Ch. 7: In Which Bones and Booth Finally Hit the Road
A lot still needed to be done before Bones and Booth took off on the bike, so they agreed that for now, any sleeping together would be strictly sleeping together.
Among the many things that needed to be done were changes to their appearances. As Brennan had noticed, Booth's hair was getting longer. In the last week, he changed his shaving habits to ensure a constant level of heavy stubble.
Bones may have preferred good boys, but scruffy Booth seemed even tougher and more masculine than regular Booth, if that was possible. She was looking forward to getting her fingers in his hair and feeling the scratchiness of that stubble when she kissed him.
After consulting with Angela (and not even hinting about their plans to Booth), Bones went to the beauty salon and became a bleach blond with a 1980's layered 'do. She added black nail extensions to her fingers and had her toes painted black. She managed to keep her hair covered for the few days before they left, but Booth couldn't help but notice the fingernails even under her protective gloves.
"Bones, you better get a carry permit for those finger nails. They could be a deadly weapon," Booth had exclaimed as he gave her a wide berth.
They also found her a tight little leather jacket and had a pair of dice embroidered on the back and Roxie over her left breast. She bought new, super tight jeans and some big black biker boots. She also bought some tall black leather boots with spiked heels. Bones picked up a few other items she thought Booth would enjoy: tight shirts with plunging necklines.
Booth went on his own shopping spree. He already had the leather jacket and other biker clothing. He picked up matching helmets with a built in sound system. His said "Tony" and hers said "Tony's." He knew she'd hate it, but he loved the idea of labeling Bones as his, even if it actually said Tony's.
He stopped by the jewelers to pick up a necklace he'd had specially made for Roxie and their rings: simple gold wedding bands and a rather ostentatious engagement ring. The thought of them wearing wedding bands and Bones wearing an engagement ring, gave him goosebumps. Booth thought "Stop being such a girl." But, he had to admit that part of him loved the idea. "Maybe she'll get used to it and then …. Forget it, Seeley. Be grateful that she still even talks to you."
Then the day came to hit the road. They would meet at the FBI motor pool early in the afternoon. Both of them knew that it would take a few days to get used to being on the bike for long periods, so they would build over up over the course of a week. The first day they planned to get no farther than Morgantown, WV. Ultimately they were headed for "their home" in Colorado.
As Booth was checking the bike and the sound system in the helmets, he was watching for Bones. He saw Angela come in with Jack and some bleach blond who looked like a real bimbo. He was surprised because he thought that Angela and Jack were supposed to come with Bones today to see them off. Where was his Bones? He made another scan of the area then turned back to the bike.
Focused on a minor adjustment to the bike, he was startled to hear Bones' voice. When he looked up, he didn't see her. He wondered if he was hearing things.
Then he heard Bones laugh and yell, "Yo, Tony, you ready to hit the road?" He looked for Bones again and his jaw dropped when he realized the bleach blond bimbo was Bones.
Angela laughed and said, "Booth close your mouth and stop gawking at your partner."
Booth's face turned bright red and Bones' cheeks sported a flattering soft pink.
Angela whispered to Jack, "Mission accomplished."
Jack chuckled and replied, "Yeah, but, will the poor guy survive?"
Booth couldn't believe it was really Bones. He'd always thought she was beautiful. And, he'd known from the beginning how hot she was, but she had always been hot in an understated kind of way. More the repressed sex kitten librarian than the prowling cougar. But, Bones, this Bones looked more than ready to prowl. She looked like she was ready to jump any man who happened by.
The bleached hair with the fluffy 1980's cut. Jeans so tight they looked like they'd been painted, not pulled, on. A neckline so low, her breasts seemed about to spill out. And, the leather: a tight black motorcycle jacket and spike heeled boots. Booth took it all in. "If she'd had a cigarette dangling from her lips, she would have looked exactly like Lisa Peloso, widely believed to be the biggest slut in his high school. As it was, Bones looked frighteningly similar," Booth thought.
Then a look of absolute horror crossed Booth's face. He had just realized that his beautiful partner was now shouting to every man in the world that she was available. His mind jumped into overdrive: How was he going to keep them all away from her? He checked her left hand. She was wearing "his" rings, but he knew that a lot of men didn't care about rings if the woman was willing. "Well, I just won't let her out of my sight," he decided.
Bones had seen Booth's face go from bright red to white in an instant. She sidled up to him and quietly said, "Are you ok, Booth? You look a little green around the gills." She thought this was the right time to use that expression, but she wasn't certain. It had to do with fish somehow.
"Yeah, I'm ok, Bones. You just look … you look so different."
"I know, Booth, I feel kind of different, too. Kind of like I always thought Vanessa Grace must feel. Everyone said she was the sluttiest girl in my high school. I know it was just gossip, but I always …."
Booth collapsed onto the motorcycle seat in shock and choked out, "Bones, please, I don't need to know that."
"You mean TMI, Booth?"
That she knew this expression was another shock to his system, not as big as the shock of her new look, but still a surprise.
"Bones, how do you even know what TMI means?"
She shook her head so her hair swung round it and proudly responded, "Well, I'm brilliant and I have an exceptionally large working vocabulary."
"Thank, God," Booth thought, "at least she still sounds like my Bones."
Angela and Jack saw a look of relief cross Booth's face and some of the color returned there too. They had been trying to remain silent witnesses to this little drama of Brennan's, but when she had turned and flashed a wicked grin at them, they could no longer contain their laughter. They scrambled to put a bit of distance between themselves and the partners.
Bones saw the look of relief too. She decided he had probably had enough of her new look and attitude for today. She couldn't do much about the look, but she could do something about the attitude.
She smiled at him and asked, "Are we almost ready to go?"
Still looking dazed, Booth stammered, "Yeah, Bones, just a few minutes." After a moment, he continued, "You want to stash your stuff?"
"Thanks, Booth."
As she watched him stow her bag in the "trunk" on the back of the bike, she was surprised to see all the places gear could be stowed in or on a bike. She would have to look into to that.
She'd also need to take a closer look at this version of Booth. He looked pretty darned cool himself in his leather jacket and worn jeans with the stubble on his chin and the hair hanging over his collar.
In just a few more minutes, they were ready to go. Cam had arrived with Wendell and Sweets with Charlie and Caroline Julian. Max came rushing up just in time for the exchange of hugs, wishes for luck and "be carefuls." Their little "family" would miss them, and they would miss their family.
Booth handed Bones her helmet. She saw "Tony's" on hers.
She turned to Booth and, trying to sound indignant, said, "Anthony Robert Manetti, I am your wife, not your property. Don't you ever forget that you don't own me." Bones tried to give him a stern look, but it came out with a giggle and a wicked grin.
Booth could give as good as he got and gave her an equally wicked grin. Trying to sound masterful and indignant, he took her by her shoulders, and told her, "Roxanna Rosa Manetti, you are MY wife and I want the world to know it. Don't you ever forget that."
Their family was enjoying Tony and Roxie's little drama. They laughed and hooted and whistled their approval, and Hodgins yelled, "You show her who's the boss, man." That got him a punch on the arm from Angela and a look that was supposed to be angry, but just looked goofy.
Bones threw herself into Booth's arms and gave him a deep hard kiss. When she came up for air, she said, "Aw, Tony, you silver tongued paesan, you know I can't stay mad when you put it like that. What am I gonna do about you?"
Booth looked deep in her eyes and the clever retort he had planned vanished. He quietly replied, "Roxie, Bones, do whatever you want with me. My heart is yours. I should be wearing a helmet that says 'Roxie's.'"
Bones felt like she'd been punched in the solar plexus and gasped. She stared at Booth wordlessly. She had never been so completely at a loss for words.
Booth saw her expression turn from astonishment to panic. He reminded himself, "Baby steps, Booth. Baby steps." If she ran now, it would be a disaster for the two of them both professionally and personally. He gripped her shoulders and kept his gaze fixed on her eyes, not letting her look away, and calmly said, "Breathe, Bones, just breathe."
Bones breathed. She hadn't realized she was holding her breath. She felt the panic began to recede. Booth saw it and let out a huge sigh of relief. Then he quietly and calmly told her, "I meant what I said. I was planning to say it eventually, but I didn't intend for it to be today."
Their family wasn't sure exactly what had happened because they were talking too quietly, but they knew something had happened. It appeared that their little drama had turned real. Angela reached for Jack's hand and then for Cam's. The others huddled around the trio.
Booth kept his grip on her and continued, "I have no expectations, Bones. You don't have to do or say anything now –- or ever –- if you don't want to. You don't even have to think about it, if you don't want to. We only do or discuss or think about us when you're comfortable with it. Only when, and if, you're ready. Are you with me Bones?"
"I'm with you Booth. It just surprised me. I'm not sure why. I wanted that to be true. I have believed it to be true at times. But, I guess I wasn't expecting it yet. There we were being Roxie and Tony, kidding around, giving the peanut gallery a show," she nodded toward their friends. "Then suddenly it's …." She stopped to think. She looked into Booth's warm eyes. "Then suddenly it was you, Booth, not Tony talking and you were saying … well something that amazed me."
"So you're ok with it?"
Bones heard the note of real uncertainty in his question. "Yeah, Booth. Don't worry. I won't be running off to Muluku again," she replied with a soft smile.
That she'd understood what he was really asking surprised him, but he was incredibly relieved she had. He gave her a big grin and asked, "You ready to hit the road, Rox?"
"I sure am, Ton," Bones laughed.
Then the partners donned their helmets. Booth climbed on the bike, and Bones climbed in behind him. Booth asked if she could hear him on the helmet commlink. He heard her say, "Yes," then turned to give her his charm smile. He revved the motor, gave a thumbs up to their team, and said "Hang on, Bones." Bones wrapped her arms around him, and they roared away.
The little group watching them ride away pulled out pieces of paper and started handing money to Cam who was busily taking notes. They were making book on what the state of the partners' relationship would be when they returned. Would they be married for real? Would Brennan be pregnant? And, other similar propositions.
