Brennan was sitting on a tall stool, bowed over a long steel table. One elbow pressed into the slick shiny surface, her hand cupping her cheek. Her other hand, one finger delicately extended, sliding tiny pieces of a skeletal puzzle across the silver metal, trying to find the right spot for it to rest. It was a time consuming process requiring her uninterrupted concentration. But it was also a process she adored. The puzzle pieces jumbled in front of her. The step by step demystifying process that ended in a perfectly recreated piece of human beauty.
Booth stood watching her from the doorway. His mouth was dry. His hands trembling ever so slightly. He shoved them deep into his pockets. One wrapped around the tiny cold circle nestled in the bottom of his pocket. He had been carrying it around with him for a month. He was trying to find the right moment. His problem was, there never was that perfect moment in time for him to drop to one knee and declare his love and ask her to be his wife. Not that he actually even knew how he was going to do it. He just knew that he needed to do it. Soon.
He wandered slowly into the room, shuffling his feet, his hand lightly sliding along the opposite edge of the table. "Hey Bones" he said simply. She glanced up, her eyes slightly glazed, as they always were when she had been concentrating. "Hi" she replied, equally simply, her eyes dropping back to her work. He conscientiously let his hand reach towards a wishbone shaped piece of bone "DON'T! Touch that Booth" her voice dropped from it's initial harsh tone. "I'm sorry. It's taken me seven hours to get to this point Booth. For some reason, I'm just" she stammered, "I'm".
He walked around the table and reached out, rubbing her back with one hand, his fingers gently kneading the knots in her shoulder. "You're tired Bones. You always have trouble recognising when you're exhausted. I know you want to get this done. To finish it. But sometimes, you just have to take a break. How about we go, grab a cup of coffee and something to eat. We can check in on Christine in daycare, then you can come back with fresh eyes. Please?" he asked.
Brennan looked up at him from under her brow, then stood up straight, wincing slightly as the muscles in her back pulled. "You're right. I've been hunched over this for so long, I can't even recognise some of these pieces any more" she said, gently touching a few slivers of alabaster coloured bone. He guided her away from her work, his hand passing over the bones, then gently resting on her back as he propelled her towards the door.
He walked her back to her laboratory. She turned, kissing him, and smiling into his eyes "Thankyou. I really did need that. How is it you always seem to know what I need?" she asked. Booth shrugged "Eight years is a long time Bones. I know you. Sometimes better than you do." he said seriously. Brennan stared at him. he really does know me "I guess I'll leave you to it" he said, taking a step back, but watching her, not quite ready to leave her.
Brennan turned and sat on the stool staring at the bench. She sighed, her eyes roaming across the pieces "I suppose I better try to finish this" she sighed. Her eyes suddenly catching something that shouldn't be there.
"What?" She turned and stared at Booth, a ring held between her forefinger and thumb. It was a small perfectly formed circle of eight tiny square flat blue/green Australian opals set into a plan platinum band with one bright sparkling square blue topaz set between them.
Booth plucked the ring from her fingers and held it up for her to see. "Eight opals, one for each year we've been on this journey together. They represent emotions, like love, passion and spontaneity. And we definitely have had that" he said, hopefully.
She smiled at his face, he looks like a little boy who's gotten an A on a test, "You've been doing some research Booth!"
He nodded "and this?" he indicated the blue topaz, which sparkled under the lights of the laboratory "this is a blue topaz". Brennan interrupted him "Which represents courage and overcoming fears and obstacles" she said softly "which I definitely have done, because of you."
Booth smiled at her, leaning in and pressing his forehead to hers. He closed his eyes and took a breath."Marry me Bones. Look, I know this isn't the romantic setting, with flowers and music like you probably deserve. But it's the right setting for us, the right moment for us. I love you. Marry me?" he asked again, his voice barely a whisper.
Brennan didn't hesitate, she held out her hand, "the bones can wait, I don't want to anymore" she whispered. Booth held her hand, and smiled, the ring slipping perfectly onto her finger.
"I'm taking that's a yes?" he asked, just to be sure.
Her lips upon his was all the answer he needed.