The Birthday (K Humour/BB Stuff)

************************************************************************

Temperance Brennan shielded her eyes from the glaring light of her computer screen. Her eyes were heavy with exhaustion. It was nearing 1 AM in the morning. She had stayed up all night working on a case.

Temperance stood and walked over to her couch and laid down. Within a few minutes she was sound asleep. It was not the cat nap that she had hoped to take. In fact, the next moment her eyes opened, she saw Booth sitting on the coffee table directly in her eyesight.

"Coffee?" He held out a cup.

Bones sat up and brushed back her hair with her fingers. "Booth. What time is it?"

"Time for the day to begin, Birthday Girl."

"Birth-- It's my birthday?" Temperance ignored the coffee and walked speedily over to her desk. She clicked around on her computer, then was very quiet. "Huh... it is my birthday."

"Bones, you work too much."

"Wha--No, I don't."

"Bones, Bones, BONES! When one does not remember her own birthday, she works too much."

"Booth, I've still got to OK tissue markers for the girl-in-the-stairs case. That, and I've got to run home and take a shower, change my clothes, then get to work on identifying cause of death. I don't have time to eat breakfast, I'll just grab an apple at home." She began gathering her paperwork without looking up. Booth walked over and snatched her wrist.

"You're coming to breakfast with me."

"I'm not hungry." Her stomach growled... perfect timing!

"Then what was that?"

"Nothing. It was nothing."

"What are you doing now?" Bones was now fishing through her purse.

"I'm looking for some chocolate. It'll stay my hunger."

"You admit it, then! You're hungry."

"Only slightly."

"Slightly? Your stomach's growling so loud that I'm afraid it'll bite me."

"Booth. I'm not hungry." She bit into a small Dove chocolate. Booth grabbed her coat and purse. "Booth, what are you doing with that?"

"Bones, if you're going to be difficult, then I'll just have to force you. End of story. You comin'?"

"I suppose I have to. My keys are in that purse. I can't do anything without all of my keys." Temperance gathered some paperwork to read while at the diner.

Cam came into the room, "Are you two going to breakfast, Seeley?"

"Against my will." Bones replied, cutting Booth off.

"Well, you two have fun. Pick me up a coffee?"

"Sure, Cam." Booth smiled as he led Bones away from the platform as quickly as he could.

Zack was quick to intercept. "Dr. Brennan, I understand my intellectual level is quite adequate, but I was hoping you could double check my results?"

Temperance followed Zack onto the platform, leaving Booth practically pulling his hair out from frustration.

"Zack, I concur with your conclusion that this is an old wound. See the recalcification?"

"I did take into account the recalcification, but I wasn't sure about the measurements of the new bone growth. I hypothesize that the wound is at least two years old..."

Temperance leaned close to the skull. "Correct, Zack." She stood up. "Good job." She smiled at him.

Booth was right behind her, tugging on her jacket. "Alright, Family Matters is over, let's get a move on--"

"Booth, I have more important things than to go out to breakfast with you today. We'll have breakfast tomorrow." Bones dismissed him and walked over to where Hodgins and Angela were in deep liplock mode.

"Hodgela, get a room. Seriously." Booth squinted his eyes, trying to look away. "Look, Bones, tomorrow won't be the same because today is your birthday!"

"What? Today's your birthday?" Hodgins gave his tongue a rest and looked up. "Happy Birthday, Dr. B.! How old are you?"

"Old enough."

"Let me take a stab at this one." Zack looked up from his work. "Thirty... two? What does that phrase mean anyway? Take a stab? To figuratively stab at a word or a postulation?"

Booth mouthed the word "postulation" to himself then shook his head.

"Let's do a little math... you're math guy, Zack. Do some math." Hodgins crossed his arms on his chest.

"OK... take into account secondary school years. The average age at graduation from high school is eighteen. Take into account Dr. Brennan's above average intelligence, she may have skipped a year--"

"Let's say she was seventeen."

"OK, assuming she was seventeen at the age of graduation from high school, that plus four years of regular university time, that now makes her twenty-one, take into account the years in Graduate School, her years in graduate training, then her years in-- There are just too many variables..."

"Thirty-one. She's thirty-one." Angela interrupted. "Booth, take Bren to breakfast, have a great time, grab me a muffin. And happy birthday, sweetie."

"Thanks, Ange, but I'm not going to breakfast with Booth. I've got too many things to do here at the lab."

Cam was quick to butt in. She was standing right behind Seeley. Booth jumped and let out a little yelp when she spoke. "Call me strange, Dr. Brennan, but I'm afraid none of us can properly concentrate when your stomach is roaring in our ears. Go. Have some breakfast. And Seeley, you scream like a girl."

"I do not... you scared me. Not my fault you snuck up behind me..."

"I'm not going to--"

"GO!"
"GO!"
"GO!"
"GO!" They all ordered her in unison.

"Fine, I'll go." Reluctantly, Temperance began to unbutton her lab jacket. Booth helped her slide the jacket from her shoulders. "But I'll have you know that I am going involuntarily."

**********************************************************************

************************************************************************

Booth opened the door to the Royal Diner. He let Bones take a seat, but was quick to start walking away.

"Booth, where are you going?"

"I'm ordering breakfast for us today. Trust me." He smiled and winked. After a few minutes, he sat down and began to sip the coffee in front of him.

"What are you up to, Booth?"

"What am I up to? I'm up to nothing."

"Booth, I know that look. You're up to something."

"Bones. Take a breather, for once let something be a surprise."

"I hate surprises."

"I know."

"I just don't see the point in having this feeling of anxiety when in a few minutes I'll simply see what you have been hiding from me. I've always hated surprises."

"Bones, it's a surprise. It's a good surprise. Trust me."

Temperance smiled at him, her face relaxing and softening. "Booth, I do trust you." They exchanged a moment where neither said a word.

"I'm glad to hear that, Bones." Booth watched his partner, her eyes always had that ability to shine right through him, see his faults, see through him. She always made him feel that way, but he couldn't help but to want her to look at him more.

After a few minutes the waitress came up to the couple at the window seat and handed their plates to each of them. Booth's was the first to be laid in front of him... scrambled eggs, waffles, sausage. Temperance's plate was next to be laid down. A wide smile spread across her face when she saw what Booth had ordered for her.

"Booth... I...How'd you--?"

Booth shrugged. He was getting a lot of pleasure out of watching his partner's face light up with surprise and enjoyment. "So, I had a chat with Russ..."

"Thank you. I don't think I can eat it, though..."

"Why?" For a second, Booth was afraid she didn't like pancakes.

"It's too cute." She laughed as she looked down at the Mickey Mouse face made from pancake batter. Black chocolate chip eyes and nose, and a whipped cream smile looked back at her.

"Take a bite. It'll just go to waste if you don't."

Temperance cut out a triangle of pancake and put it to her lips.

"Good?"

She nodded and swallowed. "When I was little, my mom would wake me up on my birthday at six AM. Every birthday." A soft smile of remembrance appeared on her lips. "She would wake us up and have us open one gift as soon as we opened our eyes. Then we'd all go down stairs--Russ, Mom, Dad, and me. She would always make Mickey Mouse pancakes on our birthday." Booth was simply smiling at her. "Silly, huh?" Temperance brushed a tear from her cheek as she remembered her mom's sweet maternal smile, her laughter, how lovingly she doted on she and her brother.

"Bones," Booth reached across the table and touched her hand. "It's not silly. It's a good memory."

"Thanks, Booth."

"Is it good?" Booth tried his best to break the tension. Of course, it was self-inflicted tension, but he wasn't complaining.

"Really good." She nodded. "How's yours?"

"Good."

"Booth... did you have any birthday traditions?"

"Not really. Well, actually, my mom always made the best chocolate cake on our birthdays. From scratch."

"Booth?"

"Huh?"

"Thirty-one isn't old, is it?"

"I'm not old, Bones. I'm older than you." He winked at her across the table.

"You do have a point..." She took a drink from her orange juice. "I should probably be going. Thanks, Booth."

Booth laid his fork down and stood up, laying some cash on the table before the two left. They walked toward the door. "Anytime, Bones."

Temperance stopped him in the doorway. "No, Booth. I mean... thank you for... Thank you for my gift." She took a step closer to him, cornering him against the door jamb. Booth felt his face grow warmer as Temperance moved closer to him. She leaned in and kissed him. "Thank you."

*No, thank YOU!* Booth followed her out the door, still feeling the warmth and pressure of her lips on his.

**********************************************************************

fun and funny the 1st and still is

Thank you Kruff!!!

I really have no idea what I could say to this story now.....I don'T want to say the same about all your stories.....
but I really liked it.
and it was a nice tradition.

very very nice!!! ah, booth is sooo thoughtful

OMG how cuteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.........
can I have more please that cute story of yours?

Aww thank you all so much!!! This story was just a one shot. =)

really?
well that sucks!

LOL I'm glad that you really loved it, though!

I loved it.... it made me smile
Well written + you kept everyone in character.... I loved how you made Zach try to figure out her age using maths ! Good job ! (Y)

that was funny with Zack
Ange and Jack were cute too
Booth was fuckin adorable

fab

Thank you both!!! Those are some great compliments!