Title: Breathless Rain
Author: Mana
Rating: PG/ K
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Pairing: B/B sorta…
Spoilers: None…let me know if you see one.
Authors Notes: Kind of a post ep for Intern in the Incinerator…B/B+Intoxication

The moonlight bounced off the dewy grass, lighting up the garden. A breeze was blowing lightly, ruffling the trees and ushering in the clouds from the west. There was a subtle chill to the air, one that, while not unpleasant, evoked the sense that autumn was close and the last dog days of summer were drawing to a close.

Brennan chuckled softly as the gentle breeze caught her hair and whipped it into her half-open mouth. Spitting the strand of hair out from between her lips, she looked down at her watch. 11:42 She was just now leaving the Jeffersonian after a, well what she could only term, drinking match with Booth. A pleasant little buzz had overtaken her about an hour ago. She probably should have stopped then, but seeing the sparkle in Booth's eyes as he looked at her had created this warmth deep inside and she couldn't stop. It was nice to bond like this with him. Now here it was, she looked at her watch again, 11:43, and she, Dr. Temperance Brennan was flat off her ass drunk.

Inebriated.

Sloshed.

Then again, so was her partner.

"Bones, Bones!" she heard the aforementioned partner call out from behind.

She swirled around, immediately regretting the decision as she felt the liquid in her stomach jostle. Taking a step forward, she reached a hand out in front to try and balance herself. Suddenly, the world seemed to spin and she saw the sky at her feet…or that's how it appeared. Logically she knew that couldn't happen, but logic and perception didn't always agree. Feeling something grab her hand, she pushed forward, landing directly onto Booth's chest. She looked up at him.

"Whoa, Bones, you okay?" he laughed, his eyes dancing.

She nodded and tried to stand up, only succeeding when Booth helped her with a hand on her elbow.

"You're drunk," he said, his face contorted with laughter.

"Yeah, well, so are you," she replied, smiling at him and pushing away his steadfast hand.

His eyes opened wider as he lost his balance and fell to the ground. She couldn't help herself, she laughed out loud.

"See, you can't even stand erect," she pointed down at him.

He raised a brow and mumbled something she couldn't quite catch.

"What," she asked, bending down slightly.

"I said, I stand fine. I wanted to sit down…look at the stars a bit." He reached up and grabbed her hand. "See." Tugging gently, he pulled her down on the ground beside him. She laughed again as she kept on going until she was sprawled out on the ground, laying next to him, the cold dew seeping through her clothes. He lay back until he was stretched out beside her, shoulder to shoulder, each looking up at the vast heavens above.

"You can't even see the stars, Booth," she said, not moving her eyes from the sky. "The clouds are obscuring them."

"So, we know what they look like. Pretend," he tried to whisper, but didn't succeed. Placing his finger on his lips, he shushed her.

"Why are you telling me to be quiet? You're the one being loud," she said knotting her brows together.

"Oh," he chuckled, which turned into a laugh and grew until both were laughing wholeheartedly.

They turned to each other.

"I love it when you laugh," he whispered, this time so quietly she barely heard him. Reaching out, he pushed an errant tendril of hair away from her cheek, tucking it behind her ear. His hand stilled, settling on her cheek.

She grinned. "That was so…" she giggled. "Cliché." Her giggles overtook her again and her whole body shook with the force of her laughter. She couldn't remember being this happy and carefree for a very long time.

Removing his hand, he joined in her laughter, "Yeah, it totally was, but it's so true. You don't laugh enough Bones." He turned away, looking back toward the clouds overtaking the sky. "You really need to laugh more. "

She quieted and looked over at his profile, darkened so she could barely see it. Reaching over, she softly ran her finger down his forehead and nose. His eyes drooped and closed as she moved along the tip of his nose, and down onto his lips. She scooted closer to him, squinting as she studied his features. He turned towards her, his eyes still closed. Letting her finger continue its exploration, she skimmed across his bottom lip and over his cheek, finally letting her hand fully rest against his face, cooled from the air. His eyes opened slowly, and he locked his gaze on her.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice low and raspy. Suddenly, the mood had shifted from jovial laughter to seriousness.

"I don't know…" she said and for the first time in her life, she really didn't know.

Their heads moved as one, both leaning in to the other, eyes still steady and fixed on the others. Finally, her eyes slipped shut as she felt his breath flutter against his lips. And then…something wet.

And not a good kind of wet.

Opening one eye, she looked up at the sky, and a raindrop hit her in the face. She turned to Booth as he looked up, the rain becoming heavier. Booth quickly jumped to his feet, an impressive skill for a man who was not exactly sober. He helped her up, and they quickly ran the few feet back towards the Jeffersonian veranda.

"Well, that was unexpected," he said, looking out into the downpour. She wasn't sure if he meant the rain or the obvious near kiss they had just experienced.

"Yeah," she agreed, feeling the effects of the alcohol beginning to wear off. "Nice though. I love the rain."

He looked over at her, "Me too."

A heavy silence settled over them, each caught in their own thoughts, as the rain poured around them. Finally, he broke the silence.

"Well, how about I call you a cab. I don't want you driving right now," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets.

She nodded silently, agreeing with his rational.

He pulled out his cell phone, and dialed a quick number. Before she knew it, the cab had arrived and the rain had died down to a slow drizzle. He walked her over to the cab, opening the door for her. Another cab was on the way for him, so he looked over at her, gesturing for her to sit. She looked in the cab and then back up at him.

"Thanks for tonight, Booth," she started. "I really think I needed it."

He smiled softly. "Hey, that's what friends are for, right?" Placing his hand on her arm, he squeezed slightly. "Get home safe, okay. Call me when you get in?"

It was a simple request, one she usually would chalk up to him trying to dominate over her, but this felt different, like something had shifted between them, so she just nodded in acquiescence. Turning, she got into the cab, and he shut the door behind her. The cab, pulled away and she fought the urge to look back at him. Raising her hand, she lightly traced her lips, remembering the feel of his breath dancing over them. As they turned the corner, she took one more chance and looked back at him, somehow not at all surprised to see his hand touching his mouth as well.

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