The Court room was filled to the brim, victims' families, investigating officers, forensic witnesses, lawyers and reporters. This was a big case. A couple had been charged with the murder of three young boys one of which was the son of congressman and the whole country was waiting for the verdict.
To most it was an open and closed case, they had done it, everyone knew it, they looked like they had done it; you could see it in their eyes.
The finest team of forensic investigations had been pulled in as soon as it was confirmed that one of the boys was the congressman's son. The Jeffersonian had become a fish bowl to the outside, everything they did had been judged and overlooked, but they hadn't blinked and there case was solid.
Except for one tiny detail the partners were fighting, bickering if you will or at very least swapping differing opinions in the middle of the court room.
You may ask what they were fighting about was it the infamous evidence vs. gut argument, or was it about the moral implications of the case. Of course not.
For two people of great intellect they did seem to have the worst timing imaginable to have these… coversations.
But admittedly having an argument about the validity of marriage in the middle of Judge Fernley's court room is probably one of their worse ideas.
Now one may assume the discussion was a predictable and maybe even overdue considering that Dr Brennan was 6 months pregnant. You may even have an opinion of how the argument went, Dr Brennan deeming the institute of marriage archaic and Agent Booth disagreeing as he was of the opinion that marriage was the greatest commitment of love a man can make and that could never be out of date. However you would be wrong on Both counts.
Firstly the conversation was in no way predictable and to many it would seem they were arguing for the wrong side and secondly the conversation had come out of nowhere. One minute Brennan had been describing the merits of Apple pie over Cherry (a new found love of pie was one of the side effects of carrying a booth baby along with an incurable appetite and a significantly larger baby bump due to their combined height) and the next Booth had asked the probing question that had been tormenting him for weeks.
"Why do you want to marry me Bones?" The agent had asked
"Huh" The Doctor turned to face him from her seat adjacent to the aisle her face screwed up in the universal facial expression for confusion.
"Why did you say yes when I proposed?" The agent expanded.
"Did you not want me to?" The Doctor who was more intelligent than most didn't like the feeling of confusion, it did not sit well with her, which is why a Man such as Agent Booth fascinated her, He was just so… confusing.
"No I just want to know if you actually want to get married" The Agent emphisised, in a way which was meant to alleviate Confusion but instead heightened it.
"I don't understand why we are discussing this," The Doctor responded her eyes searching his face as if he was a new species to earth "I said yes already"
"I know that but that's not what I'm asking." The Agent was growing frustrated, She was the one person in the world that made him explain himself fully every time, she would never let him off with half measures "I'm asking why you said yes"
"Because you asked." The Doctor answered talking as if the agent had developed a mental problem.
"So if someone else asked you would have said yes to?" The agent Challenged, Her tone always made him take it one step further.
"Oh" She said as if finally solving a very complex puzzle "You want reassurance that you are the only man I would marry, then you can be reassured because I love you very much Booth and intend to be faithful to you." The Doctor answered confidently obviously expecting an A for her answer.
"Not the direction I was going but good to know." The Agent placated.
"You do realise that this often happens when we are fighting," The Doctor started "We have very poor communications skills that often lead to misunderstandings. In the Books I have been reading about relationships they say communication is key to long term relationships. We should work on that." The doctor said as if talking to a colleague
"Books?" The Agent was in Disbelief, What did they need Books for? Disbelief was bad; because Disbelief had always been a signal of the first level of actual fighting between the pair.
"Yes you know those cuboid shaped things made out of paper with words on them." The Doctor laughed as if highly amused by herself. "Actually I did not read them as actual books I read them on my ipad but in everyday speech they are still refer to as Books," The doctor was still caught on her own amusement and when talking about lying her voice became almost conspiratorial "I am at a loss to what else to call them …e-books I guess?" The Doctor finished as if really considering the actual name.
"No I mean why have you been reading books on relationships? Don't you think we are doing ok? I mean last night it definitely seemed like we are doing ok?" The Agent said suggestively. For a man who prided himself in his romantic gentleman side he dose overvalue the merits of Sex in evaluating the state of a relationship. Distraction is level Two.
"I want us to work Booth," The doctor had a tried and tested method of doing things "doing research and comparing theory is how I approach a task why should a relationship be any different?" The Doctor asked trying to mask the hurt she was feeling.
"Because Relationships are about feelings and instinct, everyone is different every couple is different, books can't teach that's stuff." The Agent said with humour in his voice obviously not picking up the signals, the glassy and downcast eyes and the quivering lip, that he was upsetting his other half. Making jokes this is known as Level Three of the Agent Booth guide to arguing with DR Brennan.
"I disagree, there are certain behaviours and problems that every couple will face, therefore using other people experience on how to traverse those obstacles is useful, unlike you and your serial monogamist tendency's," The Doctor said with venom before turning defensive "I have no experience of my own of long term monogamous relationships, as of last week this…us… has been my longest relationship, I don't know what I'm doing most of the time."
"It isn't a test Temperance, not one that you can fail anyway." The agent tried to reassure her but it was too little to late he had upset his Pregnant girlfriend and he felt like a douche bag. The Hormone during pregnancy apparently made him more susceptible to overflowing emotions to.
"Really because it feels like you're testing me when you will not accept my acceptance of your proposal at face value. I said yes remember isn't that usually enough." The Doctor snarled as IF the Agent didn't feel bad enough.
"I just want to make sure it's what you want, that you aren't just doing it for me that you actually want to get married" The agent was still trying to dig himself out of his hole.
"I am just doing it for you," The Doctor Paused trying to figure out how to explain herself in a way he might understand "but I don't see why that makes it any less valid. I have never wanted to be a bride and I have never seen the point of marriage, it's not a big deal to me, but you do and I want to make you happy." She said with a smile.
The Doctors Smile vanished as the Agent pronounced "We are not getting married."
"Whoa" Shocked the Doctor asked. "Why not?"
The Agent was getting prissy now. This Signalled Level 4 in the usual flow of their arguments. "Why do you care? You don't care about getting married."
"I care because you want to be married." The Doctor said as if it was the simplest thing in the world. Unfortunately explaining the simplest thing in the world to someone who speaks a totally different language isn't simple at all.
"Well I don't want to marry someone who doesn't think getting married means anything." The Agent had officially reverted to his stubbornness.
"It doesn't to me but I know it means something to you, and if it means something to you then it automatically means something to me." The Doctor shook her head in disbelief, she was arguing to now. "It's like watching that game with the ball, the big men and the fence, I don't particularly care what team wins but I sit thought entire evenings supporting whatever team you do because that makes you happy. Just like you came to see that French film with me I knew you didn't understand a single word but you stayed awake the whole time because you knew that meant something to me."
"Football and it's not the same because I put in an earphone and listened to the game so I didn't fall asleep." He said vengefully "Marriage is bigger it means that we are joined forever it isn't just something to get through, to endure, it's meant to be the happiest day of your life."
"In case you haven't noticed we are already joined for life, I'm not concealing a pillow under my shirt, we are having a baby." She said motioning towards her growing abdomen. Level two Distraction. "I agreed to forever before we even slept together, the wedding is just a formality to me. I'm already tethered to you. And as for it being the best day of my life, I can't imagine many people think that putting on a dress, organising flowers, cakes, guests, walking down an aisle, making a speech in front of a whole room of people is the happiest they could be. It just sounds stressful and pretentious."
"Uh your just not getting it, how are we meant to work if we can't agree on anything?" The Agent sounded resigned
"Well if it makes you feel better, she had to entice teenage boys into her bedroom so that he could kill them in order to maintain their relationship, comparatively we are quite functional." And level 3 making Jokes.
"You make a good point there." The agent nodded
The Doctor was just about to make a definitive statement about 'how she always had a point and he should listen to her more often' in a manner that could only be described as Level 4 prissy, when they were Interrupted. They were of course still in the middle of Judge Fernley's Courtroom.
"Are you two quite finished." The Judge said in a manner that told that he was used to people listening to him due to years of respect.
"Yes sir" The Agent said Chagrined
The Doctor was not so easily Intimidated "Not quite, I'm confused are we getting married or not?"
"AGENT BOOTH, DR BRENNAN COULD YOU COME UP TO THE FRONT OF THE COURT ROOM," Judge Fernley ordered "NOW"
Booth and Brennan made their way up to the Judges pulpit, jostling each other on the way up.
"Right I personally would like to get this matter cleared up shall we so that we can proceed with today's hearing, don't you agree?" The Judge asked Witting something down on his notepad.
"Yes sir" The Agent said promptly like the teacher's pet or a well-trained dog.
The Doctor rolled her eyes at his antics.
"OK agent Booth this is going to be really simple do you want to marry D Brennan?"
"Yeah of course but…" The agent Started
Judge Fernley put his hand up to silence the agent.
"Dr Brennan, do you want to marry him?"
"Yes if that's what he wants" The Doctor answered in a Childish tone.
"Great, Congratulations with the powers vested in me by the courts of Maryland I hereby pronounce you husband and wife. You sign here, you sign here" The judge said pulling out a page from his notebook that had the words Marriage licence scribbled across the top, "Now can we get back to my trial? You are dismissed."
"Well that was surprisingly easy but I wouldn't have minded a little more flair. He missed the 'you may now kiss the Bride' bit" Brennan whined.
"Don't you dare Agent Booth? Or I will hold you both in contempt now sit down and shut up." Judge Fernley ordered as her heard the remark.