Title: Hollywood Confidential
Author: Stephanie (AKA Damara)
Rating: K+ (Eventually a T, possibly an M)
Disclaimer: The characters herein are NOT mine. I just wanted to bring them out to play for a little while…They belong to the FOX network the writer and creators of Bones, and of course Kathy Reichs herself. I promise to return them when I'm done with them…
Summary: This is Part III in my series which began with That Old Yuletide Magic and followed with That Auld Lang Syne. For those of you who haven't read either of these two stories yet, I would highly recommend that you do for purposes of continuity of the storyline…though I suppose you could probably follow this one without having done so.
Authors Notes: Well, so it would appear that I'm returning from a little bit of a hiatus. I'm not too sure what prompted my sudden departure, except to say that my muse temporarily abandoned me for greener pastures. Oh well…poor thing…she took a hike only to find me right where she left me! Hehehe. Well here's Part One of Part III in this little series of ours. I'm following in my initial theme to create a string of stories based loosely in the Season One storyline. So this one picks up at the end of That Auld Lang Syne and starts at the beginning of Woman at the Airport. For purposes of flow and continuity I've inserted several of the scripted lines as they aired in the episode…though from there I mold them into something a bit different. No Infringement Is Intended. And as a side note…I'd like to extend a heartfelt 'Thank You' to all of you who continued to read and enjoy TOYM and TALS. I was incredibly touched that so many of you wrote me about them and demanded that I keep my promise to continue :o) This one's for you! Hope you Enjoy!
Chapter 1
Briskly moving toward her office, Temperance sighed anxiously as she breached the doorway; her handsome partner Agent Seeley Booth grinned up at her charmingly from his position at her desk.
"I need a receptionist," she mused tiredly, "I can't have just anybody waltzing in here," her voice was only slightly strained in her movement to lean across him and reach for the textbook laying on the desktop beside him.
For all his carefully guarded charm, it was all Booth could do in that moment to resist reaching up around her waist and pulling her down into the chair with him.
These self imposed rules of theirs while in the lab really could be an annoyance… the thought crossed his mind for the umpteenth time this week.
"Take a look at this!" Booth heard himself start as she straightened her posture. He gingerly offered her the photograph he was palming, and then watched in admiration as she grabbed it away from him and studied it with her usual attention for detail.
"…A bunch of red circles?"
"Each circle shows where a body part was found…" eying her carefully, an undeniable smirk of satisfaction graced his lips.
"What is this, an airport?" Instinctually her detail oriented mind honed in on the information from the photo she held.
Nodding slightly Booth confirmed her guess, "…Los Angeles International. Local pathologist says the remains are in pretty bad shape…", despite the disturbing subject matter the expectant grin that played over his lips was unmistakable…almost as if he was slowly working his way up to something else.
"So he punted to the FBI…"
"Airports they fall under Federal jurisdiction…excellent use of the work 'punt'…" he complimented as an aside.
Quickly dropping the photograph in his lap and moving away from him, Brennan explained tersely, "Can't go to Los Angeles, I have an Iron Age Warrior to authenticate."
Shuffling in his seat, Booth moved as quickly as possible so as to catch up with her retreating frame, "Iron Age Warrior…? When was the Iron Age?"
As they moved briskly through the lab, Booth attempted to keep pace as she told him succinctly, "Fifteen-hundred years ago."
"…Fresh body bits just a little more urgent…" he attempted knowing full-well that this form of convincing was rarely helpful when dealing with Brennan.
"You do realize that there are a lot more fresh bodies than there are perfect specimens from the Iron Age…?" in this her tone was equal parts informational and patronizing.
"You know when you say things like that it's just to bug me right?" he easily followed up as they approached a slightly more secluded passageway, one which he soon remembered lead into the archives.
"No actually it's not Booth," upon hearing her rebuttal, he slowed to a halt just in time to see her turn to face him, "and as a matter of fact it also has the advantage of being true."
She was so beautiful when she got this flustered…and Booth couldn't help but admit to himself that he secretly loved teasing her to this point of utter frustration, if only so that she would train those endlessly green eyes on his. The smile that pulled at the corners of his mouth seemed to tame the annoyance in her tone ever so slightly.
"Besides…even if I wasn't so overwhelmed with the responsibility of this authentication, which by the way could be an incredibly prestigious find for the Jeffersonian Institution…, you couldn't make me go to Los Angeles with you. I don't care how charming you think you are."
His grin grew at the challenge she posed. Slowly he crept dangerously closer into her body; his devilish smirk was a knowing indication of the trouble he was about to bring into play.
After all…That rule of ours is really more of a guideline than an actual commandment…
"Why Dr. Brennan, do you mean to suggest that I'm not as charming as I think I am? Because if my memory serves…you had quite a different opinion last night…"
Trying her level best to resist the temptation his closeness imposed, Temperance struggled to ignore his delicious scent.
…What had she been thinking to instigate this here? Remove the temptation Tempe…remove the temptation…
Instinctually taking one step, then two, away from him Temperance quickly reveled in her error as she felt the solidness of the wall at her back.
Damn…trapped!
"Booth this is not the place for this…Dr. Goodman could happen by here at any moment. And as I said…I have, I have plenty of work to do."
Well intentioned though her words appeared, they sounded just as unconvincing to her as they obviously had to him. And more than that, she realized, there was something unabashedly arousing about the level of danger his closeness created. She'd never thought herself capable of such recklessness or fervor.
It was quite invigorating.
Breathing him in as Booth trapped her against him, Temperance recognized the familiarity of their situation. Excitement surged through her as she recalled the intimacy they'd shared while working their first official case together. She would often replay their encounter in her mind when he'd found her in the firing range; over and over she allowed herself to fantasize about what other turns their conversation might have taken that day.
And now, pinned beneath him in much the same way, Brennan found that she was conspicuously reluctant to end their game so quickly.
"Uh huh, gee it's too bad that you feel that way," his voice sounded disappointed, though she suspected that it too was part of their game play. As his voice dropped an octave lower, his posture mirrored his change when he brushed his hand lower down her arm until it rested at her waist.
"Really? And why do you say that?"
"Well because, I was hoping that we could use this trip to L.A. as an opportunity."
"An opportunity?" she was carefully skeptical.
"Mmhmm," she swore she could feel his murmur reverberate throughout her entire body.
"For what exactly?"
When she spoke Booth shifted his weight as he peered down at her through hungry eyes. "Well, this is our first case away from DC since…well…you know…"
Smiling shyly at his insinuation of their blossoming romance, Brennan attempted her best effort to suppress her embarrassment, knowing full-well that he would probably find her discomfort endearing.
"I thought," he continues quietly, ticking off each suggestion carefully, "we could head out to L.A., work the case; do what we do better than anybody else, and maybe even have a little time in between to ourselves…you know see the sights, hit the beach…"
Her smile grew infinitely at the mention of the beach, and the thought of Booth stripped down to nothing but a bathing suit.
"And I thought," his voice broke through as slightly less confident, "you know, that maybe if you wanted…it might be the perfect opportunity to go to that dinner we've been talking about."
"Dinner…? In L.A.?" she croaked.
"Sure. Why not…seems to me like every time we try to set a date around here something comes up."
"I suppose things have been a bit hectic around here haven't they?" her reflection was somber.
"Hectic?" despite his proximity Booth's tone was slightly disbelieving. "Bones, in the last three weeks we've solved four murders at the request of Deputy Director Cullen. You've positively identified six victims, assisted in the capture of two murderers, and we've logged I don't even want to guess how many hours in this lab." Listing their conquests as a team was always impressive, however exhausting the thought of their triumphs were. And together, at this time and in this place the reality of their mutual exhaustion leaked between them.
"Temperance, for all our time together we have yet to manage ONE date," then more convincingly he tempted, "Come on…a sexy case in Los Angeles…some Southern California sun…just you and me…you know you want to…"
God did she ever.
Worrying her lip between her teeth she watched him with tender interest as he gravitated even closer, the hint of his lips whispered tantalizingly close to her own.
"So what do you say Bones…? Will you come to L.A. with me?"
Oh he smelled so good…
She couldn't take the torture any longer. Reaching between them, the book she'd been holding in her hands was instantly forgotten, as Brennan gripped the open sides of his suit jacket and yanked him the last few inches closer into her warmth.
Ah…finally…
The satisfied grin that covered her partner's lips at her visible relief was as infuriating as it was alluring.
"I'll tell you what…I'll come to L.A. with you," she whispered, "But only if you're going to let me drive this time…"
Yet another striking grin tugged at his lips as he moved to close the last few inches between them, and within seconds their lips finally fused in a delicious, though fleeting embrace.
Ok so now here comes the part where I beg shamelessly for your feedback... :o) Please please pretty please...? No really. It's a curious thing that I've found. It seems thatmy will and anxiousness to write are directly proportionate to the amount of comments you all leave me... :oP