I'm glad everyone enjoyed Chapter 10 and the list that was produced. In this one, Bones and Parker shop for a television, while Booth is at the apartment looking over a new list that Bones left for him to find. Hope you all enjoy this one. Gregg.
Disclaimer: I don't own, or profit from, these characters or franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
"Come on, Dr. Bones!" Parker shouted excitedly as they made their way into the large store called Entertainment World that Booth had taken her to when she bought the television she had in the living room.
"I'm coming, Parker," she told him. "Slow down a bit. We have a little time. Let's head back to the television section and see what they have."
As always, Bones was astonished at the massive variety such a store held. She had never really been interested in entertainment as such, though she did have an excellent entertainment center devoted to music. When they reached the back of the store which held the televisions, she gave Parker some instructions. Mainly about staying with her at all times and to not interrupt when a sales clerk was helping them.
"May I help you today?" a young man said after they'd been there for a few minutes.
"I'm considering a television for my bedroom," Bones explained.
"Is there a particular type you're looking for?" he questioned, hoping to narrow it down.
"I don't know about brands, but a 54" Plasma flat screen with a wall mount," Bones replied. She was still glancing around.
"We have several models, depending on the quality and price you're looking for," the sales clerk informed her already mentally going over the ones they had in stock. "They're right over here."
When they got to the ones that the sales clerk was showing them, Bones looked at Parker. The boy was enthralled with the televisions. Like Father, Like Son, she mused with a small smile. She'd always enjoyed seeing Booth excited about something that wasn't work related. His whole demeanor radiated his emotions, and she was able to read him quite clearly. He was the only person she knew that she was able to do that with. Parker, she could see, was the same way.
"Which one would you choose, Parker?" she asked. She wanted to let him be a part of this, and was inclined to go with the young boy's judgment as he watched much more television than she ever would.
Parker really tried to think about this one. Dr. Bones was asking his opinion on something, and he didn't want to disappoint her. He wanted to show her he could be depended on. He looked carefully at each of the TV's on the wall, taking in the picture on each. Finally he pointed at one on the top left.
"That one," he told her.
"He knows his televisions," the clerk said with a smile. "That's the best one we sell. The price may be a bit high, but a wall mount comes with it, and free delivery and installation of the mount and running of the cables."
Bones looked at the price tag: $3,100.00. It was a bit expensive, but she could afford it with no problem. Her accountant was always discussing with her how to spend her money, so she looked at this as just one more investment. That it would make Booth happy was simply one more added benefit. Granted it was a bit large for her tastes, but she wanted Booth to be happy, despite the running joke about lists.
"Can it be delivered and installed this afternoon?" she asked.
The clerk thought for a minute. "Ordinarily no," he replied. "But I think we had a couple of schedule changes. Let me go check and we can go from there."
"You're really going to get the one I picked?" Parker asked, clearly in awe of the idea.
"Of course, Parker," she told him. "You're my assistant today, and the sales clerk said that you picked the best one. It only makes sense to take you advice."
"We have an opening for a delivery at 3:30 this afternoon if that's convenient for you," the sales clerk said as he returned. "Is this the one your going to purchase today?"
"Yes it is," Bones said as she got her wallet out of her purse. "Do I make the arrangements for payment and delivery through you?"
"Right this way," the clerk told her and led them to his station where a purchase could be made.
Fifteen minutes later Bones and Parker walked out of the store, Parker sporting a wide grin. Bones had added a DVD/VCR combo to the purchase and some stereo speakers that also were of a flat panel style that could be wall mounted. She figured that Booth would enjoy the speakers if he ever watched a game in her bedroom, which she liked the thought of. She looked at her watch and saw that she had a couple of hours left before having to have Parker back to Rebecca.
"How about we go and find some DVD's for the player we bought and then we can have some ice cream?" she suggested.
"Yeah!" Parker said excitedly.
"Let's go," she chuckled. She'd have to talk to Booth about being able to spend more time with Parker if possible. Being around him would better prepare her for having her own child. Plus she enjoyed being near Parker.
Within five minutes of Bones and Parker leaving, Booth found the list that she had left on the couch near him. He scanned the heading and saw that it was the one for when at a crime scene. With sigh, wondering what nightmare was going to be facing him this time, he read the list.
Booth-
Here is a list of simple common sense rules for when we are at a crime scene. These are non-negotiable, of course. By the way. The prohibition of the beer hat, cigars, and graphic novels are also non-negotiable on the first list I gave you. The rest are negotiable, even the counter strength one. Love you, Bones.
Rule #1: Bones is always right. Remember that one as we seem to be having more arguments about crime scenes lately. This rule will make it all go much smoother, especially as I am usually proven correct anyway once we have returned to the lab.
Rule #2: No staring at my ass, even when I am bent down examining remains. It does us no good for you to get aroused and neither of us be able to do anything about it.
Rule #3: Rule # 2, only applied to by boobs. Same reason as Rule #2.
Rule #4: No flirting, or flashing that charm smile, to anyone other than myself. Flirt with another woman, especially a law enforcement officer, and you will be singing soprano for some time to come, though I would simply hit them with a knee rather than cut them off. (See, I do know some pop culture slang expressions. Angela taught me that one a long time ago.)
Rule #5: No sex at a crime scene, even if there are some rather provocative, and hidden locations ideal for a "booty call".
Rule # 6: These rules, except for #4, do not apply to the SUV going to, or coming from, a crime scene.
Booth thought that this one was a disaster. She had effectively neutered him at a crime scene. How the Hell did she expect him to not stare at her ass or boobs? That was like asking a severely dehydrated man to ignore the cool, clean spring water he'd just happened upon. Bones was the perfect female package, dammit! The no flirting he could understand to a point, but what if they needed some information that only a little flirting, with absolutely no meaning whatsoever, could obtain? He'd have to try and rework that one if possible, as he didn't like the idea of being a soprano. He mentally crossed his legs as he thought about it. And Bones is always right??? Talk about an inflated ego! But that was his Bones, so that one should have been expected.
And what was it about his beer hat that was so bad? It wasn't like he'd ever be using it if she was in the tub with him. Not even he was that insane. What right thinking, heterosexual male would prefer a cold beer to a naked woman, who was incredibly HOT, in the bathtub? Not Special Agent Seeley Booth, thank you very much. The cigar he could understand. Bones opposed smoking to begin with, and she wanted him healthy. Hence no cigars, and always encouraging him to spend a fortune on organic foods, which encouragement he happily ignored. How on Earth could she expect him to pay $4 for a single tomato?! That was just nuts in his opinion.
Now he had to wait for Bones to get back. He hated not being able to do anything, especially when it involved Parker. The kid was really getting big nowadays. Booth was always a bit sad that he wasn't able to share so much of his sons life, but it had not been by choice. In many ways he couldn't blame Rebecca for turning down his marriage proposal. It had been a bad time in his life, and he knew now that it would have ended in divorce. To a certain extent, Rebecca had been thinking of what was best for Parker, and there was no way he could fault that. Now that he and Rebecca were getting along much better, perhaps he could talk to her about being able to spend more time with Parker, especially now that he and Bones were a couple. Before he even knew it, he'd fallen asleep again, ignoring the throbbing pain in his backside.
A/N: I decided to split up the original version of this chapter in order to have a single chapter deal with Booth getting to enjoy a small fraction of the "physical" benefits of a genuine relationship with Bones. I tried to make the list above both humorous, while a bit on the realistic side. I hope it worked for everyone. I'm sorry about the delay on this one, but taking more time for coming up with the list, as well as real world concerns conspired against me. Let me know what you think. Gregg.
A/N2: Thank you once again for all the great reviews that this story has garnered. I would also like to add a "you're welcome" to Dana who I am unable to respond to directly, and congratulations on her upcoming marriage and name change (I like the name, too, by the way. :) ). As to the suggestion, I actually have one started that is still waiting my attention when things get caught up. I'll see about incorporating some of your ideas. All the best to everyone.
