Bobby looked up from his coffee as Booth practically strutted into the diner the next morning. He looked at his watch.
"It's only 8:30," he said. "And you already look like someone who's won the lottery."
"I'm just lucky" Booth shrugged, sliding into the chair opposite of Bobby.
"You didn't gamble, did you?" Bobby asked, getting worried. He recognized that high.
"No!" Booth said defensively. "Well, I did in a way."
"What?!"
"Not in the getting money way," Booth went on. "In getting the girl way."
"You-! What?" Bobby asked, stopping short. "Did I hear that properly?"
"You certainly did," Booth said in his bragging way. Bobby looked at his watch again.
"It's 8:34, shouldn't you still be with her?!"
"She's an early riser," Booth replied. "She's already at the lab. I'm just getting us some coffee."
"I have to hand it to you," Bobby said. "I never thought you'd actually do it."
"Don't challenge a gambler then," Booth shrugged again. He got up to order two coffees while Bobby watched, amazed.
Booth
"Here you are, lovely," Booth said, handing the coffee to Brennan.
"Thank you," she smiled. Booth leaned on the door frame watching her as she went back over to the table to examine the remains. He loved the way her face looked when she was concentrating.
"So," he said after a while.
"Yes, about last night," Brennan said, standing up straight and looking at him. She was also very direct.
"Yea?"
"Did you mean what you said?"
"Which part?" he asked, teasing.
"About you being in love with me," Brennan answered. She was serious, he could tell. He cleared his throat and entered the room, setting his coffee down on an empty shelf. He went over to her and took her hands in his. Well, wrists since she was wearing gloves and he didn't particularly want bone guck on him.
"Bones, I meant every single word," he told her.
"Really?" she asked, looking at him intently.
"Yes," he nodded.
"I wish I could say it back," she said. He gave her a curious look. "It's not like I can't. I'm just not there yet. I care about you a lot, but it's hard for me to love right away. You understand, right?"
"Right," Booth echoed. "Of course."
"Do you still want to love me?" she asked, feeling worried.
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Because I can't say it back..."
"Oh, Bones. I know you feel it in there somewhere. I can wait until you can vocalize it," Booth laughed. She leaned in and kissed him. It was the best feeling in the world.
Bobby
He was tapping his pencil on his desk, thinking. He knew he needed to tell Tara about his gambling addiction, but he just wasn't ready to tarnish their relationship yet. They'd been officially dating now for six months, not including the previous six that Tara thought they were already dating. Things were going very well, and Bobby knew that if he was going to be with this woman forever, which he felt he just might, she needed to know.
"You okay?" Jack asked, making Bobby jump. His friend was studying him carefully from his desk.
"Yea. Just...anxious is all," Bobby answered.
"You haven't been gambling again have you?" Jack questioned, worried.
"No! Not at all. Actually, I'm debating when to tell Tara about it," Bobby told him. Jack raised a brow.
"You think that's a good idea?"
"I have to, mate. I love her, and if I want to marry her, she needs to know about all of me," Bobby explained.
"I guess you're right," Jack nodded. He still felt worried.
"How's Sue and the kidlets?" Bobby asked.
"Good. Her mother finally left. I've never known someone to drive my wife crazy as much as her mother does," Jack mused.
"That bad, huh?"
"She just has opinions about everything and vocalizes what she would do in Sue's position. It gets annoying after a while," Jack laughed.
"I bet."
"Hey, if you're not busy, would you be able to watch the twins for a bit tonight? I want to take Sue out for a break," Jack added.
"Yea, mate. I can do that," Bobby smiled. He loved spending time with his godchildren.
"Thanks," Jack grinned, relieved. He left to get a coffee when Tara came in.
"Hi," she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"Hey," he replied, eyes twinkling. "So, how do you feel about babysitting with me tonight?"
"I'd love to," Tara gushed. She adored the babies even more than Bobby did.
"Great. I'll meet you there."
"Sure!" Bobby grinned as he watched her head to her desk. He was a lucky man. He just needed to be brave enough to trust she wouldn't run once he told her his secret.
Booth
"I have always wanted to do that," Brennan said, gasping for air. Booth was breathing just as hard.
"Have sex under your desk?" he asked, laughing.
"Just at work in general."
"I see."
"Angela and Hodgins do it all the time, and she's always smiling, so I wanted to try it," she explained. Booth laughed out loud at this. She really was a character sometimes. They heard a noise outside, and Booth jumped, startled, and cracked his head on the bottom of the desk.
"Owwwww," he mouthed, gripping his head. He wanted to shout in pain but held it in. Brennan scurried to button up her shirt and get out.
"Stay down there," she hissed, sitting in her chair just as Cam came in.
"Hi, Dr.-oh," Cam said, halting. Brennan smiled her best smile, but she had no idea that her hair looked like it had gone through a wind tunnel or that her shirt was buttoned up wrong.
"Yes, Cam?" she asked as if nothing was wrong. Cam eyed her up curiously.
"Just saying hello," she answered. "You took off last night, and I got worried."
"It's okay," Brennan reassured her. "I got tired and wanted to go home."
"Okay," Cam nodded slowly.
"Do you have a case for me?"
"No, no I don't," Cam replied.
"Can you tell me when there is? I'm busy with work here," Brennan told her. Cam stifled a laugh. She was clearly up to something, but she didn't want to ask. Some things she just didn't want to know.
"I will leave you to it," Cam said, bowing her head and stepping out of the office.
"That was close," Booth said, popping his head out from under the desk. He'd managed to get his tie back on and his shirt fixed. He groaned as he crawled out and stood up.
"So you agree with me that we should keep our relationship quiet from everyone?" Brennan asked hopefully. Booth looked at her. He really wanted to share it with the whole world, but if it made her feel better...
"I agree," he nodded.
"Just until I'm ready," Brennan promised.
"Okay."
Bobby
"Hey, Tara," Bobby said suddenly. They were watching the twins, and Tara was cooing and playing with them.
"Yea?" she asked, looking up from what she was doing.
"I have something I need to tell you."
"Oh. Sounds serious," Tara said, putting her attention on him.
"It is," Bobby agreed. Tara set the one baby down beside the other, and she turned to face him, waiting. He took a deep breath. "I want to be honest with you because you're very important to me, and I don't want anything hidden from you."
"Okay."
"Tara, I...I have...I'm a..." Bobby trailed off. This was really hard to say. Tara waited patiently.
"It's okay," she interrupted. "I won't judge."
"I know you won't. That's what's so great about you," Bobby smiled. Then he grew serious. "Tara, I have a gambling addiction." He bit his lip as he waited for her response. Her face wasn't giving anything away.
"I know," she said. He froze. What?
"How?" he asked, confused. She looked embarrassed suddenly.
"One day I followed you because I was trying to get up the nerve to tell you I still had feelings for you, and I saw you go into a Gambler's Anonymous meeting," she finished.
"When?"
"About three years ago," she said, wincing.
"Wow," Bobby laughed. "You kept that quiet all this time?"
"I wanted to ask about it, but I figured it was a personal thing, and I shouldn't pry."
"So that means you were with Stanley still when you wanted to tell me you had feelings," Bobby mused. "What stopped you?"
"I was afraid," Tara admitted. "I didn't know if it was a good idea to be with a potential gambler. It was stupid, I know."
"Not stupid," Bobby reassured her. "But I promise you, I haven't gambled since February 2004. And before that, it was ten years. I'm not going back into that ever again."
"I know," she nodded. Bobby didn't know what to say. She had known all along and still took the chance to be with him. It was incredible.
"I love you," he blurted out, knowing it was the first time he said this to her. Her eyes softened and she moved in closer.
"I love you too," she replied, kissing him deeply.
December 2007
"Another Santa Bandit eh?" Bobby chuckled. "Did I ever tell you the time..."
"Yes, you did. In great detail," Booth cut him off.
"Oh. Right," Bobby laughed. "Sorry. So what do you need help with?"
"Bones doesn't want to have Christmas with her family," Booth blurted out.
"Really?"
"No, and it's frustrating me. Christmas is time with family not going off to some foreign place to look at dead people."
"Why doesn't she want to?"
"Cos her father is a con man who's in jail, and her brother is in jail for skipping out on his parole officer in order to escape being murdered," Booth explained. Bobby blinked at him. "It's a lot to process I know."
"Con man father," Bobby mused. "Did I tell you-?"
"That your dad was a con man who you tried to have a relationship with and then he died? Yes, you did," Booth said.
"Damn. I've just about told you everything about me then," Bobby grinned. "So what are you gonna do?"
"I'm gonna try to convince her to be with her family, that's what," Booth said, getting up. He tossed a few bills down for his half of the lunch.
"Good luck!" Bobby called after him.
Later-Booth
"Hey, Bones," Booth said. "Look, you gotta-what's going on?" He took in Brennan putting up a mistletoe while chewing gum.
"Caroline is going to help me get my Dad his dream Christmas, but I have to kiss you in order to get it," she explained. Booth stared.
"What?"
"Caroline is feeling puckish."
"Okay, well, I mean, I don't mind, but we're gonna have to not look like we enjoy it," Booth laughed nervously. They had been so careful at not getting caught.
"I don't think she'll notice," Brennan scoffed. She climbed down off the chair, looking at the mistletoe to make sure it was hanging properly.
"I hope you're right," Booth said. Caroline came in then, and she congratulated Booth on having a suspect in his Santa case.
"You talked to the judge?" Brennan asked.
"I sure did. How about your end?" Caroline pointed. Brennan gestured to the mistletoe. "Oh, would you look at that. Mistletoe." She looked over at Booth. "You step a little to your right, and you'll be right under that little sprig." Booth gave her a look of disbelief before Brennan grabbed him and pulled him under, kissing him passionately. When they stopped, Caroline's jaw was almost on the floor.
"Was that enough steamboats?" Brennan asked.
"Uh huh," Caroline nodded absently. "The trailers are all arranged. Have a good Christmas, cherie." She walked away still in a daze. Booth started laughing when she was gone.
"Do you think she figured it out?" Brennan asked nervously.
"No. She has no clue," he answered, giving her another kiss. "I gotta get back to the forensic guy."
"Okay. I'll see you later," she winked. He walked out of her office feeling giddy.
The Next Day-Bobby
The office Christmas party was in full swing when his phone rang. Bobby broke away from the conversation with Jack, Dimitrius, and Myles to answer. Tara was with Lucy and Donna, Dimitrius' wife, cooing over Sue and the babies.
"Manning."
"Hey, it's me," Booth said. "I need a favor."
"You always keep a spare tree lying around?" Booth asked while Bobby was pulling it out from his storage locker.
"Well, it was used while my biological father was in jail before they stopped allowing trees in the trailers," Bobby explained. "Then he died not long after, and I didn't have the heart to take the tree apart you know? It was our last memory together." He handed it over to Booth. Parker was watching, excited. The scamp had run away to avoid going to Vermont with Rebecca and her boyfriend, so Booth had him for the evening.
"This is great," Booth said. "She'll love it."
"Need help setting it up?"
"Nah. Parker and I got it," Booth said.
"Merry Christmas, Booth," Bobby said, giving him a sideways hug. "And Parker." He ruffled the boy's hair.
"Merry Christmas, Bobby," Booth replied, grinning. "Got your gift ready?"
"Yea. You sure it's not cheesy?"
"No. She'll love it."
"Get it all sorted out?" Tara asked when Bobby returned.
"Yea," he answered.
"He's so sweet," Tara smiled. "Dr. Brennan is a lucky gal."
"That she is," Bobby grinned. "Hey, come with me for a moment." He pulled her away from the group, and they went down to an abandoned room. He closed the door behind them.
"Should I be worried?" she asked, joking.
"Not at all. I had this really great thing all planned out, but I can't wait any longer, and I feel the time is right," Bobby said. Tara watched him, interested.
"Okay," she nodded, encouraging him.
"Tara, you are the love of my life. I don't see any other future that doesn't include you. I want to spend forever making you happy," Bobby started. He knelt on one knee and pulled out the ring. "Tara, will you marry me?" Tara stared at it for a second, registering what he just said.
"Yes!" she cried, dropping to her knees in front of him. He slid on the ring, and she kissed him heartily. Bobby felt like his heart was going to burst. This was the best Christmas ever.
"Hey, Bones, I got you a gift. Look out the window," Booth said after they exchanged Merry Christmases. He saw her flick open the blinds.
"A tree," she gasped. Booth could hear the voices of Russ' girls exclaiming about the tree. Then all their faces were at the window. Booth met Brennan's eyes, and he could see them shining from there.
"I love my gift, Booth," she said.
"Merry Christmas, Bones," he replied. He knew she was getting closer to saying those words he so badly wanted to hear, but he knew it wasn't time yet. He only hoped she would feel brave enough to tell him soon.
I know I said I would have more flashbacks, but I couldn't fit them in with this chapter, so I'll try again for the next. I wanted to just have a chapter where everyone was happy for once lol. I will be surging ahead and skipping most of season 3 in the next chapter. Thanks for reading!
