A/N: At first I didn't know what to write here, but then I remembered. The whole Hodgins being stuck in a mud hole...that came from something that happened to me. I grew up on a lot of wooded land, and one day I went for a walk to calm down after a hard day at school. Well, I was trying to get past this big, huge stump that my dad had uprooted. I stepped down and then next thing I konw I was sinking. I tried to use my hiking stick to help push me out but only ended up with both legs suck mid-calf in mud. Right next to an ant bed!! Well, after 15 minutes like that, my dad came home and decided to come looking for me. He heard my calls for help and after getting his laughter under controll, grabbed me under the arms to pull me out. (Funny note, I was almost as tall then as I am now, about 5 foot 10 inches and my dad is only 5 foot 7 inches). Anyhow, he pulled, I jumped and the mud gave way. Of course the mud hole kept my left shoe (we still haven't found it) and I had to walk home in my underwear because I had ant on me...but I did get a new pair of shoes out of it. And a lot of grief from my brothers.
Booth slowly broke the kiss, reluctant to lose the warmth of Brennan's mouth. He licked his lips, smiling at the taste that lingered there. "A friendly kiss, eh?" Brennan asked.
"Friends kiss," Booth answered keeping his arms tightened around her waist.
"I don't think most friends kiss like that."
"Depends on the friends," he answered with a smile. Brennan returned the smile as she closed the distance between them. Their second kiss was just as sweet as the first. By the time it broke, they were both breathless with smiles. "Wow," Booth said and Brennan nodded her agreement.
"Brennan!" The sound of Angela's voice carried through the woods and as it reached Booth and Brennan's ears, they pulled apart. "Brenn, sweetie!" As Angela emerged from the trees, Booth and Brennan were back to standing side by side, looking out over the river. "Oh, there you two are." Booth and Brennan turned to look at the artist.
"What is it, Ange?" Brennan asked.
"Hodgins get stuck in another mud hole?" Booth teased.
"Naw, he's safe and sound at camp," Angela said. "We decided to play some poker. You two in?"
"I don't think that's a good idea," Brennan answered with a quick glance over to Booth.
"Oh, come on, Brenn," Angela began. "It'll be fun."
"Yeah, Bones," Booth said.
"Great," Angela said clasping her hands together. "I'll go tell the boys."
"But Booth," Brennan began, as Angela walked away.
"I'll be fine," he assured her. "Promise."
XxXxX
Hodgins threw down his cards with a curse. "I don't believe this." Booth laughed as he reached out and picked up stack of dollars.
"You're the one who wanted to play with real money," the agent pointed out.
"Stop talking and deal the cards," Brennan said.
"Yeah," Angela agreed. "It's down between Booth and Brennan now." Booth smiled at his partner as he shuffled the cards. He let Brennan cut them and then he dealt the correct number.
"I've knocked out all the other squints," Booth teased. "What makes you think I won't take you down as well?" Brennan looked at her hand.
"Just play," was Brennan's answer. Angela, Hodgins and Zack all watched as the anthropologist and FBI agent went head to head. "I'm all in." Booth looked over at Brennan who met his stare with one of her own.
"All in," Booth replied dropping all the money he had won into the middle. "What'cha got?" Brennan smiled as she put down her cards.
"Full house," she said.
"Damn it," Booth said, dropping his cards face down. The circle of squints busted into laughter. Brennan gathered up the dollars as Booth started picking up the cards.
"Ah," Angela began. "Now that I've seen Booth go down, I'm going to bed."
"Yeah, me too," Hodgins said. Booth and Brennan watched as Angela, Hodgins and Zack disappeared into their tents.
"You didn't have to do that," Brennan said.
"Do what?" Booth asked putting the cards into their box.
"Let me win," she told him. "I saw it in your eyes." Booth's laughter filled the small camp.
"I guess you're better at reading people then I thought." Brennan smiled and leaned in close to him. Booth mimicked the move bringing their mouths inches apart.
"I'm good at reading you," she whispered. She touched her lips to his and then stood and walked toward the tent she shared with Angela. Booth licked his lips and smiled. I like this new thing, he thought.
XxXxX
Booth sat by the river watching the sun as it began to peek up over the horizon. Shades of oranges splashed across the darkened sky. In the woods birds began to wake and fill the silence with their songs. Booth took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the clean air, and then he slowly exhaled. He loved being outdoors. Loved the fresh air and the sounds of nature. He had hoped to share his love with Brennan, hoped that he could convince her that camping was a way of healing, of reflecting. Sure he had had fun with the squints, and yes, he had been blown away by the kiss- no, kisses, he and Brennan had shared, but the weekend just wasn't what he had planned. The wind picked up and Booth pulled his jacket a little tighter. He let his eyes go out of focus as he stared out over the water. "Hello?" Brennan waved her hand in front of Booth's face. "Booth?"
"Uh? What?" Booth gave his head a shake and turned to look at Brennan as she sat down beside him.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Booth said. "You sleep good?" Brennan nodded.
"Not bad," she answered, reaching out and grabbing Booth's hand. He watched as she intertwined their fingers and then turned her attention out toward the sun raise. "I've been thinking," she started, "maybe this camping thing isn't so bad."
"It isn't?" Booth asked, smiling over at her.
"It isn't," she repeated in way of an answer. "And I was thinking that maybe… you and I could come back sometime. Just us." Brennan glanced over at him and returned his smile.
"Really?" he asked, his voice holding the gleefulness of a child at Christmas.
"Really."
XxXxX
"Let's move it people," Booth barked when he noticed Hodgins and Zack on their knees watching two bugs mate.
"Chill out, man," Hodgins said. "Love's in the air." Booth rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, Booth," Zack piped in. "These things can't be rushed."
"Ah, the smell of geekiness in the air," Angela said in a sing-song voice. Brennan caught Booth's eyes and smiled. She felt like a teenager hiding her first kiss from her best friend, but she just wasn't ready to share. She knew that her and Booth had a long way to go still, and having Angela in the middle wasn't going to help. Booth finally broke eye contract when Hodgins came up to him to ask a question, and Brennan went back to picking up any trash they might have left on the ground. The tents were already down and packed in the back of the SUV, along with their bags and the two coolers. Booth slammed the back glass shut and turned toward the camp. His eyes scanned across the area making sure they had everything.
"I think that about does it," Booth said, as he walked around the SUV and stopped at the driver door. "Everybody ready to go?"
"Ready is an understatement," Hodgins said, pulling open the back driver side door.
"Oh, it wasn't that bad," Angela said, moving passed him and climbing into the backseat, then scooting to the middle.
"Yeah," Zack agreed, opening the back passenger side door, "I had fun."
"Me too," Brennan said, taking her place in the front seat.
"Looks like you're out numbered, Hodgins," Booth said, getting in and closing his door, the sound is followed by three other doors shutting.
"They just don't want to hurt your feelings, man," Hodgins said as Booth started up the engine.
"You just don't want to admit you had fun," Angela accused.
"Well, maybe a little," Hodgins conceded.
"What's not to love about camping," Booth began. "The fresh air, the fire cooked food. The chance to forget your worries."
"Yeah," Angela threw in. "It's a time where you don't have to be so adult-like. You can goof off and play and, well, just be a kid."
"Why Angela," Booth said as he began to pull off. "We always knew you were just a big kid cleverly disguised as a responsible adult."
So there you have it. Another fiction (or ficlet) down. Look for a one shot and the the final muti-chapter fiction in this trilogy soon. Happy reading!
-Wolfy-