One Shot:
This is based on Shakespeare's play Taming of the Shrew. I don't own that either.
Setting: Angela and Jack's eventual wedding reception.
Also, there is an implied Cam/Zack relationship, which I am TOTALLY opposed to. I mean, what is this, Saved by the Bell? Anyways, I needed it for the three couples thing. Oh well.
Reception, part deux, as they were calling it, was well under way. Angela had been excited enough that she was able to actually marry the man she loved that she let Brennan and Cam pick out their bridesmaid dresses. Booth, recognizing the right thing to do, had deferred and let Zack be Jack's best man. This meant he wouldn't be walking down the aisle with Brennan, but I think we all know what that unfortunate incident led to. Booth pulled at his collar at the memory. He had seen a bit of a frown on Brennan's face when he'd pulled Cam's arm into his, but before he could think of it, the music cue had begun, and he'd been walking down the aisle again.
All of these thoughts left his mind as he saw Brennan dancing with a stranger.
"Hey, Ange…who is that guy?"
"Oh, Chip? He's one of Jack's former college roommates. He's flown in especially from his villa in Greece for our wedding. Don't he and Bren make a great couple?" she wheedled, "and since she was once in Greece identifying remains from ancient Olympic sites, they have a lot in common."
"His name is Chip?"
"Oh, you know, it's Charles Jefferson something or other Esquire etc. Jack calls him Chip. Apparently he hates it, but, whatever, right?"
"Yeah, sounds good" he said as he walked toward them.
"Mind if I cut in?"
"Oh, Booth…this is
Jefferson…he's a …"
"Sure, whatever. Look, Chip, I'm
gonna need to talk to Bones here, so…yeah, be seeing you."
"Ah, it's Jefferson…and you are?"
"Booth, but you can call me Special Agent Booth. Hey I think I saw some hummus or pitas or something at the hors d'oerves so, bye, bye, Chip" he said as he twirled Brennan away.
"That was incredibly rude, Booth. We were just dancing!"
"It didn't look like that to me."
"What? So maybe we were also talking, but what business is that of yours?"
"Oh, yeah? What were you talking about, huh?"
"Not that it's any business of yours, but he was telling me about some private beaches he owns, nude beaches if you must know."
"Ha, I knew it! He was hitting on you, Bones."
"No he wasn't! He was interested in having me come there to see them. I told him I was fascinated by the idea that a small intimate culture could exist in the 21st century, and he agreed. That's all."
"Bones, Bones, Bones. He wanted you to come to his private nude beach for an anthropology lesson? Yeah right…he took one look at you in that dress… and well… you know." Booth cleared his throat.
"No, Booth, I don't know."
"Well, you look…very… nice, Bones. You know that. I mean, that dress…wowza…you..look…come on, you know you're gorgeous, alright? So just…trust me, Bones, he was trying to come on to you."
"Well, what's wrong with that?"
"What do you mean?"
"Booth, I don't have a boyfriend. I'm at a wedding reception, a tradionally antiquated mating ritual, so isn't that a good thing, that he was trying to get me into bed?"
"What? God, Bones, no, alright, it's not good, okay?"
"Not good for who?"
"Whom, Bones…even I know that…besides…"
Just then they both noticed the music had stopped, but they were still dancing with one another, and what they had been saying was now the focus of every one in the room.
"Okay, everyone" Zack said into the microphone on the stage. "Test, is this thing on?"
"Zack it's on!" Hodgins yelled from his position at the head table.
"Okay, well, this is the time for all the women to come to the center of the room whereas a man with music will then put on a song in which the ladies will move seductively in order to entice men. Okay, women, come to the middle!...Did I do that right, Hodgins?" Zack whispered the last part to the groom.
"Fine, Zack. I can't have imagined it any other way."
As the ladies moved to the middle of the dance floor, Zack and Hodgins both made their way to Booth standing by the gifts.
"Well, Hodgins, it
looks like a success."
"Thanks, Booth… hey, what was that
between you and Dr. B?"
"What? Oh, nothing new, just...you know, the usual Bones stuff."
"Well, you know, wedding receptions can be crazy!"
"Yes, Hodgins is right, Agent Booth. You see, it is a place where women, normally staid and professional, will somehow loose inhibitions and proceed to behave in such a way as to need to quit their jobs on Monday morning."
"Is that so, Zack? And how would you know this?"
"I've seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Also I recently saw a Shakespeare play at the university, and some girls behind me were talking about it."
"Hmmm…Zack, what do you say, we put this to a test?"
"What do you mean, Agent Booth?"
"Well, you and Hodgins will have to get your women to do something uncharacteristic, and whoever is successful, wins."
"What about you, Booth?"
"Hodgins, I'm the judge. Besides, I don't have a woman here, so I'm exempt."
"Agent Booth, I think you should substitute Dr. Brennan as 'your woman'."
"What? No, not happening…stop staring at me…okay, fine, I'll join the bet, but let the record show that I never once called Bones 'my woman'. If she heard that, she'd rip my face off, and you would be next. Agreed?"
"Agreed" both other men stated.
"What are the terms, Booth."
"Well, Zack, you have to get Cam to do something she wouldn't normally do, Hodgins same for Angela…and me with…Bones."
"This is going to be tough, dude. There's not much Angela won't do, if you know what I mean."
"No, I don't know what you mean, and I'm going to pretend you didn't say that. Zack, what is your idea for Cam?"
"Well, I think I'm going to ask her to try eating sushi. She once told me she can't stand the thought of it, but since we are now kind of dating, maybe if I ask her, she'll do it."
"Okay, not bad…how about you, Jack?"
"Hmmm…I think I'll
ask Angela if she'd go to Greece with me for our honeymoon instead
of Mexico. You see, my friend from college, has a villa in Greece…
and man, it is AMAZING…he's here you should really meet
him…"
"Yeah, I've heard all about it. Sounds good
Hodgins."
"What about your plan for Dr. Brennan?'
"This is a tricky one. I'm just going to ask her to come and talk to me. I'm going to say that I want her to come talk to me, and that I demand that she do it now."
"Whoa, dude, you are so going down, and nice knowing you by the way."
"So what is the prize?"
"Well, Zack…how about 500?"
"Chump change, dude. How about this…if I lose, which I won't because Angela is now married to me, so I think I'm good to go, then whoever wins gets to take the vacation to Greece I have just set up, and Angela and I will still go to Mexico. If I win, then, I'm good to go, and the losers are forced to realize that they are whipped, and I'm a stud."
Hodgins flagged down three waiters.
"Gentlemen, I have a proposition for you. Please take these notes to Drs. Saroyan and Brennan, and this one to my lovely bride."
"Yes, sir"
"Gentlemen, now we wait and see."
The dance floor was beginning to clear out, and another hip hop song was beginning to play.
The first waiter came back with a note for Zack.
"Here you are sir."
"Um, excuse, me, did you actually talk to Dr. Saroyan?"
"Yes, sir, she said she's busy dancing, and that she'll never eat sushi ever, even if it meant life or death, sir."
"Um, yes, thank you."
"OH…Zacky boy! Busted! Haha!"
"Um, excuse me, Dr. Hodgins?"
"Yes?"
"This
is for you."
"Okay… 'Jack, good joke! You really had me for a minute, but deep down, I know you would never go against my wishes and plan a trip without me. I can't wait to see Mexico! Love, Angela (your WIFE…can you believe it?)' Man! This is crazy"
"Haha! Sucker! This is so great!" Booth laughed.
"What is so great, Booth?" Brennan asked.
"Um…what?"
"What is it, Booth? A waiter came over and told me you wanted to talk to me right away, so what is it?"
"Uh…Bones…yeah…um…what I wanted to say to you…is that…"
"What Booth is trying to say to you is that Angela and I have planned a surprise trip for you two to visit a villa in Greece."
"Um, yeah, Greece, that's it, Bones."
"Oh, well, why didn't you just say so, Booth? That's really nice, Hodgins. Thanks. Oh, hey Booth, now I can see the nude beaches Jefferson was telling me about!" Brennan exclaimed.
"Wait a minute…no, that is not happening! No way!"
"Come on Booth, it will be fun."
"Okay, but I am NOT letting you out of my sight."
Brennan leaned up and whispered in his ear… "I'm counting on it", and without breaking eye contact, backed up into the dance floor.
Booth, stunned, felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Congratulations, dude! I always knew you had it in you."
"What's that, Hodgins?"
"You tamed our favorite anthropologist."
"Yeah, I did…but
don't tell her I said that okay? I mean…if she ever found
out…yikes"
"Looks like you've been tamed too, Agent Booth,
or is the term…whipped?"
"Just..shut up, Zack, okay?…Just…shut up."