Author's Note - Wow! It feels so good to be working on this story again. It's interesting coming back to this after writing Eraser, gotta get the smut out of my head and keep it tame! LOL :-) These characters are so much fun, I truly enjoy my play time with them. You all have waited a LLLLOOOONNNGGG time for this next chapter, I'll uh get out of the way now. Read & Review ~B2

Chapter 37 - Tickles

"Booth, you can't force the piece to go there when it's obviously not the right piece! Find another one to try."

"You guys are getting all the good pieces," Booth grumbled, "and it's not fair."

"Ok, now you're acting like a child. There is no such thing as a 'good' or 'bad' piece. It's not our fault that you continually pick up mismatching pieces. I put some of the pieces I think form the canopic jars and sarcophagus in a separate pile, why don't you try working with them." Brennan said, trying to keep the smile from her voice as she helped Parker raise the second side of the pyramid. "You're not setting a good example for your son by sitting there and pouting about your pieces." Obviously Parker does all his puzzles at Rebecca's, I don't think I've ever seen Booth so frustrated. Well maybe when he's trying to explain Mulder & Scully to me, I still don't get that.

Booth shifted his attention to the smaller pile of pieces Brennan had set aside. Ok, well at least some of these fit together properly. Speaking of fitting together...Don't go there, it'll just start trouble you're not ready for and you know it. He sighed. We really need to talk about how we want this thing between us to go. I mean it's great that we're together and I wouldn't trade her new looks and flirtatious ways for all the tea in China, but we need to have some sort of game plan. Great now I'm looking at this like a project with steps to follow, this is Bones and me. I just need to let things happen as we go. She knows what she wants, I just have to wait for her to tell me. Like this morning in the bathroon with those nails...She sure knows how to get a man's attention...And that massage...Ok focus Seely, puzzle. Organ jars, fit the pieces together dammit.

Growling in frustration Booth stood, "You know what, um Bones, I'm going to go see what we have for lunch and dinner since we weren't planning on being here for another night."

"You mean we're out of food?"

"No no, we're fine, but most of the stuff I keep stocked up here is kid food, not grown up food. So I'm not sure what I've got for us that's not in the shape of cartoon characters."

"I like Sponge Bob, have any food with him?" He grinned at her. "Really Booth it's ok, not a big deal."

"It's a big deal to me, I'm gonna go see what we've got."

"You're just frustrated and bored with the puzzle because you can't get the pieces to fit." Across from her Parker giggled.

"Daddy never likes puzzles Dr. Bones, they make him mad."

"See Booth, example. But I am getting hungry, so finding lunch would be good. Don't we have some leftovers, and maybe more of that pie?"

"That's what I'm going to find out Bones. You guys finish the puzzle, and I'll wrangle lunch." With that he strode over to the kitchen and opened the fridge. "We have some beef stirfry leftovers from last night, macaroni and cheese, that'll work for lunch. There's still pie left too." Switching to the freezer he hoped his brother left something from the last weekend. Jackpot. "Oh and Bones, we can have steaks for dinner."

"I thought you only had kid food," she called from the living room floor.

"Yeh well, my brother must have left some steaks here last weekend when he was up. They look great. I'll call him this week and let him know what we used. No big deal." He opened one of the cabinets by the stove. Sponge Bob macaroni and cheese, I'll use this instead of the leftovers. It'll probably make her smile, and God knows I love to see her smile. Pulling a pot from the cabinet, he filled it with water and turned on the burner to make the macaroni and cheese.

"Done!" Came the call from across the room.

Parker came running in, sliding across the floor in his socks. "Daddy, Daddy, we finished it. It's all done! And Dr. Bones said I was the best helper."

Booth scooped Parker up under one arm and made his way over to the couch. Dropping Parker onto it, he began tickling him furiously, "Oh yeh, you're her best helper huh." Parker squealed as Booth's hands nimbly moved first to tickle his sides, and then up under his neck. "And you finished the puzzle. That's so great." He paused the tickling. "So great in fact that I need to tickle you more!" Parker wriggled off the couch and started running into the bedroom, Booth close behind flexing his fingers. Brennan had to laugh at the picture they created, she came to her feet carefully using the coffee table to steady her, following them slowly to observe this delightful father-son interaction. As she neared the bedroom, Parker's squeals ceased and she could hear hushed whispering. Peering through the doorway, she saw Parker and Booth sprawled on the bed, side by side and breathing heavily from their exertion. Booth patted the spot beside him, "Come join us Bones, it's a comfy bed."

Suddenly she is shy. Sit on the bed next to Booth? Is he serious? Parker's here, not like something's gonna happen. What has gotten into me, I am not shy...This is ridiculous. She took a few steps forward into the room and hesitated. "Are you sure there's room for me?" Stupid question Brennan, it's a king-sized bed, there's room for 4 of you.

Booth gave her a look saying that he had the same thought. "Yeh, come on Bones, there's plenty of room, we'll all lie quiet for a minute and collect our thoughts before lunch." He patted the spot invitingly again, and she came forward the rest of the way. Hopping up onto the bed, she laid down, foot to head with Booth. Somehow I still don't think this was the best idea. Closing her eyes she breathed in the scent of him. I'm lying in Booth's bed, gah, I'm surrounded by him. She felt her body begin to tingle, acutely aware of his nearness. Not good, Brennan. You just had to hobble down the hall after them, you just couldn't resist the laughter could you? Booth shifted causing his hand to graze her thigh and she inhaled sharply.

"You ok Bones?" He whispered, his hand brushing her again, this time on purpose. Maybe you're thinking of other things happening in this bed? Oh I have a few ideas of what could go on in here. He peeked over his shoulder to check on Parker. He's asleep. Turning back he smiled tenderly at Brennan. "Bones, I know we're both nervous about this, and yet we both know that it can't be any harder being together than it was to constantly mind that stupid line. No matter what, Bones, you have a piece of me, always, in your heart. Because I've shared things with you that I've never shared with another soul. You know me Bones. And I, I know you." He shifted his body around carefully without waking Parker so that they lay head to head, and he looked directly into her eyes. "Bones, there are so many more things that I want to share with you, build with you. Our relationship already is so much more than I've ever had with anyone. You're my best friend, first and foremost. I will never forget that. Obviously, I want you." True to his gentlemanly nature he blushed as he said it. "To phrase it a bit in your language, I'm looking forward to satisfying biological urges with you." She smiled. "But so much more than just that. I want to make sure that you never doubt the reasons I fell for you in the first place." He reached a hand out to brush a fallen tress out of her face. "I want to take this slowly Bones. I know we've both been waiting a long time to get to this place together. I don't want to rush past the beginning, I want to revel in it, in us being together. Inch by inch, bit by bit, I want to know you even more. Do you understand what I'm saying?" His eyes meet hers and he is aware that the fear he expected to see is not there. Instead there is a look he cannot begin to describe, much like the eye of a storm. And even as he watches, holding his breath for her response he sees the storm clear and her eyes shine with emotion and confidence. I love this woman.

He wants me, but more than just me. He wants my walls to come down further. He's the only man who has ever waited for a key to the door. Well, okay, he's always attempted to chip away, but mostly he makes his argument and waits for me to work it out on my own. He's the only person I can see myself building a future with, he's already worked himself into every facet of my life. Going home to reality such as it is doesn't scare me. There's no way that he would ever expect me to give up whom I am. I have to tell him all this and let him know he's not alone. "I understand what you're saying Booth. You're saying you want to make love with me, not to me." A soft smile plays on her lips. "You want to be more intimate with me before we are physically intimate. There is no doubt in my mind that you are the only person I want to build a life with, a future." Now it's his turn to smile. "I want to go home and bring this feeling, this love, back with us and make it reality." She leans in and presses a kiss to his neck, then teasingly against his lips she says simply, "I want you with me, for me. No one else, I just want you."

In that instant Seeley Booth's restraint is tested to the limit, his hand grabs her head so that her lips remain on his long after she would have pulled back. Finally he leans his forehead against hers as they catch their breath. The bed shifts and a small voice behind them says, "Can we eat lunch now?" Oh man the water! Where is my brain? This woman is going to ruin me, but at least it'll be pleasant! Booth jumped out of bed, running into the kitchen to check the now boiling water on the stove. If I add a cup of water it should be good, and it'll probably be boiling again in now time. "Ok guys, ten minutes to lunch." And a whole afternoon till I can kiss her again. Dammit.