ACHOO!

by ObsoleteViolet

If only Bones could be sick more often.' The cliche sick story.

ACHOO

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Bones, or I would be writing this on a brand new Mac, not some dumb laptop from 2001. Also don't own those movies.

Spoilers: Up to 'Santa in the Slush' for our most favourite moment.

Pairings: BB for life.

Summary: If only Bones could be sick more often.

Note: I was sick when I wrote this, which is clearly where the idea came from. I know it is a popular idea, and if anyone else has a story identical to this, truly sorry about that.

Rating: K+.

"Booth; I said no!"

"Bones, listen to you! You sound like guy!"

"Oh, thank you. That's such a fantastic thing for you to say."

"Bones please; just once listen to me and go home before your office is swimming in tissue."

"And Booth will you listen to me just once! I'm fine, I don't- I don't- don't- ACHOO!" Temperance Brennan nearly flew out of her seat as she sneezed. Before sniffling once more, she looked up at Booth with his eyebrows raised.

"I told you so. Just go home, you are too sick to work. I'll drive."

"And you promise never to bother me again if I'm sick?" She asked, noting that she did sound like a man with her nose completely plugged.

"Well I can't promise you that, but for now, yes." He said, grabbing her jacket as she stood up and helping her put it on. Just in time, she put her arm through the jacket and brought it up to her mouth before she coughed.

"But what if you get sick for helping me?" She asked Booth, who was grabbing her notes and computer bag and what not to bring back to her apartment. He looked up and shrugged his shoulders at her, as they continued out the door.

"I eat my veggies, they keep me sick free."

Booth placed his protective hand on the small of her back, carrying her items in the other.

"Hey!" Booth closed his eyes in defeat as Angela bounded down off the platform. "Where are you two going?" She asked with a cheeky smile.

"Angela, stop - ACHOO!" Angela backed away, looking between her best friend and Booth.

"She's sick; I'm making her go home." He said, looking up at Zach and Hodgins on the platform. They all nodded; every one of them lost for words. Angela waved to the two as they left, and quickly returned back to work.

Booth helped his partner in the truck, and then placed all her bags in the back seat. He got to the drivers side. After he buckled his seatbelt, he reached behind his chair and pulled a box of Kleenex out and placed it lightly on her lap.

"Emergency tissue." He said, as he started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. She smiled, though it was not the smile he would have preferred. Her skin was practically white, and she was probably running a fever. He would get her home and make sure she had some chicken noodle soup.

She fiddled with her keys, until he reached out, ignoring the shock of touching her hand and grabbed the keys. He opened the door, and allowed her to enter first. Brennan patted her way down the hallway, and Booth followed slowly behind her. He smiled to himself when they entered the room. Clothes scattered everywhere, tissues lining the floor, and her bed sheets tangled into a ball. It wasn't the fact that he was in her room, but the fact that this is the first time he has ever seen Temperance Brennan out of order and unorganized. He would take a shot at her, but seeing as she is sick, he holds off. Booth lays her bags beside the bedside table, and quickly tugs apart her covers to a decent state and pulls down the edge for her to get in. When he turns around, she walks out of the washroom, drowning in a baggy t-shirt and small shorts. He moves out of the way, and she falls into her bed and pillows.

"Thank-you Booth." She says to him, still trying to smile.

"I'm not done yet Bones, you have to eat." She sighed, and tried meagerly to pull her body up. Booth grabbed two pillows and set them behind her back before she could complain.

"Really, you don't have to help me. I don't want you to get sick too." She managed to get that out before she coughed again.

"Don't worry about it. The quicker you get better, the quicker I get my partner back." He said, adding his charm smile, and leaving her room to enter the kitchen.

The thought of always being there for her clogged his mind. We are always there for each other, so I don't understand what the big deal is. Everyone thinks we are more than partners, but that's what partners do; we have each others back. She will always count on me to save her, and I will always count on her to save me. That's what partners are for… At least that's what I've been trying to tell myself every day. The more time I spend with her, the more I grow to need her. It's like getting that brand new toy for Christmas but you can't play with it. He stirred the soup as it boiled on the stove, and prepared a plate of crackers and cheese. The house gradually smelt like chicken soup, and he gently stirred in the noodles so the boiling broth wouldn't jump out and burn him. Every once and a while he would hear her cough or sneeze or do a combination of them both, but ever more he thought of how cute she was when she was helpless. She was cute as long as he was there to help her. He reached up to the cupboard and grabbed a bowl, and was rather reluctant to get anything from the fridge for the obvious reason. Something about being blown up would completely turn you off. He quickly grabbed the milk and butter, and pulled out a long tray from the side of the oven. Convenient, he thought to himself, and he placed the bowl of soup, his side plate, and a glass of milk on the tray. Now all I have to worry about is dropping it.

"Come in." She said through sniffles, and the door opened with a smiling Booth. She noted that he had shed his jacket and had rolled up the sleeves to his white shirt, and also buttoned it down slightly. She moved the computer currently in her lap, and Booth placed the tray of food there.

"Chicken noodle soup a la Seeley." He said smirking. She laughed, and looked down at the perfect array of food and condiments.

"Wow Booth, I never knew you could be such a good cook." She said as she looked back up at him.

"Well, I try." He replied. He watched her delicately pick up the metal spoon and dipping it in the soup, only to bring it out and bring it to her mouth. The only thing he watched the entire time was her lips. First smiling at his comment, then slightly parted as she stared down at her spoon, and then puckered as she blew on the soup on her spoon. Without hesitation, she tried the soup for the first time. She looked up at him in surprise.

"Booth, it's great." She said, but quickly placed the spoon back in the bowl and reaching for another Kleenex before she sneezed. He sighed happily at her, and waited till she was finished blowing her nose.

"I'm going to go down the road and pick something up for your nose and throat-"

"Booth-"

"Don't you 'Booth' me, you sound horrible. Then I'm going to stop by my place and grab some comfortable clothes and a few feel-good movies." She tried laughing, but all that came out was a cough.

"Remember how I don't have a TV?"

"It's called a portable DVD player Bones; some pop-culture might be good for your health."

Booth reentered the apartment, the smell of chicken soup still lingering. He had a bag of groceries and a bag from the pharmacy, along with a bag of clothes for himself. He wasn't exactly sure how long he was going to be, or how long she was going to let him stay, but he brought pajamas never the less.

"I'm sorry; I can't do a sign- signing today." Booth followed the voice until he found her slumped against her pillows; her nose and eyes red from sneezing, coughing, and sniffling, and her cell phone lightly pressed against her ear. "I really am sorry, but I feel absolutely horrible." Booth felt the need to, as she says be 'an alpha male', and help out his Bones. He placed his things on the floor, and walked towards her bedroom. He did not knock, nor did he ask to come in, he just walked in, directly up to her bed and grabbed the phone from her soft fingers.

"I'm sorry; Dr. Brennan is unable to do anything today. If you would like to schedule an appointment with her, you will have to call back tomorrow." With that he closed her cell phone with a smile. She stared at him in awe, and before she could reply, she sneezed again.

"Booth! You shouldn't have done that!" She said; her voice raspy from her cough.

"Come on, you can't deny that you were trying to do the same thing." He said, questioning his sick partner as she slid deeper into her covers.

"Well, I guess so." He smiled in reply, and sat on the edge of her bed. "I stopped by the pharmacy and grabbed you come common cold stuff; and not the gross stuff either. I also went to the grocery store and bought some fruit, and more soup."

"Thank you Booth, really. I don't know what I would do without you." His heart skipped a beat as soon as she said that. He got up off her bed uncomfortably and shuffled out to the door.

"Don't mention it Bones." He said quickly, and went back to his bag to grab some sweat pants and a plain white t-shirt.

'I don't know what I would do without you.'

She really said that. Seeley calm down, it's not what you think it is; she just knows that no one else would look after her. Well, that does prove a point. He would do anything for her, but looking after her sick is nothing. More like throwing himself in front a bullet. But being a nurse, he does that because he cares for her – a lot. Alright, that's a slight understatement, maybe he possibly, naahhhhh. Seeley Booth does not have those feelings for his partner; Psh.

He opened the bathroom door, and placed his neatly folded clothes back in his bag. He opened his other two bags on the kitchen counter, pulling out some Neocitron, Tylenol, and cough-lollipops (Parker's favourite for when he has a cold). The he pulls out some fruit from the other bag; apples, oranges, pears, strawberries, and grapes. As quickly as he could he threw a bowl of fruit together, and took out two packets of yogurt from the fridge and placed them on the tray. He walked back into the room, and she looked up from her computer. She looked back at her computer, but she watched as he walked to the opposite side of the bed, turning on the small light on the bedside table.

"Booth, what are you doing?" She asked, as he placed down the tray, and left the room once more without a word. He reentered with a one small black bag with zippers and compartments, and the other a normal white plastic bag. She watched her partner as he put both bag beside her and climbed into bed with- "Whoa Booth, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to watch a movie with you. Why?" His stare was completely oblivious while hers was annoyed.

"Booth, I'm sick! You can't spend some quality time with a sick person." He smiled back, and made himself comfortable in her bed.

"If I'm going to get sick, it will have already happened. And besides, I have food." He replied, and pulled the tray and placed it between them. "See, you take a piece of fruit, and dip it in the yogurt. It's good, I know you'll like it; and it's all healthy." He could see it now. 'He seduced me with fresh fruit.'

"Well, thank you Booth. And what's with the bags?"

"One has lollipops for you, and the other is my mini-TV." He replied, smirking at her confused look at 'lollipop'.

"You call candy drugs?"

"Well, you can look at that two ways Bones…"

"You know what I mean." She said rolling her eyes.

"They have medication in them, for your throat. They work, trust me." He said, and he put them back in the bag and pulled out the movie and DVD.

"Well, that was enjoyable."

"That's all you can say?! Enjoyable?"

"Booth, what do you want me to say?"

"Maybe that it was amazing?" He said, nudging his partner. One tray of fruit, two lollipops, and one dose of 'Top Gun' later, Brennan was curled up next to him. It was awkward at first, but she was probably leaning over subconsciously, considering her mind isn't in its right place right now. She was surrounded by little balls of Kleenex, and her head resting on his shoulder. As a good partner would do, he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in closer; to his surprise he still had his arm. He also leaned his head on top of her, as the space between the two of them disappeared. He was slightly depressed as the movie finished, knowing she would probably want a nap, and the fact of having to separate himself from her didn't seem enticing. She quickly (and considering she was sick, she was moving moderately slow) got up and went to her closet without a word. Booth watched her carefully, not sure of what she was going to do. Sure enough, she came back with two more layers on and an extra blanket.

"Cold?" Booth asked, as he watched her climb back into bed and threw the blanket over her.

"Yes, and this is not enjoyable." She said, looking back at him. Her voice still sounded off, but she was no longer coughing.

"Hold on," Booth said, as he leaned over and ever so slowly placed his hand on her forehead. He felt like he just placed his hand on an electric fence. He might as well have kissed her because that's what it felt like. He got past the initial shock, and then he felt the burning temperature of her forehead. "You definitely have a fever. You need a nap; and take some Tylenol first."

"Booth, I don't need medication-"

"Bones, it's just for your temperature. Do you want the chills all night?" He said, in a calm voice. She finally shook her head, and he took out two for her to take. He got out from his side of the bed (to his dismay), placing the DVD on his bed side table and picking up their empty tray of fruit. As she curled back up to her pillow, he left her room and came back into the kitchen. Booth looked at the clock on the stove, 1:43 pm, and placed the tray on the counter to clean for later. Have to go say good nap first.

As he walked back into her room, he was surprised to not see her sleeping yet. She was fluffing up pillows, and laying them in a distinct pattern. He sat down on the side of the bed, ready to let her have a nap. She looked up at him smiling, and then her face turned confused.

"What?" Booth asked; his eyebrows arched.

"You aren't having a nap too?" Whoa whoa whoa, time out! Was she just inviting you into bed?

"Pardon?" He said again, unable to contain his boyishly goofy face.

"Well, you said it yourself. If you are going to get sick it has already happened. So – I just thought – well that you would keep me company." She said, as her face went slightly red. And it was definitely not because she was sick.

"Oh, well, do you really want me to?" He asked. If she was going to cross the line, she was going to have to say it out loud.

"Yes, I would like you to; besides, you are a lot warmer than I am right now." Holy crap, she wants me to sleep with her and cuddle with her? She needs to be sick more often.

"Uh, sure; one second." He told her. If she wants it, she's getting all of it. Booth walked over to the empty side of the bed and without a second thought, pulled off his t-shirt and exposed his bare chest. He watched her looking at him with a questioning view. "Better body heat." He said with a smile. He could have sworn he saw her smirk, as he pulled back the covers and slid into bed. Before he could do anything, she had curled her shivering body up against his and pulled his arms around her. He could feel her racing heart beat against his chest. Is she nervous, or is that part of being sick?

"Thank you Booth. Have a good nap."

"You too Bones."

The sound of a shower startled Booth, and his eyes fluttered open. As his eyes adjusted to the lights, he sat up. At the sight of his bare chest, everything came back to him. Smiling to himself, he laid his head back on the pillow. Of course Temperance Brennan can't stay in bed a whole day.

She'll be out in a while.

Finally the bathroom door opened, and never had Booth ever felt so awkward. There was his partner, wrapped in the smallest towel in the world, basically leaving nothing to the imagination. And she has been in his imagination a lot. Luckily everything was covered, but he couldn't help it if his cheeks went red.

"Good afternoon Booth." She said with a smile. She was free of her congestion and it felt nice to be clean and fresh. She always enjoyed having a shower when she was sick, because it was bound to make her feel better.

"Feeling better?" he asked, cursing at himself for staring.

"Yes actually. I still have a slight fever, but that will probably be gone in a while." He smiled at her, and as she walked in her closet, he took a few deep breathes. She came back in a new pair of pajamas, and made her way back into bed. Booth held open the sheets for her as she got back in and immediately cuddled up to him. He gave out a sigh of relief, happy that she found this comfortable, and pulled the covers over them.

"What are we going to do now?" He asked, hoping she wouldn't take that the wrong way.

"Do you have anything in mind?"

"I brought another movie?"

"That should work." She replied, sitting up where she was before, careful to lean against Booth once more. Smiling largely, he leaned over the bed to pick up the DVD, and brought it up and placed it on his lap. Glancing at Bones to his side, he strategically picked out a specific movie, and pressed play. As soon as it started, Brennan felt herself laughing.

"Mary Poppins? I used to watch this when I was little." She said smiling up at Booth.

"So did I Bones, that's why I brought it." He said, as she found the familiar place in his chest with her head resting on his shoulder.

He wasn't crazy, she was clearly flirting back. Ever since Christmas, things have been, flirtatious, between them. He had been holding her more, she would be laughing with him more, and they would often be caught by the Squints staring at each other. They always had dinner together, and sometimes even breakfast and he didn't feel awkward about it at all. Ever since that kiss, things seemed to go together; they seemed to go together. And as he looked down at her now, laughing at the jokes in the movie, her bright eyes shining more than normal, and her body pressed against his, he seemed to put two and two together. We left that line behind a long time ago; a very long time ago. He couldn't deny the attraction he has had to her since they started working. It didn't show until Kenton tried to kill her, when she held onto his neck. He knew he wasn't crazy then. Then when she was taken by the Grave Digger; never has he ever felt so split up. It felt like the better half of him had left; and Booth wasn't crazy then. Then when they went to Las Vegas, which was unbelievable. The first time she nearly kissed him, how great she looked in that dress; he was never crazy then. At Christmas, when they had to kiss, and he could have fainted right then. And he was not crazy then. So nearly three months later, here she was, curled up with him in bed watching a movie. The last three months have been heaven and hell all mixed together. He was thankful that she was more open with him, but every time he saw her, he had the urge to kiss her. Holding himself back was one of the hardest things he has ever had to do. But right at this moment, he wanted to kiss her so lightly that she would barely feel it.

They had paused the movie to go get more snacks, and as she cleaned the scattered Kleenex on the floor, he walked back to the kitchen to clean the dishes. He looked at the clock once again, 8:53 pm, and smiled. He had nearly spent an entire day with her, start to finish. Not to mention they spent most of it together in bed. Booth was surprised how natural it felt to walk around her apartment without a shirt on, casually pinching himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He quickly finished the dishes, and fixed them another bowl of fruit, and got one more glass of water for Bones. Picking up the tray once more, he headed back to the bedroom and laughed when he saw her spread out oh her bed, half of her clothes off. Only a loose t-shirt and short were on her as she panted loudly.

"Want to grab me some ice Booth?" She said, sitting up on her elbows.

"You need to take more Tylenol, because your fever is still there. It's much better though, so you won't have to take any more after this." He said, placing the tray on her now clean bed side table and felt her head again. She twitched slightly, and he shook his head again.

"You aren't as hot, but you're still bad. Here." He passed her the Tylenol, and handed her the new glass of water. While she took a drink, he went into the washroom and wet a wash cloth with freezing water. He came back and saw her underneath the covers, the top half of her body out.

"What is that?" She asked, pointing to the wash cloth. He sat down on the edge of the bed, his body touching hers.

"Lean back." He told her, and when she did, he lightly placed the wash cloth on her forehead. She let out a sigh, and smiled at him.

"You're a great help Booth. I would still probably be dying right now if it weren't for you." Booth nodded, and picked up one of her hands to hold on to the wash cloth. Once she had it, he climbed over her and got into bed beside her, as if taunting her instead of walking around the bed.

"Well, when you have a kid, being a good nurse comes naturally." He said, climbing back into the sheets. They started the movie once more, and even though she was burning hot, she still leaned against his bare chest for the rest of the movie.

She was out like a light by the end of this movie. As quietly as he could, Booth placed the DVD on the ground, and placed his partners head softly on her pillow. Just as he got out of her bed, her body shifted and her eyes never opened as she spoke.

"Booth," her voice was low and quiet, but dreamy nevertheless, "You're coming back, right?" He couldn't help but smile, and he put his hand on her forehead. Not a sign of a fever; he pushed a piece of hair out of her face.

"Sure Bones." He replied, and took their tray to the kitchen. Nothing about sleeping with her fazed Seeley now after an entire day. He was surprised how even he was tired, whether it was the comfortable pillows or the snuggling partner that was calling him. He grabbed her another glass of water before going back in. She was sleeping once more; her soft breathing was all that could be heard. Gently putting the water on her bedside table, he walked to the other side and slid into bed. Like before, the second he stopped she moved to sleep against him. Booth let out a sigh, and pressed his lips to the top of her head; she let out a muffled sound and mumbled to him.

"Night Booth." He lightly kissed her head, and closed his eyes.

"Goodnight Temperance." Without another second, sleep took him.

She was up first, that didn't surprise him one bit. He would have been up any other day, but since it was Saturday, he always slept in. Booth couldn't possibly open his eyes, so he got one slightly open and watched her turn off her alarm and cuddle back up to him. He closed his eyes again, and immediately fell back asleep. Two hours later his body finally woke up, and he wiggled his arm free from Bones' and stretched. She was still sleeping, but she woke up again as he got out of bed. Incoherent mumbling, but Booth knew what she wanted; coffee.

Her kitchen wasn't a tidy maze anymore; he knew it like his own. The coffee was made in five minutes, and he made her first out of courtesy (Two cream, one sugar), and then made his (One cream, one sugar). Thankful for leaving the door open on his way out, he used his hands to carry the very hot coffee into her room. As he pushed open the bedroom door, he saw his partner sitting cross legged and staring at him with contentment. She was able to smile today, her eyes that bright blue colour he liked so much, and the bright red colour was gone from her nose. Her almost laughed at her tousled hair, but then reminded himself that he probably looked like Alphalpha right now.

"You look better." He told her, handing her a cup and then climbing back onto his side.

"I feel better; do I still have a fever?" She asked, clearly excited that she wasn't sick anymore. She put her coffee on the coaster beside her alarm clock and leaned towards Booth, awaiting his Doctoring skills.

"Let's see," Booth said, placing his free hand on her forehead once more, "Much better." He said with a smile.

"Am I cured?" She said, while his hand lingered on her forehead.

"I believe you are, but I would stay in bed for the rest of the day just to be sure. No work for you." He said, finally taking his hand off her and placing it back on his coffee cup, which he placed on the bed side table.

"Finally!" She said, and she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately on the lips. Booth fell on his back, his head hitting the pillow, and she straddled his stomach, her hands pressed on his well-defined chest. The fact that she was kissing him because she wanted to, not as a bet made it even better, as he placed his hands on her waist and kissed her just as hard. Finally she broke away from him, her hair hanging beside her face as she stared down at him smiling.

"Wow." Were the only words that Booth could say properly at the moment. The familiar feel of her lips against his was stinging his memory and the sparkle in her eyes were piercing his.

"I've wanted to do that."

"I've been waiting to do that since Christmas." Booth admitted.

"Well, naturally so have I." She replied, rubbing her hands on his chest. She leaned down and kissed him once more, but not that hard; just a sweet kiss, and then moved to cuddle against him. "I realize this is a bad time to bring it up, but what does this mean." Booth let out a large sigh, but continued nevertheless.

"This means that we definitely crossed the line a good twelve feet, maybe more." He said, adding his charm smile.

"Now that I've done that I won't be able to contain myself, I hope you know that." She said, but as an honest confession.

"Then I guess we will have to be a couple won't we?" Booth asked.

"Booth, relationships even dating back to archaic times- "

"Don't think about then, think about now; about us." He said, rubbing his hand up and down her arm softly. Bones nodded, and pondered a minute.

"I'll have to get used to it, but we are official, just so I have this straight?" She asked, as Booth turned to look at her and kissed her cheek.

"As official as we are ever going to be."

"Angela, hi." Bones said into her phone. Booth sat with her, his arms encircling her waist.

"Sweetie! How are you? How's the stud?"

"We are fine." She said, trying to dike Booth's kisses from distracting her.

"You sound fine, but I had to check upon you. You would have to die before taking a Saturday off." Brennan placed her hand over the phone, whispering for Booth to stop.

"Really, I just want to make sure it's completely gone so that I don't pass it to everyone else." She said, nearly breaking out in a giggle in the middle.

"Alright, how's Booth?" She asked. Booth pulled up his head when he heard Angela say his name, and continued placing kissed down her neck. He had been surprised that Angela called, but she was Bones' best friend after all. They had been eating breakfast in bed and just finished as she called. His lips just skimmed hers as she let out a repressed groan, which she barely disguised.

"He is great Angela, but I have to go." Once again she pressed her hand over the phone and playfully smacked Booth in the arm. "Stop or the entire world will know once Angela screams."

"He's great? What is happening to you Bren?" She asked, as Brennan put the phone back to her ear.

"Really Ange, we are fine. Don't worry. I will –"She tried to stifle a laugh but she was unsuccessful, "- I will see you on Monday."

"Wait! You giggled and you said 'we'. Booth is still there isn't he!?"

"Ange, its six o'clock, I need to eat. Goodbye Angela."

"No! What is going on?" Angela asked, before her best friend let out a loud laugh. Booth grabbed the phone from her hand and pressed it against his ear.

"Goodbye Angela." He said, and smiled at her loud gasp.

"BOOTH! I-" Booth closed the phone, and nonchalantly threw it on a stack of blankets on the floor, before pressing his mouth against hers. As her hands ran through his hair, his hands held her hips. They broke apart, and his partner laughed.

"I think Angela is going to faint." She said, curling up to Booth again, loving how they fit together perfectly.

"I don't doubt it for a minute." He said, and kissed her head once more.

Fin.