Chapter 1 Pictures of You
It was a beautiful and crisp Saturday morning in December when Booth gathered up the picture frames his wife had painstakingly purchased and filled with their favorite photos. One by one he hung each print in the hallway and slowly a timeline began to form. When he was done, they stood shoulder to shoulder admiring the scene. In the middle of the wall, taking the place of honor, instead of a picture there was a clock, handed down through the generations. There was, on the left, a large panoramic print of the Jeffersonian crew from the Medio-Legal Lab including Agent Booth. Underneath it was a picture of Seeley in the hospital, holding a newborn Parker.
this is the clock up on the wall
this is the story of us all
this is the first sound of a new born child before he starts to crawl
There were pictures of Seeley and his Army Ranger unit, armed and outfitted for combat, the proud snipers standing tall. A beautiful shot of the same young man returning home, caught up in his mother's thankful embrace. Each moment captured and framed in a silver casing.
this is the war that's never won
this is the soldier and his gun
this is the mother waiting by the phone praying for her son
There were pictures from weddings, including Booth's own, the handsome groom dancing with his mother, with Angela Montenegro and, of course, with Bones. An especially adorable print showed the blonde bride spinning a flustered Dr. Addy. Now Booth stood in his hallway and pulled his bride into his arms,
"It's finally done, Alex, I think it looks good, don't you?" Alexis smiled up at him and nodded.
pictures of you
pictures of me
hung up on your wall for the world to see
There were pictures of the pair as children with their respective friends and family. Booth hoped he'd left enough room for pictures of their own children.
pictures of you
pictures of me
remind us all of what we used to be
Alexis laughed lightly at a print of Jack Hodgins, eyes wide with conspiracy as his wild hair seemed to stand on end. Several candid shots from inside the Jeffersonian Lab were clustered at one end of the long hallway, pictures from the "Valley Fever Christmas" and many of the team hard at work on their cases.
there is a drug that cures it all
blocked by the governmental wall
we are the scientists inside the lab just waiting for the call
Booth pointed to a publicity shot of Dr. Brennan at the movie premiere of Bred in the Bone. Alexis remembered, with a short laugh, how Seeley had been called away on a case and couldn't accompany her as planned. Instead she was pictured with the movie's Andy Ryan, Jake Gyllenhaal.
this earthquake weather has got me shaking
inside i'm high up and dry
The wall was transformed from an empty space painted green to a canvas that would rival any artist.
pictures of you pictures of you
pictures of me
hung up on your wall for the world to see
pictures of me
remind us all of what we used to be
Alexis turned, watching her husband view the memories appreciably. She couldn't wait until Parker could see the finished product.
"Which one is your favorite?" She asked, waiting for his honest reaction, already guessing how he would respond.
confess to me
every secret moment
every stolen promise you've believed
"It's hard to choose…" Booth paused, knowing the correct answer should be their wedding picture. It was a good day and if he had to choose one from that day it would be of the dance he shared with Bones. He smiled, remembering how she'd whispered how happy she was for him on that day.
confess to me
all that lies between us
all that lies between you and me
His eyes scanned the prints, waiting for one to catch his attention and hold it. There was one taken in Las Vegas, "Tony" and his "Roxie". Another, of a puckish Caroline Julian staring appreciably at two lip locked non-lovers under a sprig of mistletoe, thanks to an equally puckish Angela.
we are the boxers in the ring
we are the bells that never sing
there is a title we can't win no matter how hard we must swing
"Come on, just pick one Booth," Alexis chided, poking him in the gut.
"Okay, okay, give me a minute!" He stalled, still scanning the wall.
pictures of you
pictures of me
hung up on your wall for the world to see
pictures of you
pictures of me
remind us all of what we could have been
"I think," He finally decided, "it's the one down there on the left." He pointed and Alexis noted the print with a small frown. It was not the one she though he would pick.
"The one of you and Bones and your dad?" She questioned, uncertain of his choice.
"Yep. That's the one that means the most because it was right before we met you."
"I don't understand." For as long as they had known each other, been friends and lovers, Alexis trusted Booth's heart if not his logic, something that had rubbed off on him from Brennan herself.
pictures of you
pictures of me
hung up on your wall for the world to see
"It reminds me what things were like… before… and how different they might be without you and I like that picture because it reminds me how wonderful things are now with you in my life." Alexis smiled and they shared a soft kiss.
pictures of you
pictures of me
remind us all of what we could have been
what could have been
we could have been
Parker and Alexis Booth were still focused just on each other when the door opened and Seeley Booth ushered in his partner and own wife, Temperance Brennan.
"Hey, kids! Merry Christmas Eve Eve Eve!" Seeley called, setting down a pile of presents on the floor next to the tree.
"Oh, you finished the photo wall, it looks great!" Temperance praised, hugging Alexis and then Parker as she gazed over each print.
"It sure does," Seeley agreed, pointing to the right end of the wall where some space remained. "What's going over there?" Parker smiled and rubbed his wife's belly.
"Pictures of Parker Junior with his parents and grandparents."
pictures of you
pictures of me
remind us all of what we could have been
what could have been
End Chapter
AN: This can be considered a companion piece to "Truth, Justice and the Lies we Tell Ourselves" which introduced Alexis. Thanks so much to Melissa for the beta work, help with the title and coming up with yummy Jake Gyllenhaal for Andy Ryan. Merry Christmas everyone.