A/N: Had to get back to happy. This one is sometime in the season 6 hiatus.
It was 7:30 Tuesday morning and Caroline Julian was irritated. The afternoon before a judge had granted yet another delay to a defense attorney and she had yet to stop spitting nails. This morning her coffee maker had given up the ghost, her last decent pair of panty hose had run and her Gremlin was making ominous noises. She exited the elevator toward her office and there stood a smiling Seeley Booth waiting at her door.
Normally this would improve her mood. The agent had the goods and he was easy enough on the eyes. However, she was not ready to be charmed, and Booth and Dr. Brennan had been tap dancing on her last nerve lately. For 5 years she had watched them do their clueless "just partners" dance. A little over a year ago they had run off to opposite ends of the earth leaving her to deal with incompetent replacements for 7 months. She had to call in countless favors to get their butts back in DC where they belonged. That should have been the end of it, but they weren't done being fools yet. Months of Dr. Brennan being sad and Booth obliviously dating a reporter. Then it was Booth's turn to be pathetic after the reporter kicked him to the curb. Now, they were both single and still having the same fais do-do. How two smart people could be so damn stupid was just a burr in her backside. She was about ready to give him a piece of her mind when she noticed he was holding 2 large paper cups.
"If that cup is for me, you just saved your sorry ass Cher."
"It is for you - cafe au lait made with genuine Cafe Du Monde coffee, and good morning to you." the agent smirked.
She sipped appreciatively, and sighed. It tasted like home. "Where did find a place that brews chicory coffee here in DC?" She unlocked her office door and ushered him in.
"I have sources. And why did my ass need saving? I closed a case yesterday and haven't had time to piss you off today."
"I was just irritated in general and you happened to be here. But now that you are bribing me with good coffee, what heinous crime have you committed that you need to try and get on my good side?"
"I wasn't aware that you had a good side Cheri" he sassed back with a twinkle in his eye. "And I'm here because we have an appointment. Going over the Hanson case?"
"That one is a slam dunk, we just need to dot the i's and cross the t's. That doesn't explain the attempted bribery."
"Can't a guy just bring his favorite prosecutor a cup of coffee? Why does there have to be an ulterior motive?" He was still smiling at her.
Now she was suspicious. He was entirely too cheery to be trustworthy this early in the morning. She glared at him. He continued to be unruffled by her scrutiny.
"Well let's get the work out of the way, so when you finally do tell me your motivation I can throw you out of my office without having to drag your butt back here and irritating myself all over again."
She grabbed the file, found her list of questions and fired away. It was a short list and he had all the answers she needed, so ten minutes later she was satisifed that she could try the case in her sleep. Slightly less annoyed she picked up her coffee again and stared at him again.
He remained smiling and relaxed. She narrowed her eyes and thought for a moment. It had been a long time since she had seen him this content. Did that mean what she thought it meant?
"So, are you going to tell me what's got you in such a good mood? Did you and the good doctor finally come to your senses?"
His smile grew wider and he nodded.
She was stunned. Caroline Julian did not stun easily. She tried to regroup, after all, she had a reputation to protect. "You did all this buttering me up to tell me that you've stopped being couillon?"
"Nope. I am buttering you up because in 6 months you're going to be pissed at me again."
"And what makes you think I need to wait 6 months? And what fool thing are you going to do then?"
"I'll be taking some time off, and Bones will be too." He was practically giddy.
"For a vacation? It's no skin off of my nose if you're gone for a week."
"3 weeks for me. 6 weeks for Bones." He paused to let that sink in. "Parental leave."
She gasped and put her hand to her chest. She opened her mouth and shut it again.
He was still grinning that goofy grin, eyes twinkling. "I do believe I'm going to have to write this day down. I have successfully stunned Ms. Caroline Julian into silence."
"Seeley Booth, why are sitting there talking to me when you should be standing so I can hug you?" she demanded.
Now it was his turn to be stunned. Caroline Julian was not known for displays of affection. Obediently he stood.
She wrapped her arms around him, hugged him fiercely and whispered in his ear "It's about damn time you found yourself some happy Cher."
