A/N: Yes, folks, this is indeed part one of what will (...eventually...) be a three-chapter fic, if I manage to get that far. I suppose my muse was inspired by watching 'The Superhero in the Alley' (I sort of reference that here, but if you haven't seen that episode, no biggie) and bowling recently. I love bowling...

Disclaimer: Not mine. But if I was Brennan and this happened to me, I think I would simply pass out. faints

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"Hey."

Brennan tore her eyes from the computer screen and swiveled her chair around to find Booth leaning casually against her office doorframe.

He smirked. "I thought I'd find you here."

"I'm just wrapping up last week's case."

"That can wait, can't it?" Before she could protest, he continued. "Bones, everyone else went home hours ago. Just put the file down, and leave."

"But I just have to do-"

Booth strode across the room and snatched the folder away from her, swinging it deftly behind his back.

"Hey!"

"I'm taking this, and I'll bring it back first thing Monday."

"Booth, I need that to-"

"You don't need to work over the weekend. Just… take a couple days away from the lab, all right? See how it feels."

Brennan stood, closing the space between her and her partner. She was merely inches away from him when she made her move, swiftly reaching behind him. He reacted just a moment to late, and the file was snagged from his concealed hand. Grinning smugly, she returned to her desk. "'A couple is two days, Saturday and Sunday. However, it is still Friday, and until that changes, I'm not going anywhere."

"Come on, Bones." His voice was nearly pleading. "Just this once."

She looked up at him only to find that he was giving her his finest charm smile. Shaking her head, she sighed. "Fine. Let's go."

He held up her coat as she slipped her arms through the sleeves. Side-by-side, they walked to the parking lot. As she began walking towards her car, Booth called out to her. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Home." However, it was more of a question than a statement.

"No, you're coming with me. I don't want you holing yourself up in your apartment all night. Let's go." He gestured with is arm for her to follow him towards his vehicle.

Once they'd situated themselves and Booth had begun to drive, she began asking questions.

"Where are we going?"

"Out."

"Out where?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes."

"No, it doesn't."

"So I'm assuming that it was a rhetorical question."

Booth just shook his head, muttering, "Smart ass," under his breath. Hearing his comment, Brennan crossed her arms and stared out the window until they'd reached their destination.

She sat for a moment, staring at the building. "A bowling alley. You're idea of a night out is bowling?"

"Hey, I said we would and we never got around to it. Come on."

Brennan reluctantly exited the vehicle and walked with her partner to the door of the structure. After Booth had chivalrously paid and they'd gotten shoes, they seated themselves at a lane. He spoke as she pulled on her shoes and he looked at the racks of bowling balls. "Now, you could use my ball. But it might be a little to heavy. How does, uh…" Grabbing a ball, he walked over and handed to her. "This one feel?"

She nodded. "That's good."

Booth had already seated himself at the console. "So, do you want to go first?"

"Go ahead."

He quickly entered their names, smirking as he typed Bones instead of Brennan.

Then he carefully removed his bowling ball from the bag and approached the lane, glad the motions came back to him after some time away from the sport. The ball hit the pins with a satisfying crack, and all but one pin fell to the ground. He did a small fist pump and whispered, "Yes!" to himself. On his second roll, he knocked down the remaining pin down. Booth returned to his seat.

As Brennan passed to take her turn, she paused to rest a hand on his shoulder and say quietly, "Nice job."

Booth watched closely as she began, placing her slender fingers into the holes and attempting to roll the ball down the lane. He winced as the ball went straight into the gutter, and he stood, approaching his partner as she prepared for her second roll. "Bones."

She turned to look at him, and he came up behind her; almost too close, but not quite.

"Okay. You see those dots?" He pointed at the markings on the lane. "Aim right for the one in the middle, all right?" She nodded, and he moved nearly imperceptibly closer, placing his hand flat on the ball behind her own. When he spoke, his voice seemed louder, his mouth right next to her ear and his chest flush against her back. "Now pull back…" His partner complied. "Focus on the center, and… push forward." As her arm propelled the ball forward, his hand guided it down the center of the lane.

The pair watched intently as the ball hit the pins, and they both grinned as all ten fell.

As the game continued, Brennan did fairly well, with bits of help from her partner now and then. And she spent most of the time wondering why her knees felt like they could no longer support her body whenever Booth came close to her. By the end of ten frames, however, her score was dismally lower than his, but he congratulated her and told her she did a great job nonetheless.

They agreed to play one more game. One turned into three which turned into five which turned into seven, and soon they were being asked to leave because the alley was closing.

Booth pulled in front of Brennan's apartment building, putting the vehicle in park. "I'm picking up Parker in the morning. Then I'm bringing him over here, and he and I are going to make sure you don't stay home all weekend."

"I don't want to intrude on your time with your son, Booth."

"You won't be. Besides… I want him to meet you."

She nodded, getting out of the car and approaching her door. Booth, still parked in front of the complex, rolled down the car window and called, "See you tomorrow, Bones!" before pulling away.

Brennan smiled as she whispered to herself. "See you tomorrow."

--

TBC

(Oh, how rarely my stories end with that...)

Review, please! Who knows, you might inspire me to write faster!