I was watching some of season four the other night, and when I watched the Gravedigger episode where Booth is kidnapped, I wondered what significance could Bones have for being so insistent on Booth being there for her "Big Night", and if it could be something more than the deep friendship they have. I wrote this to come up with a fun possibility that does not include Booth being taken by the Gravedigger at all. I hope you enjoy it. Gregg.
Disclaimer: I don't own, or profit from, these characters or franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Bones snapped her cell phone shut, pulled up to Booth's building and sighed. If she was going to make sure he was there on time it looked like she was going to have to take him there herself. Not that she minded necessarily, as she wanted some alone time with him anyway, but he did lie to her about already being on his way. His neighbor knocking on the door made that abundantly clear. Getting out of her new hybrid SUV she made her way up to his place and knocked on the door. When it opened she had to restrain herself from reacting to the impressive sight if Booth in a tuxedo.
"Bones!" he said, surprised to see her as he was just going to head out the door and hightail it to the awards ceremony. Now she definitely knew he had been fibbing a bit on the phone about where he was.
"Are you ready?" she asked, keeping her face stern, though wanting nothing more than to walk in, close the door and rip his clothes off so she could ravage him. To Hell with the awards ceremony.
Booth was having a bit of trouble concentrating as all the blood was trying to make a mad dash to a certain piece of his anatomy below his belt buckle. Bones was absolutely stunning in that gown! He mentally began to recite some Saints to regain some control.
"Uh, ready for what?" he managed to ask, albeit in the middle of his recital of all the Saints he could remember.
Bones sighed in frustration, but also no small amount of amusement. She was far from clueless when it came to men who were turned on by her, and Booth was most definitely turned on. She would think about that one later. For now, she had a specific task to accomplish.
"To go to the ceremony," she said, a smirk on her face. "Since you obviously are running behind, I will drive us there."
"No way, Bones," Booth protested. "I can drive myself, and anyway, I always drive."
"My car, my keys, I drive," Bones said firmly. "Or should I e-mail everyone you work with as to exactly why you don't like meatloaf?"
Booth paled slightly. "You drive," he submitted. "You've been hanging around Angela way too much, Bones. She's been teaching you far too many dirty tricks, like blackmail."
"I already am quite proficient at blackmail, as you well know from the Cleo Eller case," she pointed out.
"I still don't like it, Bones," he told her a bit petulantly as they left his building and got into her vehicle, he frowning as he got into the passenger seat.
"And I am still quite sure you aren't supposed to," she told him, echoing her comment from that case, with a smirk on her lips.
He had to admit that the banquet and ceremony wasn't that bad. Obviously when it was a private organization footing the bill for the occasion the level of quality made a quantum leap. The last time he had been to an FBI banquet, which he'd taken Bones to, the meal had been so lousy that they'd ate at the Diner afterwards instead of the skimpy, and horribly overcooked, meal at the banquet. At the moment he was enjoying a dessert of apple pie with some of the best ice cream he'd ever had.
"What was the hold up in getting here, Studly?" Angela asked when Bren went up to the head table to prepare for the awards presentation.
"What are you talking about?" he asked, a bit confused as they had arrived twenty minutes early. Granted, the rest of the Squint Squad was already there and bored to tears at being so early, but so what?
"Bren was freaking out when she called me and you weren't at the Jeffersonian yet with all of us to head over here," she replied, watching his reaction carefully.
Booth sighed. "Now that Cullen's been promoted, my new Boss, Hacker, who is a complete idiot and total waste of skin, is trying to strut his stuff and rule the roost. I was busy on paperwork that that putz wanted done today even though Caroline told me this morning that she didn't need it, or even want to see it, before next Thursday," he told her with obvious venom.
Angela was a bit surprised at the harsh words coming from Booth. Sure they'd all seen him angry before, and his view of criminals was decidedly negative, but he rarely spoke so harshly in tone about someone. It reminded her of just what the man was capable of if he really let his anger loose. It wouldn't be a pretty sight.
"Well, it's important to Bren that you're here tonight," she said simply.
"Just why is this award so important anyway?" Booth asked curiously, wondering if he should maybe have done something special for Bones.
"The organization giving this award is one of three private foundations in the world that rank up there with the famous Royal Societies or Academies," Hodgins said from his spot. He was dressed in a very expensively tailored tuxedo. Obviously he was impressed if he was so dressed up. "Basically only the best of the best get honored by this group, Dude."
"Dr. Brennan gets awards and recognition all the time, Seeley, but she never attends the ceremonies, and only sends a videotaped acceptance," Cam added. "The fact that she is attending this one, invited us, and was adamant about you coming, says a lot about how highly she regards this award."
"Why was she so adamant about me being here?" Booth asked, ignoring the rolling of their eyes when he asked that question.
"One of these days, Studly, you're going to be remembering these times and wonder how you could have been so oblivious," Angela said with a frustrated glare, but then they all moved on and began listening to the presentations.
He knew exactly what she was talking about, but felt that whatever happened was between himself and Bones. A lot had happened this past year, and he was leaving her in the driver's seat. In his own mind he'd made enough of a mess of things as it was. If she wanted more, then he was more than ready, but she had to make the first move.
Booth was impressed with her acceptance speech. She offered her thanks to the Foundation and appreciation of the work they did in the field, as well as the people she worked with to make her research possible. Then she discussed where she thought further effort was needed and the hope that the Foundation would continue to work in those areas. All in all it was a very well thought out, and well presented, speech. He told her so when she got back to the table.
"Thank you," she said, a small tinge of a blush on her cheeks. She had always liked it when Booth complimented her as she knew he meant it since he was not prone to insincere platitudes. While she was comfortable in clinical settings, like when she would give lectures to her graduate students, she was never very sure of herself when in this kind of setting. It made her feel better that Booth thought she had done well.
Of course, not all of the evening was to his liking. When the dancing started she was whisked away and danced with a number of men who, no doubt, were serious patrons of the Foundation. His blood boiled when he saw one of the letches shift his hand down to her ass, but was pleased when she gave the guy a look that would freeze penguins into blocks of ice and the guy left with his tail between his legs. He decided enough was enough and made his way over to her and cut in, receiving a look from the guy who was then dancing with her, but he didn't give a damn.
"Thank you," Bones said with a sigh of relief. She was getting decidedly tired of fending off the advances of the men here, especially as the only one who interested her was the one she was dancing with right then.
"I can go over and arrest that guy for sexual assault," Booth suggested, mentally praying she would say yes so he could inflict a little hurt on the schmuck, though knowing she wouldn't let him.
"While I certainly did not appreciate his advances, he only felt my ass, Booth," she told him, knowing that he would understand that he was to drop it.
"It's still not right, Bones," Booth argued.
"No, it's not," she agreed. "But if I reacted to every man who had groped me before, I would now be in prison for various felony assault convictions, and possibly attempted murder."
While most would take that as a joking statement, he knew what she was capable of, so he conceded. She may be somewhat more free in her sexual life than he was, or what he was comfortable with, but he had never known her to encourage, or accept, overly demonstrative come ons. He didn't know about when she was out looking for some action, which days he worked damn hard to block out of his mind, but he highly doubted that her comfort zone on the subject was much different.
"You'd find some way to hide the evidence and come away Scot free," he said confidently.
Bones chuckled and continued to enjoy the dance without talking. She had hoped to be able to enjoy some dances with Booth this evening. It would be a nice lead in to what she had planned for later. She only hoped that he would be interested. Deciding to ignore the constant urge to evaluate and ponder, she simply let her mind relax and focus her attention on how incredible it felt to be in his arms while moving across the dance floor.
"Does anyone else have the impression that something different is happening between them tonight?" Sweets asked out loud, echoing what the rest of the Squint Squad was thinking as they watched the two partners dancing. He was relieved when everyone simply nodded in agreement with the observation. Maybe things would work out this time.
A/N: This is the first of two chapters. I have the last one written and will be posting it either tomorrow or the day after. This story was written as I work on the next chapter of The Perils of Delivering A Seminar, and another chapter of Making The First Move. I have also begun working on a new chapter for my long neglected story The List. I hope you enjoyed this opening chapter. Gregg.
