Fanfic: Another Point Of View Won't Make The Result Change
I said I'll be posting stuff here, and here I am. Not new, but I'm using LJ, and that's what I wanted to do!
For some weeks, I felt the need to write something about the #100 and finally, my muse brought this little fic with her. In English, which is not my first language (at all). But, well, Musie sets the rules...
Thanks a lot to Monisse who found time, despite her exams, and betaed this.
Title: Another Point Of View Won't Make The Result Change
Author: bb_ones
Pairing/Characters: Brennan/Booth, Sweets
Rating: K+
Spoilers: Up to Episode 100.
Summary: They say there is a misapprehension on the book, but Sweets, as a not-too-impartial observer, thinks otherwise. My little take on the events surrounding the #100 ep.
I tried to offer with this fic, based on the spoilers, a POV on the events of the episode that didn't give away too much. I'd say that I tried to play w/the storyline in neutral, avoiding turning this into an AU story.
...................
Sweets was surprised. Maybe not completely and utterly surprised, but surprised anyway. How is it possible that, if he is as smart as his doctorates say, he wouldn't have seen this coming?
Maybe he is not that smart.
Maybe Agent Booth was right all this time and he is still a kid with a lot to learn. Not that he didn't know that he had indeed a lot to learn, it's only that he thought that he was better trained; that he could recognize the potential behavior of his patients.
Maybe Doctor Brennan was right and psychology was only a... No! No way will he concede her arguments! Psychology has found accurate results on predicting social demeanor.
They were there, all the specific signs that would have helped him to prevent not the unwelcoming visit that his two favorite clients were paying him (that was preposterous), but the result of it...
He just hadn't anticipated this.
His judgment has been biased, that's obvious (he is very fond of the duo), but that doesn't mean his results are not true.
.
Sweets knew that they wouldn't like the book. Not the book per se, but its contents. (Well, Doctor Brennan would despise it in any case, as every study based in a "soft science".)
The pure analysis they could cope with. In the end, it is not any different than what they've been talking about in their sessions; a mere relate of the observation he has made of their demeanor through the years: the way they act together, and how they interact. He has even been given their permission to watch.
The problem was in the conclusions.
Not so much the final conclusion, which had been brilliantly pointed by Doctor slash Chef Wyatt: they were in love with each another. That one was veiled, carefully hidden underneath the psychological jargon. Sweets is a professional, but above all, is fond of his life and his job. Besides, one thing is to speak it out loud (or write it down, for any matter), with anyone else knowing but him and those he trusted enough to know it, and another completely different to have it published for everyone to read. He truly likes Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan. They all have bond together, and the last thing he'd like, would be to cause them problems just for their book, his book. As if he needed some prominence over something like that.
The problem was then, the meaning that had been attributed to each of their manners in the text. And the comparison he (oh so stupidly, but brightly) has made between their partnership and a truly committed romantic relationship.
Yes, he knew they'd deny any emotional tie between them (as if they could do that!). Well, they can actually try to deny it (God! They are masters at denial!). But the emotional bond they share is so deep and profound they just end up talking nonsense in a last attempt to detour the focus on their focus and even their own focus. The focus on themselves; but especially, of one on each another.
They fight reason and just wait.
.
The only motive for the book was Sweets' absolutely amazement at a truly peculiar and genuine interaction of two different personalities. How, when put together, they were supposed to collide and crash, but instead they collided and smoothly continued forward on parallel paths, sometimes when one would lose their path, the other would just stop and wait for the first to return; sometimes one would stop, the other would slow the gear to continue together; sometimes one would find a difficult path, the other would allow the use of his own. Sometimes they even crossed their paths. Eventually they wouldn't need different ways at all.
(The motive for publishing? That is another story.)
.
They had entered his office, overexcited and noisily requesting him a special session, waving their copies of his book, and he had thought that perhaps that was going to be the moment in which he could finally get them to come to terms with their feelings. He had been wrong.
They explained that there was a mistake in the book, that they didn't work well together at all when they first met. They told what had transpired in that first case to a surprised Sweets. They recounted the details, carefully avoiding all reference to their behavior, except for a general insight. They doubted the other's methods in a regular basis and that had compromised the case more than once. They finally had reached an agreement, a kind of non-aggression pact on behalf of justice, and then just decided that it'd be better for them not to work together anymore.
When they started the narration, they were chatting cheerfully (although trying to appear pissed to Sweets, he knew better). But as the story advanced, and they remembered the cruelty and coldness of their first words, their mood changed to a somber one. Then they centered in the case, and since it was a tough one (which one is not?), their mood grew in intensity. That was the moment when Sweets, despite the effort they were making to sound different from what they're now, saw their first real connection.
Their behavior during the recounting was really amusing Sweets. They were getting closer to one another in the couch. They touched each another's arms, or hands, as if asking for an absolutely unneeded permission before smoothly finishing one sentence the other, filling their gaps, helping to explain some point...
Sweets was astounded by the detailed relation. And by the fact that they didn't seem to acknowledge it or the closeness and meaningful gestures they were exchanging, nor the winces of the other when remembering a bad word uttered by any of them, and directed to the other (wincing more, in displeasure, the one that had said it.).
When they decided that the story was over, and they had proved their point to Sweets, they changed their positions completely. What was ease, self confidence and reassurance a moment ago, turned to tension, anxiety and worry a moment later. Maybe the change was induced by Sweets' intent look and knowingly smile in his lips.
So there they were. In the couch. Sat as in one of "those" sessions. Again in their comfortable-uncomfortable silence and proximity. Looking at him with similar frowns. Arms crossed. Stiff backs. In silence.
Sweets knew that the silence would be broken soon, as they were waiting for some kind of reaction on his side. And it was Booth, the one who gave up.
"Sweets... Are you there or are you reminiscing those days? You probably were playing with a light saber in kindergarten." Brennan looked at him with a smile, and her posture eased a little. "We've told you the story. Aren't you going to make some comment on that? Make some rectification in your damned conclusions?"
"I thoroughly agree with Booth. We've shared our first case with you. You should've seen that our interpersonal relationship then was not even a little warm."
Booth flinched at the sound of "interpersonal relationship", but when Brennan qualified it as less than warm, a glint of pain made him unconsciously half-close his eyes.
Sweets wasn't sure if it was a sense of regret, or the simple idea of a warmed up relationship with his partner. He smiled at the thought. It was so obvious that they were hiding something.
He was just beginning to understand what that something was. And although he was almost sure he wouldn't be hearing a word about it from the partners, he had to try.
"It was a hard case. It drained you emotionally. And you had to leave your prejudices, beliefs, even your pride aside for a greater good. And you did. You were the only two people that had to. None but the other knew how tough had it been." Their breathing rhythm changed almost imperceptibly (although not enough for a trained psychologist... Trained, for what it matters now, in Booth and Brennan). They glanced simultaneously towards the other, subtly, and almost immediately lowered their eyes to some spot in the carpet.
There it was. The slip Sweets was waiting. And it was... Guilt?
How come he hasn't seen it before?
"Oh. My. God." Sweets couldn't hide his excitement. He almost jolted on the couch. "You two..." They raised their heads, startled. As two naughty children just busted by an adult. Sweets was directing his pen forwards, moving it between them. "You two..." They looked slowly at each other's eyes...
Brennan's blushed face turned serious in an attempt to look annoyed.
"Yes, Sweets. We are two. Now that you showed us you can count, I think we should be leaving."
She swiftly looked at her partner as she stood up and he was by her side and guiding her, his hand always on her back, before the psychologist could react.
She stiffened at the contact in a first moment, but relaxed almost immediately. His contact seemed to always have that calming effect on her.
Sweets was smiling like a first grader that had just been awarded with a field trip. He had always known about their connection, about their undeniable attraction, but had only imagined as a remote possibility what they had just unintentionally confessed.
"Oh, guys. Don't think you'll be fooling me anymore." He remained in his sofa, hands making a funnel form. He sat back, satisfied, and, looking at them as they made it to the door, he uttered a final sentence.
"You were right, I hadn't all the real data, but that didn't imply a real misapprehension as you said."
That made them halt. Booth had his hand placed on the doorknob but turned slowly to face Sweets. Encouraged and determined not to let the opportunity to test the waters between the partners go, and even push them in the right direction, if he may, he continued.
"Since that first case, whatever happened between you," Seeing Brennan moving uncomfortably even when she wasn't looking at him, he repeated in a crystal voice "and I mean whatever," and then resumed his statement, "although it could have been a base for your relationship, and maybe act as a boundary for you when it happened, you've evolved all these years, building slowly the deepest bond I've ever seen.
You may not want to see it, but it's there. I don't know if what happened then made you have some kind of agreement to avoid this topic or any approach between you, which as a FBI employee I have to praise, but as a friend and consultant should blame, but I do think that you should look at it in perspective."
Brennan turned too, half offended, half skeptic. He gazed at Booth, who was prepared to get out of there as soon as she made the move. Sweets fastened his words knowing he had just seconds.
"What happened... you need to talk about it, guys. Now. As the people you two are now. You're different, not only individually, also as duo. You're friends, best friends. You're partners. You're family. I think you should reevaluate that."
Brennan moved and Sweets knew his time was over. Booth opened the door and Brennan said goodbye, with one last doubtful glance at the young psychologist. And then she was out.
Booth lingered at the door just a moment. A weary look all over his face.
"We're fine, Sweets. And whatever it is or happens or doesn't happen with us, present, past or future, that's just a thing we'll have to figure out by ourselves, OK?" Booth stated in a low voice before following his partner out of the office.
.
Yes, sure this was new information, but that didn't change his book at all.
What they had achieved was awesome and simply fantastic. Booth was all intuition, guts. Brennan all logic, brain. And they not only feel a high respect for the other, but also admiration. And not only in a professional way, but also personally. The fact that they managed to keep it just professional after having been involved in an intimate (more or less) relationship made it all even more incredible.
Those two never ceased to amaze Sweets. And he had never been so proud of the title for his book. Bones, not only referring to Dr. Brennan in a not-so-subtle hint, but also to the body's bones, which are what sustain us and what will last until we're ashes (coal, petroleum, diamonds or simply dust, we'll still be only carbon).
And despite their vital importance, they hide behind a thick layer of protective (protector) flesh.
Flesh that, although Brennan would sure object, is also vital for those bones.