Chapter 35

One Week Later

Monday

7:24 AM

"Where were the remains found?" Brennan asked.

"In the woods."

"Do you have anything more specific?"

"They don't really have any specifics yet."

"How can you not know where the remains were found if we are driving to the remains right now?"

"I know where the remains were found, Bones. You'll…see when we get there."

From the passenger seat, Brennan glanced over at Booth. He didn't look at her. With his two hands firmly on the wheel, he concentrated on the road ahead of them. Brennan tried to figure out what he was thinking, but she couldn't read him. Brennan sat back in her seat and looked out the window.

Booth had woken her up an hour before, telling her that remains were found in the woods and they needed her expertise. What he didn't tell her was anything about the case. She tried pressing him for information, but he kept telling her that she would find out when she got there. She had dressed quickly and insisted that they stop by the Jeffersonian to get her things. Booth told her they didn't have time and that she would have to just go with the tools she always kept in Booth's car just in case. After putting up an argument, Brennan finally agreed when Booth told her that the remains were in danger of being compromised by the elements.

"Did they tell you the condition of the skeleton?" Brennan questioned.

"I'm not sure."

"Well, you said that the remains may be compromised by the elements. It's not raining or snowing or anything else that may compromise the remains so what exactly did you mean?"

"It's just something one of the FBI forensics guys told me."

"Do you know anything about this case?"

"I told you, Bones, you'll see when you get there."

"You're being very mysterious."

"And you're being very picky. You said you wanted a case, I got us a case."

"I do want a case. I have found that the last few weeks in the lab have not held my interest. I no longer am happy simply identifying old remains. Unless they were remains that would alter the course of history or change how we see evolution or something equally as interesting."

"So you're saying you won't work on boring remains anymore, Bones?"

"No, I'm just saying that I prefer working with you. I like getting out of the lab, Booth."

"I'm sorry we haven't taken a case until now, Bones."

The truth was, after the case with the woman who was pregnant, nothing else had come along. Every murder victim that showed up had too much flesh to interest Brennan.

"I am excited to get back into the field with you, Booth."

Booth put his hand on Brennan's. He hid a sly smile.

"Me too, Bones, me too."

"Angela told me Agent Whittaker solved the case of that woman last week although she also insinuated that she, Dr. Saroyan, and Dr. Hodgins did most of the work. I was given the impression that Agent Whittaker was not very helpful. He did not possess your ability to talk to people or tell whether people are lying or not."

"Yeah well, Whittaker's a good guy, but the man couldn't find his way out of a paper bag."

"Why would someone have to find their way out of a paper bag? That makes no sense, Booth. Unless the person was put into a very large paper bag, but I don't think that's a possibility."

"It's a figure of speech, Bones."

"Oh."

"I read Agent Whittaker's report on the case. He gave your squints all the credit they deserve. He even went so far as to say that Hodgins discovery of the flesh eating bacteria was the big break in the case."

"Hodgins is very useful."

"Yes, he is."

Brennan looked out the window and peered at the road sign they passed.

"Booth, I thought you said the remains were found in the woods."

"They were."

"Then why are we going this way? I didn't think there were any wooded areas out here. This road goes to the airport. Are we heading to the airport?" Booth smiled, but said nothing. "Why are you smiling?"

"You'll see."

"I am feeling very confused, which is not a feeling that I have very often."

"Now you know how the rest of us feel on a daily basis."

"I don't like it very much."

"Do you know what today is, Bones?"

"No. Is today a significant day in our relationship, Booth? Because, although it is customary for the woman to remember important days in relationships, I am not very good at remembering them simply because I do not see how one day is necessarily more important than another day. I do know it is not our anniversary."

"Nope, not our anniversary," Booth said.

"I know it is customary to have gifts on significant days. I apologize because I do not have a gift for you."

"Don't worry, it's not a significant day in our relationship, Bones. Well, it is, but…"

"I am finding what you are saying to be very illogical."

"It's been four weeks," Booth explained.

"What's been four weeks?"

"Since you came back from the hospital. Since the miscarriage."

It was still difficult for Booth to say out loud, but over the last week, he and Brennan had talked it through. They had spent countless hours wrapped in each other's arms. Sometimes they cried and sometimes they just held each other. Sometimes they talked and sometimes they didn't. All Booth knew was that they were no longer held back by their tragedy. They were finally able to move forward.

"Is that significant, Booth?" Brennan asked.

He squeezed her hand.

"Do you remember what Dr. Kelly said before you were released?"

"She said many things, Booth. Would you like me to repeat everything she said because I do believe that, although I couldn't say her words verbatim, I could give you a very close copy of what she said."

"Sex, Bones, we can have sex again. Dr. Kelly said we had to wait four weeks before we could have sex. It's been four weeks."

"Oh. Yes, that is very significant to our relationship."

"Yeah, I'd say so." Brennan didn't say anything. Booth glanced over at her, trying to read her face. Just as he had done earlier, she was staring straight ahead through the windshield. "If it's too soon for you, Bones, I will understand."

"Too soon for what?"

"To have sex. I know you've been through a lot. If you're not ready…I would never push you to…"

Brennan put her hand on his arm. "I know you wouldn't, Booth. I am quite ready. I am sorry that I didn't remember the day. I've missed having intercourse with you."

Booth rolled his eyes. Somehow the way she said it just took the sexiness out of it.

"Trust me, you're not the only one."

Brennan continued to watch the road as they drove.

"Booth, you are driving into the departures area of the airport."

"Yes, I am."

"Are the remains in another location, Booth? Will we have to take a plane?"

"We're taking a plane, but we're not going to look at remains."

"But I thought we had a case."

"Not quite."

"So, you lied to me?"

"I wouldn't say lie, Bones, I would say I misguided you. Trust me, it was for a very good reason."

"If we're not going to look at remains, where are we going?"

"Do you remember when I agreed to let you buy our house for us that I said I could buy you anything I wanted and you couldn't say no?"

"I do recall that agreement, yes."

"Well, I'm cashing in, Bones."

"I don't understand what cash has to do with this."

"What I'm saying is, I am buying you something and you can't say no."

"A plane?"

"No, Bones, not a plane. Why would I buy you a plane?"

Brennan shrugged. "We are at an airport, Booth. It was a logical assumption."

"Who buys someone a plane?"

"If it's not a plane, then what is it?"

"You are extremely difficult, you know that?"

"I wasn't aware I was being difficult. I am simply trying to discover where you are taking me. I apologize."

"I wanted it to be a surprise."

"I don't particularly care for surprises. Culturally, surprises are…"

"We're taking a second honeymoon," Booth interrupted before she could go into the history of surprises. Booth wondered if there was anything she didn't know.

"What?"

"It's been a while since we've had any time off and we've been through so much recently that I thought it would be good for us to take a second honeymoon."

"We're going back to Hawaii?"

"Not quite. Florida. It's the best I could do on short notice. Besides, I only got a week vacation's time and when we go back to Hawaii, we are definitely going to be spending more than a week there. Even though it's not Hawaii, it will be warm and beautiful and I'll get to see you in a bikini again." He rubbed his hand on her thigh.

"So, you are taking me to Florida to have sexual intercourse with me?"

Booth made a face. It sounded wrong when she said it and yet, it was what he had in mind.

"What? No."

"But you do want to have sex."

"Of course I want to have sex. I've been going through withdrawal without you."

"We could have intercourse at home, Booth. You don't have to take me to Florida to have intercourse."

"Could you stop using that word?" Booth asked her.

"Does it make you uncomfortable? I know talking about sex often makes you uncomfortable."

"It's not talking about sex that makes me uncomfortable, Bones. It's the way you use that word. It's like you take all the…excitement out of it."

"Sorry."

"I just thought we could spend a little time together on the beach. I already cleared it with Cam. Remember, you can't say no. That was our deal."

"That was several years ago, Booth."

"Doesn't matter. The deal stays. You can't say no."

Brennan smiled and started thinking about taking a trip. It had been a while since she and Booth had been completely alone for a whole week. Even if they weren't working, they had Parker with them. Booth enjoyed his company, of course, but she also enjoyed spending time with Booth alone.

"It does sound very wonderful. I am looking forward to spending time with you. I am also looking forward to having sexual relations with you."

Booth brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. "I love you."

"There's only one problem, Booth."

"What's that?"

"I don't have any clothes. I did bring my work bag because I thought I would be investigating remains, but that only has my jumpsuit. I don't think that will be very ideal for Florida as the humidity there is quite high."

"Don't worry, Angela packed a bag for you."

"Angela?"

"Yeah, I told her my plan and asked her to help. Besides, it's Florida. All you need is a bathing suit."

"I do believe I will need more than just a bathing suit, Booth. It is illogical to think that we will be spending all our time on the beach."

"No. When we're not on the beach we'll be in bed." He winked at her. "Trust me, Bones."

"Always."

Author's Note: So, I know this chapter was rather fluffy, but I thought after the intenseness of the last few chapters, fluffy was needed. I hope you liked it!