AN: Wham! I'm baaaack! The song title is from Wham! and refers to my little surprise for Zack. A big thanks to all the fans out these and especially my reviewers. Y'all rock.

Chapter 9 I'm Your Man

Saturday morning, Booth was up early and working outside, cutting the boards for Parker's tree house. While he was certain the project could not be completed before the wedding, as originally thought, he wanted to get started. It was chilly outside, the air thick with mist and the threat of rain.

Booth had spent some time sketching the treetop retreat before giving in to the power of the squints. Pictures of the tree went into the Angelator and the artist had worked her magic the night before with input from Zack's vast knowledge of engineering structures. Jack, pirate enthusiast and conspiracy extraordinaire, contributed several components to the design: trap doors, spy holes, that sort of thing.

A light drizzle had already started to fall when Seeley stored his tools and materials for the day and went inside for a shower; it was already ten o'clock and they were expected at the tux shop again at eleven. Temperance and Parker were working side by side at the kitchen table when he finally reemerged with wet hair wearing jeans and a t-shirt.

"Come on, you two, we're going to be late meeting Angela. You gals need to find her dress ASAP so I can pick up ties for us dudes." He chucked Parker's chin playfully and reached for his jacket in the hall closet.

"Uh, Booth? I forgot to mention last night but Jack and Zack will be there too." Temperance winced as she saw Booth's expression, confused and annoyed.

"And why would you do that? Those two loons will just make everything take longer." He pulled on his jacket and started helping Parker into his own coat.

"They had a bet, Booth! Not only on which one of them would be your best man but if we'd ever get married." Her eyes flashed with hurt and anger, which did not go unnoticed. Booth calmly finished buttoning Parker up in his coat and smoothing down the hood.

"Daddy, I thought I was the bestest man," Parker asked, his voice full of hurt and his eyes betraying him with a tear.

"You are, bub. In fact, as my 'bestest man' your first job is to announce it to Angela and Jack and Zack, okay?" Parker's face brightened and he rushed to the door, pulling Booth's hand.

"Let's go, Daddy!" Booth chuckled at his son's quick turnaround.

"Okay, come on Bones, we've got tuxes and dresses to pick out." She stood and draped her own coat over her thin frame.

"So, it's okay that Zack and Jack come? You're not upset?"

"No, I'll be fine. Just as long as they don't attend the food tastings!"

Temperance pulled her Mustang into the tux shop lot smoothly, parking it at a slight angle. Booth rolled his eyes and muttered incoherently about women drivers while she simply smiled.

Booth began trying on dress shirts while Parker and Temperance looked at ties.

"Seeley, do you think they'll be disappointed?" she questioned, calling to him in the dressing room as she fingered a pale pink tie.

"Maybe. But honestly, this is all so last minute that they'll understand. They're still invited after all."

"I guess." The disappointment was evident in Temperance's tone, however, and Booth heard himself giving in.

"What would you like to do, baring changing my best man selection?"

"Could Jack be a groomsman?" Booth considered Jack a good friend, one who he would gladly have standing next to him during the ceremony. But there were complications to the plan. Asking Jack meant asking Zack which would leave Temperance two people short and the last thing Booth was willing to do (well, aside from extend the two week moratorium) was emphasize her lack of family and close friends in attendance.

"He could but then we'd be leaving Zack out." He reasoned, hoping their wedding party could stay small.

"I want Zack to be a bride's man." Temperance announced confidently.

"You what?" Booth stuck his head out of the dressing room, shock written across his face as evident as if it were etched by a marker.

"I want Zack to stand with me during the ceremony. He can still wear a tux and be in the wedding, just as my attendant instead of yours."

"Why?" Booth knew his questions were far from intelligent but this idea had so blindsided him he felt lucky to be coherent at all.

"Because I need at least one squint on my side, don't you think?" Temperance gave him a brilliant smile and Booth realized it was the perfect compromise, if only Zack would agree.

"Sure, I'll make sure Zack is your bride's man." Booth promised with a grin. With Parker occupied with his coloring books, Booth pulled Temperance into the dressing room, pining her against the wall. They were locked in a heated embrace when the curtain was pulled open by a smirking Angela.

"Honey, I know you can't keep your hands off my best friend, but we've got dress shopping to do!" Booth gaped, astonished by her audacity even after all these years, but unwilling to tell her how he'd been successful keeping his hands off Bones for over a week, well, until just recently.

"Okay, Angela. We'll go to the shops just as soon as I drop off Parker with Rebecca." As the women began to collect Parker and head out the door they could hear Booth, cornered by the squints, saying,

"Well, here's the thing, guys…."

By two that afternoon, Temperance was exhausted and hungry. Angela was still searching for her matron of honor dress and they'd placed four wedding dresses on hold. Temperance arrived at the caterer's a bit cranky for her tasting with Booth.

"Hey, Bones! Find a dress yet?" He greeted her as she entered the building.

"No," she growled, lowering herself onto the chair beside him. "Apparently you decide these things when you're five years old and then spend a year finding the perfect Barbie dress before the wedding." She slouched slightly, hating how much this dress was bothering her.

"Good thing I'm not marrying Barbie then." Booth reminded her cheerfully, planting a wet kiss on her cheek.

"Booth!" Temperance wiped her cheek dry and glared at his grinning face. "Why are you so happy? After three hours with Hodgins and Zack? What did you do?" Her suspicious nature caused Booth to laugh again.

"Nothing, honey. It took us an hour to pick out the tuxes. We can pick up the ties any time as soon as Angela picks her dress and we're done."

"Zack was okay with standing with me?"

"Zack's your man; it probably helped that he won more money from Jack. But Hodgins is happy to be a groomsman so all is fine in Whoville."

"Where?"

"Nevermind, the squints are fine. Now, shhh, they're bringing out the first two entrees."

"We don't need to be quiet to eat Booth! Oooooo…" Temperance trailed off as the small plates filled with heavenly smelling food was placed in front of her. Her stomach grumbled in complaint and they dived into the tasting.

END Chapter

AN: I'll be working on the next several chapters this weekend (for once no family obligations!) but if you're interested I'll be posting a NEW two-parter tonight and Saturday.

Things I love: Barbie, the Grinch, make-out sessions with Booth…. That about covers it. Katie? Any comments?

BN: Of course. When have I ever not had something to say? Today is my parent's 9th anniversary, and because I'm home alone while they're at work (and because I'm probably the only one who remembered), I have the honor of decorating the house for their surprise party. Little do they know that the decorations will be the same ones that I used for my brother's 8th birthday party five days ago (wink, wink). I've become slightly obsessed with streamers. I swear, party stores don't have as many streamers as I do right now. I've gone streamer crazy! WHOOO! Don't forget to review… reviews make Kraze do a happy dance and they make me smile… especially since I'm home alone all summer and I'm seriously socially isolated right now.