Chapter 54 Snuggles Adopts Seal, Carmen Charms Temp
Carmen and Brennan return to the living room where Booth and Enrique are trying to hold a conversation while two energetic children jump all over them. Jack, the nine year old, is up side down sliding down his father's back. Anna is finally curled up on Booth's lap in the fetal position, licking the back of her hand, while Booth rubs her back and pats her head. The two men continue talking like this is an every day occurrence. Which maybe it is when you're a parent. Brennan reminds herself that Booth is a parent. Even though Brennan only sees the occasional snippet of it, there is a lot of parenting that goes on between Booth and Parker that she just never sees. There has to be. "I wonder what it would be like to see Parker and Booth handle a difficult situation - a matter of discipline, maybe. Or Parker being obnoxious and irritating Booth to the point of him losing his temper," she asks herself. Interesting.
Brennan notices how relaxed Booth is. So naturally paternal. She starts to feel her face go hot again. "Crap, crap, crap! Breathe Temperance, breathe," she tries to convince herself.
When Booth sees Bones he calls to her, "Bones, come meet my new little friend."
Brennan walks over to the two of them on the couch and sits down next to Booth. "Well, who have we got here," she asks in a kid friendly voice.
"Meow!" says the dark-haired, brown-eyed little five year old girl cherub.
"This is Snuggles. Isn't she soft?" Booth pets her back and her long curly hair. "Snuggles is a little white kitten. Apparently I have been adopted by a little, furry, soft, purring kitten," he tells Brennan, giving her a look that conveys both 'isn't this hilarious' and 'isn't this cute?'
Bones looks at Booth and his adopted kitten with utter amusement. She laughs as quietly as she can manage. "Hello, Snuggles," she says reaching out to shake her paw.
Snuggles smiles up at Brennan and gives her a little purr. Brennan pats her on the head and scratches her under her chin. Snuggles purrs even louder.
"For a dog person, Bones, you're doing pretty well with this kitty. I'm impressed!" says Booth.
"Can I hold Snuggles?" Brennan asks.
"Well, that's up to Snuggles, isn't it?" he says looking at Snuggles's face. Snuggles just smiles at him and lays her head down on his lap.
Brennan attempts to remove the girl/kitten from Booth's lap and gets "Hissssssss" from Snuggles. "Grrrr. Pfft, Pfft!" then Snuggles reaches out with her hand/paw and bats/scratches at Brennan's face.
"Oeow!" Brennan says, leaning back a bit. "I think this kitten has found her home and she doesn't intend to leave!"
"Anna," her father calls to her, "It's time for your bath. Crawl down off Agent Booth's lap."
Snuggles pretends to mew/cry and paws at Booth's chest.
"I can't help you there, Snuggles. You're on your own, I'm afraid." Booth sits back, no longer petting or encouraging her.
"Thanks for letting me be your white kitty, Agent Booth," says Anna.
"You are the cutest little white kitten that ever made a ohm eon my lap. I hope we get to se each other again." replies Booth. Anna smiles shyly and turns to Brennan.
"Hello, Dr. Brennan, My name is Anna. I'm five. I go to kindergarten. Where do you go?" asks Anna.
"Well, my school is the school of forensics in Washington D.C. Have you ever heard of Washington D.C.?" asks Brennan.
"Yes!That's where President Obama lives! I voted for him in kindergarten class. I'm so glad he won because he was the cutest guy they let us vote for." Anne gives Brennan a little hug and runs toward the stairs leading to the bedrooms and her bathroom.
Relieved of his petting responsibilities, Booth steps forward tower Brennan and hands her a cold beer. "Just like you ordered," he says with a cheery smile. "How are you feeling? You had me worried!"
"I'm fine - I think the stress at work lately is catching up with me resulting in some unfortunate and untimely physiological reactions," she explains.
"Oh, okay." Booth has no idea what she just said. "I have no idea what that might mean, but I take it you're fine?" He looks at her questioningly, seeking confirmation.
"Yes, Booth. I am just fine. No worries." She smiles brightly at him.
"Well okay then," says Booth twisting his body to face Larrinaga. "Then let me make some formal introductions." Booth holds out his hand toward Larrinaga. "Dr. Temperance Brennan, Anthropologist, this is Dr. Enrique Larrinaga, Astrophysicist." Booth pauses for a moment, faces Bones and says, "Dr. Larrinaga, this here's my partner in anti-crime, Dr. Temperance Brennan of the Jeffersonian Institution in Washington D.C."
Brennan advances, stopping in front of Larrinaga, kissing him on both cheeks, and says,
"¡Es un placer conocerlo, Doctor Enrique Larrinaga! He oido mucho de sus exitos ayudando a mi compañero, Agente Especial Seeley Booth."
(It is a pleasure to know you, Dr. Larrinaga. I have heard much of your successes helping my partner, Special Agent Seeley Booth)
"Igualmente, Doctora Brennan. Su Agente Especial ha hablado mucho de tí. El placer es absolutamente mío. ¿De dónde eres, querida, y dónde aprendiste mi idioma tan perfectamente?
(I am equally pleased. Your Special Agent has spoken a lot about you. The pleasure of meeting you is absolutely mine. Where are you from, dear, and where did you learn my language so perfectly?)
"Viví en Lugo con mi abuela dos veranos cuando era una niña. Fue una época muy especial para mí. Me encanta todo esa parte de España. ¿La has visto?
(I lived in Lugo with my grandmother for two summers when I was a child. It was a very special time
for me. I love that whole area of Spain. Have you seen it?)
¡Sí, sí, mi querida. Muchas veces! (Yes, yes, my dear. Many times!)
While Brennan and Larrinaga exchanged pleasantries, Booth stands there smiling, happy that his partner and newest friend seemed to be hitting it off.
"Well, Seal, I think you've got a keeper here," he says, clapping him on the shoulder.
"I like to think so, Enri," which still sounds like "Henry" without the "H."
"I find it interesting that you both have modified your names for each other in such a short amount of time. Hsve you also exchanged blood and spit in a brotherly handshake?" Brennan asks, amused by the camaraderie she's seeing in Booth that she's never seen before.
"Sometimes you just know the first time you see someone - that this one's for keeps," replies Booth, looking into her eyes a little longer than necessary. Larrinaga doesn't notice, but Brennan does, and her stomach does a little flip-flop.
"Well, if you two will excuse me, I'm going to check on Carmen and the kids. Bath time can be a little hairy around here. I'll be right back, please make yourself at home." Larrinaga heads upstairs where they can already hear splashing and squealing noises coming from.
"Seal? He calls you … Seal?" she whispers to Booth, wrinkling her nose.
"Yeah, I never would have thought of that. But I like it - it has a certain … salty … powerful-water-animal ring to it. Don't you think"
"It makes me want to throw you sardines," she laughs. "But get this, Carmen asked if she can call me "Temp." Anthropologically speaking, members of societies often create special names to show favor for fellow members with whom they share an affinity. I can live with "Temp," she says. nodding her head and trying it on until it should and feels good.
"So, does this mean you are not permanent?"
"Now, even I can tell that that was lame," answers Brennan.
"Come on, I only had five seconds to come up with that joke!"
"I think you need another drink, SEAL!" she laughs and starts making barking seal noises.
"SHHHHHHHH! You don't want them to hear you," says Booth, but he can't help laughing as well. Then he makes the same seal noises right back at her and they break into giggles, trying to stay quiet - but not succeeding.
"Temp," they hear Carmen's voice from somewhere up the stairs. "Temp, can you come give me a hand?" She's in the bathroom with the kids.
"You're needed for battle,' says Booth. "Hey, does that mean this is your first "temp" job," he says, cracking up. Brennan hits him on the arm. He hits her back on the leg as she's leaving. She turns around, makes some seal noises and smacks him on the cheek.
"Oh-hhhoo," she says, her hands fly to her mouth in surprise, her eyes wide. "I am so sorry! Ha ha haaaa haa. I didn't mean to hit you so hard!" She keeps laughing, but runs away before he can get her back. Booth puts his cold beer up to cool down his cheek and flexes his jaw to make sure it still works. Regardless of the discomfort, he can't help smiling a little bit.
"That was actually kinda fun," he says to an empty room, " and hot ... In a pseudo sadomasochistic way. Man, that hurt."
The thought that this was kind of like foreplay was not lost on Seeley Booth.
Note to reader: Julianne (As I don't know what chapter you are currently on, I will attach this note to several chapters to assure you see it.)
You're killing me! I would very much enjoy the opportunity to respond to your reviews, but I can't unless you sign in with an account! : ) Think about getting one - it's free! (My favorite price point). I think you will find as we go forward that I have tried to equally spread responsibility for Brennan and Booth's relationship issues between the two of them.I do believe they both play3ed a hand in what happened for them from the time he said, Let's give this a shot - till present day. If you are still engaged in this story by chapter 123, you will see what I mean. I hope you get that opportunity!
Do I channel my inner David Boreanaz? Yes, I do. However, there is a lot that goes on in the make-believe world of Planet Bones that we don't get to see much of on screen. In their private moments, my Brennan and Booth are quite playful. As this story is exclusively about what we did not see, I took the liberty of extrapolating what 'I' think their private relationship could be like. After all, this is Fan Fiction - : D The moment HH calls me to offer me a position on his writing staff, I will tone it down, rest assured! (Like that's gonna happen ...*smirk*)
I hope you continue to enjoy the ride! Regardless, keep Lovin' Bones!
Sincerely,
MoxieGirl
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