Title: Weekends

Chapter: Having His Pie and Eating It Too

Rating: M (Changes from chapter to chapter - will hit M in later chapters)

Author: Unknownsoldier42

Spoilers: Anything is fair game up to the current episodes.

Summary: She wasn't eating anything, just staring at his pie, or maybe his fingers, or hell, maybe nothing at all. How to make her smile was a problem, the usual tricks were not going to work today and they'd been mostly silent all day.

Disclaimer: Own not. Profit not. Sue not.

A/N: Future status where Booth and Brennan are in a steady relationship

Fluffy - this one's for you.

She was exhausted.

There were several things Booth would never get her to tell him, he knew that, but some things he'd learned over time. Like how to read her face and body language. Bones sat across from him, mouth set in a thin line, blue eyes wet, and from the set of her jaw he'd bet she was grinding her teeth. Aside from her face she was sitting forward, leaning towards him, but her back was rigid as was the line of her slender shoulders. She had her arms crossed on the table top but pulled close to her body, holding herself but not really. Before he might not have noticed that, but now it was like neon arrows were pointing out all the little indicators to him.

She had good reason to be so tired, they'd just finished a tough case, more than usual, and it had hit her hard. Finding a child murderer's burial ground would be hard on anyone. He himself had wanted to vomit at all the little skeletons they'd uncovered. It was like something out of a nightmare. He'd cried, he could admit that and he'd dare anyone to look at the ruins of not just one six year old but over thirty and not. Bones though, she'd seen it before, as she kept telling him, and she didn't cry, she barely flinched. Those icy blues of hers took it all in and gave nothing back. The only thing that gave her away, that told him how badly it hurt her was that she was repeating herself. He kept thinking of Parker, couldn't help it, and he wondered if she was thinking about him as well, or her nieces. Who knew what went on in that amazing mind of hers, he certainly didn't and would never claim to. What he did know was his Bones and right now he knew she was fighting herself. Emotions tangle and snare, she'd taught herself how to avoid them but as she got closer to reaching out for those hidden feelings he could see her getting caught in them. It was amazing to him that she hadn't just burst into tears in the middle of the diner. That wasn't Bones though.

It was part of the reason he loved her so damn much.

He squinted at her and fed himself another generous bite of chocolate cream pie. The sweet, rich, taste trying it's damndest to make him forget pulling babies from the Earth. She wasn't eating anything, just staring at his pie, or maybe his fingers, or hell, maybe nothing at all. How to make her smile was a problem, the usual tricks were not going to work today and they'd been mostly silent all day.

He stuck the fork back into the creamy concoction of whipped-cream, chocolate, and crust, waved it in the air around his face and made a quiet 'mmmmmmmm' sound. That caught her attention, her eyes flickered up to him and he saw the inner struggle plain as day.

"You want some pie?" He asked and waggled his eyebrows, trying hard to form a genuine smile for her.

She glared at him, "Do I ever want pie?"

He shrugged a shoulder, plan forming in his mind. "You would love it if you would just try it!" He urged.

Something flashed across her face, too fast for him to identify. Not intimidated in the least bit he swung the fork towards her and leaned into her space. She backed away, crossed arms coming with her, remaining tightly locked together, and turned her head away.

"No, Booth," she said.

"You know who you sound like? Parker, when he was little and trying to avoid his veggies," Booth teased and continued to wave the pie laden fork before her. "Come on lil' Bonesy open wide for Booth."

She stopped squirming away from him and stared at him like he'd lost what little bit of brain she'd credited him with. He smirked and started making airplane noises. "Here comes the airplane, it needs a place to land."

He flbbbbbbbb'ed his lips together and started making a snaking motion, trying a different approach.

"Woo-woo, it's a train Bones! Gonna go through the tunnel," his singsong always worked wonders on his son. Unfortunately Bones seemed even more annoyed than she had with the airplane. Better than near tears sure, but what was it going to take to get her to eat some damn pie?

"No? Not the train?"

"Booth, if you continue to talk to me like an idiot you're going to regret it," she vowed softly, following the movement of the 'train'.

"Bones, come on, you gotta eat your pie," undeterred by the very real threat she was posing he went for the airplane again, making noises and flying the fork around. "Can't you just play along? It'll make you feel better, promise."

She arched a delicate eyebrow and pursed her lips; he could see her thinking about something. The wheels were turning and he felt a surge of early triumph, sure she was going to finally give in.

"It's chocolate, you like chocolate," he pushed just a little harder.

That did it.

Without any warning at all she reached out, snatched up the half piece of pie left on his plate and smeared it on his face.

Booth gaped at her, bits of pie falling off his face, fork still stretched towards her, in absolute shock. She sat back with a small grin and nonchalantly licked the whipped-cream off her fingers, watching him all the while. He couldn't help the surge of arousal at her act. All thoughts of being angry escaped in a second.

"You're right Booth, it's quite good," she purred and bent forward again. He recoiled though there was no more pie for her to shove on the clean half of his face. Bones ran a finger down his food covered cheek and then stuck it again in her mouth, eyeballing him thoughtfully. "Thanks for the suggestion, I do feel better. I believe that is the correct reaction any intelligent infant would have at having someone try to force feed them?"

He nodded, mouth still hanging open. She started laughing, softly, and seemed to finally take pity on him. She closed his mouth gently, her little fingers pushing his lips together, then took her napkin and started cleaning off his face. "Poor little Boothy made a mess didn't he?" She cooed.

"You shoved pie in my face," his mouth started working again. "Bones, you shoved pie in my face."

Her eyebrows drew together, "You asked me to play along. You're not mad are you?"

He narrowed his eyes at her and slumped back against his seat, "No."

She cocked her head, "What then?"

He pouted down at his empty plate and looked at her pointedly.

"You owe me another piece of pie."

END