(A/N: This is a long one, and mocks the idea of a drabble. But hey, math is not my thing...)

~Resign~

"That was amazing lasagna, Tempe." Sully sat back from the table with a satisfied sigh. They'd finished eating, and Christine had retreated to her little table to draw while the three of them lingered over dessert. His expression was thoughtful. "I always knew you two would make a good fit." He grinned at Booth. "Even though you lied to me. Not interested in her, my ass."

Booth very nearly squirmed in response to the look Brennan was giving him. "I didn't lie," he muttered. "I just changed the subject. It was complicated."

"That's your story." With a smirk, he turned and studied their living area. "Nice place you've got here. It suits you. Suits both of you."

"Bones did the decorating," Booth said, choosing not to add that it had been because he'd been in jail. "She did a great job."

"Thank you." Curiosity lit her face as she looked at Sully. "You believed that about Booth and me, even when you and I were together?"

He snorted. "Everyone believed that about the two of you, except the two of you." His impish grin turned fond. "Can't blame me for trying to thwart it."

Sully looked older, Booth thought. But didn't they all? How long had it been, anyway? So many years, so many memories, it took a moment to place it in sequence. They hadn't met Sweets yet, but Zach had been there, so it had been before Gormogon claimed him...ah. Right after Epps' death. Oh, yeah. The clown thing.

"Not my business, but I'm glad you didn't resign immediately." While Booth's mind had wandered, Sully had turned serious. "I heard what they did to you. I was in Puerto Rico by then, and for what it's worth, the bureau guys who knew you...none of them believed it."

"It matters," Booth said. "Thanks."

"I don't understand," Brennan said. "Why say you're glad he didn't resign immediately? You were advocating for a life other than murder investigations eight years ago."

"Because there were some who did believe it," Booth answered for him, his eyes on Sully. "And my hanging around nearly another year after I was cleared, closing cases and training Aubrey made a better argument for my innocence than if I'd left right after Durant's arrest."

"I told them you were no murderer." He looked around again, and smiled over at Christine. "I'm glad you're out of it now."

Booth glanced at Brennan, thought about how close he'd come to murdering Sanderson. "Yeah, I am, too. But you went back to being an agent?"

Sully shrugged. "Spent about four years running the charter, then got wind of a major smuggling op going down from someone at the marina. I called a guy I knew at the Puerto Rico field office to report it, and he hooked me up with DEA. Long story short, I wound up going undercover for them, part of a joint op they put together. After we broke that, it wasn't hard for them to tempt me to come back." He grinned. "Particularly since I'd developed an interest in one of the DEA agents named Diana. We got married last year."

Brennan smiled. "Congratulations."

"That's awesome, Sully." Booth grinned. "She must be quite a woman to take on your flaky ass."

"She considers me a Renaissance man." He laughed, and then shrugged. "I might still open a restaurant some day, or go back to the charter, but right now, it's good being back. Still living on the boat, but we're talking about a house. You want to come down and decorate it for us? Bring the mini-yous - both of them," he said with a glance toward Brennan's belly. "I'd like both of you to meet Diana."

"I'd like that," Brennan said. "I enjoy the Caribbean."

"No reason we can't take you up on that, once the baby's old enough to travel," Booth said.

At a noise, they turned and saw Christine coming toward them. "Daddy says you have a boat, so I drew you a fish."

Sully took the picture, admired the red fish with gold stripes. "I've seen these during night dives. They're called-"

"Squirrelfish. Though they don't look at all like squirrels. I named him Rocky, because that's the best name for a squirrel."

He looked over at Booth and Brennan and laughed. "She's 100% both of you, isn't she?"

Booth shared an amused look with Brennan. "She keeps both of us on our toes. That's for sure."