Chapter 21 – Stargazer in a Puddle

Booth smiled lovingly at her and then took a small bite, "Mmm. This is unbelievable."

Brennan smiled, "You like it?"

Booth joked, "I'd like to be alone with it."

Brennan said softly after she stopped laughing, "She said I could go with my instincts, so I put in a little fresh ground nutmeg."

Booth nudged her with his knee, "Well, she taught you well. Thanks, Bones."

Brennan smiled affectionately at him, "Yeah, well, you know. We have to eat, right?"

Booth nodded, "Yeah. Gotta eat. Always gotta eat."

They ate in silence for a few more seconds, each taking in the delicious flavors of her dish, before Booth looked back up and said softly, "I mean it babe. This is amazing, thanks." Brennan smiled at him again and watched as he leaned over the table – her body naturally inclining toward him as well – to kiss. The kiss was innocent enough, a small peck really. Just something to show that he appreciated everything she did. But somewhere in the few seconds that it was innocent, one of them – neither knew – opened their lips just enough to give an invitation to the other. Soon their tongues were gliding fluidly against each other, their food forgotten.

Booth slid his fingers through her hair, tangling them in her silken locks. Perhaps they were acting like so since their last few cases had showed them some bad marriages. One accidently killed another man for a job opportunity while another cheated on her husband resulting in her ultimate demise. In either case, they subconsciously needed to prove to each other that they would never be like that no matter what the circumstances. Sure they would kill for each other, but only when their lives were at stake. They'd done it before and they would do it again in a heartbeat. Yet, they would never, ever cheat on each other or kill for such frivolous reasons.

So, before she really knew what happened, Brennan found herself in her husband's lap, straddling him, kissing him with such passion that it left them both breathless. Without much thought put into it, Booth cupped her ass – supporting her weight – as he stood up and walked them to their bedroom. This was not a time to have a good fuck in a chair. This time it was meant to be in their bed, showing each other – proving their love to each other, by making love gently and slowly. Lovingly. And that is what they did.

They took their time with each other. Whispering words of pure awe, adoration, admiration, trust, and love. They undressed each other with caressing fingers and lips. And when they finally came together in the most intimate way, they held each other close. Booth buried his face into her sweet smelling hair, taking a deep breath trying to stay grounded. He then leant back to look into her eyes. She smiled lovingly at him, her eyes the deepest blue he'd ever seen. As he brushed some hair out of her face, she sighed contentedly and whispered, "I love you Seeley."

Booth leant down a kissed her passionately before he told her huskily, "Let me show you how much I love you, babe." And then he started a slow and steady rhythm. Brennan wrapped her legs tightly around him and dove her fingers to muse his short hair, bringing his face toward her so she could kiss him. She held him close, but when she felt her inner muscles start to clench she swore that they nearly became one. She could tell where her skin ended and his began. They moved as one, their breath mingling together as her walls drew him in deeper still breaking her into a million of beautiful pieces. His own release came as well and soon he laid on top of her almost overwhelmed at the sheer emotions that this encounter stirred.

He didn't want to crush her though, so he slowly rolled off of her – Brennan eliciting a moan of protest at the loss of contact. However, Booth reached over and spooned her up against his chest pulling their comforter over their fast cooling bodies. Booth knew that he needed to get up and put their food away for later, but he also knew that Bones needed him more. If he felt so much from their encounter, he just knew that she was probably overwhelmed with her own feelings and she needed him as a bedrock, something tangible to hold onto. So for that moment he held her close until he felt her breathing even and knew she was asleep. For a brief moment before he went to the kitchen, he just watched her sleep. She was so beautiful, so strong. She made him whole. Booth placed a soft kiss on her hair as he slipped out and made his way to the kitchen. As he picked up the forgotten dishes he saw one of the few pictures they kept in the house, slightly concealed. It was of Brennan and Angela. He smiled as he saw her smile. He could only hope that Angela and Hodgins found what he and Brennan had.

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan walked onto the crime scene the following night. The place was wet and muddy. Booth hated it. He tried his best to dodge all of the puddles, "Ooh oh oh…"

Brennan shook her head as she watched Booth jump over a small puddle. She told him. "Well, you should've worn gumboots."

Booth jumped over an even bigger puddle and shook his head, "It's fine, you know I- I'm agile." After a few seconds he started up some conversation. They really hadn't talked all day, "So, Hodgins asked, uh, Angela to, uh, marry him?"

Brennan nodded. She already knew that. "Twice."

Booth couldn't help the happy grin that came to his face, "Oh and she uh, turned him down both times."

Brennan didn't know where he was going with this. "I heard all this from Angela."

Booth nodded as he recalled his conversation with Hodgins. "Yeah but did she tell you that he said that he wasn't going to ask her to marry him?"

Brennan humphed slightly. "Yes."

Booth raised a knowing brow. "And she said?"

Brennan sighed as she stepped over another puddle, "I'd like to marry you."

Booth joked, "Kinda sudden Bones. Let me think about it."

Brennan looked at him confused, "What? No. Booth, that's what Angela told Hodgins…" She trailed off as she noticed Booth laughing. "You're joking." She looked at him as she said, "You know, a lot of psychologists say that jokes are the way that we manifest a lot of our hidden desires. Thankfully you're already…"

Booth however had turned at the moment to follow her and stepped in a huge puddle. "Ah jeez!"

Brennan looked at him concerned, "You okay?"

Booth shook his head as he looked at his ruined shoes. He sighed annoyed at himself for getting distracted, "Yeah, fine." He shook off his wet leg and looked up at the cop at the scene. He needed to focus. "What do we got?"

~BONES~

Booth was staring at an x-ray of a lateral view of the skull and the c-spine. Brennan had had just tried to explain to Booth what she saw, but she could have laughed at his confused look. He looked…adorable. "Do you even know what you're looking at?"

Booth joked, "It's a neck bone, connected to the shoulder bone."

Brennan grinned at his and turned back to the computer screen. She pointed to a spot just under the cranium on the spinal cord, "There's arthritic lipping here, and here, on the posterior dens."

Booth's brows furrowed as he processed that. "Arthritis?"

Brennan told him, "For this to occur she had to look up like this." She then looked up at the ceiling.

Booth shrugged, "Maybe she prayed a lot."

Brennan shook her head in disbelief, "Four to six hours a day? What did she want so badly?"

Max walked into the room and said, "Her father?" Booth and Brennan turned around in surprise as they looked at him. He smiled at Brennan, "Hey baby."

Brennan couldn't believe this, "Dad?"

Max nodded at Booth approvingly. He liked the man. "Booth."

After his initial shock ended, Booth whipped out his gun and pointed it at Max, his sense of duty kicking in, "Put your hands up."

Brennan jumped up and tried to make him put the gun down. "Booth!"

Max raised his hands and smiled. "I was hoping we could get a drink or something before this part." After all, his little girl was going to be marrying this man.

Booth tried not to let Brennan's pleading eyes get to him. He had a job to do. "Max Keenan, you're under arrest as an escaped felon."

Max's smile faded, "Oh, okay. Then I guess that's no on the drink, huh?"

Booth tried to keep his voice even as he told Brennan, "Bones, grab the cuffs out of my back pocket there."

Brennan shook her head, "No."

Booth knew this was hard. Hell, he was arresting his father-in-law! But this was their job. "What do you mean no? Bones!"

Max told Brennan, "It's okay, baby."

Brennan squeezed his arm pleadingly, "I don't want to handcuff my own father. Plus, remember when he saved your life?"

Max told Booth, "Hey just throw 'em over here I'll do it myself."

Booth looked at Max incredulously and shook his head as he muttered to Brennan, "Now he's telling me what to do." He then told Max, "Just put your hands on the wall."

Max complied, as Booth handcuffed him. Brennan walked over to her dad and asked, "What? Dad what are you doing here?"

Max smiled at her, "I heard you were getting married."

Booth, who had been frisking him, looked quizzically at Brennan. How had heard that? Brennan shook her head and told Max, "What? No, Angela's getting married, to Hodgins, not me."

Max was deeply disappointed by that. "Oh, the bug guy. Oh, that's great."

Booth shook his head and said gruffly, "Will you shut up, please." Booth then glanced at Brennan who was glaring at him. He shrugged apologetically, "Long enough to Mirandize him."

Max snorted at that, "You got the right to remain silent, got it." He then smiled at Brennan, "We'll talk more later."

Booth looked at Brennan trying to make her see that he was only doing what he had to do. "Look, I'm sorry Bones, but he killed the deputy director of the FBI, I'm just doing my job."

Brennan sighed and nodded her head, "It's okay." She then told her dad, "He's right."

Max nodded sadly, "Kisses, baby."

Booth and Max left as Angela walked by then looking questioningly at Brennan. " Uh, sweetie? Was that your dad?" Brennan could only nod.

~BONES~

Booth threw a folder and wallet down in front of Max as Max lifted his cuffed hands. "Tell me something Max, on the job site, what's the most hazardous classification of an electrician?"

Max smirked, "Class one, division one, you planning on making a career change?" Booth took the water glass Max had been drinking from. He pulled it towards him with the ends of his handcuffs. Max nodded his head, "Oh. You checking out my prints?"

Booth told him honestly, "Max you know I like you and I hate to hurt Bones, but it's my job to catch you and I'm very good at my job."

Max smiled proudly, "Well you'd have to be to work with my daughter." He then stood and said, "What do you say? Shake hands with an old con. Or, or is that bad for the FBI image?"

Booth leaned in and whispered, "You abandoned her as a child, you don't think she feels that? Every time you pop in and out of her life? Hmm?" He told him that for two reasons. One to provoke him and two to let him know that it did hurt her each time he did that.

Max stared at Booth for a while then laughed, "You're just saying that so I'll hit you. Then you got a reason to lock me up. Twenty years ago that would have worked." He walked away and patted Booth on the back.

~BONES~

Brennan took the ring hesitantly, looked at it for a while and then put it on the table, "I - I have to go to bed, there are some inconsistency's with the remains, which I have to address, first thing in the morning."

Max nodded, "Okay"

Brennan knew that she had to call Booth to warn him, but… "You're welcome, to stay here, if you want."

Max smiled brightly at her, "The couch would be great."

Brennan shook her head as a small smile crossed her face, "No dad, I made up the guest room, in case you…Goodnight."

~BONES~

Caroline brought Booth the glass he took from Max Keenan earlier. "His fingerprints don't match."

Booth sighed, "There's nothing to compare them to."

Caroline said knowingly, "Max Keenan got himself wiped from the system."

Booth pursed his lips and nodded, "That's right."

Caroline couldn't believe it, "Who is this guy? Some sort of super criminal?"

Booth shrugged, "Could also have been deputy director Kirby, you know he wanted him dead so he made him invisible first."

Caroline could've laughed at the irony. "Hmm, that would be an ironic twist, seeing as you want to arrest Max for Kirby's murder." She saw that distant look on Booth's face, "You're not having doubts about catching this guy are you? I mean, he is your father-in-law."

Booth shook his head, "No. Bones gets it."

Caroline stood up, "You hope she does. I'll get DNA samples from the man; you find something to compare them to."

~BONES~

Booth was driving home when he remember that Brennan had called him while he was in a meeting. He flipped open his phone and listened to the message…Ah hell. This was not going to be good.

He parked in his usual spot and walked up the stairs slowly, trying to figure out a way to not be killed by Max. He slid his key in and unlocked his door. He took a deep breath before he opened the door. All the lights were off as far as he could tell, except their bedroom. He dropped his keys and wallet on the side table and started to loosen his tie as he walked toward the bedroom. He was half way there when he heard Max's voice, "Stop right there or I'll kill ya."

Booth stood stock still. He knew that Max was serious. Thankfully at that moment Brennan opened her door and saw Booth standing there with wide eyes. He really didn't want to have to shoot Max. Brennan then looked behind him and saw that her dad was standing behind him holding one of her artifacts. "Dad…"

Max shook his head and cut her off. He still could only see the outline of the intruder, but he knew that he had gone directly to his daughter's room. "Honey, call that partner of yours. Tell him that…"

Brennan sighed, "Dad, put that down. I didn't know how to tell you this and I wanted to wait until Booth arrived to tell you." Brennan then flipped the hallway light on and Max then saw that it was in fact Booth standing in the hallway. What the hell? Booth turned around and nodded stiffly at Max. Brennan stepped next to Booth and told Max, "Dad, Booth and I are…"

He once again cut her off. "Together. That's great! But why'd you have to wait for him to get here to tell me that?"

Brennan shook her head and was about to tell him, but Booth squeezed her hand. She had already been through so much today already. "Look, Max there's no easy way to tell you this, so I'm just going to say it. Bones and I are married. For over three years."

Max looked at them with shocked eyes. His little girl was married and he missed her wedding. It was then that he finally saw how much he truly had missed in her life. "That's-that's great news. I'm so happy for you, baby." He saw that she could see his hurt, but he wasn't hurt that she didn't wait for him to come back into her life to live. He was hurt that he had missed so much because of his previous life. He didn't want her to see that. "Well, I guess now that that's cleared, I'll just head back to bed. Goodnight." Brennan and Booth watched Max walk back to the guest room, both surprised at his fast departure.

~BONES~

Booth was driving his car, when his cell phone rang, "Booth."

Hodgins smiled, "Hey man will you stand up for me on Saturday?"

Booth nodded, "Sure, against who?"

Hodgins chuckled a little, "No, no I mean be my best man?"

Booth was surprised by that, "Sure, wow."

Hodgins leaned back in his chair, "Yeah I know, big honor."

Booth told him, "No, no yeah that, but you didn't give me much time to put a bachelor party together."

Hodgins shook his head, "No, no. No Bachelor party."

Brennan tapped his shoulder, "Is that Hodgins?"

Booth looked at her and nodded, "Yeah, he wants me to be his best man. Well if there's no Bachelor party what do you want me to do?"

Hodgins laughed, "Stand there, make a toast, hand over the ring, tongue kiss the maid of honor at the reception when people clink glasses."

Booth frowned a little at that, "Oh, um, who's the maid of honor?"

Hodgins smiled, "No idea, but most of Angela's friends are really hot. But I'm pretty sure it's…"

Brennan broke in, "Well, I'm the maid of honor." Booth stared at her with a slow smile forming on his face. "Why?" Man he was going to love this wedding.

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were sitting at a table at the Royal Diner when Brennan asked softly, "Do you like your father?" She knew his past and if he still loved him…

Booth looked at her and told her seriously, "I love my father."

Brennan sighed shakily, "I think I love my father."

Booth leaned forward and whispered, "Well that's normal."

Brennan sighed, "But he ran out on me and Russ, he robbed people, he's a murderer, you know. He got my mother killed, how does he expect me to…"

Booth told her, "It's hard to trust someone who's abandoned you, especially a parent."

Brennan was near tears as she looked up at him, "Am I terrible for not wanting to care about my father?"

Booth grabbed her hand and stroked it reassuringly, "Look Bones, your father is going to do something tomorrow that's going to hurt you. How do you forgive that?"

Brennan asked, "I'm not a bad daughter? Bad person?"

Booth squeezed her hand, "You're not a bad anything babe."

~BONES~

As Max was walking to his car, Booth walked up to him. "Am I gonna need to use my gun Max?"

Max sighed, "Got your piece of paper?"

Booth nodded, "Max Keenan I'm placing you under arrest for the murder of Deputy Director…"

Max shook his head, "Alright, alright. Fine. You can take me, you know what you're right. I'm not going to abandon her again. I already missed too much." He then gave Booth a knowing look.

Booth took a step closer and asked, "You're not going to resist?"

Max chuckled, "It's your lucky day, I guess."

Booth sighed in relief. "Okay great."

Max took a step back from Booth's approaching form, "No you know what? I'm wrong, I can't go quietly. It's not my nature."

Booth shook his head, "Max, I got a gun."

Max tried to reason, "It's not my nature. You're going to have to shoot me. You understand?"

Booth asked incredulously, "Not your nature?"

Max shrugged, "Call it a character flaw." Max saw Booth taking out his gun and nodded, "Yeah. Shoot me. Shoot me, but in the leg if you don't mind."

Booth took off his jacket and got ready to fist fight with Max. He really didn't want to do this but hell. He punched Max in the face. "Hey, hey that's good kid, you're throwing." Max punched him back, Booth groaned and staggered back. "What's the matter kid? Got a glass jaw?"

Booth shook his head, "You know what? You talk too much." Booth punched him again.

Max knelt forward, "Geez, right in the face? Time! Time!"

Booth walked over to him and asked, "You had enough?"

Max waved him off, "Wait, wait I'm old."

Booth laughed slightly, "There's no time-outs during an arrest."

Max recovered and punched him again. They exchanged punches and finally Booth knocked Max to the ground. "Okay that's it, that's it I've had enough."

Booth walked over to him ready to cuff him, "Okay." Max then punched him in the groin and Booth's face scrunched up in pain. "That really hurt." They both laid there on the ground in pain.

~BONES~

Booth walked into his apartment with a slight limp. Damn, why'd Max go and have to punch him there. He could see that Brennan had fallen asleep on the couch, so he tried to make it to their kitchen as quietly as possible. But she was already half awake when he closed the door and she turned to look at his limping form. "Oh my god. Booth, what happened?"

She hurried over to him as he made it to the freeze. He grabbed an ice pack and placed it against his groin as he turned to face her. "I arrested Max. I'm sorry Bones."

She waved that off though as she assessed his injuries. Booth watched her intently as he tried to gauge her reaction that's when he noticed, "Babe, what's wrong?"

Brennan looked at him surprised by his question. "What?"

His own pains forgotten for the moment her gently cupped her face, "You've been crying. What happened?"

Brennan sighed, "Max gave me a video my mom made for me. I watched it when I got home." She tried not to cry again, but her voice became thick with emotion, "She said that I should forgive him."

Booth engulfed her into a hug and whispered nonsense, trying to soothe her. After a few minutes passed he whispered, "Let's go to bed. It's been a long day."

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan started walking down the aisle, followed by Zach and Cam. Booth whispered, "Bones?"

Brennan looked at him, "Yeah?"

Booth told her, "Listen, I'm, uh, sorry I had to arrest your father." They hadn't really had time to talk the whole day because of the wedding and this was the first real alone time they got.

Brennan looked at him slightly annoyed, "Do we have to talk about that right now? You did what you had to do, I understand."

Booth tried to explain, "Yeah, but…" However they were separated at the altar and he couldn't talk to her anymore. Just as Angela started walking down the aisle he whispered, "Bones?"

Brennan was definitely annoyed now, "What?"

Booth sighed, 'He could have gotten away."

Brennan was now extremely confused, "What?"

Booth took a step forward, "We go into a fight and your dad could have escaped capture."

Brennan still didn't get it. She too took a step forward as she asked, "So he beat you in a fight?"

Booth shook his head, taking another step forward as well, "No, no I didn't say that."

This was all very confusing to her, "What so you beat him but you gave him a chance to escape?"

Booth shook his head again, "No I didn't say that."

Brennan sighed in frustration, "Well I don't see any other alternative."

Booth grabbed her hand, "No he didn't run away because he felt if he abandoned you, he would have lost you forever. Just thought you should know."

Brennan looked at him for a second before she hugged him tightly, "Thanks Booth." Booth hugged her back, smiling.

Angela interrupted, "Um hi, I'd uh like to get married now." Brennan and Booth looked sheepish and parted ways.

~BONES~

Everyone was still at the altar when the door opened and Hodgins announced, "Change of plans, go directly to the reception, on us."

Angela smiled, "Thanks for coming."

Booth and Brennan were now standing directly in front of Minister Sheila – not really knowing what to do. "What do we do now?" They both turned to look at Minister Sheila as she smiled down at them.

~BONES~

Brennan and Booth tumbled onto their bedroom – in a slightly drunken state – as they tore each other's clothes off. Brennan laughed deeply as Booth tore her dress completely off from the back. "This reminds me of our wedding night."

Booth kissed the column of her neck and he huskily told her, "Let me remind you of what exactly happened."

And did he ever.

A/N 2: So tada. Max knows. I was so not planning on that, but there it is. I may or may not do a chapter break. I'm leaning toward not but let me know what you would like to see and I'll try to get it out there. Reviews are loved!

This is the last chapter of this series of books the the next book will be in January 6, 2017. Oops I almost forgot the title of the book is: The Wonderful Partnership Pt 3, so if your already follow my acc you will be notified immediately after I post the chapter. So please follow my acc to be notified