Ok. So I actually hate this chapter. alot. The first half is alright but the end...ew. Ugh, but I had it mulling all day...with very little improvement. so here we go. you guys get to see the crappiest chapter of the story. hha I promise it WILL get better. Please stick with me. xoxo
It took some getting used to, having a ring on her left hand she thought silently as she sat on the couch. She held her hand in front of her and saw the way the engraved letters disappeared between her pinky and middle finger as the etchings wrapped around the silver band. She smiled and sighed lightly, as strongly as she protested against marriage there was a strangely comforting aspect to wearing Seeley Booth's ring. She liked it and she knew that he was ecstatic she had accepted the gesture. She felt him sit next to her on the couch and she smiled over at him. He had a knowing smile on his face as he asked innocently "Like the ring?"
She nodded and replied softly "Yeah, I really do actually. I never thought I would…but this feels right." She paused before looking at him and saying "Thank you, for sticking with me through all the crap." With that she found herself being pulled into him and saw him click the movie on as he whispered in her ear "You were more than worth it, I'm a lucky guy" They spent the rest of the night curled up together on the couch watching a movie she wouldn't remember the title of in the morning. She was asleep before the credits started as he yawned and grabbed the remote. Clicking the television off, he then lifted her and carried her into the bedroom. She was already dressed in loose yoga pants and a tank top so he smoothed the covers over her before going back out to the living room to clean up. As he put their cups in the sink and stifled another yawn he shuffled back into the bedroom. She had shifted closer to the middle of his bed, closer to his side. He shook his head as he stripped to his boxers and slid under the covers with her. He moved closer and pulled her towards him, feeling her sigh unconsciously and relax. He soon followed slipping into a slumber with dreams of lazy days on the beach and trips with his new family.
Brennan took a deep breath and wound her fingers with her boyfriend's. He was still off from work, Cullen had given him the rest of the week, so he was dressed casually, but she was anxious to return to the lab. This was her first day back since the custody hearing and also since the rings. She was antsy after 2 days away from the lab, while her partner seemed perfectly content to lounge about all day. They had agreed that she would come in to the lab and he would work on some miscellaneous paperwork in her office. She had wanted him to be with her in case she got overwhelmed when her eagle eyed colleagues noticed her ring. He had been only too willing to agree (and didn't let her know that he simply didn't want to be away from her if he didn't have to) and that was how she found herself walking into the Jeffersonian hand in hand. She nodded at the security guard and was surprised she made it to her office with no interference.
She put her jacket on the hook and took Booth's as well. Sitting down behind her desk she was just booting her computer up when she heard the telltale heels coming down the hall. Booth looked up from his mess of papers and looked panicked, and she laughed at the role reversal. She mouthed the words 'Act Normal' at him before seeing her best friend materialize in the doorway. "Sweetie! I thought Booth was still off…why are you in here?" She asked brightly.
Brennan smiled and gestured towards the couch "He is. I wanted to get some work done though so we are in for a few hours. And anyways, just because Booth is off doesn't mean I am too…its not mutual vacation time Ange." She scoffed lightly hoping her friend didn't notice that she had gestured with her left hand, which now had adornment. No such luck.
The shorter woman strode quickly across the room, ignoring Booth and held out her hand "Let me see your left hand again Sweetie" she asked innocently. Brennan rolled her eyes and held it out. The squeal that was emitted was on the border of breaking glass and Booth found himself being beckoned over to girls.
"Yes it's a ring. No we are not engaged. Yes it means something. No you are not allowed to plan us a fake engagement party. Yes Booth has one as well…any other questions?" the anthropologist answered the questions that hadn't been uttered and left her audience shocked. Her audience which had apparently grown, as she heard clapping from the doorway, to her dismay. Apparently Angela's squeal had drawn attention, as it usually did. Cam stood there with a smile on her face, nodding approvingly while Hodgins was clasping and whistling "Way to go Dr. B! And Booth! See you finally got around to business there, eh?" With a blush Brennan found her way around her desk to stand by Booth who wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Yup I did Hodgins. Not a minute too soon either it seems" Booth replied jokingly, as he thought about just how well this was going. Cam came closer and Booth nodded to her, which she returned "I'm happy for you guys. Lord knows it was coming. Let me see your ring Dr. Brennan" As she studied the ring she smiled before looking up at the pair "It's perfect for you, simple but with meaning and easy to wear under latex gloves." She finished with a wink before excusing herself. Soon they found themselves once again in the presence of only Angela. Booth sat on the desk, Brennan went back behind it to answer her phone then sat down, gesturing her friend to take a seat opposite her.
"I'll give you the rundown Ange, and Booth will interrupt if I get anything wrong…" She told the story carefully and Booth only interjected a few times with personal commentary. "So basically we are the same as we were before, couple wise, but just…stronger" She finished with a smile up at the man looking down at her. They were stronger and as much as they had worried that getting involved would lead them astray on the job it actually made them better. Getting the approval of her colleagues had meant a lot to her, especially Cam. She knew that the other woman was no longer interested in Booth romantically but still wondered if that twinge was still there. She shook her mind of those thoughts as she heard Angela congratulating them once more before leaving. Booth turned to her and said "Well that went a lot better than I expected."