Disclaimer: I own only the season 1 DVDs and an iTunes season pass. This is just for fun…

A/N: Thanks for reading…and reviewing. You all rock. Glad you are having as much fun with this as I am…Thanks again...

Booth had shed his suit coat and tie. He had undone the first button of his dress shirt and rolled his sleeves up to his mid-forearm. His hand rested lightly on Bones's back as he guided her through the entrance to the South Hall of the Eastern Market. The market was bustling as locals made their daily grocery runs and tourists checked off a block on their things to see in DC list. The aroma of fresh produce and flowers mingled with warm baked goods. Booth couldn't keep the smile from his face. He loved the atmosphere, almost as much as he loved the food.

He wasn't one for grand gestures. He knew it was the little every day things you did that let a person know how you felt. Like he had told Brennan, food was one of the ways he connected with the people who are important to him. Booth knew she was qualified. He hoped this was the first of many such occasions. He could easily picture Bones in his kitchen, although he was curious to see if she would be one of those people who dirtied every dish in the house or one that measured a dash of salt down to grain. He thought she might be the latter, but he wasn't willing to bet on it. She had surprised him too many times for him to pigeonhole her.

As they wandered through the South Hall, Brennan tried to take everything in. This was her first trip to the Eastern Market. She couldn't believe she had missed it. She had been to the markets in most of the remote locations she had consulted on. She knew that if you wanted to really get to know the people you were studying, the marketplace was at the top of the list. It was the cultural heart of the towns and villages, where people went for news, gossip, and groceries. As she looked around the market, she could see two vendors sharing a laugh as they stocked their wares. Families were meandering through the aisles together. Booth was right---this was about more than food, it was about connecting. Glancing out of the corner of her eye at her partner, she saw the contented look on his face. It made her smile. She couldn't wait to see what the night had in store for them.

"So what do you feel like?" He looked expectantly at her as he clapped his hands and rubbed them together in anticipation.

"Since you're the resident expert, why don't you decide? If you go wrong, I'll let you know." She playfully nudged him with her elbow.

"Goes without saying, Bones." He shot her the charm smile and though she was loathe to admit it, it was more effective than she wanted to let on. He threw an arm over her shoulder and guided her towards a stand with fresh pasta. "How do you feel about Italian?" The refrigerated cases held all kinds of homemade tortellini, ravioli, and gnocchi in addition to the old standards like angel hair, linguine, and penne.

The weight of Booth's arm surprised Brennan. She knew it was an unconscious gesture on his part, one he had done countless times. He was a tactile guy and expressed himself physically. Normally she wasn't comfortable with people invading her personal space, but from the beginning Booth had ignored her bubble. Now that she had admitted to herself that she wanted more from him, she finally felt comfortable enough to lean against him as she eyed the selection of pastas before her.

Booth took a step back as he felt Bones lean into him. She started to pull away, a flash of surprise, maybe even hurt, in her eyes. He immediately pulled her back and settled her against his side. He had just been caught off guard. Brennan normally tolerated his invasiveness, but rarely reciprocated. He wanted to reassure her that it was all good, but the words sounded so ridiculous in his head, he couldn't imagine saying them. He settled for what he hoped was a comforting, if not a little bit of a sheepish, smile. "So I was thinking we could make shrimp cartoccio. It's one of my specialties."

"I'm not familiar with that, but I trust you, Booth." As she spoke, she looped her arm around his back and returned his smile. Though it was a far cry from the public displays of Hodgins and Angela, Brennan's small gesture was a huge step forward for the two. Though neither acknowledged it, both were well aware that they were in uncharted water.

Reluctant to release her, he suggested they save the pasta for last. "Alright, we have a plan. Let's pick out some antipasti, grab some bread, get the shrimp, and come back for the pasta. That way you can consider what type of pasta you want."

"Does it really matter?" She raised an eyebrow in question.

With a shrug and a smile, he answered, "Not so much, but it sounds good, right? Almost like I know what I'm doing..."

"Wait a second. I thought this was one of your specialties." She regarded Booth skeptically.

"It is. I have to cook for Parker when he's with me. Man cannot live on pizza alone. Although, I don't normally break out this recipe for him. This is more for special occasions or when I want to impress someone."

"And which is it tonight?" She turned slightly so that she could see his response.

Without hesitating, he met her gaze and replied, "Both."