(After 'The Change in the Game')
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As a rule, Gordon Wyatt didn't keep in contact with most of his former colleagues. His days at the FBI were over and he was busy concentrating on his new career, Chef Wyatt, chef de cuisine extraordinaire. His restaurant was doing well and he'd actually won two Michelin stars. An honor he'd been so proud of that he'd had his menus reprinted advertising his standing in the community.
A curious soul, Gordon did keep track of two very special people from his previous life and was surprised when he found out that Agent Seeley Booth and Dr. Temperance Brennan were living together and they were going to have a baby. That little tidbit of news had come to him by way of the Deputy Director who ate at his restaurant once a month. The man valued his crime fighting duo and their ability to make the FBI look good, so when he had been notified that Booth was in a relationship with his partner, he'd found a way for the FBI to ignore their 'no fraternization' rule and had let the couple continue to work together. Like he had told the Director and Gordon, there was no way he was losing a winning team, damn the rule book.
Intrigued, Gordon contacted Booth and invited him to his restaurant for dinner. He used the excuse that he had made a change to one of his original recipes and he wanted Booth to come in and taste it. He had also added some vegan dishes upon Brennan's recommendation and wanted her to come and try them if she had the time.
Aware of how hard it was to get into 'The Blue Reef', Booth had quickly accepted the invitation and notified Brennan the next morning about their good fortune. "Do you know how hard it is to get into that place? I tried a few months ago and I was told they're booked for the next ten months. I was going to use my friendship with Gordon to get a reservation, but I hate people who do that and I don't want to be that guy."
"Why would he invite you and me to dinner?" Brennan was wary of Gordon Wyatt. The man might be a Chef now, but he had training as a psychiatrist and she worried that he had an ulterior motive in seeing them. "We've only eaten at his restaurant twice. We're not regular customers and you didn't invent the dish he says he's changed."
"Don't be so suspicious, Bones." Booth was flipping through his latest copy of The Washington Post and found an article on the arrest of Jesse Cogan for the murder Glen Cogan. "Hey, we're in the paper again and they spelled my name right this time."
Logging off her laptop, Brennan closed the lid and looked at her lover. "I don't understand how they can misspell Seeley considering there is a company that makes mattresses with your name."
Annoyed, Booth glanced at Brennan, realized that she hadn't said that as a dig and returned to his newspaper. "The last time they spelled my last nam t, it was the time before that, that they misspelled my first name."
"I stand corrected." Brennan rose from her chair and walked down the hallway. "We must get ready to leave, Booth. A mummy is being delivered to the Jeffersonian this morning and Dr. Gamal said that I could be there when he x-rays the mummy. This is quite exciting as the mummy is thought to be from the 25th dynasty. It's on loan to the Jeffersonian for sixty days. Dr. Gamal has the display ready for the mummy and only has to add that and a few of the antiquities that has been sent with the mummy."
"Yeah, sounds exciting." Booth could hear the enthusiasm in Brennan's voice and he knew that for the next few days conversations with her were going to be centered around mummies and Egyptian dynasties. He learned more things by accident just talking to Brennan than he'd learned in school, or least it felt like that sometimes. "I just need to get my gun out of the safe and we can leave." As he retrieved the pistol, Booth felt Brennan brush past him. "Hey, do you want to go to the Blue Reef or not? If you don't want to go that's fine, but I'm going. I'm not missing out on a free meal."
Chuckling, Brennan shook her head. "I will go with you, Booth. I know you are incapable of turning down something free."
"Well, I was born poor and Pops always said waste not want not. That means, if someone offers you something free you take it." Ready to go, Booth slipped on his jacket. "Besides, it costs a fortune to eat there and if I don't have to pay for it, that is a big win for me."
"Yes, I know." In the hallway, she waited for Booth to lock the door, then made her way down the hallway to the stairs. Once she left the building, she felt a few raindrops hit the top of her head and remembered her umbrella was in the truck. Rushing to the SUV, she and Booth made it inside before the deluge came.
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The restaurant hadn't changed that much since the last time they had dined there. The place exuded taste and refinement and wasn't the kind of restaurant that attracted Booth. He liked a homey atmosphere, good service and a menu that didn't have to be translated for him.
Making sure Brennan was seated first, Booth sat down across from her and smiled. "They put us in the little alcove again. I guess that means that Gordon is going to visit us like the last time."
"I fear you're probably right." Brennan looked over the menu and appreciated the fact there were several vegetarian dishes available. The last time she had been at the restaurant she had recommended that Gordon offer some vegan dishes and saw two dishes were now available on the menu.
"Come on, Bones, don't worry about it." Booth looked over the menu and spotted a prime dry-aged ribeye was being offered. There was also a side dish called Fleming's potatoes that looked pretty good and the creamed spinach was probably right up his alley. "So, if he wants to talk to us, that's okay. I mean he's our friend, not our psychiatrist and we haven't seen him for a while. We have some stuff to tell him and he probably has stuff to tell us, it'll be okay."
Not sure it would be okay, Brennan sighed. "I don't like to be emotionally poked and prodded. That's what Sweets calls his meddlesomeness. I don't need to be psychoanalyzed. I am fine. I am happy and I wish to remain so."
Amused, Booth hid his smile behind the menu. "It's just a friendly visit, Bones."
Her decision made, Brennan placed the menu down and waited for the server to take her order. "I can be friendly Booth. I will not be psychoanalyzed."
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The kitchen was operating like a well oiled machine and Gordon knew he had about fifteen minutes he could spend with Booth and Brennan before he had to be back in the kitchen. Jane had informed him that the couple was waiting for their dessert and if he was going to talk to them it had to be now.
Following Jane to the table, Gordon waited for the desserts to be set on the table before he made his presence known. "What a delightful sight for sore eyes." Gordon shook Booth's hand, then kissed the back of Brennan's proffered hand and sat down. "It is so good to see you. It has been far too long since I've had the pleasure of your company."
Glad to see his friend. Booth grinned while he sliced his fork through the decadent salted caramel brownie. "Thanks for inviting us to dinner. We really appreciated it."
"Of course, I hope you found the meal satisfactory." Brennan gave Gordon a smile and he found it to be enchanting. "I do wish to thank you for pointing out that I needed to add some vegan dishes. The one you ate this evening is my most popular one. My sister was here two weeks ago and even though she isn't vegan she tried it and she said it was superb. Believe me, it is hard to impress my sister. She remembers when I used to make mud pies."
Chuckling, Booth knew that relatives were always hard to impress. "Yeah, I get that . . . this brownie is really good. Jane told me to try it."
"Yes, she loves it too, so she recommends that dessert more than my other desserts." Gordon laughed. "I sell a lot of brownies because of her enthusiasm for it." Now that the ice had been broken, Gordon decided to get to the meat of the conversation. "So, a little bird told me that you two have finally become a couple and you're not just partners anymore."
"I'm fairly certain it wasn't a talkative bird, but a gossipy human that told you that." Brennan scooped up some of her lemon sherbet and paused before eating it. "Booth and I are in a monogamous relationship. That isn't news."
Gordon placed his hands on the table and leaned on them. "It is news to me, since I no longer work for the FBI . . . still congratulations are in order. I also heard that you're expecting a baby."
Annoyed, Brennan swallowed her sherbet and placed her spoon down. "You seem to know a lot about what is going on in our lives at the moment. Yes, I am expecting a baby. Is this why you asked us to come here?"
"Yes, it is." Gordon leaned back and held up his hand. "When I met you, I knew that there was a certain attraction between you two, but you sublimated that attraction by valuing your working partnership more. It was obvious to me that if you could see that there was nothing wrong with being attracted to each other, you might get together some day and you have. I wanted to tell you that after observing you over the years, I feel that your relationship has a good chance of lasting your lifetimes. Your friendship will always help you through trying times. Love can come and it can go, it can be strong and it can weaken, but a relationship based upon friendship is a good foundation for a lasting relationship."
Gratified that Gordon could see what he could see, Booth nodded his head. 'Bones and are going to be fine, Gordon. You're right, we are friends first and we have our own way to hash things out. It works for us . . . You should invite us to dinner more often." Cutting off more brownie, Booth gave Gordon one of his charm smiles. "A famous author eating at your restaurant is great advertising."
Amused, Gordon nodded his head. "Yes, it is. I have several well known authors that eat here . . . I'm glad you came and I will try to invite you more often. How else can I keep up with you two if I don't see you at least once in a while?"
"You can use your nosy little bird." Brennan smirked and much to her delight, Booth and Gordon actually laughed. "I can be very entertaining."
Scooping up his last bite of brownie, Booth waved his fork at Brennan. "You can, Bones. You really can."
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