A/N: Okay this is definitely not my best work but this idea wouldn't leave me alone this weekend and as I have a paper due in a couple of weeks, this was a necessary evil. It's likely not factually, grammatically correct etc. but it just some fluffy fun that I hope you enjoy. Oh and it was inspired by a really cute song – Question by Rhett Miller which you should definitely check out. Hifi
PS – I own nothing. Not the characters, the song etc.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was a mid-December morning and it was sunny. She remembers because the bright morning sun made the horfrost on the trees sparkle and she thought it looked beautiful. She had always been an early morning riser – just like her dad. It had been cold the past few days and she was so excited to see the sun, hoping it would be warm enough to go sledding.
Usually on these morning trips her dad would start telling colorful stories about his outdoor adventures as a kid –broken bones, knocked out teeth and all. But today was different. Today, they walked slowly towards the park, the comfortable silence broken only by the crunch of snow under their boots and the gentle whoosh of her toboggan gliding behind her. She couldn't quite put her finger on it back then but looking back now she knows he seemed…..….nervous.
Her dad cleared his throat and sensing he had something to say, she turned to look up at him. With the sun glinting off her auburn hair, he couldn't help but notice how she looked like her mother more and more everyday. "You really are growing up aren't you?" He mused aloud. "I just might blink and you'll be all grown up, married, with kids of your own."
Her eyes clouded with confusion not realizing at the time why her dad was talking about this to her now. "I don't know dad...boys are so...I don't know….gross."
He chuckled, "That's my girl." His face then slowly turned serious. "You know, your mother and I want you to grow up to be whatever you want to be. Don't let anyone stand in the way of that." She eyed her father curiously, her forehead wrinkling the way it does when she is deep in thought. "But," he continued "Someday, if the right boy' comes along and asks you that question, you should say yes."
"Oooo-kay Dad." She replied, seriously wondering if her father had lost his mind. "And how am I supposed to know he's the right boy'? And why are you telling me this now?"
"It'll be a feeling in the pit of your stomach that just won't go away – you're a smart girl Temperance, you'll know." He winked. "And I'm telling you this because dad's need to make sure their little girls are always going to be alright….Race you to the hill."
Distracted, 12 year old Temperance Brennan forgot all about this conversation until today……..
"Awww would you look at that…" Brennan was abruptly brought back to reality by the sound of her partner's voice.
Sitting on the cold marble steps of the Jefferson Memorial, her eyes tried to focus in the direction Booth was pointing. In the distance she spied a young bride and groom posing for wedding pictures.
"Don't they look happy?" Booth turned to ask, a goofy grin on his face.
"What's happy about some antiquated ritual where women are….." Booth cut her off mid-sentence, rolling his eyes.
"Bones, someday somebody's going to ask you a question. And you should say yes…because love like that only happens once in your life." He stated matter-of-factly, the intensity of his stare, causing her to shiver unconsciously.
Not quite ready to face where this might be going, she fired back, "Oh like Rebecca said yes to you?" The brief flash of hurt she saw in his eyes, made her instantly regret her maliciousness.
"No, not like that…." Booth started slowly, pausing unsure if he should continue.
Ashamed that she hurt his feelings, her crystal blue eyes flickered down to avoid his gaze.
Taking her sheepishness as sign he just might not get his ass kicked, Booth took a deep, albeit shaky breath, and explained. "He won't ask you because he feels he has to….. He's going to ask you because he wants to…..and because he wants you." At this statement, her eyes snapped back to look at him. This time it was Booth's turn to look away, searching the dusky sky for guidance.
"He'll ask because you're the first thing on his mind when he wakes up and the last thing he thinks about before he falls asleep." Booth still unable to meet her gaze, he finished softly, "And he'll ask you because he knows that there's no other woman in this world quite like you…..and that there's definitely no other woman in this world that's meant for him."
She sat speechless for what seemed like an eternity, as images of her daydream from only moments ago flashed through her mind, narrated with the words Booth had just spoken. And just like her dad said she would, she knew.
