An August Eclipse
A/N: With the momentous solar eclipse approaching, this story popped into my head this morning. I'm playing with cannon a bit in that Max isn't dead yet. In my opinion, his love of astronomy demands he be present for this historic celestial event.
Chapter 1 Preparations
In the course of her partnership, friendship, relationship, and subsequent marriage to Booth, Temperance Brennan had realized an endearing fact about her mate. He loved photography. He didn't claim to be an expert by any means, and didn't have nearly as much time to pursue this desired hobby as he would have liked. The demands of their intense crime-busting careers and the pleasant yoke of family life took precedence over any leisure pursuits he enjoyed.
But Seeley Booth did love taking pictures. He had inherited a Brownie camera from his Gram, an exquisitely simple little box camera she had enjoyed as a girl. She had taught him the rudiments of snapping pictures after Jared and he had come to live with their grandparents. Booth was not given to indulging himself, but during his time in the military, he had purchased a few well-priced cameras at commissaries when he had the chance and spare funds.
Their mantel and bookshelves were filled with his framed efforts; photos of herself and their children Christine and Hank, his grandparents, a few camping trips, and a few of their friends. Gram had taught Booth her secret; a knack for catching people unawares and clicking the shutter before they could protest. The results were many enchanting pictures, filling several small albums she'd made when he was a boy.
Brennan had mused more than once that perhaps Grams' photo-snapping lessons were the start of Booth's legendary patience. The man could frame a sniper shot and wait for just the right moment to pull the trigger. Framing a picture and determining when to take it required very similar focus and skill.
Brennan belonged to many scientific organizations including the Astronomical League. She and Max had spent many nights star-gazing in their backyard and her parents had seriously considered giving her a junior membership for her tenth birthday, but they decided it might reveal their whereabouts to the murderous McVicar thugs. Instead they had had bought her a backyard telescope.
One of the first conversations she'd ever shared with Jack Hodgins during a rare coffee break at the lab had revealed their shared love of astronomy. Both had been introduced to the sky's wonders by their fathers. With his family's wealth and connections, Hodgins had been able to visit several observatories as a child and inherited several expensive telescopes. The fact that she and Jack both enjoyed constellations had smoothed many disagreements with the exasperated scientist in their early days of working together. Brennan found that diverting Hodgin's attention with a celestial fact diffused his ire at Zack's frequently obtuse comments.
When the August 21st solar eclipse was first announced, Brennan had conceived a plan to surprise and delight her husband. She made arrangements a year in advance for their family to view the singular event in Casper, Wyoming. Her first task was finding a hotel, and based upon the Astronomical League president's advice, she reserved two rooms at the Best Western Plus Casper Inn & Suites, one for Hodgins and one for them. Then she contacted friends from graduate school, publishing, and universities asking them to share any photographs they might capture of the historic eclipse. Brennan hoped to compile a book of eclipse pictures as a Christmas gift for Booth. Given their huge profits from her popular Kathy Reichs books, her publisher was more than happy to produce a private volume for her.
Her cousin Harland Parish was taking his girls to Great Smoky Mountain National Park, and her roommate from Northwestern would be viewing the eclipse from Carbondale Illinois. She and Booth had friends all across the eclipse's path from trips they'd taken to assist with crime cases over the years. Each was delighted to contribute to her surprise for the likeable FBI agent. He'd always helped anyone he could and they were glad to repay their various debts in this small way.
Since Hodgins had use of the Cantilever jet, there was no need to make travel plans. This was a blessing since Booth was the world's worst about snooping for surprises. Finding a place to conceal his Christmas gifts proved more difficult each year, and Brennan was glad she didn't have to hide their plane tickets and travel itinerary. Both Cam and the FBI Director were well aware of Booth's investigative proclivities, and were happy to facilitate this surprise. They arranged an assignment in Casper on the pretense of a training seminar Booth and Brennan needed to present for the Western Division.
At first Brennan had considered taking Christine along, but she ultimately decided that this was a weekend for just Booth and her to share. As unpredictably as kids could move, she absolutely refused to take any risk of her children permanently damaging their eyes with an inadvertent glance at the sun. There would be another total solar eclipse across Texas on April 8, 2024 for them to enjoy.
Caroline Julian readily agreed to stay with their daughter and Hank. She loved the little Booths and was glad to spoil them for a few days. Quite able to care for themselves over the short August weekend, her foster sons were busy with high school sports and summer jobs. Lacking a younger brother of their own, the two lanky teenagers doted on little Hank Booth. Any time the Lab team and FBI employees got together for a barbeque, the two took turns carefully 'tossing' Hank into the air, relishing his screams of delight.
Max was quietly overjoyed at being included in this trip, and planned to meet them at the airport for the flight in Hodgins' jet. He had enjoyed teaching Tempe the constellations and knew that Booth's father had also pointed out the stars to his young son. The older man was glad this trip would bring pleasant new memories for the man who'd protected his daughter so well.
Brennan sat in her office two week before the eclipse, reviewing her checklist, and decided she'd planned everything well. Now all that remained was awaiting the day of their Wyoming trip and finishing her part of the 'seminar' Booth was anticipating in Casper.
A/N 2: I just found the latest post-series summer fanfiction challenge involving an undercover role for Booth and Brennan in a crime investigation. I don't feel I do these well, so I may be skipping this portion of the challenge, unless some inspiration comes to roost in my brain.