Call me Kansas

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this.

Right so I'm back. Sorry about the wait I have been crazy busy but I will hopefully have more time now to write. Thank you for waiting.

Lily sat in the sitting room of the Booth house, watching TV. Or at least trying to. Michael was sitting beside her staring at the screen while she was thinking.

It had been a day since she and Cole had talked yet it seemed longer. She had been thinking ever since and she and Cole hadn't really spoken. This had led to some awkward meals and run ins in the hallway.

How could she choose between them? It was so unfair to Ryan because he was such a…nice guy. Lily frowned slightly. Was that really the best she could come up with? Nice? She had been dating for a while now and all she could say about him was nice? Maybe that was the problem. The two of them had a good time together but half the time she had to remind herself that she was his girlfriend and not just his friend. But with Cole that line was clear. It was that spark that went across her arm every time he touched her hand. It was that smile that could reduce her legs to jelly every time it showed on his face. As well as all that, he was her friend as well as her boyfriend. A connection was there and had been there since the day they had met.

"Lily?" Lily jumped when she heard Michael's voice and she turned to him.

"Sorry Michael, what's the matter?" she asked him.

Michael frowned and said, "Cole has been in a bad mood since yesterday and I think it's because he told you to choose between him and Ryan." Lily looked shocked and asked, "Where did you hear that?"

"Cole told me. I may be eleven but Cole told me as well Parker and James. He didn't want us to be confused."

"He told you that?" Lily asked. Michael frowned and said, "Well he did yell it at us when we tried to get him to cheer up by pouring maple syrup in his jeans." "

Michael!" Lily said. Michael just shrugged and replied, "Anyway I wanted to tell you something."

"What?" Lily said sitting up. Michael replied, "It's ok if you don't choose him. I mean he would understand. What's His Face seems like a really nice guy and you and he never fight. I think Cole would be sad and the two of you wouldn't be friends but he would understand." Lily looked down at the boy in slight shock. "But…" Michael continued, "If Cole makes you feel happier-and you do look happier when you're with him- then you do with Ryan, then why would you choose the guy that makes you feel less happy."

Michael turned back to the TV, leaving Lily to her thoughts. Lily sat back on the couch, slightly stunned. He…he would understand? Understand? How dare he say that! How dare Cole Booth even think that she would-. Lily sighed as she realized her next thought. How dare Cole Booth even think that she would even think of not choosing him. The decision suddenly became clear.

Lily stood up and walked into the kitchen. Parker was sitting there, correcting some papers. He looked up as she came in and Lily asked, "Would you drive me to Ryan's? I need to talk to him about stuff." Parker, seeing she had made some choice, nodded and stood up. Cole and Lily were only aloud to leave the house if someone was with them and Parker had his car outside the Booth house.

Soon Lily was standing outside Ryan's house, with Parker waiting in the car. Lily walked up to the door and knocked. A minute later the door opened and Ryan was standing there.

He smiled at her. Lily gave him a tight smile back. "Hey, what's going on?" Ryan asked her as he moved to let her into the house. Lily looked into the house and then went to sit on the porch. "Why don't we sit outside?" she suggested. Ryan looked at her for a moment and then nodded, closing the door behind him. They sat down on the chairs on the porch.

"This is about Cole isn't it?" Ryan asked.

Lily looked at him and sighed. "Yes, it's about Cole," she said. Ryan sighed and leaned back in his chair. "I kind of knew it," he admitted, "I mean when we got together I knew that you and Cole still…held a part of each other in your hearts I guess."

"I am so sorry," Lily said. Before she could say another words, Ryan asked, "Is this because he's got the whole bad boy thing going for him. Him and his brothers," Ryan finished with a nod towards Parker in the car. Lily frowned at him, her temper rumbling. "Don't tell me you buy all that reputation crap that goes around. They are not bad boys. Parker is a great teacher and was a respectful student while James is top of his class- a place he earned from hard work. And Cole is a gentleman just like his brothers while Michael is just a sweet boy! This-."

"Ok I get it!" Ryan said, holding his hands up, "I'm sorry." Lily sighed and replied, "Sorry, I just don't like anyone giving out about them." Ryan nodded.

The two were silent for a moment and then Ryan said, "I think I understand though. We…don't really understand each other do? I mean we don't get how the other thinks or handles situations." Lily shook her head and replied, "And we deal with thinks so differently. That's a good thing if you can make it work but if not… I mean you should see Booth and Brennan when they're on a case. They have such different ways of thinking and interrogating but they work so well together. It's no wonder that they make a great couple as well as a team."

There was silence for a few minutes and then Ryan said, "Look…maybe you should go?" Lily looked up at him and asked, "Are you sure?" Ryan shrugged, "I've got stuff to think about and I also need to look for my phone. Have you seen it?" Lily frowned and shook her head. She never knew how to work with his calm mood just like he never knew how to work with her temper. Yes, she had defiantly made the right choice. They stood up and she hugged him goodbye, both surprised that it wasn't too awkward. They pulled apart and Lily walked back to the car.

Soon they were back at the Booth house. "Are you alright?" Parker asked her as they walked into the hall. Lily sighed and shrugged, "I'm happy. Ryan was so calm…again. He just asked me to leave nearly straight away and asked if I had seen his phone."

"He's putting on a tough face. I mean he did just get dumped." Lily nodded, "Ya, I guess. Now I have to talk to Cole."

Parker frowned and replied, "Maybe you should wait a while before you and Cole get back together."

Lily looked at him and frowned. "What? Does Cole think I'm just going to run back to him?"

Parker, after realizing that she was getting angry- and having previous experience with Lily's temper-, quickly shook his head and opens his mouth to say something.

Lily interrupted him and said, "He does! Well I'll just see about that!" With that she turned on her heel and stomped up the stairs as James came into the hall from the kitchen.

"Lily's going to talk to Cole while she's angry. I think we should be prepared for heavy objects being thrown."

James looked at the stairs and then at Parker saying, "Should I tell her Cole is getting changed?"

Parker thought for a moment and then said, "No I think she'll be ok with it." Lily quickly walked to Cole's room and opened the door.

As she stepped into the room, she stopped suddenly. Cole stood there in just his jeans with a t-shirt in his hand.

"Are you ok Kansas?"

Lily jumped slightly and looked at him. "You…you-what is wrong with you?" she demanded.

Cole frowned and replied "Um-."

"I mean you were the one who broke up with me and I was fine with just pretending I was ok with that," Lily said, "Then I got together with Ryan and everything was…fine! Just fine!" She sighed and continued, "I know that people said that we were too young for a serious relationship but right now Cole you're the one I want to be with and will you please put on a shirt because it is really distracting!"

Cole stood there for a moment and then quickly put on the shirt that he had been holding. "Kansas," he said taking a step towards her.

"What?" she asked. "Does this mean you broke up with Ryan?" Cole was now standing in front of her and she sighed. "Yes, it does."

She nearly cried when she saw the huge, joyful smile that suddenly appeared on his face but she replied, "Although I don't think we should rush into anything." Cole paused and the nodded. "Probably the best idea," he admitted, even though the wide smile on his face rid his statement of any sensibility.

Lily looked at him and replied, "Not a word to Ryan. Not a joke or even a smug look."

Cole simply took a few steps closer and said, "I might actually have to thank him. He did a semi- good job of looking after my Kansas."

Lily frowned and said, "Cole I do not need "looking after". I am not a child and…" She trailed off when she noticed the cheeky grin on his face. "You were only saying that to annoy me, weren't you?"

Cole just grinned again and quickly hurried out of the room as Lily reached for a pillow. He just made it out the door and around the corner as the pillow sailed past him and smacked against the hallway wall.

"Cole Booth!" Lily yelled as she ran after him down the stairs, through the kitchen past James and Parker and out the doors into the garden. James and Parker sat at the kitchen island, both drinking cups of coffee and watching from the window as Lily threw various objects at Cole.

James sighed and said, "It's nice to have things back to normal."

-BonesBonesBones-

It was two days later that Lily received a text from Ryan. This surprised her as he hadn't said anything about finding his phone. Sure they hadn't talked much but they had managed civil conversations at school.

"Everything ok?" Lily looked away from the text message and at Cole who was sitting on the couch beside her. "I think so. Ryan said he wanted to meet me at the park. He says we have things to talk about."

Cole nodded and asked "Are you going to go and talk to him?" Lily sighed, "I might as well. I owe him that much."

A few minutes later and she was sitting on a park bench while Parker was waiting in the car at the road. She bounced her leg up and down and wrung her hands together as she waited. It seemed so strange to her for Ryan to want to talk to her so suddenly.

"Hi Lily!"

Lily jumped and turned to see Jessica standing beside her. "Oh hi Jessica," she replied, "I didn't see you there." Jessica smiled at her and asked, "What are you doing?"

"I'm just waiting for a friend," Lily said. Jessica nodded and waved as she skipped away to the playground. Lily smiled and went back to looking for Ryan. Her phone buzzed and she pulled it out to look at the text.

"Where are you?" Ryan was asking. She replied that she was waiting on the bench beside the road. When he replied that he was by the swings, Lily sighed and got up. She walked towards the other side of the park, where the swings.

As she walked around a large group she suddenly felt a sharp pain on the head. Her vision blurred and she crashed to the ground.

As Lily slowly fell into unconsciousness she heard a voice say "Lily?" and high pitched scream.