A New Secret

Chapter 6

Standing at the vanity in her bathroom, she was carefully applying her makeup. It was Tuesday morning, the day after the rose delivery. She had called to thank him for them and he had made light of it, but neither of them mentioned the message on the card. The rest of the day had passed as usual and she was faintly puzzled. Why hadn't he pressed the issue? She waited for it, expected it, but their evening had been uneventful through dinner and he hadn't brought it up afterward as they were unwinding in the living room together.

Finished, she put her makeup away and opened the medicine cabinet to get her toothpaste. Sitting at eye level on the shelf was the ring box with a tiny Post-it note stuck to it: 'I love you. Marry me?' She laughed, leaning on the vanity and shaking her head. The man was inexorable—and creative too. She closed the cabinet, leaving the gift where it was. Let him play his game, she'd show him who was more stubborn.

On Wednesday morning she opened the lap drawer on her desk at the Jeffersonian and there it was again with another Post-it note: 'You know you want to marry me.' Slamming the drawer shut, she looked around. How did he get it in there? As far as she knew, he hadn't been by the lab since late last week.

Just then Angela popped in. "Hey, Bren, I have that simulation ready to show—" She broke off at the look on Brennan's face. "What is it?" she asked warily.

Brennan opened the drawer and pulled out the ring box and placed it on the desk as though it might explode. "Do you know how this got in my drawer?" she asked with narrowed eyes.

Angela sighed. "That depends—are you mad?"

Brennan tried to sustain the severe look, but failed as a smile quirked her lips. "So, he enlisted you as his accomplice. He's more devious than I gave him credit for. Here," she said, holding out the box. "You can give it back to him and tell him nice try."

Angela took the box and stood turning it in her hands. "C'mon, Bren. How can you hold out on him? He's obviously nuts about you."

Brennan shook her head. "I know that, Ange, and I love him too. But that's not enough reason to go against my beliefs," she said firmly. "Now, can we go look at that simulation?"

Thursday evening she was making dinner when she opened the spice cabinet and found it sitting on the shelf with a new Post-it note: 'You love me. Marry me?' Snatching the box, she stalked into the bedroom and looked around for a place to stash it. Opening her lingerie drawer, she pushed it under her nightgowns. No way would he find it in there.

When he came home, he came into the kitchen with a smile. "Hey, honey," he said softly, wrapping his arms around her. She slipped her arms up around his neck and reached up to kiss him.

"Mmmm," she said, pulling back to study him. His face was devoid of any trace of guilt. She smiled. Damn, he was good.. "Dinner's almost ready. How was your day?" she asked, stroking her hands down his chest.

"Fine." He inhaled deeply. "Mmmm, that smells wonderful. What is it?" he asked, leaning past her to lift the lid from the pot.

"Shrimp gumbo," she said, turning to tap his wrist so he'd put the lid back. "It still needs to simmer at least ten more minutes. I'll be back in a minute." She went down the hall to the bathroom and closed the door.

Booth opened the spice cabinet and peeked in. He grinned at first as he saw that the ring box was gone, then he frowned. 'Wait, where is it? She would have said something if she was accepting it. I wonder where she put it.' He quietly searched cabinets until the bathroom door opened. By the time she returned to the kitchen, he was leaning casually against the counter. He smiled at her lazily.

"So, how was your day?" he asked and she smiled at him.

"Fine. We should have an ID on that John Doe by tomorrow, then you can get started on your investigation." As she spoke, she glanced around. He was doing something while she was gone, she just knew it. She looked up at him again, but his look was still completely innocent. He was really good at this.

On Friday she opened the center console in her car to get her parking garage card and there it was again. This time the note read: 'I'm wearing you down. Marry me?' She was laughing as she pulled into the garage.

She went into the lab for a few hours on Saturday. Booth had let her go alone with the understanding that if she wasn't home in three hours, he'd come and get her. She kept an eye on the clock because she didn't want him to make good on his threat. She was wrapping things up when Scott, the security guard on duty, came by her office.

"Dr. Brennan, a delivery guy just brought by this package and said it was urgent that I give it to you straight away. Said he picked it up from the FBI building."

Brennan sighed. "Okay, Scott, thanks." She waited for him to leave before tearing open the envelope. She shook the ring box out into her hand. 'I have lots of these notes. Marry me?' Chuckling, she shook her head. He was inventive, that's for sure. Maybe it was time to have another talk with Special Agent Seeley Booth.

Her amusement had waned by the time she got home. He was lounging on the couch, watching football. Dropping her stuff by the door, she walked over and took the remote, hitting the mute button.

"Hey! I'm watching—" he protested, breaking off at the look on her face. "What's wrong?" he asked warily.

She tossed the ring box onto his lap. "We need to talk," she said briefly, shrugging out of her coat and tossing it over the arm of the chair. Folding her arms, she stood staring at him.

"Okay," he said, watching her carefully, trying to gauge her mood. Putting his feet on the floor, he sat up. "What about?"

"Getting married," she said. Booth pushed down the wave of triumph that swept through him. It was too soon to tell where this was going.

"Why don't you sit down?" he asked softly. She perched on the corner of the couch. He waited for her to look at him.

When she did, she smiled a bit, which gave him hope. "You're very persistent, I'll give you that," she said wryly. "I almost let it continue just to see how creative you could be. But I think it's time we settled it."

Booth swallowed, dreading what she was about to say. Had he misjudged the depth of her feelings for him? Was she about to break up with him? Memories of the breakup with Rebecca came out of nowhere, shaking him to the core. He couldn't let that happen again. If she needed him to back off in order for them to stay together, he'd deal with it. He just didn't want to lose her.

"Look, babe, don't sweat it, I was just—" he began, but she held up her hand.

"My biggest fear is abandonment," she began, looking away. "Getting involved with you, letting you inside my walls, has been the hardest thing I've ever done." Her voice cracked and she stopped and cleared her throat. "I know here," she put her hand on her heart, "that you love me and would never leave me. It took me a long time to get to the point where I could let myself take a chance. I've had a hard time getting my head to let go of that old fear. You helped me do that," she finished softly.

Booth stared at her, hardly daring to hope. "What are you saying?" he finally asked when it seemed she wasn't going to go on.

"I'll marry you," she whispered, meeting his eyes steadily.

Joy swept through him, tempered by the fact that she didn't seem happy. Why wasn't she happy? He forced himself to remain still, though he couldn't stop the smile that spread over his face.

A faint smile curved her lips. "Angela reminded me that relationships are about compromise. So, even though I still think it's an antiquated, empty ceremony, for you, I'll do it." Moving closer to him, she touched his face. "I love you and I want you to be happy because you make me happy, happier than I've ever been in my whole life."

He laughed, relieved, and snatched her close, burying his face in her fragrant hair. She clutched at his back, laughing through tears. They stayed that way for a long time, then he pulled back to look down at her. He couldn't seem to stop grinning. "You mean it?" She nodded. "Really?" Another nod. "Oh, wait 'til I tell Angela! She's gonna flip!"

Brennan stiffened a bit in mock anger. "I don't appreciate you conspiring against me with my best friend."

Booth smiled down at her, unrepentant. "All's fair in love and war, babe," he said.

"That rule was obviously made by a man," she said, smiling up at him. Booth was too happy to argue with her.