A/N Hello! Well, this would-be two shot is just taking over the JazzyMuse fuse. Your response to this story has been overwhelming, thank you all. And a very special THANK YOU goes out to dgschneider, who so very kindly acknowledged me and this story in her last chapter of 'Hindsight Being What it Is.' And let me tell you, dear readers, if you have not yet read dgschneider, you MUST check her stuff out. I'm telling you, you won't be disappointed. Stop reading this RIGHT NOW and go look her up. Add her to your favorites and READ! Then you can come back and see what B&B are up to in my little fantasy world.
Disclaimer: Still don't own anything! Just this story!
"Why didn't you tell me that you had a job offer from the CIA? It sounds like it would be a positive move for you…"
"It was a no-brainer for me, Bones." Booth's head was bowed as he spoke against the back of her shoulder, keeping his arms draped loosely around her waist.
"But, Booth," she turned her head sideways, trying to look at him. "It could be such a promising opportunity for you."
"Nah," he shook his head gently but still didn't meet her gaze. Instead, he turned and rested his cheek against her shoulder, looking towards the waterfall. "I didn't want to be Danny's partner, Bones. You're my partner." His voice quieted further. "You're the only partner I want."
"Booth," she breathed his name, unknowingly sending shivers down his spine. "I have no intentions of holding you back from obtaining more preferable employment. You shouldn't have made such a hasty decision." She shifted sideways, forcing him to sit up straighter to allow for her movement. "If you had concerns about who your partner might have been, we could have talked, Booth. The CIA has been trying to recruit me for years." Her pale eyes were serious, filled with concern.
"Yeah, I know…" When Brennan changed her position, Booth became unsure as to where it was safe to rest his hands. He finally settled his left at the small of her back, just at her waistline, and decided to stretch his wide right hand across one of her thighs.
Her forehead wrinkled, but she didn't seem uncomfortable with their physical contact. "You know?"
"Sure. I know about a lot of the job offers you've turned down over the past five or six years, Bones." He stifled his grin, knowing she was not aware of the extent of his knowledge.
"What? How?" She was shocked that he was privy to job offers she'd received. "Which ones to you know about?"
"CIA. Secret Service Special Unit. Homeland Security. INTERPOL's Genocide Unit. And hell, I can't even remember all the universities and educational institutes worldwide that've wanted you…" He met her surprised gaze and curled one corner of his lips. "Dozens, I imagine…"
"How do you know all of that?"
"They don't call me a Special Agent for nothin', Bones." He joked, but when he saw how shocked she was, he wanted to put her at ease. "Don't worry, I'm not checkin' up on you." He shrugged one shoulder. "When a Federal Agency starts headhunting another's contracted specialist, they are required to notify the housing agency first. And for a university or college to seek out one of our employees, there's a protocol they have to follow. So each time you were approached, the FBI would have received notice. Even though Cullen isn't obligated to disclose these notices to me, he typically warns me so I'm not blindsided if you turn up at my office one day to turn in your resignation."
"I would never resign from our partnership without discussing it with you first, Booth." She looked insulted, hurt even, that he would think otherwise.
"I know that, Bones. But Cullen doesn't know you the way I do, so he continued to tell me, and I let him..." He searched her face, seeing that she was struggling with something, battling an internal argument of some sort. Taking a chance, he asked her what was on his mind. "Why didn't you ever tell me about those job offers? Hell, why didn't you take any of 'em?"
"Because I am happy doing what we do, Booth." That was a safe answer, she knew. "We are a good team. At this point in my career, I am satisfied with my job at the Jeffersonian...and… You and I make a difference every day… And..." She took a cleansing breath, blinked slowly and refocused before confessing. "I would miss working with you, Booth. I've known, ever since that day in the rose garden when I agreed to be one of your ducks, and then subsequently blackmailed you," she smirked at the memory of his reaction and grew serious again. "I knew that I'd miss our partnership when it ends."
Feeling an undeniable panic growing in his chest, Booth's hand involuntarily flexed against her thigh as he searched her face. "What do you mean 'when our partnership ends?' Do you know something I don't know?"
"Booth," she placed her cool palm over his hand. "I'm not an easy person to work with. I had to mentally prepare myself for when you inevitably break our partnership. You're going to get tired of working with me eventually, and you will choose another partner." She swallowed her nervous emotions and refused to let anxious tears slip from her eyes. "It's alright, Booth," she lied unconvincingly. "I expect it, so when it happens, I won't ask uncomfortable questions."
"Bones," he reached up and cupped her cheek, stopping her from turning away. "Hell will freeze over before I choose someone else over you." He saw the impending argument in her eyes and knew she was going to dismiss the notion of Hell and start to lecture, so he placed his finger over her lips. "Just listen, ok? I know all about the open-ended contract the CIA currently has with you. I know they're interested in your skillset, Bones." He paused to gather his thoughts, but only momentarily, not wanting to lose her attention. Dropping his hand to her leg once again, he continued. "The letter you read, where I declined the job offer, that was just a formality. Before I wrote it, I had already called Tubbs and discussed their interest in me. I inquired about the possibility of him bringing both of us on together, as a team." His thumb started making lazy strokes on her denim-covered leg. "Of course he was really interested in you and asked if I thought you'd changed your mind about joining them. But, he wouldn't guarantee to a partnership between you and me. If I took the job they were offering, I'd be teamed up with Danny. Period. You'd be in a different area. Maybe you'd be called in for consultations on some of our cases, but you wouldn't be my partner." He stilled his fidgeting fingers and flexed them against her leg. "I wasn't willing to make that sacrifice."
"I'm holding you back…"
"No, you're not, Bones. I don't want to work for the CIA if you're not my partner. This was my decision, and mine alone." His dark eyes bored into hers. "And I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to feel responsible. I knew you'd take it this way." He brought his warm hand up and cupped her jaw again, half his palm landing on her neck as his thumb drew lines against her cheek. "I only want you, Bones."
Her heart started pumping harder, threatening to break through her ribcage. Her lungs felt like they were constricting in her chest, making it hard to breathe. "You only want me… as a partner…" Her sentence was spoken cautiously and ended with a slight upturn, as if she intended it to be a question but changed her mind at the last minute.
"Bones," he felt his lips curl into a smile involuntarily. "I'd hoped that by this time, after what we talked about last night… after what just almost happened over there," he nodded towards the clearing where they'd been standing when they nearly kissed, "that you would have realized I want more than just a partnership with you." He studied her reaction silently, watching a pretty pink blush spread across her nose and cheeks. "But only if that's what you want, too."
Brennan held her breath for a fraction longer than necessary and let it out slowly. "I'm afraid, Booth." The truth behind her admission was clearly evident by the nervous quiver in her voice.
"Of me? You're afraid of me, Bones?"
"No!" She laid her hand against his chest and turned towards him slightly. "No, Booth… Not at all. I just…" She rolled her lips between her teeth and exhaled through her nose. "You're very important to me, Booth. I don't want to disappoint you. I don't want to push you away… even accidentally."
He met her concern with a reassuring smile. "You would never disappoint me, Bones." Laying his hand over hers so it was sandwiched against his chest, he gave her the lead. "But tell ya what… When you're ready, really ready, you let me know… and we'll go from there, hmm?"
She was anxious, indecisive; definitely worried that she might push him away too soon. "It's mostly...I'm… Nervous." She searched his face for understanding and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it.
"That's understandable, Bones." He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against her flushed cheek and then spoke against her skin. "So for now, let's just take it a step at a time. Okay? And like I said, when you're ready, you let me know."
She nodded against him, feeling her heart begin to race again. It seemed that whenever Brennan found herself alone with her partner in a casual setting, this feeling of excessive heart palpitations, and labored breathing, and fluttering insects in her abdomen was quickly becoming her new reality. It was a feeling to which she was growing happily accustomed, and the fact that she had never experienced anything quite like it when she was with other men was not lost on the anthropologist. "Alright," she breathed her response.
Pulling back, his dark eyes twinkled as he was about to reveal another secret to her. "Wanna know what this place is called?"
"It's part of the Natural Bridge Park, isn't it?" The familiar 'V' that Booth adored formed between her eyebrows.
"Yeah, but I mean this place," he motioned to the view before them, where they'd been sitting for the better part of a half hour.
"Oh," her head swiveled back to the peaceful overlook. "Yes."
Booth shifted until she was once again sitting in the space created by his parted thighs, so they were both once again, facing the gulch. "Well, the river down below splits the property in half. It's tributaries feed into the small ponds and lakes nearby, and it provided the original Native inhabitants with a source of clean water and food. It served as the metaphoric backbone for this area, supporting the foliage, wildlife and people. Once this place was settled, it was named Tranquil Rachis Ravine." Booth had learned a lot about the area since first coming to the park, and there were certain aspects of the history that stuck out in his mind. "I didn't know it when I first heard the name, but found out afterwards that the word rachis is another word for vertebrae."
"Yes," Brennan confirmed. "It isn't a commonly-used word in context of the homo sapien anatomical sense, but generally refers to the supporting stalk or main axis in microbial or zoological terms. The descriptive term has been borrowed by the medical community on occasion when referencing to the spinal cord, however…"
"Yeah, like I said… Vertebrae." Booth chuckled and the deep vibrations from his chest sent shivers through Brennan's body. "Anyway," he looped his arms around her waist again. "It made me think of you…" He rested his chin on her shoulder. "I felt something I couldn't explain when I first sat here, Bones. It was like an overwhelming sense of calm, and after a while, I started to look over the paperwork and map of the area." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out the map he'd picked up earlier and opened it in front of her. "Here is where we ate lunch… Here is the trail we took to get to where we are," he walked his fingers comically along the hiking trail. "And this is the overlook where we're sitting."
She studied the map carefully, reading the description of how the area was named. "It says here that a Monacan Indian burial ground was located at the base of the chasm…" She read the historical synopsis and felt intrigued to learn more. "I don't know why I've never been here before…"
He gave her a few quiet moments to study the guide before continuing his story. "Bones, when I came here that first time, I'd been trying to get hold of you and Zach kept stonewalling my calls. For months, I wanted to see you, wanted to talk to you." Booth eyed her sideways, but he could see she still didn't pick up on the notion of their destiny. "Listen, I know you don't believe in Fate… you never did, I get that. But I do believe… I believed even back then." He palmed her cheek tenderly, turning her to meet his gaze. "And me, having a shit day and being verge of gambling again, I just happened to choose this trail to hike, which ended at this boulder, overlooking this ravine… A ravine that was named for a bone..." He recognized the stubborn look in her eyes as she fought against his beliefs. "Listen, Bones," he was so convinced that they were destined from the beginning, he just had to make her trust that they were definitely meant to be. "I just…" He took a deep breath. "Finding this place...it was like finding you when I needed you. When I sat up here and thought about you, I knew that I had to straighten up. That if I wanted to have a chance to work with you, or a chance to be with you, Bones, I had to get my shit together." He trailed his thumb along her cheekbone. "You helped me get through one of the toughest weekends of my adult life, and you didn't even know it. You deserve to know."
"Booth," her eyes softened as she listened to his explanation. She struggled to find the words that would explain her emotions. The scientist was stunned to know that her partner had found comfort and strength in her before they were actually partners. Turning back towards the waterfall, she let his words roll around her mind.
Before she could say anything more, Booth's watch alarm started to beep. "Hmm," he hummed briefly. "Time flies."
"What is that for?" She looked at him, startled that their peaceful moment had been shattered before she could respond to his notion of destiny.
"There's someplace else I want you to see. And there's a tour time, so we need to walk."
"Oh…" The scientist scooted forward, giving Booth room to rise first.
"Don't sound so disappointed, Bones." He laughed as he pushed up from the rock and extended an outstretched hand to pull his partner to her feet. "I think you'll like this next place, too."
Casting one last, longing look at the scene before her, Brennan turned her large eyes to her partner. "Can we come back? I like it here."
Booth couldn't help but chuckle at the little-girl-pout that his partner wore. "Yeah. We'll come back. Not today, but we will come back. I promise."
With nothing more than a tiny nod, the independent woman let herself be tugged gently from the platform boulder where they'd been resting. She followed her partner blindly, believing that the next thing he wanted to show her would be just as impressive as the previous one.
Leading the way back down the wooded path, Booth maintained his hold, engulfing her much thinner hand in his. Inwardly surprised that Brennan didn't pull away, the agent didn't even bother to hide the grin curling the corners of his lips. He led her onto a side-trail, handing her the map again as they moved.
"There is a guided tour of the caverns on property, Bones. They're real nice." His smile grew, deepening his dimple with a boyish charm. "Parker loves them. Every time I bring him, I have to make sure we save time for the caves."
Glancing down at the map as she trusted Booth to steer her safely through the woods, she looked at the summary of their upcoming tour. "It says they are wet caves. So there are stalactites and stalagmites?"
"Yep." He pulled her forward, releasing her hand so he could cup her waist as the path narrowed, letting her lead the way as they walked single file. "And you might need to put on your jacket when we go down there." He bumped her shoulder playfully as he came back around to her side. "I'll grab our passes."
Brennan nodded in response as her eyes narrowed when they were suddenly ejected from the shadowed forest path and into the bright sunlight. To their right, she saw a small ticket counter and she watched as Booth strode over to the window, extracting his annual pass once more. When she heard an exclamation erupt from within the tiny windowed stall, she walked over with a purpose.
"Mr. Booth! It's been a long time! It's so good to see you again." The breathy feminine voice echoed hollowly through the little speaker, causing Brennan's brow to furrow in disapproval as she closed the short distance. She sidled up beside him as he responded.
"Hi, Lisa," Booth responded politely. "They still have you in the box, I see." He laughed as he pocketed his wallet once more.
"Well, if you were here yesterday, you could've taken one of my tours of the caverns. I'll be promoting over to a full-time tour-guide next month." The perky blond batted her eyes at the handsome agent, her smiled broadening across her thin, fake-tanned face. "One adult, one child?" Lisa hadn't seen Booth's companion, but assumed he was there with Parker as usual.
Brennan silently examined the stranger up and down with a critical eye, not at all appreciative of the excessive attention the woman was paying to her partner.
"Two adults today, Lisa," Booth stepped a half step sideways when he felt the unmistakable warmth of his partner's presence closing in. He turned to Brennan and smiled, wide and toothy, placing his arm firmly around her shoulders and tucking her close into his side. "This here is my partner, Dr. Temperance Brennan," he was looking at Brennan while introducing her to Lisa, and Brennan's cool blues never left the stranger's gaze. "Dr. Brennan has never been here before, so I'm showing her the highlights." He turned back to Lisa, barely noticing that the young woman's welcoming demeanor had altered dramatically. "Bones, this is Lisa. She's been here since I started coming. In fact, I think she sold me my first Annual Pass."
Brennan nodded in greeting, but said nothing.
"D-Dr. Brennan, it's so nice to meet you," Lisa struggled to maintain an amicable air. "So you're Mr. Booth's partner?" She was fishing for details.
"Agent Booth," Brennan corrected. "And yes. Booth and I have been working together for nearly six years."
"Oh!" Lisa was visibly relieved and the twinkle in her hazel eyes returned. "You work together. You're working partners."
Accepting the outstretched tickets from the woman in the tiny building, Booth, oddly, didn't pick up on the competitive tension between the women until he looked back down at Brennan and saw her stoic glare. "Bones?" He whispered sideways, trying to distract the intense focus she'd set on the younger woman.
"Yes," she responded flatly to Lisa, positioning herself physically in front of Booth, effectively placing herself between him and the woman behind the glass. Brennan tilted her head, wishing she could extinguish that little twinkle from Blondie's glazed-over hazels with a swift finger-poke to the eye-socket. "For now, we just work together." The message was clear to the smaller woman. Back off, he's mine. She held Lisa's attention until Booth started to actually manhandle her away from the little hole in the glass.
"Right," he grunted at Brennan's stubbornness. "Well, thanks, Lisa." He waved the tickets in the air as he wove his fingers between his partner's, trying to soften her rigid stance. "Good luck with the tours. Maybe we'll catch one of yours next time," he grinned, though the young woman barely acknowledged his well-wishes as she nodded towards Brennan.
"It was...nice to meet you…" Lisa finally said as more distance was put between the couple and her ticket window.
"Yes," Brennan's vague response was nearly inaudible as she let Booth lead her away, blindly stumbling alongside his strong body. When he stopped suddenly and turned to face her, she was startled. "What?"
"What? You have the nerve to ask me 'what'?" He looked at her in disbelief. "What the hell was that?" He pointed back up the path at the point away from which he practically dragged her.
Raising her dainty little nose into the air, Brennan tightened her lips. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Bullshit, Bones." He crowded her, forcing her back against the handrail edging the sidewalk. "You were jealous…" His smug smile curled one side of his mouth and one eyebrow arched. "You didn't like Lisa being so friendly…"
"You're crazy." She tried to turn away, but found it impossible to break the trance his dark eyes held. "No."
"Yes," he craned his head gently, "you are. Just admit it."
"There is nothing to be jealous of, Seeley Booth." Her arms shot up to her chest, folding against themselves in a protective stance. "So, she finds you attractive. It's not all that unexpected." She stammered in her explanation. "You're… symmetrically pleasing to look at... An...acceptable specimen if the male species... It's not unnatural for a perfectly healthy woman to find you attractive... I suspect most would..."
Always ready for a friendly debate, Booth chose his angle immediately. "Lisa isn't attracted to me. She's just friendly. She helped me on my first visit here, gave me the maps, sold me the ticket... She just remembers me. Probably more so because of Parker… He's a pretty remarkable kid, y'know."
"Booth," she was exasperated at having to explain the evidence to her partner. "Her eyes were dilated, her cheeks were flushed, her voice was a half-octave higher when she talked to you than when she addressed me." She dropped her arms to her sides, fisting her hands in frustration. "And if that glass wasn't in the way, her tits would have hit you in the face after the way she squared her shoulders just to get your attention!"
Booth was gobsmacked at Brennan's sudden, and rather uncharacteristic outburst. Sure, he recognized that the park employee was attracted to him, but since he, in no way, reciprocated the attentions, he thought nothing of the girl's actions. Just as he was about to question Brennan on that last observation, she interrupted his thoughts.
"She must see hundreds, possibly even thousands of guests here every year... And yet she remembers you!" Her pointy little forefinger pressed against his chest accusingly. "And you haven't even been here for at least the past seven months, yet she still remembers you!"
Honing in on one particular statement His Possessive-Bones made just seconds earlier, he stepped even closer. "You, uh," he reached out both hands, grabbing hers before she could pull away. "You had your annual physical recently, didn't you?"
Thrown off by his question, Brennan crinkled her nose. "Yes. Why?"
"And," he tilted his head towards her, "did Doc Warner give you a clean bill of health?"
"Of course," she seemed insulted and then continued proudly. "He said I am the picture of health. A perfectly healthy thirty-five-year," she paused for a breath, realizing what he was doing; how he was turning her own words back against her. "-old."
"Hmm," he hummed in approval. "So, you're a Perfectly. Healthy. Woman. Huh, Bones?"
Without Brennan realizing that he had even moved, Booth's hands were suddenly palming her hips as he held her squarely in front of him. Her mind raced, trying to find a rebuttal to his keen observational skills and she inwardly cursed herself for falling into this trap. Then the cursed him for being so tuned-in whenever she spoke.
"I..." She could think of nothing to say.
"You said any healthy woman would find me attractive." He could see her pulse quicken in the soft skin of her suprasternal notch. "But here's the thing, Bones…" He was standing so close she could feel his breath against her ear as he leaned in, as if he was sharing a secret with her. "There's only one 'perfectly healthy woman' that I'm attracted to..." He pulled back suddenly and eyed her cautiously. "I just thought you should know that… You might find it to be vital information as you think about...things…"
She felt stunned, confused, and completely aroused. She could smell him - his cologne, his soap and whatever clean scent was simply Booth. She could feel his warmth, his power and his protection. She was just about to speak when an announcement came over the loudspeakers, informing park guests that the next cave tour would be starting in just ten minutes and that there were a few spots still available. Disorientated and enamored, Brennan simply nodded when Booth indicated they should continue walking down the path towards the mouth of the cavern, where the tour would begin.
While they waited, Brennan excused herself to use the bathroom and took the opportunity to rinse her face, letting the chill of the tap water reground her before going back out to join her partner. When she looked around the waiting area, which had grown surprisingly crowded, she spotted Booth sitting on a stone wall across from the restrooms, waiting to get her attention. As she approached, she noted that there was no room to sit next to him because other visitors filled those spots, so she opted to stand in front of him.
"How long is the tour?" she asked as she gazed around at the crowd.
"Not long," he answered as he parted his knees, making room for her to step closer, though she didn't know it yet. "Maybe twenty-five minutes or so." Taking advantage of her distracted state, Booth reached out and grabbed the arms of the jacket she had tied around her waist, using them to reel her in. When she whipped her head around in surprise, he smirked and untied the knot that rested low on her tummy. "You should put this on, Bones. It's cool down there. And damp, which makes it feel colder."
The chilled water that she had just splashed on her face was long forgotten as she felt the unmistakable heat of a pink blush fill her cheeks. "Oh, uh," she looked down and watched his hands as he untied the knot holding the lightweight FBI jacket in place. She swallowed and looked up again, only to find him watching her expression rather than paying attention to what he was doing. "Yeah." She was startled to see that her hands had unwittingly come to rest on his parted thighs as she stood between them. "Thank you."
"Don't want you catching a cold," he said softly as he brought the outerwear up to her shoulders by reaching around her back and forcing her to step further into his personal space. "After we're done the tour, we can go get a cup of coffee and see whatever else you want to see." He grinned as she threaded her arms through the sleeves before bringing her palms back to rest on his jeans. "We have dinner reservations at seven-thirty."
"Oh," she was unaware that he had made reservations. "Where?"
Jerking his head towards the main building in the distance. "In the Colonial Dining Room, up at the hotel. I asked for a patio table; they have live music tonight." He smirked as he realized she hadn't even seen the main attraction for which the park was named. "There really is a naturally-formed bridge here, even though I haven't taken you to see it yet." He pressed a few of the snaps closed on the front of the windbreaker. "Maybe we'll go see that after coffee, so you can say you actually saw it. It'd be a shame to come to Natural Bridge Park and not even see it's namesake..." He slid down from her perch on the wall and shucked on his green army jacket, not bothering to button the closures.
Brennan didn't back away when Booth tried to move, crowding him against the wall he'd just vacated. "I'm having a nice time today, Booth." She looked up at him with clear eyes and tamped down the unnecessary nervousness she felt erupting in her chest. "I'm honored that you brought me here… you know, since it's so special to you…." Her eyes dropped to the distinctly recognizable jacket he was donning and pinched her lips. Reaching up with one hand, she fiddled with one of his buttons. "Can I tell you something, Booth?"
"You can tell me anything you want, Bones. You should know that by now." He brought one hand to her hip and rested it lightly.
"I don't like this jacket." She didn't meet his eyes, feeling slightly embarrassed at her admission. "It reminds me of.." She bit her bottom lip and raised worried eyes up to meet his confused expression. "It makes me think about the night you were shot... Saving me."
"Aw, jeez, Bones," Booth felt bad that she was bothered by such a memory. "I'm sorry. I didn't know." He started to take it off, preferring the chill of the caverns over making his partner uncomfortable.
She gripped the material tightly, bringing her hands to a mirroring position at his chest. "What are you doing? You need this on."
"No. I'll be fine without it. I don't want you thinking about that… Today isn't about that, Bones. Today is about just enjoying ourselves." He rolled the jacked up, intending to throw it into the nearest garbage can, but she grabbed it from his hands.
"Wait, Booth. I don't want you to be cold." She mulled something over in her mind for a split second and started to remove her own jacket. "Here," she handed the green article back to him. "Hold this." The scientist then finished pulling off hers. "If I don't have to look at you wearing it, it won't bother me. So, you take this one back," she handed him the black one with the small FBI logo on the front left panel, "it's yours anyway." She grinned at a sudden rush of memories of commandeering so many pieces of his clothing, blushing at the knowledge of the ample number of Boothy t-shirts and baseball caps she had hidden away in her closet. "And I'll wear this one," she unfurled the green one and smiled before stopping to question her movements. "Do you mind?"
"No." He would do anything she wanted if it meant making his partner feel better. "I don't mind, Bones. Here," he turned her around and took the jacket from her, holding it out so she could slip her arms into place. Boldly, he reached around and started to close the buttons, keeping her back flush against his chest. "I didn't realize this jacket made you think about that night, Bones," he spoke against the side of her head, just above her ear. "I'm sorry, Baby. Er, Bones..." The moniker slipped and he squeezed his eyes closed in anticipation of her impending reprimand.
But the retort never came; instead she simply reached up with one hand and wrapped it around his forearm, holding it in place. "I know, Booth. I never said anything because I didn't think I had the right to question your clothing… But if we're being openly honest today, I felt it was important to speak up."
Pressing a gentle kiss into her hair, Booth inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet scent of her shampoo. "Don't ever hold anything like that back, Bones. Always tell me."
She nodded, deciding what to say next, and battling the swarm of butterflies fluttering around her abdomen again. Her decision was made for her when the announcement was made that the tour was starting and Booth loosened his hold on her so he could pull on his long-lost jacket and join the crowd.
Without a second thought, Brennan let her partner take her hand and guide her towards the entrance, twining her fingers with his as naturally as if she were folding her own hands.
The pair enjoyed the tour, bringing up the rear of the crowd since Booth practically knew the stories behind each stop verbatim. Amidst the lectures and explanations of each point of interest throughout the cavern, Booth and Brennan tugged playfully against one another, flirting and muffling their snickers like a couple of giddy teenagers, stealing barely-there kisses and glancing touches that grew bolder as the tour came to an end.
"They were beautiful," Brennan remarked as they emerged back into the bright sunlight. "I've always loved the seemingly random formations that are created as environments change and
the flow of moisture follows the path of least resistance. I can almost see why people think that sights like the Frozen Falls or Woman Sleeping," Brennan referenced two of the stops within the tour, "are like works of art."
Releasing her hand in favor of throwing his arm around her shoulders, Booth pulled his partner close. "Yeah, Mother Nature sure knows what she's doin' when she creates beauty like that." He grinned, pondering the beauty of the woman at his side. They walked a few moments in silence before he veered them down yet another path. "Wanna get a cup of coffee? There's a cart down here by the bridge." He nodded in the direction they were walking.
She nodded and slowed as the bridge for which the park was named came into view. The immense rock formation was inspirational when compared with the immediate surrounding area. Sure, Brennan had been all over the world and had seen hundreds of impressive natural formations, but something about this natural bridge, formed over the course of millennia right there in her metaphorical back yard, made her at a loss for words. Happily tagging along, guided by her partner who smirked at her reaction, she watched the attraction grow larger as they drew nearer.
"That is amazing, Booth." She smiled softly at the view as a red-shouldered hawk cried in the distance, searching for her mate. "I imagine the nighttime laser show that they advertise is quite pretty here."
"Yeah," Booth unlooped his arm as they slowed in front of the coffee cart. "It's something to see. But you might not like the message…. It's not exactly scientific in nature, Bones… It's the story of Creation." He grinned at her awestruck expression. "I'll be right back," he said. "I'll grab our coffees."
"Booth," she said when he returned, accepting his steaming offer with gratitude. "I'm ready."
"Say what?" He wasn't certain they were on the same page, but he was hoping.
"I'm ready, Booth." She turned to face him fully. "For us." Her heart was beating wildly, her stomach churning at her impulsive decision. "I want to spend more weekends like this. Together. Learning more about each other that we didn't know… sharing new experiences and… Just being us."
Booth stared at her in blissful disbelief. "Yeah?" And his smile grew slowly as he searched her crystal clear eyes and rosy cheeks. Seeing complete clarity staring back at him, he just nodded slightly. "Yeah…"
Postscript A/N
So I think there are about 2 more chapters in this tale. I think.
I know, I know, I need to get back to DPO, I left you all hanging like laundry on the line in the rain… sorry. This one just took over. I appreciate all your support and understanding as JazzyMuse does her twisted, distorted imitation of a writer and I will do my very best to get her back in line for DPO. *girl scouts honor*!
peace & love, my friends
~jazzy