Disclaimer: Still own only the DVDs and an itunes season 2 pass…
A/N: Thanks for all those that continue to read and review. Your take on things is appreciated. Tweaking of the timeline. You've been warned. Also, thanks to A for taking a gander at this. It is appreciated.
Preoccupied with the remains in front of her, she didn't realize her cell phone was ringing until Zack held it up to her. Distractedly, she answered. "Brennan."
"Hey, Bones." Upon hearing his voice, she turned away from Zack. They hadn't really discussed the specifics about how their blossoming relationship would impact their professional personas. However, she couldn't help the smile that just the sound of his voice and the nickname only he used evoked. "Listen something's come up…"
Her smile dimmed---he must have reconsidered. She didn't want to hear his excuses, so she interrupted. "That's fine, Booth."
"Fine? What's fine?" His tone was perplexed.
"You don't have to explain, Booth."
"Explain? At this point I'd settle for knowing what we're talking about. I just called because Rebecca's got a work thing and needs me to take Parker this weekend, so I was hoping I could get a rain check."
"Oh." Her tone was sheepish. She wasn't normally prone to jumping to conclusions, but since last night she had been slightly off balance. Booth had basically declared his intentions. She should have known he hadn't changed his mind, but when it came to relationships her track record made her wary by nature…and this was uncharted territory. "By rain check, I assume you mean that you would like to postpone our…I'd say 'date' but given your dislike of the word, how about 'postpone our outing'?"
Booth wasn't sure exactly what she had been thinking, but he knew her well enough to gather that she had assumed he'd changed his mind. Experience had taught her that she wasn't worth or deserving of the effort. He vowed to change that. He knew it would take time and empirical evidence, so instead of addressing it, he responded, "Outing? I didn't think anything could be worse, but that's pretty close. Actually, I was hoping we could modify our plans. I want our first…whatever…to be---and this is going to sound hokey as hell---but I want it to be unforgettable…and while including Parker might do the trick, it might kill the mood."
His tone was light and she was grateful he'd let her other comments pass. He had an uncanny knack of knowing when to press. She answered in kind. "I'll check my schedule and see if we can reschedule. I'm a very busy woman, Booth, so I expect you'll make it worth my while."
"Making demands already, Bones? Scratch that. You've been telling me what to do from day one."
"And yet here we are."
"True. So how does your telling me what to do and me doing it, fit in with your whole alpha male theory?"
She could picture him gesturing dismissively with his free hand as he said 'alpha male theory'. Smiling she responded, "The problem with your argument, Booth, is that it's predicated on the idea that you actually do what I want." Knowing this was a circular argument, they both conceded with a shared laugh.
"So do you want to come with Parker and me to the Folklife Festival on Saturday?"
"You and Parker?"
"You remember him. My son. Good-looking kid…takes after his dad."
"Vaguely."
"Nice, Bones. So what do you say?" Though his tone was casual, she knew he wanted to her to come. Before their talk…their kisses…spending the day with Booth and Parker would have been a welcome opportunity to observe her partner---a chance to see him in a different environment. Now it seemed like a loaded situation fraught with future implications. As if reading her mind, he added, "Look, I know this whole thing is new and we're still figuring things out. If it makes you feel better, we can pretend you didn't almost jump me last night. We'll just listen to music, eat some food, buy Parker some tacky souvenirs, and call it a day. Just consider it extra credit."
"Extra credit?"
"Yeah, towards the continuing education of Temperance Brennan. You wanted insight into how I connect with people…the things that are important to me and help me relate during interviews. Parker's a huge part of that. Being a father has definitely altered my take on life. And…" Booth didn't finish his sentence. He had been going to say that at the end of the day, he was a package deal. Parker's existence hadn't really figured into their discussion, but it didn't negate his impact. Deciding now was not the time, he tried to cover. "And if you say no, it means you won't get to see my smiling face until Monday."
Brennan had an idea where Booth had been going with that train of thought, but decided to follow his lead. Rolling her eyes, she said, "That would be quite the hardship. Your skills of persuasion must be improving, Booth. I'll come."
"Outstanding. We'll pick you up at one." Without waiting for a response…or for her to change her mind, he hung up.
Shaking her head with amusement, Brennan flipped her phone closed. She turned back to the bones on the table and found Zack, Hodgins, and Angela watching her…apparently eavesdropping on her conversation, although she recognized the lab platform was not the most private place in the world. .
Zack looked impatient and completely oblivious to the conversation that had just taken place. The phone call had interrupted their examination. Hodgins looked amused, but wisely chose to say nothing. Angela didn't say a word, instead she pointed towards Brennan's office. Without waiting she left the platform. Brennan took a fortifying breath and followed.
Angela was leaning on the arm of the couch. Her arms were crossed in front of her and her foot was tapping in time with her impatience. Brennan said nothing as she took a seat at her desk. She recognized the annoyed look in Angela's eyes. She waited for the inevitable.
"Is there anything you want to tell me, Sweetie?" Her words dripped with sarcasm.
"Apparently, you think there is." Booth must be rubbing off on her. She knew better than to push Angela's buttons, but she couldn't resist.
"I am so not in the mood, Brennan. Jack asked me to dinner tomorrow night. Like we aren't together all time already. He said to wear something 'smoking' and not to forget my dancing shoes. You know that means he's going to propose again, right? So, if there's anything you'd like to say that I should know as your best friend, I suggest you tell me now. Ok? Ok."
Realizing Angela's outburst had more to do with Hodgins's impending proposal and less to do with her failure to tell her about Booth, Brennan leaned so that her elbows were resting on her desk. Quietly, she asked, "Are you ok, Ange? If you need or want to talk…well, I'm here in all my socially inept glory." She shot Angela a self-depreciating smile.
Angela could hear the concern in her friend's voice. With a sigh, she sat down in the chair in front of Brennan's desk. "I do, but it's not you I need to talk to. I just don't know how to tell Jack I can't marry him."
"Are you sure you can't? Because you don't look sure."
"I thought you didn't believe in marriage. I thought you'd think this is a good thing. Aren't you always telling me about how getting married will limit my legal freedoms or something equally demoralizing?" Angela knew she wasn't being fair, but she wanted Brennan to tell her that saying no was the right decision. Brennan's wavering was doing nothing for her piece of mind.
"You're right. I don't believe in marriage, but you do…or at least you're open to it. And like you said, this isn't about the institution, Angela. This is about you and Hodgins. I've never seen you this happy. That's got to count for something."
"That's because I've never been this happy…at least until he asked me to marry him. Now it's like this huge white elephant sitting in the room waiting to crush the life out of our relationship."
Brennan was sure this was another idiom she was supposed to be familiar with, but the image it conjured up was sufficient to give her an idea what Angela was talking about. "Has Hodgins been pressuring you?"
"Not even a little bit, but it's out there…and I know he's going to ask me again."
"Does it have to end in marriage?"
"I think so. Isn't that what it's all about? You find the person you want to spend the rest of your life with and then you stand up in front of your friends and family and make it official."
"So anything else is pointless?" Brennan was starting to become very uncomfortable with the direction this conversation was taking. The implications were not lost on her.
"I hope not, but I don't know." Angela caught a fleeting look of something she couldn't quite put a finger on in Brennan's eyes. "If it's meant to be, I believe it will be."
"You have no evidence to support that conclusion, Angela. It's pure conjecture resulting from one too many 'chick flicks' and romance novels."
"Ouch." After a moment, she said, "Love conquers all is a cliché for a reason, Brennan. I guess I just have faith." The atmosphere had shifted during the course of the conversation. Angela was feeling more settled than when she had walked into the office, but Brennan now seemed agitated. It was Angela's turn to lean on Brennan's desk and ask, "Are you ok?"
"Yes."
"Care to elaborate on that pithy response? Maybe shed some light on your 'outing'?"
Brennan leaned back in her chair and contemplated the ceiling for a moment. She knew Angela wasn't going to let the subject drop. Returning her attention to Angela, she clarified, "Booth, Parker, and I are going to the Folklife Festival on the Mall this weekend."
"Nicely done, Brennan. You answered the question without really answering the question. Try this one. Why doesn't Booth like the word 'date'?"
Brennan answered automatically. "It makes him feel like a teenager."
Angela gently prodded. "And you know this because…"
"Because Booth and I are…dating." As the words left her mouth, she felt the same discomfort he had described. Almost to herself, she added, "He's right. I feel like a teenager, too. There's got to be better word."
"Before you get all caught up in word choice, maybe you could throw a few details my way. Give me something to think about besides the elephant."
The two friends shared a smile. "There's not much to tell. You know about the other night when Booth cooked…."
"And you laid one on him." Angela gleefully interjected.
"Right." Shaking her head at how incorrigible Angela was, Brennan continued, "Well, last night we talked about it and we're going to give it a shot…give us a shot." Unbidden and, as Angela noted, perhaps unconsciously, a quiet smile appeared on her friend's face.
"It's about time."
Eying Angela suspiciously, she asked, "That's it? That's all you've got to say?" With a smug smile, Angela nodded. "Two years of innuendo mixed in with blatant suggestions and that's your response?"
"Like I said, I have faith."