Away Isn't Far Enough

4. Truth or Dare - Without the Dare Part

They sat down at their usual table, putting the questionnaires well in sight, next to the napkin holder. If Brennan used the word 'vibe', she'd say there was a weird one floating over them at that very moment. But she didn't.

"So..." Booth said.

She interrupted him.

"Let's order first."

"Good idea. Coffee?" he asked, getting up.

"Yes, please." She watched him go over to the counter. She was disappointed. He hadn't asked her if she wanted pie. She noticed all those silly details now because of Sweets. He was the one who brought up the pie analogy. But she wasn't disappointed because of what Sweets thought it meant. No. She was disappointed because it was their 'thing'. She frowned, concentrating, trying to find the appropriate word. 'Thing' was such a meaningless word. Anyway. She loved having 'things', a routine, something that didn't change in her life. Something she could count on to always be there.

She turned to watch him. He was waiting in line. He caught her eyes and made a funny face to make her laugh. She smiled.

God! He loved making her smile. He ordered two cups of coffee, wondering if he should get her a piece of pie too, to make her laugh. But she'd probably hit him instead. She had refused the pie offering three years in a row. Still... it was fun to ask every time.

Making her laugh was not an easy task. She was trying to be so serious all the time. His goal was to succeed at least once a day. Especially since his fake death. Something had changed between them. He couldn't put his finger on it. But she had built some kind of wall around herself. He could feel it. Laugh after laugh, smile after smile, he was slowly bringing it down. The cashier handed him his change.

Brennan took her own questionnaire and flipped through the pages. This was not the complete survey. It was way too thin. She recognized her handwriting... and the questions. Oh no. Ohhh no.

"What do you think you're doing, you cheat?!" Booth said, putting his hand flat on the file so she'd stop reading. He put his pie in front of him and handed her her coffee.

"I didn't cheat. I merely saw anything..."

"Like in my bathroom."

She tilted her head.

"When will you come off it?"

"When you share a big secret with me."

"I don't have any secrets," she said.

He snorted. "I'm sure you have more secrets than all the squints put together. And you better find one soon."

"I don't. I really have no clue what to tell you."

He squinted his eyes.

"Maybe I should ask Angela..." he said, meeting her gaze. "She knows you."

Before panicking for no reason, Brennan asked, "You didn't bring me fries? You know I always eat fries."

"Want some pie?" he said, pushing his plate towards her.

Her stomach fluttered, probably because she was hungry. She held in a smile.

"I don't like pie," she said for the billionth time. They smiled, knowingly.

Just before they could relax, Booth asked.

"So. What did you see when you cheated?"

"Nothing. Just that..." She cleared her throat. "I don't think it's the whole questionnaire. It's only one section of it."