This one is different. I have written in some of my stories mention of Booth's priest, who I call Father Mitch. I've always wondered what that man's perspective is on the possible relationship of Booth and Bones. Well, after hemming and hawing about it, I decided to finally write a first person perspective of that, using a written commentary by Father Mitch. I hope you enjoy it. Gregg.
Disclaimer: I don't own, or profit from, these characters or franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
In order not to break the sanctity of the confessional, I am putting this in writing so that I may in some small way confess to my thoughts and actions over the course of time. No one will ever read this, but the comfort to my soul that I am expressing all of this will be a balm to my personal tribulations in dealing with the confidential nature of the confessional.
I am sure that at some point my Brothers in Christ, my fellow Priests, have all had a parishioner that stood out from the rest. In good ways. In ways that makes a good priest want to thank God for the privilege of knowing that there are indeed examples in the human race that shine with God's love, and also God's grace and forgiveness. I have one such parishioner. His name is Seeley Joseph Booth. I have known him since we were in college. He chose the military, and subsequently the FBI for his career, while I chose the Seminary, and subsequently was ordained a Priest in the Roman Catholic Church. It was a very pleasant surprise when I was transferred to head my own parish in Washington, DC and found that Seeley Booth was one of my parishioners.
In the beginning of the renewal of our friendship, he had a hard edge about him, one that hadn't been there in college. Of course I knew about the abuse he suffered as a child, but his Grandfather, Hank Booth, bless him, had given Seeley another path to follow, with the love and care that a child deserves, and can honor later in life. No, this hard edge was born of years in the military and taking on missions as a sniper, and later having a child born out of wedlock, all culminating in a gambling problem. He had a very good job with the FBI, though, so I was confident that this fine man would move in the right direction soon. We all stumble, but with God's Grace, we all have the ability to pick ourselves up and continue on in the right manner.
About eight years ago, though, something changed in Seeley. Or, rather, someone. He began to mention a woman when he would come in to discuss things with me, or when he would come to confession. He wouldn't discuss who she was, and I didn't even know her name, outside of the nickname of Bones he had given her. In fact that was one of the first things he confessed in regards to her. The name. He confessed that he got pleasure from her reactions to his calling her that. Nothing too sinful, but Seeley is one of those who strives for a genuinely clean conscience, thus his confessions are always somewhat detailed.
I will never forget the first time he ever mentioned "his" Bones. It was an early afternoon and I was placing new hymnals throughout the chapel. Seeley came barreling in, an excited nervous tension rolling off of him. I knew right away that something had happened. He didn't make his way to the confessional, though, so I figured that he simply wanted to either commune with God, or have a discussion with his friend. It was the latter, though he did spend some time in silent, reflective prayer after our conversation.
I have to confess that his opening statement shocked me. "I've found the one," he told me with a glint of certainty in his eyes as he said it. It wasn't just a simple solitary "one", though. It was the proverbial, stop the presses THE ONE. We talked for some time, and I slipped into the former role of close friend for this one. I don't think that it is right to deny one the wisdom of a friend by always staying in the rigid role of a priest. It would be denying the very humanity that God has blessed us all with, including priests. Of course I never lose sight of my vows and the role that God has given me in the world, but I want to be able to reach beyond that, and Seeley deserves that outreach. It is a balancing act at times, but one I gladly perform.
I was shocked to find that the woman he considered THE ONE was so much the opposite to my good friend. Seeley Booth, a devoted, if not completely devout, Catholic falling for a self-professed Atheist who preferred logical science to Faith in God and God's plan. I was also not terribly shocked to find that after the case that they had worked together they had had a falling out. Seeley was in a bad place, but I was pleased to note that he now had the desire to end his gambling. It seemed that this Bones had given him a purpose, and that purpose was enough to end his addiction. We spent several hours discussing all of this, and Seeley left determined to see her again at some point. I had little doubt that he would.
A/N: This is the end of chapter one. I have several chapters in mind for this one to look at Booth and Bones from Father Mitch's perspective. I hope you enjoyed this beginning. Gregg.