in the night. The continually woke up with intertwined limbs and each others' scent all over them before the whole process started all over again.

That had led Booth, when he knew what the next day to be, to propose this truce. The date was important to them both... and... he had looked at her with the vulnerable look he almost never used and had reached out to her with the words, "Please, Bones? Just for tomorrow?"

Brennan, eager for the chance to have things back to normal, if even for just the day, caved. He smiled. They hugged... and he made dinner reservations. And, then, with deliberate intent, Booth had orchestrated the stunt he had pulled with the administrative assistant in charge of the Quantico pilot program's trainee files. She was still angry about that... but a promise was a promise.

Booth, meanwhile, had continued his earlier comments. "Think of it this way, Bones… it's a time-out… temporary cessation of hostilities for the mutual benefit of both sides… a cease-fire."

"A temporary cessation of hostilities, huh?" Brennan asked. "And does this temporary cessation of hostilities extend beyond the time necessary to consume the meal we will be ordering at this restaurant?"

"Do you want it to?"

"Maybe. What are your terms?"

"We can start fighting again in the morning," Booth said. "I'd really like to sleep in my bed again for a normal night… with you there."

"I never kicked you out of the bed, Booth. In fact, you have slept in the bed every night since our disagreement began," Brennan said.

"Yeah, well," Booth said. "It's not like I was getting much sleep without my pillow."

"Why do you insist on calling me your pillow?" Brennan said.

"Because," Booth said as he moved to open the door to the restaurant. "I sleep better when you're curled up next to me in that little ball that you wrap yourself up into. I can't really help it."

Brennan eyed him as he came to stand next to her at the restaurant's front desk.

"Good evening. Welcome to Antonio's. Do you have a reservation?"

Not breaking eye contact with him, Brennan said to the hostess evenly. "Yes… it's under Booth… two for eight o'clock."

The hostess turned away and began to look at where to seat the couple. Booth hazarded a grin at Brennan, who sighed. She then said, "Fine. A temporary cessation of hostilities, Booth. But, that's all it is… my agreement in no way should be taken to mean I am conceding the point to you. And I am still pissed off at you... very, very *VERY* pissed off."

"Duly noted," Booth said with a nod. Extending his arm in the direction the hostess had walked, he smiled and said, "Shall we?"

Three and a half hours – and two bottles of red wine - later, the pair were in a decidedly different mood when they stood in front of their apartment door, Brennan pressed up against Booth's laughing form as he juggled the keys.

"Bones, quit that, would ya… I can't get the key in the lock if you keep doing that—"

Brennan laughed. "I thought you were an expert marksman, Booth. Inserting things into tight spots is sort of supposed to be your thing, isn't it?"

Booth eyed her and said, "Do you have any idea what you just said?"

Brennan nodded with a grin. "Yup."

Booth finally got the front door open and pulled Brennan in after him. Shutting the door behind them, he locked it before he grabbed her and pushed her up against the door.

Chuckling, Brennan said, "What is your thing with me and doors, Booth?"

"Can't help it," he murmured as he leaned in to kiss her. "Just can't help it, Bones."

The pair continued to kiss and grope each other for some time before Brennan pulled away and said, "I missed this... I missed you."

"Me too," Booth murmured.

"Sex deprivation sucks," she mumbled through their kisses.

"It does," Booth agreed.

Brennan laughed. God, how Booth loved that laugh. She pulled away slightly, and he reached in to kiss her again, but kicking off her heels, Brennan laughed again and dodged. Spinning around, she gave him access to her back as she said, "Unzip?"

He grinned and nodded. Pulling the zipper all the way down, he nodded in appreciation as he caught a glimpse of the lavendar silk and lace of her slip. He thought she might clutch the dress to her and move to the bedroom to change. Booth wasn't holding out hope that maybe the wine... and groping in the cab back from the restaurant had put her in a generous mood. But- that laugh... he had hopes that were fulfilled when Brennan felt goose bumps on her arms, and she let the dress fall to the floor in a pool of cloth. Turning her head as Brennan looked over her shoulder and gave him a 'come hither' stare as she nodded and said, "Aren't you coming?"

Moving in the direction of their bedroom, Booth didn't have to be told twice as he followed Brennan, curious to know as to how long the cease fire would actually last since it appeared to be holding... holding very, very well.

The next morning, Booth awoke feeling better than he had in weeks. Tightening his hold on the warm mound of pleasantness that was Brennan, he murmured into her ear, "Morning."

Brennan stirred a bit and smiled. She then replied, "Good morning."

She yawned for a moment, and then stretched, and said softly, "It's morning."

"Mmmm hmmm," Booth said. "Want me to make some coffee?" It was the first time had had offered to make it for her in weeks.

Brennan frowned, suddenly her memory kicking in, as she said, "Booth?"

"Hmmm?"

"The terms of the cease fire…."

Booth sighed, now more awake than he wanted to be. He knew where this was going to go, and he didn't like it. Not one bit. Reluctantly, he said, "Yes, Bones?"

"I believe the terms have been fulfilled. We are now back to where we were before."

"So that means you still plan on taking part in the training at Quantico in September?"

"Yes," Brennan said. "Do you still object to my participation?"

"You know the answer to that already, Bones," Booth said quietly.

"Yes, I know the answer... but I don't know the reason behind the answer, Booth."

"Bones..."

"No," she said. "Don't try to turn this around on me. It's a simple question to answer, Booth. I'm not the one who is in the wrong on this one... you are. And you are compounding your error both by not explaining to me the reason for your vehemence, nor actually considering why it is so important to me, despite the fact that I have repeatedly tried to sit down and explain it to you. But all you want to hear is 'Okay, Booth, if you don't want me to go, I won't.' You don't seem to care about anything beyond having me speak those words."

"Shouldn it," he began, "shouldn't it be enough... if I ask you not to go, then, because it's me who's asking you not to do it... shouldn't that be enough?"

"Not when you can't explain to me why... or, more as the case may be... you are capable of explaining your reasoning, but are still chosing not to do so... in which case... it's because you *won't* tell me... but still expect me to extend the same courtesey to you... I can't do it, Booth... not when it's this big... this important to me," Brennan said.

"Bones-"

Gently, very gently, Brennan reached out and carefully ran her fingers across his forehead, her touch just at the edge of his bedhead, almost as if to push hair out of his eyes if it had been long enough. Her hand then came down, and traced the edge of his chin, and rested there for a moment. She said quietly, "You know, Booth... this... these past few months, I've... I've had to deal with a lot. You know that. I know you know that. I... and I'm not saying this because I don't love you or regret any choices I've made about our family... but... I've given a lot in a lot of different ways that I never used to think I'd be able to do because of you... because of who you are to me. I've done things I never thought I would *ever* be able to do... because... that's what you said... that's what you said two people who love each other do. They find a way... and they make things work... and that's what I've been doing."

She paused for a breath as she said, "It hasn't been easy, you know... I... I've been dealing with a lot of things... some of which I don't even think you realize... but, I've been dealing... and on the small things... I do what you do when you ask me to do something. Even if my instinct is to fight back and make a big deal out of things because they annoy the hell out of me... I find a way to deal with it. This isn't like when you come home, take your suit jacket off and toss it on the back of the couch instead of hanging it up. That's what you do, so I've gotten used to it because I know... eventually, you'll put the jacket up when you're ready. This isn't like when you leave the TV on at night even though you're coming into bed, and when I get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, I go out and shut it off. This isn't... this isn't like you asking me to buy whole milk at the store instead of the skim milk I prefer because you say the whole milk tastes better with that awful sugary cereal you insist on eating in the morning. This... this opportunity to take the training at Quantico... it's a big thing, Booth... it's the kind of thing that's important to me... and I just can't compromise on it just because you say 'if you love me, you won't go' and expect that to be enough... it's just not. For something like this... I need more... and you're not giving it to me."

Booth opened his mouth, as if to say something, and then closed it.

Brennan frowned, but she nodded. "Okay, then..." She rolled over to her side of the bed and stood. Pursing her lips, Brennan shook her head in frustration. "When you're ready... if and when you can... and are *willing* to answer my question... you know where I'll be. If not... well, then, consider the hostilities to have resumed, Booth."

Standing, she yanked the sheet towards her as she stalked into the bathroom. Booth looked at the clock with another sigh realizing that the cease fire had only lasted… thirteen hours and twelve minutes.

-TBC-