Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed or added this story to their alert thing, it's great that you all seem to like it so much. :] Here's the next chapter, back in the present. Hope you like it.

7 years later

"Aw Bones, this is a new suit!"

"Deal with it Booth! Collapsed buildings tend to be quite dirty."

I scowled and brushed some dust and ash off my pants.

Bones carried on past the police tape and headed towards where the fireman had directed her. Before us stood a small cabin, just large enough for one or two people to live in. Although 'stood' was perhaps the wrong word to use. More… wobbled. The building was still smoking from the fire that had ravaged its already flimsy structure, and what was left was mostly black and caving in.

Bones moved past the building and headed around behind it towards where the back door would have been. Lying little than four feet from the door was an exceptionally badly burned body, sprawled forwards with one arm reaching forwards as if trying to crawl away from the fire.

She pulled some gloves out from her overall pocket and knelt down next to the body.

"Woah, Bones, that does not smell healthy." I walked up behind her and wrinkled my nose at the smell. "What you got for me?"

Bones squinted at the remains and answered in the precise tone she always used when examining a body. "Male. Mid to late 20's. Caucasian. An accelerant was definitely used; this fire was savage."

I frowned. "Accelerant? That mean homicide then?"

"I'm not comfortable jumping-"

"-to that conclusion. Yeah, I know Bones." I sighed, though it was only put on. Secretly I found her odd habits endearing. "Just, it's possible right? Even probable?"

"Yes, although until Hodgins can identify what exactly the accelerant was and how it spread, it will be impossible to tell whether it was accidental or not."

"Sure Bones, 'cause gee, if I spilt gasoline on my friend I'd definitely make sure I lit it too. And run off, without trying to put him out or tell someone about it."

My Bones glared up at me from where she crouched next to the victim. "Sarcasm, "she stated coolly, "does not help in an investigation." She turned her attention back to the burnt man. "And who said anything about his 'friend' lighting him on fire?"

"You rarely get murdered by a stranger Bones."

"Which, while statistically correct, would still indicate that the deceased and his murderer were, in fact, not friends. I wouldn't set you or Angela on fire."

"I'm touched Bones."

"It's true."

"I'm sure it is."

"Good."

"…"

"Booth, why are you laughing?"

"No reason, Bones." My voice came out somewhat choked. I tried to hold back the smirk on my face, but was having immense difficulty, especially since she was looking up at me with those crystal blue eyes with such sincerity.

Eventually she rolled her eyes at me and turned back to the remains. After a minute or so more, she stood up and declared that we had to take it all back to the Jeffersonian and that she could find out the rest from there.

As we drove back in comfortable silence, I wondered whether or not to bring it up, or if I should wait for a better time.

"Just cough it out, Booth."

I blinked a couple of times in surprise and glanced at my partner. "Er- what?"

She turned to me and fixed my gaze with hers. "What ever it is that you want to say to me. Just cough it out."

"Spit, Bones, just spit it out."

"Oh, right. Well, spit it out then."

I frowned at her and found myself amazed at this woman yet again. "Um, well, it's just a favour actually. That I wanted to ask you, I mean."

She looked at me with open eyes and said nothing, waiting for me to continue.

I found myself stumbling over the words in my head, struggling to bring them together to form a complete sentence. It was like prom all over again. I mentally picked myself up, and decided to start with the facts, before the question.

"Well, an old buddy of mine is getting married next weekend. He's asked me to go, and I'm going to, obviously, and I got Rebecca to keep Parker this weekend, so that's all sorted. Because it's a long way away, I'm going to have to stop there, it's going to be all weekend, and-"

"Booth," Bones interrupted in a tone that warred between amusement and concern, "You're rambling."

My mouth flapped open and closed stupidly a couple of times before I regained my composure. "Um, well I was wondering if, er, if…"

While I floundered around like an idiot kid asking a girl out for the first time, Bones just gazed unblinkingly at me. Her chin was rested on the butt of her palm, with her elbow propped up against the arm of the seat. She seemed perfectly content to watch me flail about like a fish out of water, and from the gentle, but persistent, turning up at the corners of her mouth, I could only assume she found my fluster somewhat amusing.

"-if you could water my plants for me." I gushed.

Her brow immediately creased in a frown. "What?"

My head screamed at me. What the hell was that? If I wasn't so horrified at myself I would have laughed. "Er-"

"But you're only going to be gone for the weekend; you don't need to water your plants every day. " She carried on, oblivious to my internal shock-horror. "Some plants can survive for exceptionally extended periods of time without watering. It depends on the species. What plants do you have?"

The amount of house plant species I knew, I could count on my fingers. Desert plants, jungle plants, I could name. Even bouquets, since I'd bought enough of them. But those little ones that people had in pots on the windowsill? That was a different matter. "Um, blue ones." I replied lamely.

Bones raised an eyebrow. "It's not really necessary, but if you want me to, then I'll water them for you."

"Thanks Bones." I muttered, and tried to sink into my seat a bit more, desperate to leave the conversation.

The rest of the journey passed in silence. Bones stared leisurely out of the passenger window, and I fixed my gaze on the road, my eyes wide and my mind racing in annoyance.

Note to self: Buy some blue plants.

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