Spoilers/Timeline: None/Set in future

A/N: Written in response to wtvoc's prompt at comment fic meme: booth and pops; booth goes to ask if he can have gramma's ring.

Disclaimer: Nope, it hasn't changed from last chap: Bones isn't mine; title from Sugarland's Love


"Shrimp!" He watched as Nurse Soft Hands left the room and his grandson entered. "This is a surprise... you come to tell me that I'm gonna have another grandchild out of wedlock?"

"No," Booth shook his head, lowering himself to a chair across from Pops, "not yet..."

"You mean you and the good doctor finally got it together? How long has this been going on?"

"I guess," he quickly glanced at his watch, the corner of his mouth tipping up as he did some silent math in his head, "it's been about three months now. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but-"

"I get it. Really, I do." He smiled; these two had been circling each other for, from what he could tell, years. It wasn't surprising they'd wanted to keep it to themselves for a bit. "How's it feel to finally get to hold her, son?"

He blushed. Honestly, truly blushed, which caused Pops to laugh and prod him in the arm. He did ask a question after all.

"Amazing. Wonderful... Iaccidentallyproposedto her..." 
 Hank had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. "Got lost in the heat of the moment?"

"No!" His cheeks flushed an even deeper red, remembering her fingers tracing his ribs, mouth sucking at his jaw, the night before. "Nothing like that. I just..."

He was struggling.

How could he explain it?

They'd been curled up on the couch watching hockey, her head resting comfortably on his shoulder when she'd announced she had a surprise for him. Slowly, she'd reached behind him to the end table and, shyly, handed him two tickets to the sold out Monster Jam show Parker had been begging to go to. Her tentative smile blossomed into one of relief - joy - as he'd pulled her closer and pressed a kiss to her temple, love overwhelming him. She'd wanted to make them - her family - happy.

God, he really loved her.

And that's when it had happened.

The words out of his mouth before he'd realized it: a soft 'I love you' followed by the two neither of them expected to hear him say.

Ask.

At least, not yet.

And what had she done? Brushed her lips across his before letting her head fall against his shoulder once more.

"You in there, Seeley?"

He nodded, eyes drifting over the mementos in Pops' room: old books, newspaper clippings about him and Bones, pictures upon pictures of Pops and Gram... "She gave me a gift... something I wasn't expecting... and I just got overwhelmed..." he took a deep breath, fingers tapping idly against the table, "she didn't answer, knew I hadn't planned on asking, but..." he lifted his eyes, meeting Pops' amused gaze, "she didn't tense up or argue about the institution itself like she would have in the past so..." he realized he was rambling and inhaled sharply once more; better get to the point, "when I ask her for real I'd like to... uh, could I give her Gram's ring?"

He couldn't take it any longer, the pained look on his grandson's face was too much. Rising, he shuffled over to the night stand by his bed and rummaged around for a few minutes before returning to the table. "You're a lot like us, you know? Driving each other crazy, always pushing, but, at the end of the day, you're there for each other. Always. Gram would like that; she'd want Temperance to have it."

Booth's fingers closed around the box, thanks going unspoken as he slid it into his pocket and picked up the deck of cards in front of him. "Gin rummy?"

"I'm always up for a game." He settled back in the chair as Seeley dealt, the tension and quiet sadness he usually wore no longer present. He was relaxed... happy... "Congrats, shrimp.

"That's a little premature Po-"

"No," he picked up his cards, slowly beginning to arrange them, "congratulations, Seeley."