Silent Mistakes

Chapter 1- Cross My Heart and Hope to Die

It was a mistake.

A simple mistake, anyone could have made it, anyone could have seen it.

Though she's not just 'anyone'. This is Doctor Temperance Brennan… Bones. World renowned forensic anthropologist.

But it was just a mistake.

A stupid mistake, anyone could have made it, anyone could have seen it. Booth unbuckled his seatbelt as he stared at the front door, his hand on the phone as he tried to dial her number again.

"You've reached Dr. Temperance Brennan, I cannot be reached at this time, please leave a message and…" He shoved his finger into the off button, turning the phone completely off instead of just ending the call. He looked up at her windows, noting the dim light that filtered out of the curtains, he knew that she was up there, and he knew that his phone calls were being ignored. He hated when she ignored him, absolutely hated it, and though logically, he came to the conclusion that she was most likely ignoring everyone's calls, he took it personally.

He listened to the sound of the seatbelt wind in its mechanism, slowly sliding toward the door until the buckle clunked against the door and he reached for the handle. He rolled the phone around in his hand and sighed, shoving it in his pocket, he grabbed the handle of the door and pulled on it hard, hearing a click from the mechanism, he released a bit of pressure as not to pull the whole damn thing off the door. He slipped his feet from the truck, his shoes hitting the pavement with a satisfying thump as he took a step and turned, closing the door behind him as he walked around the front of the truck. His finger lingered over the button for the keyless entry, and with one more glance to the dim lights in his partner's home, he pushed down on it, hearing the satisfying sound of the lock engaging, the horn honking lightly as he stepped up the door toward her apartment.

As he stepped up the stairs, Ray, the night security guard opened the door and gave him a polite smile. "Seeley." He nodded with a friendly smile, holding his hand out to the other man, Booth took it firmly in his and smiled.

"Ray… how are the kids, the wife?"

"Good, they're doing good… and Parker?"

"He's doing very well…" Booth replied, remembering that on more than one occasion he had come to Bones' apartment with Parker in tow, and he had a good rapport with the security staff of her building. "I'm just on my way to check on Bones. She had a rough day." He said with a polite smile, accepting Ray's nod as acknowledgment as he stepped past toward the elevator, pushing the button as he turned toward Ray again.

"Yeah, she came in about two hours ago, looked pretty upset. She had to be, you know, the Doc is pretty good at having everything together."

"She's very good at that." Booth nodded in agreement as he listened to the familiar ding of the elevator. He stepped inside, and with a polite nod and wave to Ray, the doors closed and whisked him up toward Temperance's apartment.

He reached her floor fairly slowly, the older elevator of the building creaking and groaning the entire way. As the door opened on her floor, it let out a very soft, subtle 'ding' sound, and he stepped from the confines of the elevator quickly. He walked toward her door without hesitation, his hand already raised to knock. He listened to the rich sound of his knuckles battering the wooden door, the hollow sound lifting to his ears as he took in a slow, deep breath and waited. It was several seconds, and he tried again. "Bones." He said, knocking again at the door, he waited several more seconds. "Bones, come on… open up the door, you know I'll knock it down if I have to." He said, his voice almost forceful as he waited for her response. He waited another moment, softly resting his hand on the door, feeling the cool wood beneath his fingertips, he rested his head on the wood beside his hand, listening carefully for any sign of movement inside. "Temperance." He said, his voice sounding desperate as he waited. "It's not your fault." He said, when suddenly the door was no longer beneath his hand and forehead, and he stumbled slightly as he came face to face with his partner, through the crack that she had opened her door, the chain lock firmly in place.

"Go home, Booth." She said, her left eye was all that was visible of her face, bloodshot from apparent tears, her voice gravelly and filled with sadness.

"I need to talk to you."

"Tomorrow."

"No."

"We can talk tomorrow."

"No, we can talk today."

"No." She said, moving to close the door, he slipped his foot sideways as he prevented her from closing the door on him. "Get your foot out of my doorway."

"No." he said, taking his turn to use the word that she was throwing around so freely. "Let me in."

"Go home, Booth." She said, pushing on the door, shoving the edge of the door onto his shoe, trying to dislodge his foot from its stubborn spot.

"Bones."

"I'll call Ray." She said, only half bluffing as she became more frustrated with the situation. "Just let me be alone."

"Why? So you can wallow in self pity. It was a mistake, Bones. Everyone makes mistakes."

"I don't make mistakes."

"That is bullshit, Bones."

"Go home, Booth. I don't want to talk, I don't want to talk about it… okay? Please respect that."

"Then can I come in and not talk?"

She paused. "What would that accomplish?" She asked softly.

"It would make me feel better." He said. "I have been a nervous wreck since you walked out of the lab today."

She considered his words for several moments, seeing the sincerity in his eyes she swallowed hard. "You won't say anything?"

"Not a word until you say its okay."

"You promise?" She whispered.

"Cross my heart and hope to die, Stick a needle in my eye." He recited the children's rhyme that he had learned when he was a little boy, and he saw the confusion cloud the expression on her face, he gave her a friendly smirk. "It's a saying, Bones… I promise I won't say anything once I pass that threshold."

She watched him for a moment, his eyes speaking the truth, the honest truth, as if she expected any less from him. "Fine." She whispered, he didn't pause for a moment, and slid his foot from between the door and the wall. Her door closed firmly, and there was no split second of fear that it wouldn't open, though she did pause for a second or two before he heard the lock slide from its secure place, clunking against the door, he heard the lock hanging against the wooden door, before the doorknob opened slowly.

She took a step back, turning toward the couch, as she allowed him to let himself in. She settled on the couch, pulling the blankets up onto her lap as she grabbed the book she had left open and on the couch when she answered the door. She watched him turn and close the door, latching it behind him, and moved her eyes to the pages before her, as her silent guest made himself comfortable at the other end of the couch without a word.