Chapter 1

"Wow, that was uh – that was-" said Booth

Cam Replied, "Wicked" with a satisfied smile on her face.

"And a huge mistake" said Booth

"Not if we don't do it again." Said Cam

"Deal" said Booth

He was so frustrated after dealing with Rebecca and then his growing feelings for Bones. Cam seemed to be a safe bet. They knew each other and previously dated before she came to the Jeffersonian. He knew she wasn't looking for anything serious.

Their fling went on unnoticed by everyone else or so they thought. Booth and Cam are together. "Said Angela to Hodgins."

"Why would you say that?" He asked

"Look at the way she keeps touching him. And he isn't fazed by her invading his personal space." Hodgins looked to where Booth and Cam were standing. They didn't know that Bones was behind them until they heard her turn and run down the steps of the platform setting off the alarm.

Booth heard the alarm and saw Bones running away. He stepped back away from Cam and looked towards Angela for answers. She gave him a cold steely look. He looked at Cam and then quickly walked away. Cam stood there and shook her head and then retreated to her office.

"What happened to Bones? Why did she run off like that?"

"Angela what the hell is going on?"

"I don't know Booth! Maybe it's you and your little girlfriend over there. How could you Booth? How could you start a relationship with someone that you know is making things hard for her? I thought you were Bren's friend." Angela rolled her eyes and started to walk away.

"Seriously dude. I thought if you were going to hook up with any of these women it would have been Dr. B."

"Hey neither of you know what the hell your talking about. I am not in a relationship with Cam."

Angela stepped closer to him, they were now face to face, and "so what you're just fucking buddies?"

When he didn't respond she smirked and walked away. Once she got to the last step she turned around and said, "If you are going to keep hurting her like this just stay away and send us a new agent."

Booth stood there dumbfounded. He looked towards Cam's office and saw her watching him with interest.

He walked towards the doors of the Jeffersonian when she ran out of her office, "Seeley!"

"Not now Cam. I have to find Bones."

She grabbed his arm when he went to walk away. "I'll stop by tonight when I get off with dinner."

"Yeah ok. I really have to go."

Bones was walking around the Jeffersonian gardens trying to get her emotions under control. "Why did it bother me to hear about Booth and Cam? He can see who ever he wants. Its clear that he has no interest in me." She went back into the lab by going through the loading docks and up the back stairs to the catwalk. She wasn't ready to confront Angela or Booth for that matter. And another run in with Cam would not be in her best interest.

From her vantage point she could see the lab down below and she saw Booth leaving the lab. She watched as Cam grabbed his arm and he agreed to dinner. Just then her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. She looked down at the phone and saw his name. She pressed the decline button. He tried several more times when he decided to leave a message, which she deleted without listening to it.

She saw Angela and Hodgins walking towards the elevator probably going to make use of the Egyptian room. Using that as an opportunity to go to her office. Once she entered she closed her door and sat at her desk.

"Dr. Brennan, would you care to explain why you left the lab without getting approval?"

Without looking up at her new boss, "I don't need your approval for anything. Close my door on your way out Dr. Saroyan."

"I am still your boss and you will treat me as such." Demanded Cam

Putting down her pen, she closed her laptop and gathered her things. Standing up she grabbed her coat and her bags and walked past Cam and out of the office. Cam stood in the middle of the lab and yelled, "Dr. Brennan if I were you I would think about whether the Jeffersonian is the right place for you."

"Well it's a good thing you are not me then isn't it Dr. Saroyan. I will not be returning today is that enough notice for you?" She didn't wait for a reply as she continued to her car.

Zack was standing at his workstation and watched the entire scene. Unnerved by what just happened he called Hodgins cell phone and asked him to come back to the lab right away.

When him and Angela came back he explained to them what transpired in their absence. Angela was fuming.

"Booth" he barked into the phone

"If your girlfriend pushes Bren to quit we will all quit do you understand me?" She slammed the phone down in his ear.

Booth kept calling for Bones and rode by her apartment and she wasn't home. He gave up and went to his apartment.

"I don't know why I'm here. I told Booth this would be ridiculous…talking to a stone as if it can give answers. But for some odd reason I'm here talking to you as if you can respond. I guess this thing with Booth has caused me more concern than I'd care to admit."

Looking around the deserted cemetery she turned back to her mother's grave, "I wish I had the chance to see you again. For you to explain the matters of the metaphoric heart to me. When I met Booth I thought there was a connection, as people would say. I thought he was attracted to me. I know I was attracted to him. By the end of our first case we had kissed and he said he thought it was going somewhere. But I got scared because for the first time I felt something when we kissed. But I can't explain what I felt. Then his ex-girlfriend show up that is now my boss, he sleeps with another ex and now he's with the ex that is my boss and making my life hell. I don't know if I can keep working with him."

Booth heard a knock at his door and went to answer it. "Hey Seeley! Why do you look surprised to see me? I told you I was bringing dinner." She said as she walked past him into his apartment as if she lived there.

Going into his kitchen she retrieved plates and silverware for them to sit down and eat.

Leaning over to kiss him on the lips she noticed the set of his jaw. He was clenching his teeth. "What happened in the lab after I left Camille?"

"What are you talking about?" she tried to play dumb

"Don't pull that shit with me. You know exactly what I'm talking about. What happened between you and Bones?"

"What she couldn't wait to call you? What goes on between me and my employees don't have anything to do with you Seeley."

"It has everything to do with me if she quits Camille. She is my partner." He stood up and started pacing.

""I have every right as her boss to question her actions and if she can't handle that she is free to leave." She tried to play hardball.

"Once again you don't get it. If she leaves so does the brain trust and so do I. I thought we had this conversation once before. Do you think things changed since then? Do you think they took you in their fold?" He laughed sarcastically.

"They will never choose you over her. Never! I'm not hungry anymore. Let yourself out and lock up behind you." He turned and went to his room where he slammed the door and locked it.

She knew when she heard his door lock that she was not welcomed to join him. Tonight did not go as planned. If she was going to have a successful relationship with Seeley, Dr. Brennan has to go. She thought to herself as she cleaned up their uneaten food and left her lovers apartment.

Before Bones could decide what to do about her partnership with Booth they got another case. When she arrived at the scene she found that the body was all flesh and being examined by Dr. Saroyan. "There is no bones on this body so why am I here?"

"I didn't call for you so I don't know why you're here. Obviously your not needed for this examination as it falls under my expertise." Said Dr. Saroyan

"You're here Bones because you are my partner." Booth walked up to stand next to her. She has been avoiding him for weeks since they haven't had an active case.

She took a step back. "As your- as Dr. Saroyan said I'm not needed here. I'm going back to the lab where I can be of more use." She walked around him to go to her car.

"Bones wait!" He ran after her. Cam watched the exchange while performing her initial examination of the body.

""What Booth?"

"Are you saying that you're not going to work with me on the case?"

"I'm not needed on this part. When I'm needed I'll step in." she turned continue to her car.

He reached out and grabbed her hand. She pulled back from his touch as if she was burned.

"How about lunch Bones? Since you won't be busy and all. I mean I haven't really seen much of you in the past couple of weeks and we haven't talked at all in that time. "

"We have exchanged text messages Booth and I didn't say I wasn't busy. I have other things that require my attention. Maybe another day. I really need to get going. Plus I think your girlfriend is waiting for you." She quickly walked to her car and left.

Booth turned around and saw Cam watching them with her hands on her hips. He walked over to her and pulled out his index cards and pen, "So what do you have for me Cam?"

"What was that all about?"

"Nothing that concerns you. Now tell me about the body."

After giving him the preliminaries, he instructed the techs what to bring back to the Jeffersonian. Cam walked to his truck to get in. "What are you doing Cam?"

"I'm riding back with you?"

"No your not. I'm not going back to the lab. Once Bones has something tell her to call me and I'll come over. I have some things to take care of at my office. Ride back in the Jeffersonian van." He got in and took off.

After the bones have been cleaned Bones went to do her examination. Hodgins, Angela and Zach were on the platform. Once again Angela tried to bring up Booth and was shut down immediately. Zach and Hodgins were giving her their findings when Angela got a hit on the reconstruction she did of the skull. "Sweetie you should call Booth and tell him we have a name for our victim."

"I'm busy Ange either you or Dr. Saroyan can call him."

"I can save you a dime, I'm here what do you have for me?"

Since they all noticed she was going to answer Angela stepped forward and gave him a copy of her drawing and showed him the hit she got on the computer. He looked at Bones, "Come on Bones we got a name and address let's go talk to the parents."

"You can go Booth. I'm needed here." She wouldn't even look up at him while she spoke.

When he leaned on the table with his hands and she didn't yell at him for touching her tables he knew it meant trouble.

"You are my partner and this is what partners do. So lets go." He said with strained patience.

"And I said I'm not going. And if you can't accept then get a new partner."

His breath hitched at her comment. He did an about turn and stalked away angry.

Angela gasped when she heard her friend, "Sweetie you didn't mean that."

"Stop telling me what I did or did not mean Angela. I meant exactly what I said now don't you have something you can be doing?"

She continued to look at the bones while Angela walked back to her office.

Booth was driving to visit with the parents and his thoughts were of Bones. Is she trying to break up our partnership? Why the hell won't she talk to me? We use to talk about everything.

After speaking to the parents and interviewing the people at the pageant he went back to the Jeffersonian.

"Zack! Where is she?" He yelled as he approached the platform.

Without looking up he replied, "Bone storage Agent Booth."

Booth continued on to Bone storage and found her study an old set of bones. He walked in and slammed the door behind him. Anyone else would have jumped when they heard the door slam but she continued to work. She felt his presence as soon as he arrived at the door.

"Is that what you want to not be my partner anymore? You're willing to throw away everything we have achieved?"

He slammed his hand down on the counter next to him in anger. "Damn it answer me!"

She raised her eyes up to his and then looked back down at the bones in her hands. Booth stalked around the table and into her personal space. She placed the bone down and stood up straight. She squared her shoulders and looked him in his eyes.

He took a step closer, "I asked you a question?" It came out as a whisper.

She felt his breath gently across her face. He was so close his cologne was overwhelming her. "I said if you didn't like what I said then to get a new partner."

He stepped even closer as if that was even possible, "I heard what you said but you still haven't answered my question. Temperance are you thinking about terminating our partnership?"

He saw it before she could school her features. He hit the nail on the head.

"Why?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Why?"

"Something has changed. I'm not sure what but something has changed. We are not the same as we once were. I don't think we can effectively protect each other anymore. The trust is no longer there." She went to turn back to her bones but he put his hands on her hand to halt her actions.

"I still trust you with my life. You have to know that." He said with hope and sincerity.

"There was a time we trusted each other to be completely honest no matter the consequences."

"What are you talking about?"

"Why did I have to hear about you and my boss from Angela and Hodgins?"

"There is nothing to tell about me and Cam. We are just two consenting adults releasing biological urges."

Before she could respond Cam burst into the room looking from one to the other. They haven't realized they were still holding hands until they saw Cam's eyes drop to their hands. Bones released his hand and stepped back.

"What the hell is going on in here?" She was angry and beyond pissed off.

"Cam I need some time to talk with my partner in private."

"You can talk to your partner in her office. I want to know why my boyfriend is holding hands with another woman."

Bones snorted and began putting the bones away. She stored the box back in its proper place and turned to Booth. "There is nothing left to talk about." She walked past Cam and went back to her office alone.

Booth turned his dark eyes full of rage and fury on Cam who immediately took a step back. "What the fuck was that about? We are not in a committed relationship and you know it."

"I have a right to know what's going on. You and I have something special Seeley don't you feel it to?"

"No Camille that was uncalled for and you damn well know it."

The case was solved and Booth and Bones were in the lounge talking. He was supposed to be meeting Cam for dinner when he asked her what she was going to do. "I am just going to stay here and help you with this paper work."

"Booth you don't need to do that. Go you have plans, I understand."

"I would rather be here helping my partner with paperwork from our case. Don't argue with me. How about I order dinner for us while we work?"

"That will be nice." She smiled that special smile reserved for just him. It warmed his insides when she smiled at him like that.

A few weeks later Booth and Cam were asleep in Booth's bed when his phone rang. "Booth"

"Yes sir I understand. I will call her right away."

Getting up from his bed he made his way out to his kitchen to put on some coffee and call Bones.

"Brennan"

"Pack a bag Bones we got a case. I'm going to pick you up in about an hour.

"Where are we going Booth?"

"Vegas baby!"

He hung up and turned around to find Cam standing they're looking at him.

"What?"

"Your going to Vegas with Dr. Brennan?"

"If you were standing there listening to my conversation than you should know it's for a case."

He grabbed his coffee mug and went to get ready. He jumped in the shower and had just finished washing his hair when he felt hands going for his groin. "Showers all yours." He said unapologically and left the bathroom. He knew he was going to have to end this soon. She was getting to clingy. When she came out of the bathroom he was ready to leave.

"How much time do you need to get ready?"

"Not long why?"

"I still have to pick up Bones and I need to lock up my apartment."

They have had this argument enough for her to know she won't win. He will never leave her alone in his apartment. "Just give me 5 minutes."

"I'll grab another cup of coffee while I wait."

"Bones are you about ready?"

"I'll be waiting downstairs for you when you get here Booth."

"Bonnnesss don't wait downstairs. I'll come up and get you."

"I can take care of myself. I'll see you when you get here." She hung up on him.

"I'm ready Seeley."

Looking up he nodded his head and grabbed his bags and motioned for her to walk ahead of him. He locked up and joined her in the elevator. When they exited his building she grabbed his arms, "You'll call me when you land?"

I'll try but I'm there to work Cam. I have to go we have a plane to catch."

"I love you Seeley" She whispered to herself.