70Disclaimer - No more mine than they were the last time I was forced to compose one of these.
A/N - I know that everyone and their cousin has written a post-ep for "Conman in the Meth Lab" and everyone's probably read more than they can take, but I felt left out. So indulge me and force yourselves to read just one more. I hope you find it somewhat original.
"There you go," Booth groaned as he loaded his inebriated brother into the passenger side of his SUV. "Watch your head," he cautioned as Jared stumbled and pitched head first onto the seat.
"I'll bet you're loving this," mumbled Jared as he righted himself and sat down heavily.
"Right," said Booth as he climbed into the truck, "because I have nothing better to do than haul your drunken ass around Washington D.C."
"No one's asking you to," slurred Jared reaching for the door handle, only to find it locked. He fumbled around the door searching for whatever knob or button would set him free. His third try did it, but Booth was too quick, locking it again before he could escape. Jared tried again, but Booth still proved to be faster. A short battle ensued from which the elder Booth emerged victorious, since being smashed never resulted in quick thoughts or actions.
As Booth drove away he looked out the window and saw Brennan standing with Cam and Angela, but she wasn't participating in their conversation, she was busy watching his SUV drive away with a look on her face that he just couldn't place. She looked angry, but her blue eyes reflected a pain that he had never seen before. He knew that what he had told her about his past had hurt her to hear, but the look on her face nearly broke his heart.
"You told her didn't you?" He heard the accusatory tone in his brother's voice and winced.
He faced Jared and offered the only explanation he could. "She's my partner."
"Some things are private."
'You're drunk," Booth said with finality, letting Jared know that he wasn't in the mood to start an argument.
Silence reigned for the next few minutes as the two brothers brooded over the events of the last couple days.
"I get it Seeley," said Jared.
"Get what?" Booth sighed. So much for an argument free ride.
"You just couldn't stand it could you? Seeing me with her. You just couldn't take it, you had to let her know, had to bring me down. You just couldn't stand to see me succeed, especially with Bones."
Booth's comments outside the bar had irritated Jared's already ambivalent attitude toward his brother and while he knew that there was no way Seeley's actions ever stemmed from jealousy, his perfect brother was too good for that, he just couldn't resist attempting to rile him up.
"What are you talking about?" A wave of sadness swept over Booth as he recognized the look in Jared's eye, a look he'd seen many times as a child. He knew his brother would never hurt anyone, no matter how deep a rut he drank himself into, but he also knew that Jared's antagonistic and vindictive side always came out of the shadows after he'd had exceeded his limit.
'You know what I'm talking about!" Jared was becoming agitated now and Booth did his best to keep his voice even when he replied.
'Jared, man, I really don't know what you're saying."
"You just said you told her."
"What? I told her…" Booth paused. "I told her about Dad."
"You told her about that too!?" Now he was angry.
Booth pulled the SUV over. He just couldn't be this confused and drive at the same time, but God knew he had practice considering the regular occupant of that seat.
He wasn't sure who was made less sense, his squinty partner or his trashed brother.
"What are you talking about?" he nearly shouted.
"She knew, she asked me to meet her and she knew…about the RICO case and what happened last night. You just had to tell her. I thought family was supposed to mean something to you."
Booth cringed at the accusation and had to fight the urge to level a similar one at his brother, but he knew Jared wasn't in any condition to travel down that avenue with him tonight. One problem at a time.
"And you think I told her. I mean…I did tell her, but just an hour ago….Wait, you saw her today?"
"Damn strait. She attacked me at the bar."
Booth gaped at his brother and waited. He waited for that defensive feeling to arise, that protective instinct that inevitably raised its ugly head whenever someone dared to threaten his family, even in the smallest way. But the feeling never came. In contrast a rush of adrenaline and excitement swept through him and he could barely contain his curiosity.
"Really? What happened?"
Jared scoffed. "As if you didn't know. You probably put her up to it. She said that people had been telling her things about me. It was you, wasn't it?"
"I swear, it wasn't me," Booth defended. God knows he'd been tempted to vent his frustration and his anger about their relationship to Bones before, but, despite Jared's harsh words, his loyalty to his brother had kept him from sullying his character in any way.
"Well, she comes in the bar, kisses my cheek and I'm thinking that after the great time we had last night she just couldn't wait to see me again." Even in his state Jared seemed to know this would get a rise out of his brother and sneaked a side glance at him.
Booth only made a deprecating snort, but the thought made him nauseous.
"Anyway, she asks me to tell her the truth. I don't know what she's talking about and she says that someone's been telling her that I was the reason you lost the credit for the RICO bust. So I clue in and of course she notices. What do you think she did?"
Booth could only shake his head in bewilderment. What had she done?
"She totally lost it on me."
Booth had to fight the grin that was threatening to break out across his face. That must have been why she hadn't answered her phone. He broke from his thoughts when Jared kept going.
"She accused me of taking advantage of you, of making her think you were a loser. Dude, I thought she was gonna cry when she said she wouldn't blame you if you never spoke to her again. Like that would ever happen, but she seriously looked scared."
Bones…scared? Confidence defined Temperance Brennan. As much as it pained him to think of Bones hurting though, he couldn't describe how good it felt to hear the things she said to his brother. His lingering doubts about her perception of him and the possibility that she might actually harbor feelings for his brother were finally washed away with the knowledge that her fear that he would never forgive her for her actions had brought her to the verge of tears; that their friendship meant enough to elicit such an emotional outburst. There was still one thing to be cleared up.
"You said she attacked you"
"Yeah! She got all pissed then turned and walked away, but she stopped, turned around and shoved me off my stool! I mean, you mentioned she was kind of violent, but man! How do you work with that?" Jared's alcohol clouded brain pushed him to see just how far he could take this before his brother snapped, but another part of his brain, the corner that had managed to sober up a bit, reminded him that this was his brother he was doing this to.
Booth's near grin turned into a glare as he rounded on his brother.
"Hey.." he began, but Jared cut him off.
"I know, I know." Jared held up his hands in mock surrender before collapsing against his seat, the booze in his system finally catching up with him.
Jared hadn't been completely left out when it came to the insightful, people person genes; from the first time his brother had mentioned Temperance Brennan he'd known that although Seeley would never admit it, that this woman had done something to him. He'd secretly relished stealing her away for an evening and cutting in line before his brother, taking a risk that Seeley was too gentlemanly, or cowardly, to consider. In many ways he did think his brother was a loser; case in point, the pathetic way he looked longingly at his partner without doing a damn thing about it. But apparently the idiot was doing something right if Bones had reacted the way she had.
Booth took a breath and looked closely at his brother before smirking. "Did she really do that?" If it were possible Booth's heart felt even lighter than it had when Jared retold how Bones had tore a strip off him in her anger on his behalf.
"Sure did. Must care about you a lot bro…lucky… quite a girl you've got for yourself," Jared mumbled, his sentences disjointed and eyes beginning to droop.
"Yeah," Booth sighed before cluing in to what his was his brother had actually said.
"No man, it's not like that."
"Bullshit," was the last thing Jared whispered before completely passing out.
Booth started the truck again and pulled away from the curb, shaking his head.
Is that what it all was? Their protestations, their perpetual denials and declarations that their relationship was strictly platonic – was it as big a load as everyone seemed to think it was? To him the issue was monumental, gigantic in its implications, but to everyone else it seemed so simple. Was it?
Maybe it was. Despite the events of the day, the pangs of sorrow at her betrayal, the evening seemed to end just like any other: the two of them side by side, sharing food and quiet moments. It hadn't been as hard to forgive her as he thought it would be. A man who thrived on relationships, Booth took his very seriously and betrayal was as much an issue for him as it was for Bones, but when she had looked him in the eye and stated that she had come to realize that anthropology might have gotten it wrong, he knew they were alright…more than alright. They had come through stronger. What Jared had revealed to him tonight had only affirmed and intensified his belief in them. What had begun as a miserable day with Bones' late arrival at work, had ended in a way he never would have imagined: him sharing some of his darkest secrets with her and feeling more than safe doing it
Booth shook his head in amazement. It really was that simple. It really was bullshit. Their partnership was important, but what everyone else seemed to get, what he was finally comprehending was that nothing was more important than the connection that they had. What two people could mean to each other and give each other transcended everything else. Family was what mattered, people finding comfort and acceptance was what counted and when you found that you didn't shy away and look for excuses to avoid it, you embraced it. And that's what he was going to do.
He swiftly pulled a sharp U-turn and headed back toward the bar. He parked and ran inside only to find it empty. He jogged back out and started out for her apartment, resisting the urge to turn on his siren. Upon arrival he looked over at his brother and, previous experience telling him that Jared would be out for another good while and the night not being too cold, left him and entered her building. He ran up the flight of stairs and knocked on her door. He shifted nervously as he waited, the full weight of what he was about to do resting heavily on him as his anticipation built.
The door finally opened to reveal Brennan dressed in a tank top and a pair of track pants. He couldn't stop his gaze from wandering and appreciating the tight fitting top, the way it accentuated every delightful curve of her torso.
Mistaking his gaze as one of surprise at seeing her in such informal attire she hastened to offer an explanation.
"The elastic's easier than attempting to tie off a drawstring or do up a button with one hand," she mumbled, knowing how awkward she sounded. His eyes back on her face and a faint blush in his cheeks he simply nodded his head and swallowed. Her eyes traced the movement as his adam's apple bobbed and his chest heaved slightly.
"Can I come in?" he asked.
She stepped back and allowed him access before walking over to her couch.
"Jared told me what happened," he began.
Brennan's breath caught in her throat and she remembered what Cam had told her earlier. If Booth had been angry at Cam for simply expressing her opinion of Jared how would he feel after hearing the things she had said to him and learning that she had actually assaulted him.
She looked down at her hands, attempting to align her thoughts.
"Booth….I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to happen, but I was just so angry at what he did to you…it seems I lost control of my actions."
She finally glanced up to find him next to her. Instead of the look of consternation she had anticipated, there was smile on his face. Confusion mounted inside her as his grin widened and he raised a hand and placed it on her shoulder. She sucked in a breath at the warmth of his calloused hand on her bare shoulder.
"I came over to thank you, not yell at you," he said with an incredulous look on his face, obviously finding it hard to fathom that she'd believe that her actions might anger him.
"Really?" she asked, relief evident in her voice.
"Really."
He looked like he wanted to continue and she desperately wanted to know what reason he could have for thanking her after finding out that she had practically body-checked his brother off of a bar stool.
"Why?"
'Well," he said as he reached up and scratched the back of his head. "For everything."
Wow, that told her absolutely nothing. In fact, if possible, she was even more baffled by his words than before.
He saw the blank look on her face.
"For the things you said tonight, for apologizing, for…being you."
Shame welled up inside her and she averted her eyes.
"I don't deserve your thanks Booth. What I did today was unforgivable. It's me who should be thanking you. How can you be happy with me after what Jared told you."
He tilted her chin up with a gentle hand and locked his gaze with hers.
"Bones, what you did today….I did forgive you Bones. I was hurt, but I could never hold anything against you."
Her anguish only deepened at his words. She seriously didn't deserve his friendship. She'd betrayed him today and the knowledge of that cut her to the core. He was such a good man and the fact that she could have doubted him made her question her own sanity, her humanity even.
"Don't say that," she said, finding herself for the second time that day overwhelmed with the urge to cry at the thought of what she'd done.
"Why not?" he asked. He had thought they were alright, he had forgiven her, but apparently she hadn't let herself let go.
"Booth, what I did to you today…just please don't be so nice to me. I mean it, I don't deserve it."
Mindful of her arm, Booth pulled her close.
"I mean it too Bones, don't worry. And what happened with Jared, far from making me mad at you, I can't explain to you what it means that you'd do that."
He ducked to meet look her in the eye.
"You should've seen me when Jared was ranting about how you attacked him in the bar. I had the biggest grin on my face." Her dubious expression prompted him to solidify his statement. "Honest. I couldn't bring myself to feel the least bit sorry for him. I've always been quick to feel offense on his behalf, but tonight, all I could think about was how you did that for me and you know what?….It feels pretty darn good."
His words washed over her and she allowed herself a small smile. His arm around her tightened and she let herself sink deeper into his side.
"He said something else you know," Booth continued slowly.
"What did he say?"
"He said that I had quite a girl." Booth saw the look on her face and, knowing the lecture was coming on how she belonged to no man, hurried on. "He said I was lucky… and you know what? He's right."
With that he angled his head and pressed his mouth gently to hers. The feeling of her soft lips against his was indescribable and he knew that now that he'd tasted her, felt her body pressed to his, he had blown over his line and was now miles past the point of no return. He could only hope and pray that she might feel the same or this could be not only the first, but the last time that he got to be with her this way. He deepened the kiss, attempting to convey everything he felt, but didn't have words to describe.
When his lips descended on hers she stiffened, but slowly relaxed, allowing herself to sink even further into him and trust him enough to give her long suppressed emotions free reign. Her uninjured arm wrapped around him as she attempted to eliminate any space left between them. She felt his tongue smooth across her lower lip and she sighed, allowing it to tangle with her own and she briefly wondered how her emotions could handle the transformation from pain to pleasure so quickly, but the things he was doing to her wiped her mind clear of any thought as she found herself completely lost in him.
One hand tangled in her hair, the other softly stroking up and down her arm, he pulled back an inch and looked her in the eye. Finding nothing there but trust and affection he let an easy grin spread across his face. Everything they'd been through that day, the emotions that had seared him earlier, paled in comparison to the way she was looking at him right now – the way he knew he was looking at her. Years of history and he could never have imagined anything as sweet as this moment.
"Wow," she breathed.
"I know," he said, leaning them against the back of the couch and tucking her close.
"That was amazing."
The awe in her voice inspired new levels of joy within him.
"You're amazing," he said. "Did you really shove him off a bar stool."
She bit her lip and nodded. He couldn't help himself, she looked so completely adorable that he kissed her again, resting his forehead against hers after pulling back.
"That's very hot."
She rolled her eyes at him. "Don't expect it too often. I can't just go around beating people up for you."
"You know you enjoyed it."
"I have to admit, it felt pretty good," she said, remembering the satisfaction that followed her somewhat girly action of pushing Jared off his seat.
"Wish I'd been there."
She studied him for a moment before laying her head on his shoulder.
"If I hadn't been so gullible this mess wouldn't have even happened."
"I'm kind of glad it did, because if that whole mess hadn't happened, this," he gestured between them, "would never have happened."
"I don't know," she mused. "Everything happens eventually right?"
"Right."
So? Thoughts?