~This was a quick, short one-shot I wrote as a bet payoff with a Giants fan. If the Phillies had won the NLCS she would have written a story, but since they didn't...this was my concession. It's short and fluffy and just a little diversion from the angst. Enjoy.


There's Always Next Year

"I don't understand why you're so upset, Booth. Didn't the Phillies win the Super Bowl a few years ago?" Brennan followed her extremely depressed partner out of Citizen's Bank Park with the rest of the distraught Phillies fans, reaching his side as he waited to cross Darien Street.

Booth sighed, torn between not wanting to talk about his team's NLCS loss to the Giants and his automatic need to correct Brennan. "The World Series, Bones. The Phils won the World Series two years ago. And yeah, you're right. They had a good season, I shouldn't be that upset about it." He stopped talking as the traffic stopped long enough for them to cross the street and enter the parking lot. Feeling guilty for ignoring Brennan as they exited the ballpark earlier, he reached for her hand as they headed towards where the SUV was parked. "Sorry, Bones. It's going to take me a few days to get used to the fact that they're out of it."

Brennan nodded in sympathy, even if she truly didn't understand at all. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, she quietly followed Booth to their car, getting in the passenger seat without a word.

After they had pulled out of the parking lot and moved into the long line trying to turn onto Pattison Avenue, a comfortable silence settled over the SUV's occupants. Booth was preoccupied with catching the exit for 95 and Brennan was trying not to say something that would exacerbate Booth's obvious distress over his team's loss. As soon as they were on the freeway, Brennan decided to break the quiet stalemate.

"Booth, would it make you feel better if I orally pleasured you while you drove? I-"

"Bones!" Booth looked over at her, horrified. "Don't you think that's a little dangerous?"

Grinning, Brennan nodded. "Maybe. But you are an extremely competent driver, Booth. I have every faith that you would be able to handle the vehicle during fellatio."

Shaking his head, Booth finally grinned. "I appreciate the offer, Bones. Believe me…I do. But what do you say we wait until we get home, huh?"

Sighing, Brennan relented. "Alright. Would it be more advantageous if I used my hand instead?"

Laughing, Booth reached over and patted her knee affectionately. "Thanks, babe. But no. Honestly, wouldn't it be more fun if we could be comfortable? In our own bed?"

"I suppose." Brennan crossed and uncrossed her legs. "But now I'm finding that our discussion has served to sexually stimulate me as well."

"Temperance…" Booth sighed. "You're killing me, babe."

Brennan threw Booth what he could only describe as a wicked grin. "I am sorry, Booth. I'll refrain from further discussion of sexual situations until we get back to DC."

"God bless you, Bones."

"Booth…"

"I know, I know…but still, I just mean that I appreciate it. Let's find something else to talk about, huh?"

Brennan sighed in amusement, and then turned the conversation to Parker's upcoming science fair. She had helped him pick a project he could handle, and then kept an eye on his progress, which not only resulted in an exemplary project, but a project that Parker could be proud of because he had done it all on his own.

"You and Rebecca should be so proud of him, Booth. He's such an intelligent child."

"We are, Bones. But you should be proud, too. You're the one who's helping him with school. You're showing him how to love learning."

Brennan blushed a little bit. "He already loved school. He just needed a little help with appreciating science and math. And he's very gifted at both disciplines."

"Thanks, Bones." Booth looked over at her quickly, before turning into their driveway and pulling into the garage. He followed her out and up the steps, moving to unlock the door and let her inside.

"I'm just going to go upstairs and run a bath…if you're interested in joining me?" She walked backwards towards the stairs, sexy grin on her face and fire in her eyes.

"Oh yeah. I'll be right up. Just let me check everything and lock up."

"Perfect." Brennan turned and started up the staircase. "Don't keep me waiting too long…"

"Never." He grinned as he watched her sashay up the stairs.

Booth dropped the keys in the bowl by the front door and glanced to his left, to the photo of the two of them that hung amidst several pictures of their family…both blood-born and chosen. The picture was of their first dance as husband and wife…a moment both had wanted to remember, which made Booth smile. Who knew that Temperance Brennan was a sappy romantic? She had even chosen the frame the picture was set in, engraved with a quote that always served to make Booth fall just a little more In love with her each time he saw it: To find your soul mate is to find that spark of life in your heart that nothing else has ever or could ever replace.

"Booth? Are you coming? I opened some wine…" Brennan called him from their bedroom upstairs.

Booth smiled. Sports seasons would come and go, and his teams would almost always inevitably break his heart, but the one thing he could always depend on was her. And having her in his life was a million times better than any championship.