Sorry I have been away so long, haven't had a lot of time lately Took on more responsibility at work and now it seems I eat, sleep, and work.
I am also wanting to refer anyone reading my story to also read a story that is co-authored by Penandra and FaithInBones called Castor and Pollux. They are both exceptional writers that have an interesting twist on Gibbs father and Booth Grandfather. It is posted on both NCIS and BONES forums, so give it a try I am sure you will enjoy it as much as I have.
Jack headed for the Hoover to persuade Booth into drinks before dinner. All he needed was a solid reason why, so Booth wouldn't suspect his wife's plan. As he exited the elevator he looked towards Booth's office and was about to slip back into the elevator and lie to his wife. While he didn't want to disappoint his wife, a drunk, angry, armed Booth seemed much more intimidating, but before he could back track a voice caught him off guard.
"Bug boy what are you doing here?" Booth said as he came to stop at the side of Hodgins.
"Oh … umm hey ya Booth" his eyes darted nervously as he tried to act as nonchalant as possible. Booth narrowed his eyes at the squint, not quite sure what to make of his presence in the building. Hodgins took a deep breath and turned to face Booth "Angela sent me; she is concerned about you and thought maybe I could take you out for a couple of drinks before dinner help you relax a bit." It wasn't a lie; it just wasn't the whole truth.
Booth continued to study his friend before nodding and giving him a weak smile. "Thanks Hodgins, but I am not sure I would be very good company. Ya know … maybe …"
"YOU havetocome" the statement came bumbling out of Hodgins mouth
"I don't hafta do anything." Booth glared at him
"Right, you don't, but if I don't come home with you, Angie will never forgive me and she would come after you herself. You might as well give up now and avoid the trouble that would cause." Both men stared at each other for a few seconds "Booth man, you know I'm right."
"Yeah, I know." Booth tapped the folder he held "Need to give this to Hacker before we go, it'll just take a second."
"What's that?" Hodgins eyed the folder with dread seemingly knowing what was in it without looking
Booth looked down and swallowed hard "It's my official acceptance of the position in Baltimore."
"Oh … So … um … you're really doing it?"
"Yeah" nodding slightly Booth glanced quickly at Hodgins and then looked away "I'll meet you out front, just going to …." he held up the folder "give this to Hacker."
Once Hodgins was out of the Hoover he quickly texted his wife the events that just occurred and silenced his phone while he waited for Booth. He wasn't quite ready to deal with his overly emotional wife when Booth could appear at any second.
Angela was standing outside of Brennan's apartment door, where she had been for the last several minutes, alternating between yelling through the door and banging on it. Fed up with the persistence of the young woman, a neighbor, a middle aged impeccably dressed woman opened her door and confronted Angela. "I am pretty sure she is not home, and if she is, it is obvious she doesn't want to talk to you, so you could please move along." Without waiting for a reply she slipped back inside her door and closed it.
Angela stared at Brennan's door for a second longer and then pulled a small pad and pen from her purse and left Brennan a note that she slid under the door Angela then left and continued her search for her friend. As she was exited her friends' apartment building her phone vibrated in her pocket. As she read the message she felt as if her knees were going to give out on her. She slowly sat down on the bench just outside the doors as she stared at the message.
Shaking herself she took a deep breath and refused to give up just yet, she just had to find Brennan and shake some sense into her. She scrolled through her contacts until she found Hackers and she called him and got his assurance that he would not process Booth's acceptance of the position just yet. Feeling slightly better she disconnected and renewed her search for her friend.
Brennan had left the Jeffersonian with not clear destination in mind, however, she knew she needed to finish her report for NCIS to close her end of the case, but where could she do this without interruptions or reminders of the center that was slowly cracking into pieces. She pulled out her cell and looked at the small icon indicating she had a voicemail, ignoring it she scrolled through her contacts until she found the one she wanted and pushed the call button.
"Gibbs"
"It is Dr. Brennan, I was wondering if I could use your facility to finish up my report?"
Gibbs creased his brow as he listened "Of course I will leave word at the gate." He smiled slightly to himself. This woman was intriguing and like no other woman he had ever met, yet something surrounded her that told him she was off limits and while an interesting dinner companion, that was as far as her invisible walls would allow anyone in.
The elevator doors opened to a scene that seemed identical to the one a few days earlier when she arrived here the first time, only the clothing had changed. It made her think about her own world at the Jeffersonian and how every day had been the same until Booth had arrived to shake things up. Three faces watched her as she walked pass them only acknowledging them with a slight nod of her head as she made herself comfortable to Gibbs' desk.
Opening her laptop, she pushed the on button then turned her attention to McGee. "Would you be able to set me up to be able to print directly from my laptop or would I need to use a thumb drive?
"Umm I should be able to allow your laptop wireless access to our printer" McGee stammered as he continued to stare at the woman sitting in his bosses chair.
"Thank you" she turned her attention back to her laptop and began typing. She felt their eyes on her and she continued to ignore them the best she could until a movement in front of her distracted her. "Agent DiNozzo is there something you wanted to say to me?" She stopped typing and raised her eyes to his.
"It … it's just that … well … "
"Have I done something wrong?" she asked. Ziva watched the woman and noticed while she held herself with dignity and grace there was an emptiness that was engulfing her.
"DiNozzo" Gibbs voice rang clear as he exited the elevator. Tony jumped slightly at the sound of his boss's voice once again disrupting thoughts he was beginning to have about the woman directly in front of him.
Gibbs rounded the corner and slowed his step as she stared at Dr. Brennan sitting very comfortably at his desk. "Boss" McGee began, hoping to prevent a possible catastrophe.
Gibbs held up his hand to McGee "Dr. Brennan, how is the report coming?"
Her eyes moved off of Tony to Gibbs, "About 5 more minutes. Your marine died trying = an experimental procedure. I don't understand why his condition was not tracked by the military."
"If he would have been found to be as sick as he was he would have been discharged. Being a marine was very important to him, it was a family tradition. What we don't know is how he kept it covered up and that will be the next part of our investigation."
"I will be finished shortly" Brennan returned to her typing
Gibbs nodded and stood watching for a few moments before Brennan turned to him "Was there something else Agent Gibbs?"
"I was wondering if you would join me for dinner this evening?"
She smiled a sad smile at him "I believe that would be acceptable, however, I might need to change."
"You look fine, the place is very casual." He smiled a warm smile at her. "I'll leave you to your work; I will be back in about 20 minutes."
"Agent McGee I'm finished" McGee came over by Dr. Brennan and he turned her laptop towards him as she set it up to print on the printer near his desk. The faint sound of the printer humming to life announced that McGee was finished. As the last paper of the reported printed, McGee once again slid his fingers across the keys disengaging the wireless connection, and then sliding the laptop back to her.
Brennan powered down the laptop and stowed it back in its protective case then quietly sat waiting for Gibbs. McGee and DiNozzo excused themselves and headed for the elevator, Ziva told them she would catch up.
Ziva sat at her desk trying to find a way to approach a very delicate subject. "Dr. Brennan?"
"Yes" Brennan turned her cold gaze to the young woman
"Why don't you tell him?"
"Tell who what?"
"Dr. Brennan I might not understand a lot of American ways, but I do know when a man is mourning a woman."
"I don't understand"
Ziva stood up and carefully walked around her desk towards Brennan "I spent only a few hours with Agent Booth …"
"Who Agent Booth sleeps with is none of my business …"
"I didn't sleep with him. I might not understand some American customs but I do know you don't trespass on anothers property."
"I don't know what property has to do with you sleeping with Booth."
Ziva leaned over Gibbs desk "I did not sleep with him. He belongs to another …"
"Booth doesn't belong to any …"
"You" Brennan's head snapped up "His heart belongs to you. What I don't understand is why you won't accept his love." Ziva straightened up "Open your eyes before it is too late." She left Brennan sitting there mulling over her words.
She doesn't know how much time had passed when her thoughts were interrupted "You ready?"
"What?" she glanced at Gibbs slightly confused until her brain caught up "No …Yes I mean … Agent Gibbs I am sorry, there is something I must do can you forgive me?"
"No need, go do what you need to do."
She leaned up and gently kissed his cheek "Thank You" He stood and watched her leave his floor of the NCIS building and hoped that Agent Booth realized just how lucky of a man he was.
Booth and Hodgins sat at the founding fathers where they had been for the better part of the last hour downing shots of Tequila.
"You know Booth, thish was Angggge's idea"
"I wuv her"
"You do, I wuv her too. We has alots in common."
"Not her her, the other her Bonezzzzzzzz"
"Oh"
"I fucked it all up Jack. Jusht like that … I lost her. Can you lost something if you never has it ... really?"
"Not after tonight."
"Huh?"
"Tonight man, Ange has it all planned. She is getting Dr. B drunk right now and then tonight you two can't drive home, so she is going to make you stay wif us and hoping for you two … you know …"
"What?" Booth seemed instantly sober, at least to Hodgins, and very angry
"I don't thinksh you are suppose to know that."
Brennan arrived at the small apartment above the liquor store, but before she could knock she ran into Booth's elderly neighbor. "He isn't home dear; he hasn't been here since he left this morning."
She turned her eyes to the kindly neighbor "Thank You" Brennan looked down at her watch and then at the door.
"Honey, I am sure you know what is in that fake rock by his door. I am sure he wouldn't mind you using it." The woman smiled warmly at her before disappearing into her own apartment.
She took a deep breath and knew that she would not be able to face him yet. Not today, maybe Tomorrow.