Chapter 4... 'Redemption'

Booth was pacing outside Brennan's apartment. He was mulling over what to say, while trying to gain the courage to knock on her door.

What do I say to her? 'Sorry I did what I said'? 'Sorry that I moved on...' There were those three words again. As soon as he relayed them in his head, Booth knew that that's where it all went wrong. He continued to pace, still unsure what to do.

Brennan, who was in her apartment, could hear Booth shuffling around outside her door. She even heard him mumble some things, like 'Why did I say that?' Brennan leaned against the door and listened more intently. Her heart wanted her to wrench the door open and hug Booth, but her head argued that it was completely illogical.

She peeped through the looking hole this time. She saw Booth raise his hand to the door, and she let slip a not so quiet "just do it". The next second, Booth's hand knocked ever so gently on the door.

Brennan composed herself. Just stay calm... you're doing fine right now, and Angela isn't even helping you... Her hand slowly turned the doorknob, and she pulled back the door.

Booth let out a heartfelt "Hi". Brennan motioned for him to come in, and as soon as she closed the door and turned to Booth, she felt numb. She stared in his eyes, which were full of remorse.

"I'm sorry, Bones. I didn't... I didn't know."

Brennan looked at him, slightly confused by his last comment. Did Angela tell him how I felt? The thought sent a chill through her, and she promptly took a seat on the couch before she had the chance to collapse again.

"Know... know what?"

Booth couldn't bring himself to look her in the face, instead kept his eyes down, and face turned away slightly.

"I didn't know you'd react the way you did."

Brennan let out a quick sigh of relief, and Booth realised that there was something more to the story. But instead of saying something he just sat there in silence.

Finally, Brennan broke the silence. "Why didn't you show last night, like we agreed?"

Booth thought for a moment about the day before. His plane arrived on time, and he got off with Jennifer. She knew of his meeting with Brennan, and insisted that she not go with him, for the sake of his partnership with her. Then it was a blur.

"I... I don't know. I wanted to go, in fact I'd planned to go."
"Was it Jennifer?" These words pierced Booth's heart, and he now knew for sure that Brennan was jealous of, or at the least, disliked Jennifer.

"No, it wasn't. Bo... Brennan, you have to understand, I've told her almost everything about us. I didn't want any secrets, seeing as how when we both left, everything was still unfinished and completely complicated..."

Brennan cut him off. "Does she know that I wanted you to father my child? Or that you wanted to give it a shot between us?"

"I said almost everything... Bones" He was hesitant to call her Bones, as it was something special they shared as partners, and now that was on the rocks. "I..." Booth pulled himself closer to Brennan, holding her hands in his. "I never wanted to hurt you, and if I'd known how you would react to all of this, I would never have..." He couldn't bring himself to say it. "I don't know why I didn't meet you at the Reflecting Pool... I guess after not seeing you for so long... I... just..."

"It's okay, Booth. I understand" said Brennan, a smile forming for the first time in two days.

They sat there silently for a while, Booth still holding Brennan's hands. She'd forgotten how healing his touch could be. Before she realised it, Brennan had pulled herself closer to Booth, and now rested her head on his shoulder. He didn't flinch, or move or object. It was perfect, just how Brennan wanted it to be, except she knew it wasn't reality, it was just a 'partner' moment.

Again, Brennan was the first to break the silence. She sat up and looked at Booth. "How did you two meet?" She was putting on a brave face, knowing that the least she could do was try to be supportive. She was, after all, the one that said she needed time and space. That's why she had left, that's why she'd gone to Maluku. Not because of an amazing anthropological study, but to clear her mind, to help her put her life in perspective so she could figure out what, or who, she really wanted.

Booth thought carefully about how to answer the question in a way that wouldn't upset Brennan, even though he knew she was ready to hear it.

"We met in Afghanistan. Jennifer's a reporter, and she was interviewing some of the troops on the benefits of training with experienced soldiers. She interviewed some of my men, who told her endless stories about me and my past work as a sniper, and how they thought I was a god compared to the other soldiers. Jennifer finally interviewed me, even though she wasn't meant to, but she felt like she needed to know the truth. I answered all of her questions, most of which were about my work with you. She was eager to meet you, Bones. Like I said, I told her almost everything."

Brennan winced as she forced out the next question. "What didn't you tell her?"

Again, Booth thought carefully about what he left out.

"The part about the child you wanted me to father. I didn't tell her about the dream I had in my coma, and how happy that made me feel. It was the more personal things I didn't tell her about, Bones. There are moments that you and I have shared over the years that belong to us, Bones, and no one else needs to know about them."

Brennan smiled, knowing that their partnership was still intact.