Booth walked into her office and proclaimed, "We did it, Bones. We did it."

"What did we do?" Brennan looked at her husband confused.

"Survived the seven year itch."

"I would hope so. Neither us has scabies. It's derived from the Latin word, scabere meaning 'to scratch.' Why would be we scratching for seven years?"

"No, Bones not that. I'm talking about not giving up or getting bored with our relationship. You know, walking away. People call it the seven year itch."

"I don't think that study is accurate. Relationships, not just marriage can fall apart at any time. With your reasoning, I would like to highlight that this is not our first seven year itch, Booth. According to my calculations we have survived a few. You satisfy all my needs; You always have. Did you think we wouldn't make it?"

"Listen, Bones, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I just like to prove them wrong. Of course, I don't need anything else."

"Who are 'they', Booth?"

"You know the people who make that crap up."

"Well, I don't know who make those kind ridiculous unproven theories up. They certainly are not scientists."

"Maybe they are psychologists."

"It is a soft science."

Booth reached down and took his wife's hand. She stood up and he wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed her. He whispered in her ear. "Happy Eighth Anniversary, Bones."

She looked into his eyes. "Happy Eight, Booth."

His disengaged from his wife and adjusted his tie. "I have to get back to the Hoover. Here's the paperwork you wanted."

"Thanks. You could have just brought it home."

"And not have an excuse to come see my beautiful wife, never."

"You never need an excuse."

"I know." He leaned in and kissed her again. "I'll see you tonight."

"Looking forward to it."

She followed his movements out the door. It was her year to plan their anniversary celebration. She glanced at her watch, the girls should be arriving shortly. She had made arrangements for Hadley and Lucy to be dismissed early and be dropped off the lab after school. She hoped Booth would not see them passing because she wanted to surprise him.

Brennan was on the platform, questioning an intern about his preliminary finding from the victim's cranium. She heard the glass doors swoosh open and a collective, "Mama".

She turned around, smiling, "Hello girls! Did you enjoy your day at school? Is all your homework finished? We have a busy night ahead of us. . . Please find a seat in my office. I shall be there in few minutes."

Hadley rolled her eyes. "It was alright. Not much tonight. Let's go, Luce. . .we have to finish what we have left."

"Ok! See you in a few, Mama!"

Brennan had taken a few minutes to talk with Cam about the pending case to buy some time for the girls and their homework.

"Ready to go", she asked as she hung her lab coat on a hook. The girls shook their heads and packed fast.

oOo

The girls were helpful in the kitchen; they packed up the necessities to have dinner at the secret location. Brennan had come back downstairs, bags hung from her shoulders. She put them down in the kitchen near the door and headed back upstairs for bags she couldn't carry the first time.

Booth had walked in their room while she was getting some last minute things packed.

"What are you doing, Bones?"

"Packing for tonight. You need to change. Chop, chop – that's what you say."

"What am I changing into?"

"Something comfortable."

"What kind of comfortable. . . Lounging around the house comfortable? Doing errands comfortable? Watching sports comfortable?"

"Booth, just wear this." She threw him a tee shirt and a pair of running shorts.

"Whatever you like, baby."

"Yes, whatever I like since I did plan this evening. . . Let's go."

The girls had packed the car and buckled, waiting for their parents.

"How did we get so lucky?" Booth asked as he locked the door and headed for the car.

"It's not based on luck. . ."

"Daddy, you need to put this on." Hadley called from the backseat.

"Whoa, what am I putting on?"

"A blindfold, silly. Mama said it was surprise. We know you won't keep your eyes closed."

Booth just glanced at his wife. "They are your kids, too."

"They know the facts."

oOo

It didn't take much time to get to their intended destination. Booth had been trying to figure out what roads she was taking but he gave up and just let her have this moment.

"We're here." Brennan announced as she parked the car. "And no, Booth, you can't take the blindfold off yet."

He smirked. The girls helped unload the car and led Booth inside.

He knew that smell of rubber, of the dampness, of steamed hotdogs, of beer; he felt that first burst of cold air coming through the doors. He was at the hockey arena. A place he came to every Saturday for practice, a place where his family came to watch him play, a place he brought his daughters' – one to hockey, the other to figure skating – a comfortable place.

"Ok, blindfold off."

"Come on, Daddy. . . skating time."

"Bones, this is incredible. Really. Thank you."

"Happy Anniversary, Booth."

Lucy interrupted "Daddy, Daddy. . . there's more. Come with me." She grabbed his hand because he didn't really have a choice.

"Lead the way."

Hadley was in the player's box setting up dinner, Brennan had brought all their bags into the locker rooms. As Booth had started to put his hockey gear on, the girls surrounded him.

"We have a gift for you, Daddy." The girls had wrapped a shirt box with orange paper and a black ribbon.

"Flyers colors! I like it already."

His wife spoke up. "The girls wanted to get you something for your anniversary hockey game debut."

Once again, he unwrapped his gift. A replica Philadelphia Flyers player's jersey.

"I love it." He said as put it on. "This should bring me luck today." It didn't matter the player or the number because his girls picked for him.

Brennan had orchestrated something else he never would have dreamed about. She rented out the ice rink, arranged for some players from the Capitals to go meet him and added bonus, they all skated with the Captains.

oOo

After skating for a couple hours, they decided to eat. Grilled cheese and tomato soup, a warm comfort food for a cold rink. Everything was great.

Booth took Brennan's hand "Will you join me on the ice?"

"I never thought you'd ask."

They skated around. Brennan had become significantly better at skating but she held his hand anyways.

"Do you remember that last time we were here?"

"Of course, you and that agent – what was her name, we had worked the case because I played that hockey game against the victim and we fought. . . Anyways, I'd never seen you on skates before that night."

"That is correct, I did not have good balance then, you were patient enough to skate around with me. It was a similar situation to this and I remember telling you that you were going to make me fall. . ."

"Bones, I'm never gonna make you fall. I'm always here."

"I know."

To be continued. . .