What Do You Get the Forensic Anthropologist Who Has Everything?
It was early Saturday morning and Brennan was bored. Angela had made it clear that she wasn't to go into the lab today, just because it was her birthday. Big deal. It was just another day, she'd argued, but Angela was firm. Brennan knew she could expect several calls over the course of the day, just to make sure she hadn't gone back on her promise. Laying the paper aside, she dropped her head back against the couch cushions with a groan. She wasn't accustomed to inactivity.
The welcome sound of the doorbell pulled her out of her funk. Bouncing up, she hurried to the door and swung it open with a smile. "Hi," Booth said with a grin. He was holding a large box. "Happy birthday!"
Brennan opened the door wider. "Hi. Did we have plans?" she asked curiously as he came in. He set the box on the coffee table.
"No, but I wanted to give you your present," he said with barely contained excitement. Just then the box whimpered and Brennan looked at it suspiciously.
"You didn't have to get me anything," she protested, approaching the gift cautiously. Then it moved and she had a sneaking suspicion what was in it. "Booth…" she began in an ominous tone.
"I really wanted to get you this. C'mon, don't you wanna open it?" he coaxed with his cocked smile and warm brown eyes.
She sighed. "If it's what I think it is, no," she said grumpily. Another whimper came from the box and she relented. Opening it, her suspicions were confirmed. The black lab puppy practically jumped into her arms. She lifted her chin as he tried to lick her face and she chuckled in spite of herself.
"See! He likes you," Booth said, grinning.
Brennan turned on him. "That doesn't matter, Booth. You have to take him back. I can't have a dog."
Booth reached out to stroke the puppy's silky head. "Aww, why not? Look how cute he is."
Brennan rolled her eyes. "Because I'm never home!" she argued. "I don't have the time to devote to training a dog."
"Bones, it's really not that time consuming and you need the protection. I'd feel better if you weren't here alone."
"I've lived alone for years. I can take care of myself!" she exclaimed, exasperated with his over protectiveness.
"Really? Did you look through the peephole before opening the door just now?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
She pursed her lips. "No," she admitted unwillingly. He made an 'ah-ha' face that just made her angry. "I am perfectly capable of defending myself if the need arises," she insisted stubbornly, shoving the dog into his arms and stalking into the kitchen. "Do you want some coffee?" she asked.
Booth followed her with the puppy. "Yeah, thanks." He watched her pull out a cup and pour the coffee, adding just the right amount of sugar. She turned and handed it to him with her lips in a stubborn thin line. Time for another tactic. "I'll help," he offered. She folded her arms and raised her eyebrows. "Really," he said soberly. "When you have to work late, I'll come over to walk him. And I'll help you train him."
"What about when I have to leave town for months?" she argued.
"You can leave him with me," Booth said as the puppy started licking his chin. "See, he likes me too," he said with a grin.
Brennan narrowed her eyes at the puppy. "I suspect he likes everybody," she groused. Her folded arms tightened and Booth suspected she was resisting the urge to touch it. He took a sip of the coffee and set it on the counter, then lifted the puppy toward her.
"C'mon, how can you say no to a face like that?" he teased.
A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. She didn't know which face was more appealing, the dog's or Booth's. She reluctantly took the puppy from him, and stood there stroking its ears and head. She chuckled as it licked her neck and she hitched her shoulder to stop it. Booth sensed victory was close. Her next words confirmed it.
"What's his name?" she asked, laughing out loud as the puppy started licking every part of her face he could reach. Booth grinned and reached out to pet the wriggling pup.
"I thought I'd leave that up to you," he said with a chuckle.
"I could call him Seeley," she said, sliding him a look.
Booth frowned. "No! You're not naming a dog after me!" he said firmly. He caught the teasing light in her eyes, but decided not to take a chance that she was serious. "How about 'Beau'?" he suggested desperately, saying the first name that popped into his head.
She looked thoughtful, then glanced down at the dog. "Hmmm, Beau. Yeah, I like it. Beau it is." She set the dog down and he squatted to pee immediately. "You can clean that up!" she told Booth, who was looking amused. He accepted the command with grace and went to grab a handful of paper towels while Brennan got out a bowl and filled it halfway with water.
"I've got some puppy food in the truck, along with some chew toys and a collar and leash and a bed," Booth said, smiling as the puppy lapped the water sloppily.
Brennan sighed and shook her head. "I can't believe you got me a puppy. Why didn't you just get me a gift card?"
Booth stepped close to her. "I wanted to give you something to love that would love you too. I don't think you get enough love," he murmured.
Her eyes shot up to meet his and widened at the tender concern she found in his eyes. Her mouth went slack as his hand came up to stroke her cheek softly. Words came to mind, but couldn't get past her heart in her throat as he bent his head to kiss her, a mere whisper of a touch.
She froze as sensations whizzed through her. Booth stepped closer, trapping her against the counter, deepening the kiss when she opened her mouth to say—what? The words escaped her as quickly as they came, whisked away by the incredible pleasure that was singing through her body. Somehow her arms were up around his neck and she was clutching him tightly, suddenly a willing, no, eager participant. Booth groaned at her surrender, pulling her closer as though he wanted to absorb her into his being.
Things were getting out of hand, Brennan thought wildly. This couldn't be happening. They were partners, friends, this could only end in heartache. The litany went on and on in her mind, louder and louder until she couldn't ignore it any longer. She finally found the strength to break away, uttering a small groan as she turned to lean on the counter and drop her head forward. She flinched away when Booth touched her shoulder.
"Don't," she said hoarsely. Her heart rate and respiration were slowly returning to normal, but they'd pick back up again if she let him touch her. Booth stood next to her, close but not touching, waiting for her to look up at him. He had a long wait.
She turned away from him, stumbling blindly into the living room, collapsing on the couch. Booth followed and sat beside her, hands clasped to control the urge to take her back in his arms. She was going to need a little time to adjust.
"Why did you do that?" she finally asked, and Booth glanced over to find her looking at him with a bewildered expression.
"I've wanted to for a long time. I've—almost kissed you a dozen times," he said huskily. His eyes probed hers, searching for acceptance or some sign that she shared his feelings. Whatever he saw gave him the courage to continue. "I've been fooling myself for a long time, telling myself we could just be friends. But not any more."
She closed her eyes against the exhilaration that coursed through her at his words. She'd longed for this for ages, she hardly dared believe she wasn't dreaming the whole thing. She opened her eyes as he touched her hand. "When you were buried alive, I went crazy. Even as I was working the clues and hounding everyone to find you, I was praying. I—I made a deal with God. If he would bring you out of it safely, I'd tell you how I felt, take a chance that you felt the same. And I would do everything in my power to keep you safe." His voice cracked on the last word. "And He did. You came out of it and I was so—relieved."
Brennan frowned. "God didn't save me, Booth. You did," she argued.
Booth shook his head. "He led me to you," he said firmly. "He used Zack to figure out your location and it wasn't by chance that I saw that puff of dust. He led me to you," he repeated, moving closer. "I don't want to be just friends and partners any more. I love you."
She studied him for a long, agonizing moment, and Booth waited, hardly daring to breathe. Finally she gave an odd little sigh coupled with a half smile. "I love you, too," she whispered and Booth's heart suddenly remembered to beat. Still, he waited for her to make the next move. She leaned in to kiss him softly. "This complicates things," she murmured against his lips.
He smiled. "I like complicated," he whispered, and then he kissed her deeply, wrapping her in his arms, close to his heart. She went willingly, pushing away all of her doubts. There'd be time to deal with them later. Right now she wanted him.