(Stargazer in a Puddle)

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I don't own Bones.

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"So when are you and Booth going to get married?" Angela had just announced that she and Hodgins were going to have a wedding in a few days and she wanted to know about Brennan's future wedding plans. Angela wanted to help Brennan plan her wedding if she'd let her.

Busy with term papers, Brennan was trying to grade some of them before she had to go with Booth to interview a suspect. Booth was checking into the background of the mother of the victim and once that was done they would have a second interview with her about the demise of her daughter. "Booth and I aren't getting married."

She had said it so matter-of-factly that Angela stared at her friend in disbelief. "You aren't getting married?"

"Of course not." Brennan continued to read the paper she was holding while she answered Angela's question. "Marriage is an antiquated ritual that has no place in modern society. It used to denote the transfer of the woman from the control of her father to the control of her new husband. I am not chattel to be traded like a cow or a chicken."

Irritated, Angela stared intently at her friend. "Modern marriages don't have the same significance, Brennan. Marriage lets the world know that you're in a monogamous relationship with someone. It gives you rights that being single doesn't give you like being privy to medical information as next of kin and giving you the right to make decisions for your husband if he's incapacitated or he can make decisions for you if you're incapacitated. It allows you both to use certain tax deductions and you would have access to his Veteran's disability and most important of all, he'd have custodial rights to your children whenever you two have some."

Aware that Angela's tone of voice had changed, Brennan looked up to see if she could judge what that change was. "Are you angry with me?"

"No . . . a little." Angela was frustrated with her friend, but she knew that being truly angry with Brennan wouldn't solve anything. "Honey, I know that even though you're living with Booth you're still afraid of love . . . your parents have a lot to answer for that's for sure, but Booth loves you and you love him. Take that final step and get married. I know you'd make Booth very happy. He's Catholic and I'm sure he wants to get married."

Her own annoyance growing, Brennan leaned back against her chair and gave Angela her full attention. "I am in love with Booth and he is in love with me, but I know that can change. My parents loved me and yet they thought nothing of abandoning me. Russ gave me to the state of Ohio . . . someday, Booth may fall out of love with me and he may abandon me too. Why should I tangle my financial responsibilities with his only to have to go court later to untangle them?"

"Bren . . . Bren he loves you so much." Angela stood up and leaned on Brennan's desk. "Just because your parents and brother abandoned you doesn't mean Booth will. You can't live your life expecting everyone around you to betray you. Be happy like me. Jack and I are going to get married. Believe me I'm scared too, but he's the first person I've ever been involved with that I knew that I could give up some of my independence for. No, I'm not chattel and neither is Jack. We're getting married because we want the world to see that we're committed to each other in every way. Booth would do anything for you, Honey. Didn't he confront his bosses at the FBI and let them know you two are a couple because you wanted him to? He was willing to lose his job for you. Don't you see he isn't your parents?"

Feeling a slight headache building between her eyes, Brennan rubbed her forehead. "Angela . . . I talked to Booth about this months ago. He knows I don't want to get married and he's accepted that. He assured me that he's satisfied with our relationship the way it is."

"That's because he loves you, Brennan." Angela knew she was talking to the proverbial brick wall. "I just hope you realize how much Booth is sacrificing to let you have your way. He's a religious man and right now he's living in sin."

"You're being influenced by an overload of neurotransmitters." Brennan tried once more to reason with her friend. "You are also being influenced by the production of oxytocin and vasopressin. You want everyone around you to feel the same thing. Booth and I also feel those things, but we are not letting them influence our judgment. I don't want to get married and Booth has agreed to not ask me. I'm happy for you Angela, I really am, but Booth and I are not going to get married."

By now, Angela knew that the argument was over. Once Brennan dug in her heels, nothing could move her. "Fine, but Jack and I are getting married . . . Do you still wish to be my Maid of Honor?"

Grateful that Angela had given up, Brennan nodded her head. "Yes of course. Just because I don't believe in marriage doesn't mean it isn't for everyone. I would be honored to be your Maid of Honor."

Angela walked around the desk and hugged her friend. "Good. I don't know who Jack is asking to be his best man, so I'll let you know as soon as I find out."

After her friend had left the room, Brennan stared at the pile of folders on her desk and worried that Angela was right and that Booth really did want to get married.

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Once she was in Booth's SUV, Brennan placed her hand over Booth's hand before he could start the truck. "Do you wish to get married?"

Not sure why Brennan was bringing up the topic of marriage, Booth hesitated before answering. "Um . . . are you asking me to marry you?"

"No of course not." Brennan released Booth's hand and crossed her arms against her breasts. "Angela and Hodgins plan to marry in a few days and I'm to be her Maid of Honor . . . She said that because you're Catholic you probably want to marry me because you think you're living in sin."

"Angela." Booth knew that Angela had a tendency to stick her nose in where it wasn't wanted. "Bones, Angela doesn't know everything okay? Sure I'd like to get married someday, but only if you want to. I'm not about to make you get married if you don't want to . . . We're fine, Bones. I'm fine. I love you, you love me and we're living together. We're partners. It's going to be okay. I'm not going to walk away from you just because we're not married, so stop listening to Angela. She's not an expert in everything . . . okay?"

Stiff afraid that Angela was right, Brennan tried to accept what her boyfriend had told her. "I just don't believe in the institution of marriage . . . Love can die . . ."

"Whoa!" Booth held up his hand and twisted his body so he could get a better look at Brennan. "Just back the hell up . . . My love is not going to die. I'm in this to the end of our days. If anyone walks away from this it would be you and I hope you never do. I love you, Bones. I love you. Love only dies if you let it and I will not let that happen." He saw how sad she looked and it made him feel a little uncertain about their relationship. Was she already tired of him? "Bones, you love me don't you?"

"Yes of course." Brennan gazed at her boyfriend and tried to understand what he was feeling. She wasn't very good at picking up cues from facial expressions, but it seemed that Booth was very worried. She had never meant to upset him, but she had done so anyway. "I'm not leaving you, Booth. I just wanted to make sure you understand that I don't want to get married."

Somewhat relieved, Booth gave her a weak smile, leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Look, this conversation isn't necessary, Bones. All it's doing is upsetting you and me. We aren't getting married and that's fine by me. We're doing okay. We are. Everyone knows that we're a . . . a monogamous couple and we're living with each other. If and when we get married is our business and no one else's. Angela should just take care of her business and not ours."

Finally assured, Brennan smiled. "Yes and it is very odd that she and Hodgins became engaged yesterday and they want to get married in a few days. It seems quite impulsive."

"Well, it's Angela, what do expect." Booth shifted back in his seat so he could face completely forward and started the SUV. "I just hope Hodgins is ready because that ship is definitely going to be a wild ride."

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