Disclaimer: Bones and its affiliated characters do not belong to me. I mean no copyright infringement.

In the Beginning: A collection of short one-shots (some are more like drabbles) of Booth & Brennan learning to live together. They are in no particular order. Please let me know what you think!

Rating: T

Author's Notes: Sweet and sad, sappy and funny… this story pretends that the Phillies won the division title and eventually went on to the World Series. This story was inspired by one-shot #5, It's Sports, Bones and penandra's love of baseball and Abbott & Costello. It's not necessary for them to be connected. This could stand alone.

In the beginning of this one-shot, it may seem like I have the title wrong, but hang in there! It'll get there. This is a longer one. There is more than one scene.

One-Shot #6 – Role Play in the 7th Inning

It all started when Booth's favorite baseball team was in the race for the World Series. Booth wanted to teach Bones the finer details of baseball so she could attend a game with him and know what was going on. He'd said that in order to be a fan, there were important things she needed to learn about the game. So after they moved on from the basics, she learned other things like…'Take me out to the Ball Game' and Abbott & Costello's baseball comedy act, 'Who's on First.'

During one of the playoff games, Brennan joined Booth in the living room during the sixth inning.

"All done helping Parker with his homework?" asked Booth.

"Yes, it was fairly simple this time. You could've helped him."

"Geez, thanks. Way to insult my intelligence."

"You're very intelligent Booth. We have different strengths. When it comes to science and math, I'm superior. But it wasn't either of those subjects, today. I wanted to help him so you could watch the game." She paused for a couple of moments. "I was only trying to help, not insult you."

"I know. You're wonderful, Bones."

"Yes, I know."

He chuckled. "Of course, you do. And I'm very happy that you have finally given yourself credit for how wonderful you are."

Her brows furrowed. "When have I not known that? I'm the world's greatest anthropologist and I'm an award winning author." She watched Booth roll his eyes. "and I'm one half of the best FBI team in the country."

He smiled and kissed her for the last part. "Yeah, well, I was referring to when you thought you were protecting me from yourself."

"Oh, that."

"Come here."

She curled into him and laid her head on his chest.

"I love you and nothing is ever going to change that." He lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. "I love you… the most." He kissed her softly. "God, Bones. Sometimes I wake up and for a few seconds worry that it's all a dream. I used to think I would never have you in my arms like this. That I would never be able to kiss you again. Never be able to make love to you."

"I pushed you away. And then I ran away."

"I should have stopped you from thinking you weren't enough."

"Stop it. It wouldn't have worked because I wasn't ready. You had every right to move on. And even though you had your heart broken once again, the experience helped shaped who we are as individuals and together. Can we just be happy that we're together now?"

"Yeah, Bones. We can. We're strong. We're solid."

"We're the center," she added.

A few minutes and kisses later, they separated because fun like that had become a tradition for the seventh inning stretch.

"So what subject did Parker have homework in?"

"Language Arts," she said as she stood up. Parker's homework reminded her of the question words that were in the baseball skit Booth had recited for her during the last game. She wasn't sure if she had them right, but she thought it was close. She paused at the door to the bedroom and turned around to look at Booth. "Who, what, when, where or why?"

"What?"

"Okay."

"Okay what?" he asked. But she had already gone into their bedroom to change into something more comfortable. Their bedroom. Not he and Hannah's bedroom. Not Booth's bedroom. It was their bedroom. She smiled.

She came out wearing one of Booth's jerseys and a pair of skimpy panties that rested underneath her pregnant belly. Booth was very excited and thankful that the 7th inning stretch had already started. She straddled him and initiated their make-out session. It quickly became hot and heavy and only kissing and enjoying her breasts were not enough for him. Just as he was about to remove her silk panties, she pulled away. Not surprisingly, he whined.

"Sorry, Booth. You chose 2nd base."

"What?"

"Exactly."

"What exactly are you talking about, Bones?"

"2nd base. That's all you get during this 7th inning stretch."

"Why?"

"No changies or take backs." His eyebrows rose to express his confusion. "You can't have third base when you chose 2nd base."

"Why? What are you even talking about?"

"Why is on third base. What is on second."

…. And then he understood. He laughed loudly. "You almost got it right, Bones. But Why is in left field… which is where I was when this all started."

"You can't run to left field, Booth. You'd get tagged out."

He laughed again. "It's an expression, Bones. Look, never mind. Don't worry about it. But now I'm the one who is worrying. I do get to score a homerun when the game is done, right?"

"What do you think?" she asked as she settled next to him.

"Thank God. But I should warn you. You set me up so don't be surprised if I don't make it that long."

"I find myself thanking your God, too."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

At the beginning of the next game, he asked her if he should watch out for any trick questions.

"No, you said a joke is only funny the first time."

She waited until right before the 7th inning stretch to change. He'd said it wasn't necessary because he would be removing her clothes anyway."

"I'll just make it easier for you."

He wondered what she would change into. He liked seeing her in his jersey.

She was about to choose something else from his wardrobe when she got an idea for a different kind of surprise. She was happy that Angela had explained what it meant a few years ago.

She walked out and Booth's eye grew wide in surprise. When did she figure it out? Or had she always known?

She sauntered up to him, took off her glasses, and shook out her hair. "Mr. Booth, do you know what the penalty is for an overdue book?"

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Booth had loved baseball all his life. But now, now it was exciting as hell. He was hard and the game hadn't even started, yet. Every so often, he would steal a kiss from her as she worked on her book next to him.

At the beginning of the 7th inning stretch, Bones disappeared into their bedroom. He hoped that she liked the surprise he left her on their bed. While he waited, he took off his button down dress shirt and was left with one of his muscle shirts. She appeared in the doorway of their bedroom a couple of minutes later and grinned at him. Her stomach may have expanded some, but she was beautiful in the black negligee with spaghetti straps.

In his best Phillie accent, he welcomed her. "Hey, why don't you come a little closer, Roxie?"

Her eyes grew big. "That's what this is for, Tiger? It hardly looks like the sexy dress I wore in Vegas. I didn't even know they made maternity negligees." He was pleased that she personified Roxie's personality.

"I disagree, sweetheart. You're just as tempting as ever."

"That's just your male instinct talking. What attracts you is seeing evidence of your virility."

He pouted. "That's something Bones would say. Let me show you how sexy you are, okay?" He pulled her flush against himself so there was no mistake how hard he was for her.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Later that night when they lay in each other's arms feeling sated, Brennan started laughing. She was thrilled with the unexpected side of Booth's bedroom play.

"What's funny?"

"I was thinking about the case we had with the horses. You thought role play was crappy sex. "

"That's when I explained the difference between sex and making love." His eyes grew heated with desire. "I think you know the difference now."

"I know the difference between sex for satisfying an urge and making love. You were right about that. But I would have to disagree about your definition of crappy sex."

"No way. Neither one of us is acting like a horse or a rider."

She rolled her eyes. "I didn't mean that."

"Thank God."

"I meant role play can be fun. It doesn't have to be crappy. We've been doing it during the 7th inning stretch."

Booth chuckled. "Okay, you win. Role play can be fun. As long as you're only role playing with me."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." They met each other in the middle for another passionate kiss.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

"Booth, we should plan ahead for the World Series."

"Plan what? I thought we had everything covered."

"I meant for the 7th inning stretch."

"What? We've already been over this Bones."

"I listened. That's why I got us boxed seats."

His eyebrows rose and his eyes grew wide. "Box seats probably have security cameras."

"It's not like they haven't witnessed sex before Booth. We would be discreet and it's not like they can use the tapes. And the general public would be far away."

"With our luck, a murder would happen and the tapes would be exposed." He chuckled.

"Don't tell anyone about the box seats. They'd want to come with us. With it just being the two of us, I think we can guarantee that won't happen, Booth."

"You're not honestly considering this are you?"

She gave him a wicked smile. "What would you like to role play?"

"Oh God!" he mumbled.

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I'm hoping to have updates for What Could Have Been, Sweets' Plan for the Truth, and Now That's More Like It (The Woman in the Sand) later today or tomorrow, all of which are partially written.

Thank you for your reviews! They are very encouraging and motivating. I wrote a little something funny (hopefully funny) about reviews from our favorite Bones' characters…

Reviewers come in all shapes and sizes. Sweets might say, Dude! It's way awesome. Brennan might say it's satisfying. Booth might say it like this: Thanks for offering up part of yourself. Angela might say, you know when (so and so) happened, you need to keep doing it like that. Cam might say I keep coming back for more because I'm addicted to romance stories. Hodgins might say it's not enough. Maybe you should do an experiment. Caroline might say, Cherie, this is a great story, but don't get used to hearing that from me.

I love hearing from you. It's like the cherry on top of the sundae… actually it's more like the dip for chips for me! : [)