You Can't UnRing the Bell

1. Let's Move On; We've Got Work to Do

"So! Illinois, huh?" Sweets tried to sound as normal as possible, but the truth was that the air had left the room as soon as the partners had come into his office. Only four days had passed since they had insisted on rectifying some about-to-be-published misconceptions. He hadn't seen them since... and he had the feeling they hadn't seen each other either. There was a buttload of unsaid between them, it seemed. The psychologist couldn't quiet his gut. He was curious. Something had to have happened, because they looked fine when they had left that evening. "That's gonna be interesting. Easy access to the suspects... Since you know these people, it'll make it easier for you to get information. But I would advise that agent Booth didn't go as a full-blown FBI agent."

Brennan frowned.

"What else do you suggest he goes as? He is a FBI agent." Then she thought she understood. "You mean, you think he shouldn't go to the reunion. That I can do it on my own? Because if it's the case, I agree."

"What? You can't go alone!" Booth yelped.

"Why not?"

"Because! The investigation part of the job is mine. I'm the agent."

Brennan quickly went on the defensive, gesturing towards Sweets.

"I don't want to steal your job, Booth. Sweets is the one who said..."

The shrink raised both hands for her to stop.

"Hey! I was just saying that he shouldn't go in badge first."

"I can be discreet Sweets."

"Of course. I was just thinking that it would be easier for you both to crack the case if no one suspected you were there to crack the case. You know? Like... Like what you did at the circus! That was good."

Brennan looked from Booth to Sweets, slightly feeling out of the conversation. They were talking about her high school reunion, after all. Not that she really wanted to go, but still.

"I can't go to my alma mater as part of a Russian knives thrower married couple!" she exclaimed. "They know who I am already. They know I'm an internationally renowned forensic anthropologist, and I'm pretty hard to miss on the New York Times bestseller's list."

Booth chuckled; Brennan wasn't sure which part of her explanation had made him laugh. But she didn't like it.

Sweets clarified.

"No, I didn't mean the Russian knives thrower part. Just the..."

"... Married couple part?" she finished for him.

"Yes."

It was Brennan's turn to chuckle. But they didn't seem to think it was funny. And she sat up straighter.

"Wait, what? You can't be serious!" she added.

Sweets swallowed hard. After pushing them with his book, maybe pushing them to pretend to be married wasn't the best way to go. Don't react, Lance. If they smell fear, they attack, you know that.

Her eyes reached Booth's. He seemed perfectly calm. It threw her more than she could even know. What the...

Sweets started explaining things rationally. Her brain understood. She did not. But it didn't matter, because ten minutes later, they were on their way to become fake man-and-wife.

Normally, she wouldn't have cared. She loved doing undercover operations with Booth. But this... Going there as herself and parading him around as her husband? No, the timing really wasn't optimum. After everything that had been said, unsaid, confirmed and deformed...