(The Bikini in the Soup)

I really don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooo

He wasn't sure how it happened or what he did that was so wrong, but it had happened and now he was alone.

Valentine's Day was a holiday he didn't really care for since it reminded single people that society considered them to be pitied or their single status was somehow a character flaw. Now that he wasn't single anymore he knew he needed to embrace the occasion and he needed to show Brennan that he was thinking of her and that he loved her.

Of course, he chose to ignore the fact that she despised Valentine's Day and considered it to be a manufactured holiday that retailers used to force people to buy candy and flowers and overly sentimental greeting cards. Up until they were a couple he'd agreed with her, but now that they were in a relationship he felt some pressure from his friends to celebrate the day. Angela had called him on February 13th and reminded him that he was supposed to be the romantic one in his relationship with Brennan and he'd better show it. In a new relationship, Cam had reminded him that he was supposed to show some interest in the holiday and in his partner. Her boyfriend Paul was going all out and Cam wanted Booth to put some effort into the holiday like Paul was doing.

On his lunch hour, he'd driven over to a jewelry store he thought was pretty reasonable and tried to look for something pretty for his Bones. Not sure what he was looking for, Booth stared at some necklaces in a display case and decided that they just weren't his partner's style. She liked flash and substance when it came to jewelry and those dainty necklaces in the case just seemed wrong. He knew she owned a few delicate pieces that she wore to Jeffersonian functions, but he always felt that it didn't reflect who she was.

Leaving the store, he drove over to an antique store he liked and asked the owner if she had any Bakelite jewelry. Once the owner brought out a tray of necklaces and bracelets, he knew that this was what he was looking for. After he'd studied them, he chose a light green Art-Deco necklace made in the 1930's. The price had given him pause, but it was the first gift he was going to give Brennan in their new relationship and he really wanted her to like it. Pleased, he carried the wrapped present back to his truck, placed it on the passenger seat and laughed. "I need to cut back on pie anyway." Once he was on the road back to the Hoover, he realized it was too late to make a reservation at any of the swanky restaurants in the area, so he planned to cook something special for Brennan. "She loves my manicotti . . . yeah and a bottle of wine, maybe I'll buy a box of candy. This is going to work out pretty good."

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Putting off his paperwork, he left for home and got dinner ready. With his manicotti in the oven, wine cooling in the fridge and the table set he was ready for a romantic evening. He wanted to give Brennan a memorable evening and he felt he'd done all he could to get ready.

When Brennan arrived at his apartment, Booth left the kitchen and met her in the living room. "Hey you . . . Solving a crime in one day was okay, but the next time Cam gets a bug up her butt I'm going to let her know that I'm not playing her game. Criminal investigations aren't something you should rush." Kissing his partner, Booth smiled. "I've got dinner in the oven and wine in the fridge."

The aroma of baking pasta in the oven reminded her that she was hungry, Brennan returned his kiss. "It smells delicious whatever it is."

Moving back into the kitchen, Booth removed the wine bottle from the fridge and placed it on the table next to the present he planned to give Brennan and the box of Godiva chocolates he'd picked up at the store.

Since Booth had done the cooking, Brennan entered the kitchen to help make a salad when she spied a wrapped gift and a box of chocolates on the table. Not sure what was going on, she moved over to the table and picked up the present. A card taped to the gift, Brennan looked at it and frowned. "Booth, you know I don't believe in celebrating Valentine's Day. Society forces everyone to buy presents whether they want to or not and I don't appreciate the pressure to conform."

Annoyed, Booth shook his head. "Just open it Bones. I wanted to give you something to show you that I love you. We're not really celebrating Valentine's Day. I'm just being my normal self and I wanted to give you something. Please just open it. Society didn't make me buy that. I wanted to buy it because I think you deserve it . . . Okay?"

Not sure that she believed him, Brennan unwrapped the gift, lifted the lid from the box and stared at the necklace. "Booth . . . it is unnecessary to buy me expensive gifts. You have too many obligations regarding your income as it is. Dinner and the wine were fine, but this is just an unnecessary expense and I don't think you should have bought it . . . Maybe you can take it back and get a refund."

Angry, Booth placed his hands on his hips and glared at his partner. "Hey, I'm not some poor boy on the other side of the tracks. I haven't been that guy for a while now. If I want to buy you a present then I will. I can afford it. It's just a matter of priorities. I'm going to cut back on pie at the diner for a while and I plan to give up some of my snacks . . . you're the one that wants me to cut back on chips and cookies and I don't see a problem doing it . . . at least for a while."

Not sure why she was so angry, Brennan placed the necklace on the table. "An expensive gift is not necessary, Booth. I don't need them or want them. This is why I hate Valentine's Day. I don't want you spending your money on me. I am wealthy and if I wanted a necklace like this one, I could buy it . . . Save your money for more important things."

Starting to feel like a loser, Booth picked up his gift and threw it in the trash. "Fine, you don't like my present then don't worry about it." Turning towards the oven, he opened it and removed his tray of cooked pasta from the oven. Once it was on the stove top, he turned back to face his partner and found himself alone. Throwing the potholders on the counter, he searched the apartment and found Brennan was no longer there. "Well, shit." Moving back into the kitchen, he removed the gift from the trash, carried it into the living room and sat down. "What the hell is wrong with me? That necklace cost me $324 and I just threw it away because Bones didn't want it. There is something seriously wrong with me." Placing the gift on the coffee table, he stared at it and wondered if he'd destroyed his relationship with Brennan. "I shouldn't have got mad. I know she hates Valentine's Day and I just ignored that . . . Maybe I'm meant to be alone. All I do is disappoint the people I love . . . I guess I am a loser. I just . . . I've probably lost Bones and I'm a damn idiot." His head in his hands, he felt sad that no matter how hard he tried to make them work, he screwed up his relationships.

Ooooooooooo

Furious with herself, Brennan sat in her car and thought about what had happened in Booth's apartment and realized that she had done everything wrong. She didn't want Booth to spend his money on her when she knew he had so many financial obligations, but she knew she had wounded his alpha male pride. She hadn't meant to do that and now she was afraid that Booth no longer wanted to be in a relationship with her. "I should have accepted the present without complaint. He knows what he can afford and what he can't afford and implying that he's too poor to buy me presents was the wrong tack to take with him."

She knew she should have stayed, but when he'd thrown the present away, she had been afraid that he hated her and she hadn't wanted to find out if that was true or not. "I need to talk to him . . . Poor communication is one our major issues . . . I handled that situation all wrong." Shaking her head, she left her car, locked it and walked back across the street to Booth's apartment. Once she was outside his door, she sighed and knocked on it. After a while, she realized that Booth wasn't going to come to the door and it was up to her to move them forward. Removing her key to Booth's apartment from her wallet, she unlocked the door and entered the apartment. Moving down the hallway, she found her partner sitting on the couch, his head resting on the palms of his hands. "Booth . . . I am sorry that I implied that you're poor and can't afford to buy things. That isn't what I was trying to say . . . Are we . . . Do you wish to break up with me? I . . . I . . ."

Moving his hands from his face, Booth turned to face Brennan and shook his head. "Of course not, Bones . . . No, I don't want to break up with you." Not sure he was ready to talk to her, he stood up and faced her anyway. "Look, I know you hate Valentine's Day . . . I do know that, but . . . well, I wanted to show you that you're special to me and you deserve to be shown that at least once in a while. Maybe if I'd waited a week or two, it might have gone better . . . I didn't mean to make you leave. I just let my temper get the better of me and I should know better than that, but . . . anyway, I'm sorry." Pointing at the necklace resting in the gift box, he sighed. "Throwing the necklace in the trash was over the top and I apologize. I shouldn't have done that."

Uncertain about what she should say, Brennan moved over to the coffee table, picked up the necklace and placed it around her neck. "It is a lovely necklace and I should have said that immediately . . . I just don't want you to buy me expensive presents. Yes, you're not poor, but you have a lot of family obligations and I am aware of where your money is being spent . . . I didn't mean to imply that you couldn't afford it. Of course you can . . . I just meant that you shouldn't and that is all I meant . . . From now on, I will not comment about your bills and obligations. You are a grown man and you know what you can afford to buy. I'm sorry that I didn't handle this better . . . You know I'm not very good when it comes to personal relationships. I just don't understand the rules and I make mistakes. You didn't do anything wrong, Booth. I apologize."

Moving around the coffee table, Booth stepped closer to his partner and placed his arms around her. "Do not apologize for what you said . . . okay? You're just looking out for me. I get that . . . It's just that . . . well, when you told me to take it back and get a refund, I just got mad . . . I have a temper Bones. You know I do and I try to control it, but sometimes I can't and I do dumb things. Throwing the necklace in the trash was a stupid thing to do . . . I should have talked it out and the next time I'll try . . . anyway, don't apologize. I don't like it especially when you were just trying to look out for me."

"We fight a lot." Brennan was worried that some day she was going to say the wrong thing and Booth wouldn't forgive her for it. "I just don't know the rules, Booth."

"Rules?" Booth shook his head. "What rules?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Brennan stared at Booth's belt buckle. "I know there are relationship rules, but I just don't know what they are. You and Angela have pointed out several friendship rules in the past and I try to remember those, but no one has told me what the relationship rules are. I've tried to Google them, but most of the ones I've seen just seem to be contradictory nonsense."

A slight smile on his face, Booth leaned over and kissed her. "There aren't really rules for relationships. Every relationship is different and what works for one couple may be all wrong for other couples . . . I guess the number one rule for us is 'be yourself'. Don't try to be someone you're not . . . We're both going to say things we shouldn't or we're going to object to something and say our piece, but that's who we are and we're used to that. We'll fight or bicker and then we'll forgive and move on. We do it all the time . . . I think tonight was just too much pressure on both of us. It was our first Valentine's Day together as a couple and I had too many expectations and you didn't have any . . . We're kind of weird like that, but hey . . . it's done and over . . . Do you really like the necklace?"

Her hand on the necklace, Brennan smiled. "Of course I do. You know what I like and it's lovely. Thank you . . . I don't have a present for you."

Kissing her once more, Booth shook his head. "That's okay . . . I wasn't expecting one . . . Hey, I have some manicotti, some wine and I even have a box of chocolates. Are you ready for a feast?" Taking her hand in his, he pulled her towards the kitchen. "Come on. I think we were grumpy with each other because we're hungry. Cam and her stupid timeline meant we didn't eat lunch today and I think that made us say things we shouldn't have. This was all Cam's fault. The next time, we'll just investigate like we normally do and if she doesn't like it then tough."

Amused, Brennan followed Booth into the kitchen. "I do think that trying to solve a crime in a few hours because Cam wanted to have sex with Paul was ridiculous."

Laughing, Booth released her hand, moved over to the stove and started to plate his pasta. "Well, you're probably right, but she'd never admit that to me or you or anyone else . . . She's been alone for a while and I guess she got carried away." The plates now on the table, he opened the wine, filled their glasses and sat down. "If the pasta isn't hot enough we can nuke it in the microwave."

The manicotti wasn't hot anymore, but Brennan decided to eat it anyway. "It's fine . . . Booth . . . I do love you."

"I know and I love you." Booth reached out and placed his hand on the side of her face. "You make my life very interesting and what more can I ask for?"

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