(Season 5)

I really don't own Bones.

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The airport was busy, but Booth found Brennan standing at the parting gate waiting to board the plane. Their friends were there to see her and Daisy off on their trip and he knew that the things he had planned to say to his partner would remain unsaid. As he approached her, he noticed that she appeared to be unhappy and that made him feel sad. He didn't know how to stop what was happening but he knew he'd have to let her leave. She wanted to place some distance between them and he had to let her. Her decision was making her sad, but it was her decision and they would both have to live with that.

"Bones . . . hey, I hope you have a safe trip." He didn't know what else to say. There were too many witnesses watching them and he didn't want to make Brennan uncomfortable. Their problems were their problems and no one else needed to know about them. "Call us when you can . . . let us know that you're doing okay, that you're safe."

She had been afraid that he wouldn't come to see her leave. She knew he wanted her to stay, but she couldn't. Her life was too wrapped up in Booth's life and she needed to separate herself from him. She was tired of being afraid. The Gravedigger trial had emphasized that if someone wanted to harm or kill Booth, she couldn't stop it. She loved his friendship, their comradeship, but she knew that she had let him permeate her life more than she had meant to and now she feared what a life without him could be. She hoped that putting some space between them would allow her to regain her independence. She enjoyed Booth's friendship, but she feared it too. "Yes, but we will be in a remote area and communication may not be possible."

"Then you can write me." Booth needed her to understand that she needed to keep in contact with him. No matter how much distance there was between them, she needed to keep in contact. He needed to know she was alright. He needed to know she was safe.

"I will try." Brennan refused to make any promises that she might not be able to keep. She knew that she was going to be busy once she was at the dig and it might not be possible to find the time needed to write letters.

He wasn't sure why she was refusing to promise to keep in contact with him and it made him feel sad and a little afraid. He hadn't realized just how badly their friendship had deteriorated. "Bones . . . If I could undo what I said outside the Hoover I would . . . Don't hold that against me . . . I . . . I'm sorry."

She knew he didn't understand why she was leaving and she wasn't sure how to explain it so he'd understand. "This isn't about the Hoover, Booth. Not really . . . I need to do this. This dig is important and I need to be there. My expertise is needed and . . . I need to be there." Brennan was aware that their friends were listening to every word they said and she knew that Booth wouldn't appreciate it if she betrayed what was theirs to them. She couldn't do that to him.

Slowly moving his hand, he placed her hand in his and held it. "Bones . . . I'll be here when you get back."

His hand warm and comforting, Brennan swallowed and stared at their clasped hands. "Alright . . . Clark will be able to work with you while I am gone, so you will have a partner. He isn't as good as I am, but time and experience will probably take care of some of that."

"I'll have a partner, but not the partner I need." Booth stared at Brennan trying to will her to look at him.

"I don't know what that means." She turned her gaze upon Booth's face and almost cried. She knew she had to leave, but he didn't understand why and the sadness on his face made her feel miserable.

Unwilling to say anything further, Booth released her hand and walked away.

Watching him leave, Brennan called out to her partner. "Booth . . . be careful and don't take unnecessary risks." Since he refused to turn around, Brennan wasn't sure what else to say. Turning to face Angela, Hodgins and Cam, she smiled. "I will be back in a year."

Unable to help herself, Angela placed her arms around her friend and hugged her tightly. "I'm going to miss you Sweety. We are all going to miss you."

Their flight now boarding, Daisy grabbed Brennan's arm. "Oh, Dr. Brennan. We have to go. I don't know why Lance didn't come, but . . . we have to go."

Stepping away from Angela, Brennan smiled at her friend. "It's just one year."

"Yeah, 365 days." Angela felt that Brennan was making a mistake but it was her mistake to make. "Please write to me or Booth, Bren. Even if it's just a post card, write something. Even one word on a postcard . . . something. That way we'll know you're okay."

Unwilling to make that promise, Brennan turned to leave.

Once Brennan and Daisy were out of sight, Cam sighed. "I don't know what happened between Booth and Brennan, but . . . well the next year is going to be interesting. I hope this trip is worth it. I really do."

Hodgins shook his head. "What a mess. For all of us."

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Sweets was waiting for Booth when the Agent returned to his office. "They got off alright?"

Puzzled, Booth stared at his friend for a moment then walked around his desk and sat down. "Why didn't you see your girlfriend off? She wondered where you were."

"We broke up . . . Well, I think we broke up. I don't know . . . She's going to be gone for a year . . . a year." Sweets still felt betrayed. "We got engaged and then she goes on a dig for a year? That doesn't make any sense to me. Why say yes when I asked her to marry me then leave me for a year? Who does something like that?"

Staring at the younger man, Booth wasn't sure what to say. He still didn't understand what he had done that had been so terrible that his best friend had abandoned him. What had happened outside the Hoover had been a mistake, but he had thought he and Brennan were still friends and had got past that. "It's supposed to be a really important find and anyone associated with the dig could end up in history books . . . Daisy is just starting out in her profession and this could launch her career."

"But we're engaged." Sweets felt that Daisy hadn't considered that before taking off around the world. "To be married."

Not impressed, Booth shrugged his shoulders. "I've served with a few soldiers who were engaged and were deployed overseas for over a year. Hell, when you're in the military it's not unusual for married couples to be separated for years at a time. It's not the end of the world and if you really love someone then you can wait."

"I guess that's the problem. I guess I may not love her as much as I thought I did." Feeling sorry for himself. Sweets stood up and shoved his hands in his pants pockets. "I told her to keep my ring and we'll see what happens when she comes back, but it feels like it's over."

"Then it's over." Booth turned to face his PC and logged in. "Wait and let some time pass. You may find out that a year is nothing and you really love her. If not, then move on." He knew he should move on, but he didn't want to. "I have work to do."

With nothing else to say, the young psychologist left the room.

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Staring at the black television screen in his living room, Booth sipped some of his Scotch and wondered how he'd managed to mess up his life so badly. He loved Brennan. He had loved her for a long time, but she didn't love him. He could accept that as long as his friendship was solid with her, but now he wasn't so sure about that either. She had told him that she didn't have his heart, but he knew she was afraid.

"Her parents did this to her . . . they proved to her that love isn't real and I don't know how to fix that . . . It might not be fixable . . . When she comes back, I'll show her what a great friend I am to her. We'll be like it was before I screwed up outside the Hoover . . . I hope that's true."

Not sure what the future would bring, Booth knew that he would have to accept what happened. His parents hadn't loved him and though he'd tried to make a family for himself, he'd been rejected many times. His son loved him and so did his grandfather, so he wasn't alone in the world. "At least someone loves me . . . She's my friend and that's what matters . . . If that's all I get then that will have to be my happy ending."

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