Temperance Brennan lay her head on Seeley's shoulder, smiling. She felt serene, she had actually enjoyed the wedding, even though she had to stand for most of it. Seeing Angela in her beautiful white dress, and the look on Hodgins' face. She remembered it all so clearly. She snorted. Obviously being with Seeley had made her forget about logic and made her go soft.
"What"
"Nothing, I just think you're making me illogical."
"Well," Booth turned to face her fully, and she lifted her head off his shoulder. "The world can make do with an only half-rational Temperance Brennan." She smiled and shook her head.
"At least it wasn't a fully Christian ceremony, though some of the traditions are nonetheless disturbing." He stopped her from ranting on with a quick kiss. She smiled. "When's Ange going to get here? It's her own wedding reception, and I'm getting really hungry and bored." She whined in an un-Temperance like manner.
"She'll be here in a minute." Suddenly the doors opened and a beaming Angela and Hodgins came in. "Talk of the devil."
"What does the devil have to do with anything?"
He smiled "Just go up and hug your friend" He gave her a little push. She slapped him playfully, but rushed over to hug her best friend.
"You look beautiful." Brennan smiled.
"So do you" they hugged again.
"When do we get to eat? I'm starving and my feet ache." Angela laughed.
"My feet hurt too, come on, to Booth and the food." The friends laughed, and Angela marvelled at how much Temperance had changed, she was much more relaxed, she joked more, worked less and (though she was still very bad) understood popular culture more. "Come on Jack! You can talk later, I want to eat." She moaned and Hodgins chuckled. "What's so funny?" She pouted.
"I never thought you'd tell me to stop talking." She punched him on the arm and dragged him over to a table where Booth, Zach and Brennan were sitting.
Angela smiled. "What?" asked Brennan.
"it's nice to have all of my family here with me."
"Awww, that's a nice thought. You always have nice thoughts like that" Said Hodgins and he kissed he nose. There was a pause. "Ok, now, I'm hungry. Bring on the food!" he clapped his hands in a commanding manner. As if by magic, several posh waiters came out of the kitchen and started to serve everyone.
The place was nice, Hodgins had really pulled out all the stops. They were in a grand hotel's dining room. There were tables around the edges and a mahogany dance floor, even a string quartet.
They ate and laughed, soon it was time for the toasts. Booth, as Hodgins' best man, made the first toast. He stood up, chinking his glass. "I never though I'd see Hodgins married. Seriously, after the first fiasco I had doubts. He's a really great guy, and he and Angela seem like they were made for each other. He's a good guy and, really, not bad for a squint." There was a smattering of laughter. "I know that he will make Angela very happy." He raised his glass, and so did everyone else.
Brennan smiled at her boyfriend, he was sweet. Then it was her turn, her heart started to do back-flips. "What can I say about Angela? She's an artist, my best friend, a girlfriend, and now, a wife. She's kind and caring and she's always looking out for me. She drives me crazy sometimes, so I'm glad she's got you to bother now." She smiled at Hodgins and put a hand on his shoulder. "Good luck with that."
He grimaced and she continued. "A long time ago, her boyfriend died, killed. She didn't think she could fall in love again. But, she has. I haven't seen her as happy as she is with Hodgins. I hope they live together, happily, forever." She raised her glass.
(A/N I have never had to write a wedding speech before, so if anyone can do it better, PM me with your idea)
There where other speeches, then dancing. The lights dimmed and Hodgins lead Angela onto the dance floor. A song started playing, a romance song, that Temperance didn't recognise. She felt Booth rocking gently to the beat. "Come on" he whispered. "Do you want to dance?"
"I don't know, Booth,"
"Come on" he nudged her gently.
"No"
"It'll be fun."
She rolled her eyes. "Fine" He grinned and she allowed herself to be dragged onto the dance floor. "I don't know how to dance though,"
"I'll show you." He took her hands. "You put one hand here," he placed it on his shoulder "And your other hand here." He placed it on her hip, keeping his hand over it. She shivered at his touch. He frowned. "Are you cold?"
"No," She rested her head on his chest. "I feel fine. Everything's perfect."
"Good" he spun her around, forcing her to take her head off his shoulder. She almost lost her balance, and laughed, tripping over her heels and falling onto him.
"Clumsy" He kissed her nose.
"I am not clumsy, I merely tripped over my heels." She scrunched up her face in protest, but say him smiling, his smooth chocolaty eyes twinkling. "What?" She asked indignantly.
"Nothing, you just look so cute when you do that thing with your nose." She looked at him reproachfully, then smiled.
The song ended and they broke apart. "Finally." She breathed.
"What? Don't you like dancing with me?" He asked teasingly.
"No" She shifted uncomfortably. "These shoes are giving me blisters"
"Then take them off."
"Seeley, this is a wedding reception."
"I'm serious, nobody would notice, that dress practically covers them anyway."
"All right then." Two pink feet poked out of her dress, discarding the strappy four-inch heels she was wearing, leaving them in mess on the edge of the dance floor. "But you better not step on my feet."
"I'll make a special effort." He lead her back into the centre of the dance floor, this time dancing to a far more upbeat song.
Later, they crashed back into their seats, Brennan fanning herself with her hand. "Wow, I don't think I can move anymore"
"Oh really," Booth grinned, flashing her his charm smile. "Sorry about this, but Angela will kill you if you don't go up with the others and try to catch the bouquet." He pushed her up in her chair slightly. "And you've almost died enough times to last a life time."
She groaned and rolled her eyes. "Fine, but I'm got going to catch the bouquet. It's a frankly disturbing tradition, full of superstition. It actually started in the…"
"Just go, please, Bones" She huffed at him and walked off towards Angela, staying as far back as she could get to the crowd of giggling women. She watched Angela survey the crowd, and pick her out. Then, she turned her back and threw. The women shrieked and grabbed at it. Brennan kept her arms tightly at her sides, but it came straight at her face. Fear for her (already scarred) face overrode her principles and she caught it.
She saw Angela look at her and clap her hands in excitement. Brennan rolled her eyes, obviously, her best friend was under the delusion that the superstition that whoever caught the bouquet was next to be married was true. She walked over to Booth, who stood up, meeting her in the middle of the dance floor.
"It's beautiful." He said. She smiled as he looked at it. "You know, they say the person who catches the bouquet is the next to marry."
"Yes, but, personally, I think it is untrue. Nobody can predict the future. It's just a silly superstition that stems from when…" She trailed off, he had produced a ring from the bouquet he was still holding and was holding it out to her. The roses fell to the floor and one hand rose to her mouth.
The ring was beautiful, a thin gold band and three stones, two small ones on the outside where a pale green and they framed a large, slightly darker blue in the centre. "They match your eyes." He whispered. She suddenly became aware that eyes were turning to them, and that her shoes were lying some ten feet to the left of her. "He took her hands in his. "Bones," he started, and more eyes turned. "I feel things for you that I've never felt before. I love you." She stared into his deep, brown eyes. Temperance heard her heart thump against her chest. "Will you marry me?"
She knew her answer, what was she supposed to say. "Yes, yes I will." He slipped the ring onto her finger. There noses almost touched. "But don't think this means that I don't think marriage is…"
"…An archaic institution." Booth finished for her, and punctuated the sentence with a kiss. The crowd clapped. They broke apart, and there was just enough time for her to blush and smile before Angela drew her into a rib-crushing hug.
"YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW HARD IT WAS NOT TO TELL YOU!" she yelled.
"Angela, let go, you're crushing me" She pulled at the woman's arms.
"Sorry," She let go. "But you have no idea how hard it was not to scream during my wedding ceremony while I knew I had your engagement ring in my bouquet." She hugged her friend again, but less violently.
"I'm glad you abstained." Winced Brennan; her ears where still ringing from when Angela had yelled into them.
"Walk with me." Angela lead her away.
Temperance threw Seeley a pleading look and he sent her a look that said very clearly, 'Better you than me.'
"Now," Said Angela, matter-of-factly. "Lets talk flowers…"
Fin. I love you all.