Are you ready for some serious fluff?

I recommend "The Boneless Bride in the River" for this one.

III. The Ship in the Harbor

"No, Christine, the enamel bowl is the best drum."

Taking the spoon from his little sister, Parker hit said bowl, and the girl clapped her hands in delight at the loud noise. To prove what he just told her, the boy hit the plastic bowl in front of him and then the enamel bowl once more.

"See?"

Outstretching impatient hands, Christine reached for the spoon, and Parker gave it to her, watching contently as she hit the right bowl.

Entering the kitchen, Booth stepped over his children, aiming for the coffee pot.

"Thanks a lot Parks, it's not as if she cannot find out how to be as loud as possible on her own."

Parker shrugged.

"As her brother, I have to show her the good stuff."

"Can't you show her the silent good stuff?"

"Dad, there is no silent good stuff."

Brennan rushed into the kitchen, buttoning her blouse while walking.

"We're running late."

"Jeez, really? I hadn't noticed."

She rolled her eyes, but added a playful wink.

"Coffee?"

"Yes, please."

Her hand closed around the mug, her new ring, his ring, sparkling in the morning sunlight. On the floor, Christine hit the bowl anew, adding some squeaks to her makeshift song.

"She is fairly musical," Brennan stated while sipping her coffee.

Her partner groaned, but could barely hide his pride.

"That's one way to look at it."

"Next time, I'll bring my old flute for her," Parker jumped in, and Brennan smiled.

"She will suck and gnaw at it with delight."

Reaching for his toast, Parker regarded his sister. She had stopped hitting the bowl, and, the spoon in her mouth, she looked up at him with bright eyes.

"On second thought, maybe we should focus on drumming for a start," he finally added.

"A flute is quite a good instrument for a child, though."

"Yes, because it's loud, Bones. You're ready, Parker?"

"Yup."

"Okay. School for you," he pointed at his son, "daycare for you," a nod towards his daughter, "lab for you," a smile for Brennan, "and office for me. Your mom will wait for you this afternoon, Buddy, and Angela will pick up Christine later."

Brennan looked at him with a frown.

"Angela? Why?"

"Because we have plans tonight."

"Plans?"

"Yeah."

"Care to elaborate?"

"Nope."

"Okay..."

She stretched the word, ogling him curiously, and, eventually, Booth gave in with a sigh.

"Fine. Remember this... thing we did two weeks ago?"

A lecture hall. A store room. A trip down memory lane. Her cheeks flushed.

"Yes..."

"Well, I have something planned for tonight. You'll get my instructions later."

"Instructions?"

He winked at her.

"Booth?" Her voice turned to a whisper. "What should I wear?"

"Whatever you want will be fine."

"Eek, you're gross. And I cannot hear you," Parker interrupted, and Booth ruffled his son's hair, even though the boy was almost too grown-up for it.

"We're not gross. We're super-cool adults and parents, alright?"

Parker chuckled.

"Sure."

"Grab your bag, we're leaving."

A kiss for Brennan, one for Christine.

"Later Bones?"

"Sure. I'll see you."

Later...

-BONES-

His instructions came around lunch-time in the form of a little plastic ship and a simple card saying, "Meet me at the pier. 6 pm."

Instantly, her mind provided her with a memory – another ship, a different day – and she didn't even have to ask which pier he was talking about.

"Oh, Booth..."

She hadn't stayed for him, but she hadn't been able to leave because of him. How could she sail into the sunset if Booth wouldn't be there to look at it with her? She hadn't seen it so clearly back then, and she had liked Sully, truly liked him, but... he hadn't been Booth. Nobody could ever be Booth.

'No bones, no Bones', she had once said. Maybe, 'No Booth, no Bones,' would have been correct as well.

The hours refused to pass, and the prospect of the evening distracted her more than she liked it. How had she been six years ago? How had he been?

Finally, the hands of time said five to six, she was approaching the pier. She hadn't come here again after biding Sully farewell, but walking down the planks, she felt a shadow of her former self beside her. Then there was Booth, his big frame as solid as a rock next to the boats. She knew that her decision to stay had been the right one, hadn't even thought about it in years, but, in that very moment, she felt the rightness like a mighty rush once again. And young Brennan was smiling at her, waving goodbye.

Taking a deep breath, she stopped right in front of her partner, tilting her head, blinking against the sun.

"Here I am," she simply said, and, lifting one arm, he pulled her into a half-hug; like he would have hugged her all those years ago, like he maybe even had, if she recalled her memory correctly.

"So... you remember?"

"Of course I do."

"Right... he was important."

"He was."

"I never told you how glad I was that you stayed. That you didn't follow your heart."

Turning her head, she looked up at him, searching his gaze.

"You're mistaken, Booth. I did follow my heart. Logically, I knew that I should go, that Sully was right. Angela encouraged me, even you told me so. But I couldn't, I just couldn't."

"Bones... I'm sorry for lying."

"Lying?"

He nodded slowly.

"Saying you should go with him... that was bullshit. And I was so scared that, for a change, you might actually listen to me."

"'Everything happens eventually.' You said that to me."

"And I was right."

"Why were you here that day?"

He sighed deeply, his gaze roaming over the glistening water.

"To be your friend. Offer you a strong shoulder. But... also to make sure that you wouldn't change your mind. And to show him that I was the one keeping you. I'm not very proud of the latter, by the way. Sully was a nice guy. Silly and stupid, but nice."

Her head fell onto his shoulder, his fingers drawing patterns on the small of her back.

"I'm glad that you came. I was really sad that morning."

Tilting his head, he rubbed the crown of her hair with his cheek. The waves in front of them were rushing soothingly, dark blue freckles dancing on the surface of the water – the kind of blue one could sometimes find in her eyes. Taking one moment, he just held her in the crook of his arm, praying his silent thank-you once again.

"Traditionally, I should buy you breakfast now. But it's a little bit late and we already did that back then. Also... there's this one thing I'd like to do."

Lifting her head, she gave him a curious smile.

"What is it?"

"You know... I was kind of jealous of our Sully boy. He knew you in ways I did not."

"You know me better."

"Rationally, I know that. Still... I want to make love to you on a boat. Just one time. To draw level, to get it out of my system, you know?"

"And you want me to give in to this alpha male fantasy of yours?"

Something insecure flickered in his eyes.

"Uh... yes?"

She shrugged nonchalantly.

"Okay. Which one is it?"

He nodded towards the boat he had rented.

"This one."

Taking his hand, she led him towards the boat, but before they stepped on board, she turned around one more time, raising her left eyebrow.

"Booth? To draw level, you'd have to have sex with me more than just once."

His stomach did a quick somersault, but he covered it with a self-assured smile.

"I can do that."

"I know you can."

-BONES-

The boat was nice, a little bit smaller than Sully's, but Brennan had never really cared about boats in the first place, so it was just a boat. A nice one. Gesturing in the direction of the cabin, she turned to Booth.

"You wanna go downstairs?"

"Nah, not yet. Let's take a seat first." He pointed towards some pillows and a blanket on the deck. "I even have champagne," he added proudly.

She laughed softly.

"Booth, you don't really have to seduce me, you know that, right?"

Reaching for her hand, he caressed her fingers with his thumb.

"But I want to."

Taking a seat on the checkered blanket, he tugged at her until she was sitting beside him, cross-legged and smiling. The wind was tousling her hair, and she looked younger than this morning and oh so gorgeous. Lifting his hand, he pushed one dancing curl away, tucking it behind her ear.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered in awe, and sudden shyness was tightening her chest.

"Booth..."

"No, you are. Today, back then, always. I probably should have told you so every now and then."

Clearing his throat, he reached for the champagne, uncorking it, filling two glasses. Handing one to her. She accepted it with a thank-you, and he was amazed how much it suited her, the boat, the wind, the sunshine, the exquisite drink. She wasn't made for murder and mayhem, she was way too elegant, way too special. Maybe she should have gone with Sully after all, maybe... His mind clouded for a moment, but then her cool hand was cupping his cheek.

"Staying was right. Leaving would have been wrong. I'm happy now, Booth, happy."

Blinking once, he found back into the moment, leaning into her palm with honest gratitude.

"Sorry," he murmured, and her fingertips caressed his skin.

"Don't ever doubt that this is what I want. You. The life we have."

Unable to speak for a moment, he raised his drink, chinking glasses. The champagne fizzed on his tongue, bubbling down his throat, and when he leaned in for a kiss, he could taste it on her warm lips as well.

"Did you ever regret it?" he finally asked. "Not going?"

She shook her head with a smile.

"No, never. My dad showed up, you were there... I kind of forgot it. He sent me a postcard once. I'm still grateful, though."

"Grateful?"

"Yes. Sully was the first man who was really nice to me in that kind of way. He made an effort to reach me. I... I needed that."

Booth grumbled beside her.

"I'm still jealous, just a little bit, you know?"

Brennan wiggled her head.

"How do I put it best...?"

"Why don't you try the grand romantic gesture for a change?"

"Hmm... Sully, he was a wave. You're the ocean, Booth. Every wave, every depth, every boat, every harbor which has ever existed."

Turning her head, she looked at him.

"Romantic enough?"

He swallowed hard, his hand aiming for her nape, pulling her towards him. Fingers tunneled in her silky hair, and his mouth slanted down on hers, warm and soft and firm. With a sigh, her lips parted, inviting him in, and his tongue met hers like he had always wanted to kiss her. Stroking and licking, nibbling and soothing. The setting sun was warming her from the outside, but he was warming her from the inside; her body and so much more.

Sometime during the kiss they slid down on the blanket, and he was lying half on top of her, his weight anchoring her in the most comfortable way ever. Her hands were raking through his thick hair, tracing his spine, clasping his strong upper arms; touching everywhere at the same time until he was consumed by one single caress that was her.

"Bones," he murmured between kisses; and again, "Bones."

She sighed into his mouth, the sound humming on his tongue, and, pushing his hands under her shoulder blades, he rolled them around until she was sprawled over him, his arms cradling her close to his chest.

"You're mine," he hissed, his voice dark with possessiveness, and she bit his bottom lip lightly.

"Don't push it."

"You're mine," he repeated, and she sank back into his kiss with a groan, drinking from him, falling into him.

Already the sun had begun its descent, decorating the sky with puffy clouds of pink. In the sunset light, her hair shimmered almost chestnut red, but he couldn't see it, could only feel her. It was the wind that finally got their attention, a sharp gust of March, and, above him, she shivered.

He run his palms along her covered arms.

"Cold?"

"A little."

Taking a shuddered breath, he kissed her once more, softly, before bringing himself into a sitting position, shifting her in his arms until her back was supported by his chest. Pulling at the blanket they were resting upon, he tried to wrap it around their bodies as tight as possible, and she snuggled into his embrace.

Lowering his head, he dropped a kiss into her hair.

"Why don't we have some more champagne and watch the sunset before heading downstairs?"

She nodded.

"I'd like that."

-BONES-

Watching a sunset on a clear day is made of win. Watching that sunset on a boat with the woman you love, the woman you almost lost in your arms is made of win win win. Somewhere in the not so faraway distance a boot was tooting, as if greeting the moon that was hanging pale and awaiting on the purple sky.

Brennan was warm and relaxed under the cocoon of their blanket, not really thinking about a long gone past, but rather floating in the moment. Booth's calm hands were folded over her belly, and, with every breath he took, her own body was rippling as well, as gently as the water surrounding them.

Then it was dark.

She turned around in his arms.

"Shall we?"

"We shall. You know, Bones, I would carry you downstairs, but the boat is a little bit wobbly, so..."

She chuckled.

"I don't know how much more romance I can take. Let's just walk."

Taking the champagne bottle, taking her hand, he guided her towards the tiny cabin, walking down the few stairs in front of her.

"Mind your head."

"I've been on a boat before, Booth."

He stilled, but only briefly, and she bit her tongue.

"Sorry."

"It's okay. After all, that's why we're here."

Spinning around, he pulled her towards him, turning them until they fell onto the small bed as a tangle of limbs, the bottle hitting the ground in the process. Taking advantage of her surprise, he buried her underneath his body.

"Booth!"

Lowering his head, he sucked her neck, evoking a sharp gasp.

"Did you scream for him? Come for him?" he asked in a somewhat dark voice, but Brennan had always been honest, and so she nodded.

"Yes."

Teeth sank into her skin, and she knew that, later, she would find his mark on her.

"Give me something, Bones, something," he pleaded, and she wrapped her arms around him, her mind traveling back in time.

"I... When I was coming... right before... I always closed my eyes."

Lips were soothing her neck.

"Thank you."

Then he was kissing her, full kisses that were stirring her up, that left no corner to hide... not that she wanted to hide in the first place, and with the kisses came the caresses. Fingers unbuttoning her blouse, peeling her out of the garment; hands covering her bra-clad breasts, kneading them, making them ache.

The bra was midnight blue, but he had already known that, he had seen her choosing it that very morning. In their home. Their home! A smile played around his lips, as he opened the clasp, exposing her further to his gaze.

"You're so mine," he couldn't help but utter again, and, this time, she didn't even try to fight it. It might be an archaic concept and impossible on top of that, but, yes, in some way, she was his. Had been for a very long time.

Then she forgot to think altogether because his rough tongue was running over her sensitive nipple, and, arching her back, she pushed herself further into his mouth, her hands flying to his head.

"Booth..."

He hummed against her flesh, focusing his attention on her other breast after a few delicious moments, alternating between licking and sucking. Bringing his hand into play, he cupped her abandoned breast, rolling the taut tip between two fingers, gentle and rough at the same time.

"Oh yes," she breathed, and he sucked just a little bit harder, causing her to wriggle underneath him.

"Too much?"

"Yes. No..."

He smiled, burying his face in her cleavage, inhaling deeply. Her heart was beating wildly under his cheek, and he pressed one gentle kiss between her breasts, just because.

A few calming breaths later, she was tugging at he sweater, and together they pulled it over his head. In the dim light of the cabin, he was towering above her like some kind of Greek statue, only better. Warmer. Alive. Muscles were playing under his firm skin, and she traced their contours with her fingers, admiring, once again, his power.

An old kind of power. A good kind of power.

"You're beautiful," she whispered, and he groaned.

"Men are not beautiful."

"No, men are not. You are."

Lowering himself, he covered her with his naked chest, and want coursed through her body at the skin-to-skin contact. She was neither a small nor a weak woman, but with him, she felt precious, delicate even.

"Do you think we could speedup a little bit?" she finally asked breathlessly, and he laughed out.

"In a hurry?"

"Yes."

Her voice was rough with sincerity and need, and his mouth went dry as reason rushed southwards, centering in his pants. His way too tight pants.

"Just because you're asking so nicely," he taunted, his fingers already working on the buttons of her jeans.

She lost no time repaying the favor, and, soon, both of them had managed to wiggle out of their pants, close to each other in just their underwear... close to each other in nothing but skin and heat some hasty moments later.

Spreading her thighs, she embraced him on top of her, but he stilled one more time.

"Tonight," he breathed heavily, his eyes boring into hers. "Tonight I'm gonna lick you and suck you. I'm gonna make you scream and come again and again. You get that?"

She nodded wildly, completely in agreement with his plan.

"Maybe you can even have your way with me once or twice. But first... first this."

And with his last words, he thrust into her, joining them in one long stroke.

Her head fell back on a moan.

"Yessss."

Above her, he took a deep breath, adjusting to the heavenly feeling of being inside of her. At first, it was just one overwhelming rush of warmth, but, after a few racing heartbeats, he could feel the details. The smoothness of her calves brushing against his. Her hands pressing into the small of his back. Her breath tickling his ear. The silken heat of her engulfing him so intimately, so damn intimately.

And, suddenly, he knew that she could never have had this with someone else. Because... they were them, and the rest was invalid.

Taking her lovely face in both hands, he began to rock, slowly at first, but soon she encouraged him to move faster, to go deeper. He was stroking her or she was stroking him... it didn't really matter because it was just so perfect, such a wonderful sensation, and it was them, it was them together creating it.

"We're living a wide life," he murmured, and her eyes never left his, as she accepted everything he had to give.

"The best," she answered, lifting her head to meet his lips, and he kissed her and stroked her and kissed her once more.

Eventually, his body was tightening, submitting to the intensity of their union.

"Bones, Bones," he chanted, shivers starting low in his spine, and, with a sudden outcry, her head hit the pillows and her eyes darkened... darkened and brightened at the same time, as her body quivered beneath him, pushing him over the edge with her.

And he was falling... into her eyes, into her body... plain into her. But upon recovering his senses, he was neither lost nor found. He was just... there. And she was there with him.

Breathing in existence.

-BONES-

He made love to her all night long. And she never closed her eyes.

Not once.

Around them, the waves were lapping against the boat.

To be continued.

Happy weekend!