DISCLAIMER: I don't own Bones, and never will. Ever. Can I own an episode? I bags The Girl with the Curl, please. Even just the end scene.
And I just want to say, I'm so crazy happy Bones got picked for a third season… I thought for sure those big wigs in Hollywood would go the Kill Shows that are Really, Really, Massively Good route. So, go Bones! Don't even mind waiting the Millions of Years it will take to come out in NZ. Not even a little…Maybe a little. Writing too much- read the story, it's lots more interesting. Really.
They'd been walking in silence, looking at the games and food stalls, Booth practically inhaling the popcorn he'd gotten.
Then he'd inhaled the popcorn he'd insisted on getting her, too.
He broke the comfortable silence.
"So. Clowns, right, Bones? You know, I used to be pretty good at the old clowns in my day."
She gave him a slow smile. "Really?" She paused, then said nonchalantly, "I could beat you."
He laughed. "No offence, Bones, but games really aren't your thing. Now, if it was, I don't know, Find the Bone, or a chess competition, I'm sure you'd be just great."
She didn't take offence. However, she'd settle for revenge.
"Okay. We'll duck it out. Whoever wins gets to pick the ride."
"It's duke it out, Bones. Not duck. And ride, single?"
"I only consented to one ride. I have an agreement with Angela."
It wasn't lying as much as bending the truth a little, she rationalized. And if she got in trouble, she could always blame Booth, since she picked up this kind of thing from him.
"Okay. You know that's really sad. And you're lying. You stare a little too much when you've got something to hide."
Obviously she had a little work to do in the area of misdirection.
"Okay. Two rides. And it's no sadder than an FBI agent thinking he can beat a forensic anthropologist at clowns."
"Yeah. Cos they totally teach you that at anthropology school."
She just smirked as they approached the clown stall.
"Okay Bones, just watch the master at work, here, alright?"
"Oh, I'm watching. Master."
He glanced at her.
"Two jokes in one night, Bones. Better be careful, you don't want to over do it."
"Just drop your balls, Booth."
He looked at her with the expression that she'd come to understand meant she'd said something that was just too easy to mock. She wasn't sure what she'd said.
"Hurry up, Booth. Beat me." She looked at him challengingly, getting that same rush she always did-when he looked back at her with the same expression, each of them in contest and enjoying it.
"Okay, Bones, here we go."
She watched, fighting not to smile as he put the balls in the clowns' mouths at exactly the wrong times.
He ended up with a stuffed teddy bear approximately the same size as her forearm.
Booth grinned at her triumphantly, shaking the bear at her.
"Don't think you're gonna get this, Bones, when you get a worse score than me. Wouldn't want you to throw up on it when I make you go on the Megatron."
She shrugged.
"Give it to Parker. I'm going to win that one." She pointed to a huge toy gorilla sitting perched above all the other toys
He narrowed his eyes at her in that way that made her stomach tighten involuntarily, no matter how many times he nailed her with it.
"Something you're not telling me, Bones?"
She blinked innocently at him.
"I'm very good with figures, reaction times, rates of speed and movement, Booth. You knew that already."
With that she handed some money to the vendor and five balls dropped into the slot.
Picking one up, she deliberately smirked at Booth, then studied the moving clown's head, dropping the ball into the slot.
"Huh. Fifty points. Lucky shot." Booth muttered behind her.
"I don't think so Booth."
He glared at her and she raised her brows at him, shocked to discover she was actually having a good time.
But then she usually did, with Booth. When he wasn't driving her completely crazy, and second guessing her qualified opinions with nothing more than his gut.
She sunk another ball and cheered when it joined the first one on the rack.
"Gee, that makes one hundred. Booth, how much do I need for the gorilla?"
He muttered something.
She grinned up into his face. "I'm sorry. I didn't hear you."
He glared down at her, then brought his face even closer, smiling wickedly as her eyes widened, just a little, and her smile faltered.
"Two hundred. And I'm so going to make you pay for this."
Her mouth dropped open to protest. Then she snapped it closed, snatched up another ball, and sunk it to get…eighty points. Damn him.
She met Booth's amused gaze. "You know, this game takes skill and concentration. Concentrating on something else, there, Bones? Say, me?"
She looked like she was going to drag him backwards through a wall, so he changed tactics.
"Brennan now needs to get two tens. The most difficult to achieve. Can she do it, ladies and gentlemen? I don't think so!"
She frowned. "Who are you talking to?"
He sighed." Bones, it's sports narration. You must have-" He gave up as she continued to look confused. "You know what, doesn't matter. Go. Play on."
Brennan turned to the board. Trying to ignore the fact that Booth was crowded against her, she sunk another ball.
"Ten points!" The vendor cried.
Booth glared at him.
"Right. War tactics, Bones." He ran a hand down her am.
She pushed him away. "What are you doing?"
"Distracting you."
She laughed. "Booth, I've worked in war zones, political hot spots, had guns fired overhead, been both flooded and buried alive, and still haven't lost my concentration. What are you planning to do? Shoot me?"
He glowered at her. "I was thinking about it."
She smirked and picked up the final ball. She studied the movements of the clown, breathing deeply. She watched for the right time, reached out, and was about to sink it, when she felt her hair being brushed away from her neck.
"Booth."
"Concentrate, Bones. War zones, remember? How am I distracting after that?" He teased.
"Oooh." She was mad at herself, unable to ignore the tingling sensation of Booth pulling her hair gently. She could feel it all the way down her spine.
Taking a deep breath, she tried again.
And just before she let go of the ball, she felt a light finger tracing a path down the nape of her neck.
"Booth!" She whirled, glaring at him, deciding to ignore the fact her voice had gotten huskier, and her knees felt like they were going to collapse.
"Bones?" He said mildly. As if she hadn't looked so damned sexy concentrating so hard on a kid's game. As if he didn't want to rip that stupid heavy coat off her and make her forget her own name. Kiss her until he lost himself as well.
But he wouldn't do that, without consent. And if he read the confusion in her eyes, and the slight panic, he'd do more harm than good, if he kept this up.
"Okay, Bones. Take your shot. No funny stuff, I promise." He backed away, hands held up.
She turned, but she couldn't concentrate, with her heart jumping and her coat suddenly feeling far too heavy for the heat of the night.
She spun back, and thrust the ball at him.
"You do it."
"It's your turn, Bones."
"You do it." She insisted. "Ill-I'll tell you when."
"Okay." Watching her, he gently took the ball from her grasp, vaguely amused as her cheeks turned the lightest shade of pink.
Standing behind him, she found her concentration was hugely improved. She leaned closer, and studied the clown.
"Okay, wait for it. Wait for it. Now!" She cheered as the ball ran through to the ten point marker.
"We won!" Ecstatic, she laughed up at him ,her eyes glowing.
He just looked at her, an odd expression on his face.
Her laughter faded. "What?"
He blinked, his expression clearing. "Oh, you know, I just feel kind of bad I just ended up with this."
He held up the teddy bear.
She studied him as the vendor handed her the giant stuffed toy.
"You can have the gorilla."
"Nah, Bones, you earned that fair and square. I'm very surprised. But you know," He wagged a finger at her, "I'm gonna surprise you back if it takes me all night to do it. Gotta keep the ego intact, after all."
She smirked at him, relieved that things seemed to be back on firm ground between them. A little disappointed, too, but too scared to look deeper into why that was.
"It's alright, Booth, you're still a man."
"Thanks, Bones, that's real nice."
"I don't see your masculinity as diminished in any way."
'Pick a ride, Bones."
"It's perfectly normal for an alpha male to feel somewhat-"
He made a kind of exasperated growl deep in his throat. "-Bones. Choose. A ride."
She pointed, closing her eyes briefly at the feeling of enjoyment as he slid an arm around her waist to guide her through the crowd.
"That one."
He groaned. "Oh, man."
Author's note: I don't know what a Megatron is. Use your imagination. It probably involves a lot of adrenaline generating, however. Have a lovely day, and thanks for reading! Coming up- Hodgela! Little bit. And, later, that burning question…will Booth and Bones ever get together? Keep reading to find out- final chapters up soon. Ish.