Chapter 32

Saturday

6:39 PM

Booth watched her. He hadn't taken his eyes off of her for more than a few minutes. She just looked so adorable that he didn't want to look away. Brennan's brow was furrowed and her eyes were squinting so hard they were almost closed. The look on her face was the exact reason why Booth always called her a squint. Just like the nickname Bones, it was a term of endearment.

Brennan was completely focused on the small object in her hands. She turned the object around to look at it from a different angle and then looked at the table that was between them. Booth was used to the look she had on her face. She had the same look on her face as she usually did when she was staring at a pile of bones. Only she wasn't staring at real bones. She was staring at a one thousand piece jigsaw puzzle of a human skeleton. When Brennan suggested they do a jigsaw puzzle, Booth was a little hesitant. But, seeing her eyes light up at the prospect of completing it, he relented and agreed. Booth figured after a little while she would get bored of putting the puzzle together, but he was wrong. They had been sitting at Brennan's table for hours trying to finish the puzzle. So far, they had more than three quarters of it done. Of course, Brennan had placed most of the pieces. He had been too busy looking at her than the puzzle.

"This isn't accurate," Bones said. Booth finally took his eyes off of her and forced himself to concentrate on the puzzle. She showed the piece she had in her hand to Booth. "This is supposed to be a part of the rib cage, but it is much too large in proportion to the rest of the skeleton."

"It's a puzzle, Bones," Booth replied. "Not a replica of a real human skeleton."

"It's an inaccurate puzzle."

"Just put the piece in."

"Considering this puzzle is so inaccurate, I can't tell exactly where it belongs. The makers of this puzzle should be ashamed."

"I don't think they thought a leading forensic anthropologist would be putting it together so I don't think accuracy was high on their list."

"Well, it should be. This is what's wrong with education today, Booth. We just accept inaccuracies rather than correcting them."

"You're right, Bones. The problem with education in this country is the inaccuracy of jigsaw puzzles," he said dryly.

"Are you making fun of me?"

He had to admit that he had been more sarcastic than he had meant to be. The day just wasn't turning out as he planned. He wanted to spend all day with her on the couch, sitting close together while he introduced her to movies she had never heard of. Instead, he was stuck sitting on the opposite side of the table staring at a skeleton puzzle.

"No, sorry. Why don't you just try the piece somewhere and if it doesn't go there, try it somewhere else."

"That would take the fun out of completing the puzzle, Booth," Brennan replied.

"Bones, we've been working on this puzzle for hours. It's not fun anymore."

She put the piece down and looked at him. "You're not having fun?"

"I…I was having fun until you told me that there were rules to putting together a puzzle."

"I told you about those rules when we first started."

"I know. I didn't realize there were rules to putting a puzzle together. When Parker and I do them, we just put pieces together and hope for the best."

"Well, that's not being logical, Booth. Everyone knows you should do the edges first so that you have an area of reference for the rest of the puzzle. Then you separate the pieces of color and shape so that you can best identify the piece you need." Booth raised his eyebrows and sighed. Brennan picked up on his restlessness. "Why didn't you tell me you weren't having fun?"

"Because you're having fun and that's all that matters."

"Well that doesn't make any sense. Would you like to stop doing the puzzle?"

"I want whatever you want, Bones."

"Your feelings are very important, Booth, so…tell me, how do you feel, Booth?"

He knew she was asking him his feelings in regards to whether or not he wanted to complete the puzzle, but she had unknowingly opened up the conversation to a whole new level. He could take the opportunity to tell her his true feelings. He wondered if it was the right time.

"You want to know how I really feel?"

"Yes,"

"I feel like…Italian."

He had taken the easy way out.

"Do you want to order out?"

He shook his head and stood up. "No. I want to cook for you."

"Booth, you don't have to do that."

"I want to," he said as he headed off towards the kitchen.

"Do you even know how to cook?"

He turned around and scoffed. "I resent that."

"Well, I'm only asking because I've seen all the takeout containers in your apartment."

He walked up to her chair and stood directly in front of her. With her sitting, he was towering over her, but he liked the feeling. It was very rarely that Booth had an edge on Brennan. He took it every chance he could. Of course, she wasn't very far from the truth. He wasn't the best cook, but he could handle simple spaghetti.

"I can boil pasta, Bones."

"I wasn't doubting that you can boil pasta, Booth."

"Why don't you finish the puzzle and I'll start dinner?"

"Actually, I don't want to finish the puzzle."

"Why not?"

"Because I can't finish something that is so blatantly inaccurate."

Booth chuckled. "So what are you going to do while I'm cooking dinner?"

"Helping you, of course."

"No."

"No?"

"Why don't you lie down? I'll let you know when dinners ready."

"I'm not tired."

"Dr. London said you needed plenty of rest and since you said you didn't sleep very well last night, you should rest."

Brennan chose not to argue. The last thing she wanted was to talk about why she didn't sleep well. Instead, she stood up abruptly. With Booth standing in front of her, when she stood, they were extremely close together. He should have stepped aside, but he held his ground.

"I thought you were going to cook dinner, Booth," she said in a whisper.

"I am."

He stepped aside and let her walk past. He watched her pull her hair out of its ponytail as she sauntered into the bedroom. He couldn't help but notice the swagger in her hips as she walked. He wondered if she had any idea what just watching her did to him. Shaking his head, Booth went into the kitchen. His first plan of action was to find all the ingredients he needed. He knew there wasn't much to making pasta, but he wanted to make sure that he made it to the best of his abilities. He didn't need Brennan to think that he was incapable of cooking.

Booth started looking through her cabinets, looking for pasta and sauce. As he opened the fourth cabinet, he found what he was looking for. His next challenge was to find the pans. It took him only two tries to find the kind of pan he needed. He put the pan under the sink faucet and filled it halfway with water. He put the pan on the stove and turned it on. As he waited for the water to boil, Booth opened the refrigerator. He smiled when he saw that she had a new six pack of beer. Knowing that Brennan couldn't consume alcohol while taking her medication, Booth had refrained from drinking around her. But, since she was in the other room resting, he found no harm in having just one beer. Booth reached in and grabbed one of the cans.

Twenty minutes later, Booth was taking the last sip of his beer and pouring the strained pasta back into the pan he had made it in. He took the pan of spaghetti sauce off the stove and poured the hot sauce over the pasta. With a wooden spoon, he began to mix it altogether. Once the pasta was completely saturated with sauce, Booth reached for the small bottle of garlic powder he had found in one of Brennan's cabinet. He preferred using fresh garlic when he cooked pasta, but the garlic powder was going to have to suffice. He sprinkled some of the powder over the pasta mixture and began stirring it. With his fingers, he reached in and pulled out a piece of spaghetti. He slurped it into his mouth and nodded in satisfaction.

"Perfect," he said to himself.

Booth took the two plates that he had already taken out of one of the cabinets and began to divvy the pasta between them. When the pot was empty, he threw it and the spoon into the sink. He put the two plates on a tray that already had two glasses full of water on it. He wished he had a flower or something to spruce up the tray, but the food and beverages were going to have to do. Carefully, Booth picked up the tray. He walked slowly towards Brennan's bedroom. He hadn't heard a sound from her bedroom since she had gone in there. He wasn't sure if she was sleeping or not, but he was about to find out.

Booth poked his head into the bedroom and saw her lying on her side with her back to him. She was curled up with her legs tucked closely to her torso and her arms wrapped around her body. Booth put the tray down on her bureau. He debated on whether or not to wake her when he heard a soft cry escape her lips. Booth immediately ran around the bed so that he could see her face. Her face was distorted as if she were in agony. Tears were leaking out of the corners of her eyes and her cheeks were flushed. It was exactly what had happened at the hospital. She was having a nightmare.

"Bones," Booth whispered.

He put his finger against her cheek. She moaned and unconsciously pulled away from him. He immediately removed his finger. He couldn't believe how warm her skin was to the touch.

"Come on, Bones. Wake up."

He shook her shoulder delicately. Her body coiled even more as if she were trying to make herself as small as possible. A gasp escaped her lips and he knew she was causing herself physical pain. Her ribs were still extremely tender and her legs were pressing against them every time she moved.

"You're safe, Bones. Wake up. You need to wake up."

Her eyes snapped open, her eyes dilated, her face looking as if she were totally shocked. Booth waited a few seconds as her eyes returned to normal and her face relaxed. She started to stretch out her legs, which he knew caused her pain.

"Hey," he said. He knelt down beside her bed and trailed his finger down her cheek so he could wipe away her tears.

"I…I'm sorry," she said. She started to try and sit up, not wanting to look at him. She hadn't meant to fall asleep because she was afraid of what would happen when she did. Her fear had come true. He had seen the thing she had wanted to hide.

"You don't have to be sorry, Bones."

She pulled herself up so she was in a sitting position. She still refused to look at him. Instead, she looked over at her bureau where Booth had put the tray of food.

"The food is getting cold."

"I'm not worried about the food."

He put his hand on her cheek and applied pressure, trying to turn her face towards him. She resisted, but he was stronger. Her head was pointed towards him, but she didn't look at him.

"Talk to me," he said delicately.

"It was just…"

"A nightmare?"

He could tell she was holding back tears.

"It wasn't a nightmare."

Booth shook his head out frustration. He dropped his hand from her face.

"Why won't you talk to me? Why can't you tell me the truth?"

"Because I'm fine."

"Bones…"

"Just go, Booth. Please."

"Not until you talk to me."

She began to move across the bed so she could slide off the other side. She needed to distance herself from Booth before she told him something she'd regret. She swung her leg over the bed when she felt Booth's hand on her elbow.

"Booth…please."

She hung her head and couldn't stop a tear from falling. Even though Booth couldn't see her face anymore, he could hear the tears in her voice. He removed his hand from her elbow.

"I never want to make you cry," Booth said.

"Then please go."

"Bones…"

"Please…"

"I don't want to leave you."

"I need you to. I can't…I can't do this with you here."

"Why not?"

"Booth, please…"

He stood up. He couldn't listen to her pleading anymore. It hurt him to do so, but he walked to the door. "When you're ready, I'm here for you."

He hated himself for it, but Booth walked out of her room. Brennan sat on the edge of the bed until she heard her apartment door slam shut. She laid back down on her bed and began to cry.

Author's Note: I know some of you were very excited to hear about Brennan's "idea." I know it wasn't very exciting, but it just seemed like something Brennan would do (that, and I love doing puzzles). Anyway, I hope you liked it!