Here they are back to back-the final two-since the last chapter is quite short. Thanks again to my lovely, faithful followers. Your reviews have been so kind and encouraging. Please put down all sharp objects before reading this chapter *runs away*. Bear in mind, there is one more chapter!
RT, your love of Booth/Sweets scenes delights me. You are such a fan of those two boys! ;)
Disclaimer: Not mine.
It was pouring outside, but the two ran under Lance's giant umbrella to the stoop of an apartment complex across the street. As they sat on the top step, rain cascaded all around them. Bright flower pots contrasted with the gray night and made for a pretty picture, if a sad duo.
Daisy said, "Did you miss me, Lancelot? I missed you!"
Lance, in near disbelief that she chose to begin the conversation thusly after their recent phone conversation, answered, "Yeah. Of course I did. But you moved on. I moved on. Right?"
"You're dating that Asian woman?" she pronounced the word Asian as if she were saying pustule. Lance was surprised, but he knew that Daisy had stopped by the Jeffersonian earlier. Cam had probably said something to Daisy. She had probably told Daisy to back off, actually.
"Um, I guess. We've been kind of seeing each other for a month or so. I dunno. It's complicated." Lance didn't feel like justifying his strange relationship with Bea to his ex-fiancée. It just made him feel like he was a failure at relationships.
"Have you two had sex?" Daisy asked directly.
God, she was blunt. "No, not yet." Lance wondered how much Daisy had changed in the past year. She seemed more subdued and more introspective but with the same impulsive behaviors.
"Well then, it must not be love. Remember, we had sex on the first date! We couldn't control ourselves. You said you'd never done that before!" Daisy was growing flushed with hope.
Lance became irritated. "Well, I hadn't, and I won't do something like that again. It was irresponsible. Look where it ended!" He was actually bitter. He hadn't expressed any of these feelings to Daisy when she had left. They poured out now. He folded his arms in hostility and looked away.
"Lance, do you still love me?" Daisy asked quietly.
"Don't ask me that, Daisy. It's not fair."
She moved closer to him and put her hand under his coat onto his stomach, which became taut. She moved in very close and whispered, "I still love you. So much." Her lips approached his and connected with electricity. He kissed her back. It felt so good. She began sliding her hands up and down his abdomen and near his belt. He was aroused and cursed his body for responding so immediately to this woman he had hoped to reject.
"Lance, I can tell you want me. You never could hide it with me."
Presumptuous. Unfair. Yet he moved his body against hers and held on for dear life.
Now that Daisy was back she needed help moving her stuff out of storage and into her new studio apartment. It was a 3rd floor walk up, and she required manpower. It was the day after Lance and Daisy's intimate conversation on the stoop. He had extracted himself after their kiss and hoped to avoid her as much as possible to clear his head. The only problem was, he needed to be at the Jeffersonian to brief the team on a number of open cases.
At the Jeff, it just so happened that Dr. Brennan had requested the presence of every intern to catalogue the bones she had missed in the past year. Therefore there were plenty of people to enlist for Daisy's big move. She zoomed around the Jeffersonian locating suckers.
Lance was at Hodgins' station chatting benignly with the bug doctor, Wendell, and Arastoo. None of them were even pretending to work. Cam kept sending them withering stares from the platform where she was peering at a gelatinous mass of human along with Dr. Brennan (who was oblivious to the malingering male convention).
Daisy sprang up to the boys. "Hey guys! I need some help moving in this Saturday! Anyone available? I'll buy beer!" she sounded like she was offering them a winning lottery ticket rather than an onerous task.
Each man shifted uncomfortably and mumbled, trying to avert his eyes. Lance was most evasive and physically hid behind Hodgins.
Hodgins, who had license to be a misanthrope, stated bluntly, "No way. I only move in lovers and blood relatives. No exceptions. Sweets, quit hiding behind me and man up!" he spat at the cowering psychologist.
"Lance? Are you free? I could really use the help!" Daisy literally batted her eyelashes, which made Hodgins roll his eyes and furiously push aside to return to peering into his microscope.
Lance looked sheepishly at his ex-girlfriend and assented, "Sure, Daisy. I can help." He was weak at drawing boundaries, particularly when it came to this particular petite fireball.
Wendell and Arastoo looked at each other and shook their heads, annoyed that Lance had caved. From pure solidarity they also agreed to help for a few hours.
"Great! Thanks guys!" She flitted her eyes one more time at Lance, who was looking at his shoes and then bounded off.
"Aw man, why'd you agree to that!" Hodgins boomed.
"Yeah, man. I'm sorry, but you're going to have to draw the line unless you want to get sucked back into her orbit!" Wendell added.
"She definitely has you in her tractor beam. Danger, man. Danger!" Arastoo continued the tiresome metaphor.
Lance was annoyed because there was truth to their words, and he said, "It'll be fine. She's small—she can't lift her furniture by herself. I'd do it for any friend."
"Yeah, but she isn't your friend, dude. She's your ex," Hodgins huffed.
Lance shrugged and wandered off. They were right, but he couldn't help himself. He was finding Daisy as irresistible as ever, though he had worked for a year to move on. He would have to remain strong and figure out what he wanted from her, not the other way around. He had to find a way to better dictate their interactions.
What would Bea think if she knew he were going to help Daisy? What does Bea think of me? he wondered. Whatever relationship they had was confusing as hell. Though Lance found himself in a dilemma yet again, he finally believed in his ability to sort it all out…eventually.
Moving Daisy went on for hours. Long after Wendell and Arastoo had run for their lives, Lance was carrying up Daisy's boxes of books. Lance thought he had a lot of books, but this little lady made his collection look puny. Lance tended to read a book and then move on, perhaps even giving it away; Daisy read and re-read. It was a product of her speed reading that she didn't always retain the content for very long but revisited it over and over.
Lance set down the last box and collapsed on Daisy's couch. He groaned in pain. His stomach muscles and shoulders hurt.
"Beer, Lance?" Daisy offered.
Lance mumbled a "sure," and she appeared with a Magic Hat. He sat up and took a swig.
"Thanks for your help! Your shoulders hurt?" she eyed him in his white t-shirt with interest.
"Mm-hm," he responded with another groan.
Before he could stop her, she had pulled him around and began massaging. It was blissful. Daisy had always had very strong fingers, and she dug into his sore spots like a professional. Lance closed his eyes and succumbed to the delicious pain.
Soon Daisy was venturing beyond Lance's shoulders and touching his chest. She embraced him and he leaned back into her. They fit like puzzle pieces.
"Lance?"
His eyes were still closed.
"I'm really sorry that I didn't realize what a great thing we had. I thought my career was more important…and frankly, I'm glad that I went. I needed to try new things to understand that what I wanted was actually right in front of me." Her words came softly. "I want to be a great anthropologist but more importantly, I want to love you and be with you."
The annoyed part of Lance thought, That's convenient for her. After all was said and done she wanted him back. Another part of Lance was too tired to resist and wanted above all else to be loved. This side of Lance won out for now; he would make the real decisions later. She lay him back down on the couch and placed her small body on top of his. She kissed him and moved against him in the exact way he had been longing for all year. Quite simply, she knew just what to do with his body to make him feel wonderful. He wasn't lonely or sad anymore but content.