I have no claim to the characters. I am content to know they are in much better hands and owned by Fox and Hart Hanson.
The Tour
The grounds keeper, Frank and the house keeper, Martha were husband and wife, and lived in a little cottage near the tree line at the back of the property. They were empty nesters and had lived in Tucker County their whole lives. Beth said they had celebrated their 42nd wedding anniversary in April and seemed to be as totally devoted to one another, as devoted as they must have been the day they were married. Again, the overly romantic Beth swooned about the devotion of the committed couple as she explained the staff selection process.
Beth had selected the staff carefully: with well researched dossiers, financial and criminal background checks and references. She would leave nothing to chance when it meant the well-being and safety of her favorite (most lucrative) author and her family.
Coming to the end of the long winding drive way to the house, Brennan stopped and parked the car just in front of the very impressive get-away in the country. She was impressed with the beautiful setting, the way the home seemed to simply belong on this little rise of the property. It looked as if it had always belonged there. Since it was still pre-dawn, the lights from the yard and house were inviting. They twinkled as if to say hello, I've been waiting for you. The large oak tree, you could see from the drive had a perfectly darling rope swing with a single plank of wood for a seat. The swing just waiting for some lucky little boy or girl to have a push or maybe to twist and untwist in a dizzying twirl of motion, hours of summer fun.
George came up just behind in an electric cart: "This way, follow me;" he said, lighting the way with his torch. Climbing a gentle rise of 8 steps to the wraparound porch, George led them to the East side of the house to a screened in area that was set with a beautiful breakfast, of pancakes, eggs, juice, fruit and coffee. Lanterns hung from the high eves of the porch and cast a wonderful warm glow over the table setting. It was set for two, side-by-side so this special couple could sit in an overstuffed settee and gaze out on the property.
"This is wonderful!" Exclaimed Brennan, Just at that moment, Martha came through the door from the house and said, "Sit, make yourselves comfortable. The show is about to start." Dimming the lanterns, there was only the glow of the tea lights on the table casting a spell over the couple as they sat hand-in-hand. Soon the sun started to peek over the horizon and cast a warm golden glow in the sky. Piercing the high level cirrus clouds, the rays of the sun were simply breathtaking and took on the appearance of a royal crown set high in the sky. The home was set just at the right height to allow an uninterrupted view of first light.
"Oh, I see why Beth wanted us here early." Brennan looked at her lovers face and saw a bit of wonder in his eyes. Seeley Booth had certainly seen his share of sunrises from many parts of the world, but somehow this just seemed different, more personal… more like coming home. A movement caught Booth's eye, "Would you look at that! It is a family of white tailed deer coming to greet us!" Yep, whatever her publisher had in mind for their favorite author, they were doing their best to take NO out of the decision process.
Breakfast finished and with the sun higher in the sky, Bones and Booth were ready for the tour.
George once again said, "Follow me," as they moved to the electric cart. Brennan settled in to the front passenger seat and Booth just behind, facing front. They headed toward the river for a bit and then turned up a cart path that led to the pond. George explained "the home is set on a 50 acre plot of land, with a small pond." He wanted to visit the pond first, because the few deer, ducks, and peacocks that roamed the property were always at the pond in the early morning hours. One side of the property was bordered by the river, 1 side ran along the main road and the other 2 sides of the property was bordered by forest and gentle hills that backed onto a national park.
George said, "oh good, there's Frank." Frank was working at the pond today, clearing brush and getting the area ready for bathers, picnics and general family fun. The pond was roped off for swimming, paddle boats and had a generous sandy area for volley ball, badminton and other outdoor activities.
"Hello, Mr/Mrs Booth. We are so glad you could come to visit today, Frank said. I guess you met my wife, Martha already? She was so excited to have someone to cook for besides our ugly mugs. She likes having folks about, so she can dote on them. The pastor says she has an abundance of the gift of hospitality. It is only right to have someone to share that gift with, right?"
Brennan asked about the plans for the pond and the animals that come to visit. Frank was only too glad to tell her about the family of deer, one large peacock and several peahens that graced the grounds. A dozen or so ducks quacked and waddled up to see if there was anyone with a handout, nope not this morning, but hung around just in case. There are small perch in the pond, toads of course and you can find a crawfish in the shallows under the overhang of the willow tree. "Best fishing is in the river tho'" said Frank. "We also have a flock of Guinea fowl with new chicks coming to see what we are doing. They are very curious, wonderful for letting you know when someone is about."
George was climbing in the cart and with a wave said, "I'll be right back, it's time to introduce you to Coca and Puff." With that he was away, and about 10 minutes later back up the path, with the two German Sheppard's running behind the cart, close to his rear bumper. He whistled and the dogs came to a full sitting stop to wait for his next command. Brennan was admiring the beautiful animals with shinning warm brown eyes and beautiful coats. Coco was almost completely chocolate brown with only a hint of white across his shoulders; Puff had more caramel coloring with a big deep chocolate band across her back and chocolate brown hind quarters. George issued the command to come and stay as he turned to Bones and Booth for the formal introduction. Coco and Puff were obviously intelligent and extremely well trained. George said once introduced with words especially meant to introduce individuals who they are meant to protect, nothing would get past these protective animals. Bones and Booth using the non-threatening motions of greeting and with George encouraging the dogs to get to know them, the dogs quickly adopted the pair as new members of their own pack, nuzzling and rubbing against their legs, begging for a scratch of the ears and pats on the head. The dogs playfully chased the ducks back into the water and then George issued a command to patrol the perimeter and they were off to run the fence line and ensure all was well this beautiful Saturday morning.
George said, "Ready for the rest of the tour?" Booth and Brennan nodded in agreement and climbed back in the cart. George followed the dogs on their patrol of the perimeter to give an idea of the size of the property, pointed out the jogging path, the way to the main road and back to the house. Now it was time for Martha to take over again and show them the house. Booth and Brennan entered through the front door and were immediately greeted with the smell of fresh baked pie. Booth's nose told him there was an apple pie and most definitely cherry, but there was something else cooking that was not as easy to identify.
It had only been 2 hours since breakfast, but Martha thought it was time for a quick break for pie and coffee and to wash up before taking the tour of the house. Booth was not hungry, but the smell of that pie had his mouth watering as if he was a starving man. For Brennan, Martha had baked an egg custard. Using almond milk and cinnamon to create a most delicate and delicious treat for mid morning.
The living area was roomy, with an open concept to the dining area and kitchen beyond. There were big class doors that would swing out of the way for full and easy access to the wraparound porch and now in the light of day you could see the sun room where they had, had breakfast and watched the sunrise. The sun room was located just off the dining area. The house was made for a family, a large family. A hearth at the end of the living room wall filled the entire north wall of the living area. The stairs to the 2nd floor were to the left of the entry and had a gentle curve to the 2nd floor landing where the pool table dominated the space. There was a sitting area with a bookcase lining the back wall that held loads of books and board games. Tucked behind the stairs was a generous office, with comfortable seating, a writing desk, computer and reference books. A full set of Brennan's books were prominently displayed. Yeah, Booth thought, NO is not going to be an option for Brennan, if the publisher had anything to say about it.
A quick tour of the single bedroom downstairs, and the 4 bedrooms upstairs, each with its own private bath, gave the impression again of a very large family. The master suite was elegant and had its own terrace. A beautiful room that could catch the morning sun on the terrace, but wrapped to the West for a view of the sunset at the end of the day.
From the upstairs vantage point you could see to the pond, the river and the tree house. "The TREE HOUSE!" Brennan was down the stairs and out of the house in a shot. As soon as she hit the porch, Coco and Puff joined in her sprint to the tree house and Booth was just behind, trying to see what had Brennan so excited. Standing at the base of the tree house, Brennan's head tilted back as far as it could go. This is a house in the trees, not so much a tree house. Taking the steps up to the tree house, 2 at a time, Brennan could not wait to see inside! Booth was right behind her, and almost bowled her over when she stopped at the entry. They open the door and entered into an open space with windows all round. There were 2 rooms a the great room and a bedroom with a generous bath. In the middle was a sitting area that converted into a sleeping area. There was a small efficiency kitchen. In the main area there was a small powder room. A writing area was in the corner and like the house you could step out on a wraparound porch for an unobstructed view of the grounds, all the way to the river. A trellis all around the space under the house concealed the plumbing, electrical and a storage space and an outdoor shower.
"okay Bones, I think it is time to discuss the offer. What does your publisher want in exchange for your weekends and your vacation time?" TB-"well it is really simple, we have exclusive use of the place, if I agree to write one book every 12 – 18 months. They want to release a new book at a minimum of 1 every 2 years. After 10 books, they will deed the house and property to us. If however, I do not or cannot write the agreed number of books, we could have first right of refusal and pay fair market price for the house and property. If we do not want the property, we simply return the keys and let them know we will not be using the house anymore."
"However" Brennan continued, "I have an idea that I would like to discuss with you. I am really comfortable with the science and working on the forensics that solve the crimes. I am getting better at the personal relationships. The loving relationship between Kathy and Andy is so much richer, more intimate now than in the earlier books." Angela was not helping with the steamy parts so much anymore, only when Brennan got really stuck for an idea to move the relationship between Kathy and Andy forward. "What I am missing, what I struggle with is Andy's character, his gut instincts, his read of peoples motives and what drives a person or persons to commit such crimes. I would like us to co-author the next book. It would be collaboration between, Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth. Booth we complete each other, we complement each other and often when I think we are speaking out loud I realize we have not spoken a word, but can almost hear each other's thoughts. It is time for contract talks with the publisher and I think it is time Brennan and Booth took their partnership to a new level. You once said you were all over my real world, why would I want you in my fantasy world too. Booth you are my real world and my fantasy world and I think this could work."
Contemplating a new type of partnership they stayed in the tree house for several hours, talking about the possibilities, ideas and pitfalls of such an alliance.
A ring of the bell from below alerted to the presence of George saying they had a few more places to visit before lunch. Off they went in the cart again with dogs racing beside, in front and behind as they went to the main gate. George showed them the security measures for the property, his cottage and where the dogs kenneled. The dogs were free to come and go if there was no one on the property they did not know. If however there were visitors, the dogs were kenneled, unless with George or Bill. Being trained as alert dogs to make a racket, bearing teeth and keeping someone in place, if they encountered anyone they did not know, could be a traumatic experience for an unwitting visitor. George then took them to Frank and Martha's cottage. It was a sweet 2 bedroom home, cozy and looked every bit like a fairy tale cottage. Martha showed them into the sitting area and offered a sweet tea. They only stayed a few minutes and Martha told George it was time for lunch at the picnic area and boat dock down by the river.
George took them in the cart, with the dogs having a wonderful time stretching their legs as they ran alongside. There was a wonderful table set with the lunch Brennan had packed and just a few more delectable picnic treats of strawberries, mimosas and cold beer waiting for the couple.
At the boat dock, Booth found a canoe and fishing gear that brought a smile from ear-to-ear, remembering the joys of summer-time as a boy spent with his brother and friends fishing on the Schuylkill River.
George gave Booth the keys to the electric cart and said he was taking off. Bill was coming on duty and would be down to say hello shortly. However, they would have the run of the place for the afternoon, with no one to disturb them. Frank and Martha would be in town for shopping, Martha was planning a wonderful supper on the upstairs terrace for the couple and she hoped they would spend the night in the master suite. It had been an early morning and they could justify spending the night. Brennan called Max to see if he could stay over with Christine and Baby Hank. Max said he was having a ball with Christine and Baby Hank and was happy to stay until they returned on Sunday. Another day seemed like a really good idea for everyone involved.
Bill came to say hello, after introductions he said he would be in the gate house most of the day tuning up the carts. He left them with a walkie-talkie should they need anything. There were 4 carts and everyone had a walkie-talkie for the property. Booth and Brennan would be outfitted with theirs until they left the following day.
Booth asked Brennan if she would like a short canoe ride. Smiling she agreed with an exaggerated nod of the head. It was a lazy river, not too wide with a gentle bend as they rowed past the property and into the national park. With Booth manning the oars and the warm sun of spring making it a most relaxing of afternoons. Brennan said, "Why don't we go back to the tree house for a nap?" It had been a very early morning, Booth agreed.
Brennan loved the tree house, a private hideaway, a place to be alone. After climbing up, they locked the door behind them. The dogs stood guard on the ground below and decided an afternoon nap would be good for them too.
Booth laid down stretching out on the king size bed and toed off his shoes. Brennan removed her shoes and slid in beside him. There was a cool breeze that blew through the open windows and the quiet sounds of country all around them. Booth pulled Brennan closer and with a brush of his nose in her hair, whispered in her ear how much he loved her. She looked up to his fine face, laying her hand on his chest and whispered back with her month just touching below his ear, how much she loved him. In that contented moment, Booth reached to her buttons and started to undo each button in turn, one-by-one until he had full access to her bra covered breasts. The front latch bra quickly undone, Booth started placing small, feathery and wispy kisses from her forehead, past her ear, onto her full and waiting lips, sharing a passion filled and deep kiss, then moving on and lingering at her beautiful swan like neck before cupping, kissing, and caressing her full breasts.
She had been breast feeding Baby Hank until just recently. Baby Hank was weaned to the bottle now and eating solids. He had a wonderful appetite, a true Booth.
Booth always had a reverence for Bones beautiful body. He knew every inch of her pre-pregnant body. In the months since her body started showing the signs of pregnancy, he made it his mission to chart each change and took great care to let her know how beautiful she was. Each change was fascinated him, and now with her body in its post-pregnancy state he continued to lavish attention on her. She had always taken such good care of herself and worked hard to minimize stretch marks or even to smooth the scars she carried from the past. It was truly amazing this beautiful woman, his friend, partner, lover, wife and mother of two of his treasured children filled him with awe every day. She allowed him such access to each change of her body, touching her growing belly, feeling the kicks and movement of the life growing inside her-his baby, their baby.
To keep her skin in near perfect condition, Booth would smooth Coco Butter on her entire body every night. After her bath, she would lay back and Booth would warm the creamy lotion with his hands. He would begin at her toes and slowly work his way all the way to her neck. He paid special attention to her hips, growing belly and breasts, where a pregnant Bones was most likely to need special attention. It was a ritual he enjoyed and she looked forward to every night. They did not miss a night during her pregnancy and even now he continued to apply lotion to keep her skin soft and supple, and oh so very touchable. His hands had become much softer for the continued ministration to his lovers body. A very nice side affect to his tender loving care of his most adorable wife. It seemed this nightly ritual had increased his need to touch her. Always being a visual lover and very tactile, his willingness to attend to this basic daily ritual had increased their intimacy and was drawing them ever closer.
"Booth?" "Yes, babe" "I think we should get out of these clothes while we nap. We didn't bring a change and we will be all wrinkled if we sleep in our clothes." "Good idea let me help you with that." They spent several hours sharing intimate caresses, making slow, passionate love, while the world outside simply faded away.
Awakened about 4 p.m., by the sound of a car coming up the drive, they dressed and made a move to go to the main house. It was time to take a drive into Huntsville. Booth asked directions to Carol and Jimmy Grant's house. They were excited to see Andy again.
Booth and Brennan arrived at the Grant's house about 5 p.m. and found them getting ready to sit down to dinner. Andy is 9 now, about 5 years older than Christine, Booth guessed, and looking really well. He was thriving in the Grant's home. Booth and Brennan invited Carol, Jimmy and Andy to come for lunch at #1 Apple Pie Cottage on Sunday. They happily agreed and said they were really looking forward to seeing the house that had everyone in town wondering who the new owners would be.