A LITTLE FUN UNDER THE SUN

Disclaimer: For the umpteenth time… We do not own Bones! Too bad though…

Author's Note Addictt: Oh my God... This story is so... °speechless° Love writing it, love the reviews... hint, hint! Anyway... Only a few more days left! sobs Please... Comfort? Anyone? Niah?

Author's Note niah1988: Oh goody, yet another new (and long) chapter! I'm so excited about this one. Especially about the BB convo. Man, I love writing those! I have to point out here that Addictt (my girl! hehe) is the one who wrote everything from Zach's POV. Don't you think she deserves a standing ovation? I think she does! And some comfort of course. °smothers Addictt in a hug°

For the reviewers: 2Bfan, 9ud9ir190ne6ad, a911chic, ali09, Amasayda, angel6, astrakane, bandbforever, Bellabun, Binas, bones-is-love, Boness 57, brennanmars, canadianagurl, estelsphere, Faith5x5, hpottergurl, infernored2937, jaed621, jemb, jerseybones, katiebeth, Knuckles515, krisnina77, maricejayo, mereva, Northedebatedemon (aka moonofmathmaticalwisdom hehe), PurplePicklesUnite, Ruby Stew, sas.90, seeley's sweetheart, Serienjunkie 91, SnitchCatcher, SnoopGirl69, SquintSquad10 and wolfmyjic - loads of thanks for your supportive reviews! We love you guys.

Again a few POV-changes. We start with Zach.

° No Reason To Be Shy °
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

My lips trail over her slightly darker skin. Her black hair is draped around us. My fingers are clamped around her waist. I trail down her neck, breasts, and belly-button. She arches her back and lets out a soft moan. My fingers play over her spine, while she nibbles softly on my ear. I trace her shoulder blades with my index fingers. Her cheeks touching my neck burn my skin. Her hands caress my legs, as she calls out my name. "Zach... Zach... Zach!" Her voice becomes louder and louder.

"Zach! Zach! Wake up, Zach!"

Immediately I shoot upright. Gasping for breath, I look up. It's Angela who's calling my name. Not Elena… unfortunately…

"Are you all right? You're all sweaty."

If she only knew what made me sweat…

"I'm okay Angela, really," I reply, giving her a weak smile. She shrugs and walks on into the kitchen.

"Bad dream?"

Not at all… But I would rather die than have her ever find out. Correction, if anyone ever found out.

"Yeah. Did you sleep well?" Good move, Zach. Change the subject.

"I slept great, actually," she answers and a grin spreads across her face. I really don't want to know what she's thinking right now.

"Angela?"

"Yes, honey?" Sometimes I really wish she wouldn't call me that. My name's Zach, not 'honey'. I get up from the couch to retrieve a clean shirt and pair of trousers.

"Can I use your shower?" I ask.

"Sure. Be careful though, Jack doesn't like to be awoken early." I give her a quick nod and rush towards the bedroom. Maybe a shower will cool me down.

A while later…

One hour later everyone's awake and present at the dining table. We enjoy a simple breakfast of scrambled eggs. Angela is all happy and perky, Hodgins and Dr. Brennan are still yawning. I don't know about Booth, though. I can't read him; I never could and probably never will. I resolve to stare straight ahead of me. Fragments of my dream play through my head. So this is how it feels to long desperately for someone…

"Let's try another beach today," Angela suddenly suggests.

"Which one did you have in mind?" Dr. Brennan asks.

"I don't know. I'm not the one who read the brochure. Zach, Booth? Suggestions please."

"What about Long Bay? It's on the other side of the island. I've heard there are great waves and also facilities to play volleyball," Booth informs her.

"Sounds great!" Hodgins exclaims. Angela and Dr. Brennan nod in agreement.

Another hour later we're driving towards the beach. I take out my cell to send a text message. Two minutes later a little beep resounds in the SUV, causing everyone to jump a little.

"Gee Zach," Booth mumbles a little irritated. Four pairs of eyes look at me. Two compassionate, one curious and the last one annoyed.

I retort a quick excuse and check my inbox.

I'll have to work until 2pm, but how about I meet you afterwards? I'll give you a call. x Elena

I smile. That little message has just made my day.

(Switch to Brennan's POV)

I let out a deep sigh when Booth finally pulls up at Long Bay. My whole body is itching to explore this new place. We've only got three days left, including today, before we have to head home. My stomach turns at the thought. We will all have to leave this pleasant atmosphere behind to chase criminals again. It will be a huge adjustment to go back to how things were before I asked Booth to come along with me. I'm not sure I want things to go back to normal, but at the same time I don't want them to be how they are now.

This morning I woke up with my behind and back pressed against Booth's body. Fortunately he had his back to me and was still fast asleep, leaving me a chance to put some distance between both our behinds. But as I was scooting away, the memories of two nights ago flooded my memory. When I woke up the day before, Booth rolled away so fast that he tipped over the edge. What could've caused his rapid movements?

I involuntarily shiver when I open my door and get out of the car. Let's just hope nothing has happened in between going to sleep and waking up...

Yes, I don't want things to stay how they are now. I've got a boyfriend back home, who doesn't miss an opportunity to compare himself with Booth. Like I don't do that enough myself! And here I've got a partner who's slowly but surely closing in on me, whether it's intentional or not. The worst thing is that I'm rather enjoying this cat-and-mouse game we're playing. I barely hold back a frustrated groan. I'm on vacation. I shouldn't be mulling about this kind of stuff.

"Hey Bren, stop kicking the sand and come here!" Angela shouts, pulling me out of my reveries.

You have no idea how glad I am that you came along, Angela. Without you I would've been stuck here all week with Booth. I frown as I make my way over to my friends. I first planned on coming here alone with him, so why does that idea give me the creeps?

My spine stiffens when I brush past Booth. From the corner of my eye I catch the look he throws me. Right, that's why. When I bravely asked him to tag along, I momentarily forgot about the electric currents that are always running between us. It would've been hard, but enjoyable at the same time if Angela and the rest hadn't accompanied us.

I barely suppress the urge to kick the sand again. Why am I thinking about what could have happened if the rest of my team hadn't flown down here with us?

Ten minutes later the four of us are staring at an available volleyball spot. Yes, the four of us. As soon as Elena joined our small group, Zach practically dragged her away.

"Come on Jack, we'll take this side. Bren, you and Booth take the other side of the net."

I shrug and walk over to the left side of the net in the middle of the volleyball field.

"Booth, didn't you hear me?" Angela asks my partner.

Booth simply crosses his arms before his broad chest, shaking his head. "Leave me out it, Angela. I'm not playing volleyball."

"Why not?"

"It's a stupid game. That's why."

"What?! How can you say that?" Angela huffs. They argue back and forth for about five minutes until Angela throws her hands up in despair. "Talk to him, Bren!"

I remain quiet. I should talk to him? Why? Like he's going to listen to me! At receiving an exasperated look from Angela, I sigh deeply and put my hands on my hips in an attempt to look stern. "Booth, do you really want me to get my ass whooped again by Hodgins and Angela?"

"Of course not!"

"Then get your butt here and play a game of volleyball with us."

I struggle not to smile when he saunters over to me, looking like he really doesn't feel like participating, but does so anyway for my sake. When I catch sight of the light dancing in his eyes, I can no longer keep a straight face. He actually enjoyed my threat!

Without further ado we all get into position and begin tossing and pushing the ball back and forth over the net. After a while we all remove our clothes and continue our game in our swimming clothes. This time I have even more trouble with concentrating. Booth running around to catch the ball wouldn't distract me this much. It's that he's only clad in a pair of swimming shorts while he's jumping around like a loon. For someone who doesn't like volleyball, he sure tries to catch as many balls as he can.

My gaze travels over his broad backside. The scars on his shoulder and lower back capture my attention again. One of these days I really have to ask him how he got them. Because I'm caught up in my examination of his back, I don't notice the large white volleyball coming straight at me. I stumble a bit back in surprise when it hits my stomach. Booth turns around to give me an amused look.

"You all right there, Bones? Didn't your super squint radar see that ball?"

"Shut up, Booth," I groan. "I would've seen it coming if your broad frame hadn't blocked my view!" Oh crap, why did I say that?

"My broad frame?"

"Shut up, Booth," I snap again before throwing the ball in the air and shooting it over the net at Hodgins.

He returns my move with ease. Focused on catching the ball before it hits the sand, and because I want to ignore the smug look on Booth's face, I run over to the middle of the field; only to run straight into a wall, or something very similar. I expect to fall back and end up in the sand, but a pair of arms slide around my waist and keep me on my feet. I slowly lift my head and gulp when I look straight into the face of my partner. Oh no, this isn't good. I'm in his arms while we're both wearing one or two pieces of clothing. That's just begging for something naughty to happen.

"Watch yourself, Bones. Wouldn't want you to break anything," he grins.

"Booth," I breathe. "I didn't see you there."

He gives me an innocent smile. "You didn't see my broad frame?"

"You're going to bring that one up forever, aren't you?" I say, rolling my eyes.

I notice that he still hasn't let go of me, and I don't feel the need to tell him to do so. Somehow this feels very familiar to me. I know that we've hugged before, but this kind of hug is different. This one feels... Feels like what? Pleasant? Comfortable? Don't go down that path of thought, Temperance. Turn back now!

"Of course," he answers me. This time he sends me a smug smile. How many frigging smiles does that man have?!

I shift a bit in his arms. "Well, it's true."

He cocks his eyebrows. "What's true?"

"You have a broad frame. You're a well-built man..." I internally moan in frustration. You're a well-built man?! Why don't you just tell him all about your dreams as well while you're at it? Come on Temperance; try to make this sound a bit more scientific. "You've got a nice bone structure and good muscle definition. So yes, you have a broad frame. I even think you're broader than Sully." I cringe. I mentioned my boyfriend. Way to go, Temperance...

But my words don't seem to have the effect I feared they would have. Instead of frowning and pushing me away, he tosses me a half-crooked smile before gently unwrapping his arms from my waist. He then playfully nudges me. "Come on Bones, we've got to show bug boy and his girlfriend every corner of this sandbox."

Some time later…

A few hours later we all take a surfboard and move towards the water. The volleyball game ended equal; we both won 3 games. In the mean time Zach and Elena have joined us again. After some whispering between the guys, they decide to teach us how to surf. They also decide we should split up into teams. Zach with Elena, Hodgins with Angela, and, of course, Booth and I end up together.

I feel anxious and excited at the same time. It's a great opportunity to learn something new. Plus, I'm teamed up with Booth. For once he'll teach me something new instead of the other way around. Come to think of it, I'll be one, maybe two feet away from him. Crap… I realize I'm at a turning-point here. For the next hour or so I'll be unbelievably close to him. I'll feel his energy, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Most of the time it makes me feel safe, and even more confident. However… Do I really want to be near him after all my dreams?

"Come on, Bones. How long are you going to stare at the water, instead of wading in? You don't have to be afraid to drown to death, you know. I'm right here to save you in case you have forgotten how to swim."

I sigh and roll my eyes. Then I slowly walk into the water, part of me wanting to tease Booth, the other part enjoying the warmth of the water. A couple of feet away Hodgins and Angela also enter the water.

(Switch to Hodgins POV)

Carefully Angela slides into the water. The waves caress her hips as we move forward. I sigh deeply. I'll never tire of watching her move around. She's got this grace to her step that captures my attention every single time.

"I can surf, you know," she tells me with a smile.

"I know, baby," I reply. That doesn't mean I can't help you. I have alpha-male tendencies too, you know.

She climbs onto her board and starts paddling.

"Are you coming?"

"I'll join you later. I'm going to watch you first," I say in a teasing tone. She rolls her eyes and gets up into a squatting position.

While I wonder how many times a woman can roll her eyes in a lifetime, a wave rolls towards us and drags her away on her board. I swim along with her, mostly being carried by the water. In the middle of the wave she loses her balance and falls of her board. I reach out for her. She falls into my arms with a shriek. Then the wave reaches its climax and washes over us.

Angela presses her body tightly against mine while capturing my lips. This is one of the things I love about her; the unexpected, spur of the moment, actions.

Kissing and laughing we rise to the surface of the water again. Really nothing could've disturbed me at that moment. Until I hear a blissful exclamation coming from my right.

(Switch Zach's POV - Are you guys getting confused? lol)

A tickling feeling rises inside my stomach as we surf over the wave. Yes, we. Elena and I are standing together on one board, holding each other tightly. Our warm bodies move simultaneously, to obtain perfect balance.

Her head turns to look at me, and she gives me a large smile, which I return. Her body gestures tell she trusts me. She knows I won't let us crash into the water. I smile and revel in the feeling of being in control of the board. She trusts me enough to give up control, which has to be a sign.

Just when I begin to lean forward, the wave is subduing. I have to turn around as to not let us crash. We squat down before paddling back. Suddenly Elena takes my hand and smiles at me.

"That was awesome," I tell her, returning her large grin.

"I've never surfed like that," she says impressed.

"Let's do it again!"

I throw another smile at her, before I put my hand in the water and splash some at her. She giggles softly and returns the gesture, only with more force. A wave of water washes over me, making me look like a drowned cat. Her giggle intensifies and I laugh with her. A few seconds later we're both stuck in a laughing fit, nearly rolling off our board into the water.

(Yup, another switch. Now we're back in Brennan's head.)

I hear two couples on my right laughing happily as I'm standing next to Booth in the water.

"So… Finally ready to surf a little, Bones?" Booth asks a bit irritated. I guess he's annoyed because it took me five minutes to enter the water and walk towards him. Fine, Booth. I'll save the slow wading for next time.

"I'm ready. Teach," I retort playfully. A smile tugs at his lips. Oh… I guess he appreciated how I walked into the water after all. Or maybe he's just basking in the fact that I don't know the first thing about surfing.

"Fine," he replies, his mood lighting up considerably. "First I'll give you a few instructions. When you're up on that board, I'll stand by your side. Just in case you fall."

I snort. Alpha-male tendencies! Why is it such a problem when a woman hurts herself? It helps her evolve into a stronger, more confident woman. It's like men want women to be weak and dependent, just to show off their strength.

"First, you climb on your board," Booth instructs me. He places his right hand onto my surfboard and holds my arm with his other. His wet hand feels cold on my warm skin. I shiver. Who knew the contact of cold on warm could be so… sexy.

I decide to keep my mouth shut, to prevent embarrassing conversations. I lean on my arms and climb, a little awkwardly, onto the board, which is slippery and unsteady. His grip tightens to prevent me from tumbling down, face first, into the water. A flash from my dreams appears in my mind. His hands tight around my arms… My hot cheeks pressed against his broad shoulders…

"Then, you lie down. Flat, on your stomach."

His voice takes me back to reality. His instructions make me a little uncomfortable. I'm only wearing two pieces of fabric that don't leave much to the imagination in this position. I follow his directions nonetheless; even though my cheeks redden so much that it feels like my face is on fire. I focus on the horizon, hoping he won't notice a thing.

"Now, you paddle."

"I paddle?" I raise an eyebrow and look him in the eye. A smile appears on his face.

"Yes, with your arms," he says and climbs onto his own board. My eyes are glued to his broad shoulders for a moment before heading for his lower back, which leads to a fine piece of buttocks. A very fine piece, I might add.

"Like this," Booth continues. My gaze quickly adjusts to his arms. His tensed, strong muscles move him forward, sliding through the water with grace. I follow his example and quickly paddle next to him.

"Now, when you feel a wave rising," he looks at me while moving forward, "You lift yourself up. You carefully keep yourself in balance, and move your body in a way you won't fall. Once you're up, you can adjust your course with your feet."

"What? I do what once I'm up? How am I supposed to…"

Suddenly I feel the water rise and Booth quickly stands up. I do as he does, making a few strange movements to keep myself in balance. The wave is two feet high before I know it. I stagger from left to right to keep in balance.

"Move your feet to steer your board!" Booth shouts. I panic a bit. Move my feet? I'm already having trouble standing up, and now I have to move my feet as well? You're crazy, Booth!

The wave grows higher and higher, as I look down at my feet. Water rapidly flows around my board, when I arch my spine a little backward, which causes my board to fly forward. I fall into the wave, water wrapping around me. Within seconds I feel the water subduing and I rise to the surface.

I try to catch my breath, but instead water fills my mouth. Coughing madly, my feet find the bottom, making it possible for me to stand up. I am soaked from head to toe. While coughing a few more times, I wipe a few sticky hairs out of my face. Now I see Booth walking towards me, with a concerned look on his face.

"Bones, are you all right?"

Between two coughs I roll my eyes. "I'm fine."

"You fell." Thanks for pointing out the obvious, Booth. At least he's not making fun of me; I wouldn't survive if he did that. Or better yet, he wouldn't survive. My lips curl into a small as I think of a couple of ways to torture him if he dares to crack a joke about my inability to stay up-right on a surf board.

Again, I tell him I'm fine. I cough one more time and take a few steps forward to reach out for my board.

"Want to take another try, Bones?"

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. I have already rolled them dozens of times today.

"I'll pass this one, thank you," I say with a little snobbishness and walks towards dry, safe sand. At least I don't risk falling onto my face there!

Somewhere in the afternoon, at an ice cream stall…

(°evil laugh° Yet another POV switch. Are you guys keeping up? Now it's Angela's turn.)

I wish those two would just confess their feelings for each other. Letting out a deep sigh, I avert my gaze from Zach and Elena, and instead focus on my other favourite couple, Bren and Booth. Those two are even worse. While Zach and Elena have known each other for just a couple of days, Brennan and Booth already know each other for about two years. It's about time for them to stop dancing around each other like two nervous teenagers.

I sigh again. Even though I'd like nothing more than to force them to kiss each other, just to prove how powerful that spark between them is, my hands are tied. No matter how many hints I drop, no matter how many insightful conversations I have with Brennan, and no matter how many times I point out how they'd give their lives to save each other, in the end it's up to them to take the first step. I can't force them into a relationship, regardless of how badly I want to do that.

Besides, Brennan's already seeing someone at the moment. Sully seems to make her happy... to some extent. Now if she was with Booth... No Angela, don't go there. Sully's a good guy. At least he hasn't tried to hurt Bren yet, or even worse, tried to leave her. He seems to genuinely care about her. The feeling's mutual I suppose. Bren's smiling a lot lately, and she isn't that focussed on her job any more. Maybe 'focussed' isn't the correct word. Obsessed is more appropriate. She used to bury herself in her work for tons of reasons, but lately I've noticed a change. She's got other interests now besides identifying victims. That's good, I suppose, as long as they are the right interests.

She's told me she and Sully had an argument right before she left for the airport. Apparently things aren't going that great between them. Trouble in paradise, so to speak. Every couple should disagree from time to time, but there's a difference in between disagreeing and disagreeing. When Booth and Brennan disagree, they create such a heavy tension that I often wonder how they can resist jumping each other. It's different between Sully and Brennan. Sully looks like a free-spirited, enjoy-life-to-the-fullest kind of man. I'm sure that whenever he starts an argument, something bad is up. Or something really bothers him.

I can imagine it must be hard for him to be constantly compared to Booth, and be found the lesser man every single time.

"What flavour do you want, babe?" Jack asks me, interrupting my train of thought.

"Surprise me," I absent-mindedly reply as I refocus on my favourite soon-to-be couple.

Just look at them. All cosy and easy around each other... But they really have to take the bickering somewhere else. How am I supposed to enjoy my ice cream when they're practically yelling at each other about what flavour is the tastiest? I shake my head and accept the cone Jack hands me. One of these days I'm just going to shove them in a closet until they do something about those disagreements, not to mention that ever-present sexual tension!

"I'm telling you, Bones, nothing beats vanilla ice cream with those chunks of chocolate in."

"Oh, you mean stracciatella?"

"Bones! The name doesn't matter; it's the flavour that counts."

She shakes her head. "Fine, I'll have whatever you're having, since you're obviously the ice cream expert."

I'm not kidding here. If they keep up this up, I'll have one hell of a headache by the end of the day. How do they succeed at ignoring their mutual attraction?!

Moments later I have to stifle a laugh. I watch Booth dip his fingers in his stracciatella ice cream before playfully tapping Brennan's nose. She's speechless for a moment. First, she stares down at her nose covered in ice cream, and then she turns her scowl onto her partner. Uh ow... If I were you, Booth, I'd run as far and as fast as my legs would carry me! That's one unhealthy glare she's giving you! Wait a minute, is that a hint of amusement I see in her eyes?

"You actually look cute now, Bones. Maybe if I put some more on, your scowl will disappear," Booth jokes.

"Booth! Don't you..." Booth quickly paints her cheek with ice cream. "Dare..." Brennan lamely finishes. "Booth!"

Booth just grins. "Nope, you're still scowling. Maybe I need to cover your other cheek as well."

For the third time he scoops up a bit of ice cream and reaches for her cheek. Only Brennan's prepared this time. She efficiently blocks his arm. Booth smiles at her before freeing his arm and bringing his fingers to her face again. Brennan slaps his hand away this time. Before Jack and I know it, they throw away their ice cream cones and start a friendly struggle. The way they're moving around each other tells me this isn't their first playful battle. I wonder how many they've already had... I grin. Yet another piece of information I have to tuck away for future reference. You never know when it might come in handy!

I tilt my head to give Jack a warm smile. "They're at it again," I whisper. He nods his head in agreement.

When I turn my gaze back onto Booth and Brennan, I'm surprised to see they're both laying on the ground, flat on their backs. What the hell happened?

"Ouch," Booth pants. "That last slap hurt me, Bones! Now I've got a boo-boo... I think you need to kiss it to make me feel better."

Brennan rolls her eyes and slaps his arm. "Big baby," she mutters.

"Now it's my turn," I quietly say to Jack. I casually stalk over to my best friend and her partner after I have winked at my boyfriend. "Having fun, Bren?" I ask her as I hover over her.

She quickly scrambles to her feet and gives me her don't-go-there-Angela look. I simply shrug. She should have expected me to ask such a thing. Someone's got to point out how strong their chemistry is!

Booth gets up as well. "Just look what you did, Bones. Now my ice cream is covered in sand!"

"What I did?" Brennan exclaims. "You're the one who couldn't keep his hands to himself!"

I shake my head. Here they go again... Will they ever stop squabbling? They head off to the ice cream stall to get another cone, all the while continuing their heated discussion about who's to blame for their lost ice creams. Shaking my head again, I smile to myself. No matter how happy Sully makes her, he'll never fulfil her wildest dreams. He'll never reach up to her high standards, meaning he'll never be like Booth.

Just then I see her smear a bit of chocolate ice cream across Booth's face, leaving him stare at her, eyes wide and his mouth hanging slightly open. I softly laugh. No matter what they say; they're perfect for each other. They're partners.

(Brennan's POV… again)

Because the guys taught us how to surf, we promised to make dinner. We as in Angela and I. Zach took Elena to a restaurant when we left the beach.

We decided to make Chicken Salad. Angela is frying the chicken, while I chop up tomatoes, an onion and lettuce.

"So… You seemed to have quite some fun with Booth this afternoon?" A light, indifferent tone. She's planning something, probably a more blunt question.

"Angela," I sigh, indicating I don't want to have one of these conversations.

"Sweetie, I'm just trying to make small-talk here," she states innocently.

"But why does every conversation have to be about Booth?" I growl. I didn't mean to be that harsh, but it just came out like that. All these talks about Booth have been bothering me lately, because talking about him makes me wonder if, maybe, Angela is right about us after all.

"Bren, what's on your mind?"

She doesn't sound mad, more concerned. For a few seconds we only hear the oil sputtering in the frying pan. We both remain motionless. Then I chop a tomato in half, and let out a sigh.

"Well, Angela, b-" I don't even get to finish my sentence because Angela immediately jumps in.

"Why didn't you say so?! What's wrong?"

"I really don't want to talk about it. I'm sorry, Ange. I need to figure this out on my own." That's true. This isn't something Angela could help me with. This… thing, is something I need to sort out by myself.

Suddenly my cell phone starts to ring. I quickly wipe off my hands on a towel and look at the display. Sully. A knot tightens in my stomach. The one person I really don't want to talk to is ringing me up. Damn it, life can be so cruel sometimes.

"Can you take it from here?" I ask a little guilty. Angela gives me a thumbs up, signalling she's got everything covered. I grab my cell and answer the call.

"Brennan."

"You could see it was me so why the formal greeting? Aren't you comfortable calling right now?" His voice tries to disguise his disappointment, or maybe even disapproval.

"Give me a second, please," I say as I walk out of the door. I look around me and see a tree nearby. It looks like a quite comfortable place, therefore I sit down.

"Yes?" He sounds relaxed, a tad fresh maybe.

"I'm there…" I say, letting out a little sigh. "How have you been?"

"Fine, I guess... Just work. The usual, you know," I can picture him sitting on his couch, shrugging at his own words.

"Yeah, I know," I reply and look around me. This spot… It has something to it. Some kind of smell. And it's not an unpleasant one.

"So, how is life in the Bahamas?" A very casual question. I have to hand it to him; he knows how to switch smoothly between emotions.

"It's good," I say. I avoid the words 'great' and 'fantastic'. "It's very warm at the moment. The beaches are wonderful, and the people here are very nice. Oh, and the house Dr. Goodman rented is beautiful," I enumerate a few things.

"Hmhm," Sully confirms. "I'm glad. I mean; I'm glad you're having a good time. You are, right?" Why is he so nervous? And why is he avoiding Booth? And now they say women are sneaky. I feel like kicking myself two seconds later. Sully asks me if I'm having a good time and I immediately think of my partner…

"Yes, Sully, I am," I retort. The agitation from five minutes ago returns, making me shift around a bit.

"Temperance?" Him calling me by my first name makes me cringe sometimes. Like right now. Somehow he always reminds me of Booth, and of how he pronounces my name.

"Yes?" I swallow, like a child who's about to be punished by his parents. This is leading towards Booth. Somehow, everything does lately…

"I've missed you." Not exactly what I expected.

I move my elbow backwards to scratch my neck, but it bumps into something hard. I look around and see a knocked over glass. Once there was a white substance in it, you can see by small traces on the inside of the glass. What is glass that has been previously filled with a white substance doing here?

"Tempe?"

"Yes, sorry. I was a bit... distracted." I know my excuse sounds lame, but hey, you try to think of something when your mind is elsewhere. Somewhere with a certain FBI-agent who insists on drinking at least one glass of milk a day.

"By who?" Who? Great assumption there, buddy! The agitation grows inside of me, like an itch, irritating you to no end when you don't scratch. I feel like scratching now. Big time. Not my itch, more like Sully's eyes. Wow, since when am I this bitchy towards him?

"Who? What do you mean, 'who'?" Edgy, but restrained. Good one, Temperance.

"I'm asking if Booth is around," Sully spits out. There it is. I just knew he was going to bring my partner up at some point. "He seems to be around every single time I talk to you so I'm just assuming he's listening to this conversation as well."

"We're back at where we started, aren't we? Not everything I do involves Booth!" I'm beginning to get pissed off. Seriously pissed off. "You're the one who always brings him up. If you don't like talking about him, then don't mention him." A silence falls. Maybe I shouldn't have said that last part… I groan in frustration. I've had enough of it. I'm not in the mood to try a more subtle approach. "I'm done talking," I snort and press the end-of-call button before standing up.

I'm furious. Very confused as well, but mostly furious. How dare he talk so condescending about my partnership with Booth? We're a great team, and that's all we are - a team! Why can't Sully see that? Is he that blinded by jealousy?

Or is he the only one who wants to see the truth?

I shake my head. The truth is Booth and I get along very well, better than most working partners do. We're best friends and each other's confidants. I have told him things that I didn't think I'd ever share with a man. Of course Angela knows a lot of my secrets, but Booth does as well. I don't think I could ever fill Sully in on some parts of my life. Whatever we've got going on, it can't be compared to what Booth and I have already established.

This realisation throws me even more off balance. What on earth am I doing with Sully when I already know there isn't going to be a happy ending for us? Why did I even allow him to get this close to me?

I sigh. Simple; it was the easiest path to follow. There weren't any lines to cross with him, unlike with Booth. Beginning a relationship with my partner would complicate… well, everything. What would become of our work relationship, not to mention our friendship? Shaking my head, I make my way outside. Even though taking our relationship to the next level isn't something I'm willing to do just yet, I have to make it clear to him that I'm not excluding the possibility.

I saunter over the beach, non-stop scanning the area, while I remember my dreams and how Booth gawked at me every time I took off my clothes. A smile tugs at my lips. I wouldn't mind exploring some kind of physical relationship with Booth, but something tells me it wouldn't be enough for him. And perhaps I would share his opinion; who knows…

Right Temperance, back away from those thoughts! Let's concentrate on deepening the friendship first, shall we?

Five minutes later I sit down in the sand to gaze at the waves crashing onto the beach. No sign of Booth. I sigh. Maybe it's for the best. There is no telling what I could blurt out in this state of mind.

I groan when I see a familiar figure coming towards me. He breaks into a slow jog when he catches sight of me. What a coincidence, I think. The second you stop looking for him, he shows up. Moments later he flops down beside me.

"Hey Bones, what are you doing here?"

I lean back on my hands, lift my eyebrows and stare at him for a couple of seconds. "Trying to clear my head."

"What happened?" he probes.

I quietly snort. Typical. I try to be as vague as possible while he pokes and prods until I give in. I might as well make it easy for him. After all, I have decided to take our friendship a bit further. Conversations about my love life are an important part of a deep friendship. Or maybe I just feel like torturing myself by thinking of my relationship with Sully. Whatever there is left, any way.

"I just got off the phone with Sully."

Booth nods, but refrains from giving any comment. What's up with that, Booth? Usually you have an opinion about everything! "We sort of had an argument."

He digs his heels deep into the sand before replying, "Really?"

I have to suppress a groan. First Sully annoys me with his shallow presumptions and now Booth's playing hide and seek. Stop dodging the subject, Booth! I need to know your opinion on this one.

"Yes, really."

You're not the only one who can give a lame answer, Booth.

For some unknown reason Booth remains silent. I tuck my hair behind my ears and stare off in the distance. For a couple of minutes we just enjoy the sight and sound of the wind and the waves.

Finally Booth decides to break the silence.

"You should try to work out whatever problems you two have got going on, Bones. Sully's a good guy…"

"We've been over that before, Booth," I interrupt him.

"I know. All I'm trying to say here is that nowadays it's hard to find a decent guy. You should consider yourself lucky to have found Sully."

What kind of crap are you trying to sell there, Booth? You're a decent guy yourself and I have found you long before I met Sully! Damn it, here I go again with the comparing… Focus on friendship, Temperance. Focus on friendship.

"You sound as if you've been out to find a decent guy yourself," I say, giving him a small smile. Way to go, Temperance. Make a lame joke to steer the conversation away from Sully.

"Bones," he grumbles. He suddenly gets up and stalks off, leaving me to stare at his back.

What on earth have I said wrong this time? It's not like him to just walk away after my attempt at cracking a joke. Yesterday we had such a thoughtful conversation. What happened to the sensitive stuff he managed to produce then?

"For your information, the argument was about you!" I shout after him.

He immediately comes to a stop. Even from this distance I can see his muscles tense up. He obviously doesn't like me mentioning Sully. Too bad, Booth, but we have to be able to discuss every possible subject, including my love life. Well, the parts I'm willing to share with you that is.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he turns around to look at me. He takes a few tentative steps in my direction, and then stops again. "I wish you'd stop mentioning me to Sully, Bones. No guy likes to hear stuff about his girlfriend's partner. You'll destroy your relationship if you keep bringing me up."

I shrug and get up too. "You're my partner, Booth. If Sully can't deal with me talking about you every once in a while, then he shouldn't be with me at all."

Booth sighs. "Don't stay stuff like that, Bones."

"Why not?" I shoot back. The irritation I felt after Sully's phone call is raging through my body again. Sometimes men can be so infuriating!

"Because he might be your only chance at happiness!" Booth replies, exasperated.

"Booth, that's ridiculous! I was already happy long before Sully came along. Why should he be the one to make me even happier?"

Holy… I didn't mean to say that. Really, I didn't. Now Booth knows I'm not fully behind my relationship with Sully.

Booth slowly walks to me, his brow furrowed and with a serious look in his eyes. "Doesn't he make you happy, Bones?"

"Of course he does… sort of. I mean…" I sigh and finish lamely, "He should. He's a good guy, after all." I cross my arms and avert my gaze to the ocean. "I have no regrets of starting something with him if that's what you're thinking, Booth. It's just that he's not the only one who can make me smile."

Even though he remains silent, I know what he wants to ask. After all the time we have spent together, I'm finally able to read him like an open book. Well, sometimes… I slowly turn back to face him.

"You make me smile too, Booth," I tell him.

He stares at me, completely caught by surprise. "I do?"

All I can do is nod in agreement. "You do." All my irritation fades away when I see him break into an ear to ear grin.

"Thanks, Bones," he softly says. "That means a lot to me."

We gaze at each other until the awkwardness of our situation finally dawns on us.

Booth clears his throat. "What would you say if we steered away from sensitive subjects onto something more pleasant?" I shrug. "Come on, I'll race you to the shoreline."

He swivels around and makes a mad dash for the water. I chase after him after I've shaken my head. Leave it up to Booth to make a run for it, in both a literal as well as a figurative sense.

We reach the shoreline at the same time. Booth tosses me a grin before rolling up his trousers and running into the shallow water. Once again I follow his example. Moments later we're chasing each other along the shoreline like two adolescents. Before I know it, my trousers and shirt are wet because of Booth's splashing. I, of course, return the gesture.

Eventually I have to get out of the water because I can't seem to breathe any more from all the running and laughing. I fall down onto the sand and try to steady my breathing. Booth stays in the water though.

My eyes travel over his posture. Just look at how he's standing there, the water reaching halfway up his calves and the sun setting behind him. How I wish I had brought my camera along on this trip! The scene playing out before me is one of those things you want to capture in a picture.

My eyes grow wide when I see Booth dig up his disposable camera from his pocket. That rat bastard! He had his camera with him all this time. Who knows what pictures he has already taken! Speaking of which, I think he's snapping one of me right now.

I quickly get up and walk over to him. Without saying a word I snatch the camera out of his hands and saunter back to my previous spot. I turn around before pointing the lens at him and pushing down the button. There. Now I've captured the moment after all.

Shaking his head, Booth approaches me. "That's not nice, Bones. You don't go around stealing people's cameras."

"I didn't steal it; I borrowed it. Big difference there," I point out.

"Whatever, Bones," he shrugs. Then he begins to grin again. "You wanna make sand angels?"

"Sand angels?" I echo, confusion apparent in my voice.

"Yeah, like snow angels only you make them in the sand."

"Booth, that's something I haven't done since I was five years old. What makes you think I'm going to lie down now to grub around in the sand?"

"Because it's fun, Bones. It's simply fun. Something we both need right now," he says, mumbling the last part. He lies down in the sand and gestures at me to do the same. "Come on, Bones. What are you afraid of? It's just a beach, not quicksand."

I sigh, but oblige anyway. I lie down, stretch out my arms and legs and move them around, pushing the sand aside. Booth does the same. Then we get up to look at our work. On the ground are now two fresh imprints of "sand angels".

Booth chuckles before dragging his heel through the sand to form the letter B. "There. Now we both know that the left one is me. B for Booth," he explains.

I mimic his movements and draw a B as well. He lifts his eyebrows. "A 'B'?"

"Yeah, for Bones."

He chuckles again. "So you have finally accepted my nickname for you."

"Well yes, it has kind of grown on me," I say, smiling at him.

"Let's go back to the beach villa, Bones. I've had enough surprises for today."

I nod. We walk back to the villa, side by side, both lost in thought.

Yes, today has been very surprising. I've made a couple of important realisations. I guess you could say I've had some sort of epiphany. All that's left now is to see how my realisations are going to affect my friendship with Booth.

(One last POV switch. It's Zach's turn again.)

We exit the restaurant, both laughing at one of her stories of when she first started out as an intern. Before we went to dinner, we went to the ferry and made a trip around San Salvador. Once we got back, we entered the first restaurant in sight, called Seafront Restaurant. Now that the darkness has fallen, it's time for her to get back onto the ferry to head home. I offer to walk her to the pier. When our laughs subdue, I take her hand into mine. We both enjoy the silence for a while.

"I really had a good time today. I haven't laughed so much in ages," she tells me with a content smile.

"Me too. I'm glad you were able to come down."

To answer, she gives a soft squeeze of my hand. We walk in silence for a few more minutes, until we arrive at the pier. We stand still and she steps towards me.

"I really, really enjoyed myself, Zach," she whispers. Moonlight falls upon her dark hair, and reflects in her eyes. My other hand touches her hair, stroking it softly. We both lean in. Within seconds our lips meet; first softly, later on more fiercely. Her arms sneak around my neck, my hands rest on her lower back. Just when our kiss becomes more and more passionate, and a warm feeling is stretching out to every inch of my body, a low, harsh sound disturbs our moment.

"That's the ferry. I have to catch it; it's the last one," she whispers disappointed.

"Go. I'll call you tomorrow," I tell her, and lean in for the last time. Her lips kiss mine, before we separate and she runs off to catch the ferry.

For the first time in my life, I'm speechless. Many things have made me loose my breath; the results of my IQ test, my invitation for the Jeffersonian, my first real report on a body, Christmas with my family... But it was never like this.

The ferry sails away. I see Elena waving at me. I wave back before grabbing my phone. Thank you, I send to her and let out a sigh. This definitely has been the best moment of my life so far.

Fifteen minutes later I arrive at the beach house. Luckily, the door is still open. I sneak inside, and listen if I hear anyone. Nothing. I haven't seen anyone outside either, so everyone is probably in bed. Which is where I must go. Quietly I change into my pyjamas and lie down on the couch. I grab the spare pillow and blanket and make myself comfortable. My breathing slows down as I remember the events of today. Every one of them makes my lips curl into a smile, before I drift off to a carefree sleep.

niah1988: You know, I'll let you guys in on a secret. In the next chapter, there's going to be an S-moment.

Addictt: An S-moment? Ooh, that sounds interesting! What are you planning writing, sweetie? Tell me!

niah1988: Later, honey, later. Don't want to ruin the anticipation for our dear readers!

Addictt: °giggles° Our own little conspiracy; love it! Read and review, people! Thanks :)