Chapter 16. Death in the saddle.
"Only thing that came out of the kid was vomit." Booth told Cam as Brennan entered the crime scene.
"That would explain the pervasive smell... Why am I here?" Brennan asked pulling on gloves as she looked at the body.
"Dead guy, foul play... it's your main function." Cam said examining the body.
"With bones. This is... very meaty." She clarified.
"No, there's a bit of bone here...and...there." cam said pointing
"And look at all the maggots." Booth pointed out.
"Bones! I said, not bugs." She snarled looking at him.
"Lividity looks fixed." Cam said ignoring them. "So… It's not a body dump, he was killed here."
"This is all flesh! Why'd you call me in on this?" Brennan asked giving Booth a look.
"Wasn't me!" Booth said defensively.
"It was me." Cam admitted.
"Why? Is it because you're trying to think of excuses to put Booth and me together on cases?" Brennan asked annoyed.
"I wouldn't do that, Dr. Brennan."
"Cause we're fine." She lied turning to Booth again. "Right?"
"Yeah. Hundred percent." He agreed.
"...that's not why I called you in."
"Then why?" she asked disbelievingly.
"The feet are missing." Booth said covering when Cam hesitated.
"Because his feet are missing. Which...suggests bone trauma, which immediately suggested you." Cam explained grateful to Booth.
Back at Brennan's office, after the body had been delivered. Booth followed a frustrated looking Brennan in.
"Look if you're mad at me just say so. I know we haven't worked together since… you know… but that was months ago, we need to move on and be mature if we are ever going to be partners again."
"Who said I wanted to be your partner again?" she asked not stopping to look at him as she gathered the files she needed.
"I know you Tempe. … You want-"
"DON'T… call me Tempe." She said turning around at him furiously. "No Bren, No Brennan, No Bones and especially NOT Tempe. You lost that right months ago. It's Doctor Brennan. And you're special agent Booth. And don't you dare tell me what I want. As far as I'm concerned we were never anything more than partners, and we weren't close. You understand?"
"The only thing I understand is that you're pissed at me because you are incapable of loving another human being."
She shook her head. "That's not true. I'm just incapable of loving you." She shot back meanly and walked out.
A week later. Booth and Brennan sit in the diner after the longest, hardest week they have ever had.
"I'm sorry bones." Booth apologized as they sat there eating silently. "About what happened between us…? I really am."
She nodded. "Yeah. …me too." She said with a sigh. "I'm sorry for the way I acted. I do want to be your partner …and I do like your nicknames."
He smiled lightly. "I can call you Bones again?"
She laughed. "Yes."
They sat in a more comfortable silence for a few minutes until Booth tried to strike up a conversation.
"So how's the salad?"
"There are many health benefits to being vegetarian. It's a rational choice in a world where food supplies... are affected by global warming issues."
"What about global taste issues?"He asked smiling.
"Is that meat sweet, rich, super-lean, and soft?" Brennan asked smiling back.
Booth throws his burger down. "You mean does it taste like horse meat?"
"Maybe you should consider going vegetarian, too." She suggested taking a bite.
"I didn't lose my appetite because you mentioned horse meat, I lost my appetite because you made me think about all those people parading around, pretending to be something they aren't, just so they could have crappy sex."
"How do you know it's crappy?"
"It's gotta be, Bones, come on! It's gotta be!"
"Why?!" she asked curiously.
Booth leans in towards Brennan. "I'll tell you why. Here we are. …All of us are basically alone, separate creatures just circling each other. All searching for that slightest hint of a real connection. Some look in the wrong places, some… they just give up hope because in their mind they're thinking 'Oh, there's nobody out there for me.' But all of us, we keep trying over, and over again. Why? Because every once in a while… Every once in a while… two people meet. And there's that spark. And yes Bones, he's handsome. And she's beautiful. And maybe that's all they see at first...But making love? Making. …Love. …That's when two people become one."
"It is... scientifically impossible for two objects to occupy the same space." Brennan pointed out.
"Yeah, but what's important is we try. And when we do it right, we get close."
"To what? Breaking the laws of physics?" she asked skeptically.
"Yeah, Bones. A miracle. Those people role-playing and their fetishes and their little sex games… It's crappy sex. Well, at least compared to the real thing." He said smiling at her.
"You're right." she said considering his theory.
His smile widened. "Wait a second, I just won that argument?"
"Yup." She said smiling back. "…do you think we ever got close Booth?"
He nodded. "I think we got real close Bones." I really do.