A/N: Hello. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. Sorry that the chapters are coming in fits and starts, but work is still getting in the way... Hope you enjoy this chapter.
The Dragon's game had entered the dying minutes of the second half and it was going to be a close run thing. The Anacostia team had played a lot better than Nia had predicted and the Dragon's had made too many unforced errors. They were currently losing by two points. Temperance's eyes swept the crowd and she listened to their irritable comments about their team's lack of concentration and poor decision-making.
She turned to Booth, "What platform?"
Booth, who had been concentrating on the latest half-break into the Anacostia half, looked momentarily confused. "Platform?" he repeated questioningly.
"Everyone keeps muttering 'platform' and 'no angles' - what are they talking about?" She clarified in frustration.
"Oh that. They mean the backs aren't making the most of all the possession the forwards have won." He paused, "Huw and the rest of the forwards are winning loads of ball and setting things up - that's the platform, but the backs are either losing the ball when it gets to them or are not making any incisive runs - that means no 'angles' of attack that look like delivering anything."
Temperance nodded and listened as the choir began to lead the singing again, hoping, perhaps, to inspire their team towards victory. She suddenly realised that the tune sounded vaguely familiar. In her mind's eye she saw a flash of a white, clapperboard church with a spire in a leafy central square, her own hands tiny and held tightly by those of her parents. She fought the surge of memory and returned to the present with the sound of the distantly familiar tune swirling around her.
As the crowd reached the chorus, the Dragons won the ball. Their much maligned backs sprinted forwards in a scarlet wave, the ball passing swiftly from hand to hand as 'Bread of Heaven' rang out across the pitch.
It seemed that there was no way through. A solid wall of Anacostia defenders guarded the line, but somehow a Dragons' player jinked around one and then another before sliding across the line for a try. The referee blew his whistle to award the try and the crowd went wild.
Booth swept Temperance in the air and spun her round, ginning widely. She laughed, exhilarated by the atmosphere and the deceptive strength which allowed him to lift and swing her round so easily. She was also glad of a distraction that helped to dispatch the memories that had recently woken. As Booth set her down, she stood close beside him, nestled under his arm.
Play continued for only a few more minutes and then it was over. The Dragons had won.
Again, there were handshakes and congratulations from both sides. The crowd was appreciative of the close-run and entertaining match, but Temperance noticed that the critics on the sidelines could shout congratulations and praise in one breath, while lamenting their team's numerous perceived shortcomings the next.
She realised that Booth was listening to the comments with some amusement as he rolled his eyes at her. She followed his gaze towards Nia and Carys as Huw jogged up to his family and caught them both in his arms. Temperance and Booth both smiled as Carys' guileless delight in her father's victory brought a smile to Huw's tired face.
Then they walked over to offer their own congratulations.
Huw's game had ended at just after half past twelve and he wasn't playing again until two. Nia had promised Carys that they'd have a look around the funfair at the far side of all the sports fields. Temperance had been touched when they had invited her to join them, but had politely declined explaining that she wanted to see Booth's next game and was expecting some friends to arrive at around one o'clock.
"We'll meet up later, yeah?" Booth asked Huw.
Nia looked at him, her eyes sparkling, "Absolutely Seeley. We've still got lots of catching up to do."
Booth raised his eyebrows and Nia just grinned back at him.
Huw stepped in to rescue his friend, "My last game is at four. This pitch again. So see you here?"
"Sure. We'll try to make it for the game. See if we're going to have more dying seconds heroics!" Booth replied with a grin.
Huw shook his head and sighed, "Any game where I'm making better runs than the backs, we've got a serious problem." He looked down at Carys who was tugging impatiently on his hand.
"Time to go I think." He said and lifted his daughter into his arms.
Nia hugged Booth and Temperance, her eyes still dancing with delighted curiosity.
Carys waved and Huw gave Booth's hand a firm shake before giving Temperance a brief, one-armed hug. After wishing Booth good luck for his next game, Huw and his family headed off towards the fair.
The crowds seemed to be getting bigger as more people arrived to watch the competition. The sun was shining and it was pleasantly warm. The good weather was drawing people out.
"Are you hungry?" Booth asked as they walked towards pitch five, his arm wrapped firmly around Temperance's waist.
She shook her head, "I've been eating doughnuts and other junk all morning." She paused, "Maybe we can grab something more substantial after your game?"
"Sounds good." He glanced at his watch. "The squints'll be here soon," he said, not looking at her.
"Yes." Temperance stated simply, staring at the ground.
Booth took a deep breath and reached across to brush her cheek, "You okay with this... and them?"
They had stopped walking and Temperance was surprised by the uncertainty in his expression. There were plenty of emotions she associated with Special Agent Seeley Booth, but uncertainty was not one of them. She found it strange to think of him lacking confidence about anything, but at the same time she felt a strange reassurance that he wasn't taking things for granted. And if she was honest, she also felt relief that she wasn't the only one who was worrying about seeing their friends from the lab. As she tried to work through why the thought of seeing Ange and the others disturbed her, she realised that Booth's face was taking on a more distressful expression at her silence.
She leant in and brushed his lips lightly with a kiss, "It's fine." She paused, as his joyful smile lit up his face, "It's just a bit strange."
His smile dimmed slightly and Temperance continued talking.
"I mean I'm really happy... with this. Us." Her voice faltered and his grip tightened possessively, "It's just all a bit unreal. Seeing them will make it real."
Booth was looking worried again and Temperance frowned in frustration, "I can't explain it..."
Booth kissed her gently and felt the tension drain out of her. As the kiss ended, he spoke quietly, "I know what you mean. This is like a dream." He paused and flashed a wicked grin, "And yes, I've had a few dreams that start off something like this..." he leant in to kiss her again, "Now it's really happening and I'm, well, scared I guess of messing up - or worse, waking up. It's like the squints seeing us together somehow seals the deal. They see us together ergo we are together." He quirked an eyebrow. "That what you meant?"
She nodded silently and wrapped her arms around him. He held her close, pressing kisses into her hair.
"Angela is going to go crazy." He whispered with a laugh.
Temperance began to laugh as she pictured the look on Ange's face.
They stood apart slightly and grinned at one and other. A silent agreement passed between them and they headed off towards their pitch.
In the car park, Hodgins was cursing under his breath as a yellow-bibbed marshal waved him towards a narrow parking spot. He could hear Angela stifling a laugh from the passenger seat, then Zach piped up from the uncomfortable spot behind.
"It would have been better to have brought a more practical vehicle."
Hodgins set his jaw and ignored them both, and the inner voice that told him that if he'd wanted to impress Angela with a sporty car he really should have chosen one that had a proper seat in the back, and one that he wasn't too bothered about getting dented in a giant, free-for-all of a car park. He also inwardly pleaded with himself to park it properly on the first attempt. Nothing was more pathetic than a guy with a flash car who couldn't park.
After two unsuccessful attempts to line up on the parking spot, Angela hopped out to guide him in. It worked. Hodgins hung his head for a moment, before Angela rapped on the window and indicated it was time to go.
Angela was amused by Hodgins antics, but was so fascinated by the hordes of people she could see in the distance that she didn't bother to tease. After Zach extricated himself from his very uncomfortable seat they walked towards the crowds. On their way, Angela stopped to buy a programme with a map of the site. Zach and Hodgins spent five minutes bickering over how to get to pitch five, before Angela snatched the programme back off them, studied the map for a moment and then started walking. They looked at one and other and then hurried after her.
Pitch five was actually not too far from the car park.
"Can you see any supporters in blue?" Angela asked, as she scanned the sidelines as they walked.
"No, oh, hang on over there.. uh, woah!" Hodgins halted and grabbed Angela and Zach's arms in a vicelike grip.
They both looked at him in surprise, but on seeing the look on his face then followed the line of his gaze. Two more jaws dropped and two more pairs of eyes stared in shock as they saw what Hodgins was looking at.
Standing twenty feet away, Booth had just stripped off his fleece, loosening his shirt once again. Temperance had taken the opportunity to circle her arms around his waist, touching the skin under his shirt. Her hands were caressing the warm, bare skin of his back. Booth was smiling at her and one hand brushed a lock of hair from her face and the other slid around her shoulders pulling her in closer. Their eyes were slowly closing as their lips met.
"Agent Booth is kissing Dr Brennan" Zach observed, breaking the silence.
For the first time in her life Angela couldn't think of a thing to say, Hodgins too, was momentarily stunned into silence.
Twenty feet away Booth reluctantly broke the kiss and smiled, "I need to go play."
Temperance nodded, but didn't release her hold.
Booth leant down to kiss her again, but as he did so he felt a strange prickle that they were being observed. Their lips grazed past each other as he turned his head. Temperance echoed his movement, and standing with their arms locked around one and other, cheeks pressed together, they saw their friends gaping at them in open mouthed astonishment.
The moment of revelation was a lot less scary than they had expected. Not least beacause of Angela, Hodgins and Zach's stupefied expressions. As one, Booth and Temperance grinned and each loosened an arm to wave.
Had to stick 'platform' and 'angles' in! Anyone who has ever watched BBC Wales coverage of rubgy will no how much the commentators babble on about both. They've always struck me as fabulously meaningless phrases.