Midnight Ice Capades
Author's note: I don't own Bones or any of the characters. I was listening to Snow Patrol's Set Down Your Glass from the album A Hundred Million Suns when I wrote this.
I told her nothing would change between the two of us and she babbled some squint talk about entropy or what have you. He shook his head smiling to himself.
He had then spouted that he would never let her fall and the universe must have heard him because it was at that moment of his slight distraction that his partner leaned forward causing her to try to right her balance as she clung to his arm. He was unable to compensate for the sudden change and the two of them toppled onto the ice. Luckily with his fast reflexes he was able to get his body under hers while managing to keep his head from taking a nasty knock.
"Oh my God, Booth your head!" she exclaimed eyes wide and cheeks red with embarrassment.
"I'm fine Bones. See nothing's broken." Booth said reassuringly.
Bones was now straddling him and checking to make sure that he had not sustained any injuries.
"Geez Bones quit poking me!" Booth said teasingly.
"I'm sorry Booth." Bones said chagrined and puffing out a bit of air feeling deflated.
"I thought you said you had natural athletic ability!" He teased.
"Now you're just being mean!" Bones said with a pout.
She leaned back and sighed not realizing the proximity to his groin area. Booth felt the shift and groaned.
"Bones would you mind getting up?"Booth said in a slightly higher octave.
"Why what's wrong?!" She said worriedly. She began examining him again and hovering over him.
He closed his eyes and tried his best to ignore his partner's movements along his body.
Hmmm her hair smells so good! He mentally noted.
Bones seeing his eyes closed felt a wave of panic.
"Booth wake up!" Bones exclaimed in a loud voice.
The desperation in her voice immediately caused his eyes to snap open. And he felt her arms wrap around his torso holding onto him tightly.
"Bones I told you I was fine. I just needed a minute." He said tracing circles aimlessly on her back.
"I get nervous when you fall down and don't get up." Bones said solemnly as she extricated herself from.
"I know that Bones." Booth said in a slightly deeper tone before squeezing her hand in reassurance.
Booth gingerly got up first before offering his partner his hand.
"Maybe it's better if I get myself up I don't want to inadvertently cause any more damage." She said.
"Don't be silly Bones. Take my hand." He said with a grin.
She took his hand in her gloved one.
"Why don't we find another activity that won't cause you bodily harm?"Bones said.
"Sure Bones. Why don't you take me home?" Booth said.
The minute the words left his mouth he immediately regretted them knowing how literal his partner took things.
"We fit you know." She said.
"What?!" Booth exclaimed.
"Our hands, see." Bones said gesturing to their linked hands.
"It makes me wonder..." Bones said her words trailing.
"Wonder what Bones?" Booth said with a slight tilt of his head.
"How else we fit." She said eyes locked on his.
Seeley Booth's stomach jumped up into his throat the moment his partner said those words. His flummoxed expression and lack of response made her want to leave the rink immediately.
"I'm sorry Booth that was inappropriate and unprofessional." She said her voice empty and indifferent.
"Temperance, stop." Booth said gently laying a hand on her arm and tucking his fingers under her chin so their eyes could meet.
"I need to know something." Booth said.
She nodded her head slightly.
"I need to know that this would be more than fulfilling your biological urges." Booth said.
He could see the wheels turning in his partner's head as she considered what he said. Her body's flight or fight response was evident in the humming of her body and the tension in her shoulders. After a few seconds passed he saw her shoulders slump and watched as she took a deep breath.
"You're my partner Booth." She stated.
With those words he felt his heart break and he squared his shoulders preparing to skate out of the rink.
He was able to skate a foot before he felt her hand grip his shoulder.
"Perhaps I wasn't being clear in my response."She said but he still wouldn't turn around so she skated to face him and kept her hands on his shoulders to steady herself.
"You're my partner, Booth. I'm concerned about your well-being. When that gladiator on the ice knocked you down and you didn't get up it reminded me of when you took a bullet for me. A bullet I was more than happy to take. And I said so as much at your funeral." She said as a tear trailed down her cheek and headed towards the ice.
Without thinking he automatically began to wipe the tears from her cheeks.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm not going anywhere. I'll always be here." Booth said as he wrapped her in an embrace.
"Logically speaking that's impossible. We all die eventually." She said as she buried her nose into his shoulder.
He chose to ignore her morbid statement and moved his hands to her waist.
"Look at that. We do fit." He said.
She moved back slightly so she could look him full in the face.
"You've taught me that relationships can be more than biological urges that there's an emotional component as well. It is possible that our surrogate relationship could change into a romantic one. I find I have deep feelings for you...as a life partner." She said.
Then she leaned close enough to his ear and whispered in the sexiest voice you could imagine. "And I can think of a few activities that will keep you awake all night."
Booth's face transformed into one of his shit-eating grins and she found herself unable to stop her mouth from quirking at the corners until her expression matched his.
"Let's go Bones. I'll even let you drive." He said enthusiastically as they made their way off the ice.
La fin