CHAPTER 21

"Rise and shine, sweetie," Angela practically shouted in to a just awoken Temperance's ear.

"Angela, we aren't going shopping till 10? Why are you calling me at this hour?"

"Sweetie, Temperance, it is 10:05, where the heck are you?"

Sitting up abruptly, she turned to her clock that read 10:06am, "Damn! I slept in. I'm sorry Ange."

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure you were sleeping in because you had night of wild sex with Booth, again," Angela teased emphasizing the word again."

Feeling a slight blush rush to her face; while turning to look at a peacefully sleeping Seeley she quietly responded with, "I'll be at your place in 45 minutes."

"See you then. And if Booth rolls over, tell him I am waiting," Angela snickered and hung up.

Tempe liked when Seeley rolled over in the morning but after last night, she wasn't sure she could endure another round of love making, at least not before breakfast. As she hopped into the shower she thought about the dress, she wanted. I see white. Many white dresses. That's it. That is all I see. Oh goodness, this is going to be a long day.

She left a note for Seeley who, astonishingly, was still sleeping. I did THAT to him

Angela was waiting out front for her as she pulled up.

"I'm so sorry Ange."

"Sweetie, it's OK. I totally understand. I picked out three places, so I am praying one of them has the dress you want."

As they pulled up to The Bridal Dress Salon, Tempe felt her stomach flinch. A wedding dress? Me, Dr. Temperance Brennan, buying a wedding dress? She shook her head, took a deep breath and followed Angela into the store.

A tall woman, about forty, wearing black pants and pink shirt introduced herself, "Hi, I'm Marion, the owner. Can I help you today?"

"I need a wedding dress," Tempe said.

"When is the big day?"

"May 24th of next year."

"Do you know what type you want? A train, no train, long sleeves, short sleeves, strapless, puffy, slim fitting?"

Tempe felt that flinch in her stomach again and started to have erratic breathing because all she knew is that wedding dresses were white.

Sensing Tempe's uncertainties, Marion stepped in, "How about I show you some different styles and then we go from there?"

"Ok."

After trying on sixteen dresses, Tempe put on a dress that made her have that flinch again but it was a good flinch this time. It was plain white, with spaghetti straps, and a slightly curved neckline that showed just the right amount of cleavage; the back stopped just above the mid of her back; floor length with a small pouf and along the hem, were the tiniest soft pink beads that was mirrored along the neck line.

"I love it. This is the one," Tempe declared as she turned around watching and feeling the dress sway.

"Oh sweetie, I am SO glad you found one. I was beginning to think NO dress would be suitable for your …." Angela's voice trailed off, unsure if she should continue.

"Particular needs?"

"Yeah, particular needs."

"This dress says Temperance Brennan all over it. It's you. It's perfect." Angela collapsed back down on the chair she had been in and out of for the past three hours.

Marion took her measurements as Tempe asked Angela where she wanted to go for lunch.

"The dress should be ready in about two months, I'll call you when it arrives."

"Thank you," Tempe and Angela said together.

As they sat eating baby back ribs at The Outback, Tempe was off in dreamland. Married. I am getting married. I always said marriage was overrated. BUT. Oh yes, the big BUT. That was before I met Seeley Booth She closed her eyes as she savored a bite of her ribs His face. Those lips. His hands. Oh how I love those hands touching my body, softly, roughly, inside of me.

"Tempe?"

She opened her eyes and shook her thoughts away.

"Yes Angela?"

"I knew I lost you when you closed your eyes. What on earth were you thinking about?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing but Seeley Booth?"

She smiled, "Yes. I was thinking of him. Everything time I think of how I used to be before his kissed me for the first time on that couch .." her voice trailed off as she found the words to hard say.

"You mean about marriage and children?"

"Not just that but how I didn't think I would ever be a part of a family again and that someone would want me, just the way I am, forever."

"I am so happy for you Sweetie, that you have found that person." Angela put her hand on Tempe's and smiled at her. "You deserve to be happy."

"Thanks."

After Tempe dropped Angela off at home and thanked her again for all of her help, she went home. Home. Yeah, this is my home A smile swept across her face as she opened the door to find Seeley in the kitchen with stuff strewn all over the place.

"Hi, what are you doing?" asked Tempe as she glanced around the kitchen and if it hadn't been sunny outside, she would have thought a hurricane had hit their kitchen.

Seeley wiped his cheek with the back of his hand and spread some green stuff further along so it now was into his hair.

"I am baking cookies." Knowing he needed to explain a bit more, he continued, "Rebecca called and asked if I could make cookies for the school bake sale Monday. They have to go to Drew's uncles funeral and won't be back until late tomorrow night. Parker went with them. So we won't see him until after school Monday."

"Oh, OK. How many cookies do you have to make?" She thought he would say two or three hundred based on the mess.

"Three dozen. Thirty six cookies." Seeley's face was proud and oblivious to the fact that even Temperance Brennan knew that making three dozen cookies should not warrant a disaster such as this.

She smiled and walked towards him giving him a kiss on a part of his face that didn't have any green stuff on it: his right eyelid. She didn't the heart to ask him WHY there was green stuff in his cookies.

"I bought my dress today."

"That's great. I know you will look absolutely stunning," he smiled the smile that under any other circumstances would have caused her to jump him right there. Guess I should start thinking about what I will wear to my wedding.

"I'll let you be. I have some work to do on my novel."

"I'll let you know when the cookies are done so you can try one," he yelled as she made her way up stairs.

Oh no. Green cookies? Well, they could be edible; he can try them first.