Summer is officially here! That means I can write again, and I decided to get started with a one shot. This is just a fun bit of fluff. Tell me what you think.
Sitting in a Tree
Booth and Brennan were in his SUV and as they often did on these rides they were bickering.
"It's a valid point, Bones, you're 5 months pregnant you shouldn't be out in the field anymore."
"It's hardly a dangerous assignment Booth. We're just going to talk to the victim's former girlfriend."
"You've obviously never heard of a bunny boiler." Booth muttered as he didn't really have a good retort.
"There are many people in the United States who eat rabbit, Booth. It may not be typical, but it's hardly unheard of."
"No, Bones. It's from a movie, Fatal Attraction. We should watch it this weekend."
Brennan smirked knowing that she'd won the argument, "It's a date." Booth genuinely smiled at the words. Who would have thought she'd ever say those words to him in a literal sense?
When they arrived, Booth knocked as he asked, "So what's the ex's name?"
"The file says her name is Jennifer Nichols. She lived in Pittsburgh, but she moved here a few years ago."
"I knew a lot of Jennifers in Pittsburgh." Brennan raised an eyebrow as Booth realized what he'd said. "I mean..." Just then the door opened and Booth breathed a sigh of relief.
"Yes?"
Booth jumped right into his introductory spiel, but he wouldn't be allowed to finish it. "Ms. Nichols. I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth, this here's my..."
"Oh my gosh! Seeley? I can't believe it! I haven't seen you in forever!" Jennifer reached out and hugged him. "It's so good to see you! And this must be your wife. I'm Jennifer Nichols." Jennifer said it all in one very fast stream, as she held out her hand to Brennan. "And you guys are pregnant! Oh my gosh, that's so great! So do what do I owe this blast from the past?"
Booth was in shock, "This is my... my... my Temperance..." He couldn't believe he actually knew this Jennifer and he was busy running through the 20 Jennifers he'd known as a kid trying to figure out which one this was.
Brennan was glad at Booth's inarticulateness as she wrapped her arm around his and laid her head on his shoulder. This only caused Booth to become even more speechless as she didn't even bother to correct the woman. "So how do you know Seeley?" She said in her best little woman impression.
"Oh, I know him from elementary school back in Pittsburgh! I was his girlfriend. But it's a long story why don't you two come in and sit down?"
Now that Booth knew which Jennifer it was, he knew what long story this Jennifer was going to tell Brennan and he stood rooted to his spot. Brennan however, pulled on his arm to get him walking, smirking as she went.
Once inside Booth and Brennan sat down on Jennifer's floral print love seat as she sat down on an equally floral armchair. Booth attempted to get this interview back on track, but was shut down by Brennan who appeared very interested in Jennifer's story.
"I knew Seeley from Kindergarten, but we didn't become girlfriend and boyfriend 'til we were in fourth grade. Before then he had cooties." Jennifer giggled, "You know how it is. But the day I decided that he was a prince was when he took me to the nurse's office after I fell off the monkey bars. Then we decided to become boyfriend and girlfriend. He was so sweet! We'd hold hands and everything."
"Everything?" Brennan asked.
"Yeah, we'd share lunches and he'd give me little gifts. One day he gave me a Cracker Jack box and it had a ring inside it. So then Seeley asked me to marry him, can you believe it?"
"Oh, I can believe it."
"You should have seen it. It was the cutest little schoolyard wedding. I can't believe the things kids come up with, can you?"
Booth glanced at Brennan's mocking face and sighed. But at least now that he'd been embarrassed they could get back to work.
Back in the SUV Booth was intent on discussing the case, but Brennan was only giving him one word answers.
"Is something wrong, Bones?"
"No, nothing's wrong. Now I know why you wanted me to stay in the lab. Why you were so anxious about it."
"Bones, I was anxious about your safety."
"Of course you were. It had nothing to do with being worried about what I'd find out."
"I didn't even know who she was before we got there."
Brennan continued as if she hadn't heard him. "You were worried that I'd find out you were married before."
"Married! I was nine!"
"You seem to ask a lot of women to marry you."
"I didn't even ask her! She just thinks I did. She opened up my Cracker Jack box and found the ring. It was like the Holy Grail of Cracker Jack prizes, every girl on the playground was looking for one. It was some game the girls made up where the girls who found rings would" Booth took his hands off the wheel to air quote "get married. Before I know it, she's holding a bunch of dandelions and some kid with a shit-eating grin on his face is pronouncing us man and wife."
"And you couldn't have gotten out of it?"
"I didn't want to hurt her feelings. All her friends were there. Besides we were moving to Philadelphia the next week. I figured I could tough it out 'til then."
"Hmmmmm." Brennan crossed her arms and looked out the window.
"C'mon Bones look at me."
Brennan refused.
"Bones, talk to me. I know you're not upset about something that happened when I was in fourth grade."
"Actually that is exactly what I am jealous about."
Booth's eyes widened at her admission and Brennan turned to face him as she tried to take back what she'd said.
"I meant upset, I am upset. Not jealous, jealousy is irrational and I am a very rational person."
"Yes, you are. Bones, you are the most rational person I've ever known, so if you're feeling jealous then it must not be irrational."
Brennan smiled at his attempt to make her feel better and she reached across the console for his hand.
"It's just that this girl, even at the age of nine could see in you what took me seven years to see as a fully adult human being."
"Bones, she didn't see anything in me. I was just her life size Ken doll. You're the only one who knows me. Okay Bones?"
Brennan smiled as she lifted up his hand and kissed it, causing him to smile as well. But then she started to speak.
"That is inaccurate, Booth. There are many people besides me who have met you. "
Booth groaned as he turned his eyes back to the road ahead of them, but on the inside he was smiling.