The Change in The Partnership...(one year later)

Hi all, this is my first Bones fanfic. Gimme some feedback! It's set, unsurprisingly, in twelve months time, after Brennan has landed down on American soil.

CHAPTER 1: THE NERVES IN THE ANALYSIS

“Things have to change, things have to change....” Brennan muttered to herself under her breath as she took a moment in the airport bathroom to get ready. She felt her palms sweaty and her heart racing. She was nervous. It had been twelve months since she’d seen Booth, twelve long, rather torturous months. He’d written her, when he was allowed, but writing was her strong suit, not Booth’s. It wasn’t the same as standing there next to him, feeling his hand on her back or her feeling his arms wrap around her or his hand touch hers. And communication between a soldier on active duty and a scientist in a remote locale with little down time isn’t exactly free-flowing. They’d mostly talked about facts, news. Feeling and emotion didn’t really work via such a truncated exchange.

Brennan hated being nervous, nervy. She’d always prided herself on being bold and unconcerned and objective. But Booth, frustrating, annoying, always-right, beautiful Booth had changed that the night he’d launched in to this wonderful speech about being together for thirty, forty, fifty years.

And she’d frozen and cried and just not been able to put the words together that she felt the same way and had instead muttered something dimwitted about being a scientist and not knowing how to gamble. And she’d seen a tear in the eye of her best friend, and from therein, things had gone down hill, got muddled, and ended up in the great big ridiculous mess, punctuated by her trying to feign interest again in Andrew Hacker, him making her feel insanely jealous of the articulate, much more socially aware marine biologist that happened to blow in at just the wrong time, and had culminated in her being split up from her rock for twelve months. Twelve months. In five years, she’d not been away from Booth for twelve days, let alone twelve months. She knew full well that if she’d just not made an idiot of herself that night he professed his feelings for her, he wouldn’t have ended up going back to a war zone. A war zone. She worried about Booth on a daily basis in his day job, let alone whilst he was on active duty in Afghanistan.

She stared at herself in the mirror, splashing water on her face. She felt older, the sun hadn’t been kind to her in Indonesia, she reasoned, and she wasn’t quite sure about her hair. Where had the old Temperance Brennan gone, the one who thought she was beautiful and accomplished? She sighed. She’d never discussed the specifics around quite when she’d meet Booth at the coffee cart. All she knew was they were to meet today. May 25, 2011. Booth, or so Angela had advised, had been back from Afghanistan for two weeks. She’d exhaled when she’d heard that, relieved he’d survived the exile she’d induced.

She made her way out of the cocoon of the women’s bathroom and back out to the realities of the airport terminal, the loud noise and flashing lights foreign to her after twelve months communed to nature, and set out on looking for a cab.

“Brenn!” A woman’s voice called. Brennan whipped around and saw Angela. “Angela!” she brightened, surprised. She hadn't expected they'd be here, especially when no one was there to greet her as she got off the plane. Angela enveloped her in a bear hug. “Hey, sweetie. Sorry we're late” She smiled. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you...”

“Me too.” said another voice. “Dr Brennan. Glad to see you back in one piece.”

She smiled back at Hodgins. Oddly enough, it had been Hodgins she’d kept in most contact with. He was fascinated by the find in a way Angela wasn’t – he was a scientist, of course – and they’d kept up a strong email banter that she felt had strengthened their relationship. In his arms was a small, quiet creature swarthed in a blanket, whom Brennan recognised immediately as Pearl, the couple’s four month old daughter. Brennan hadn’t seen a baby or small child for months. “She’s very beautiful, Hodgins.” She beamed. “The photos you sent do indeed bare an uncanny resemblance.”

Hodgins beckoned for Brennan to hold the sleeping infant, to which she obliged. “C’mon, sweetie, lets get you home.” Angela said, wrapping her arm around her best friend, as Hodgins took her bag. “Motherhood is very becoming on you, Angela. What they say about the motherly glow is correct.” Brennan said as they made their way out the door and in to reality. “It’s the pregnant glow, hon, but thanks, you’re right. I’m already expecting number two.” She said, patting her belly. Hodgins beamed as he ushered Brennan and his wife and daughter into an awaiting cab.

“Congratulations. A lot happens in a year.” Brennan remarked, passing Pearl back to Angela as she reached for her seatbelt. Angela nodded. “Life doesn’t stand still.” She turned to face Brennan as she soothed her now whimpering child. “So, what time are you meeting Booth? He told me you were going to have coffee at the reflective pool. He was very cryptic and excited. Any news you want to pass on? Our great big hunk of a man’s not big on filling in a sleep-deprived stay at home mom on the details.”

Brennan exhaled audibly, a fact not lost on her travelling companions. “Do I detect a sense of relief there, Doctor B?” asked Hodgins quizzically.

“I was a little concerned he may have forgotten our arrangement. It will be wonderful to reconnect with him. We didn’t organise a specific time. I suppose I will need to contact him to find.....”

As if on queue, Brennan heard the sharp beeping of Angela’s cell phone. “Read that for me, honey, I don’t have three hands.” Brennan reached down to read the incoming message. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the senders’ name pop up on the iPhone – Seeley Booth. Her finger shook as she pressed the touch screen to retrieve the message.

“How’s my girl? Is she safe? Tell her I’ll meet her down at the pool at 4pm.”

“It’s Booth.” She beamed, closing the message and locking the phone as she placed it back in Angela’s oversized handbag. “He says he’ll meet me at 4pm.” Her stomach started flipping butterflies. “My girl” had been her. Her mind started racing with the possibilities. Was there a chance Booth still harboured feelings? That it wasn’t too late? Or was he simply referring to their partnership? She listened as Angela filled her in on the latest gossip surrounding Cam and Michelle and the interns and the fact they’d had to return early from France once they’d realised Angela was expecting – she’d wanted to be closer to family – but her mind was elsewhere. The cab stopped at Hodgins and Angela’s new, rolling house about two minutes from Brennan’s apartment, and Hodgins got out, carrying a now wailing Pearl. Angela snuggled and kissed her daughter before turning to Brennan. “I thought I’d help you unpack and get reacquainted with your apartment before you went to meet Booth.” She explained, and Brennan was grateful for the distraction. “Sweets also called me earlier wanting to know if we wanted to meet him at the diner for lunch. He’s missed you and Booth”

Brennan nodded. “Hodgins informed me in the course of our email conversations that Sweets is pursuing a new relationship.” She noted “I didn’t feel it appropriate to inform Daisy.” She finished, referring to her junior anthropologist, who herself had several liaisons with the crew on the dig.

Angela nodded as the taxi grinded to a halt and she paid the driver, who kindly opened the boot to remove Brennan’s bags. “Her name’s Megan. He’s pretty taken by her.” She grinned. “She’s so sweet Bren. I think she’s a better fit than Daisy. He seems really happy. He’s more ensconced in his own life now, rather than psychoanalysing others.” aid Angela, as they made their way to the elevator and Brennan pressed the button, admiring the new paint job in the lobby of her familiar building. “Although, you know, some things never change.” She said pointedly, as Brennan unlocked the door and breathed in the familiar scent of her apartment. She spotted two vases of new flowers, lilies – her favourite – and assumed them to be the work of Ang. She flopped down on the couch, the exhaustion of the long flight finally hitting her.

“So.” Angela said, as she joined “You’re kinda distracted, Bren. Can’t imagine why that would be.”

“I would have thought the reasons for my distraction were obvious, Angela.” Brennan retorted back, missing Angela’s easy sarcasm.

“I’m well aware of what – and who – is making you nervous, Bren. I was being sarcastic.”

“I guess my social cues are a little off after spending so much time with anthropologists.” Brennan noted. Angela got up to pour the women each a glass of water, about the only food or drink salvageable in the deserted apartment. “Ang, could you grab my laptop whilst you’re up? I need to email the site quickly and inform them I’m home and safe, although statistically that shouldn’t be a surprise to them.”

Ang carried back the computer and Brennan fired it up as they began to chat. “I’m just not sure where I stand with Booth, Angela. It has been twelve months since we last saw each other. We spoke about that not being a significant amount of time, Angela, but you’re correct. Many significant events can occur within a twelve month period. A baby can full gestate, new relationships can form.....” she trailed off, hoping her unspoken question was not lost on Angela.

“Hun, I don’t think you’ve got too much to worry about. I don’t think Booth his taken a lov-ah” she said, laughing at herself. “He was too busy, you know, saving lives. He is a bit frail though. I think he saw a lot of stuff there that set him back a bit.” She lazily pulled her dark hair back. “I honestly don’t know where that leaves you two, though. Like I said, he’s been pretty quiet on that front since he got back, except for saying things will change. All very cryptic.”

Brennan pondered this as she struggled to remember the password to her laptop. “That makes me nervous.” she offered to Angela, as she eventually remembered on the third try, and the browser auto launched. “I am unprepared for Booth’s position on our relationship. I am more sure of mine, Angela, but I am very unsure on where he sees us going.”

“What’s your position?” Angela cheekily grinned, the revelation sparking her interest. “Oh, Brenn, you need to log on to your Facebook, whilst you’re there. You’ve got a million wall messages. Have you even been on there all year?”

“I felt the use of social networking would harbor my ability to think clearly, what with the complexities it brings to relationships. However, I may have received quite a lot of communications in the year past.” She nodded, as she logged on to the revised interface. Sure enough, she was right. 1,281 notifications and 207 friend requests. “Oh my.” she exclaimed, quickly distracted. Angela gently shut the laptop. “Facebook can wait, Bren. What’s your position?”

“I am clearer on my feelings for Booth.” She said, timidly for her usually bold character. “I am better equipped to verbalise that I am extremely attracted to Booth, both mentally and physically. And I have done a lot of reading in the past year about the anthropological constructs of committed relationships.” She said “I am beginning to warm to the idea. However, if Booth does not share my new enthusiasm, Angela, I think it may make it difficult for us to work together, or maintain our friendship.”

“Quite a revelation there, Brenn.” She grazed her friends’ shoulder “I’m here for you, no matter what. I mean, I always new that, of course, but it's great to hear you say it. Hopefully you can say it to Booth." Angela yawned. "Ah, motherhood and pregnancy. You'll never know tiredness till you got through it, Bren." She stood up “I need coffee. I’m going to go downstairs and get us some. It’ll give you time to send that email and catch up on my five hundred baby photos on Facebook.”

Brennan flipped the laptop back open, quickly composing a response to an email from the Maluku tribe before facing the minefield that was Facebook. She tackled the friend requests first, before figuring they could mostly wait, but grinned at the request accompanied by a small, smiling face, before clicking “Add as Friend” next to Parker Booth’s name and briefly reading his status updates. “Parker Booth is excited to have his dad back! He’s a hero!” he’d written twelve days previous. There were several photos tagged of him and Booth, who looked slightly older and seemed to have developed a little grey in his thick hair. She read the most recent update. “Parker Booth is reaaaaaalllly nervous for his dad today.” . She frowned. Booth clicked on Booth’s face absentmindedly, taking her to his page. Not surprisingly, it was filled with updates and messages. Booth was a big fan of Facebook, she remembered, an interest she had never quite shared with such zeal. Seeley Booth is remembering what real coffee tastes like, Seeley Booth is hanging with his friend Sweets, Seeley Booth just made a big purchase, Seeley Booth loves his son Parker...she read the updates smiling. Her eyes travelled to the top of the page. “Seeley Booth is meeting a very good friend for coffee this afternoon, can’t wait to see her after so long.” Friend. Just friend. Butterflies and hyperanalysis again. She hated nervous, unsure Temperance

“Hey, wanna drink and run?” Angela beckoned her to the door. “We need to get down to meet Sweets. He just messaged me, he's on his way. He's bringing Megan."

“Sure.” Brennan nodded as she snapped closed the laptop, and the door behind her. Only three hours, fifteen minutes until she saw the man whose face and lack of presence had been haunting her for the last twelve months.

I love it! Please continue!!!

thanks, Bones206!

CHAPTER TWO:

THE NEW MEMBER OF THE CREW

The diner was just the way Brennan remembered it. She had a sudden hankering for, of all things, pie, something Sweets, who’d just crashed his way in to the booth shared by Angela and Brennan, found “interesting.” “It hasn’t been the same without you, Dr Brennan. Dr Ladaskilson is an excellent anthropologist though. We were lucky to get such a good temporary relationship.”

“He is very skilled.” Brennan agreed, making a mental note to call her anthropological colleague to thank him. He was now back in his home state of Virginia, and she was set to start back in just a few days. “This must be Megan.” She said, matter of factly as a short girl with bright blue eyes and straight black hair and a pretty smile plonked herself down next to Sweets. “Hi, Temperance! I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m a journalist for Scientific Express. I’m so fascinated by the dig. You’ll have to fill me in on the latest developments.”

Brennan began to explain to Megan the significance of the find, and they fell in to an easy conversation. Brennan liked Megan immediately. She was intelligent, literate, and highly inquisitive, all qualities she valued. She had a couple of perplexing, interesting tattoos, too, which made Brennan smile, having heard a story from Hodgins about Sweets fascination with a couple of tattoed girls they met a year or two back. Brennan had researched the art of tattooing, and had found it interesting. She was debating whether she might, in fact, get her own, perhaps some form of Indonesian Tribal motif to celebrate the last year.

“So, Dr Brennan.” Sweets interrupted, as Megan recounted a fascinating story she had been covering. “How are you feeling about seeing Booth?”

“I anticipate it will be highly emotional, Sweets.” She said pointedly but matter of factly. Sweets got the message.

“Well, well, Dr Brennan.....” he smiled. “It seems you have come to term with your emotions in the past year. A year is a significant amount of time to create a psychological turnaround emotionally.”

“Lance, don’t pester her. Temperance, you’re fantastic and interesting and lovely, I’m sure it will be fine.” Megan said, and Brennan felt like she was an old friend already. “Guys, we have to go, I’ve got to get back to work and Lance needs to do something more constructive than be a nosy pain in the ass.

Sweets laughed, and linked his arm around his girlfriends. “See you, Angela!” called Megan back “Make sure I get to see beautiful Pearl sometime soon!”

“I like her a lot.” Brennan beamed. “She’s extremely engaging and very compelling. I notice Sweets did not even ask about Daisy. I suppose that speaks volumes for his commitment to Megan.”

“Well, honey, they have fantastic chemistry, so they’ve grabbed hold tight to it.” Angela said, grinning. “It’s a terrible thing to lose.”

Brennan knew this all too well. She looked at the clock on her cell. 3.38.

Twenty two minutes to countdown.

“So hon, you okay to walk to the pool? You need some moral support?” asked Angela as she noticed Brennan’s look of distraction.

“I would love some support, Angela, but I think it is only appropriate that I go alone. I will call you and let you know how our reconnection pans out, though.”

“Of course you will, I’m first on your speed dial.” Ang laughed. “Love you Brennan. Get your little worried butt over to that big spunk of a man of yours and face the music, whatever it may be.” She hailed a cab. “You’ve already put this off for one year, Bren. Today is judgement day.”

THE PRESSURE BY THE POOL

Brennan felt like she was walking uncomfortably slowly. Her legs felt heavy. She wanted to delay this. Her head filled with so many questions. Would she speak first? Would Booth? Would she have the guts to admit her feelings? Would he tell her he was over her? A million possible scenarios filled her head. Well, approximately seven, actually, but it felt overwhelming, nevertheless.

And there it was. The coffee cart.

He wasn’t there. Yet? She asked? Or won’t he be coming? Her head began pacing over and over again. This overanalysis was killing her. This, she remembered, was why she had to get out of DC. Her head had felt like a pressure cooker after the Gravedigger trial. She couldn’t cope with the daily influx of worry, panic, concern and general overanalysis and fear that filled her head.

She decided to avoid additional caffeine. “Decaffeinated latte, please.” She asked the vendor, and sat down on the steps, looking over the glistening pool. She pulled out her phone, and decided to flick through those masses of Facebook notifications to keep busy. Unfortunately, though, this did not curb her nerves. “Seeley Booth: Scared out of my brain” was the first status update that popped up. Thirty seconds ago, Facebook for iPhone, she noted. She scanned the park. Nowhere. She closed her eyes and tried very hard to regain some composure and fight her jet lag.

“Flying is sleepy work it seems, Bones.” A body sat next to her.

Her eyes flew open. “Booth!” she exclaimed. She’d seen his photo a million times over the year, but seeing him in the flesh – slightly older, with a touch of grey as the online photo had forewarned – made her body tingle with excitement. “Booth – I’ve missed you so much – you’re alive – I’m sorry I made you go to war....oh Booth, I haven’t been able to forgive myself for so long and I hate myself for it and...” she restrained herself. Word vomit. Pull it together, Temperance Brennan. “It’s good to see you Booth.”

“Likewise Bones. You look beautiful.” She smiled at him. Booth reached for her hand. HOME. Brennan thought to herself. They stared at each other, like teenagers in love, for a few moments. “Your hair is beautiful. And your tan is amazing. And Bones – you didn’t push me away – I told you way back over a year ago – things needed to change – I needed the year off as much as you did.”

Brennan gulped back her coffee. This was it, this was the MOMENT. The make or break.

“Bones, let’s go for a walk around the pool, we need to talk.” He released his hand, then offered it again, helping her up. He didn’t let go as they made their descent down the stairs and slowly walked around the pool. Halfway round, Booth stopped in his tracks, and turned to her.

“Bones. I have something to say. Can you hear me out?”

She nodded. Here goes nothing, she thought, and Booth began to talk.

Liking it so far!

“Do you remember that night, outside Sweets office, when Sweets told me I was the gambler?” Booth asked. It was a rhetorical question, but Brennan looked sharply at him and exhaled.

“Of course. What about it?” she said tentatively.

“I told you two things that night Bones. One was that I knew, the moment I saw you, that you were the woman I wanted to spend my life with. And the second was that given you didn’t feel the same way, I needed to move on. And I’ve tried Bones, I’ve really tried, and I’ve been away from you for a year. And I realised, I hate being without you, hate not having you around, but I hate being with you and it being this garbage pseudo-relationship. We’ve known each other seven years, Bones. I’m giving this one last chance, Bones, because I don’t know if you got my drift the first time, and I’m hoping the year away has given you perspective on US.” Booth moved away and started pacing. “And I, I......”

“My perspective has.....” she started, but she was cut off

“....shut it Bones, I need to get this out because I want to reduce this down to you having to say yes, or no. So, here’s the ultimatum Bones. If you’re not interested, then that’s fine, but I need to properly move on. I’ll request a transfer now my leave of absence is over. But Bones, if you are, if you do love me, I don’t want to do this crap any more. No more of this will we/won’t we drama, no more of this maybe and what does this mean nonsense, no protracted dating. I know you better already than any one I’ve ever known........” Booth inhaled. “Bones, close your eyes, please.”

“Why.....?” she asked, but trailed off and obeyed him. What was this about? She gulped as she heard her heart beat loudly in her chest.

“Bones.......open your eyes........”

She opened them and looked down. There, kneelin g in front of her, was Booth. In his hands were a blue box, which he opened carefully for her to inspect. She gasped. It was undeniably what she thought it was. A diamond engagement ring.

“Temperance Brennan.........will you marry me?”

She gasped and all of a sudden her mind started filling and head started spinning and she had no words.

Marriage? I mean, a relationship was one thing, but marriage? Was this – was he – what – her mind started in overdrive again. Shut up, brain, give me some clarity, she cursed her mind silently. She needed to silence it. So she did the only things she could muster the ability to do, the only thing she new would give her a minute of breathing space - well, so to speak.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressed her lips against his as fervently as he’d done to her that night he’d described and hoped desperately she’d soon regain the capacity for speech so she could answer him with proper words.

...to be continued.........Can Brennan make THAT big a committment?

Really great..Can't wait for the next chapter!

i love this!! can't wait for the next chapter!!

I'm liking it!

Hi guys...here's the new chapter....not finished yet, though......

THE REASON IN THE REACTION

To say Booth was delighted by Bones' reaction was an understatement. Finally, finally, Bones was kissing him - properly. He pulled her in closer, smelling her perfume, her shampoo, feeling her warmth beside him. His gamble had paid off. To be honest, he hadn't liked his odds. That was the thing about gambling - it rarely paid off. He knew this all too well. His heart was bursting with love for his beautiful, complicated, finally agreeable Bones. He'd been petrified by her possible reaction, but it was really all he could cope with - yes, or no. Her reaching towards him to find his lips was the most wonderful thing he'd ever felt. It was seven years of pent up emotion released. He fingered the ring he still held in his hands and as their hands interlocked as she moved her arms. silently placed the ring on his finger...........

----------
Booth was a fantastic kisser.

Brennan had forgotten this and it was distracting her thought process. He was warm and comforting and his arms were muscled, more so than she remembered. She supposed that was the army training. She loved being kissed by Booth. She let him wrap his arms around her waist and was surprised by the velocity of her emotions. She forced herself to think and realised sinkingly that change was good, but marriage? Marriage was ridiculous. Booth and she had only kissed a total of four times, now, had never slept together, lived together.....it was okay, she decided. She could reason with him. He wouldn't leave if she reasoned with him, and.....

.........Oh. no......what did he just do?

Brennan felt Booth slide something on her finger, something that could only be the beautiful ring she'd spotted earlier. Booth had misinterpreted her motives. This was worse than the word vomit. She slowly pulled back, only to be greeted by Booth wearing a smile so broad it could have knocked her over

"Oh Bones, you've made me the happiest man in the world." he grinned, his arms still around her waist. He moved his head in so their foreheads were touching. "You're going to make a beautiful bride, Bones, And we'll have a beautiful little Bones, the right way. You're the wife of my dreams. And I'm sure we can still work together. We'll get clearance somehow." He reached in and kissed her again and Bones, still shell shocked, obliged the short, passionate peck. "I can't wait to tell Parker, he's going to be so excited." he pulled back and looked at her. "Do you like the ring? It's your mothers. Max gave it to me. He's pretty excited too."

"Oh, Booth, that's...that's..." she touched the ring softly. That was, for all the mess of this, the most wonderful gesture. It made her want to cry. If anyone was going to propose in a certain way, this would be it. For a moment, she was swept away. She liked the idea. Her and Booth. It would be a new sort of partnership.

But then her mind, her rational side had other plans.

Too fast, Temperance...it told her....but her mouth grew mute. He looked so, so happy. His eyes were gleaming and she'd never seen him look so happy. Especially since that fateful night she'd been an idiot and rejected his advances. Booth looked like the old Booth, her rock, her confidant, her best friend. She spied a few onlookers applauding and she couldn't help but smile back.

She realised this was not the time to say no. It would have to wait.

"I've missed you, Booth....." she said, as he slowly untangled himself from her and they sat down on a ledge by the pool.

"You don't have to miss me ever again, baby. I'm here. We're here. We're not going to be apart again, Bones. Once and never again."

Brennan had to admit she liked that idea. It made her heart race less. "Future Mrs Booth." he said. "I think I'm going to walk you back to the cab rank, let you go home, spruce up, and then I'll take you out for a beautiful dinner. Does that sound like a deal?"

"Deal." Bones said, appreciating the separation. He held her hand as he walked her, silently, to the adjoining road. "Oh BONES. This is going to be so great! Just you and me! I can't wait to let everyone know. They're going to be so surprised and so STOKED!" She smiled at his enthusiasm, but her heart sank....how was she going to reason with him that this was an irrational idea now?

He kissed her softly as she jumped in to the cab.

She watched him out the back window as the cab slowly moved away, her new fiance's face slowly disappearing from view.

________________________________

Just found this. I have to say at first i was terrified he would show up with another woman. whew. thank god for that. but now...i'm even more terrified because i feel like booth is going to flip when she tells him what she's thinking.

did booth fall and smack his head on the ground? lol brennan...marriage....rings....? really booth? lol this is brennan! Hopefully he hears her out b/c i would feel just as overwhelmed too.

I can't even believe parker is that old. i still feel like he's like five even when i know he's not! can't wait for more!

Love this so far, wow I really hope Brennan is able to tell Booth how she is feeling without him totally feaking out.

Looking forward to more

Good job so far...keep it up!

Good job Can't wait for the next chapter. I have to admit, at first I was a little nervous that he brought another woman home with him, but it's really good. Keep it up.

I love it! Although I am feeling that Booth is being just a little OOC by proprosing so quickly, but the story is fantastic!

Oh my God, is she going to break his heart again! Please don't let her do that. I don't think MY heart can take it. Let her agree to give it a chance.