So, this chapter is really just build up to the next one. And things are going to get pretty intense.
Like the hundredth episode of Bones. Which I saw yesterday. My friend sums it up best in her coherent statement "But they-! And the-! And Sweets's-! What going to-? How's it-? Oh god!". Or in other words, AHHHH!
Six Hours Earlier…
Special Agent Seeley Booth woke at the charming hour of 6:04 to the delightful sound of a hairdryer. He groaned and rolled over, trying to decide if the hairdryer sound was part of the dream he had just been having or something that was actually in the real world. As he cautiously opened his eyes, he came face to face with a glossy glass window and billowing, creamy curtains. His still slightly fuzzy mind had been about ready to question why the curtains were moving before he got a mouthful of silk and a gust of wind that chilled the little beads of sweat that had formed on his face during the night. It had been a bad dream, one of the worst of the nine that had started reoccurring since his first day of kindergarten, several more joining the lineup after his experiences in the army and FBI. Brief flashes of the visions he had just been experiencing ran through his mind, and he remembered with an involuntary shiver the sound of a man's neck being hacked apart by an electric razor. Just his luck, having a nightmare while sharing a room with Bones. Perhaps she had been woken up by his whimpers and flailing limbs, as a few girlfriends had been before. Not that they were sleeping in the same bed. Oh, no, he was painfully aware of the fact that a good three feet of carpet separated their two beds, but he still remembered waking up in the middle of the night to see her sleeping form sprawled out across her mattress. He's seen her sleeping a few times, most notably when he finds her off in the land of Nod on the couch in her office, but seeing her in a bed, just a short distance away from him, was almost… intimate. An unexplainable surge of affection came over him as he thought of his partner in such a peaceful state. She deserved more time like that, and less time stressed out about cases, or family matters, or anything else that denied her well needed rest.
Now that he was up, he could hear her hairdryer loud and clear, and it was so loud that he came out of his hazy morning state in record time. Getting up out of the warmth of his bed, he shook off the remaining bits of the nightmare and went over to the mini fridge, whose contents promised cold croissants and diced up fruit from the Wal-Mart the night before. They hadn't bothered keeping the pizza. However, when he reached the fridge, he was met with the sight of a small pot of coffee and red mug, as well as a note. He poured himself some of the much needed energy booster, and picked up the note.
Booth,
Assuming that you get this note after I am gone, and not while I am still in the hotel room, there are several things you need to be informed of. First, if I am not in the room, I have gone to the hotel restaurant to pick up some breakfast for us, as I tried the croissants and they were incredibly dry and unpalatable. On principle, I refuse to eat food of poor quality without good reason, and when you are travelling with me, I will see to it that you adhere to this rule as well. The fruit was acceptable, I suppose, if a bit heavy on the cantaloupe, so you may eat it if you choose. I also am generally opposed to ordering room service at grossly inflated prices.
Secondly, we will be questioning the boyfriend of one of the victims at eight-thirty. After we finish, I will be holding a video conference with the team, and you are expected to be there to hear everything, as per usual. While talking with Cam, I will arrange a time for me to travel back to D.C. to examine the remains in the lab. Your participation in this decision would be useful. If I am not needed back right away, then we will phone the hospital and ask about a visiting time to see Dr. Wyatt. If there is no time immediately available, then I suggest we look for some lunch downtown. Otherwise, we will have to eat down in the hotel restaurant.
Thirdly, Dr. Sweets has sent me an email regarding our sessions. He is now in Princeton, visiting Dr. Wyatt, so we will be able to continue our weekly sessions as per usual. Fourthly, he has also informed me that if needed, we will have Ms. Daisy Wick available while we are down here, as she is staying with him, though I believe my expertise will suffice for now. I suspect that their relationship has gotten quite serious, seeing as she had wished to go with him on a short trip. Just speculation on my part.
Fifthly, regarding the intern that is currently on rotation, we will be using the skills of Mr. Fischer back at the lab.
I believe that covers everything. And Booth, please do not try to pay for anything while we are here. I realize that the FBI normally pays for our travel expenses, but that would only cover the amount of time necessary for the investigation and we are going to be here longer than the allotted time. I will be paying for the room, as well as any meals, snacks, fees, ect. I would advise you not to argue.
Bones
He had just barely finished reading her rather long note when she stepped back into the room, her hair dry and bouncy. She had managed to get dressed already, wearing a plain pair of dark blue jeans in a figure-flattering boot-cut, as well as a silken blouse in a dark eggplant and flats in the same colour. He gaped at her momentarily, before deciding that telling her that she looked absolutely breathtaking would probably result in an awkward argument.
"You look nice, Bones." he settled for, sending a sleepy smile her way. She flashed a small one back at him, and pointed at the window.
"I'm sorry I left the window open, Booth, but it had gotten quite warm in the middle of the night. I'm surprised you woke up so early. We don't need to leave for another two hours. I simply got up because I was planning on working on my book for an hour or so. I like to be dressed and ready at a moment's notice, though."
"I was wondering how comfortable it would be to write in your clothes," Booth commented, grinning at her again. "I thought you would be an early bird."
"Yes, if by early bird you mean a person who gets up early and starts their day before the generally accepted time. And these jeans are actually quite comfortable to sit it. They don't ride up like other pairs that I have, which can make the gluteus quite irritated." She turned around, peering back around her shoulder as she showed her partner the back of her 'comfortable' jeans.
"Whoa, Bones, too much information!" He tried not to look at her ass, but in the morning he wasn't exactly the most controlled person. He didn't need her commented on his pubic extension, if it should ever become noticeable, and in his boxers, it was entirely possible.
"Hey, Bones, why did you have a shower this morning if you had one last night?" he asked, trying to bring the topic away from her derriere.
"I didn't."
"I woke up to the sound of your hairdryer, Bones."
"I apologize for that Booth. But I wasn't having a shower. I went down to the pool to do my morning laps."
"Morning laps? What time did you get down there? The pool is open at this time?"
"This hotel caters to busy business people, so naturally their facilities are open quite early to accommodate the schedules of their clients. When I got there at five, they-"
"You got up at five? Do you always get up that early?"
"No, I usually am up at five-thirty. However, seeing as I had gotten new inspiration for my book and didn't want to skip out on my morning exercise routine, I got up early to fit it all in before I had to get us breakfast at seven and then leave to question our witnesses." Booth wondered briefly where her new 'inspiration' for her book had come from. He really hoped it hadn't been from Dr. House. All the arrogant jerk needed was to be written about in a best-selling novel.
"I guess you've got our day all planned out. I read the note."
"Good. I hope I didn't leave anything out. I had been bombarded with a large amount of information this morning when I opened my email inbox."
"No, I think the only thing missing was the kitchen sink." Predictably, she looked puzzled.
"Booth, there was nothing to do with a kitchen sink in-" She caught his grin. "Ah, the kitchen sink must be part of some sort of colloquialism."
"Everything but the kitchen sink, Bones, everything but the kitchen sink."
"That still doesn't make any sense, Booth."
"How about I get dressed and we check out the breakfast downstairs?" Booth said, finishing off his coffee.
"That sounds like a good plan." Brennan agreed. "You can get ready in the restroom."
"Will do, Bones." the FBI agent replied, rummaging through his suitcase, before carefully pulling out of his more casual suits. "I'll be out in five."
And five minutes later, they left the hotel room, their minds on eggs and toast and another cup of fresh, hot coffee.
***
"So, why are we meeting with this boyfriend so early?" Booth asked, after consuming a large mouthful of bacon and eggs. They had waited five minutes for the table in the restaurant, and to be completely honest, once Booth had seen the prices on the menu, he was happy to have an excuse not to insist on paying for the meals. He was determined to pay for half the room, though. He was still trying to figure out how to slip that one past Brennan.
"He's a personal trainer." Brennan answered, cleaning her mouth of the little bits of omelet that had stuck to it. "He has appointments from ten o'clock on, and he had to move one of the earlier ones up to five o'clock. He's apparently quite a busy man."
"Yeah, and first on a long list of people to talk to while we're here." he muttered.
"We have to get as much information on these victims as possible to link them together, Booth, you know that."
"Yeah, well, it kinda sucks that I have to balance solving this case and seeing my sick friend, all while entertaining you for God knows how long."
"I can take care of myself quite well, Booth. I don't need to be with you every second of every day that we're here."
"That's usually how it works, Bones. We do stuff for the case all day, then go back to the hotel or where ever we're staying and stay up working on it with the rest of the team. Besides, what were you planning on doing in Princeton, anyway? You don't know anyone here, do you?"
"Well, what if I want to visit Sweets?" Booth chuckled.
"Yeah, right, Bones, you and Sweets having a nice social visit; maybe you two and Daisy could go see a rom-com?"
"Rom-com?"
"Romantic comedy. I hear Leap Year with Amy Adams is out now. Face it; you're not going anywhere without me."
"What if I go on a date?" The question stopped Booth for a second, but he brushed off the unpleasant notion.
"Where are you going to pick up a date here? One of the suspects? Or maybe you can pick up a sexy male nurse at the hospital."
"Dr. House seemed rather interested in me."
"Yeah, well, Dr. House is a jerk. And trust me; the last guy you want to go out with is a jerk."
"How would you know, Booth? You've never been out with a man."
"Look, I just know, okay Bones? I've seen women go out with men that seemed like perfect angels and they got their heart broken later because they revealed themselves for who they really were later. I just want you to be happy, alright?"
"I realize that your role as an alpha male drives you to protect females, but I can take care of myself. And before you remind me again, I know I don't always end up with a good guy, but I don't need you logging my every move. Is that fair?"
"Yeah. I just get worried sometimes, you know? And I'm sorry for saying that I'd have to entertain you all the time, too. I know you can do stuff on your own. I guess I've just gotten used to being around you most of the time." Brennan thought about that comment. It was becoming more and more true as the years went by.
"I accept your apology, Booth." the forensic anthropologist said, placing her hand on his for a moment that lasted a little too long to be completely platonic.
"Thanks, Bones." Booth replied, squeezing her hand in return. It sent a shot of warmth throughout Brennan, and suddenly the room felt too hot. She had been experiencing more and more of these symptoms of 'love' lately, and it seemed that the closer she got to him, the harder it got to stay that extra inch farther.
"And to be honest, I probably will end up spending most of my time with you." she admitted. "There really isn't anything for me to do in Princeton, between the investigation and visiting Dr. Wyatt, and though Dr. House is undoubtedly attracted to me, as most straight men are, I don't see myself having time to go out with him while we are here." Her statement was a half-relief to him, because although she seemed to have eliminated the possibility of another man taking her away from him, she hadn't exactly told him that she wouldn't be interested.
"Like I've said before, Bones, I just want you to be safe. And if that means making sure you're dating the right guys, then that's what I have to do."
"Booth, I don't need you to-"
"I know, but I need me to. You're a wonderful woman, and any man would be lucky to have you. I just want to make sure you get a man that you'd be lucky to have, that's all."
The only man I can see myself being lucky to have right now is sitting right in front of me,
Brennan thought, but as with most thoughts of that nature, she kept it to herself.
"In the past, I would have regarded what you have just said as a mere stating of the obvious. In our society, attractive, intelligent, physically fit and wealthy women are desired, and I am certainly all of those things. However, I now realize that what you have just said is a great compliment, so thank you, Booth. It makes me happy to know that you think I deserve someone special."
"You're welcome, Bones." They shared a moment, but like all of their moments, this one passed quickly. Brennan broke their eye contact, fearing that her partner would notice the blush creeping up her neck. It didn't just make her feel happy to know that Booth wanted the best for her, it made her feel like she was worth something, and more importantly, worth something to him. It was just one step closer to what she wanted, and any step, no matter how small, seemed to make the goal closer and closer. She was collecting evidence that he felt the same way about her as she felt about him, and though there wasn't enough for conclusive proof, she felt like they were getting somewhere.
It both thrilled her and scared her, and as much as she wanted Booth, she knew she wasn't ready to be who he needed in a romantic partner. Just as she knew her strengths, she knew her weaknesses, and one of them was in the emotions department. She was still struggling with the fact that she was experiencing such a deep connection with someone. But their moment seemed to loom closer and closer. She just hoped that when the time came, she would be able to show Booth that they could have a functional relationship while continuing their excellent record in crime-fighting. But first she would have to continue to learn about what she could and couldn't be for him. And this trip seemed like a perfect exercise in that.
"Whatcha thinking about, Bones?" Booth's voice broke her out of her thoughts. He was smiling at her, like all he wanted to do was look at her for the rest of his life. As if she would know that that was what that look meant, though.
"Oh, just thinking about the case." she lied. "We should probably get going soon."
"Yeah, you're right." They finished their coffee and left the restaurant, then headed for the parking lot. The two had a long day ahead of them.
***
"I'd known Eva for about three years." a tearful man told them, as Booth and Brennan sat on a rather unattractive couch. Only two of the victims had dental records, and they were here talking to the husband of Rita Johnson, the African woman in her early fifties.
"We got married just a few months after dating. I knew she was the woman for me, as soon as we met. It just took a few years to convince her to give me a try. Soon after, we were in love, and didn't see any point in waiting. True love, sometimes it cannot wait. And sometimes it can wait forever, just for that one moment." The husband's words sent an odd chill through Brennan. The more and more she heard about love, the more and more it seemed like that was what she felt for Booth.
"So, did Rita have many close friends? Did she belong to a gym or community centre? Was she very active?" Booth asked. He had to adjust their normal questions about enemies, seeing as they already knew who the killer was. The trick was discovering how the killer knew his victims. Every clue brought them closer and closer to the answer.
"She wasn't a very social woman. I met her at work, actually. She was very shy, at least around people she didn't know." the man answered.
"And I can tell you that she was very active." Brennan cut in. "My preliminary examination revealed evidence of a long history of long-distance running."
"Yes, Rita was quite fond of her marathons. She always wanted me to run one with her, just one." he looked out of the window sadly. "If I could have anything with her, it would be to run with her. She always looked happiest when running. But when she couldn't, the second best thing for her was to be with me. I will wait for her, Agent Booth. I will live my life, and when I die, we will meet in Heaven." He looked the FBI agent in the eye, and a silent look of understanding passed between the two men. Brennan recognized the special connection that the two of them had. Unfortunately, she did have a few more questions to ask.
"So, did she have any gym memberships?"
"She went to the Princeton Centre for Yoga and Health twice a week. She also volunteered at the SPCA every weekend. I hope that helps."
"We'll find your wife's killer." Booth said, looking the man in the eye. "We're going to do whatever it takes." Brennan didn't for a second think to remind the husband that it was possible that they wouldn't find the killer. She knew that between her expertise and Booth's determination to find justice, the killer would eventually be found.