"Bones"

The playground was crowded by policemen and some journalists were standing outside the barriers. The body of a child at a playground ... horrible news always sold best. One of the journalists recognised Dr. Brennan and began to shout: "Dr. Brennan, Dr. Brennan do you have any conjectures on what happened here?"

Brennan looked at the young female journalist and impatiently shook her head: "I am just arriving at the scene... how could I know anything before looking at the evidences? And you will not get any conjectures from me. I am working with facts!" Brennan stated, then she turned around and left the dumbfounded journalist.

Booth had to smile at himself listening to Brennan's answer. Of course a simple "No comment" or even saying nothing would have done too, but that was his Bones... no conjectures, heaven forbid!

They finally reached the place, where the boy had found the parts of the skull.
Brennan took the gloves a FBI agent offered her. "We have found more bones... only fragments, they were lying near the skull." The young agent pointed towards some small bones that had been brushed free of dirt.

Brennan kneeled down beside the findings and started to examine the bones.
In the meanwhile Booth investigated the area, when he suddenly heard something that really startled him.

The sound of laughter.
'A playground with the body of a child and somebody is laughing?' he simply could not believe it. He started to look around to make out the source of the noise, when he realised that it sounded familiar. He spotted Brennan who was holding the partial skull in her hands and was trying to suppress the laughter that was shaking her body.

He hurried towards her "Bones are you insane?" he whispered. "Booth..." she was breathless and needed a moment to regain the ability to speak. "Booth... this" she presented the skull "is a monkey!"

He stood there, dumbfounded and lamely repeated "A monkey."

Brennan smiled and nodded. "A chimp, likely, but of course I am not an expert on zoological details... but it's definitely not human... maybe the zoo misses a chimp? I would say these bones have been here for... about a year."

"A monkey... I can't believe it." Booth smiled too and shook his head. He looked at the policemen, who had been watching Brennan's outburst in shock and disbelief.
"Guys! It's not a child... it's not even a human. These are the bones of a monkey!"

Slowly smiles crept on the faces of the policemen and FBI agents. Cases with children always were the worst. Normally the mood was totally weighed down, but now you could hear laughter from some of the men.

Immediately after hearing that it was just a monkey, the journalists packed their things... "It seems monkeys are not interesting." Brennan stated while watching the journalists leave. The young female journalist looked at her and Brennan waved her hand cheerily. The journalist frowned and entered the car.

The playground quickly emptied and only Booth, Brennan and two policemen were left.

"Seems we have some time off... why don't we go for a walk?" Booth smiled at her and pointed towards the near park.

She shrugged "Sure, why not."

He automatically reached for her hand and they went for some time in silence.

"Temperance... what I said today... I really love being a father. I love children. But I did not want to scare you... I don't want to put pressure on you... If you don't want children, then I can live with that. Because what I really want is you!" He stopped and lifted her chin with his index finger to meet her eyes.

Her pale blue eyes were fixed on his, when she whispered. "I don't know if I want children, Booth. A year ago I would have said no. But you changed it. With you I can picture it... But I can not make this decision now... I...I " He stopped her stammering by sealing her lips with his.

"You don't have to decide it now. That you are thinking about it, is more than I hoped for... I love you... and I want a life with you. That is what matters most to me!" He kissed her again, a warm and gentle kiss that was full of tenderness.

She closed her eyes and simply enjoyed the warmth of his lips and the feeling of his strong and protective arms around her.
She pulled back a bit, just enough to look into his dark brown eyes
"I love you too, Seeley Booth... and I want a life with you." She said seriously.

He briefly touched her cheek and murmured with a husky voice "You are so beautiful, have I told you that already?"

She smiled "Yes. At least twice today. But I love to hear you saying things like that."

He gave her a quick kiss, then sighed. "Let's have lunch, then I'll drive you back to the lab. I have plenty of paper work to do."

She nodded and they left the park, still holding hands.