A/N: After the various Father Mitch stories I have written, and the one I am working on continuing, I decided to take a quick peak at Booth reaction to the idea of Mitch becoming Pope. Here is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it. Gregg.
Disclaimer: I don't own, or profit from, these characters or franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Booth was sitting in the living room of the house he had shared with Bones for the last fifteen years. His attention was glued to the television. For the last week the Conclave was being held in the Vatican to select a new Pope. What made this so special was that his good friend, and confessor of long standing, Mitchell Cardinal Stevens, or as Booth called him, Cardinal Mitch, was a participant in the process. He knew that there was no chance that Mitch would become the new Pope, but it was fun to speculate.
"It's going to be a bit before there is a result to announce," Bones told her husband with a wry grin. She'd been needling him all week about his attention being so absorbed by what was being played out in the Vatican. "You can leave your seat and come to dinner."
"After the next vote, Bones," he assured her. He had long ago gave up on the idea of converting Bones from her Atheism, so he shrugged off her needling. Besides, he loved her sense of humor, even if it sometimes made him wonder if God was trying to tell him something. Then he saw the smoke from the famous chimney and whooped in delight. It was white! "There it is, Bones! Habemus Papam! I wonder who it is? I hope it's someone like Pope Francis!"
Bones smothered a grin. She had debated with Booth the merits and demerits of a number of modern Popes, and to her own surprise she herself had liked Papa Francesco very much. She disagreed with him on a number of issues, and also the matter of the existence of God, of course, but his personal humility and desire to serve the poorest and neediest in society had resonated in her.
"It would be nice to have someone like Papa Francesco," she agreed with him, using the Italian form of the name and title, knowing it drove Booth a bit nuts because he didn't speak or understand Italian.
Booth frowned. "Bones," he told her. "Need I remind you of our agreement that you won't speak in a language I don't speak? Squint is bad enough, but at least I know that anymore. Italian, even if I know who you're referring to, is a no go. And before you say it so is Latin and Spanish."
"But you just said Habemus Papam which is Latin for We Have a Pope," Bones pointed out, grinning at her own retort.
Booth grumbled, but decided that the best course of action was to let it drop as Bones still had a disturbingly high learning curve, which meant that after fifteen years of living together, raising a daughter together (and he mentally prayed for strength to get through the remaining years of Christine being a teenager), and still working cases together on occasion when he could get out from behind his Deputy Director's desk she was freakishly prescient when it came to needling him about almost anything.
"It's unfortunate that we won't be able to find out about the inner workings of the Conclave and the votes," Bones said, changing the subject. "From an historical standpoint it is very disconcerting."
"I think the Cardinals can be forgiven for not wanting to risk excommunication, Bones," he smirked. Inside though he was curious, too. He had his own list of who he considered good candidates, as did most Catholics, so it would be interesting to find out if his own Papabili had had any traction in the Conclave or not.
"Well we should know who was elected in an hour or so," Bones stated and then brought over a plate of Mac-n-Cheese for him, and one for herself. She decided to needle him some more. "Perhaps Mitch will mention you to the new Pope. Maybe even make a case for not having to issue you so many Our Fathers and Hail Mary's."
Booth almost choked on his favorite food in the world when she said that. "No way!" he told her. "It's bad enough that I'm still regularly called a pervert by Mitch, I don't need His Holiness to think I'm one, too!"
They both ate their dinner and quietly talked about what was happening in the world. The idea of a new Pope was fascinating for both of them, though for different reasons. For Booth is was an opportunity to see the Universal Church demonstrate its continuity, and vibrant presence in the world in a tangible way. For Bones it was a chance to see from an anthropological perspective how people react to significant societal and institutional change. As they both liked the late Pope Francis a great deal, they were decidedly curious as to whether or not the admirable humility and faith of that man would be continued in like manner in his successor. By the time they turned their attention to the television they noticed that the senior Cardinal-Deacon, or Cardinal Protodeacon, had stepped out onto the balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square.
"Here it comes, Bones!" Booth said excitedly. He listened as the traditional phrases were said and then his jaw fell when the name of the Cardinal who was elected Pope was announced.
"Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam! Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Mitchell Sanctæ Romanæ Ecclesiæ Cardinalem Stevens, Qui sibi nomen imposuit Ioannis vigesimi quarto."
("I announce to you a great joy: We have a Pope! The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord, Lord Mitchell, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, Stevens, Who takes to himself the name John XXIV.")
They both watched as Mitch, or Pope John XXIV, came out onto the balcony attired in the white papal cassock, without the choir dress or other trappings, as Francis had when elected. A smile was on his face, and he raised his arms to the crowd, who reacted with applause and cheers.
Bones smiled widely. She had a special fondness for Mitch, or Pope John as he now was styled, and considered this a wonderful testament as to the man's innate goodness and abilities. She also had some wonderful teasing comments to try out on Booth in the future which were sure to garner some very humorous reactions. She turned to face him and almost burst out laughing. Booth's expression was priceless! His jaw was hanging open, wine dribbling out of the corners of his mouth, his eyes bulging, and a deepening redness flushing his face as he watched the screen. She decided to try out one of her needling comments to see what happened.
"You know we are quite well off enough to be able to regularly go to the Vatican so you may have him remain your regular Confessor," she offered.
"Shut up, Bones," Booth ground out, trying to figure out what sort of reaction would be appropriate. Of course he was happy for his long standing friend. Mitch would make a great Pope. There was no doubt in his mind, but the idea of the Pope knowing all about the many years of impure thoughts about Bones, and all the many afternoons in confession, made him a little sick to his stomach. If Mitch had ramped up the number of Hail Mary's and Our Father's upon each elevation (Priest to Bishop, Bishop to Archbishop, Archbishop to Cardinal) he could only imagine with mounting horror what the count would be now that the man was the head of the entire Universal Church. Damn College of Cardinals! They just had to go and do it, making poor little Seeley Booth suffer for the rest of his natural life. He knew it would be a long reign as Mitch was the same age as Booth, so it seemed a safe bet that Mitch may rival Pope Pius IX for longest reign of any Pope. He could already see the millennia in Purgatory mounting exponentially.
They watched the standard Urbi et Orbi blessing, and then the new Pope gave a short little off the cuff set of remarks. Nothing indicative of what was to come, but Mitch made a real splash with the crowd. They watched as the Pope and Cardinals made their way back inside and the event was complete. Ten minutes later Booth's cell phone rang. Without looking to see who was calling he simply answered it, figuring that no doubt it was a case.
"Booth!" he said a bit more firmly than usual. His face paled and he held the cell phone out and gave it a jaundiced look. He gingerly placed it back to his ear. "Your Holiness," he managed to squeak. He listened and nodded a few times. "Yes, Your Holiness. We'll be there... I look forward to it. Thank you, Your Holiness."
Booth tapped the call end icon and stared at the phone in disbelief. "Get packed and make some plane reservations for Rome, Bones," Booth mumbled.
"Booth?" she asked, curious to know what had been said.
"His Holiness wants us to come to Rome and be his personal guests from now through his coronation Mass," Booth replied, calming only slightly, still on the verge of hyperventilating.
"That's very nice of him," Bones replied, amused at Booth's expression.
"No it's not, Bones," Booth glared. "His Holiness made very certain to remind me I was due for time in the confessional, and that he intended mine to be the first confession he hears as Pope. I'm going to be excommunicated for sure! And if that doesn't get me booted out of my Church, then you being there and spouting all that Atheist hooey of yours will finish the job! I'm doomed!"
In the Vatican a man dressed in the White Papal Cassock smiled as he closed his cell phone. Pope John XXIV, formerly Father Mitch, smiled as he ended the phone call. The various functionaries and Cardinals around him were looking at him somewhat askance, but he paid it no mind. He was going to be a Pope who worked hard for all, but at the same time would not forsake his closest friends in the process. That meant having a bit of fun at the expense of one Seeley Booth. He nodded to his entourage and made his way back to the Sistine Chapel, a wide smile on his face. He may desperately have prayed during the final balloting to be passed over in this grave responsibility, but it did have some spiritually humorous perks, though, and he fully intended on enjoying those. The only question he had now, was, what will Temperance do and say here in the sacred rooms and buildings of the Vatican? He could hardly wait to find out.
A/N: I am considering doing a followup on this one and see Booth and Bones come to see Mitch and also have Booth confess. Any thoughts? I hope you all enjoyed this one. Gregg.