A/N: This chapter puts a little twist on the story we know that's been in my mind for a long time. I'm extremely curious to see how you all react and would love to hear your opinions.
Disclaimer: I own nothing Bones related except my imagination.
Brennan slid the pair of rose-cut diamond earrings which bloomed like flowers around a gleaming center stone through the holes in her ears and stepped back to take a final look at her ensemble. She recently purchased the earrings from Tiffany's hoping some nice jewelry would give her the boost to her feminine confidence she needed so much these days.
She was not looking forward to attending the Annual Jeffersonian Gala this evening, but had resigned herself to the inevitable several weeks ago. The annual gala was a major event for the Jeffersonian; an opportunity for the institution to publicly recognize and promote the many accomplishments of its employees as well as highlight the recent or ongoing collaborative efforts with other organizations around the globe. The high profile event was also a key occasion for some of the more affluent and generous donors to the institution to mingle with the elite scientists that benefit from their largess and it was expected that anyone of note employed at (or associated with) the Jeffersonian would attend the affair.
She'd be recognized for her accomplishments and she would be required to give a brief speech. She hated talking at these kinds of functions.
For the last several years, Booth had accompanied her as her escort and partner. But not this year. This year, he'd be attending the gala with Hannah and Brennan was attending alone. Rather than dwelling on the hollow feeling she got in her chest whenever she thought about having to smile and make small talk while watching Booth flirt and dance with Hannah, she focused on completing her facial armor before her cab arrives.
'Ravish Me Red' lipstick - check. Eye shadow applied to make her eyes appear sultry and mysterious - check. A slight amount of rouge on her cheeks to give her face a little color - check. She reached for her bottle of Shalimar perfume and dabbed a little on her wrists, behind her ears, and at the base of her throat. Shalimar had been a favorite scent of her mother's and Brennan often selected it for special occasions or when her spirits simply needed a boost, both of which applied tonight.
A careful study in the mirror assured her that the slightly bruised looking shadows under her eyes from the sleepless nights that were like a constant companion these days were adequately hidden under her make-up. She figured she looked as good as she was going to get, so she grabbed her clutch and walked out her door, locking it behind her. At this point, she was just eager to have this night over and done with.
As Brennan entered the large ballroom, she saw her closest friends – Angela, Hodgins, Cam, Sweets, and Booth – already staking claim to a table towards the front of the room, slightly offside from the stage and not too far from the dance floor where several couples were presently swaying to the soft sounds of jazz. She took a deep, fortifying breath and headed their way.
Booth noticed her almost immediately and watched her approach with an appreciative stare, unable to pull his eyes away from her. He thought Hannah, who sat beside him with her hand resting lightly on his thigh as she leaned into his shoulder, looked beautiful in her silver chiffon lace formal gown this evening. But there was something about Bones that always seemed to steal the breath from his lungs and he actually felt a little dizzy . . . lightheaded, just from the vision she created. She carried herself with an unconscious grace, exuding confidence and purpose, and she was quite simply remarkably gorgeous.
This evening, she was dressed in a long blue gown which accentuated the brilliant blue in her eyes. The gown had an asymmetrical bodice with a single long sleeve that glittered with twinkling crystal and rhinestone embellishments set in lace. Her other arm was left bare, no material provided to interrupt the smooth expanse of skin from her bodice, up to her shoulder, and down to her fingertips. The ensemble glided to a full-length hemline with a stylish sweeping train and a sultry side slit for added pizzazz. Her hair was swept up on top of her head with just a few strategic strands left loose to float around her ears and soften the look.
Booth found the overall effect breathtaking and he couldn't subdue the feeling of desire and longing that swept through his body. Not just a sexual desire either, although that was definitely a part of it, but mostly just a desire to be with her . . . to stand by her, to watch her, and to be the one she turns to whenever she needs something. A desire she had indicated she was willing to satisfy, but he couldn't fulfill because he told her he has moved on. And now, he had to swallow the bitter regret and remind himself that he was happy with what he had with Hannah as he tried to ignore the relief he was feeling at seeing Bones show up unescorted. He'd spent much too much time over the last week wondering if she would be bringing a date (or, more importantly, whether she'd be leaving with one at the end of the night).
Booth had to consciously remind himself not to stand up and greet her, the urge to reach for her almost overwhelming. In his mind's eye, he saw her approach him, slipping her hand into his outstretch arm, twining their fingers together as he pulled her closer. Close enough that he could lean down and place a small nibbling kiss on her bare shoulder. Just looking at her from ten feet away, he could imagine her scent as he bent his head to her skin. He'd bet his autographed Flyer's jersey that she was wearing Shalimar perfume tonight.
"Sweetie, you look absolutely fabulous." Angela squealed as she stepped forward to give Brennan a quick hug. "C'mere, I saved you a seat next to me." Brennan sat down with her friends and concentrated on appearing relaxed, like the sight of Booth and Hannah leaning together intimately on the other side of the table with his arm resting on the back of Hannah's chair didn't send a jolt of pain knifing through her chest. The warmth in Booth's eyes sent her pulse skittering, even though she knew he was just being his usual friendly self and she was a fool to wish it meant more.
Brennan had just finished complimenting Angela on finding a maternity evening gown that flattered her figure so well and magnificently displayed her larger-than-normal-due-to-the-pregnancy breasts when she was startled by a deep husky voice right behind her ear murmuring "Hello my beautiful lady. Wanna go make out with me in a dark corner somewhere?" She recognized that voice and suddenly her face broke out in a huge grin, probably the most genuine smile she'd experienced since her return from the Maluku Islands a few months ago.
"Lucas!" she exclaimed, as she turned in her chair and looked into his sparkling green eyes. Then she jumped up from her seat and threw herself into his embrace, both of them laughing and obviously delighted to see each other. Brennan was oblivious to the steely-eyed glare directed towards Lucas from the man at the other side of her table, but Lucas caught it, choosing to ignore it, for the moment.
"What are you doing here? How long are you in town for?"
"Well, I'm here partly for this gala and partly for some other business and I expect to be in town for just a few days. I was hoping to run into you here tonight."
"You should have called me," she admonished while giving him another quick hug. "Are you here alone?" At his answering nod, she invited him to join their group for dinner if he wanted.
"Lucas, these are my friends," she said warmly as she introduced the various colleagues sitting at her table. "Everyone, this is Lucas Kristensen. He was the Financial Director for the Maluku project and we worked together some while I was in Indonesia as he spent a fair bit of time on the site."
"It's a pleasure to meet you all. Tempe told me quite a bit about each of you so I feel as if I already know you. It's nice to be able to match faces to the names and stories."
Everyone greeted the newcomer, noting that he was probably one of the most classically beautiful men they had ever seen. Lucas was approximately 6'-4" tall with strong Nordic facial features and clean cut light colored hair. He had broad shoulders tapering down to a narrow waist and it was evident from the fit of his tuxedo that he kept himself in great shape physically.
Angela thought Lucas looked like a Viking god and was the type of man that women would do a double or even triple take at as he walked by. Added to his natural good looks, he exuded an aura of charm and confidence that enhanced his sex appeal even further. Faint laughter lines around his eyes and mouth hinted to a man of good humor. Angela studied Brennan and Lucas chatting and thought that while Brennan clearly enjoys Lucas, there wasn't any hint in her eyes of desire or sexual attraction. She figured Brennan was probably about the only woman in the world with a pulse who could be in the presence of a man like this and still appear oblivious to his sexual magnetism, despite the flirtatious nature of their dialogue and their physical proximity.
"Ah, Tempe, you look simply exquisite this evening. As I told you before while we sat and gazed at the stars in the heavens, you should be dressed in diamonds and nothing else. At least my fantasy is halfway realized tonight," he teased, reaching up to jiggle the diamonds dangling from her ears.
Brennan smiled coyly. "Well Lucas, you look quite debonair in your tuxedo as well, but personally, I think I may just prefer you bare-chested in your cut-off jean shorts like you were in Maluku." She said with a teasing tilt to her head while using one hand to mimic fanning herself from the heat. "Ooh la la."
Lucas threw his head back and laughed. "Well, since we're both expected to keep our clothes on for this shin-ding tonight, could I entice you into a dance instead?"
"Certainly. It'd be my pleasure." And the couple wandered off towards the dance floor where Lucas pulled her into his arms, holding her loosely amongst the other dancing couples so they could continue to converse.
"So, how are things going with the site?" Brennan enquired.
"Well, it's certainly not the same since you left, but we're getting by. Dr. Larson is in charge of the operation now and is continuing to follow most of the protocols that you established, so that keeps things running smoothly. We've not yet discovered that missing link to humanity that we were hoping to find, but we've made some minor discoveries, enough to keep the project going for a little longer. How about you? Are you glad to be back home?"
"Hmmm. Yes, it's good to be home. This is where I belong and the work I'm doing here is what I truly enjoy."
"But? . . . Come, Tempe, we're friends." Lucas lifted his hand up to gently stroke his knuckles across her cheek bones. "I can see a new sadness in your eyes. Not all is as you wished, eh?"
"No. Not all." She reluctantly admitted with a sigh.
"I assume the blonde sitting next to your FBI agent has something to do with that, yes? You and he couldn't make things work out when you got back?"
It had taken a while for her to open up, but eventually Brennan had talked about her feelings for Booth a lot with Lucas while they were in Indonesia. Their relationship was purely platonic, but sitting around a campfire at night or on a lonely beach listening to the surf roll in just invited confidences and they had each shared some of their personal feelings and stories about friends and loved ones back home. Brennan had confided to Lucas that she was in love with Booth and that when she got back home, she was going to tell him and ask him if he was still willing to take that chance on them. She'd shared with Lucas how much she missed Booth and how worry for his safety kept her up nights. It had been easy for her to talk with Lucas, partly because of his easy going and undemanding nature, but also because he wasn't a part of her life in DC and she knew he wouldn't judge her or Booth and that nothing she said to him would affect her life here.
"The blonde is a souvenir he picked up and brought back from Afghanistan. She was already in place by the time we got back, so I never told Booth about my hopes. He loves her, Lucas." The last was said softly and just admitting to that much, Brennan could feel the all too familiar tightness in her throat and the slight sting in her eyes that indicated the onset of tears. She had to blink her eyes rapidly for a moment and take a couple deep breaths to get her emotions back under control.
"I'm sorry Tempe. Rest assured, it is his loss." Lucas said.
Brennan just nodded her head in acknowledgement of his words. "Can we . . . can we talk about something else? This is just, just still too challenging."
"Sure. As long as you know I'm here for you if you ever need a shoulder."
"Thanks Lucas. So, tell me. How are your wife, Laura, and your daughter doing?" And with that, Lucas's face settled into a warm smile and he regaled Brennan with stories of the loves of his life to keep her mind off the love of hers.
Back at the table, Booth surreptitiously watched Brennan and Lucas dancing and could see the easy comfort and familiarity between the two. He felt an uncomfortable niggle of jealousy watching her dancing and laughing with the Nordic god and channeled it into anger to help stave off another panic attack. She had told him she hadn't taken a lover while in Indonesia; there was no time or inclination, for sex or romance she'd said the night they returned, but she and Lucas certainly portrayed the image of familiar lovers, so what did that mean? Booth found he was hurt, angry, and confused – unsure whether it was because she had been involved with another man or because she apparently lied about it. He thought she'd always been open with him in the past so why lie about this? Was her subterfuge an indication of a lack of trust in him?
Eventually Lucas and Brennan got pulled into conversations with different other benefactors at the gala and drifted apart. Shortly thereafter, Booth noticed Lucas approaching their table again, without Brennan.
"Agent Booth. I just wanted to offer my personal thanks to you for encouraging Tempe to join our team in Maluku. As I'm sure you know, we tried for months to entice her to lead the project for us and she turned us down time and again until you convinced her otherwise."
All eyes at the table turned to Lucas in stunned silence.
"I'm sorry?" Booth said, confused. "I'm not sure I understand and I don't know what you're talking about. Bones makes her own decisions and does what she thinks is best or what she wants, usually with little consideration of my opinions. I don't recall having to work hard to convince her to go to Maluku." A tinge of bitterness clear in his voice.
Lucas studied the occupants of the table for a moment. He was very good at reading people. Angela and Jack Hodgins appeared to be regarding him with somewhat amused interest and a warm, open acceptance. He was Tempe's friend and therefore, they would happily welcome him into their circle. Young Dr. Sweets mostly appeared befuddled. He seemed neither hostile nor particularly welcoming. More like a curious spectator waiting to see what happens next. Miss Burley's regard was more superficial. Her eyes roamed his body in a way that left no doubt that she found him attractive, but she seemed indifferent to how his appearance on the scene would affect the dynamics of their little group. Agent Booth regarded him with barely contained anger and hostility. Agent Booth was not at all happy to see him. Interesting. The one that surprised him though was Dr. Saroyan. She was also looking at him with thinly veiled hostility and he was unsure why his appearance on the scene would incite her ire.
"May I?" he asked, gesturing to an empty seat at the table that would put Cam to his left and leave the seat to his right still empty for Brennan.
"Oh, please do," Angela quickly responded. She couldn't wait to hear what little nuggets of information Lucas might reveal about her tight-lipped friend and the seven months she spent away from them all.
"You were unhappy with her decision to work in the Maluku Islands?" Lucas queried the group casually.
From Booth, he was met with stony silence. But Cam spoke up and her irritation was readily apparent in the tone of her voice. "Dr. Brennan has a tendency to act on a whim without always considering how her actions will impact those around her. Her last minute decision to simply abandon her responsibilities to the Jeffersonian and take off for an extended period of time resulted in several inconveniences for the rest of us and put some of the programs at the Jeffersonian in jeopardy of being cancelled."
"I see." Lucas looked around the table at these people that Tempe called her friends . . . her family, and realized how little they credited her or appreciated what a gift she was to them and how deeply her loyalty to them ran. He thought she deserved better, especially from this group of people that she spoke of so highly and lovingly. "Tell me, Dr. Saroyan, you are an administrator as well as a practicing pathologist, correct?"
Cam nodded her head in accord. "Yes, that's right."
"As Dr. Brennan's immediate supervisor, would you have objected if she chose not to attend this event this evening?"
"Of course."
"Why?" Lucas challenged her.
"Why?" Cam repeated, caught off guard and feeling somewhat defensive. "Dr. Brennan is one of the Jeffersonian's highest profile employees Mr. Kristensen. Her presence at an event like this one is precisely the reason events like this occur. The museum donors want to meet the scientists who provide the Jeffersonian with its impeccable reputation and who make the Jeffersonian considered one of the premier scientific institutions in the country, if not the world. Dr. Brennan's numerous accomplishments in the field of forensic anthropology are quite impressive on their own merit, but couple that with her fame as a fiction novelist, and she is one of, if not the most highly sought after scientist at the Jeffersonian. Our benefactors are quite enamored with her and her accomplishments."
Lucas smiled at Cam's heated response. "I'm glad to hear you appreciate her value Dr. Saroyan. I wasn't sure you did. Certainly, you can understand that she brings just as much esteem and value to any endeavor she engages in, such as an archeological exploration in the Maluku Islands, as she does to the Jeffersonian Institute. I'm sure you must realize she has any number of standing offers from other research institutions and universities across the world, but it is her personal loyalty to those of you sitting at this table and what you accomplish together that keeps her where she is currently. You might wish to consider that before accusing her of abandoning her responsibilities on a whim."
Angela grabbed Hodgins's hand under the table and gave it a squeeze. Oooh, she liked this guy who was willing to defend Brennan's honor. Angela always figured the reasons behind Brennan's departure last year were more complex than what her friend had been willing to reveal and she was happy to see someone shaking up everyone's perceptions a bit.
"She still fled town without a backwards look as soon as the opportunity presented itself." Booth argued, drawing Lucas's attention from Cam to himself.
"Hmm. You think so?" Lucas began again while maintaining eye contact with Booth in what clearly appeared to be a clash between two alpha males. "Dr. Saroyan, what would it require if you wanted to take a group of say . . . six scientist into the field for . . . two weeks to perform a special study? To organize transportation to, from and around the site; temporary lodgings; meals; establishing a controlled temporary working environment with proper equipment; securing the site; getting the required permits and permissions from local authorities; securing financing; and all the other logistical considerations that would be associated with such an endeavor?"
"Umm." Cam looked at Lucas hesitantly, not sure how to answer or where this was going, but starting to get an uncomfortable feeling about it, especially on the heels of the tirade he just finished.
"Do you think it could be accomplished in a couple of days? a weekend perhaps?" Lucas looked around the table, gaging everyone's reactions.
Shaking her head, Cam acknowledged "No. It would take quite a bit more time than that."
"Yes. Agreed. Now, imagine that on a much bigger scale and in a foreign country, such as a dig site in Indonesia. It took us almost two years of planning between the time when the Maluku site was first discovered until we could finance and mobilize a formal exploration. Do you imagine we waited until a couple weeks before we were ready to mobilize to try and staff the site?"
Lucas was met with speechless silence from around the table.
Looking Cam right in the eye, Lucas asked "Are you not aware that we contacted Dr. Brennan on at least a half dozen occasions in the twelve months before we mobilized on site requesting her to lead our effort? And that we essentially offered her carte blanche but she refused us every time?"
"Uh . . . no." Cam shook her head, looking much less certain now. "She never mentioned it."
"The last time, I flew here to DC personally to meet with her and try and persuade her to join us and she told me flat out that there was no inducement, monetary or otherwise, that would cause her to abandon her partnership with Agent Booth or her responsibilities to her friends and family here for such an extended period of time, regardless of the potential career implications."
Several furtive and confused looks were passed between the occupants of the table, none of them ever having been aware that Brennan had been offered, much less turned down, the Maluku opportunity on several occasions in the months preceding her eventual departure.
After a moment of silence while everyone absorbed the implications of what Lucas revealed, Sweets finally blurted out "I don't get it, then. What happened to change her mind?"
Lucas shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Well, I won't claim to understand all Dr. Brennan's reasons so you'd have to direct that question to her. But, I can tell you what I know from my side. We had filled the leadership role with another scientist. Then, a couple weeks before we were set to mobilize on site, our other lead scientist had a medical emergency which was going to delay the entire project for several weeks putting many of our pre-established arrangements in jeopardy. We were desperate, so we called Dr. Brennan again, on the off chance she'd change her mind, and once again, she told us she could not fill the role for a full year. However, she did say that she was in need of a short break from her current responsibilities and had been thinking of taking a vacation for a couple weeks. She said she could possibly come to the site for 4-6 weeks to get it organized and help establish the excavation protocols until our other scientist was available again. We, of course, jumped at the compromise. She said she couldn't fully commit to us though, even for just the few weeks, until she discussed it with her FBI partner, Agent Booth." Lucas paused, then directed his attention directly to Booth. "A few days later she called us back. She told us you had encouraged her to join our effort and had, yourself, re-enlisted in the Army for a year so her reservations about abandoning her partnership were immaterial as you were already doing so. Given that, she was free to join the Maluku project for the full one year, or until you finished your tour."
Booth was dumbfounded and wasn't sure what to say in response. Everyone at the table, except Hannah, realized that this was a significantly different perspective on Brennan's Maluku expedition than what they'd believed. The common thought had been that Brennan had simply packed up and abandoned Booth to go on a yearlong dig with little regard to the consequences for the rest of the team. And yet, based on Lucas's comments, it seemed she had only chosen to leave for so long because she felt Booth had abandoned her. It wasn't as simple as her choosing to run. She'd been abandoned again by someone she trusted. And, since she returned, she'd borne the brunt of several angry comments from people, like Cam, who had blamed her solely for the temporary break-up of their team.
"Wow." Cam said.
"This completely changes so many of my conclusions," groaned Sweets, sinking down in his chair and staring up at the ceiling.
"Lucas, any friend of Brennan's is a friend of mine. How about a dance?" Angela asked Lucas.
"Uh, sure." He responded hesitantly, noting the slightly predatory gleam in her eye and not being entirely certain what it meant, especially since her husband just smiled at her sweetly and kissed her cheek as she stood up to entwine her arm with Lucas's and drag him onto the dance floor.
A/N: Phew! So, a different spin on things, eh? I admit to being a little nervous about this chapter as it's a different perspective than anything I've ever seen in FF and don't know how well it will be received. It always bothered me that a huge, year long expedition – a major undertaking – would only seek to find the staff to lead the project right before they mobilized. I thought this might be a more feasible, behind the scenes, explanation of how her trip came about. I've also always thought Cam's comments implying Brennan was the reason the Jeffersonian basically fell apart between S5 & S6 were unfairly harsh and showed a lack of appreciation for Brennan's status as a world-renowned scientist. The show has made reference to her independent wealth and her frequent job offers from other organizations and Cam's anger at her for leaving diminishes the loyalty Brennan has given to the Jeffersonian to date. Those are my thoughts which led to this chapter. I'd love to hear your thoughts.