Finding Out **LAST CHAPTER IS POSTED**

A/N: Buffalo Soldier has NOT been abandoned but this has been swirling around in my for a bit now so I thought I had better get it out so I can get to back to Buffalo Solider.

Finding Out
Humour/Romance Rated: T

“What are you doing?” Seeley Booth asked Temperance Brennan as she poignantly sifted through his shoes at the bottom of his bedroom closet.

“I’m finding out,” she replied as she systematically poked her left hand into the tip of the last pair of dress shoes on the shoe rack.

He closed his eyes and squinted. Once opened he spoke, “Ok, Bones, I bite, what are you trying to find out?” His face and voice were perplexed.

“Well if it is your tongue you are biting, which only makes sense as I see no other visual objects you could bite, it will heal relatively fast as the mouth is one of the fastest healing parts of the human body.”

“Thanks for the anatomy lesson Bones, but why are you sticking your hand in my shoes?”

She stood and smoothed her skirt with the palms of her hands. “I was seeing if you keep your masturbatory aid in your shoes. You did tell me it was for you to know and me to find out.”

“I was referring to you asking me while we weren’t in a murder victims bedroom and in the presence of our shrink,” he said as he stepped forward and closed the sliding closet door.

“Fair enough, do you keep a masturbatory aid in your shoes?” she asked as her eyes scanned the room for a pair of shoes she may have missed.

“Not anymore,” he replied as he turned towards the door and headed for the kitchen.

“When did you stop keeping it in your shoes?” she asked as though she were asking a stranger for the time.

“I don’t think that is any of your business.”

“You said it was for me to find out and you know I am a literal person.”

“I said it was for you to find out if I kept one in my shoes.”

“I use a vibrator on occasion,” she blurted out.

He shot her a glaring look. “Too much information Bones,” he recanted as he grabbed a glass from the cupboard.

“You told me I should offer something of myself if I want someone to share something about themselves.”

“I mean a family secret, dreams of building a personal space craft, who really killed Kennedy. That kind of thing. Not that you use a –“

She knew he couldn’t say the word in her presence so she offered it to him, “Vibrator.”

Booth felt the blood pool in his cheeks and quickly turned to the fridge, opened it and grabbed the water jug.

“Booth, masturbation is normal. Everyone does it, even you.”

The thought of her even remotely thinking about him masturbating was enough to bring on an erection. He knew she wouldn’t give up unless he gave her something.

“I use my imagination,” he said as he made his way to the couch, grabbed the remote and aimlessly started channel surfing.

Brennan looked towards the couch and could clearly see something was aggravating him. Talking about masturbating would frustrate him but not aggravate him.

“What are you looking for?” she asked as she sat beside him.

“Nothing,” he replied and banged the remote down on the coffee table in front of him.

“Booth, look, I’m sorry, if talking about masturbation makes you uncomfortable, I will end the discussion. But something else is clearly bothering you. I’d like to try and help. You tell me talking about problems can help fix them.”

He hated when his words came back to haunt him.

“Thanks, but this is something I have to figure out on my own.”

“Maybe you should talk to Sweets. He can be extremely helpful at times.”

“Listen it’s getting late Bones, and I have a meeting in the morning, thanks for bringing the files by and snooping through my personal belongings.” He voice was hard and cold.

Temperance Brennan read bones better than living people but in this instance she read Seeley Booth like an open book: he wasn’t just aggravated, he was angry.

MOre!

SnoopGirl wrote:A/N:
“I mean a family secret, dreams of building a personal space craft, who really killed Kennedy. That kind of thing. Not that you use a –“

gotta say...i love this line.....

Snoop,

It's a super cute start, and totally hilarious! Can't wait to read what else you got up your sleeve....keep on keepin' on!!

Bella

Yeah, I agree with Forensicmama. MORE!

more!

I want more snoop!
and now!
okay only kidding....tomorrow is okay too

More is coming but it will have to wait until tomorrow, I have to do this thing called parenting as husband is working nights this week

A/N: Here is a very short Chapter Two ) Oh why can’t I just write a one-shot like I had planned? Because B&B are such awesome characters and the sky is the limit when writing about them. There will be one more chapter which I have every good intention of writing today ;o)

Chapter Two

Temperance stood, grabbed her purse and walked to the front door. After a moment’s hesitation she turned to her partner standing behind the couch, hands on the back supporting himself as he leaned forward, staring at the floor.

“I’ll see you,” she spoke, barely above a whisper as she grabbed the door knob and turned it.

Having had enough of this self torture, still keeping his head down so as his words were barely audible to her but as clear to him as the dream he had of her last night, he emptied his heart into the still air, “You. I think of you.”

Her hand on the door, she froze.

“It’s always you.” His voice louder, she turned her head to the side to catch a glimpse of him still staring at the floor.

Sliding her hand off the door knob, she dropped her purse to the floor, turned and moved towards the couch.

“Attraction to one’s work partner is perfectly normal. We spend a lot of our waking hours together and being of different gender and neither of us in a relationship, it is totally logical for you to have more than work related feelings for me.”

His face was now parallel to hers, the couch the only barrier. She felt a twinge of – something. He was looking at her as he had never looked before. She remembered April saying how fish have souls and humans see right into them. Seeley Booth was not a fish but she was human and at that moment, she felt she was seeing into his soul – through the portholes of his face.

He had to deal with his feelings for his partner before they ate him alive. Torture in the Middle East, having his relationship with his son controlled by his ex-almost-finance and hard ass criminals invading his life day after day were nothing compared to the internal torment he faced as his emotions for Temperance Brennan slowly got the better of him. Partners. Friends. It was challenging to keep those platonic feelings as he watched her slowly emerge from her science cocoon.

“Bones, this is more than just thoughts. It’s desire. Desire to be more than your partner and friend.” He slowly walked around the couch and stood before her, hands in front pockets of his jeans.

Sincerity was a hidden attribute Seeley Booth reserved for when he needed it. This was definitely one of those times and Temperance Brennan felt the words pound through her ears and into her heart.

He was terrified of what her reaction might be at his next move but more terrified with what he would have to live with if he never took the risk.

He made two small steps closer to her so he was merely inches away from he and looked directly into her eyes which made his heart rate speed and palms sweat.

“Booth, I can’t reciprocate those feelings,” she stated, her voice cool and unconvincing.

Removing his right hand from his pocket, he gently stroked her cheek with his knuckles causing her to twitch under the sensation.

“I will wait,” he whispered as his finger tips traced her jaw line and stopped at her left ear to brush back a few strands of hair that had fallen out of a pony tail.

“What if I don’t want you to wait?”

Oh no!!!! Where's the Fluff Mobile!!!!!????????

Chapter Three
A/N: So much for a short story. I was inspired this morning and it will be longer than anticipated. Total change of course for the plot. And the title brings on more meaning than I had intended it to. Thank you for reading, reviewing and adding me/my story to your alerts.

“What if I don’t want you to wait?”

Many scenarios had played through his mind over the past few months, as too what her response may be when informed of his true feelings for her.

F-Off.
Oh, Booth, don’t be silly. We’re partners.
I’m in love with someone else.
We are too busy with our careers to be in a relationship.

“Are you sure of that Bones? If you can look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t want me to wait for you, I will respect that.” He shifted his weight, leaning more on his left leg. Patience was Seeley Booth’s alluring characteristic that was envied by all who knew him. Whether it be a target to be sniped at eight hundred feet, a suspect with everything but a nail in their coffin trying to figure a way out or Parker choosing a movie to rent on Sunday afternoon, patience was something Seeley Booth had spades of.

“Booth, I’m flattered you have feelings for me. Any woman would be lucky to have you.”

“Touché. Any woman but you.” He turned his head to the side not knowing whether he should scream or laugh. He turned back to her, persistence another admirable quality of his. “Look me in the eyes.”

Peering into his eyes, her own blurred by welling tears, she disconnected her heart from her brain and spoke the slaying words, ”Don’t wait for me.”

A bullet in the knee cap would have been easier to take. As a former Army Ranger, POW and now Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, it wasn’t in Seeley Booth’s nature to beg. Some people would say there is a fine line between begging and pleading. He wasn’t going to do either.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Their conversation a few weeks earlier had ended after she reiterated that she didn’t want him waiting for her. They continued to work together amicably, solving three murder cases in that time. Some on lookers thought it was adrenaline; others thought it was a Band-Aid for their unresolved feelings for each other.

“Booth, can I see you in my office please?” Brennan asked of him on a Thursday afternoon.

He followed her to the confinements of her domain and was startled when she closed the door behind him. Whatever she was about to say should have been able to be said with the door open.

“My publisher is hosting a party this Saturday and I need to bring a companion.”

“You want me to find you someone?” He inquired knowing damn well that wasn’t what she was asking.

“Actually, I had thought of that (she wanted him to think that she had thought of that) however, I thought it might be more practical that you come with me. After all you have read all my books.”

“I don’t know Bones, this might be a conflict of interest.” His voice laden with sarcasm came across loud and clear to her.

“Fine, if you don’t want to, I’ll ask Clark.”

“Clark? As in your assistant Clark?”

“Yes. He would make an excellent companion.”

“Why do you need to bring someone?” he asked curiously.

“My publisher would like to promote my book and for publicity reasons, apparently, me having a companion makes for better publicity.”

Yeah right. She wants me. I am going to make her work for it - us.

DON'T STOP THERE!!! Ack!!!

I am soooo sorry snoop!
here I was demanding an update and then I don't even review.....
*hangs head in shame*
of course I still love the story!
and I can't wait for more!

ok that chappy was just a tease, more please

Chapter Four
A/N: It should have been PUBLICIST not publisher in Chapter Three.

“Your publicist is quite eccentric,” Booth said as they made their way back to Brennan’s house.

“She just wants my book to do well,” Brennan replied while opening her purse to get her house key.

As Booth pulled into her driveway, she felt this was the time to ask him the all important question, “Do you like my books?”

He turned off the ignition, left key in, and turned to her.

“Yes, I do like your books.”

“You can tell me the truth Booth.”

He smiled and let out a small laugh, “That is the truth Bones. I enjoyed reading all of your books. You are a very talented writer. And it’s cool to read about yourself in a New York Times Best Seller.”

“When are you going to stop thinking you are the inspiration for Andy?” She shook her head.

“When you stop basing him on me.”

With a roll of her eyes, she opened the door, “Thank you for coming tonight.”

“Your welcome. See you Monday,” he said turning the key after her door closed.

xxxxxxxx

Six Weeks Later

“Angela, have you seen Bones? Booth asked the artist as he peeked his head into her office.

“No I haven’t. She must be fighting off the mob of fans looking for a signed copy of her latest book.”

Booth smiled and strode back down the platform only to see his partner walking up the steps.

“Hey Bones, late night?” he asked, winking at her.

Looking at him with perplexity, she didn’t say a word as she made her way past him and into her office. He followed. As she unpacked her briefcase, a folder fell to the floor and when he went to pick it up, Brennan grabbed at it literally pulling it from his hand.

“That’s personal,” she snapped at him.

“Oh, sorry, I was just trying to help pick up a fallen folder.”

“Thank you but I can pick up my own folder,” she retorted.

xxxxxx

Honesty was Temperance Brennan’s backbone of her existence. Denial? Well that was also part of her existence. As work her, he knew the signs all too well when denial came to the forefront of her being.

xxxxxxx

The ringing of her cell phone distracted her from analyzing two bodies found in a ditch outside of town.

“Brennan,” she announced.

“Bones, we have a case, I’ll be there in twenty minutes, get your things together,” Booth stated.

“I can’t,” she replied. “I’ll tell Clark to get ready, you can take him.” With that information, she hit END on the phone and promptly went back to work, without informing Clark of his impending field work assignment.

xxxxxxxxx

As Clark examined the remains of what appeared to be a young girl stuffed in a garbage bag in a dumpster, Booth held his notepad and pen as he always did, but today he was distracted and didn’t write anything Clark said to him, down on paper.

“Agent Booth, are you going to take notes?” Clark asked.

“Yeah sure,” replied the Agent who scribbled some things down.

“I am qualified to work in the field Agent Booth,” Clark said as he stood to face the distracted man.

“Yeah sure.”

Clark knew the reason for his distraction and decided that he would just use his recorder to make notes and the absent minded agent could listen to them on is own time.

“Clark, you notice anything different about Dr. Brennan today?” Booth asked as they drove the highway back to the Jeffersonian while FBI agents arranged to have the remains transported to the lab.

“Different?”

“Yeah, – different.”

“You said that already Agent Booth.”

“Forget it,” said Booth as he pulled into the parking lot and let Clark out.

As he exited the car and put his bag on the ground, he pulled his recorder from his coat pocket and held it out for Booth. “Would you like this now?” he asked.

Booth raised his eyebrows silently questioning why he would want the recorder.

“For the notes you didn’t take earlier.”

“I’ll get it later,” he replied as he gestured for Clark to take it.

What is happening to me? I am allowing her to affect my job. That is not me. But then it is also not Temperance Brennan-like to not want to go into the field. Last time she did that she was mad at me for not trying to stop Zach from going to Iraq. Wait .. She can’t be mad at me for telling her how I feel about her.. can she?