Chapter Text
When he opened his emails that morning he was surprised to find he had a meeting with his boss that afternoon. He was in the middle of working a case and had to cut Bones's recount of the trauma on the body short, driving back to the Bureau at adrenaline-raising speeds to attend the meeting. By the time he got upstairs, he was nearly ten minutes late and he could see the disapproval in his boss's eyes as soon as he walked in the door.
You stood up from your chair in front of the desk, turning to offer him a smile and shaking his hand as your new boss explained to Booth that you would now be partners. Booth took a seat in the chair next to yours as you sat down, smoothing his tie as he listened to your list of accolades and raised his eyebrows as the list continued.
"Agent L/N has a lot of expertise that I believe can help you during this case. And perhaps longer if we can convince her to remain in Washington."
After he was given orders to share his office and catch you up on the case, Booth held the door open for you as you left the office. You turned to him when he closed the door behind him, a bashful expression on your features. "Sorry, he really likes doing that. I've been here for two hours and he's listed my achievements sixteen times."
"It's fine. I went to a lecture you held on the Boggsley case. It was fantastic work." His praise made you blush for a moment. "Four bombings in eight days."
"Yeah, he was trained in the military." You began to explain the case, that Bogglsey was led astray by his former mentor and driven by their hatred of the government, planted four bombs in FBI buildings across the country. Between jet lag and the lack of sleep, you completely lost track of time and whenever you had a lead you followed it up whether the sun was out or it was pitch black outside. "I was able to predict which building they were going after next by connecting the agents inside who had military training. They felt betrayed. Add a crap ton of paranoia it's hard to chase someone who knows how to cover their tracks."
"He blew up your car, didn't he?" Booth held open the door to his office and you thanked him as you stepped inside. You stood to the side awkwardly as he entered, sitting behind his desk and he gestured for you to sit and began to clear room on his desk.
"He knew I was in town and wanted to stop me from finding the bomb they planted. Agents were scouring every floor of the building and I was going with the local police to talk to an eyewitness at the precinct. My ear hurt like hell for a while." You took a seat in front of his desk, "I want to get one thing straight, Agent Booth." He braced himself for you to take over the case, but you surprised him by doing the exact opposite. "This is your case. I haven't been in Washington for a long time, and I intend to follow your lead. You know this case more than I do and have liaised with the Jeffersonian for years. I am simply here to split the paperwork and give a second opinion should you want to hear it."
Booth could hide his relief. Your boss had made it clear that you were more highly equipped to lead the case, but Booth knew Bones was wary of other FBI agents and the Squints would clam up if they thought you were in any way discrediting their experiments.
"I appreciate that. Coffee?" He sent you a smile that you returned, the tension in your shoulders easing told him that you were afraid he would keep you at his desk after your boss's rather obnoxious introduction of you.
"I'd love some."
You quickly realized that if there was a door, Booth was going to hold it open for you. As you walked away from his office, following him to the coffee machine, he began to dive into their first victim and you listened with rapt attention. When you returned to his office, he continued all the way to victim number three who was currently being examined by Dr. Temperance Brennan whom he referred to as Bones. "After the third, we knew immediately that we were now chasing a serial killer. Something you know a thing or two about."
When Bones informed him that she had completed her examination, Booth drove to the Jeffersonian and you asked about the team he worked with daily, and he amused you as he gave you a glimpse into their personalities, but you could see that he respected them and the work they did. And knew that was likely the reason why he had liaised with them for so long, as everyone before him hadn't given them the credit they deserved.
As you followed him through the Jeffersonian to where Bones was waiting with Hodges, he asked about your last posting across the country and delved into your families, learning he had a son named Parker. When Bones saw another agent, Booth could see her hackles immediately rising as she asked why there was another agent.
"L/N has experience chasing serial killers."
"So do you." Bones argued.
Sensing the conversation rapidly deteriorating, you spoke up, "I assure you Dr. Brennan that I am here only to act as a sounding board for Agent Booth."
"And to give your opinions," Booth added, taking one hand out of his pockets to gesture briefly before turning to Bones. "Now, can we hear your opinions on the body?"
Bones pressed her lips together but led the way to the body and Booth introduced you to Hodges. You stood next to Booth as the two revealed their findings. You eyed the clear box in which he had stored several beetles, holding it up as he explained how they helped determine where the woman was buried and for how long.
"That's amazing." You pointed to the box, "Do you mind if I -"
Hodges handed you the box, and you peered inside at the small beetles. But Bones noticed Booth was looking at you, seeing the intrigue in your eyes and the fascinated smile on your lips. You asked how he was able to determine the time of death and Hodges was happy to explain. You thanked him as you handed him the beetles and moved closer to the skeleton as Bones continued her assessment.
Hodges stood next to Booth, "Is she really a fed?"
"She's got the badge and everything," Booth said dryly, seeing the way he kept glancing at you.
"She's hot."
Booth put his hand on his head, moving him away before walking over to you, putting his hands in his pockets as he stood next to you. Seeing the interaction, and the way Booth stood close to you, Bones knew Hodges wasn't the only one finding you attractive. When Angela arrived a short while later, ready to show her reconstruction, you looked back at Booth when Bones asked him to stay for a minute.
"I'll catch up." He told you, knowing like you did that Bones was going to talk about his new partner.
You walked with Angela who you quickly realized was the least defensive of the team and as you walked to her office, the conversation quickly became personal as she fired question after question that, if not for the friendly smile, felt like an interrogation.
You left her office fifteen minutes later, bumping into Booth in the hallway as he headed towards you. You showed him the photograph Angela had given you that showed what the victim would have looked like at the time of her death. You were impressed with the Squints and understood why he had such respect for them.
"They seem like an incredible team." You remarked as you walked to his car.
"You caught them on a good day." He handed you the reports Bones had given him, and you both got into the car.
You smiled as you put on your seatbelt, looking at Booth as he drove off. "I hope my presence on this case isn't causing friction between you and Dr. Brennan."
"Bones?" He shook his head, "She takes a while to warm up to people."
You nodded, not pressing the matter further as you looked over the reports as he drove to the Bureau. You recounted what Angela had told you on the way to his office, and Booth took a seat behind his desk, smoothing his tie as he smiled at you knowingly.
"She interrogated you, didn't she?"
You nodded, making him chuckle. "But I knew from her smile that she meant well."
As you worked quietly you found the silence was not awkward or stifling, it was comfortable. You stayed in his office, making the occasional trips to the coffee machine and Booth was surprised by how quickly you remembered how he took his coffee, but greatly appreciated it when he took the first sip. The building was almost deserted when you left to avoid being locked in overnight.
"Where are you staying?" He asked.
When you told him the name of the motel, he offered to drive you, claiming it was on his way home, and you knew he was lying, but knew it was pointless arguing with him.
Booth looked around the motel parking lot, as he parked in a empty space. "My skin itches just from looking at it."
You giggled, "It's like a time capsule for the seventies, but the bed was more comfortable than sleeping on the plane." You looked at the way his eyes assessed his surroundings and knew he was going to wait until you were inside. "Thanks for dropping me off. But I still don't believe it was on the way to your house."
The words were in the tip of his tongue to offer you to stay at his place, but you were already out of the car, saying goodnight.
Booth sighed as he watched you head inside and you turned to him with a smile on your lips when you saw he was still there as you predicted, waving before heading into the room. He looked around as he drove off, wondering how that motel had anything that was more comfortable than a plane when it looked like there were cockroaches in the rooms.
The next morning at three am, you got a call from Booth, informing you that he was on his way to pick you up on the way to the crime scene. He had gotten a call about a fourth body matching the M.O. of your serial killer. You looked at the abandoned towering apartment complex with a pensive frown, following Booth as he headed towards the doors. He held a door open and you thanked him as you went inside. When you arrived on the twentieth floor, you quickly broke from his side when you saw a local PD Detective leaning against the metal on the elevator shelf, peering down into the darkness with a torch.
"Hey, hey," You moved him aside, "You are tampering with a crime scene. There could be prints on that panel."
"I called you, didn't I?"
"And while I am grateful for your cooperation, I do not appreciate you potentially contaminating the evidence."
The detective scoffed, his shoulder colliding with yours as he walked away and a moment later Booth had put a hand on his chest, pushing him into the wall. "Apologize. Right now." He ordered.
"It's fine." You sighed. Over the years you had your fair share of run-ins with detectives and even male agents who were more lax than you were.
"No, it's not." Booth turned his head to meet your gaze before his expression darkened as he looked back at the detective, "Apologize."
The detective held his hands up, turning to you, "I'm sorry."
You put a hand on Booth's arm, making the tense agent step away to allow the detective to leave. "Booth, I'm fine. I'm used to it. I've had worse."
"You're my partner." He said and you didn't need him to elaborate as you knew what meaning that word had to him. He had your back whether it was with guns drawn or dealing with moronic local detectives.
You smiled softly, "Thank you."
He nodded as you both made your way to the elevator that was pried open and shined your flashlights down the shaft to see the body briefly. "Urgh! That's fresh." You grimaced, coughing into your arm.
"Yeah," He cleared his throat, "We'll need to get Cam out here. She's the coroner."
You nodded in agreement.
Deciding to pass the time productively, you took statements from the group of teenagers who were drinking in the building who had found the body after trying to take the elevator back down only to almost fall to their death. They were still drunk and weren't much help.
"You walked up twenty flights of stairs to drink some booze?" Booth raised an eyebrow and you glanced up from your notepad with a smile.
"Listen, bro, It's all about the view," He said, "We live in a beautiful city and now and then we should appreciate her more for the sexy woman she is." Booth bristled when the teenager eyed you, "sexy woman she is."
"Listen, bro," Booth began and you put a hand on his arm to cool him down. He glanced at your hand before his eyes darted up to meet your gaze, his chest deflating as he sighed.
You both turned when his name was called, seeing Cam arriving with Hodges who introduced you to Zack who you were surprised knew so much about your cases. Booth patted his shoulder, turning him away, "Okay, go find something useful before you freak her out even more than you already have."
You shook your head at your partner, a word so foreign as you hadn't worked with a partner for over a decade, but you were quickly growing fond of working with Booth who was always appreciative of any input you could offer. Any other agent you worked with was a lot more defensive about you joining their investigation but while you could see Booth had his apprehensions after meeting you, he wasn't hostile.
"So, we meet again..." Hodges grinned.
Booth turned to him, putting his hands on his hips and sending the Entomologist an exasperated look.
"The body?" Cam spoke up.
"Over here, Dr. Saroyan." You smiled in amusement as you led her to the elevator that was pinned open.
As she put on her gloves, she looked up at you to see you were watching Booth talking to the group of teenagers and she asked what it was like working with Booth you answered by listing the qualities you had noticed about him thus far. Cam looked up in time to see you looking down at your notepad with a smile on your lips.
You looked up when Booth approached you both and he greeted Cam before meeting your gaze. "We found the third victim last night. She'd been buried for two days. But he kills nine days apart. It's too soon to be our killer."
"The cause of death appears to be a match, but I will know more when I get the body back to the Jeffersonian," Cam glanced up to find his focus was not on her like yours was.
"Statistically it's been proven that when serial killers kill more frequently, forgoing their usual patterns, it's a sign of deterioration." You recounted a case you had learned about at the academy and Cam noticed the smile that formed on Booth's lips when you were rambling, allowing you to for far longer than he would anyone else. "Sorry." You smiled bashfully at your notepad, realizing you were going into far more detail than necessary.
"I don't mind."
You met his gaze, surprised as anyone else would have shut you down as soon as you said 'I heard about this case'. But Booth was proving to be full of surprises. You could make the move to Washington if you were assigned as his partner, and you wondered if perhaps it was a momentary truce for this case. He was just doing his job to catch a serial killer, not as interested as he made you believe he was.
You returned to the Bureau to run the reconstruction Angela had given you through the database and found the woman who was reported missing by her father. You were getting ready to go speak to him when your boss walked in, asking how things were going and you maintained a small smile, although Booth couldn't help thinking it was somewhat strained when you were asked if you had thought about the offer to work in Washington.
"We should really get going, sir, if we want to make it there at a reasonable hour."
He followed you when you left his office, as if fleeing the inevitable conversation, and on the ride down in the elevator he wondered when would be a good time to bring it up. You were almost at the father of the victim's house when he cleared his throat and shifted awkwardly in his seat, failing at appearing nonchalant as he asked what your plans were.
"I don't know yet." You looked out the window with a sigh. "I've enjoyed working with you on this case, Booth. But not everyone is as welcoming as you are to my ideas."
He frowned, looking at you to find you gazing with a forlorn expression out the window, and wondered how much you had to put up with when you were assigned to help agents who needed it but didn't want to admit it as it would bruise their egos.
You took a step back when Booth asked questions about your third victim and decided to take a look upstairs in her bedroom. She was a medical student with a bright future before it was taken from her. Even after all these years it never got less tragic.
Booth lifted his gaze to yours when you returned after nearly twenty minutes and you showed her father the journal you had been reading through, asking who she was referring to when she wrote Hippocrates. He said he didn't know and you showed Booth the journal, standing next to the armchair he was sitting on, resting a hand on the back of it.
"Do you mind if we take this?" Booth asked, holding up the journal.
"No, not at all."
You sent the grieving father a smile as you said goodbye, and Booth handed you the journal as you got into the car.
"Hippocrates mean something to you?" He asked as he started the car.
"Hippocrates was a Greek physician." You told him. "She wrote about the time they spent together." You opened the journal and flipped the pages to find a page you had found particularly interesting, quoting word for word, "I know it's wrong to want him like I do. Meeting his wife made it more forbidden. He could lose his job and his family if any knew. I don't know what to do. I tried to break up with him but we ended up in a motel. His hold was bruising and I have never been afraid of him before." You looked at Booth who was frowning at the last sentence, feeling an uneasy twist in his gut. "I think he's a doctor at the hospital where she works. A married doctor."
"Maybe she decided to break things off or tell his wife?"
You nodded, "It's work checking it out."
"Where did she work again?" He asked.
You told him the address and held onto the door when he performed a dangerous maneuver, heading in the opposite direction of the way you had been going. He got a call from Cam who had finished her autopsy and confirmed the serial killer had claimed a fourth victim.
"He could be covering his tracks." You suggested. "Four women, all the same age, and all of them work in hospitals. Two interns, a receptionist, and a nurse."
"I'd like to know where he finds the time." Booth sighed and glanced at you with a smile when you laughed lightly as you walked down the hallway, approaching the reception desk.
You flashed your badges at the receptionists and when they told you the suspect hadn't shown up for work today, you asked for his address. Booth shared a glance with you before you both walked to his car in haste, he blared the siren as he drove with great skill through the traffic as you recounted the facts, becoming more and more certain that the Neurosurgeon was the killer.
"But why kill them all the same way?"
"Recreation. He could get a sexual thrill from it." You recounted a case you had read about with a focus on the serial killer finding sexual gratification in the killings and Booth grimaced. "It worked once and he enjoyed it. He felt like these women were taking away power from him, and he was taking it back as he strangled the life out of them."
The car skidded to a stop outside the suburban house and you noticed a swing set in the backyard as you got out of the car, drawing your pistol from the holster on your hip. You glanced at Booth who moved around the car, drawing his gun and you sent him a nod when he met your gaze, showing you were ready. You headed towards the house and heard a disturbance inside as if a lamp had been knocked over. Booth kicked the door open and you went inside, aiming your gun and following the whimpers to the bedroom. You glanced at Booth who nodded and opened the door. He entered with his weapon aimed at the killer who was strangling his wife on the bed, her hands flailing and you noticed the broken ceramic lamp on the ground as you stood next to Booth, aiming your gun.
"FBI! Hands in the air!" When the doctor didn't move, you fired a shot into his shoulder and he fell off the bed, holding his arm.
You rushed to help Booth handcuff him, resting your knee on his back as Booth cuffed one hand and you cuffed the other.
"Nice shot."
"Thanks." You stood up, and Booth hauled the neurosurgeon off the ground. Booth hauled him out of the bedroom and you approached the sobbing wife, calling for an ambulance.
It was late when you returned to the Bureau and you were helping Booth with paperwork when the door opened. You inwardly sighed when your boss, temporarily, walked in and Booth knew this was one conversation he didn't want to hear. He made an excuse to leave the room and you watched him leave, seeing the reassuring smile he sent you before he closed the door.
"Have you come to a decision yet?"
You nodded slowly, "I would like to come to Washington, sir." You began, "But I would like to choose my partner."
He considered this for a moment, "Have someone in mind?"
"Special Agent Seeley Booth, sir. Only if he agrees to it."
"Very well. I will talk to Agent Booth in the morning." Booth hadn't gone far, pretending to read a case file while he watched your conversation through the glass. When his boss opened the door, he slowly made his way over. "I want to see you in my office as soon as you arrive tomorrow morning."
Booth nodded. You were typing on a laptop when he walked in and Booth wanted to ask what your decision was but was afraid of the disappointment that you weren't staying. That this whole thing was temporary.
You glanced at him when he took a seat at his desk. "Shouldn't you be getting home?" You asked. "I'm surprised your wife hasn't called wondering where you are."
His head shot up, "I'm not married."
"Oh, when you said you had a son I just assumed -"
"Rebecca didn't want to get married. We're separated now. Have been for a while." Booth explained.
"I'm sorry." You frowned.
Booth shrugged his shoulders and looked at his computer but you could tell the situation had bugged him at one point until he couldn't accept it any longer and broke up with her.
You had known Seeley Booth for two days, but he had quickly grown on you. He was protective and charming and he followed his gut. And while you followed the facts, Booth was decisive. He knew what needed to be done and didn't hesitate while you would still be wondering what scenario was best.
You stayed until the building was locking up for the night, making the harrowing discovery that you hadn't found all of the doctor's victims. He had been killing for eighteen years and spent a lot of time interrogating him and making a board with all the photographs you could have been given by families of the victims and their bodies which Bones had exhumed and would take days to confirm. As you were tidying up for the night, he told you he was driving you to the motel, leaving no room for argument not that you would. Any time you could spend with him you would.
Your lips twitched with amusement as his eyes assessed his surroundings, growing more horrified by the minute. "Don't worry. I have a gun, and I'm a great shot, as you now know."
Booth glanced at you with a smile, and you hoped that this wasn't goodbye. You wanted to stay in Washington, but only if you could be his partner. And after monitoring your growing attraction to him, you were prepared to set them aside just to be colleagues, just so you didn't have to say goodbye.
So instead you said, "Goodnight. Thank you for dropping me off again."
You get out of the car and turn to him when he says goodnight. "I've really enjoyed working with you, Agent Booth."
"It's been an honor, Agent L/N." He replied with a smile that made you but the inside of your cheek, hoping you weren't blushing.
You walked to the motel room and looked back after unlocking the door when he called out to you, surprised to see him jogging over to you. When his hands cupped your cheeks and his lips glided against yours with a fiery passion, you leaned against the door to avoid your knees buckling. You recovered quickly, placing a hand on his chest and another on the curve of his neck, drawing him closer.
That night Booth spent the night in your motel room, and in the morning he couldn't decide if his back was sore from the mattress or from the many hours he spent above you, drawing out breathy whispers of his name as he filled you over and over.
Despite trying not to wake you, the screech of the bedframe made you stir as he climbed out of bed. You would have his answer by the end of the day and intended to enjoy the rare downtime to finish the book you were reading. After you caught up on the sleep you had lost last night, but you had no complaints, quite the opposite actually.
"Sorry," He whispered, "It's the damn bed."
You smiled as you propped yourself up with your elbow, combing your fingers through your hair in an attempt to look more presentable. "Sneaking off, Agent Booth?"
"I have to go home and change. I can't wear the same suit two days in a row, can I?" He mirrored your smile as he put a hand on the bed, another on your cheek as he kissed you good morning. He allowed himself to linger, not knowing if this was the only time he had left with you.
"After it spent a night on this floor? I'd advise against it." You giggled, biting your lip as you met his gaze. "You're going to be late."
Booth knew time was ticking away and if he wanted to go home, shower and get ready to meet his boss at the Bureau on time he should've left ten minutes ago. "What are you doing today?"
"I was going to finish reading a psychologist's analysis of killers. But I'm too tired to right now."
Booth chuckled, "Good. You need to pick a different genre."
You playfully rolled your eyes as he went to get dressed. You put on a plain t-shirt and said goodbye at the door, smiling when he leaned in to kiss you. He wanted to ask if you were staying in Washington but he was afraid of the answer. You leaned against the door when he left, sighing as you rested your head on the door, hoping that this wasn't goodbye.
When Booth arrived at the Bureau he was twenty minutes late and he knew his boss was unimpressed as soon as he walked in. He took a seat and listened as he expressed how pleased he was with his work on the case.
"Well, sir, Agent L/N was the one who found the journal which cracked the case wide open. She made the connection from Hippocrates to the neurosurgeon."
"Yes, she expressed her admiration for you as well. You make a good team." His boss's lips quirked as he leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk, and clasping his hands. "I don't need to tell you how beneficial her knowledge would be to the Bureau." He began, and Booth shook his head. "Yesterday she said she was only interested in the job if she could choose her partner." Booth held his breath. "And she chose you. Now, she did explicitly say that you don't need to feel as if it's an order. It's only if you want her as your partner."
Booth agreed and stood up as his boss explained that he'd call you with the great news before handing him a new case.
That night you were surprised by a knock on the door of the motel and opened the door to find Booth holding a pair of keys.
You confirmed that you would take the job and knew that he had accepted you as his partner. "What are these?" You took the keys, looking at them for a moment before meeting his gaze.
"Keys to your new apartment. If you're going to be staying in D.C. you need somewhere to live." He said. "The rent is reasonable for a one-bedroom apartment and it's on my way home."
"And where is home?" You asked, crossing your arms, dropping them when he told you. "Booth that's forty minutes from here! You went an hour and a half out of the way!" You exclaimed in disbelief, referring to the two nights he dropped you off at the motel claiming it was 'on his way home'.
He turned and began walking to his car, smirking when you stood with your jaw hitting the floor. "Grab your bags, and I'll give you a tour."
The upstairs apartment surprised you as you weren't expecting it to be so nice for the price. The older woman who lived downstairs was renting it out to avoid living in an empty house. When her husband was younger he converted it for their kids so they'd have their own space and you were impressed by the furniture that came with it.
Booth leaned against the doorway while you lay on the bed, sighing when the mattress springs didn't dig into your spine.
"How did you find this?" You asked.
"After my meeting, I went to my desk and looked up apartments in the area. I took some time out on the way back from a crime scene to check it out." He held up the case file he had brought from the car and you sat up, taking the file when he held it out. "Bones is examining the body now. Dental work gave us an identification."
You looked at the dashing agent to find he was already looking at you. "Are you sure you want me as a partner and not just because of last night?"
His lips twitched upwards, "I'll admit that I had a not-so-professional motive for agreeing. But even if I didn't, I would have agreed. You're a great agent and as the last two days have proven we make a great team." He walked towards you, and you smiled as you set the case file aside, as he leaned down to kiss you, hovering over you on the bed.
You undid the buttons on his jacket, slipping your hands underneath, as he deepened the kiss. "Was that the not-so-professional motive you were referring to, Agent Booth?" You teased when he pulled away moments later.
"What did I tell ya? Call me Seeley. Believe me, we've jumped to first name basis."
You buried your head in his chest as you laughed, feeling him chuckle. "Alright. Seeley. What now?"
"We're partners. We're professionals. We're -"
"Supposed to be working a case."
He paused, "Right." He kissed you before dragging himself from the bed. "Starting now."
You shook your head, giggling when he offered you a hand and got off the bed. "I'll get changed and no you cannot stay." You ushered him out of the room and he turned, pouting which made you laugh as you closed the door. You looked around the bedroom with everything you needed except a duvet and sheets, a wide smile forming on your lips.
You and Booth remained professional in the field. You were partners in and out of the office, but you never let it interfere with your work, although when there were a few close calls you would find a moment to be alone to reassure yourselves that you were both safe. Booth was protective by nature and while he knew you would eventually have to disclose your relationship to the FBI, he held off for nearly a year, so that he could be the one watching your back in the field, but one day you both had gotten too comfortable in his office while the blinds were closed. An agent had walked in to give you a file and seen Booth kiss you for your brilliance and you knew you had to report your relationship.
And while you may not have been partners on cases anymore, you still shared your opinions on your separate cases when you were at home, and within a few years you became partners in marriage and in parenthood.