A/N: I thought this would've been a great little scene in Pain in The Heart. Before the whole Zack thing, of course. Can't wait for the new season to come!! Please review!! xoxo

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He looked at her from the doorway, admiring her work ethic. The day had not been uneventful and yet here she was, back at her job. It was one of the reasons she was great at what she did. He was reluctant to speak up, dreading the impending conversation and, at the same time, wishing for it.

"Cam." He announced himself.

She looked up from her desk, "Seeley!" a look of relief and excitement washed over her face, "How are you?"

He shifted uncomfortably, not knowing how to exactly answer that question. He wasn't sure himself. Somehow, when you die and come back to life, your self-awareness goes out the window. "You know..."

"Alive." She offered with a slight smirk on her face. He took it gladly.

"Yeah, that."He said, then sighed, "Look, I'm sorry about... this. I couldn't tell you, as much as I wanted to. "

She shook her head, as if refusing his apology, "I get it. You were just doing your job."

He smiled slightly, still tiptoeing around normalcy. It was so close, but not quite. "She should take a cue from you." He muttered, more to himself than her.

Cam looked up, "Brennan?"

"She's still not talking to me. Like I've done something wrong!"

"Nothing much has changed then."

"Huh?" his face was full of confusion. Bones was never not talking – everything had changed!

"She's hardly spoken these past couple of days. It's been quiet. Too quiet. Painfully so. " Cam spoke matter-of-factly, but there was an air of sympathy in her. Whether it was meant for him, or Bones, he wasn't sure.

He took a step forward, to lean against her desk, he knew her and he knew exactly what he was just going to ask of her, "Camille, I know this is...but I gotta know – when you guys found out that 

I...How did she -" He stuttered against the weight of his words, still wondering whether he actually wanted to know.

She looked at him, stared at him, more like it; until he felt so exposed he wanted to leave the room. She was challenging him, daring him. Then she sighed and mulled over her words before responding. "She didn't."

"What?" he stood up a little straighter, not sure if it was the confusion or the hurt that caught him most.

"But she did, in her own way."

"What?" his voice was softer this time – just confusion.

Cam looked up again, and he was shocked at the way her gaze never wavered. It was as sharp as a knife. "Seeley, when we were told -" she paused but it felt more for him than for herself. "I sobbed. I sat down and cried. It broke my heart." Her eyes softened and he wanted to apologise because he knew he was the one who had broken it.

"Camille."

"No, wait." She put her hand up, stopping him from hugging her. She had to say this, no matter how painful it was for either of them. "Angela – she was comforted by Hodgins. Zack just kinda stared at his hands. But Brennan, she shook her head as if she refused to entertain the notion. WE found her here the next morning. She worked in Limbo all night."

He let out a breath he'd been holding, although he wasn't relieved. Far from it. He wanted to say something but Cam wasn't finished. She sighed and looked around her office for a second, looking for inspiration, motivation, salvation. "Seeley, I didn't know her before, but I've heard stories. Lots of them. She was a hermit before you came along. The second you were gone, she went back to that. You need to talk to her."

He shook his head, if only he could, "She won't - "

"She will – because it's you."

Her words pierced him, the truth of them. Somewhere, deep down he knew she was right. If the tables were turned, he would – because it was her.

"Camille." Thank you. Sorry.

She smile at him weakly, "I'm really glad you're okay, Seeley." Then looked back down at her work, leaving him with the same image as when he came.

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