And again – thank you for your wonderful comments! Glad you're reading this. You all ROCK!

Under cover(s) – 11

Brennan yawned and walked towards her bedroom. She was just about to take off her pants, when she heard a knock at her door. Frowning she left her bedroom again to answer the door, figuring it would be Booth and he'd forgotten something. She didn't bother to look through the spy hole.

When she opened the door, Booth's brown eyes met hers and he frowned at her. "Do me a favor, Bones. When somebody knocks at your door at this ungodly hour, please check through the spy hole, okay? I would feel better."

"You didn't come back just to tell me that." She stated and stifled another yawn. She really was tired and hoped that Booth would leave soon, so that she could go to bed. Unless, maybe – miraculously - he had changed his opinion regarding having sex with her. She gave him a quick once over and decided that he didn't look like he'd be longing for sex. He looked… annoyed, maybe.

"No. I can't leave." He said and she gave him an incredulous look.

"Why not? Something wrong with your car?" Brennan asked.

Booth shook his head. "No. But… will you let me in?"

She stepped aside to let him enter her apartment again. "Sure."

"Do you remember that guy that took your coat at Sinner's Palace?" Her partner asked her and she nodded. "Of course. A young man… he had a British accent."

"Really? Didn't notice that. Anyway…. It seems he followed us." Booth sighed. "Just the moment I opened the door I saw him on the other side of the street. He's watching your window. He didn't see me, so I came back in. We're supposed to be married, so he can't see me leaving in the middle of the night, right?"

"He followed us? How… could he have followed us and you didn't notice?" She asked, stunned.

He winced. "Uh… I guess the topic of our conversation distracted me. God." He raked his fingers through his hair. "You're right, I should be able to spot a tail, damn it." She watched him, saw the fatigue and embarrassment on his face.

"So, you need to stay here this night." She analysed, her voice flat. It wasn't his fault, but she still wasn't entirely happy with the situation… or with him. Getting rejected by a man was one thing, but having him sleep in an adjoining room the very same night…. with all that steam still coursing through her system….. well, she'd just have to make sure not to cry out too loud while she was pleasuring herself to fix this… situation. To get rid of the damn wetness between her thighs, the feeling of need still making her feel way too hot.

"Ah, yeah." He didn't seem to be happy about the arrangement either. "I can bunk on the couch." He offered, but she shook her head. "I've got a guest room. You can use it."

"Thank you." He gave back and she simply nodded. "I wonder if the guy was ordered to follow us by the O'Reillys or if it was his own idea."

She frowned a little. "I don't know. If he was ordered to follow us, I'd say the group is quite suspicious."

"And has secrets." Booth added and his partner nodded.

"Most likely. But if it was of his own volition…." She left the sentence unfinished.

"He just got promoted to prime suspect." Booth completed it and she nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face. "His build and height… he could be the man on the video, having intercourse with Janice Freeport."

Booth's eyebrow rose slowly. "Which wouldn't go with the group's rules. He's not part of the group or they would have mentioned him and his wife. If he has one. You think Harry Freeport would have been okay with his wife making new rules?"

He was so out of his league….why did all this have to be so complicated? Usually, jealousy was one of the most prominent motives for murder. But did these people actually really still feel jealousy? They were used to watch their spouses fuck other people, god damn it.

"I'm not sure. Having intercourse with an outsider may not consent with the Sinner's rules, but what if the Freeports had their own, additional rules? A couple that is part of a swinger club has different views on marriage and adultery than a more traditional couple." She mused.

Booth shook his head and sighed. "God, I hate this case. I'm good at understanding people… but… I really have no clue how these people tick. No clue."

Brennan gave him a long, measuring look. "You can't understand them, since you believe in finding that special someone, right? You think if they had found the person they were supposed to spend their lives with, they wouldn't feel the need to join such a community."

His eyes widened in surprise and he had to swallow hard before answering. "Yeah. That's about right."

She gave him one of her long and measuring looks again and he nearly squirmed. "Maybe you're right." She finally said and again a jolt of surprise went through him. "So," she continued. "Let's say they share a life with each other, maybe even love each other, but it's not the …. real thing."

The FBI agent had to swallow hard again, his eyes glued to the face of his partner. "Sounds… good."

"Maybe they don't believe in that special someone like you do and decided to make do with what they have? Maybe they figured it wouldn't get any better anyway. They have someone to go home to, share their life with, so maybe that's enough for them." Brennan said, staring at one of the countless artefacts on her shelves.

Yin & Yang. It stood for balance, for the two halves that formed a unit. She had to blink.

"It shouldn't be enough." He said and she looked up when she heard the sudden change in his voice, not quite sure what it meant.

She frowned and cleared her throat. "It's their decision."

"I know." Booth said and sighed. "I know. I just …. You know, my parents have been married for forty years now and they are… a unit. They belong, they're good together. That's how it's supposed to be. I don't really know any of those people of the club yet and they sure as hell throw off my balance with what they do, but…. I still have a good feeling for people and I can't see them staying with each other. Not one single couple of them felt…. like a unit, you know? I mean, Tina for instance… she's treating her husband as if he was a dog, for God's sake."

A small smile hovered at Brennan's lips. "I know. But you'll have to agree that there are and always will be relationships that aren't completely balanced… with one making decisions and one giving in. Dominance and submission."

"But it's not supposed to be like that." He argued.

"Life isn't always what it's supposed to be. The world isn't perfect and if it was you wouldn't have a job anymore." She pointed out and he had to admit that she was right.

Suddenly a smile curved his lips as he remembered the occasion when they had had a similar discussion.

"I could always ask you for coffee, then." He said.

She smiled, but it was a sad smile, a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "In a perfect world, there would be no murder and we would have never met, as we already concluded once."

"I'm not so sure about that." He slowly said. "Maybe some people are just meant to meet, Temperance. No matter the circumstances." His gaze connected with hers and held on to it for some time until she squirmed a little. She felt uncomfortable, insecure. "Ah… it's late." She said. "The guest room is all set up, so…."

"Yeah. Thanks." He answered and gave her another long look, then after a moment he suddenly blurted out. "Bones?"

She stopped on her way to her bedroom and turned around. "Are we okay?" He asked.

Brennan looked at her partner. He was an attractive man. He believed in God and in finding a special someone to spend your life with. He was the best friend she could wish for. Right now, she supposed, she shouldn't be asking for more.

So she nodded. "Yeah, we're good."

A relieved smile bloomed on his face and he winked at her. "Great. Good night." He walked towards the guest room and she went into her bedroom.

When she was lying in her bed, she didn't long for sex, as she'd had before the conversation with Booth.

She found it odd and irritating….but she longed for somebody to hold her.

ooookay, please let me know what you think about this chapter. What do you think about the guy following them?

Reviews make me very, very happy.