✔️Romancing The Bone--- Seeley Booth ✔️

Ch.2: The Homicide at Homecoming (pt. 2)

~Booth~

Lizzie and I wove our way through the crowded hallways of the dorm building, looking for the correct room number.

Once we found it, Lizzie taking the lead, laid three loud knocks on the wooden door. We waited about two minutes before I got a bit impatient and knocked again.

Looking over her shoulder at me with her sassiest face, a face that I knew she saved especially for me, Lizzie said, "Booth. Chill... we are in a college dorm. What did you do in your dorm room in college?" "Nothing you want to know about trust me." I replied earning the blush from her that I was aiming for.

Lizzie and I have been partners for three years now and with every passing day she continues to surprise me. Whether its with how she can see beyond what someone says by simply looking into their eyes, or if its that way she sneaks a peak at me when she thinks I'm not looking at her.  From the day that I met her, I knew that she and I had an undeniable connection. Now if she would only see that connection too...

Pulling me from my thoughts, the door opened revealing a petite girl, brown hair, brown eyes and  slight blush on her cheeks. Before I could fully question why she was blushing, a young man, maybe six foot two came towards the door from further in the dorm. Lizzie looked at me with a silent 'told you so' look on her face. I took that look as my cue to introduce us.

"Hi. Special Agent Seeley Booth, FBI" I said flashing my badge, " And this is my partner Dr. Lizzie Jones and we have a few questions for you." The girl's face flushed at the mention of the FBI but her reaction was not the one that surprised us. The young man decided to try and bolt past us, but Lizzie surprised me yet again, by reaching out her arm clothes-lining him, knocking him to the ground gasping for air.

"I believe, that my partner wasn't done speaking just yet." Lizzie said looking down at the coughing college student. Trying to hold in the laugh that was building in my chest, I extended a hand to the kid on the ground, and led him to the couch.

"So kid, wanna tell my why you ran?" I said looking at him with my best 'father-face'. "Your FBI man... I'm in college and needed to take something to relieve some stress... I have finals coming up." He stammered out, looking at me nervously. "So, you smoked some pot, came over here and 'hung out' with your girlfriend, just to relieve some stress huh?"I said looking around at the room, for details that might help us further with the investigation.

"Booth." Hearing my name I turned and looked at Liz and the young girl. they were standing beside a secondary door that had gone unnoticed upon our arrival. "This is Marsha's room." She said as she nudged the door open with her elbow.

As the door opened we were hit in the face by a rank odor, one that Liz and I had become all-to-familiar with. Stepping into the room, with our mouths and noses covered, we came face-to-face with a second decomposing body tied to the bed.

"Well, Bones is gonna love this.." I sighed.

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~Lizzie~

With a flash the FBI crime scene photographer had taken the last of his photos, as Bones and Cam were examining the second victim. Looking over at the two women I asked, "Alright ladies, what have we got so far?" Bones, taking the lead as she tended to do in situations like this, spoke first.

"Pelvic inlet suggests that the victim is male. Trauma to both of his femurs, could be some form of torture." Cam then spoke up, adding, "There seems to be some discoloration along the tissue of his mouth. I'll run a tox screen and see what I can find out." She said standing up from her crouched position beside the bed.

"Great, thanks. All right everyone, you know the drill, bag everything and send it back to the Jeffersonian." With a sigh, I turned to find Booth only to see him already looking at me. With a small smile I went over and stood close enough to him that our shoulders were brushing.

"You okay?" he asked me as I leaned my head onto his shoulder. "Yeah, I guess so..." I responded half-heartedly. I looked up at him with a small smile on my face. As the years have gone by Booth and I have been there for each other during everything; every new relationship, every break up, all the sick days and through every case. We have always been connected, and no matter how annoyed we might get with each other, we always come back. Looking up at his handsome features, I sighed to myself. If only he would see just how connected I am to him. Maybe then he would finally see how I feel.

Suddenly a low growl from my stomach braking me out of my thoughts. Laughing, Booth looked down at me. "How can you be hungry right now, looking at that!?!" He asked, gesturing to the body lying on the bed across from us. " I don't know. I guess I'm just so used to all the death and decay now that it doesn't phase me anymore." "Okay. Now thats just gross." he said with a small chuckle.

"C'mon. Lets go get a burger at the diner. My treat!" I said finishing my statement in a sing-song voice trying to entice him into going to lunch with me. Smiling at my child-like actions Booth extended his arm like a true gentleman, signaling my victory. "Yes!!" I said with a giggle as I looped my arm through his.

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As the two partners joined arms they both noticed a small spark at the point of contact. However, they both valued their friendship and working relationship so much that neither would be willing to risk exploring something more... yet.

Sitting in the diner that had become 'their place', Lizzie and Booth acted as if this was just a simple lunch between friends. 

While she was looking at her menu debating on what to choose, he was looking at her. Taking in the way that the sunlight streaming through the window lit her chocolate brown waves up, turning them into a glowing whiskey colored halo, or the little crinkle she gets between her eyes when she is truly focused on something. Sighing to himself, he too looks down at his menu, missing her look up at his face.

She felt a small smile find its way into her face as she looks over the features that had become so familiar to her. The strong jaw line and the kind eyes, yet she saw underneath his strong side to his kind and considerate side, a place few truly got to see. 

After they had received their food, Lizzie and Booth had gotten about halfway through their meal when both of their cellphones chimes alerting them that the Jeffersonian had made progress with the case. 

Looking up at each other and grabbing their things, the headed for the door each still unaware of the other's feelings.