Thanks for the lovely reviews! Here's the next part! Oh, and, eh...well...I'm really low on inspiration so if I don't find some soon this will either have to go on a very long break...or just...end. Hopefully I'll sort something out.
Bones still isn't mine. But I'm working on it.
"Oh, hello! You must be Parker's mother?"
Brennan squinted at the woman.
"No."
"Oh…then you're Seeley's wife?"
"No."
The woman's smile was faltering.
"Girlfriend?"
"I'm his partner."
The woman looked slightly nervous at Brennan's response, which was made through gritted teeth.
"Well…eh…nice to meet you, dear."
She hurriedly latched on to one of her friends, exclaiming something to her quite loudly, with many rather open backwards glances, about Seeley's very politically correct love interest.
Brennan's discomfort intensified.
A few seconds later, Booth and Parker bounded up to her.
"Hey Bones…woah! What's with the face like a monkey trying to swallow a pineapple?"
"I don't know what that means."
Parker directed a somewhat open-mouthed face towards Booth.
"I don't either, Daddy."
Booth harrumphed, muttering something about how nobody ever seems to appreciate humour anymore.
"You finally say something funny, Booth, and I promise I will laugh."
The two bickered as they crossed over the grassy field and under a large banner that read "Welcome! Students and parents sports day." Parker's school held an annual sports day and this was the first year they had decided to invite parents along for the fun. Rebecca had been devastated but she was absolutely swamped with work and couldn't possibly take the time off.
After many days of pleading, cajoling and some downright grovelling, Booth had finally convinced Brennan to take a few long overdue hours off from work and come along. He had promised, Angela had been the rather amused witness to a very serious pinky swear, that she did not have to pretend to be Parker's mother, nor did they have to act like a couple. She was simply coming so that Parker wouldn't feel left out…and so that Booth wouldn't be lonely. She was more than happy to eventually comply if it pleased Parker. Neither made any further comment on how her being there was also a personal favour to Booth, but both were more than a little pleased that she was present as his chosen companion.
Parents and children were gathering just beyond the colourful banner, where the principal was waiting to address them when everybody was within hearing distance. Eventually, the man stepped forward to welcome them all. He went on to explain that the various races and sporting competitions throughout the day would be completed either with student competing against parent, parent competing against parent or student competing against student. Competitors would be told which of the three possibilities applied before the beginning of each competition. Parents were encouraged to enter at least one contest during the course of the day's events.
With that, the principal declared the day started and children ran screaming in all directions, parents frantically chasing behind and guiding them over to starting points marked by little flags stuck in the ground. Parker gave an excited squeal and began dragging his daddy, by the hand. Booth, in turn, grabbed onto Brennan's wrist and took her along for the ride.
Parker finally ground to a halt before the egg and spoon starting point. Brennan's momentum carried her forward and she crashed squarely into Booth's back. She immediately began a heated discussion with him about politely moving out of the way when he stopped.
Eventually, the two simmered down enough to hear the long-suffering teacher's instructions concerning the race.
"Eggs in spoons? That is the most ridiculous…"
Booth swatted her away and rubbed his ear. Her warm whispering breath was very distracting. Although, he supposed, he should be thankful that she hadn't just bellowed it out for the whole group to hear. Maybe she was finally learning.
They were all handed spoons and eggs. Brennan immediately stuck her tongue out between her teeth and stared intently at her egg, occasionally prodding it around on the spoon and muttering about finding the centre of gravity.
"On your marks…"
Booth cast a sidelong glance over at his partner. She was still completely absorbed in her hypothesis.
"Bones!"
"Shh, Booth. I'm working."
"Get set…"
"Never mind that, Bones, just run."
"Go!"
Booth immediately sprinted off with the crowd. A second or two later he glanced over his shoulder. Brennan was still standing at the starting line, furiously muttering to her egg. He let out a frustrated growl and raced back to her. Before she had even had time to protest, he had taken hold of her sleeve and pulled her forward.
"Booth! You broke my egg!"
"I did not!"
"You stood on it!"
"Ok, now you're just getting technical."
Parker didn't notice his father's bickering with his aggrieved partner as he joyfully rejoined them. He had managed to come in third and was absolutely delighted with himself. The two quickly refocused their attention on him and showered him with praise. Next, the blonde haired boy bounced off in the direction of the wheelbarrow race. He quickly decided that his accompanying partners were far too big to be of any use to him and so paired up with a round-faced brunette boy of similar height.
Brennan turned to Booth curiously.
"Wheelbarrow?"
"Yeah, Bones. One person is the wheelbarrow and the other person is the one "moving" the wheelbarrow. Come on, we should give it a go."
"Someone just can't become an inanimate object, Booth, that's…"
"Spare me the lecture, Bones. Just give me your ankles."
"What? Why?"
"Because you're the wheelbarrow."
"Why am I the wheelbarrow?"
"Because…because you just are. Now lie down on your stomach."
Grumbling to herself, Brennan did as he asked. She insisted, though, that the little kick he received as she settled herself was purely accidental.
"Ok, people, into your positions."
All of the pairs along the starting line complied.
"Booth, nobody else is touching bare ankles."
"I just thought it would give better leverage."
"Well, it doesn't. It tickles."
Booth rearranged his hands' position as the teacher called out, "On your marks…get set…GO!" And they were off.
A few minutes later found Brennan storming off the competition area, Booth jogging behind her.
"Booth! We were winning!"
"To mostly five year olds, Bones. You really call that an accomplishment?"
"Of course!"
Booth threw his hands up in frustration. Brennan scowled in return.
"You know, you could have thought of a more subtle way to make me stop."
"Well, I tried, subtly, asking you but, if anything, that made you faster. You were barrelling full speed towards the finish line. Little kids were flying left, right and centre."
Brennan muttered something about how people shouldn't compete if they can't take a bit of competition.
"I think it's a bit excessive when one of the contestants is foaming at the mouth, Bones."
"I was not foaming! I was merely…you still shouldn't have slid your hands up to my thighs."
"I couldn't think of anything else that would surprise you enough to stop."
"You could have just simply stopped yourself."
"I did! You, apparently, took no notice. You just ground your gears and dragged me along for the ride."
"I did not grind my anything. I don't even have gears. You should have just asked me to stop."
"What, in the name of the law? Coz I'm sure you would have really paid attention to that."
Parker joined them momentarily. He and his partner had tumbled to the ground seconds into the race. He didn't mind in the least and was practically humming from the fun of it all. His eyes sparkled with the exertion.
The remainder of the day passed in a blur of screams and clapping. Sandwiches and cold drinks were provided in the middle of it all, rejuvenating depleting batteries and heightening the noise levels. Parker managed to win a running race and hadn't stopped skipping ever since. To their due, Booth and Brennan, to their surprise as much as anyone else's, were the victors of the three-legged race. After they had collected their prizes, Brennan confessed that she attributed their success to the fact that Booth was very "solid". Her partner was not amused.
Eventually, the three were bundled into Booth's car. Parker fell asleep almost instantaneously, his fair curls bouncing fetchingly to the movement of the vehicle. The journey was passed mostly in silence, so as not to wake the young boy. They eventually pulled up in front of Brennan's apartment building.
Booth glanced over at her.
"So…"
"So."
They both smiled.
"Thanks for a lovely day, Booth. I really…it was very…thanks."
Booth nodded, his eyes twinkling.
"No problem, Bones. And thank you."
His slight emphasis on the 'you' made colour rise suddenly to her cheeks. She fumbled her way out of the car. Before turning away, she leaned back in through the open window.
"It was…fun. Nothing wrong with a bit of healthy competition."
She held his gaze for longer than necessary. His breath caught at the glint in her eye and the slight raise of her eyebrow. Shivers raced across his scalp and down his back.
"No, Bones. There definitely isn't."