A/N - I can't thank those of you who are reading, reviewing, and reaching out enough. The comments have made me think. There are already changes from the original idea, and more coming (although I won't tell you which ones ;) ) We are ramping up here towards the explosion, so hang in there, and trust me - I love these two as much as you all do. -Kalli

Brennan was relieved to have settled into a routine that kept McGowan at bay and Booth safe.

She called Vanik that morning to get an update on the cyber forensic analysis they were waiting for. Everything was on schedule. They'd told her ten days. Day one, two and three were in Philly. Day 4 she told Booth she needed to concentrate on publishing and the book. She worked around the clock, was everywhere she told McGowan she would be, and texted Booth from her secret phone to keep him convinced she was busy. It's just like she was on one of her crazy trips, just at the Jeffersonian.

The ten days still felt long. Brennan wondered if she should have just taken it to Angela, but remembering how important it was to keep people in the dark to keep Booth safe she dismissed that thought from her mind. They would wrap the investigation tomorrow, day 10 as promised. They would meet Thursday morning for any last details for the final statement and put the evidence package together. Then she would get her own legal team involved and deliver the material to Caroline. Then she would tell Booth.

She had a plan that had her comfortable. Seventy-two hours left to go. She could get through seventy-two hours.

She was also starting to get comfortable with her ability to avoid McGowan, and feeling the distance between her and Booth, and wanting to keep him feeling connected enough that he didn't inadvertently undo everything she was doing to keep him safe, she decided to push her luck.

She drove her car to the Jeffersonian, and dutifully put her cloned phone in her office. She took her secret phone, grabbed an uber, and went to Booth's apartment. She unpacked the frames from the bag she carried, including the replacement she ordered, all filled with pictures she'd chosen so carefully, and everything she would need to hang them. Using her emergency key she let herself in and spent a blissful forty-five minutes hanging the collage of photos on the wall. When she was sure it was exactly how she wanted it, she made her way back to the office to get some work done.

Booth spent the day on trial prep for a court day on Wednesday. He grabbed lunch nearby, and when he came back to his office, there was a magazine open on his desk. He took a look at the open page and smiled, assuming Bones had come by and left it for him. He took out his phone and texted her new number.

Booth: Thanks, Bones!

Bones: You've already seen it? You must have just missed me. Hope you don't mind me making myself at home.

Booth: Never

He wore a goofy smile as he read the open pages. His assumption that the magazine was a gift from Bones was seemingly confirmed by her text. He couldn't have known any differently.

Brennan went about her day with a smile on her face – the first day like that in a while. She conducted meetings. She helped an intern with a report for the Jeffersonian, and took a few minutes to offer some thoughts to Dr. Edison on a paper he was looking to publish. It was a step prior to peer review. It was a favor. Before he submitted it to the community for review, he always got nervous, and she would make sure it was ready. Then calls with colleagues across the world on the artifacts in her office and her approach and preliminary findings there.

And then finally home, happy to be calling it a day. She entered her apartment at almost midnight. Distracted from her fatigue it took her a moment to realize the light above the dining room table was illuminated with a publication of some kind on the table, and a drink of some kind on the rocks sitting next to it, dripping condensation onto the table.

"Anything about your day you want to tell me, Temperance?"

McGowan's voice gave her the chills. And he sounded like he'd already been drinking.

"What are you doing here, McGowan. How did you get into my apartment?"

"Don't deflect, Tempe. Feel like maybe you aren't keeping up your end of our bargain."

Had he figured out that she was at Booth's? She could only imagine how annoyed Vanik would be when he found out she'd pushed the boundaries a little. She chose to play dumb, which didn't come naturally to her. "McGowan, I don't know…."

"Table," he shouted.

She didn't know what his focus was, but decided to find out before the evening got any worse. She made her way to the table, only a step from taking the magazine in her hand when she heard McGowan's voice.

"Read it to me," he ordered.

Now it made sense. The good news was he didn't know about her trip to Booth's. The bad news was she'd forgotten the article was coming out today. She didn't bother look at him. She knew how angry he was. The People Magazine article hit the stands, and although she hadn't read it, they did a very similar fluff piece every time she got close to a release date, and she knew what it would say before she picked it up.

The pictures scattered around the page followed her at galas and readings and crime scenes, her real life and Kathy's fiction blending. And of course there was the requisite picture of her and Booth, this one a stock photo of them at a Jeffersonian event from months before – both smiling, his hand on the small of her back, looking happy.

"These pictures are all old stock photos. I'm a public figure. I can't…."

"Read it," he barked.

She began.

"If you aren't quite ready to say goodbye to winter, don't sweat it. Chilled to the Bone, the latest offering by New York Times Best Selling Author Temperance Brennan, hits the shelves in two weeks and is sure to make your blood run cold. Our first must read of the year, the story takes readers on a ride of mystery, science and romance that marks the author's best book in the series to date." She paused, hoping he had made his point, but he hadn't.

"Keep reading."

"Chilled to the Bone continues the saga of fan favorites Kathy and Andy as they track down a killer on the loose. Asked about similarities between Agent Andy and her real life FBI partner Special Agent Seeley Booth," she let out a large exhale, knowing the quote that was coming." Brennan insists they are they are different people, but said some similarities can't be avoided. "Certainly, Agent Booth represents the best of service, bravery, loyalty and friendship. If any of that comes through in Agent Lister that isn't a coincidence. I wrote Chilled to the Bones, but if someone wants to know how to be an exceptional FBI agent, well, Seeley Booth wrote that book."

"How beautiful," McGowan mocked.

"The quotes from this were from months ago. I didn't even remember the article was coming out today. There's always chatter like this when a release is close."

"Take a sip," he told her.

Brennan looked at him, searching for ways deescalate what was about to spiral out of control. A sip of what looked like scotch seemed like an easy thing to give in on. Raising the glass to her mouth she felt the cold liquid in her throat before her brain processed that it went down with a hint of bitterness and scent unusual to scotch that she couldn't place.

"Keep reading."

"But don't worry! Fans of the series can be assured that as chilly (and fascinating) as the science is, there's plenty of heat between Kathy and her Special Agent Andy Lister to keep the pages turning," She blinked and squinted as the words began to blur. Bringing them back into focus, she finished. "Chilled to the Bone, in stores in three weeks."

"Oh, drink up," he said. "We're going to have some fun tonight." Then he went to the bar and turned his back as he poured himself another one.