Things will be get better for both Booth and Brennan, but it won't happen in one chapter.
A week later Brennan returned to work and was greeted by a subpoena to court. It was for the last case her and Booth has worked involved the homicide of a 16 year old girl. The date of the trial was set the following Monday. She scoffed at the subpoena, the more she tried to put Booth behind her the more he or circumstances shoved them together.
Just as she was about to head for limbo when Caroline came into her office. "Cheri, how was your time off?"
"It was fine."
"We need to sit down with Booth and discuss this case?"
"Since you are here, shouldn't you and I talk now? You can talk to Booth later when you are downtown."
"I told Booth to meet me here" she glanced at her watch, "as matter of fact he should be here shortly."
"Oh, Okay" Caroline went over and pulled out the paperwork and placed it on the coffee table in front of the couch like she always did, placing their copies side by side while hers was on the opposite side of the coffee table.
"Dr. Brennan, you look a little pale, you aren't getting sick are you?"
"No, I am fine, just have a lot to do today, and would just like to get this finished." Brennan crossed from her desk to the couch and sat down, lifting up her copies and starting to read them.
Booth entered her office quietly, Brennan wasn't aware he was there until Caroline announced it, "Well, it is about time you got here. Just because I like you doesn't mean you can come to class late."
Booth hesitantly sat down next to Bones and grabbed his paperwork. "Hey Bones"
"Booth" Caroline glanced back and forth between the two, no one had told her they no longer worked together or even speaking for that matter. It was pretty obvious that something was wrong between them, but for now they needed to concentrate on getting a murderer put behind bars.
As they were going over the case the silence and one word answers finally got the better of Caroline. "I don't know what is going on with you two, but you better fix it by Monday. You need to be on the same page or this bastard will walk."
"We are professionals Ms. Julian, this bastard, as you call him, will not walk. Our findings are sound. Our working relationship has nothing to do with that." Brennan said.
Caroline narrowed her eyes, "Is there something wrong with your working relationship?"
"No" they both answered in unison then Brennan added, "Because we don't work together any longer."
Caroline looked at both of them. "This is because of Blondie isn't it?"
"Caroline, Hannah has nothing to do…"
"Yes" Brennan interjected and paused "however, that does not change the findings on this case." Booth looked at Bones for the first time since he entered her office and was glaring at her." Now I need to get to work, if there is nothing more?"
"Sure Cheri, go ahead and go back to work." Caroline never took her eyes off Booth "You," pointing at him, "I want to talk to you back at your office." Booth looked annoyed at her as he pushed himself off the couch and left Brennan's office.
Cam came into Brennan's office after Caroline and Booth left. "Dr. Brennan, I am so sorry, I forgot Caroline had called and wanted to have a meeting here with Booth and you."
Brennan never took her eyes off her computer screen "It is okay Dr. Saroyan."
"Dr. Brennan if there is any ….."
"Dr. Saroyan I am fine, now if you will excuse me, I need to do some work."
What Cam didn't see were the silent tears running down Brennan's face. When she heard her office door shut, she went and locked it. Last case and then I will turn my world right side up again. I can do this; I am doing this for 16 year old Maddie.
Booth was sitting in his office when Caroline came through the door like a hurricane. "What is going on between you and Dr. Brennan?"
"We aren't working together anymore?"
"Why?"
"Bones asked Hacker to terminate our partnership."
"Why?"
"You will have to ask her."
"I thought you loved her?"
Booth looked up at Caroline, "I asked her for a chance, she turned me down, Okay? I went to Afghanistan and met Hannah and she followed me back. She loves me and I ... love her" his voice dropped to barely a whisper.
"And Dr. Brennan?" Caroline watched Booth's face he diverted his eyes from Caroline's.
"It doesn't matter, I am with Hannah and it cost..."
"You still love her don't you?"
He just stared at Caroline "She turned me down."
"But you still love her." Booth opened his mouth to protest but couldn't. "Mhm, just what I thought."
"What's that suppose to mean?"
Caroline shook her head at him as she left his office, leaving him to ponder their discussion.
The following Monday the group was out in the hallway waiting to be allowed into the court room. Booth arrived and when he came around the corner, his eyes locked onto hers. She pulled her eyes away and went to sit on a bench where she could look out a window. Booth stayed at the other end of the hall by himself, Hodgins watched him.
"Man, look at him down there all alone."
"Dr. Hodgins, you are welcome to go join him. Just because Booth and I don't work together anymore doesn't mean you can't be friends with him."
"Seriously, you don't mind?"
"No, I don't"
"Jack don't you move. Bren it is not about liking someone or not it is about loyalty. We stick with you because we are loyal to you."
"Angela, that is about the most irrational thing I have heard from you in a very long time. Hodgins if you want to go talk to Booth or hang out, go." She turned and looked at Angela, "You can't pick sides in this. Booth has not changed, he is the same person that you always liked, it is just now he is in a serious relationship that has caused some awkward moments."
"Bren we are just trying to support you."
"I understand that and I appreciate it, but maybe he needs someone to support him."
Hodgins looked between his wife and Brennan not sure who won that mini debate. Finally Angela looked at him and motioned with her head towards Booth. Hodgins smiled and headed down the hall. Angela watched him go, "Bren telling Hodgins he could go talk to Booth is almost as good as giving him bugs and dirt to play in." Both women laughed.
After a week in court and finding new routes through the courthouse to avoid to much interaction with Booth, they got their conviction. As soon as it was handed down the team congratulated each other. Booth and Brennan turned around and found themselves face to face with each other, "Good work Booth" she said as she turned to leave the court room. He watched her go "You too Bones," he whispered.
Sweets caught up with her as she exited the courthouse. "Dr. Brennan, you have a second?"
"Dr. Sweets, what can I do for you?"
"I just wanted to know how you are doing?"
"You mean since Booth and I don't work together anymore?"
"Well, yeah."
"You asking as a psychologist or as a friend?"
Sweets looked at her for a moment, "A friend"
"Some days are better than others. I have setbacks, like this trial that puts me in circumstances where I need to interact with him." She stared at sweets for a long time. "I can't compartmentalize him, he won't stay there."
"I see how does he not stay there?"
"It is like a kids toy, you close the lid, you turn the little crank that produces music, and the clown pops out."
"A jack in the box."
"Booth just keeps popping up, even when I don't see him."
"Maybe you don't want him to stay compartmentalize, maybe you are the crank."
"I-I am not the crank, I want him to stay compartmentalized. He is with Hannah, I am with Jonathan. I need him to stay compartmentalized."
"Okay, it was just an idea."
"I hate psychology, Good Bye Sweets."
Brennan passed on the after a case drink at The Founding Fathers, more for her mental well being than anything. She talked to Jonathan before he headed into an emergency surgery and then she headed home to spend a quiet evening on her couch attempt to write on her book. She was behind on her deadline and had a bad case of writers block.
Booth arrived at The Founding Fathers alone; he looked over at the group and then made his way to the end of the bar and ordered a beer. He settled on a stool and kept his head down; he didn't want Bones to flee if she happened to come.
"Hey big guy, she isn't coming. Why don't you come join us?"
"I don't want to…"
"To what? You are part of this team. Come on, I am not taking no for an answer." Booth smiled at her.
Booth sat down with the group and while they had fun and shared laughs and raised their glasses in toast multiple times just to do it. It wasn't the same without Brennan it was like a part of the family was missing.
Hannah showed up just as it was winding down. Upon her arrival the tension in the air rose considerably. Everyone was nice enough to her, she wasn't hard to like, but her presence was why the other half of the center, Brennan, was not there.