Disclaimer: I don't own them, I didn't create them, and I certainly don't profit from them. I do however, enjoy bringing them out and playing with them once in a while.
Author's Note: I was dying for a little interaction over the fact that Brennan had no clue what American Idol was and thought that while Booth recovered they might just share this kind of moment.
"So do a lot of people watch this show?" Brennan was perched in a chair that was scooted right up next to Booth's hospital bed. He was going to make a complete recovery from the shooting, but it meant that he was going to have to spend a little time in the hospital; something that didn't set particularly well with the alpha-male ex-sniper FBI agent in him. In fact one of the nurses had let it slip to her that if Booth hadn't been so 'hot' they'd be counting the days until he was discharged.
Booth let out a snort as he gestured towards the television which was far too small for his taste, "Do a lot of people watch this show, Bones? This is American Idol – everyone watches this show." In fact Parker had wanted to make sure that his dad didn't miss the finale and had suggested that he could smuggle him out of the hospital if only he was old enough to drive, but when Booth mentioned that Bones was going to watch it with him, his son sounded excited.
"Then why haven't I heard of it?" It was logical, if everyone watched it and she was in fact part of everyone and she had never seen it then clearly everyone did not watch it. She smirked knowing that she had made a logical and compelling argument that Booth couldn't refute.
"You mean besides the fact that you still don't own a TV?" Booth quirked a brow at her in amusement. He made a mental note that he was going to find a way to buy her one when he got out of the hospital so that she could catch up on her pop culture education; something that he might just have to introduce her to since she surely wouldn't watch the TV on her own.
If she hadn't had a hint of a smile in her eyes, her glance could have sank the average man six feet under and was mildly effective on Booth.
"Ok, look over 30 million people watch it, which makes it the most watched show in America," Booth conceded on a technicality, but he couldn't help but smile at his partner who was spending her evening with him rather than some pile of bones from limbo; in fact she'd spent most of her evenings with him right here since he'd been in the hospital.
Brennan seemed satisfied with his answer and she leaned her elbow onto the bed as a blond man who she guessed was in his early thirties announced that this was in face American Idol that they were watching. If this was indeed the most watched show in America as Booth claimed, she wondered why the blond man had to remind them what they were watching. She furrowed her brow as she took note that there were two contestants left and they were both named David, "How do they keep score?"
Booth snorted, "They don't keep score, Bones, people call in and vote for who they like best, then tomorrow they'll announce who wins." Here they were into the seventh season of American Idol and she'd never even seen an episode until now.
"How can they know who they like the best when they've never even met them?" Brennan seemed momentarily confused.
"Singing, Bones, they vote for who they like best as a singer," Booth wasn't sure that he was going to be able to get through the final singing match up if he had to explain everything to Bones; he had thought he'd already explained the concept of the show. She was a good singer herself; clearly she could form an opinion on who she thought would be the winner. In fact he was going to make her call in her vote at the end of the show so that she could have the whole experience.
"Oh, ok," That seemed to be enough as she settled in for the first singer David Archuletta. Brennan was impressed with the talent of the young man, especially when she factored in his age. She was sure that the other contestant couldn't be nearly as good as he crooned a Sinatra song.
Booth kept steeling glances at Bones as she watched the next contestant David Cook – his favorite – begin his first song. He couldn't help but smile as Bones seemed to lean forward a little and start to rock out a little bit in her chair, she was definitely enjoying this and he was enjoying watching her experience the epitome of American pop culture.
Brennan couldn't contain herself as the song wrapped up, "He is very good, his performance has a lot of energy and he seems to command the stage – almost alpha male in comparison to the other singer's more emotional rendition. Both of them have very good voices." It was very interesting from an anthropological perspective.
Booth let out a soft chuckle, "Yes, they do don't they?" He only wished that her own opportunity to let loose and sing for all of her friends hadn't been interrupted in such a violent manner – he was glad that he was going to be ok, not just because he was going to be ok, but because that meant that she wasn't going to have one more person ripped away from her and she wouldn't blame herself that he was gone. They had already talked about how he would do it again in a heartbeat if that what was necessary to protect her. That was followed by her stating that if the FBI would allow her to carry a gun then she'd be better prepared to help protect him right back. She had a point really, if it hadn't been for her quick shot, him taking a bullet for her would have been in vain.
"So how many songs do they sing?" Brennan glanced over at Booth only to find that he'd been watching her more than he'd been watching the show; a slow smile spread across her face.
"Uh, I think three," Booth had been thinking quite a bit since the shooting; he knew that he'd been entertaining more than friendly feelings for his partner for some time and being shot had really made him wonder if he should act on them – life was just too damn short.
Brennan nodded and smiled back, "I'm glad you suggested this...this is nice." It wasn't nice that Booth was in the hospital, but it was nice that he was going to be ok and that she had the opportunity to just sit here like this with him. Whatever claims that she'd made that they were just partners had come crashing down the moment he had taken that bullet for her. Of course that didn't mean that she was ready to say anything to him, merely admitting it to herself was a big enough step for now.
"Yes, this is nice," Booth didn't really care which one of the Davids won, he just cared that he was sharing the evening with Bones and in a somewhat impulsive move, he reached out and enveloped her hand in his, giving it a squeeze. He wasn't going to leave her; if he had anything to say about it – not until forever was over.
If Brennan was surprised at the gesture, she didn't show it and she left her hand in the safety of Booth's and leaned her head against his shoulder. Yes, this thing between them, these feelings that they both apparently had would come out soon enough, but for now sitting here with him knowing that he was safe while they listened to beautiful music seemed to be the most perfect moment she could imagine.
The End