The next morning was hectic everyone ran around eating breakfast and getting ready to spend the afternoon at the beach. Because the weather called for a chance of thunderstorms, they decided to spend the day soaking in the sun and the next day at the boardwalk with more favorable weather. Angela and Booth packed a cooler filled with drinks and sandwiches for lunch as Hodgins and Zack argued over the best way to pile everything on a wagon to drag through the sand.
Booth finished in the kitchen and walked down the hall to make sure that Parker was finished getting ready. On the way to the bathroom he passed the open door to Brennan's room. She was laying on the bed, wearing a pair of sweatpants and T-shirt.
"Bones! We're going to be leaving for the beach really soon and you haven't gotten dressed yet!"
She hardly looked up from the notebook she was reading. "I'm well aware of that Booth. I was just going to spend the day inside. My ankle isn't cooperating. Besides with the nice weather and the silence, I figured that I would start brainstorming for my novel. You, bestsellers don't just write themselves."
"I know Bones. But why can't you do that on the beach. You know, soak in the rays, enjoy being on a mini vacation…"
"I can do it inside, and away from the sand that will most likely get lodged in the aircast. Besides, if it was going to storm, I wouldn't be able to move too fast if we had to seek shelter." She sat up straighter against the headboard. "Parker'll be there and he'll want to spend time with you. Take advantage of that."
Booth shook his head, now agitated. "Yes Bones, he wants to spend time with me, but he also wants to spend time around you. Around the woman that he hears about when I discuss the miniscule amount of work I do. He wants to know his father's friends. He's met you before, it's not like he's a stranger."
Their argument was interrupted by the sound of bare feet running down the hallway. "Daddy, I put my sunblock on!" Booth sent a stern glance towards Brennan before he bent down to his son's level.
"You missed a spot right there." Booth poked him in the stomach and Parker giggled. "Go wait in the other room. I'll be right there." Booth waited for him to leave, before standing to face Brennan. "Bones, it's stupid for you to sit here by yourself."
"Booth, stop worrying about me. I'm fine. Now please, go have fun." Booth bit his tongue and told himself that he wouldn't say anything else. Brennan, finally in silence, returned to the notebook in her hand. That was until Angela appeared in the doorway. Angered now at the intrusions onto her time, she forcefully closed the notebook to try and stand. She opened her mouth to speak, but Angela raised her hand to stop her.
"I'm not here to try to get you to come with us. Booth already tried. I was just saying that you should let us know if you need anything and don't hesitate to call." Angela turned away before Brennan could apologize. She heard the door close moments later and had the house to herself.
…
Brennan moved her set up to the living room. She faced out towards the beach, hoping that the scene might spark an idea. Her ankle was still very swollen so she had it propped up with ice. Her laptop was propped open on her lap, but the only thing she accomplished was changing her cursor to a dinosaur to inspire her. Instead she had a laugh, before staring off into space.
After not starting anything she instead turned herself to the television and laid down on the couch. She ignored the cartoons and infomercials and found herself watching a movie about a man fighting injustice in a corrupt city. At first she thought it was about a man that turned into an actual bat, but was happy to see that he simply portrayed one. As the movie was finishing, she heard the front door open and she quickly turned the TV off, pretending that she was at least trying to get some work done.
She rolled over and peeked over the arm rest to see Booth walk into the house, a scowl painted onto his face. She sat up, and hobbled to see him in the kitchen, downing a bottle of water.
"Why are you back Booth?" she asked when he stopped drinking.
"Because I felt like it." He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he just threw the bottle into the recycling bin and stormed off down the hallway. Brennan stood there confused, but decided to leave it be. It was already twelve so Brennan decided to make a sandwich.
She was in the process of taking the materials out of the refrigerator when Booth returned; he had changed from his swim trunks to a pair of cargo shorts and decided to forgo a shirt. Booth must have noticed her staring because he glared at her.
"Got a problem?" he asked in a nasty tone. Brennan looked at him with disgust.
"Look, I don't know what your problem is, but I'm not really caring for it. If you are going to act like an ass, please do me a favor and stay away. This place is big enough for the both of us."
"Yeah Bones. Trust me, I'll be out of your way." When she went to make her sandwich, Booth was back in the kitchen, rooting through a plastic bag on the counter. He pulled out an orange prescription bottle and popped two of the pills. She tried to inch closer to see what it was for, but Booth thrust the bottle into his pocket and walked to the living room.
Brennan finished her sandwich and limped her way back to the living room where Booth had taken residence on the couch opposite where she was. He had the TV turned to Scooby-Doo.
"I loved this show when I was younger," she commented after taking a bite of her sandwich.
Booth rolled over so that he could face her. "Really? I always thought that you would be one to blow off television altogether. You know, head in a book kinda thing."
"No," she replied, shaking her head. "Russ and I would sit in front of the TV watching cartoons for hours. Dad would get mad, always telling us that we should be reading. But there was always something about Freddie."
"Freddie? Really? I thought that you'd like Velma."
"No. Actually I thought she was too…" her sentence trailed off. Booth gave her an expectant look. "I thought she was a nerd."
Booth cracked the first smile that she had seen all weekend. "Oh that's funny." Brennan threw a pillow at him.
…
It was late afternoon when the others returned from the beach, chased by menacing thunderhead clouds that came from the south. Brennan and Booth spent the afternoon watching a Scooby-Doo marathon. Brennan watched Booth closely; she knew there was something up with him and his agitated behavior. He fell asleep at one point and seemed troubled even in his sleep. She resisted asking him though, opting to corner him when the other couldn't appear.
Hodgins and Zack rode into town to pick up lobsters for dinner. Booth and Hodgins cooked them while everyone else played cards in the living room. As Parker told Zack to go fish again, Brennan took it as a chance to ask her friend a question.
"You don't think there is anything wrong with Booth, do you?"
"No. I mean he's crabby but that could just be tiredness or stress. Why?"
Brennan thought about telling Angela about the pills, but decided not to. "No reason. I was just looking for a second opinion." Angela looked at her as if she knew there was something else, but didn't go further. Booth called for dinner moments later and everyone filled to the dining room.
They were short one chair so Parker sat on Booth's lap as they enjoyed lobster and baked potatoes. Angela and Brennan were talking about a movie that Angela wanted to see once they returned to DC. Brennan's attention, however, was divided as she watched Parker recount all the activities of the afternoon to Booth. He seemed happier, though not by much.
Following dinner they watched Finding Nemo together. Brennan found herself mildly interested in a movie for the second time that day. He carried him to Brennan's room, promising to move him later on. Brennan didn't mind however. While Booth put Parker to bed, Hodgins went to the kitchen and returned with a bottle of vodka.
"Anyone up for a game?"
…
"Never have I ever slept with someone who's name I didn't know," slurred Zack as he struggled to stay sitting up.
Hodgins, Angela, and Brennan all took shots. Booth, who wasn't drinking, gave Brennan a questioning look. "What?" she replied. "College was a hell of a place."
Angela giggled loudly and slapped her hand on the table. "Never have I ever lied to my best friend." The table got quiet and no one took a drink. Angela looked to Brennan as if she expected her to drink. Brennan would have been offended had Booth not stormed out to the porch at the same time Zack passed out on the floor.
