A/N: Well, I've gone off the deep end yet again and am starting another fic. I tried desperately to let it go, but the idea wouldn't let me be, and continued evolving in my head. I thought of making it a one shot, but there were too many possibilities for it not to be multi-chapter. I'd like to dedicate it to all those reading P&P who are drowning in the flood of angst I've created in that fic. As is my M.O., this is a trial chap. Enjoy!
Chapter 1: meet your new friend
Dr. Lance Sweets was in the small back room of his office, checking on something. He had a bit of a surprise in store for Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan. The surprise was doing just fine and Sweets smiled. This was going to be an interesting experiment. Their interaction skills were about to be put to the test.
He closed the door to the back room and sat down in his chair, folding his fingers together and patiently waiting for them to arrive. Brennan and Booth entered his office exactly 2 minutes late,
according to the psychologist's watch. Booth crashed into his chair, while Dr. Brennan seated herself primly in hers.
"Ok, so I was thinking about the case you two told me about last time we met, the one with the baby," Sweets began.
"His name's Andy," Brennan broke in.
"Right, Andy. Well, anyway, I couldn't help but think about how interesting it would have been to see you constantly interacting with him. Particularly you, Dr. Brennan, with your aversion to children."
Brennan frowned. "I do not have an aversion to children. I just don't want any of my own."
"All right, I take that back. Anyway, I devised a project for the two of you to tackle. It'll be weeklong. I've taken the liberty of getting both of you some vacation time. Agent Booth, you'll be working only on Tuesday, and Dr. Brennan, you'll be working on Wednesday."
"Why just one day?" Booth asked, already not liking the idea.
"You'll find that out later on. Does it sound agreeable?"
"I think I'd like to hear what we'll be doing before I agree to anything," Brennan said.
"I was just asking the question as a courtesy. It's already been arranged; you don't really have any choice." Sweets punctuated his statement with a big smile that both Brennan and Booth wanted to wipe off his face.
"Come on Sweets! You can't possibly expect us to agree to this, to go in completely blind," Booth told him. Sweets thought for a moment.
"You're right. I'll throw you a line. Part of the project is going to involve the two of you cohabiting for the week. Where doesn't really matter."
Brennan looked aghast, but Booth looked interested. "Cohabiting? As in living together?"
"That's exactly it." Sweets smiled again. He'd had a feeling that he'd hook Booth with that one. He was totally interested in his partner, and the way he kept trying to deny it was laughable. He watched Booth glance over at his partner's aghast expression.
"It wouldn't be that bad Bones. You look like Sweets is sentencing you to death or something."
"I apologize if I offended you. Do you want to do this?"
"Sure, I mean, it just sounds like us cohabiting for a week, and reporting to Sweets on our interactions." He looked at Sweets. "Is that right?"
Sweets nodded. "Basically." He was leaving out one little detail, but that could wait a while longer.
Brennan looked at her partner, weighing the pros and cons in her head. Finally, she nodded her head in assent.
Sweets grinned devilishly. "Wonderful!" He got up and went to the back room, leaving Brennan and Booth looking at each other slightly confused.
He returned with a small puppy in his arms.
"What is that?" Brennan asked.
"It's a wiener dog!" Booth informed her.
"A what?"
"A wiener dog, Bones."
"It's a dachshund, Agent Booth. Four months old. And it's yours for the week!"
The color drained from both faces as they stared at the puppy squirming in Sweets' arms.
"What do you mean it's ours?" Brennan asked slowly.
"You're taking care of this puppy for the week! You'll interact with it, and each other. Sort of like you did with Andy. Only this time it'll be documented! There's a camcorder in that box!" Sweets juggled the puppy while excitedly gesturing to the box on the table that, until that moment, had gone unnoticed by the other two.
"Sweets…" Booth began but didn't get any further than that. Brennan was just shaking her head.
"There's also a book of baby names and supplies in the box as well. I want you to name the puppy. Whatever you like, it's up to you, as long as you agree." He thrust the puppy into Booth's arms and the box into Brennan's. "See you in a week!" he said cheerfully, ushering them to the door.
Before they knew it, they were standing outside the office door, staring at Sweets' name in black print on the door.
"What just happened?" Booth asked.
"We agreed to take care of a puppy for a week," Brennan replied.
"Ok, I just wanted to make sure." He turned from the door and headed down the hallway, still holding the wriggling puppy. Brennan lingered in front of the door for a moment, considering pounding on it until Sweets opened up. In the end, though, she jogged down the hall, catching up with her partner.
"Is it a boy or a girl?" Booth asked when they were standing in the front lobby.
"Look and see," she said.
"What? No, I'm not looking."
Brennan rolled her eyes, put the box down, took the puppy from Booth's arms, checked it, and handed it back to him. "It's a girl."
"She's kinda cute," he said, giving her a scratch under the chin. "I always wanted a wiener dog when I was a kid."
"Sweets said it was a dachshund."
"Same thing. Sweets also said we were supposed to cohabit; so where do you want to cohabit, your place or mine?"
Brennan thought for a moment. "Your place. I'll stop by my apartment and get my things, and meet you back at your place."
"Why my place? I was sure you'd want us to stay in your apartment."
"Well, I considered that, but I also considered the fact that the puppy is only four months old."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Most likely she's not house trained. I'll see you in a bit!" She headed for the door with the box, leaving Booth with the puppy. He held her out at arm's length, brown eyes meeting brown eyes.
"You'd better be house trained, or Sweets is dead," he told her. He cradled her once more to his chest and headed out the door with her. His worst fears were confirmed when he put her in the seat next to him in the car only to discover a wet spot on the front of him.
He sighed and eyed the puppy critically. "The first of many, I'm sure. Next time, though, you're getting Bones." He climbed behind the wheel, and began the drive home.
A/N: So?? To continue, or not to continue; that is the question. Let me know what you thought and thank you for reading!