A/N: Another alternate beginning, and Booth and Brennan become partners in every sense of the word.
The Dating Game
Everything Happens... Eventually
They were 'dating'.
It was just another day of late-night paperwork when it finally happened. They were both bone-tired, overworked, and under-rested. They hadn't slept more than four hours in the last two nights and they were at some out-of-state office in a nondescript small-town suburb going through case files.
He'd looked at her where she sat beside him on the couch, one strand of hair falling in front of her face as she leaned over the pile of papers in front of her.
Booth had already brushed it back once- he'd done it on instinct, without thinking it through, and only realised it after the fact, when she gasped. As always, he'd attempted to shrug it off. As always, she'd let him.
'Uh, it was, you know, falling in your face, so… and you had the papers in your hands... Thought you might like to see properly.'
'Um. Thanks'.
Eyes meeting. A hitched breath. Possibly his.
A cleared throat. 'Sure'.
And then they'd gotten back to it. But soon he was looking at her again, and she was so beautiful, and he was just drawn to her because she was everything he never knew he wanted and couldn't survive without. He literally couldn't go on living without her.
She had continued with her work, obliviously as always, but then looked up as she felt his stare.
He'd been unable to resist the pull between them – and this time he hadn't.
He'd leaned his forehead against hers, closed his eyes, and breathed,
'Bones'.
She hummed a reply.
'We can't be just partners anymore.'
'OK'.
It had been that simple.
And now they were 'dating'.
The First Date
It was Brennan who had kissed him first.
All night he'd looked at her like he was going to kiss her, and now they were outside her door, and she didn't want to take – or miss – any chances.
He was leaning in towards her as usual, wearing that that small, happy smile that he wore sometimes when he looked at her – and only when he looked at her – and that crisp black, button down shirt that he loved so much, and she'd simply leaned up that extra breath and closed the last bit of space between them.
His reaction had been immediate. Almost like he had been waiting his whole life for it, and he had.
His lips were hot and burning against hers, his tongue gliding slickly into her mouth and she felt herself catch fire and melt all at once.
Somehow he had opened the door, and he walked her through it, and she kept herself crushed against him with a heartfelt sob. Of relief – or perhaps frustration, or both.
Now she knew why he hadn't kissed her at the restaurant – why he had waited until they were alone at her apartment
Booth's large hands were gliding up her back, everywhere she needed them and all at once, causing her to arch against him as he held her up. His control had snapped the moment she touched him. Impossibly, with a willpower he didn't know he had and wouldn't have been able to conjure for anyone but her, he pulled away. Hair mussed and eyes wild and sensual lips set in a red line from her efforts and utterly incredible and delectably male and Booth.
'Bones?'
He spoke as if to ask permission.
Yes. Yes, God, yes. Anything. Anything if he would just touch her again.
She was about to make some expression of her impatience when his phone started ringing. He kept looking at her, as if he hadn't realised it, but then it kept ringing and she saw the desperate frustration in his eyes and she said,
'Booth, your phone'.
He reached into the back pocket of his jeans to take it out, and then hers started ringing in her bag.
'We've got a case'.
They spoke together.
And they had gotten a case. So they headed out to the crime scene, out in the middle of nowhere, handled everything, and returned home at an ungodly hour of the night – 'morning, Bones, it's practically morning', he had corrected her earlier at the scene. She didn't say anything on the way up the steps, afraid Booth was about to shoot something.
Once they had gotten there, Booth had snapped at everyone within a ten foot radius- except her - ordered the techs scrambling around to get things done quickly, at the irate agent's bidding, to 'make it quicker', and shouted orders that no one dared disobey – Brennan had actually seen one lab tech flinch and jump a foot in the air as he barked a string of instructions that she would usually have relayed herself; once again, she was amazed at how observant and intelligent he could be as he instructed for the evidence to be bagged and catalogued exactly as she would have done it, and she didn't have to pitch in with any additional suggestions. He took control of the whole thing, had it finished up pretty soon, and guided her back to the car with a hand on her back. Then they drove home.
Brennan was a woman who was always in charge – she liked to be in control, on top of everything – her work, and her emotions, and her relationships. But she realised, watching Booth in action, as he took control of the situation and effortlessly assumed the role of leader, that she needed someone who could challenge her- someone who wouldn't bow down to her whims, who would match her step for step, who wasn't afraid to back down from a fight. She needed Booth. Booth was a dominant alpha male, and she realised in that moment she could never be attracted to a man who was anything less- anything else. Anyone else. She already knew she loved him. She didn't know why. But she did love him, wholly and completely, and maybe in a way that she didn't understand… still, she had accepted that. They had always… fit. They had always worked perfectly. It just felt right. But it hadn't made sense – the two of them together – except in moments like this, when he took control at the crime scene, and it started to come together. Some bits would begin to make sense, but the whole seemed to defy logic altogether, and the rational explanation (that really ought to exist in a reasonable world, and simply didn't) remained elusive.
It was moments like this that she thought she understood- but she knew she couldn't ever really explain it. She just loved him.
When they got there, Caroline hadn't asked why they'd arrived in the same car or why they were together at this late hour, because it wasn't unusual. Their behaviour hadn't changed. Maybe his had, a little bit, or at least it wasn't the same as always- he usually wasn't as testy, and the lab techs could testify to that. So little had changed, and yet so much. Everything was about to change.
When they got back home, he'd looked miserable and angry and disappointed- and then he'd turned to her, looked deep into her eyes, and sighed. And she wished more than anything she could make it all better.
'You know, Bones, I'm sorry the night had to go like this.'
'It's not your fault, Booth.'
'I know, I just- it sucks that things had to go down this way. I'm just, I'm mad, that's all.'
She reached out and placed a hand on her cheek, and his eyes fluttered closed instantly.
'I guess I just wish things had been different. I wanted tonight to be perfect.'
'Booth, it's alright.'
'This was supposed to be our night'.
When he spoke, his voice was slightly tight – but the anger and frustration were gone. Just with that one simple touch. Brennan realised that she could make it better. She placed her free hand on his other cheek, cradling his face as she stepped forward. He opened his eyes to look into hers where she stood before him.
'God you're so beautiful.'
Inexplicably, she blushed. It wasn't the first time she had been told that, and she was aware that she was attractive, but for some reason, standing close to him like this, the words seemed so powerful, so intimate.
'I think it's best if I don't kiss you now', he whispered, leaning forward anyway.
'Why?'
She chuckled huskily and he felt his heart clench.
'Because I feel like I'm not going to be able to stop', his voice sounded hoarse and slightly choked and he leaned in closer. Her eyes fluttered shut automatically, but then she felt his lips on her cheek.
'Goodnight, Bones.'
And then he had stepped away, turned around, and left a slightly dazed Brennan standing there speechless outside her door, the spot on her cheek burning. He really didn't know how he had managed to find the will to move away, but find it he did, and he was glad for it. It was late, and they were tired, and pressed for time, and dirty from all the work at the crime scene.
The Second Date
Their second date had to be put off for a few days because of the new case, which was turning out to be a tough one, but they had found time to steal kisses and intimate touches and brushes of lips and hands at work.
Neither of them were sure which one had started it, but they had both looked at each other one evening in her office and just lost control at the same moment. Brennan was biting her lip, Booth was tugging his tie because it's so hot in here and he couldn't breathe, and their eyes had met, and they'd pounced. She'd tugged the tie of for him, he'd popped a few buttons because to because it was so hot – to assist with breathing, though neither of them seem to concerned with that as he cradled the back of her neck and plundered her mouth as her hands worked on his shirt, kissing her senseless.
Booth was just straightening his tie – reminding her of the way he'd been tugging at it moments before he kissed her – when Cam walked in. she looked at him strangely but didn't seem to notice anything was amiss, handed Brennan a file, shrugged, and walked out.
They'd looked at each other and sighed in relief. Then as the staring continued, the silence became more charged, she'd flushed, his gaze had darkened, and he'd left before she licked her lips again. Before the process could be repeated.
Angela had almost walked in on a not-so guy-hug the next afternoon, again in Brennan's office, but the sound of a falling dish tray followed by a muffled 'sorry!' from Hodgins outside the door had prevented the discovery. Other than that, they had been left unbothered and fairly undisturbed. They still didn't know why they weren't telling anyone, and when Brennan had realised and said as much, she couldn't disagree with his rationale for it. As a response, Booth had shrugged and offered her the simple reason that she fully understood- 'what's between us is ours.' And then he'd kissed her. It was perfect.
She couldn't wait for their second date. She certainly wasn't going to wait for a third before taking things between them all the way. She was burning for him, aroused and torturously frustrated to the point of madness. Ever since they had started this, she found herself constantly distracted, in his presence and otherwise, when she wasn't in his arms, and fantasised about being in them far too often. They still worked well together, but Brennan was convinced, she hoped that if they could just scratch that itch… She saw the signs in Booth, too. The way he looked at her mouth constantly, the way his eyes darkened when they flicked over in her direction, the way he licked his lips,deliciously. And she was sure that if they just had sex they would be able to get it out of their system and focus- well she knew it wasn't possible to ever get enough, she was learning that all too quickly, and the hard way. That's why she hadn't been able to resist him when he'd kissed her earlier with helpless abandon, she just wanted more, to feel that ecstatic feeling of kissing Booth that she couldn't fight or describe. How she constantly longed to feel his lips on hers, his large hands on her body, his breath against her skin. But she wouldn't have to fight it much longer. Tonight was the night of their second date. Subconsciously She rubbed her legs together in anticipation.
She left work early that day, which raised many eyebrows – and Angela's the highest – and headed home to prepare. She wanted this night to be, as Booth had said, 'perfect.' She pulled out the recipe for mac 'n' cheese, just in case there were any ingredients included that she had forgotten since the last time, put on her black dress (and some other new things under that) changed it for a blue one she knew he liked - it was simple, and flowy, and more conservative, but it made him smile- and waited.
'Hey, Bones', she heard the warm, cheerful greeting not long after and she saw him head towards the kitchen, phone waving in the air. 'Got your text- wow'.
He'd just rounded the corner and he saw the table set and the room bathed in the soft glow of candles with a covered dish in the middle.
'Something smells delicious', he spoke, turning towards her as she made her presence known behind him. 'Did you do all th-?'
He stopped as he looked at her where she stood, having just emerged from her bedroom.
'This', he swallowed, finishing absently as his eyes landed on her.
He simply looked at her, beautiful and radiant and all his dreams come true in that moment, he was gone.
'You look beautiful', the words came out without conscious thought.
She smiled and looked to the floor with a blush as his eyes tracked her movements, suddenly unaccountably nervous.
'You've seen me in this dress before, Booth', she responded. 'Though as I recall, you quite liked it then too.'
'I do', he spoke hoarsely, quickly, moving towards her with the magnetic pull, on autopilot. 'It brings out the colour of your eyes', he added absently. He was desperate to catch a glimpse of those blue depths again. Temperance blue.
'Look at me.' He sounded slightly raw, and desperate and a little harsh.
She did.
My God, I love you.
He knew he shouldn't say it, so he leaned in and kissed her. She kissed him back. Very soon there was a string of clothing – his jacket, shoes, socks – he showed remarkable restraint by comparison and didn't take off a thing but that was only because he couldn't stop kissing her and her wandering hands were driving him to distraction. He pulled them away regretfully and held them in his, his large warm palms completely enveloping her smaller, soft ones. He raised their joined hands to his lips and kissed the tops of hers reverentially, as a dazed Brennan looked on, panting heavily.
'Bones.'
'Why- why did you stop?'
Booth sucked in a sharp breath at the lust in her eyes and forced himself to say the words.
'Because we're going to eat first.'
'I don't want to eat.'
'But you made this amazing dinner-'
'It'll keep.'
She reached for him again but he held her away, in a gentle grip that was also firm as iron, and she was reminded once again of the way he had taken charge at the crime scene after their first date. He had been shouting instructions, ordering people about, and he'd been in the middle of barking out an order when he'd spotted her and his face had softened so completely and he'd smiled at her and winked and her heart had stopped – before changing his line of vision and turning once more to the workers with an iron fist.
He released her hands. She saw the same steely determination in his eyes now. But she also saw that same softening- lust, desire, and something else that told her she could probably make him do anything she wanted right now.
'Let's eat. Please Bones.'
But she saw that this was important to him – Booth was such a traditionalist, she almost huffed, but then saw the pleading look in his warm, reassuring brown eyes – and relented.
She sighed, and smiled at him. God, but she loved him.
'I made mac n' cheese.'
He smiled back, perfect and happy and Booth, and her heart stopped.
They exchanged stories and smiles and glances all through dinner (and compliments on the food from Booth) and talked through the meal and two glasses of wine afterward, and she marvelled once again at how easy it was for them to just talk – they had nothing in common, they didn't even speak about work, and they hadn't had a single moment of stilted silence or conversation, but she couldn't be happier than she was just sitting there, talking to him. This was one of the things that didn't make sense. It just felt so right for them to spend time together. Before she knew it, nearly three hours had passed. 9PM.
He was smiling at her happily after making her laugh at something he'd said, that full, happy rat pack laugh he loved so much that was so uniquely Brennan, and the intensity in his gaze shifted and his smile started to drop. Her breath hitched when she saw the look in his eyes.
And then he leaned over and kissed her. She felt fire, everywhere, instantly – he was burning her up, Booth always made her burn, and she was helpless to resist it. Just like that, with one simple kiss, whenever he felt like it, it seemed, he could just make her lose all control and inhibitions and rational thought.
'Bones', he breathed. And she couldn't take it.
She was having a similar effect on him.
He couldn't think of anything beyond having her lips on his in the next moment, and he pulled her against him, impossibly close, wrapping her in a passionate embrace. She returned his kiss with the same passion. A string of clothing was strewn on the floor once more, this time slightly longer, both hers and his – tie, her wrap that she had put on because t had gotten a little chilly, his jacket that she was wearing on top of it, and his shirt was almost fully unbuttoned and sliding off his shoulders – those gorgoeous shoulders – when a phone rang. Again.
It was about Parker. Rebecca's mother was ill, she was half-hysterical and sobbing, and she begged Booth to take him, which she couldn't do since Parker was also cranky and possibly running a slight fever, and she would take him but he insisted he had the sniffles and was sick so would he please come by soon so she could drive to the hospital which was two hours away.
Booth didn't really get a word in, except when she paused to draw breath.
'Yeah, ahaan, ofcourse I will Becks.' Was all that Brennan caught of the conversation as he ended it.
He looked at her- hair tousled and lips red from his own and his wandering hands dammit- mumbled something under his breath that sounded like saints, buried his face in his hands, raked his fingers through his hair, buried his face in his hands, rubbed a hand across his face, and explained the situation to her, as she nodded along seriously. Then he looked at her again.
And she thought for a very serious moment, he was considering not going.
'Booth!' She pre-emptively admonished.
He gritted his jaw and she watched in fascination as the muscles flexed in tandem.
'I know. I have to go.'
'Yes, and soon.'
'I don't want to.
'And I don't want you to.'
The implication was clear. But still you have to go.
His jaw ticked. 'Stay the night, Bones.'
'You have to pick up Parker-' she protested.
'Come with me'.
'Booth, you have to get Parker home and to bed. He has school tomorrow, and he must be exhausted. His grandmother is-'
'You can stay with us', he added hopefully. 'Please.'
'No I can't', she smiled, as if he knew this. 'Parker will need his bedroom.'
She had stayed over on some previous nights at his place, in Parker's room, but she didn't want to displace the little boy now, and she wasn't going to be sleeping in his bed with his son in the house.
He sighed.
She reached out and placed a hand on his arm which he instantly covered with his own.
'Booth, he's going through a harrowing ordeal. His grandmother may be very sick. He must be confused. Your son needs you.'
'I know', he stood up and kissed her hand, which he still held. 'I know.'
He looked at her, and she was perfect, and he knew that even if he had to walk away now, he would never be able walk away from her.
'I'm sorry about this, Bones. And after you did all of this, you know, and cooked us that incredible dinner-'
'Booth, it's not your fault', she cut him off, reaching out and placed a hand on his cheek like the last time, and just like the last time, his eyes slipped closed. 'Now go.'
He sighed and kissed her hand.
'Yeah.'
'Let me know how things go with Parker.'
'Will do.' He was about to kiss the top of her head but thought better of it because he knew that he would linger and ask her to come with him again. Then she reached up and kissed him on the cheek and he gasped. Then he couldn't help it and looked at her for far too long anyway, and as she gave him a slight push, he brushed a kiss on her head before backing away fully.
'Goodnight, Bones', he rasped out, dashing towards the door. He paused before reaching it.
'Bones?'
'Yes?'
And he had that expression again, the one that made her feel like that though she didn't realise it or anything else in that moment. His eyes met the matching intensity in her own when they looked at each other.
'It was perfect.'
And with that heart-stopping lopsided smile, he was gone.
He called her when he got home to let her know Parker was asleep and possibly a bit warm but otherwise OK, and had to go when he woke up crying again, but promised to make it up to her later before he did.
The next morning, the little boy was no longer feverish, if he had ever been, but he was so upset and confused and sleep deprived that Booth had agreed to keep him home from school anyway. The next day, Rebecca came to get him. Her mother was fine, it had turned out to be a false alarm. Things were back to normal, so Booth thought he could ask his question about taking Parker to the zoo with Bones for the following weekend. He did so tentatively, prepared for a refusal and ready to combat it.
'Sure'.
That was all he got.
'I- what?'
'I said, of course you can take him, Seeley', Rebecca replied slowly. 'I can't thank you enough for stepping in last night-'
'I was with Bones', he tried.
'I'm very sorry for ruining your plans', she replied sincerely.
'That's not- it's fine, but- you're just going to let me take him next weekend?! All of us? Together? Because we are going to be-'
His voice had started to rise and Rebecca cut him off in a clipped tone.
'You're going to the zoo, correct?'
'Yeah…'
'State Park, right, about four hours away from the city, probably stay at that nice motel or bed and breakfast nearby for the night?'
'I was thinking two, but-' wait how was she being so normal about this
'And Dr. Brennan's going to be there?'
Booth nodded.
'Well what reason could I possibly have to object?'
'Rebecca, you don't understand- see Bones and I are sort of together now, so-'
She muttered something to the effect of about damn time under hear breath but Booth didn't catch it.
'What?' He asked in confusion.
Rebecca sighed. 'Look, Seeley, what you do with your personal life is none of my business.'
He gaped incredulously 'You've never said that before'.
'It only affects me as far as Parker is concerned', she informed him primly. 'Beyond that, I don't have an opinion.'
'You hated my last girlfriend', he reminded her, because he felt compelled to.
'I'm sure she was a wonderful woman-'
'You told me off for introducing Parker to her.'
'Yeah, because I knew she was going to be gone in a week'. Even if you hadn't. He winced. 'I know Dr. Brennan's going to be in his life forever. I don't mind at all if Parker gets attached to her. She's a great role model.'
It was times like this he was grateful Rebecca was the mother of his child. That she approved of Bones meant a lot, because that meant she understood how important she was to him, and she wouldn't try to keep Parker from seeing her.
'She is.'
Rebecca nodded. She started to walk towards the door, but he stopped her. He was thinking of Bones.
'Rebecca. Thank you.'
He was conveying a lot more in that thanks than gratitude for this extra hour with Parker, and he hoped she understood that. He wouldn't have said it two months ago. He wouldn't have said it two weeks ago. But he hadn't been with Bones two weeks ago, not like this. Bones made him a better man. The words she said were just as difficult for her as the thank you had been for him.
'You deserve to be happy, Seeley.' I'm glad you've finally found someone who makes you that way.
She smiled briefly, and he thought perhaps sadly, but then she reached up to put on her large shades, covering her face from view, and she was gone.
Following this…
Third non-date
They were sitting and eating lunch on her couch the next afternoon. It was not a date, because 'lunch is not a date, Bones, I'm taking you out to dinner- this is takeout' but he had just wanted to see her. It was a Saturday.
And she had just said something that blindsided and effectively paralysed him as he stopped chewing his food to look at her. He really shouldn't be surprised anymore at the things that came out of that pretty little genius mouth of hers, but it never failed to throw him for a loop and always hit him unexpectedly. Finally, he regained control of his senses, and swallowed the kung pao chicken in his mouth.
'Bones, we can barely touch each other without articles of clothing coming off'. He looked up at her wryly, chopsticks in hand, absently dipped in a carton of Thai food, and raised an eyebrow. 'We are not going to be able to take things slow.'
She looked down at the floor and then up at him through long lashes, frowning in confusion.
'But I thought, when you said… you liked your relationships to be slow and gentle…'
'I meant when I make love to you, baby' he explained in a husky, raw voice, licking his lips, food long forgotten. 'When I make love to you, I want it to be slow and gentle.'
His hand reached out of its own volition and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Though at the rate they were going, he wasn't sure he was going to manage to take anything slow and gentle.
'I know', she replied, her own voice somewhat husky, 'that's what I said.'
His hand paused in the act of brushing her hair.
'No, Bones, you asked if we were going to take things slow'.
'Exactly'. She frowned at him as if he were an idiot.
'You're talking about sex', he said just to clarify, his voice dropping hoarsely as his eyes darkened automatically on the word.
'Ofcourse I'm talking about sex, Booth. What else would I be talking about?'
She frowned cutely again in slight frustration.
He sighed, and explained to her – in an attempt at a level voice – that 'taking things slow' usually referred not to sex, but to 'you, know, not having sex.' Some bickering followed, during which Brennan insisted it 'didn't make any sense', and told Booth it was 'stupid', and he replied it was just something people said, and that was how things were, and he didn't make the rules.
Finally, when it was over, the food having been put away sometime in between, she reached up to place her hands on his chest in the silence that followed. Beneath her hand, his heart threatened to beat fully out of his chest.
'Booth?'
He had his elbow propped on the back of the couch behind them, his head resting on his fist as he leaned close to her.
'Hmm?'
Because he didn't trust himself to speak right now.
'You remember when- when we talked about it- making love, I mean…'
Oh, God.
'And I said it should be slow and gentle, and you said it should be passionate and uninhibited.' He licked his lips and continued, rasping hotly, 'Yeah.'
'Exactly'. She looked up at him.
He leaned down towards her, eyes closing. She automatically leaned up.
'What are you saying, Bones?' he managed tightly, his fists clenching.
'Booth?'
He couldn't not touch her anymore.
Somehow he managed,
'Yes, Bones?'
His eyes opened instantly and he blinked down at her in surprise, feeling like he'd been punched in the gut and had all the air knocked out of him at her next words.
'I… I want it to be slow and gentle.'
'Then it will be', he spoke instantly, hoarsely, 'Anything you want, baby.'
His hand reached out automatically to brush a strand of hair from her face.
'I want you to show me'.
She was killing him.
'I want you to make love to me.'
He died.
'Booth?'
She asked, suddenly vulnerable.
'I want to make love to you', he whispered brokenly, finally pulling her to him. 'God, I want to make love to you. More than anything.'
He had to touch her. He had to touch her everywhere. Even as he buried his face against her skin and scattered kisses across her neck and she arched her automatically to give him access, burning hotly, she held on firmly to get her point across. He had to understand.
'I'm not… I'm not very experienced at this, but I want you to show me, Booth. I know that I said, when we talked about it, that I prefer it to be passionate and uninhibited, but-'
'And I promise you, Bones, it'll be all those things', he rasped. 'It can be anything we want, baby.'
Everything I've ever wanted.
'Anything we want', she whispered.
'Anything.'
He leaned in, and she leaned upwards, and they met halfway as always. His mouth slanted down hotly over hers, and he swallowed all those noises she was making. She pressed up against him. One hand went around her waist, the other in her hair, wrapping her in his arms as she threw hers around his neck. He held her up as she melted against him. It was perfect. No phones rang this time. He'd left them in the car by accident. Both of them. Nothing could interrupt them now. Everything happened eventually.
A/N: Welll? I considered breaking this up 'cause it was so long but then I thought, it's already written, might as well give it to you in one go. So please read and review if you enjoyed it- or feel free to give me a piece of your mind if you didn't. This hasn't been edited and I'm running on 36 hours of canned soda and no sleep, so if there are any errors- even minor, teeny ones - forgive me, and correct me, please! Hugs and criticism are all appreciated.
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Guy hugs and charm smiles to all
Much love
xx
