Hello again! Thank you for all the wonderful comments on Catalyst. I greatly appreciate any feedback. Here is the second installment of the Simple Chemistry series. It takes places after the events of the season finale, with some spoilers, of course. This should be a two shot...hopefully. I've done my best to proof read, but I apologize ahead of time for any mistakes. Definition from Merriam Webster. Once again, as much as I would like to, I don't own the characters. Enjoy part 1!

Chain Reaction - a: a series of events so related to each other that each one initiates the next b: a number of events triggered by the same initial event2: a self-sustaining chemical or nuclear reaction yielding energy or products that cause further reactions of the same kind

Chapter 1

Two days after the Gormagon case had been resolved, the dust was finally beginning to settle in the Jeffersonian. The FBI forensics team had finished their investigation, the lab was in the process of being cleaned, equipment was repaired and tested, and things were finally starting to return to normal. In light of recent events, Dr. Sayoran had given the entire staff one week off, unless an urgent case arose. She had stated that the hiatus was necessary for the repair process and what not, but most knew it was just an excuse. Cam, like many, was hurt deeply by Zack's departure, and she needed time to deal with those feelings before returning to work. However, not everyone welcomed the break.

At 8pm, the Medico-Legal lab was dark and deserted, save for a handful of security personnel and one stubborn forensic anthropologist. A faint glow radiated from the main platform; where Dr. Temperance Brennan sat meticulously piecing together a human skull, moving the fragments around the examination table to determine the proper placement, and then securing them together with elmers glue and sand. She had spent nearly every waking moment at the lab, only stopping home briefly to shower and collect paperwork. She spent her mornings and afternoons in her office, going over old case files, reading the Journal of Forensic Science, reorganizing her bookshelf, cleaning out her desk, and catching up on reports; while a construction crew and technicians worked on the structural and mechanical repairs. The workmen had learned early on to steer clear of Dr. Brennan; she had already punched two men who were careless enough to refer to Zack as a "nut job" while she was in earshot. Once the men would leave for the day, Temperance would venture from her office and work on identifying bodies from limbo at her usual workstation.

She had just finished placing the portion of reconstructed skull on its cork base when a hand lightly grasped her shoulder; she stiffened noticeably but didn't turn around. "What do you want, Booth?"

"I figured that I would find you here. I thought Cam gave everyone a week off." He removed his hand and took a seat on the edge of the table.

"She did. I have work to do." She replied tersely, not looking up. She reached for another section of skull when Booth's hand stopped hers.

"Look at me, Temperance."

"I have work to do." She shook off his hand and continued piecing together the bone shards, her hands shaking.

"According to the guards, you've barely left the lab. You need to sleep in a real bed, eat good food, and get out of this damn lab. You have to take care of yourself."

"I'm fine"

"No, you aren't. You are trying to do whatever you can to take your mind off Zack", he reached out, hooking a finger under her chin and directing her face towards him; his chocolate brown eyes belaying great concern. "Burying yourself in projects and paperwork isn't going to make things right again, Bones. You need to give yourself a break and stop blaming yourself for what happened." This earned him a glare, her grey-green eyes tumultuous, like the sea before a storm.

"What makes you think I blame myself?" Her voice was as cold as steel, and just as sharp.

"Because I'm your partner and I know you. You think you failed as his mentor and as his friend", he held up a finger when he saw her beginning to object, "you were a great teacher, and you gave him a wonderful opportunity. But he chose his own path, and now he has to deal with the consequences."

"Logically, I realize that Booth. I am able to compartmentalizing my emotions, which you feel stem from recent events, and deal with them in a rational manner. I'll be perfectly capable of performing my duties both in the field and at the lab, if that's what you're worried about."

"That isn't what I'm worried about. I know that you are always the professional when it comes to your work; it's something that I admire about you. But you are also my best friend, and I care about you deeply."

"You have an odd way of showing it." She turned away from him and began organizing the materials on her workspace.

"Come on, Bones! Are you really still mad at me? I've apologized like a million times already. You don't know what it felt like to be stuck in a safe house for two weeks…I couldn't talk to you, Parker, or anyone. It sucked. Trust me, I wanted to tell you, but I honestly thought that you knew."

"Well, you don't know how it felt for me either!" Her voice rose dangerously, taunt with pent up emotion.

"Well, maybe I would if you would just talk to me!" His voice remained steady as he tried to keep his temper in check. With a final glare, Brennan stood up and proceeded to storm off the platform; but when she reached the bottom of the stairs, her legs gave out and she crumpled to the ground. "Bones" Booth cried as he leaped down the stairs, kneeling down at her side and encircling her protectively in his arms.

"I'll be alright. I'm just a little lightheaded" she replied somewhat groggily, her delicate skin was paler than normal and her whole body trembled.

"Are you sick?"

"No, I guess I just forgot to eat dinner."

"You sure it was only dinner? When was the last time you ate?"

"I…I don't remember. A cup of yogurt around 5 AM, maybe." Her stomach growled loudly in protest.

"That's it; you're coming home with me." He grunted, picking her up and walking towards the exit. Cradled in his arms, she was too exhausted to argue that her workspace was a mess and the bones needed to be returned to storage, so she settled against his chest and allowed herself to be carried out of the lab to the waiting SUV.