Rating: PG-13
Pairing: past: Booth/Cam, Booth/Rebecca, Booth/Tessa. Present: BB, HA
Author's Note: Bones comes on in 28 minutes over here. Yay! I can't wait. This chapter is slightly filler-ish but it needed to be written in order to move on! So please, read, enjoy, and review!
Dedication: To all Bones lovers who are going to watch it tonight. To Ems who is going to commentate with me.
"You could have let me drive."
"We have an agreement, remember? I always drive and you sit up front and look beautiful. I think its worked fairly well so far." She snorted, shaking her head and he glanced at her, eyebrow raised. "Something you'd like to say, Bones?"
She crossed her arms over her chest. "I thought that only applied on cases," she grumbled.
"No, all the time," he replied with a smile. He pulled into a parking space, cutting the engine and they sat in silence. "Well," he said at length, "we're here." She nodded and he sighed, shaking his head slowly as he looked at the restaurant. "I can't believe you told Angela that I would come. You know I still have to finish packing."
She smirked at him and he rolled his eyes. "You could have come to the Jeffersonian yourself and told her. But no, you had to stay in your office all day and do paperwork."
"Bones?"
"What?"
"Shut-up."
She glared as he got out of the SUV, making his way around to her side and opening the door. "I could do it myself," she grumbled, sliding out of the warm interior and leaning against the metal, watching him and feeling the cold seep through her jacket.
"I know," he replied. He smiled, pulling her close and pressing his mouth to hers briefly. "But I enjoy doing it for you."
She smiled up at him, brushing back a stray curl. "Yes, I gathered that. No matter how many times I tell you I am capable of such mundane tasks as opening a door or removing my own jacket, you're there to do them for me. Why do I bother anyway?"
"I have no idea," he replied. He leaned in again, pressing her back against the SUV and kissed her, enjoying the soft moan that escaped her lips.
She heaved a deep sigh, pulling away and turning to the restaurant, letting her fingers tangle with his as she leaned against the cool metal of the vehicle once more. "Come on," she sighed. "They're waiting for us."
"Don't remind me."
"This is the last time we'll see them," she reminded him, leaning up to brush her lips against his ear. "Tomorrow we'll be on a plane to Australia. Far away from everyone we know."
"Now, you can remind me of that anytime," he laughed, closing the door. "Come on, lets get this over with."
They entered the restaurant, relishing the instant warmth, and his hand was automatically on the small of her back as they were directed to a booth in the back where the team was gathered, laughing and drinking. Angela glanced up, grinning and raised her glass at them both.
"Sweetie!" she called, smiling. "And Booth!" Her smile widened as Booth took Brennan's jacket, waiting until she slid into the booth before joining her. She smiled at them. "Right on time!"
"So, Doctor Brennan, you're really going to be gone for three weeks?" Zack asked, staring at her. She nodded, smiling.
"Yes Zack, I am. I need a break from it all."
"Aren't you worried that something will happen?"
"Here? No. You guys can handle it, just like when I'm in Guam or Guatemala. It'll be fine," she replied.
"Zack, don't change Bren's mind. I want her to take lots of pictures of Australia so I can be thoroughly jealous that she's going and I'm stuck here," Angela ordered, eyes bright.
"Why would you want to be shown pictures that make you jealous?"
"Forget it Zack." Angela turned her attention to Booth then. "You really aren't worried about Brennan going all by herself? She could meet a tall, foreign surfer who'll sweep her off her feet and make passionate love to her on a moonlit beach."
"Uh, I don't really think that's appropriate table conversation Ange..." Brennan replied, feeling the heat rise to her face.
Booth was grinning, making a note to file away Angela's suggestions in a dark corner of his mind where he could access them later if the need arrived. "No, I'm not worried about who she'll sleep with in Australia." He turned to Brennan, smile still bright and she raised an eyebrow, wondering where he was going with this. "I plan on keeping in constant contact with her, so I know that she's safe."
"Booth!" she complained. "I'm perfectly capable of caring for myself."
"Yes, won't you be busy on your own vacation?" Both Booth and Brennan jumped, turning to Hodgins in surprise and the entomologist shrugged when Angela and Zack's eyes fell on him as well. "What? I heard him tell Doctor Saroyan that he was going to be out of town yesterday afternoon. Zack was there."
The younger doctor looked surprised, looking at the eyes that turned to him. "Uh...I wasn't really paying attention. I was trying to hide the beetles, remember?"
"Zack, you are hopeless," Hodgins grumbled.
"So, Booth," Angela purred, looking at him from across the table. "Where are you going on your vacation?"
He gave a shrug. "I never said it was a vacation, I said I was going to be out of town, which I am." He let his arm drape around Brennan's shoulders and she turned, sending him a glare that he brushed off. "So, if anything comes up, you'll be dealing with someone new. Please be nice."
"Hey, I'm always nice," Angela protested. "Your friends are welcome to drop by at anytime."
"Anytime there's a case," Hodgins amended.
"It's Bren who's the mean one," Angela finished, ignoring Hodgins' protest. "So then, what will you be doing? Undercover work? A secret date with a hot girl, presumably a lawyer? A vacation with everyone's favorite anthropologist?"
"Angela, will you drop it?" Brennan asked.
"Sweetie, I'd love to, really, but the fact is, he still has his arm around you and you haven't hit or yelled at him yet. Things just aren't looking to be in your favor."
Brennan groaned, shoving Booth's arm away from her and he sent her a hurt look, which she ignored. She decided that the world was conspiring against her when the waitress showed up to take their order. The anthropologist decided she was standing just a bit too close to Booth for her liking, and looking at him just a bit too openly for her tolerance. Maybe Booth had been right and they should have stayed in tonight, allowing him to finish packing at a somewhat decent hour. Though it was his own fault for putting it off until the last minute.
Angela raised an eyebrow as the waitress, her name tag said Kate, brushed against Booth. She knew she was fuming inwardly and wondered if any of it showed on the outside. It wasn't that she was insecure in her newfound relationship with Booth to believe he would be interested in Kate but she wouldn't deny that the waitress was extremely attractive, and more like Booth's type. She was flirty and outgoing, with long blonde hair and startling green eyes. The complete opposite of herself.
"Sweetie?" Angela asked quietly, leaning across the table so she could hear her. "Something up?" She hated the knowing smile on Angela's face.
"No Angela, everything's fine." She turned to Booth, eyebrow raised as he finished joking with the waitress, turning back to her. "Are you done?" she asked, voice dripping with something resembling a mixture of annoyance and sarcasm.
"Yeah Bones," he replied. He leaned in, whispering against her ear and she didn't shove him away, not even when Angela's eyebrows shot halfway up her forehead. "Relax Bones, you know I'm all yours," he whispered. She sighed, shaking her head and didn't protest the next time he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her just a tad closer to him.
"Anything I can get ya'll for dessert?" Kate asked, returning to collect the finished dishes. "Do you want a minute to look the menu over?"
"Yeah, that'd be great," Angela replied with a grin.
Throughout the entire dinner the artist had kept a careful eye on her friends, especially after the earlier episode with the waitress. She had noted the different times Booth would pull her friend close, or tug on her hair lightly if she was being scientific again. Brennan wouldn't respond except for a roll of the eyes or a nudge to his ribs. The stealing of food off each other's plates didn't go unnoticed by her either and she just knew something was up, something was different, and she would get them to admit it by the time they left the restaurant. It was her newfound mission.
"I don't know how you guys can eat anymore. I'm stuffed," Hodgins groaned, stretching.
Zack grinned at the entomologist. "Perhaps we paced ourselves better and didn't pig out."
"Are you insinuating what I think your insinuating."
"It's possible but since I don't know what you think I'm insinuating I can not give the proper response to that." He paused, looking confused as Hodgins stared at him. "What?"
"Dude, you've been hanging out with Doctor Brennan too much."
Both Angela and Booth broke out into laughter as Zack's face remained puzzled and Brennan's turned stony. "I don't see how that's funny," she complained before turning on her so-called friend. "You spend time with me Angela, you shouldn't be laughing." She turned to Booth next, eyes glaring. "And so do you, more so than the others from all the accumulated time on cases. You definitely shouldn't be laughing!"
"Relax Sweetie, it's just...he's just joking," Angela giggled. "Live a little, laugh a little." As Brennan's stormy mood persisted Angela shook her head. "Maybe you do need a vacation. Do me a favor Sweetie?"
Her look was guarded as she leveled her eyes with the artist. "Depends on what it is."
"Get yourself laid. And fast. You need to relax." She was mildly amused when Booth almost choked on his drink. "Something the matter?"
"No, nothing," he replied hastily He refused to look at Brennan, memories of last night and what could have happened running through his head, that was, if his cell hadn't gone off, ruining the moment. He consoled himself with the fact that he would have her to himself for three weeks of no interruptions. He turned to her, finding her face red though he wasn't sure if it was from anger or embarrassment.
"Angela," she hissed. "Is it your life mission to put me in embarrassing situations in public?"
"Like I said Sweetie, relax, oh, here comes our waitress. What do you think about the triple chocolate cake with fudge icing? Or the strawberries and cream cheesecake? Or the brownie with ice cream topping and hot fudge and caramel sauce. Yum! I could eat them all."
"Where do you put it?" Hodgins asked, eyeing her slim frame.
Angela glanced at him, making a tutting sound. "Now, now, where do you think I get all the energy from?" Her eyes danced, a smile gracing her features and he couldn't help but grin back. She glanced up as the waitress returned. "I'll have the triple chocolate cake, can I have caramel dribbled over it as well though?"
"Sure," Kate replied, turning to Hodgins who shook his head, before looking at Zack.
"The apple crumble," he replied easily to the unspoken question.
She nodded, turning to Brennan who was reading through the menu, a smile playing lightly over her features. Angela raised an eyebrow but didn't comment as Brennan leaned over, asking Booth something quietly, he nodded and she turned back to the waitress, smiling and handing her the menu.
"We'll," Angela noticed the stress on the we and couldn't help but smile, "have the ice cream sundae." Her smile widened and Booth gave her a look but she ignored him. "You don't happen to have any sprinkles do you?"
"We might, do you want some if we do?"
"Yes," Brennan replied firmly. She noted with some satisfaction that Kate's exuberance seemed dampened somewhat.
"Okay, really," Angela said when the waitress had left with their orders, "what is it with the two of you and ice cream?" Brennan turned to Booth and he cracked a grin at her, tightening his hold on her and they both broke out into laughter. "What?" Angela demanded.
"Maybe they just like the coldness of it," Zack proposed.
"Doubt it," Angela grumbled, eyeing the pair. "They probably use it in their little sexual games and stuff."
"What?" Brennan asked, turning to face her. "Angela, that is not the case. We like ice cream because of the taste, nothing more."
"Uh huh." She turned to Booth, who was still laughing quietly. "Is that the truth?"
"Yeah. Ice cream doesn't have anything to do with sex," he replied. "The sprinkles though?" he asked, turning to Brennan. "Those were a bit overboard."
"I thought you liked sprinkles," she protested, her eyes dancing. He had the sudden urge to kiss her, right there, in front of the rest of the squints. He wondered what she would do, how she would react. If she would kick his ass or if he would get away with it. He decided not to test it when he saw the desserts approaching.
"Ooh, it looks orgasmic," Angela sighed, staring at the piece of chocolate cake placed in front of her. Zack stared at her while Hodgins laughed, shaking his head. "I can't help it if I'm turned on by chocolate." She looked around the table at her co-workers and friends, smiling deviously. "Have any of you guys tried chocolate syrup? It's the most out of this world experience."
"Ange, that's a conversation best saved for private," Hodgins told her.
"Ooh, offering?"
"Guys!" Brennan exclaimed, shaking her head. "Cool it." She smiled when she saw the ice cream and the sprinkles littering it, laughing quietly. She took a bite, shivering from the sudden cold as she leaned back against the booth and well, Booth. He smiled at her, tugging lightly on a strand of her hair.
"Good?"
"Fantastic," she replied, dipping the spoon back in and offering it to him. He smiled, taking it. Angela squealed and Brennan jerked, looking at her, as did several diners and waiters. "What now Angela?"
"You two are together!" she exclaimed. She was well aware of the four pairs of eyes on her and she grinned wider. "It's about time!"
"Ange we're..."
"Give it up Brennan, I know you are. You do not offer a spoon you've eaten off of to a guy unless you're sleeping with him. Or going to sleep with him. So which is it?"
"That isn't true Angela!" Brennan replied. "We've shared food in the past!"
"Sweetie, this isn't sharing, this is like pre-sex or something. Now spill, which is it?"
"I don't think I really want to hear this..." Zack began.
"Shut-up Zack, Bren, Sweetie, which is it?" Brennan remained silent so she turned her attention to Booth. "Muffin? Are you sleeping with my best friend?"
"We haven't had sex Angela," he replied, falling back on what Brennan had told her the day before. Angela pouted and he relaxed, believing the conversation to be over.
"But you're going to in Australia, aren't you?"
"You had fun, admit it," Brennan told him later that night. They were at his apartment for a change and she was stretched out on his bed, already changed into a tank top and pajama pants for bed, watching him pack. "I mean, minus the whole Angela finding out we're going away together bit."
"Yeah, I had fun. You squints aren't too bad once you get out of the lab," he replied with a smile. Her response was a pillow thrown at his head and he laughed, catching it as it rebounded. "And you were jealous, admit it."
"I was not jealous," she grumbled. "Who would I be jealous of?"
He rolled his eyes, packing away his final shirt and closing the suitcase, going over and sitting on the bed next to her. "Our waitress," he replied. She snorted and he laughed quietly, hands dropping down onto her back, lightly massaging the tenseness out of her shoulders. "I saw the way you looked at her and the way you spoke to her. Was Doctor Brennan feeling a tad intimidated?"
"No!" she snapped. She felt her answer would have been more efficient if his hands hadn't hit that one spot that always caused her to moan. Her eyes fluttered and she sighed, crossing her arms and resting her head on them. "Okay," she sighed. "Maybe a little."
"I don't see why," he commented, continuing to work at her muscles. Her shoulders were always the tensest.
"You don't?" she asked with some surprise. Her eyes opened long enough to see him shake his head. "Booth, you're the type who goes for tall blonde women. Take Rebecca and Tessa for example. Both are attractive, both are blonde. I'm sure there are others as well but I can't think of them at the moment." He laughed quietly and she glanced at him. "What's so funny?"
"You're forgetting Cam. She wasn't blonde. And you're forgetting yourself. You aren't blonde either, unless you dyed your hair darker so as not to seem like another dumb blonde."
"That isn't scientifically accurate. There is no evidence to suggest that blondes are by any means dumber than anyone else. I, myself, have known quite a few very intelligent women who happen to be blonde."
"I didn't mean to imply..."
"And, for the record, I have never dyed my hair in my life. Okay, well once, but I had dyed it blue so it doesn't count. I also tend to try and forget about Cam and your past relationship with her," she replied tersely.
He sighed, feeling her tense up again before a part of her mini-rant caught up with him. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "Wait, you dyed your hair blue?"
"Mm-hm. Lower please."
He complied, kneading the muscles slowly. "Why did you dye your hair blue?"
"It was when I was in the system," she replied drowsily and he smiled, knowing he was relaxing her to sleep. "I didn't like the family I was with so I dyed my hair blue and dressed in leather and mini skirts until they said I was a child of the devil and sent me away. They were really religious so it didn't take long to convince them."
"Wow. I can't picture you with blue hair, or uh, dressed like that," he said finally. He didn't want to think of her dressed like that at the moment.
She laughed quietly, turning to face him. "I have pictures. I'll show them to you one day, as long as you promise not to tell Angela about them."
"Deal," he agreed, grinning. He pulled back the covers and she wormed her way under them, curling up against him after he had turned off the light and joined her. His arms wrapped around her automatically and she sighed, her head resting over his heart. "Sleep well Bones."
"You too Sprinkles," she sighed.