Disclaimer- I own nothing
A/N: This was requested by TRILOGY1 after reading 'About the Same'. The idea was to show Booth being a contrast to Brennan's significant others over the years. Booth= gentleman, others= not so much. It's not really a sequel, but I guess if you read 'About the Same' you'll understand the birthing point for this little tale. Hope you enjoy and Trilogy1; here's to you.
Seeley Joseph Booth was a gentleman, no-one could state otherwise. When he was with a woman, the same could be said. He never cussed in front of them, was always polite and kept his intentions honourable. He was a dying breed; chivalrous to the core. In the first sixteen years of his life, his mother had taught him well. Starting that night he vowed to show his girl, exactly what it meant to be treated like a queen. He wanted her to understand, that the way she had been treated in previous relationships was not the norm, he wanted to be the one to show her gentle, and tender, to prove that romance was not just something in fairytales her mom read her as a child. She deserved to be treasured and doted on and Seeley Joseph Booth had declared it his mission to provide this proof.
"Where are we going?"
She smiled brightly, despite hating surprises. Her boyfriend of a week ushered her out the front door of her apartment. He had asked her to be ready by 7pm sharp, and she was nothing if not punctual. Taking her hand he led her slowly down the stairs, fully aware of the slightly higher heels she was wearing.
"I told you Bones, it's a surprise"
He loved that smile that was currently adorning her happy face. They both came to an abrupt halt at the foyer door; Mother Nature had decided in the five minutes it had taken Booth to collect his girlfriend, that she would douse DC in rain. Booth sighed, he pressed the SUV remote door access watching the little orange lights to signify the doors were unlocked, removed his suit jacket and carefully held it over Tempe's head as he ushered her outside.
"Booth you're going to get soaked"
"Come on"
She smiled, knowing there was no use arguing with him. They ran down the steps, he with one arm around her waist and with the other he continued to hold the jacket above her, till she was seated in the car. Temperance watched her boyfriend run round the front of the car, she couldn't help thinking back to a previous relationship, a scenario similar to this night- It was pouring with rain, as she and Daniel came out of the movie theatre. She looked to the sky as it dumped its worth over DC, filling the pot holes on the road and the cracks on the side walk. The tiles out the front were slippery, especially in her heels, and her feet slid from under her. She instinctively reached out to the closet hold, which happened to be her boyfriends arm. She thought it was an acceptable action but Daniel had thought otherwise and shook her off "Jeez Tempe, hold your own weight, for Christs sake I'm not your anchor" She frowned as he ran toward the car, his foot sending a wave of water over her shoes. Temperance shook her head clearing her thoughts, she smiled at Booth opening the door and jumping in. She squealed as he shook his head playfully, lightly spraying her with the water from his hair. He chuckled at her once uncharacteristic giggle, loving the sound that was becoming more common for her. He turned the ignition and the car rumbled to life. Booth rubbed his hands together excitedly
"So... are you hungry?"
She grinned, her eyes wide in amusement
"Yes, considering you told me no snacking after lunch... and that was at one Booth"
She whined and pouted like a little school girl and he loved it. Booth reached out, caressing her cheek with the back of his knuckles before tapping her bottom lip playfully
"Oh, baby..."
He mocked
"Does that mean, you actually listened to me?"
Her mouth dropped open in mock shock
"I always listen to you Booth"
He scoffed happily
"So what you're saying is, that if I go into your office tomorrow and look in your top drawer, the packet of skittles will still be there"
She smiled guiltily
"Yes... the packet will still be there"
Booth laughed
"Ok let me rephrase it, will the full packet still be there?"
She dropped her eyes, knowing he'd caught her out. Booth took her hand in his, rubbing his thumb across her knuckles before dropping a kiss on each one.
"So long as you're still hungry"
She looked up with a smile
"I'm starving"
Booth nodded and still holding her hand on the centre console he pulled out onto the road. They had been driving for a little over twenty minutes when Booth pulled into a side street, Tempe looked around, she didn't recognise the neighbourhood. Houses lined the street on both sides, with old fashioned lamp posts out the front of every third house
"Where are we?"
Booth smiled, he always knew she was inquisitive but since they had decided to start seeing each other personally, her curiosity had become very apparent; not that he minded, in fact the word cute had crossed his mind on several occasions to describe what he thought of her natural snoopiness. He pulled into a small paved drive way, allowing the SUV up and around to a lit car park where four other cars parked.
"Ok, here we are me lady"
Temperance smiled at his old world accent and released her seat belt. Booth hurried out of the car, running around to open her door
"Booth, you don..."
Leaning in Booth placed a gentle kiss against her lips
"Indulge me baby"
She blushed, before taking his offered hand as she slid from the car. Booth led her up a small path, glad the rain had stopped for now and into a warmly lit foyer. The smell of garlic and spices assaulting their senses instantly
"Oh Booth it smells wonderful in here"
Booth smiled; standing behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist, and rested his chin on her shoulder as she looked at the pictures of different people on the wall
"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?"
He watched the colour rise to her cheeks, and smiled. It amazed him and angered him that in all the men she had been with none of them seem to have taken the time to compliment her, sure they would have told her the sex was great or she looked good as a precursor to sex, but none seem to had told her how beautiful she was as a person. So far since her letting them become more than work partners and friends, he had told her at least once a day how beautiful she is, and still she blushed.
"I... ah... thank you"
He chuckled; every day and she still stumbled over the answer.
"Evening Sir, Ma'am. Do you have a reservation?"
Booth smiled
"Yes, under Booth"
The young girl fingered down a page and highlighted the surname, looking back up with a smile
"Please if you'll follow me, your table is ready"
Booth allowed Brennan ahead of him, his hand in its place on her lower back. He pulled out her chair waiting for her to sit then pushed her in, charm smiling her playful glare. The waitress smiled handing two menu's down
"Would you like to hear the house specials for today?"
Booth nodded, watching Tempe as the girl ran through the vegetarian list. Three items in, Brennan looked to Booth with a disbelieving smile, he brought me to a vegetarian restaurant, no-one has ever...oh Booth
"So, I'll give you a few moments to decide, in the mean time I'll bring out the house wine for you"
They both smiled, though only Booth answered
"Thank you"
The Special Agent looked to his girlfriend, her eyes were glassy
"Bones..."
He reached over the table taking her hand in his
"Are you ok?"
He looked worried for her, and that only made the tears she was barely concealing, overflow and run down her cheeks. Booth was up in a second, kneeling at her side
"Baby... what's wrong? You don't like it here? We can leave"
He brushed the tears from her porcelain face
"No... Booth it's... it's perfect"
He laughed nervously
"Then why are you crying?"
She looked down at him by her feet, wondering what she had done to be so deserving of such a kind and thoughtful man in her life.
"It's silly..."
"Temperance, if you're upset then it's not silly, please tell me"
She smiled and touched his cheek lightly with her palm
"I'm not upset Seeley..."
Booth's eyes widened at her use of his first name
"I'm just... amazed... Booth you eat meat, yet you bought me to a vegetarian restaurant..."
He looked to her waiting, not seeing what could have made her tears
"You know they don't serve ANY meat here right?"
Booth smiled
"Yeah Bones, that's why it's vegetarian"
She shook her head
"But Booth, we could have gone to any number of restaurants that serve meat dishes and veggie dishes"
Booth suddenly understood, that she was more in awe of the fact that he had made plans with solely her happiness in mind
"Bones, those places only serve boring basic meals, meals that you have daily..."
He looked around
"This place serves... everything and you deserve that... everything"
She smiled as a fresh wave of tears fell, streaking her makeup. Booth chuckled again at her emotional display; he leaned up placing soft kisses against her closed eye lids
"Shhh don't cry babe"
"I just... thank you Booth"
Booth wiped her tears again with his thumbs
"Anytime"
She composed herself slowly as Booth retook his seat
"I'm just going..."
She indicated toward the rest rooms
"Excuse me"
Seeley nodded, watching her walk away. The waitress from earlier returned with the wine and a cautious expression
"Umm is everything ok Sir? Your wife seems upset"
He smiled up at her
"Yeah everything's fine, she's just... a little emotional... thank you for asking"
The girl smiled, she poured the wine and left the table again. Brennan stood in the bathrooms resting against the vanity, she smiled sadly remembering when Josh had taken her to a steak house for dinner despite knowing she was a vegetarian, his only response when she questioned his choice was "well, why should I suffer because of your choices, you can have a salad" Tempe looked to her reflection then left the toilet. Booth noticed as his girlfriend approached, her minimal makeup now gone from her face, making her look half her age. Booth smiled and rose from his seat as she took hers
"There's my girl"
Tempe blushed
"I'm sorry about before, it's just... I've never been with anyone like you"
Booth frowned
"Is that a good thing?"
She smiled
"Yeah... that's a good thing... it's a very good thing"
They ordered a few different dishes to share and Booth seized every moment he got to fork feed her, mainly picking times when she had her own hands full. Temperance was happy, she could honestly admit it was the most fun she had ever had on a date, and she was sad to think it may end in a few hours. She opened her mouth as Booth once again placed his fork to her lips claiming 'this piece of chickpea patty with this dip was the best she would ever taste'. She smiled as he caught some sauce on his finger, as it gathered at the corner of her mouth, and then blushed when he placed it to his own lips. They each looked up as the waitress approached
"Is everything ok with your meals?"
Tempe spoke quietly
"Yes, it's all wonderful..."
"Yeah compliments to the chef"
The waitress smiled
"I'll pass it on, can I get either of you anything else?"
Booth looked to Bones
"Do you want some more wine?"
She shook her head
"No thank you..."
She looked up to the waitress
"Perhaps some water though?"
"Certainly ma'am, anything for you Sir?"
Booth shook his head
"No I'm great thanks"
The waitress cleared the empty plates, leaving them with the remaining half full ones.
They exited the restaurant at 10:40pm, both smiling
"So Bones... desert?"
He held her in his arms, chest to chest under the awning, watching as Mother Nature decided on a steady drizzle this time round and a cool breeze. Tempe looked up with a happy smile.
"Sure, any ideas"
Booth smiled and tilted his head to the side
"Oh yeah one or two"
He guided her to the car, once again opening the door for her. They drove back toward town, until Booth decided it was time to pull into a plaza complex. She frowned
"Booth?"
He took her hand in his again resting it on the console, her fingers were cold and he looked to her bare arms seeing goose bumps
"Why didn't you tell me you were cold Temperance, look at you"
She looked down at her arms, seeing the fine hair standing on end in an effort to keep her body heat. Seeley adjusted the heater vents to point in her direction setting the dial to moderate. With the hand still encompassed in his, he set about rubbing it softly. She smiled at his caring gesture
"So what's for desert?"
She looked around the complex, not seeing anything open. Booth smiled
"What would you like?"
She frowned, somewhat amused by his secretiveness
"Umm... ice cream?"
He nodded as though her idea was something he hadn't considered
"Ok... what about hot fudge sundae's?"
She smiled, this man knew her weaknesses. He pulled into an ice cream parlour car park and flourished his hands
"Ta-da"
Tempe eyed the window, it looked dark
"Booth I think it's closed"
He smiled
"Nah, the windows are really tinted, so people don't stand outside drooling and making the patrons feel weird"
She smiled
"Is that true?"
Booth held his hand to his heart
"Would I lie to you?"
Tempe giggled and gathered her purse as Booth exited and ran around to open the door again. They walked into the packed store, the bells over head indicting another potential sale. Booth smiled as the cashier looked up
"Hey Seeley! My boy"
Tempe frowned as they approached an older man with salt and pepper hair, dark eyes and a cheery face.
"Hey Doc"
The man looked around
"Where's Parker? I didn't see him come in"
Booth smiled
"No, no Parker"
The man looked disappointed, but smiled as he realised Booth had someone else with him instead.
"And who is this beauty?"
Booth smiled, clutching Tempe's hand tightly
"Doc, I'd like you to meet... Temperance"
Doc grinned
"Temperance, meet Doc"
She smiled shyly, taking the man's offered hand to shake
"It's nice to meet you Doc"
"Likewise, likewise"
Doc looked to Booth
"She must be special, for you to bring her here"
Booth nodded looking to Tempe
"She is... she's real special"
Doc nodded as Tempe blushed. Booth pulled her in against his chest and hugged her
"So... do you want to see what's on the menu?"
She nodded, taking the piece of laminated card and perusing the choices. A moment later she had decided.
"Choc fudge brownie sundae please"
Booth nodded
"Well Doc you heard the lady, and my usual thanks"
Doc nodded
"Go take a seat, Tracey'll bring em out"
Booth placed his hand on Bones lower back and ushered her to a small table on the side.
"So... are you having fun bones?"
She smiled
"Yes thank you, it's been wonderful Booth; nobody has ever...well... you know"
He nodded sadly, before taking her hand again. Their desert was delivered by a cheery young girl with a bright smile
"There you are, can I get either of you anything else?"
Booth shook his head followed by Brennan with her own shake. They each ate their sundaes, sharing spoonfuls often, both happy, that they had finally reached this turning point in their relationship.
END OF CHAPTER ONE- WHAT DID YOU THINK? PLEASE REVEIW