People, Places, Things by Jane

Summary: Originally three stand alones, DB Fandom has compiled them.

Spoilers: The Man on the Fairway, Woman In The Garden, Two Bodies In The Lab, Season One.

Notes: Cute. And fluffy. And with so much potential. Post-eps for Man In The Fairway and Two Bodies In The Lab.

People

"I have people?” She tilted her head, and a surprised look flitted across her face. "Hey, I have people."

"Yes, you do.” He couldn't figure out why she would find that a new thing.

"Booth?"

"Yes?” He idly flipped open the folder and used a finger to move a couple of pictures out from under each other.

"Are you one of my people?” She lifted her glass.

That caught Booth by surprise. "Am I?” He thought about it for a moment. "Yeah, I guess I am.” He turned his attention back to the file.

"Good.” She set down her drink and slid off of her stool. "I'm gonna head home."

"You sure?” A disappointed look graced his face for a moment.

"Yeah. I've used up my quota of emotional courage for the day."

"Bones, I really am honored that you asked me to look at this.” He looked as earnest as she'd ever seen him, and the boyish look reminded her of something.

"I wouldn't trust anyone else with it. Oh, that reminds me.” She fished in her coat pocket for something. "A friend of mine who works for a computer software company gave me this.” She pulled out a computer game and handed it over. "I thought you could give it to your son."

"Thanks, Bones.” He took it from her, touched. He flipped it over, skimming the description on the back. "Hey, Bones!"

"Yes?” She paused, one hand on the doorway.

"I'm glad you're my people."

"Thanks, Booth.” And then she was gone, and he was left looking down at a heartbreaking picture of a smiling girl with her loving parents.

Things

She'd fallen asleep about twenty minutes into that movie. The last time he'd tried to make her sleep, he realized, he'd been blown across the room and she'd never gotten around to it. He first noticed her state of unconsciousness when he'd felt pressure on his injured arm. He'd glanced over, intending to remind her of his pain, but her eyes were closed.

"Oh, Bones...” Booth was careful to speak softly enough not to wake her. She was so vulnerable when she was sleeping. It was a stark contrast to the take-no-prisoners attitude that she radiated normally. The only other time he'd seen her like this was when he'd looped her arms around his neck to lift the rope from the hook. She'd clung to him as though he was the last sane person in the world... and he hadn't even minded that she was squeezing his bruises.

She was so small. Her head seemed to be only the size of his bicep, and it was hard to remember that her brain was not only huge, it was fast. Her eyes, normally so expressive, were hidden by darkly shadowed lids. He could remember the look in them when she'd gently pointed out his medical history... not pity, but compassion, understanding. She'd been tortured too, emotionally, painfully. It was something they shared, that brought them closer. And yet sometimes he felt like he'd never get her... like he was the brawn and she was the brains in the team.

She turned her head, burying her face in his arm for a moment before she stirred and sat sleepily up. "Booth?” She blinked and then realized what she'd been doing. "Oh, god, I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?” She gingerly prodded his arm, searching for something that would tell her doctor's mind if she'd made it worse.

"I'm fine, Bones, I just... AH. Ok, let's NOT kill the FBI agent, ok?” He winced as her fingers probed a tender spot. "Really, it doesn't hurt... when you aren't poking at it."

"Alright, sorry, I just wanted to make sure..."

He smiled at her apologetic _expression. "It's fine. How'd you sleep?"

"As well as can be expected; these chairs aren't very comfortable."

"I doubt they designed them for naps... or for keeping fancy clothes nice.” He tried to wave a hand at her dress, but winced and gave up. "You're all wrinkled."

"Doesn't matter, remember? I'm not going on that date."

"Seems like a waste to get dressed up for me.” He smirked.

"Under these conditions? Yes. Under other conditions? No.” She grabbed the remote and started flipping channels.

"Bones?"

"Yes?"

"Did you just ask me out?"

"Yes.” She turned unreadable eyes on him. The bandage cut across her forehead in a horrible reminder of the things she'd been through, things that he'd put her through.

"Why?"

"I'm attracted to you, Booth. And when you got hurt, it scared me. I felt... uncomfortable. Like there was something missing.” She seemed honestly confused, and it was the cutest thing he'd ever seen.

"Well, gee, Bones, I didn't know you cared."

"What do you say, Booth. You want to have dinner with me?"

"Well...” He pretended to think hard about it. "As long as you wait for me to get out of this hospital. It's a little hard to get dressed for a date when I can't lift the pudding."

"Sure.” She sat there a bit uncomfortably.

"You know, if you come around to the other side, I can put my arm around you.” He was trying really hard not to laugh at her or shout to the world that he'd managed to get the smartest girl in the city to go out with him.

Hesitantly, she moved around the bed and sat down again, and he managed to wrap his arm around her shoulders. "Bones..."

"Yes?” She leaned her head against him again, curling a little against his body, careful of his hurts.

"You're beautiful. Just so you know."

"Mmm.” He could tell she didn't really believe him, but hey, it gave him a goal.

Places

"Bones?"

"Yes?"

"This is weird."

They'd decided not to go to a restaurant, because Booth still had some pretty spectacular bruises and neither wanted to deal with people staring. Because she'd been the one to ask him out, she'd insisted on cooking for him, and they were seated across her kitchen table from each other.

"I know.” She poked at her food for a few more seconds, then looked up at him. "Are you sure it's ok that we're in here? I mean, if I'd been recently blown up somewhere, I wouldn't want to then eat there, and..."

"BONES.” He waved his fork at her. "That's not it."

"Oh.” She relaxed again.

"It's weird because this is just an awkward situation. In fact, with our lives, I'm surprised that nobody's tried to kill us so far.” As jokes went, it sucked.

"I know. What with that MOB HIT OUT ON ME AND EVERYTHING.” She glared at him. He winced.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I know other people in the FBI, Booth. People who see fit to warn me when my life is in constant danger."

He attacked his steak with his knife. "Some people talk too much."

"Booth, I would like to have heard it from you. I keep proving that I can take care of myself, but you never seem to trust me with anything important."

"That's because you're a scientist. It's not your job to worry about what guys in the mob do, it's mine."

She rolled her eyes. "This sounds like the same male chauvinistic crap that my boyfriend in college spouted when I scored higher than him on an IQ test."

He snorted. "Are you serious?"

"What?” She was distracted by his smile. Damn, he had a nice smile.

"He got all weird because you were smarter than he was?” He raised an eyebrow. "Didn't he know that BEFORE you started dating?"

"Apparently not,” she replied, stung.

"Bones... I didn't mean...” He sighed. "Look, for the record, you're WAY smarter than I am. So I won't freak out if you have some piece of paper to prove it."

"Gee, thanks.” She grinned at him, then frowned. "Wait, weren't we discussing..."

"I promise to inform you the next time someone puts a price on your head."

"Alright, then.” She went back to her meal.
 
“Hey, Bones?”

“Yes?”

“Do I get to kiss you at the end of this date?”

She smiled. “Hmmm… I don't know. You neglected to inform me when someone wanted to kill me…”

“But I'm cute.” He flashed that killer smile. “And I make a great boyfriend.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Boyfriend? I suppose I can live with that.”

“Good.” They finished eating in silence.

“Umm…”

“Yes, Booth?”

“Do I get to kiss you now?”

“Good grief, you're like a little kid.” She leaned forward and presented her cheek to him. He reached up and turned her chin so that she was facing him, pressing his lips softly against hers. It felt like it took ages.

“Wow.”

Her eyes were half closed and her voice was lazy. “You can say that again.”

“Better yet, how about we DO that again?”

“Mmm… fine by me.”

End.

Contact Jane

Return to index