Woot! Trying my hardest to finish Part Two before my niece wakes up!

*starts singing* "Under pressure. . ."

Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine, but if I had to choose, I'd want Angela.

Missed a Meal Part Two

Takes place a few weeks after Season 6 Finale

He didn't spot her right immediately when he pulled up outside, so he waited. Assuming the usual routine of when she saw him, she'd come.

Booth sighed. He was still running through the brief conversation they'd had a few minutes earlier. How could she forget to eat? Surely she hadn't been too enveloped in her work to possibly not notice the grumblings her stomach emitted. She really needed to stop the habit of getting so into her work. When she gets going, she won't stop for hours. Days, if you just let her. Someone always had to call or confront her. No one should have to be reminded to eat, he thought crossly. But then he remembered; it wasn't entirely her fault.

A few minutes had passed by the time the passenger door opened and a very out-of-breath Brennan shuffled into the seat.

"Bones, why're you panting?" Booth asked, shocked.

She buckled, leaning her head against the seat and trying to catch her breath. "I-" She stopped, truly winded. "I waited out here for two minutes when I remembered I'd forgotten to tell Cam I was leaving. Possibly for the day." She laughed, somewhat amused. "I had to run to find her."

Booth looked over at her, pulling out of the Jeffersonian parking lot. "What, she wasn't in her office?"

She shook her head. "Nope. She was in Paleontology. There's a meeting about to start so I'd caught her just in time." With that she collapsed into her seat. "I had to run back again."

"Jeeze, here. Want some water?" Eyes on the road he reached for the bottle of water he told himself he'd drink today and handed it to her. She took it willingly and downed three gulps.

After she put it back in the cup holder he looked at her. "You know you didn't have to run," he smiled. "I would've waited."

"Well yes, but. . ."

"What?"

"I just-" She huffed, looking at him from an angle. "I didn't want you to be angrier than you already are."

He started. "Bones, I'm not angry."

"Well, you're angry at me."

"No, no I'm not."

"You're not?" She eyed him, confused. "But when we spoke before, you said-"

"That I was vexed, yes. And I'll admit that I think it's ridiculous that you still have to be reminded to eat, but that's a small bump in the beginning that we have to jump over. Right?" Red light. He stopped and looked at her again. "You're an adult and I'm an adult, so I trust you when you say you'll try to remember from now on."

"I understand."

They were silent for a moment as the red light became a green. After several blocks, another red light stopped them. He stole a glance her way. She looked perplexed and worried. "Hey," he reached over, taking her hand in his. "We're okay. Don't be upset."

Looking back at him, her face softened. "I don't want you to think that I'm not trying," she admitted. "Today it looked like I wasn't trying."

"I know you're trying," he kissed the back of her hand. "Okay? And you're succeeding, too." He winked, flashing a smile.

Without looking away from him, she smiled. "Green light, Booth."

He accelerated, his attention back on the road.

While he looked away, she studied him; their hands lying between them. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "You are very sweet, Booth. Thank you."

Smiling, he kept his eyes ahead of him. She scoffed, looking out the window. "Don't start blushing."

Alas, he was pink all the way to the Diner.

AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHH! This was too choppy! I keep using 'and' over and over. I need a few new words in my vocabulary this year. Lord, give me the strength to expand my vocabulary. And to survive the first few episodes of Season 9.