Church was the one place Brennan felt more like the children than the adult she was. She squirmed a little bit in the uncomfortable pew and glanced down the row. At the end were David and Emily, watching and listening to the priest intently while they sat with joined hands. Next to them was Jared, who appeared to be more preoccupied with keeping his sons from pinching one another and kicking the pew in front of them. Next to the boys and beside Temperance was Marisa, who was sitting serenely with Ali on her lap. Brennan turned her eyes downward and found the toddler looking at her with an impish smile on her face. Impulsively, Brennan crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue at the baby, who immediately let out a peal of giggles. Not knowing what caused the outburst, Marisa quickly shushed her, causing Brennan to look away guiltily. No reason to get Ali in trouble just because she was bored.
Looking to her other side, she found Booth watching her with amusement, and she flushed lightly. "Sorry," she whispered.
He reached over and squeezed her knee overtop her wool skirt. "Just a little bit longer, babe."
She didn't even know why she was so jittery today…she had a lovely night's sleep, courtesy of her late evening rendezvous with her adventurous partner, and Emily had prepared the most delicious French-press coffee for them this morning. She figured she was picking up on Booth's anxiety…he seemed to be alternating between complete distraction (he responded to one of his brother's trademark insults with a dazed look and a "What?" over breakfast, prompting the whole family to harass him about his lack of a comeback), and an almost hyper-focus on her that was making her just a little uncomfortable. Probably still a little on edge from their dangerous liaison. Which she felt just a little guilty about. Just a little.
They stood and sat a couple more times, sang a few more songs. By the time the priest blessed the group and sent them on their way to their Easter day festivities, she had been about ready to start kicking the pew along with the twins. They filed out of the church after greeting the priest at the door, into the sunshiny day, and she breathed the fresh air deeply while the kids raced ahead to the car, desperately wanting to get back home for their egg-hunt and candy-eating.
Emily took her arm. "You ready to see what Peter Cottontail brought you, hon?" she asked.
Brennan frowned. "I always found the notion of a giant, basket-carrying rabbit somewhat disturbing."
The older woman laughed. "Me too. But if it brought them candy, I think the kids would be thrilled even if Bigfoot were the Easter mascot."
"Well. I think I already know what the Easter bunny is bringing me," she replied, remembering her promised chocolate bunny and giving a pointed look at Booth.
He appeared to nearly choke at her words, and a few coughs left him. "You do?"
"Yes. Bunnies and jellybeans. Take it easy," she replied, patting his back.
What was with him today?
Seeley Booth couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so out of sorts. Between his brain refusing to shut off and his partner's soft (and satisfied, thankyouverymuch) snores, he'd barely gotten any sleep the night before. He'd finally kissed her and snuck upstairs around five, trying to catch even a wink of sleep, but to no avail. Parker had come in shortly after seven, bouncing with the energy of a little boy who knew he'd be getting a basketful of candy.
"Dad! Dija ask her yet? Is Bones gonna be my step-mom?"
Booth had cracked an eye open to find his little boy's face millimeters from his own. "Not yet, Park. Remember, I'm asking her after church."
"Oh yeah. I'm so exciiiiiited," Parker made a goofy face and bounced on the bed.
"Me too, buddy. Go get ready for church, okay?" Booth grinned, running a hand over his son's hair.
Now, almost three hours later, sitting in a pew in said church between his partner and her gleefully-hopeful-possible-future step-son, he could barely concentrate on the words coming out of Father Mike's mouth. He felt Bones place a steadying hand on his rapidly shaking knee and glanced up guiltily. She gave him a questioning glance and he blushed. "Sorry."
"What is your deal today? You're almost as bad as the boys," she murmured.
"Just ready to get out of here. I'll be good. Promise." He offered her a winsome grin.
She rolled her eyes and gave his knee a squeeze. He turned his attention back to Father Mike and tried to concentrate. Just as he was finally feeling like he was able to focus, the priest offered his congregation a wide grin. "Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. A blessed Easter to you all!"
Booth crossed himself and practically leapt from the pew, hustling Parker ahead of him, barely stopping to genuflect on his way.
"What is your brother's problem? You'd think he was the one going home to hunt eggs," Marisa questioned her husband.
Jared shrugged. "I dunno. He's weird."
"He's been acting like that all day," Brennan murmured back. "I have no idea what's going on."
They met up with Booth at the back of the church where he was visiting with Father Mike. "Mike, this is my girlfriend, Temperance," Booth introduced, barely biting back the word fiancée before it escaped his lips. Don't get ahead of yourself, Seeley, he scolded himself. It's still a "yes" away.
"Very nice to meet you, Temperance. Seeley speaks very highly of you."
"Nice to meet you as well, Father. Booth tells me you went to high school together?"
"We did," Father Mike grinned. "Played football and chased girls together, too." Booth chuckled as Bones's eyes went wide.
"Mikey O'Connor?"
"Father Mikey O'Connor," Father Mike teased. "I haven't always been a priest."
Booth laughed heartily. "Sorry, Bones, I guess I forgot to mention Father Mike and Mikey O'Connor were the same guy."
Parker broke the awkward moment Brennan had found herself in. "Daaaaaad, Booooooooooones. I wanna go hunt eeeeeeeeeeeggs."
"Sounds like you guys should get going," Mike grinned. "Next time you're in town longer, give me a call, we'll go grab a burger."
"Sounds good, Mike. Good to see you."
"You too – Temperance, it was a pleasure to meet you."
Bones blushed. "You too, Father."
As they were walking to the Tahoe, Bones looked up at Booth with a smirk and made a comment. "Huh?" he questioned.
"Seeley, what is wrong with you today?"
"Nothing, I just didn't hear you," he shrugged.
"You haven't heard anyone at all today."
"I'm just a little distracted, I'm sorry."
"If there were something going on, you'd tell me…" her voice trailed off and he was hit with a pang of guilt. Stupid. You've been distracted and barely paying attention to her all day. Of course she's worried. Idiot, idiot, idiot.
"Park, get in the truck and buckle up, please, I need to talk to Bones for a second."
Parker nodded gleefully, and hopped into the SUV.
"Honey, I just have something on my mind. Nothing is wrong, so don't worry. I promise this will all make sense in a little while. And yes, I swear to you, if anything was wrong I would talk to you about it. We're a team."
"Okay," she nodded, still eying him tentatively. "Your brother thinks you're being weird."
"My brother's thought I'm weird his whole life. You'll get used to it," he teased, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
Just over an hour later, they were back at home, surrounded by the shrieks of little boys high on too much sugar. Marisa had put Ali down for her nap, and now all were changed out of their church clothes while the adults snapped pictures of the kids digging through their loot from the annual "Booth Family Egg Hunt Eggstravaganza." Bones was taking it all in stride, monitoring the boys' Easter baskets to ensure that no one could be accused of getting more candy than the rest.
"I found another one!" Jeff screeched, a bright blue egg clutched in his hand. He went to drop it in his basket before he actually looked at it, and sighed disappointedly. "Oh. It's got your name on it, Bones."
Seeley swallowed thickly. Here we go.
"For me?" Bones questioned, taking the egg Jeff handed her, then looking up at Booth with a knowing smile on her face. "Ooooohh. This must be the chocolate bunny I've heard so much about."
"What are you waaaaaaaaaaaiting for?! Open it!" Booth had to grin as Parker pleaded with Bones to crack the egg. If he wasn't careful, Parker would either burst with anticipation or steal his thunder and propose to Brennan himself.
She finally popped the plastic egg open. And she stared. Then stared some more. Laying on a small pile of green plastic grass was the ring that Booth had painstakingly decided on and could now describe just as well as the jeweler could: a one-and-a-half-carat, princess cut, canary diamond offset by two half-carat white side diamonds. The center setting was ensconced by five diamonds on each side, with a total weight of a half carat. The room fell silent as each Booth began nudging each other, drawing attention to the gorgeous anthropologist with the shining gem in her hand. He heard Marisa let out a small gasp.
Bones looked at him, shock shining in her eyes – or was it tears? And if it were tears, were they happy ones? "Bones," he cleared his throat and dropped to one knee in front of her, taking the ring from her. "I know marriage is not your thing. And I know I'm putting you on the spot here. But I love you more than any woman I've ever loved, and my son is obviously nuts about you," he indicated the little boy still bouncing on the couch next to Brennan and everyone laughed quietly. "And we want to spend the rest of our lives with you, and we couldn't think of a better way to ask you. So. What I'm asking you is… will you make an honest man of me?" he grinned sheepishly. "Temperance, will you marry me?"
She couldn't breathe. Her skin ran hot, then cold. Her eyes darted around the room and she saw everyone looking at her…waiting for her to say something. Her mind, usually filled with a million facts and ideas, was blank. "I…" Her gaze fell on Booth, and she saw his eyes widen in anticipation. "I…" She looked down at the brilliant diamond in his hand, winking up at her. "I….need to go to the bathroom," she blurted out. "But…I'll be back." She shoved the egg and the grass and the diamond back into Booth's hand, turned on her heels and fled down the hallway.
She couldn't even remember which room was which, so she just opened the first door she came across and flew inside, closing it behind her and standing with her back to it and her eyes squeezed tightly shut. The bathroom, Tempe?, her internal voice laughed at her. A man proposes to you, and your answer is that you have to go to the bathroom?
Shut up, she told herself, trying to quiet her madly racing thoughts. Then she heard a soft rustling sound, followed by a questioning, "Bo?" She wasn't alone.
"Ali," she sighed. The little girl had stood in her crib, holding onto the railing with one hand while using the other fist to rub her sleepy eyes. "I woke you. I'm sorry."
"Okay, Bo," the baby reassured.
Tentatively, she made her way over to the crib, looking down into Ali's big brown eyes. "Your uncle just asked me to be your aunt," she whispered. "I don't know what to do."
With a look that might have been sympathy or confusion or just plain gas, Ali dropped down to her bottom in the crib and took hold of her favorite stuffed bunny. "Aunt Bo."
"I didn't believe in marriage," she explained, to Ali and herself. "It's a societal construct that has traditionally used to exert control and power over women." She paced back and forth in front of the crib. "What does he expect me to do? What am I supposed to do? Go back to that church in a big white dress like I'm some kind of pure virgin?" A painful laugh left her at the thought. "Stay at home and cook his dinner? Have a bunch of little…yous?" Gesturing at the baby.
Ali looked up, surprised, and pointed a chubby finger at herself. "Ali?"
The girl's confusion made her stop in her tracks. A long sigh left her lips, and she leaned her elbows onto the side of the crib, burying her face in her hands. "What am I supposed to do?" she asked, plaintively.
The baby gave her a long hard look, then tossed the bunny aside and picked up the small pillow she had been sleeping on before being interrupted by a panicking Temperance. She thrust it up at her, urging her to take it.
Brennan reached out and took the soft, purple thing in her hands, and had to smile. It was shaped like a heart.
"I should give him my heart?"
"Hawt," Ali agreed.
She laughed softly. "I wish it were that easy." Turning the pillow over in her hands and tracing the lace edging, she continued to muse. "You know…Booth told me earlier this month that people could make their own meaning out of marriage…that it didn't have to be all the things that research suggests it to be. It seems foolish to me, to believe that societal influence could be left out of something that meaningful. But…I wonder what it means to him? If it doesn't mean all the things that I've come to associate with it? What is he asking me?"
We want to spend the rest of our lives with you, he had said. But she'd do that anyway. Regardless.
"Love is the only reason you need to get married." He had told her that on Saint Patrick's Day, after she had (drunkenly) presented all the empirically validated reasons why marriage was a bad idea. He had said it like there was not one argument. Like there were no other truths.
"Is that all it means, Alikins? Just…love?" Booth was big on symbolism. That gorgeous ring…she didn't need it. They didn't need it. But it would mean something to them. Something big. Something important. The same thing?
"I might be over-thinking," she admitted to the baby.
In response, she received a tiny stuffed bunny thrown in her face. She burst out laughing. Real laughter.
"I'll take that as a yes." Smiling, she stroked Ali's hair lightly. "Thank you for putting me in my place."
With a giant breath, she turned to leave.
"Aunt Bo!" came the shriek from behind her. She turned, and saw the baby waving her arms in the air, wanting to be picked up.
She hesitated, before again crossing the room and hoisting the baby onto her hip. "Okay, kiddo. We'll do this together."
They walked down the hall, slowly. When they entered the living room, all eyes were on them. Brennan flushed a deep pink, before letting her eyes fall on a fretting Booth.
"I suppose you're wanting an answer to your question," she said softly, blocking out all the surrounding people.
He nodded.
"I might have one."
A/N: We think you all are some mad cool peeps. Peeps as in awesome peoples. Not as in the marshmallow Easter kind that are sort of gross.
You have thoughts? Feelings? Feedback? Booth lust? Tell us about it!:-D