Chapter Text
Booth decides, quite definitively, that he does not like the desert. And he definitely does not like potentially being abandoned to die in the desert by a potential murder suspect. There's a lot of potentials in that scenario, he's aware, but from where he's standing (which is miles from where Jesus lost his sandals), it's looking pretty damn likely.
Up ahead he can see Bones and Angela discussing something to do with the case.
Bones.
She was why he was here. She'd called him up. She'd asked him to go all federal on the sheriff's ass, and now, here he is. Wandering in the desert because he couldn't say no.
He really should learn to say no.
Bones turns, squinting her eyes as she waves over at Booth. In the heat she looks like a haze, and her features blend into the air like ripples in the water.
"Booth!" she calls out when he doesn't respond. "You're falling behind!"
"Where are we even going, Bones?" he calls back, still not moving from his spot.
He sees Angela and Bones exchange a look and some words that he's unable to hear but knows they're about him, both Bones walks over to him.
"Booth, if we've been abandoned then we need to find shelter before sundown." Bones says matter-of-factly.
Booth looks around exaggeratingly at the flat horizon. "I think you're flat out of luck, Bones," he says and then laughs at his own joke. "Flat, get it?"
Brennan rolls her eyes. "We need to keep going," she says, tugging on the sleeve of his shirt.
"Why'd you call me?" he asks suddenly, looking at her curiously.
She stares back at him, non-plussed. "Because I needed your help."
"No, you wanted FBI interference. " he corrects her.
"Right, and you're my FBI agent," Bones says, not understanding the point of this conversation.
Booth smiles at that. "Your FBI agent?"
Bones rolls her eyes. "Whatever, you're my partner, you work at the FBI. We needed FBI help. Who else am I going to call?"
"You really know how to make a man feel special, Bones," Booth jokes.
Brennan takes the water bottle out of his hand and unscrews the lid, passing it back to him. "Have a drink, Booth."
"Why?' he says, objectively ignoring the fact that he's thirsty.
"You're dehydrated. You're talking nonsense."
Booth takes the water and has a sip, before starting to walk again; Bones falls into step beside him.
"You're always talking nonsense, Bones." he tells her, passing the water back.