Chapter 20. Conman in the meth lab.
9:30 am. Sweets' office. Sweets sits facing Brennan silently as Booth enters, running late as always.
"Hey 'm sorry I'm late. I was busy putting the final touches on the case that will propel me to stardom. Y'know, face on the coin and everything." He said with a large smile dropping onto the couch next to Brennan, his arm running the length of the back and his hand gently brushing her shoulder.
"The big RICO case?" Brennan asked curiously looking up at him and trying to ignore the tingle in her stomach caused by his close proximity.
"That's the one." He nodded smiling a boothy grin down at her.
"Just in time for your birthday." Sweets pointed out, ignoring the fact that he shared sensitive case information with her.
"Which I will be spending in, Ha-wai-i. Ha, look at that… 'Shark adventures.'" He said handing Brennan the brochure.
"Sharks?" she said surprised.
"Oh, I really wish that you wouldn't…" Sweets said as Booth reached for his ringing phone.
"Booth." He said ignoring him and answering it anyways."…Jared. …yeah." He said stepping outside to take the call.
"That's his brother." Brennan informed him clearing her throat as the scent of his cologne lingered in the air.
"Booth has a brother?" Sweets said surprised and Brennan nodded as Booth walked back in, phone in hand.
"Don't feel bad, I've never met him either."
"At least you knew he existed." Sweets said mildly offended as both of their phones ring simultaneously.
She shrugged. "Yeah. So?" she stood and they left answering their phones.
"Okay that's enough for today because obviously you have to go look at some horribly dismembered… " He called after them "…human remains." He finished feeling ignored and knowing they were out of earshot.
By early afternoon, Brennan and Cam were on the platform examining the charred remains of a man caught in a meth lab explosion.
"There's no obvious exit wound." Brennan sated looking at the skull.
"That suggests a .22 or .25 caliber."
Clark Edison joins them on the platform. "I have the x-rays, Dr. Brennan." He put them on the light board and turned it on.
"What do you see Mr. Edison?" Brennan asked removing her gloves.
"Multiple points of possible ante-mortem in-bending with concomitant fracture."
"These abrasions are patterned. Repeated blows with a perforated surface?" Cam asked surprised and Brennan nodded.
"Hey Bones, Cam!" Booth said ascending the stairs with Jared.
"Camille?" Jared said smiling and hugging her.
"Jarhead, you're really in DC." She said looking up at him with a large smile.
"Jarheads are marines. I'm a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy… not an acceptable mistake." He corrected feigning seriousness.
'He's getting so big. Soon he'll be wanting a later curfew and a car of his own." She told Booth pinching Jared's cheek.
Jared laughed. "Always good to see you Cam and who is this?" he asked smiling at Brennan.
"Jared, this here is my partner Dr. Temperance Brennan, that back there is a squint." He said pointing at Clark then back to Brennan. "Bones, this is my little brother."
"Bones?" Jared said looking to Booth with a small laugh.
"Dr. Brennan." Booth said giving him a look.
Jared and Brennan shake hands. "It's nice to finally meet you Jared. …I can see the family resemblance. Your facial structure is even more symmetrical than Booth's." she said looking closely at his face.
"Is she coming on to me?" Jared asked Booth.
"No it's just the way she talks." Booth said shaking his head.
"Right." he nodded.
"So, the Pentagon huh?" Cam said impressed.
"You're looking at the new head of Strategic Plans and Policy." Jared said proudly.
"Basically he runs the place." Booth said smiling. "So Cam, Jared has a favor he'd like to ask."
"I can ask my own favors Seeley." He said shooting him a look.
"Okay, go ahead then." Booth said stepping aside talking with Brennan as she went back to work.
"There's a cocktail party tonight. I'm in need of a beautiful woman on my arm, preferably a very smart one."
"I would be delighted." Cam said with a nod.
Angela joins them on the platform.
She hands Booth a document. "I've got an address," she said noticing Jared. "Whoa, there's more than one Booth? I'm Angela. Montenegro." She said smiling and shaking his hand.
"Jared Booth." He said smiling back.
"Hi." Angela said tucking hair behind her ear.
"Okay Jared. Bones and I have to work on a case so…"
"Yeah, no problem. I'll grab a cab. Thanks for letting me stay with you while I get my place ready."
"Anytime." He said giving Jared his keys.
"It was nice meeting you all, and Cam I will pick you up at seven."
"Sounds good." She nodded.
"Alright." He said leaving the platform.
"Are you thinking of leaving lesbianism behind?" Brennan asked smiling as Angela watched him walk away.
"I prefer not to be labeled, okay." Angela said laughing.
"Since you were last here Angela ran into her ex-girlfriend, who is now her ex-ex-girlfriend." Booth informed Clark.
"Wow… I really didn't need to hear that." He said walking away.
"Okay Bones, what do you say we go and solve a murder, huh? Come on." He said leading her out.
"So Jared is staying with you?" Brennan said after getting around the corner.
"Yeah y'know just for a couple of days."
"None of my business" Brennan said as they entered the elevator.
"Well… kind of."
"Y'know we're…"
"Casual." He nodded.
"Exactly." She agreed.
"Yeah." The elevator stopped and they got out in the parking garage.
"So are we still on for tomorrow night then?"
"Of course." He said with a Boothy grin. "But I'm cooking this time."
"What? No way. I found this amazing new lasagna recipe that I want to try."
"Oh god. No tofu please." He said giving her a serious look.
"Why not? You really should give it a chance."
"Nope. That's not going to happen." He shook his head laughing.
"Fine no tofu then." She said giving in. "but you're getting the wine this time."
"Deal." He said with a laugh.
"And I mean the good stuff too."
"Well that's gonna cost you extra." He said pulling her into his arms.
"Really?" she said smiling.
"Oh yeah." He said kissing her.
She laughed. "Don't we have a murder to solve?"
"We should probably get going." He nodded.
"Come on." She said kissing him lightly and opening the door to his SUV.
4:30 pm. Booth and Brennan are on their way back to the lab when Booth's cell phone rings.
"Booth." He said putting it on speaker.
"Did you catch the murderer?" Jared asked leaning over Cam as she worked on her computer.
"We subpoenaed a possible murder weapon." Brennan shrugged.
"Not a bad day's work." Cam said smiling.
"More important than catching a murderer, I'm dateless tonight." Jared said getting to the real reason he called.
"What happened to Cam?" Booth asked surprised.
"Oddly I think it's more important to catch this murderer. I'm working." She said with a laugh.
"So who else you got for me Seeley?" he asked looking at Cam.
"What am I, your pimp?"
"Don't think I'm not appreciative." Jared said not meaning to offend. "Hey what about you Temperance? You free tonight?" he asked hopefully.
"What?"
"Clark has everything under control here." Cam said encouragingly.
Brennan looked at Booth unable to think of an excuse. "Yeah I'm free tonight." She admitted unable to lie.
"Really?" he asked relieved "Thank you."
'No.' Booth mouthed to Brennan shaking his head and she responded with a look saying she couldn't lie.
"Seeley would you mind?" Jared checked.
"Hmm …No, why would I mind, it's alright."
"Which means this is a great time to hang up." Jared said hanging up before Booth could think of a reason to say no.
"Now why'd you have to do that Bones?" Booth said with a sigh.
"I'm sorry, I'm a horrible liar, you know that. …besides it's not like I could say 'I can't because I'm sleeping with your brother and he doesn't want me to.'" She said apologetically. "…are you mad Seeley?"
He sighed. "no. it's not like we're even dating. Go have fun."
"besides this means you get to make me try on all my dresses so you can take them off and have sex… you know you like that." She said smiling.
He couldn't help the smile spreading across his face. "you know me too well."
"I know." She said kissing him lightly.
The Whitehouse Rose Garden. A cocktail party is in full swing. Jared is wearing his Navy uniform as he stands talking to a group of other uniformed officers.
"Thank you General… Would you gentlemen excuse me please?" he said respectfully excusing himself.
A waiter passes and holding out a tray. "Champagne?"
"Thank you." He said taking two glasses and sits next to Brennan. "Don't tell me you're sorry you came?" He smiles handing her the champagne.
"No, not at all." She said smiling back as they clink glasses and she takes a sip. "It is not often I get to observe people this powerful in a relaxed situation. …its fascinating."
Jared laughed lightly smiling at her."Don't be fooled, it's a school of piranhas in here."
Brennan smiled back. "You're good at this. They listen to you when you speak."
"You wanna know the secret?" he asked leaning in closely. "You have an incredibly beautiful, incredibly intelligent scientist slash novelist sitting alone waiting for you to bring her a drink." He said with a small crooked smile almost as adorable Booth's and they laughed again. "Nah, it's too corny. Huh?"
"Definitely." She nods. "…I was thinking how Booth would be bored at a function like this."
"This kind of event would make Seeley very nervous. …I don't mean he's incapable, my brother is very, very capable. It's just …it's like Seeley's afraid of success. He stays in his comfort zone. It drove our dad nuts." He said sipping his drink. "I don't know, maybe that's what made him such a good sniper. He doesn't like to be visible above the ridgeline so he keeps his head low, follows his instincts. Me on the other hand, well I cannot help but run that ridge." he said smiling at her.
"Can you give me an example?" she asked curiously.
Jared leans in and kisses her. "I bet you Seeley never took that risk."
"…no" she lied looking away.
"To a good night." He said clinking glasses, and she smiled politely emptying her glass of champagne.
9 am.
Jeffersonian lab. Cam is talking to Booth as she works.
"I found a match for our victim's DNA on the felony database."
"Have you seen Bones this morning?" Booth asked not really listening.
"No, I think she and Jared had a late night. …Open the attachment I just sent you."
He opens it. "okay, Anthony Pongetti, multiple fraud convictions."
"That's our victim." Cam nodded.
"Right so, Pongetti pretends to be Stegman. Why?"
"He read that article on the inventor and figures there's something to cash in on."
"…Y'know, Bones never gets in this late." Booth pointed out drifting back to Brennan.
"You're the one who said you didn't mind them going out last night."
"Bye Cam." He said hanging up and Cam rolls her eyes.
She stands heading to Brennan's office and finding her at her computer with Clark over her shoulder.
"No signs of remodeling."
"Did you just get in?" Cam asked curiously.
"I haven't been to sleep yet." Brennan said looking up at Cam.
"Can I offer you a little insight into Booth's little brother?" Cam offered.
"Oh god, why am I always standing precisely in the wrong place?" Clark said walking out.
"I didn't have sex with him Cam."
"Didn't have sex with who?" Angela asks walking into her office.
"Jared." Brennan said looking up at Angela.
"Good."
"Why is that good?" Brennan asked confused.
"Because… because…" Cam struggled to explain it.
"Because he's Booth's little brother and it would just be a creepy way to have sex with a Booth without having sex with the real Booth." Angela explained with a sigh.
"Kudos Angela. I would not have had the guts to say that aloud." Cam praised.
"Jared is a real Booth." Brennan pointed out.
"hmmm. Jared is Booth lite. Booth is the real Booth." Angela shook her head making a face.
"What if Booth is Booth lite?" she asked knowing it wasn't true.
"no." they both said at once, shaking their head.
"right." Brennan sighed.
Back at the FBI. Booth's cell phone buzzes with a text message.
He sighs seeing his caller ID read 'Jared Booth' knowing what was coming. He opened it. 'I'm in trouble - -Jared'
"damn it Jared." He said heading out dialing as he went.
10 minutes later. Booth pulled up behind several police cars, their lights flashing and sirens disrupting the midmorning silence as Jared leans against his damaged car.
"…dispatch. …Jared Booth US Navy Lieutenant Commander over. Copy, notify will stand by for transport now…" one of the cops said over the radio.
"You alright?" Booth asked meeting Jared.
"Yeah, yeah Seeley. I fell asleep at the wheel but, I'm okay."
"Yeah. …Fell asleep." Booth said knowing it was a lie.
"Local trooper here says he knows you." Jared said with a sigh.
"Agent Booth." Wolchuck said approaching.
Booth turns to face him. "Colonel Wolchuck. Is that what we're going with here? …he fell asleep at the wheel?"
"I'm sure you'll agree it's best just to tell the truth and take our lumps when we have to." He said with a nod.
"They get me for DUI, I lose my job Seeley. I mean, I lose my whole career." Jared said desperately.
Booth turns back to Jared. "Shut up. Just shut up Jared... Please." He said pissed off and turning back to Wolchuck. "Can I talk to you for a second?"
He nodded and they stepped aside.
"what's it gonna take to keep this quiet colonel?"
"Seeley you know what its gonna cost you."
Booth sighed with a nod. "yeah. I know."
11:30 am. Booth walked into the Autopsy room at the Jeffersonian where Cam is working on the remains.
"Hey Cam, what's up? What's so urgent?"
"Your people found a fingerprint on the bag of money."
"I know, W… we don't have an ID. What, why is that so urgent. What's going on?" he asked confused.
"What happened?" Cam said giving him a look. "I watch TV Seeley. …State Police getting all the glory for that big RICO case. What the hell?"
"Relax, it's all political. It came down way far above my head alright."
"Don't you give me that, I'm your friend. I know where this came from, and it wasn't from on high."
"Cam… just let this one slip okay?" she nods looking into his eyes and knowing what happened.
"yeah. Ok."
"thank you." He said walking out.
He walked into Brennan's office closing the door.
"I don't have time for that right now Seeley." She said with a smile as she typed away at her keyboard.
"that's not what I'm here for Tempe." He said sitting across from her.
"…why are you sitting over there… you always sit on the desk. …I like that."
"how was your date with Jared last night?" Booth said no longer able to help himself.
"Oh…" Brennan said looking down at her hands.
"I'm sorry." He said standing and leaning over the desk."I know we're… whatever the hell we are but it's killing me Temperance. What happened last night?" he asked growing desperate.
"…Honest answer?" he nodded. "promise you won't freak out over nothing?"
He nodded. "yeah I promise."
"…we kissed." She admitted honestly.
"…you kissed? …oh."
"well he kissed me, technically." She clarified.
"…what type of a kiss was it? Like you kiss your brother on the cheek? …or like Christmas under the mistletoe last year?"
Brennan laughed. "neither."
"then how was it?" he asked rounding her desk and sitting on the edge.
"what? you want me to demonstrate?" She asked with a laugh.
"yes." He said seriously.
She smiled standing. "you're jealous aren't you?"
"does it matter?"
"there's nothing to be jealous of." She said reassuringly. "it was nothing. …it was like this." She said leaning in her lips softly touching his for a second.
She pulled him in transforming the kiss from innocent to desperate as he hiked up her skirt lifting her onto the desk. She moved down kissing his neck as she pulled his tie off.
12:30 pm.
"so it was innocent?" Booth asked buckling his belt.
"exactly it was nothing." She said zipping her dress.
"good. …not that it's any of my business." He said smiling as he buttoned his shirt.
"you're just trying to look out for your brother… make sure he's not getting in over his head." Brennan said with a small laugh.
"exactly. …you'd kill him if he tried anything. …and I can't afford a funeral right now." He laughed kissing her.
Brennan fixed his collar. "damn straight." She said smiling and kissing him again.
"…how bout lunch?" he suggested smiling.
"oh crap." She said looking at his watch. "I gotta go. I have plans with Ange for lunch. She's gonna be here any second." Brennan said throwing her hair back into a bun.
"alright. i will see you at Dinner then. Same time as always?"
Brennan nodded. "yeah." She said kissing him and he walked out. Brennan got her lab coat on and sat down just as Angela walked in.
"hey Sweetie you ready for lunch?"
"…yeah." Brennan said shutting her computer down and standing. "let's go."
"…hey just out of curiosity what were you and Booth talking about?" Angela asked not so subtly.
"he wanted to know how the party was." Brennan said honestly.
"…and? How was the party?"
"I thought you didn't like that I went out with Jared last night?" Brennan pointed out.
"Hey there's nothing wrong with a little bit of the lite version." Angela laughed lightly as they left the Jeffersonian.
"the party was alright." She said honestly.
"Brennan you don't stay out until sunrise and have breakfast with the guy for an 'alright night'. What really happened?"
"he kissed me at the party then we sat talking all night. …mostly about Booth and all the crazy stuff they got into when they were younger." Brennan said honestly.
"…wait… you got stories?"
Brennan laughed. "a few."
"tell me"
Brennan laughed. "Alright but none of the really embarrassing ones."
"you are a cruel, cruel woman."
"I know" Brennan said smiling.
6 pm. FBI building. Jared and sweets are in the elevator.
"You must be Agent Booth's brother." Sweets said seeing his visitor's pass.
"Yeah I'm Jared. You FBI?" he asked looking down at him.
FBI? Uh yeah, yeah. Lance Sweets." He said with a nod.
"Nice to meet you." Jared said shaking his hand.
Sweets notices the Capitals tickets sticking out of Jared's jacket pocket. "the Capitals?"
"Yeah, I know Seeley's a Flyers man, but hey, when in Rome right?" he said with a smile as they exit the elevator and begin towards Booth's office.
"Yeah, I still haven't gotten him anything for his birthday." Sweets said exhausted by the thought of it.
"I don't think it's a big deal. My brother doesn't like birthday presents. Anyways these are more like a thank you. …Or an apology. You know what it's like with brothers, right?" he asked looking to him.
"No, only child." Sweets said as they reach Booth's empty office.
"Oh… well having a big brother is like having an extra dad" he said leaving the tickets on his desk. "… only a dad who protects you from your real dad, and always thinks of you as a kid."
"I have the same problem with Booth." Sweets nodded.
"There is nothing worse than somebody who always thinks they're right, especially when they are right. Right? …It's a pleasure Agent Sweets" he said shaking his hand and walking out.
"it's actually Doctor, not Agent." He said as Jared gets back into the elevator.
10 o'clock. Brennan's apartment. Booth was watching Brennan cook, wrapped in a sheet.
He kisses her neck and she smiles turning to him.
"Seeley… What happened with your RICO bust?" she asked, the curiosity killing her.
"Nothing, why? …Huh, why'd you have to bring that up? We were having such a good time." He said kissing her.
"no, come on Seeley, I want to know. …What happened?"
"you've been talking to Cam?" he guessed with a sigh.
"does it matter? …Did you do something wrong?"
"What do you mean?"
"you didn't get the credit you deserved. What happened?"
"Life is not always about credit."
"that's not what you said before. You said life was all about credit and you were going to Hawaii and they were going to put you on a coin. Remember?"
"you know what, let's just forget about it. Okay Bones, just forget about it." He said turning to leave.
"Jared said that you tend to sabotage yourself."
"Jared said that?" he said stopping and turning back to her.
Brennan nodded "he said that you were afraid of success."
"…so basically I'm a loser." Booth said offended.
"No, he never said you were a loser."
"…Do you think I'm a loser?"
"what? No. I didn't say that."
"… I think it's time for me to go." he said grabbing his coat.
"wait Seeley. Don't-"
"I'll see you tomorrow." He said kissing her lightly and walking out.
9 am. Brennan walked into the lab at the Jeffersonian to find it empty.
"Dr. Brennan!" Cam called from the mezzanine. "can you come up here for a moment please?"
"alright." She said climbing the stairs and finding sweets sitting in the armchair.
"Dr. Brennan. I don't want you to think this is an intervention."Cam said handing her a cup of coffee.
"I don't know what that means." She said confused.
"An intervention is when a group of loved ones bands together to help one of their own make a difficult decision." Sweets explained.
"…Oh…then it is an intervention." Cam said apologetically.
"Are you my loved ones?" Brennan asked surprised.
"I was troubled by a conversation I had with Jared Booth." Sweets said getting to the point.
"then Sweets came to me with some theories about Booth's family life… and he pretty much nailed it."
"Nailed what…?" Brennan asked confused again.
"Booth and Jared are children of a physically abusive alcoholic father." Sweets said as gently as possible.
"and Booth's been digging Jared out of trouble since they were kids. Jared always comes up smelling like a rose and Booth takes the hit." Cam informed her.
"By protecting him every time he gets in trouble Agent Booth is denying his brother the opportunity to take responsibility and learn from his own mistakes."
"You have no evidence of that." Brennan denied.
"I've known the Booth boys for 15 years." Cam said with a nod.
"it's natural to be protective of a younger sibling. But Jared is a grown man, an intelligent, talented, capable adult." Sweets analyzed.
"I agree." Brennan nodded.
"But I am absolutely certain that however it is Booth lost all the credit for that RICO bust, it's because of Jared." Cam said seriously.
"we're scientists right Cam?" Brennan asked ignoring sweets for the moment. "What is your evidence?"
"The last time I confronted Booth about this and told him what I thought of Jared, he didn't speak to me for six months."
"That is an anecdote, not hard evidence." Brennan pointed out.
"We're saying maybe Booth deserves the benefit of the doubt here, until the hard evidence is in."
"I am comfortable with drawing a conclusion from evidence." Brennan nodded.
"Okay …here's some evidence. The bullets that killed both Stegman and Pongetti were fired from the same gun."
"Which suggests they were killed by the same person. Thank you." Brennan said standing.
"Should I tell Booth?" Cam offered.
"No, I'll do it." She said descending the stairs. Cam and Sweets watch her go.
11:00 am. The Founding Fathers. Jared is sitting on a barstool sipping coffee when Brennan enters.
"Thanks for coming Jared." She said as they kiss on the cheek.
"Hey, When a beautiful woman asks me out for lunch…" he said watching Brennan reject a call from her ringing phone. "… is something wrong?"
"I need to know the truth." She said rejecting another one from Booth.
"I've heard that about you." He nodded with a light smile.
"Do you know anything about Booth losing credit on the RICO case?"
"No. …Seeley lost the RICO case?"
"People are telling me that somehow all the credit went to the State Police because of you. Is that possible?" She asked seriously.
"Oh." Jared sighed.
"So, it is possible." Brennan said realizing it was true.
"What did he say to you?" Jared asked guiltily.
"Nothing."
"I think this is something between brothers. No offense."
Brennan rolls her eyes and turns to leave.
"Tempe wait."
She turned back angrily. "You took advantage of him. You almost had me thinking that he was a loser because you're more successful than he is. And what really makes me angry is that I believed you were a good guy. …You know I wouldn't blame Booth if he never spoke to me again. You're the loser Jared." She said slapping him so hard he fell off his stool.
12 noon. Brennan is waiting for Booth outside the interrogation room.
"Dr. Brennan" he said surprised to see her there.
Brennan pulled him in kissing him.
"Tempe what are you doing?" he said stunned.
"I'm sorry …I just wanted to tell you that." She said walking away.
Booth sighed, unable to stop the smile that crept onto his face.
9 pm. The Founding Fathers Bar. Jared stands by a pillar watching Brennan as she begins a toast with Booth right beside her.
"I would like to propose a toast, to my partner, Seeley Booth."
"To Booth." Everyone said raising their glasses.
"I know who he is, but I forget sometimes… because, he never shines a light on himself. He shines it on other people. …anthropology teaches us that, the alpha male is the man, wearing the crown, displaying the most colorful plumage and the shiniest baubles, he stands out from the others. But I now think that anthropology may have it wrong." Booth looks up at her puzzled. "In working with Booth… "she said turning to face him. "I have come to realize that the quiet man, the invisible man, the man who is always there for friends and family, that's the real alpha male. And I promise, that my eyes will never be caught by those… shiny baubles again. Happy birthday." She said clinking glasses with him.
"Happy birthday Booth." They all cheer clapping and take a drink.
"Thanks Bones. …that was great." He said smiling and taking her hand.
Brennan pulls Booth from his seat "Bones where are we going?" he asked curiously.
"Come here."
"What." He asked laughing.
"Just come here for a second." She said leading him to the end of the bar. "What you're doing for your brother isn't fair." She said seriously.
"Come on Bones, don't get me mad at you again especially after that great speech." She gives him a look and he sits. "I don't wanna talk about my brother." He sighed.
"Would you prefer talking to Sweets?"
"…I'm listening." He said giving in.
"Well I forgot all the psychological stuff but basically, when you… rescue somebody all the time. If you keep bailing them out… did I say that right?"
Booth laughed with a nod. "yeah. You got it right."
" you're thwarting their ability to help themselves." She finished "…Now you're angry." She said with a sigh as his face fell.
"Come on Bones, you have to admit, getting a psychological lesson from you is like…"
"Getting and anthropology lesson from you." She offered.
"…The RICO case, I traded my one shot at glory to keep my brother from being arrested… for drunk driving." He admitted.
"Booth! What if he does it again? What if he kills someone next time? You shouldn't have done that."
"Right." he nodded. "Says the woman who got her father off murder charges." He smiled. "Face it, we all do stupid things for family."
"You're right" she said kissing him lightly. "you always are."
Booth looks down the bar to see Jared chatting and laughing with a young woman. "No, I'm not. I'm not right."
"What? Why?" She asked confused.
"There's no risk that your father will kill again." He said standing and walking over to Jared. "Jared." He said giving him a look and he stood following him out.
"You bringing me out here to give me advice on your partner? Because I'm fairly certain that ship has sailed."
"No. It's what I gotta do. I, uh, I gotta stop. Do you understand?"
"Stop?" Jared asked not getting it.
"The drinking… Stop it."
"I'll take that under advisement." Jared said turning to re-enter the bar.
"I'm serious Jared. No more stepping in to make things go away."
"I carry myself, Seeley." He said angrily. "Now you should go back inside and enjoy your birthday party." He said emptying his glass and waving it in Booth's face.
"Right." Booth sighed. "and stay away from Tempe or I'll kick your ass."
Jared ignored him, a smile on his face. "Cheers." Jared said walking back in.
"Yeah… happy birthday to me." He said punching the side of a bus stop and sitting on the bench.
Brennan appears handing him a piece of cake. "are you going to sit out here all night?"
He shook his head "Bones, I just need some time."
"Do you need time and space?"
"Just some time." He smiled taking her hand and she sat down next to him. He offered her a bite of cake and she took it. "My dad drank." He admitted.
She nodded. "that's a talk for another day." She said kissing him smiling. "…so Seeley. …you never told me what you wanted for your birthday."
"…only you baby." He said kissing her lightly.
She smiled taking a bit of the icing and putting it on his nose. "you already got me Seeley."
He smiled widely pulling her back in. "…you know I'm gonna have to get you back for the icing right?"
Brennan laughed. "You can try."