In Which We FINALLY See Some Inner-Conflict

Season 6, Episode 11

The Bullet in the Brain

Oh, Booth.

(but for the first time in awhile, this is a good “Oh, Booth.” One during which I smile while typing it.)

But before we can get to that, we have the beginning.

It's not really a thing, but I just have to note when Bones rushes on and says “I'm so happy you're ok!” Of course, it's a given that she's happy he's ok, but still, even now after everything, when she actually says it... a little part in me goes “df,mhdkjfhyay!”

And for another “of course”: Of course Max is disappointed they're not together. He knew from right when he first saw them together that they had something. He knew. He knows. So for them not to be together at this point is just ridiculous, and of course Brennan is prettier and smarter than anyone Booth could be with instead of her (can I just say how much I LOVED that part?)

I just really love Max rooting for them, basically.

Oh no, though, there's about to be one of those moments where I can feel my heart being crushed inside my chest.

(they should really have a warning with those, you know? Put on the bottom of the screen “CAUTION: Heart-breaking moment coming up. Proceed at your own risk."

“I don't want to talk about it.”

Oh, Bones :(

What makes this so heartbreaking isn't even the actual words. It's the way she looks at Max for a second, and then looks down and away while she says it. She can put on a happy face when necessary, she did all last episode... but when it comes down to it, when it's just her and her dad... it still hurts. It hurts a fucking lot. And so she avoids it. But what she does this time is something she does not normally do. Normally, she denies anything is wrong at all. Before, she would pretend that nothing is wrong and act like her father was crazy if he insinuated that she was anything but fine with it. But now, she doesn't deny that there's something wrong. She doesn't talk about it either, but she also doesn't deny that something's wrong, which we've seen her do probably less than a dozen times on the show, and which we've NEVER until now seen her do in relation to Booth.

Steps, people. They are being taken.

Now let's talk about my second favorite moment of the episode:

“I don't want to be letting anyone down.”

Again, it's not so much the actual line that makes this (although the actual line is awesome in and of itself). It's the action that goes along with it. They way he sort of looks down at the beginning but then moves his eyes up to look at Bones as he's saying it.

Oh my gosh, you guys, I found found Booth! He's there! OH HAPPY DAY!

Really, though, this is one of the few things he's done this season that is really just 100% Booth. Even with all that's happened, he still cares about her. Of COURSE he still cares about her. He doesn't want to let her down.

And then, there's my favorite moment.

No line for this one.

Booth looking through the window at Bones and her dad, at Bones listening to the shell.

That look on his face.

Maybe it's the fact that she finally actually admitted her feelings for him that's stirring it up. Maybe it's the fact that he told Hannah about it and she's fine with it and everyone's “fine” with everything that's easing up on the wall he has inside. Probably, it's both.

But finally, finally, we see some inner-conflict with Booth about this whole situation.

Because there is no way he'd have that look on his face if there wasn't.

Things are moving forward.