Chapter Text
Tuesday morning came much too early for Aubrey's liking. As the alarm went off he carefully untangled himself from his girlfriend and the sheets, hoping he hadn't awakened her since she didn't have to work until 10:00.
Yawning as he scratched his belly, he headed for the bathroom and turned on the shower, waiting for the hot water to run before he got in. Grabbing the bar of soap, he lathered up, lost in thought as he went over the work agenda for his day. He hadn't noticed that he had company until she slid the door open and joined him in the shower stall.
"Good morning, Aubrey.", Jessica purred as she ran her hands down his wet chest. "You know what?"
"What?" His eyes began to glaze over as her hands roamed over every part of his body. "Oh...yeah. That's what...right? You're showing me...what..." Words failed him as he felt her finger tips caress his nipples. "Um…wow..."
"That's right. I'm definitely gonna show you what. " She reached around to squeeze his butt as the hot water ran over both of them, pressing her breasts against him as she rubbed his back. "You've been really wonderful to me while I was getting better...so patient with me while I was bitchy. I know it was difficult dealing with my emotional roller coaster."
"Well, of course I was, because I love you, Jessica...whoa…" Aubrey couldn't speak as she ran her fingers lightly up his inner thighs.
Jessica was pleased with his almost immediate reaction. "I've decided that you deserve a prize for being the world's best boyfriend."
"A prize?", he squeaked before being rendered speechless as she took his swollen member in her hand, teasing her nails along its length and stroking him firmly. Finally, he managed to choke out some words. "God, Jessica...I mean, are you sure you're okay with this? I mean, don't stop...unless you want to...but I don't want you to...oh, God, don't stop…"
"Oh, don't worry...it's going to be a few minutes before I stop." She motioned for him to brace himself against the shower wall before kneeling in front of him and taking him into her mouth.
"Oh, my God…", he moaned, as she continued her ministrations. "Oh, yes, Jess...oh, yeah…oh, wow...oh…" He entwined his fingers in her long red hair, bucking his hips towards her as he reached his shattering climax. Taking her hands in his, he pulled her up so he could embrace her. "I love you so much, Jessica…wow...what a way to start the day."
"I love you, too, James. Thanks for standing by me...through everything."
"Always." He smiled as he pushed her damp hair out of her face and gave her a kiss. "I'll always stand by you."
Oooooooooo
Booth glanced at his watch before pouring a cup of coffee for himself as he waited in the 4th floor break room. After hearing his wife's version of what had happened when she'd gone out for drinks with the girls, he was curious to hear what Aubrey had to say.
"Surely Daisy can't be that dense…", he muttered to himself as he stirred some sugar into the cup. "And over Oliver Wells? Seriously…"
Looking up from his task, he saw Genny enter the break room. She paused in front of the doughnut box, as if trying to decide about which one she wanted.
"Morning, Shaw. Better snag that chocolate glazed long john before Aubrey gets here. He loves those…" Booth chuckled as he moved to stand next to her, picking out a cake doughnut with pink icing and sprinkles. "This one looks good…"
She sighed softly as she put a hand on her abdomen. "I don't think so. I'm not feeling very well...my stomach is upset. I think the Mexican food we had for dinner last night must not have agreed with me."
"And you came to work anyway?" Booth grinned at her as he licked the icing from his fingers. "That's dedication. I guess you'd better stay close to the office today. Don't wanna barf all over a crime scene. Bones wouldn't like that."
"Yeah, maybe. Hey, have you seen the Boss today? He's usually in his office by now."
"Nope, I haven't. I mean, that's why I'm down here. I need to talk to him about some stuff pertaining to the Vacchio case." Winking broadly, Booth teased Shaw a bit. "So you and Agent Geren are together now, huh? Well, I guess that's okay. He seems nice enough, and I guess he must've passed a background check to work at the SEC."
"It's not like I need your approval, Booth." Genny grumbled, pretending to be annoyed. "You're almost old enough to be my dad, but still…"
"Hey, watch it with the old man jokes. I've still got some good years left." He shrugged as he sipped his coffee. "Seriously, Shaw...I think Hunter's a great guy, and I'm glad you're happy with him."
"I am happy. Very happy." Genny glanced through the window and saw Aubrey heading towards the room. "His Majesty has finally arrived...and you should see the grin on his face…"
Peering over Shaw's shoulder, Booth caught sight of Aubrey, who was wearing a huge smile as he practically skipped down the hall. "Yep...looks like someone had a good wake up call this morning…"
"Booth!" Genny was mortified when she realized what he was insinuating. "I really don't need to know about that!" She quickly put her finger to her lips. "Shush, here he comes…"
The two agents tried to act normal, sipping their coffee and chatting quietly as their unsuspecting friend entered the break room.
"Morning, Aubrey.", Booth began, wanting to appear nonchalant. "How's it going?"
"Oh, you know, same old thing...just another normal Tuesday morning at the office.", Aubrey lied, trying to control himself so he wouldn't giggle like an idiot. Picking up the chocolate glazed doughnut, his brow furrowed as he glanced at Booth. "What are you doing down here, anyway? Don't you have enough shit to do in Homicide without bugging Shaw and me?"
"Well, I wanted to talk to you about the Vacchio deal, since I had a few thoughts on it last night." Booth winked at Shaw on the sly. "How about we adjourn to your office?"
"I'll talk to you guys later." Shaw gave Booth a meaningful look, as if to indicate that she expected to hear details of what was being discussed by the SACs.
The two men made their way to Aubrey's office, making small talk as they moved through the bullpen to their destination. As they entered the spacious room, Booth closed the door behind them and sat down, making himself comfortable in the chair opposite Aubrey's desk. "So Bones told me about how their ladies' soiree went down last night. She was pretty upset with Daisy…", he said quietly, recalling his wife's description of the previous evening's events.
Aubrey bit into the long john, using his fingers to catch the leaking custard. Licking his thumb, he nodded. "Jessica was, too, but I just told her that she'd have to let Daisy make her own mistakes. It's hard to do that with a friend…you know, to let them learn their lessons the hard way..."
"Yeah, I know. I've had to do that with you many times over the last few years, and it can be a real pain in the ass." Booth chuckled softly at Aubrey's surprised expression as he sat back in his chair and sipped his coffee. "But, judging by how you were prancing down the hall this morning, I'd say you've managed to get an A on your lesson in letting Jessica make the first move, and I bet it was worth it, right? See, it wasn't that hard...I knew she'd come around..."
"Oh, there was one thing about it that was definitely hard, believe me…very, very hard." Both men laughed at Aubrey's silly joke. "But in answer to the question you really want answered...yes, things are going to be alright with Jess and me. We're not all the way there yet, but we will be soon." Aubrey narrowed his eyes at his friend. "Wait a minute...you didn't really want to talk about Vacchio, did you? You were checking up on me…"
"Yep. I'm glad you took my advice, okay? Now, things can only get better between you two…"
Sighing in satisfaction, Aubrey nodded as he sipped his coffee. "You're right. Things are only going to get better."
Oooooooooo
Jessica glanced at the clock in the kitchen, giggling softly while she sipped her catnip tea at the counter. Judging by the way Aubrey had moaned and gasped before going weak in the knees during their shower together that morning, she had made him very happy. It was nice to know that she hadn't lost her touch when it came to the lovemaking department.
She broke off a corner of her toast, chewing thoughtfully as she thought of the morning ahead of her. She was going back to work today for the first time since she'd been attacked. She wasn't really nervous, and she wasn't exactly apprehensive, but she was definitely feeling something.
Was it fear about being the center of whispers and gossip? 'No, of course not. I don't give a damn what others think of me. I have nothing to be ashamed of. So, what is it?'
Maybe unsettled was the best way to describe it. She chewed her breakfast slowly as she thought over the situation. She knew that Dr. Hodgins would take every step necessary to make sure she was comfortable and felt secure at work, but she still had a sense of uneasiness.
That's just silly. There's nothing in Limbo or anywhere else at the lab that can hurt me. She couldn't help but shudder slightly at that thought. She'd always felt safe at her job...until now. Damn that Gerald...he isn't going to take my peace of mind…I have work to do, and I'm going to do it.
Rising from her bar stool, she put her dishes in the sink, squaring her shoulders as she went upstairs to change clothes. "I'm a strong woman!", she muttered to herself. "I can do anything I want, and nothing's going to stop me now!" Nodding resolutely, she smiled. "That son of a bitch couldn't ruin my life last week...and he won't bother me now."
Entering the closet, she picked out a pair of slacks and a blouse, but then she saw the dresses she had hanging on the nearby rod. She hadn't worn one since her night out with Aubrey before the attack, because she didn't want to give the idea to anyone that she was 'open for business'. After talking to Dr. B and because of the research she had done on her own, she knew that those feelings were illogical, but also typical of assault victims. However, the apprehension had still reared its ugly head, even when she had dressed for court.
As she had slowly recovered her sense of self and security, she realized that she hadn't been leading on Gerald because of what she was wearing. He had decided to force himself on her even after she had told him no. Like she had told Ashley almost a month ago, even if she were wearing only a pair of panties, no one had the right to force someone else to have sex.
Changing her mind, she hung up her slacks and blouse and grabbed one of her favorite dresses instead. Finding a pair of knee high boots to wear with the outfit, Jessica exited the closet. "I can wear whatever I want...and if some people don't like it...well, they can bite me."
Ooooooooooo
After arriving at the Jeffersonian, Jessica cautiously entered the interns' locker room. She gave the space an instinctive once over...but there was no one else there. Opening the new lock on her locker, she found a brand new lab coat hanging from one of the hooks. I guess my old one was damaged beyond repair in the attack…
She buttoned the coat and smoothed it over her dress. Checking her appearance in the small mirror attached to the interior of the locker's door, she wore a tentative smile. Here goes nothing…
Jessica scanned her badge onto the reader and entered the lab for the first time in over two weeks. The first thing she noticed was how quiet the work area seemed. Glancing at her surroundings, she was surprised to find so few people there that morning.
Hodgins quickly wheeled himself into position to greet Jessica as she entered the lab. "Good morning, Jessica. We're glad you're back."
Jessica coughed nervously as she looked over his shoulder. "Um...slow day today?"
The entomologist smiled as Dr. Brennan joined them. "We weren't sure how you'd feel about everyone else being here when you returned this morning. You know, there might be some nosy questions about what happened, or some rude stares from ill-mannered people, so Dr. B and I made an executive decision. You're going to work with us by yourself today, just to get back into the swing of things. I've arranged for the non-essential technicians and staff to go to different inservices today so they won't lose any pay. The few staff members that are here are those who will concentrate on their work and leave you be."
Sighing in frustration, Jessica rolled her eyes. "Curly, I want things to get back to normal as soon as possible...I don't need any special treatment…I just want to work, like I always have..."
Brennan coughed quietly before giving Jessica a rather stern look. "Are you questioning my scheduling decisions, Ms. Warren?"
Jessica winced at her mentor's tone. "No, of course not. I'm sorry, Dr. B. It's just...you know…I don't want people walking on eggshells around me..."
"Yes, I know." Brennan smiled as she gave Jessica a gentle hug. "I know you are a strong, independent woman, Ms. Warren, but here's what we were thinking when we made this choice. If you spend your first day back at work reestablishing your routines by yourself, you'll be less likely to focus on any other issues that may occur when you interact with your coworkers, many of whom will be naturally curious about your recent absence. We didn't want you to have to explain what happened over and over again...not that it's actually anyone's business." Nodding toward her fellow scientist, Brennan continued. "Dr. Hodgins and I have both emailed general statements to the people under our supervision about what is expected as far as their behavior in response to Mr. Maxwell's heinous attack, without mentioning the names of the individuals who were involved. I can assure you, we will do the same thing for Ms. Anders when she returns next week and for Dr. Wells, if and when he is able to return."
"Ashley's still off?", Jessica asked. "I thought she'd be back by now."
"She asked that her leave of absence be extended until next week.", Hodgins replied quietly. "She needs to find a new apartment, and I think she's still a little apprehensive about being here, just like you were."
Brennan put her hands into her blue lab coat's pockets. "As you can see, Ms. Warren, we are not singling you out for preferential treatment."
"Thank you." Jessica bit her lip as she nodded. "So this will give me time…to get used to the weirdness of things...here at the lab..."
"You are correct." Seeing that Jessica understood, Brennan assumed a professional demeanor as she pointed to a set of remains laid out on a nearby table. "Excellent. Now, Ms. Warren, please prepare those bones for cleaning."
The intern smiled as she pulled on some gloves. "Yes, Dr. B."
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
The bones had been photographed, inspected visually, and the information had been added to the computer file. It was time to place them in the cleaning solution. After arranging them in the vat, Jessica set the timer and glanced at her phone, somewhat surprised to find that it was 12:30. "No wonder I'm so hungry.", she said to herself.
Feeling her phone buzz, Jessica whipped off her gloves and pulled it out of her pocket. She smiled broadly as she noticed a text from her boyfriend.
Hey...how's it going at the lab? Are you feeling OK?
After grabbing her lunch from the refrigerator, she put on her jacket and strolled out to the Jeffersonian's garden. The day was cool, but the sky was bright blue, a rarity for late January in DC. Sitting on her favorite bench, she pulled out her sandwich before she sent her response.
I'm okay. It's kinda weird...almost nobody here. I'll tell you later.
She'd barely had a chance to take a sip of her water when her phone chimed.
Plan on it. Chili dogs ok for dinner?
Laughing out loud, Jessica shook her head. "So that's what this is about…"
Yes, that's fine. Make sure we have lots of cheese & onions. Now...get back to work, Agent.
Her phone quickly chimed. Ok. Luv you…
Jessica sent out a quick response. I love you, too.
Putting her phone in her pocket, Jessica sighed softly as she finished her meal. They'd enjoyed a meal of chili dogs recently...before the attack...and it had led to some very frisky behavior on her boyfriend's part. Who knew that chili dogs were such an effective aphrodisiac?
As she turned to go back inside, another thought occurred to her. How much longer would she mark time's passage as 'before the attack' and 'after the attack'?
She paused on the steps leading up to the museum, turning to look at its immaculate grounds. Even in January, it was beautiful. "The seasons will be changing soon…", she said to herself. "And I hope that by the time Spring rolls around, I'll forget that this whole terrible set of events ever happened."
That would be her goal...by the first day of Spring, she'd be completely healed from the affects of the attack. She realized that it might be an unrealistic scenario, but she liked having a target date to shoot for. Tomorrow was February 1st and she knew that with the new month that there would be smaller milestones along the way...like being able to deal with a very frisky boyfriend on chili dog night.
"I may not be too frisky tonight...but soon...very soon."
Ooooooooo
After removing the bones from the solution, Jessica laid them out in the correct order for Dr. Brennan's inspection.
"Very good, Ms. Warren." Her mentor grimaced slightly as she studied a mark on one of the femurs. "See this large defect here on the greater trochanter? Hmm…" She walked over to a computer terminal and accessed a file. "Just as I thought."
"What is it?" Even though she was facing away from her, Jessica sensed that her mentor was on to something important. "Did I miss something on the remains? Maybe I'm rusty..."
"No, Ms. Warren...nothing like that." Brennan turned to Jessica and arched an eyebrow. "I need you to accompany me to Modular Bone Storage."
"Now?", Jessica asked nervously. "I mean...if that's what you want, then of course…"
"Come along then, and bring that femur. We need to compare it to a second set of remains in storage."
Jessica followed close behind Dr. B, trying to ignore the shudder that passed through her as she stood at the top of the stairs leading to Limbo. I can do this...I'm okay...nothing can hurt me here…"
Brennan quickly led her intern down the stairs to the cavernous bone storage area and into one of the newer sections. "It must be in this row...oh, here it is." Pulling the container out, she motioned toward a table. "Let's set them out here…"
Jessica tapped her foot anxiously, trying to ignore the memories that were intruding on her thoughts. "Of course Dr. B would know that these two sets of bones had matching lesions.", Jessica mumbled to herself. "I imagine she has the Limbo catalogue memorized...but why worry about these two femurs? What's so special about them?"
"Notice the degradation on this femur's surface.", Brennan began. "This isn't simple wear and tear...it's in the wrong place. This sort of marker can be an indication of how these people lived...how they worked. All of these details must be taken into account when describing the remains. I want to know if this individual has something in common with our most recent specimen."
Startled as her phone rang, Brennan rolled her eyes as she glanced at the screen. "I'm sorry, Ms. Warren...I must take this call. It's Christine's school. It may be that she has called another boy a troglodyte…"
"No problem...I'll just get these bones arranged.", Jessica said as she opened the box. You want the femurs laid out side by side?"
Brennan nodded in the affirmative as she answered her phone. "Yes...hello? Mrs. Hammersmith? Yes, this is Dr. Brennan…I assume you're calling about Christine...oh my…"
Brennan's voice grew fainter as she walked up the stairs to continue her phone call in private. Not wanting to intrude, Jessica concentrated on placing the bones in the correct anatomic position. "This is interesting…", she mumbled. "The abrasion on these two femurs...the old one here and our new arrival...are almost identical…except for size. I wonder what caused them."
She inspected the rest of the bones, looking for similar abrasions. "There aren't any marks on the smaller bones...and none on the opposite femur...but what are the chances that these two different sets of remains would have similar lesions?"
She was so engrossed in looking at the remains that she didn't pay attention to how much time had passed before Brennan returned.
Clearing her throat to get her intern's attention, Brennan stood with her hands on her hips. "Well, Ms. Warren...you've had a good hour to look over these remains. What is your conclusion?"
Startled by Brennan's announcement, Jessica began to laugh as she realized what had happened. "Did you really have a call from Christine's school?"
Brennan smiled broadly, pleased that her subterfuge had worked. Walking over to the table, the anthropologist snickered softly. "Yes, I did...but it was brief. Christine has been named student of the month for her class. When my call was completed, I had a cup of tea with Angela in the lounge. But as for the bones, Ms. Warren...what are your thoughts?"
Jessica pondered the question for a few minutes. "I'd say both of these individuals had bone cancer, probably chondrosarcoma. However, it most likely didn't cause the death of either individual." She pointed to the partial skull in the container. "This man died of a blunt force trauma to the head. Based on the presence of a broken hyoid, the woman upstairs died from strangulation." Pulling off her gloves, Jessica smiled back at her mentor. "And I've also found out that I'm not afraid of Limbo...er, Modular Bone Storage any more."
Brennan nodded at her protege' with pride. "Very well, Ms. Warren, and, by the way, thank you for using the proper term for this area. Let's put these bones away and call it a day, shall we?"
Jessica picked up a femur and a fibula, placing them carefully into their container. "An excellent idea, Dr. B."
Oooooooooo
The chili dogs with Winkleman's Eighth Circle of Hell chili slathered on top had been scrumptious. The dishes had been cleared, and it was time for Jessica and Aubrey to spend some quality time enjoying each other's company. Huddling together on the couch, Jessica recounted her adventures at work that day.
"So Dr. Brennan tricked you into spending time alone in that Limbo place? That's pretty funny...especially since she hates psychology." Aubrey sipped his beer and gave Jessica a sassy wink. "I'm glad it worked though...and I bet you feel better about things."
"Yeah, I do…" She yawned and stretched as she snuggled up next to him. "Hey, I think Silent Running is on tonight…" Rubbing her eyes, she pulled her feet up across his lap. "I love that movie…"
"Yeah, Bruce Dern is so good in that one. You know, it's such a great movie even though it's only moderately scary, because it really makes you think. The special effects aren't that bad either…" Aubrey paused, waiting for Jessica to discuss the movie with him like she usually did, only to hear her snoring softly instead. "Hmm...she must be exhausted."
Somewhat disappointed, Aubrey lightly rested his hand on the hip of his sleeping girlfriend. "At least the chili dogs tasted good, even if they didn't lead to fun and games…"
Oooooooooo
"I'm sorry I fell asleep before the movie last night, Aubrey." Jessica slid an omelet onto his plate and added five slices of bacon before passing it to him. "I really like that one, too…"
"It's no big deal. I'm sure you must've been tired from going back to work after being off for so long. Same thing happened with me after I got shot." He groaned with pleasure as he ate a bite of his eggs. "You know, you didn't need to get up early just to fix me a meal, but I'm glad you did…"
"I needed to get up anyway. I want to do some yoga before I leave for the lab this morning." She smiled shyly as she pushed her bangs away from her face. "I feel out of shape...like I'm not as flexible as I was even a few weeks ago."
Thinking about how flexible Jessica could be when they made love was almost enough to send Aubrey over the edge. "Yeah...um...okay." He tore into a piece of bacon. "Well, don't overdo it…I don't want you to hurt yourself again."
"I won't." She put her plate on the counter and sat down next to him. "I guess tonight we'll finish making room for my stuff, and tomorrow we'll go over to the apartment and begin clearing it out?"
"Yeah, I think so. Hey, how about some pizza for dinner tonight? I can pick it up on the way home…"
"That sounds good. Half max veggie and have meat lover's supreme?" Jessica bumped Aubrey playfully with her shoulder. "You really should eat more vegetables…"
"I know." He smiled as he pushed a strand of dark red hair behind her ear. "I love the way you take care of me, Jess. Thanks for being in my corner."
"Anytime, Superman." She shrugged bashfully as she took his hand in hers. "You know, I was thinking…"
Aubrey's heart raced wildly as he recognized the look of sexy mischief in her beautiful green eyes. Hallelujah! She wants to have sex! What time is it? Do I have time before work? Maybe a quickie...
"Aubrey? Did you hear me?"
"Huh?" Snapping his attention back to matters at hand, Aubrey scoffed. "Of course I did…"
Jessica licked her lips as she studied his long, talented fingers. I'm so ready for us to enjoy lovemaking again…his fingers can do such amazing things. Rubbing his hand, the redhead pressed on. "I was thinking that maybe we could…"
At that exact minute Aubrey's phone rang loudly. He shut it off as quickly as he could, but it seemed the moment between them had been ruined. Sighing in frustration, he wiped his mouth before giving her a kiss. "I've got to go. I'll see you tonight, okay? I love you."
Accepting that their moment was lost, Jessica gave him another kiss. "I love you, too. Be careful today."
"I will." Grumbling to himself as he walked to the door, Aubrey glanced at the missed call. "Dammit, Booth! You've gotta quit calling me before office hours!"
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
Unfortunately, it was after ten when Aubrey finally arrived home. Exhausted, he pulled off his jacket and tie, throwing them aside before reaching down to scratch Skinner's ears. "I guess Jess is already in bed, right?", he asked the cat. "Great. I may have missed my window of opportunity for sexy times."
He eased up the stairs, hoping that he wouldn't awaken her, but she still awake, propped up on her pillows reading an anthropology journal. "Hey, Superman! Oh, my God...you look beat…"
"Yeah." He sat down on the corner of the bed to untie his shoes. "That call this morning was from Booth...Homeland Security had gotten a tip about some homegrown terrorists plotting to bomb the Pentagon, and it was all hands on deck at the Hoover." He yawned as he scratched the back of his neck before shimmying out of his shirt and and slacks, tossing them onto a nearby chair. "I've been on my feet all day, trying to coordinate our teams…I had to pull the Cyber division in as well as Charlie's division. After all that trouble, it turned out to be a false alarm...just some jackass spouting off on the internet. At least he's in custody now."
"Oh, you poor thing." Jessica patted the spot on the bed next to where she was sitting. "Come here…"
Rubbing his eyes, Aubrey yawned as he stretched out next to her. "I was so angry when I found out all our work was for nothing...and I realized I'd missed spending time with you…I love you so much, you know? I felt like I'd been robbed...", he sighed. "And now I'm so tired. I just want to rest...in your arms...and get some sleep…"
"We'll have lots of time together, Superman. You can rest with me. I'm right here…" Jessica ran her fingers through his dark hair as he lay with his head against her chest, somewhat disappointed that her plans for lovemaking had been thwarted, but relieved that he was finally safe at home with her. Soon he mumbling in his sleep, and she reached up to turn off the light.
He had a dangerous, stressful job, and he needed her to help him cope with everything. Turning toward him in the bed, she nestled close and soon fell asleep herself.
Oooooooooo
It was Thursday evening, and the couple was at her apartment to begin the process of packing up Jessica's belongings. It wasn't long before the intern began to feel overwhelmed with everything that had to be done.
"What was I thinking?", she muttered to herself as she stood in the middle of her living room, surrounded by large boxes. "I can't possibly get all of this stuff moved out by Saturday! It's only two days away..."
Hearing the toilet flush, she couldn't help but grin at her boyfriend as he joined her. "Well, what do you think, Aubrey? Ready to chicken out yet? I have a lot of crap here..."
"Nah...this is nothing. Remember how much I had to move? All my Star Wars stuff, right?" He picked up a book and grimaced at the title. "Essentials of Physical Anthropology. Sounds like fun…not..."
Rolling her eyes, Jessica snatched the book from his hands. "That's for Dr. B's undergraduate class...and, for your information, it is fun." She smirked as she put the book in a cardboard box. "You'd better get used to it, buddy, because from now on, it's gonna be all anthropology, all the time."
"Oh, I don't know about that." He held up her copy of The Bad Girl's Bible, which had several fluorescent green tabs sticking out from its cover. Opening to one of the marked sections, he saw some illustrations of sex positions and chuckled. "It looks like this book as gotten some use, too…I think we've done this one a few times, Jess."
"Give me that!" She giggled as he bent down to kiss her cheek. "Why don't you make yourself useful and empty the cabinets?"
"Oh, okay." He pretended to pout as he walked into the kitchen. "Do you have boxes for all this stuff?"
"I have plenty of boxes." She followed him into the cramped space. "So, here's the plan. I'm going to donate most of the dishes, so they're going into this box." She pointed to a carton on the kitchen counter. "I want to keep the silverware…"
"Yeah, we can always use extra spoons.", Aubrey agreed. "What about all your pots and pans?"
Jessica looked at the neatly stacked pile of cookware. "Oh, I don't know. What do you think? You have a better idea of what you already have…"
He nodded as he looked the items over. "Let's keep this little pan, and maybe the next size up." He held up a beat up cast iron pan. "And I definitely want to keep this…"
"That old thing? Why?" Jessica wrinkled her nose at him. "You have one at home and this one is in such bad shape…"
"Yeah, but it's already seasoned just right. You make great fried chicken in it…and remember that night before Thanksgiving when you made me country fried steak and gravy? Good times..."
"Well, if you insist." She giggled softly as she put it in the box of things to keep. Only Superman would have an emotional attachment to a skillet…
She pulled some dish towels out of a drawer. "We don't need these...or the potholders…or the glasses in this cabinet. Sighing loudly, she shook her head. "Maybe we need another weekend…"
"Nope." Aubrey smiled as he embraced her. "I can't wait any longer." He pointed at the utensils scattered on the counter. "I say we box the rest of this stuff up and donate it." He paused, laughing as he picked up a coffee mug with Princess Leia's picture on it. "Except for this…it's too awesome."
Turning around, he was surprised to see that Jessica was on the verge of tears. "Look, Jess...it'll be okay. We've got a couple of hours to get things sorted tonight, and we can box up some more of your things tomorrow, too. It's gonna be fine…"
"I know.', she wiped away a tear. "I'm just...I don't know. It looks like mountains of stuff…"
"Well, if nothing else, we can throw it all into the SUV and you can sort it out later. No hurry, okay? We'll just get this place cleared out…"
"Okay.", she sniffled softly. "Sorry I'm being such a baby…"
"Nah...you're just stressed, that's all. Moving can be a royal pain in the ass, and with everything that's happened over the last couple of months, it's not surprising that you feel overwhelmed. We'll just take it a little bit at a time, and we'll finally eat this elephant."
"What are you talking about?" Jessica glowered at her boyfriend for a minute before placing some kitchen towels in the donation box. "What elephant?"
"Oh, come on...you know…" He chuckled as he pulled her into an embrace. "The old joke? How do you eat an elephant?" Seeing the blank look on her face, he rolled his eyes. "The answer is one spoonful at a time, okay? So...we pack this place up, one box at a time, and before we know it, we're done."
"That makes sense. So we'll just concentrate on one thing at a time. Okay." After filling the carton, Jessica taped it closed and marked it 'DONATE'. "Let's put the things I'm going to donate in a pile in the bedroom…"
"As long as we can get the mattress around them to move it out." He pointed to some shopping bags in a corner "And we can take some of the smaller items over to the house tonight, but I don't want you to lift anything over ten pounds…"
"You can quit hovering over me, Aubrey. I'm almost totally healed."
"Nope. Not gonna quit hovering." He smirked at Jessica's annoyance. "I know you don't need me to take care of you, but indulge me a little bit, okay? At least let me feel like I'm being a protector once in awhile." He paused slightly before doing his best Dr. B imitation as he continued. "Surely as an anthropologist you must be aware that men are programmed with the instinct to provide food and protection for their mates..."
Jessica couldn't help but laugh. "It's a good thing you're cute, because you are so full of shit." She tilted her head to one side as if considering his request. "Alright...you can pretend to be in charge on occasion." She giggled at his wide grin. "Now...let's get back to work…"
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*
Jessica was pensive on the way home, staring out of the SUV's window as they drove through the city's dark streets. Finally she realized that Aubrey had asked her a question. "What?"
"I asked if you were feeling okay. You're being awfully quiet. Look, I know it's a big change, moving in with me…"
"That's not it.", she said, smiling as she patted his thigh. "I was just thinking about Ashley. She doesn't have nearly as much emotional support as I do, and she might need some help...you know, someone to talk to. I think I'll call her in a couple of days and let her know my apartment will be available. She needs a new place, and it'll give me an opportunity to let her know that I'm willing to listen if she needs to talk things over…"
"I think that's a great idea, Jess." Aubrey smiled at his girlfriend, obviously proud of her decision. "I know it won't be easy, but it might help both of you…"
"And it'll help Mr. Cho, too. He wouldn't have to look too long for another tenant. He's always been such a good landlord..." She smiled at him as he pulled into their driveway. "Thanks for all your help this evening, Superman…"
"No problem. That's what I'm here for."
They got some of the smaller items out of the SUV and carried them inside, depositing them in the downstairs guest room. "I'll unpack these on Saturday while you're bringing the rest of the boxes over.", Jessica said, stifling a yawn. "I'm glad we took tomorrow off…"
"Yeah, me, too." Aubrey glanced at his phone. "Wow...it's almost 11...we'd better hit the hay if we're gonna get up in time to get anything done tomorrow."
He was interrupted by a loud MEOW coming from the kitchen. "I guess I'd better feed Skinner first. I'll be up in a minute."
"Okay." Jessica jogged up the stairs to the bedroom. Feeling a bit sticky from all the work they'd done at the apartment, she decided to take a shower. And then...maybe a bit of loving...I can't wait to feel him inside of me…
She shivered in anticipation. Tonight was going to be the night. She was so ready to end her unintentional fast. She needed him...right now.
Giggling as she dried off, she decided to give her boyfriend a nice surprise. She'd just crawl into bed in the nude, and when he pulled back the covers...Viola! The magic could begin.
Pleased with herself, she brushed out her hair before checking herself out in the mirror. I look good enough to eat...and I'm looking forward to that…feeling his warm tongue and lips on my skin...I can't wait.
As she walked out of the bathroom into the bedroom, she stopped short. Aubrey was already sound asleep in their bed. Standing with her hands on her hips, Jessica shook her head. "I know I wasn't in the bathroom that long!", she grumbled. "He must still be tired from yesterday.
Sighing heavily, she pulled a tee shirt and some pajama pants out of her dresser drawer. "Oh well...maybe tomorrow…"
Oooooooooo
Friday morning was chilly as Aubrey and Jessica pulled into the parking lot behind the Korean grocery store. Moving around to the back of the car, the agent pulled out the box of cleaning supplies that Jessica had insisted on bringing with them. "Are you sure we'll have time to clean? We still have a lot of stuff to pack…"
"I hope so. The plan is for you and the guys to move the heavy stuff tomorrow, right? I'm going to stay home and unpack the boxes, so...yeah. I want to do at least some of the cleaning today, and then, if I need to, I can finish up on Monday evening."
"Right." Aubrey could tell that Jessica had made up her mind, so it was easier to give in. "Well, let's get busy."
Still feeling slightly frustrated from the night before, 'let's get busy' held a completely different connotation for Jessica, but she fought the urge to jump her boyfriend at that moment. After all, they had a lot of work to do. "Okay. After you…"
The kitchen was already empty, and the boxes had been divided according to what was to be kept and what was to be donated. It was time to move on to the rest of the apartment. Aubrey busied himself with boxing up books and knick knacks as Jessica scrubbed the kitchen sink and the counters.
"Hey, Jess...come look. Here's that picture of us at the chili cook off. Remember?" He showed her a framed photograph. "I found it behind these books."
"I wondered where that had gone." She grinned shyly as she ran her finger around the frame. "You looked so good that day...even with chili all down the front of your shirt…"
"Hey, it's not my fault that some joker ran into me and made me spill that cup of Freddie's Fever everywhere. That stuff was good, too…whoa..." Glancing at his girlfriend, Aubrey was surprised by the intense look on her face. "What?"
"Oh...nothing. I was just remembering what happened when we got home. I had put your shirt and jeans in the bathtub to soak…"
"Yeah." Aubrey inhaled sharply as the vivid memory replayed itself in his mind. "And then we made love...and it was definitely hotter than the chili."
"Oh yes...it was." Jessica nodded slowly. "I still remember how good it felt to have you kiss me all over like that...and then…"
"God, Jess…" Aubrey shifted uncomfortably in his jeans. "...I mean...are you sure you want to talk about that right now? We've got work to do…"
"That's right. You have work to do. Come with me." Taking his hand, she led him into the bedroom. "Do you remember the first time we made love? It was in this apartment."
"I brought you home after Booth and Dr. B's barbecue at their house..."
"It was hot and sticky that evening.", Jessica said, liking how Aubrey's pupils were becoming dilated as she unbuttoned his shirt. "I had on that dress that buttoned in the front, you know...the blue one you like so much."
Aubrey's pants were so snug it was killing him. "I remember...you were whispering naughty things in my ear as I was driving you back here…"
Jessica ran her nails down his chest. "We barely got inside my apartment when you pushed me up against the wall and had my dress opened in record time...then your lips made a trail from my neck all the way down to my thighs..."
"When I saw what you were wearing under that dress, I was hard as a rock. I barely got your panties off and we didn't make it into to the bedroom…" He was interrupted by her smoldering kiss. Pulling back, he couldn't help but grin like a fool. "So...um...is this going to be the last time we make love in your apartment? Kind of like a last hurrah?"
"That's what I'm hoping…" She quickly pulled her sweatshirt over her head before kicking off her shoes and slipping out of her jeans and panties. She gave him a naughty smile as she sat down on the bed. "Are you okay with that?"
"Of course…" Gulping nervously, he quickly shed his clothes. His body was responding urgently to the sight of his girlfriend perched seductively on the bed, wearing only her black lace demi cup bra, and he wasn't sure he'd be able to control himself much longer. He soon joined her on the bed, pulling her into his arms.
He paused as he hovered over her for a few seconds, his erection straining against her soft skin. "Are you sure this is what you want, Jess?", he whispered in a husky voice. Please say yes...please say yes…
She laughed as she caressed his cheek. "Well, I am the one who suggested it, right? I'm the one who dropped her pants first." Running her fingers down his chest, she nodded, licking her lips before murmuring in his ear. "I've never been so sure of anything in my life. Make love to me, James…"
Hearing her breathe his name like that...it was like a jolt of electricity coursing through Aubrey's body. All of the pent up rage and stress from the last few weeks seemed to melt away as he bent down to kiss her tenderly. "Your wish is my command...but…" He rolled over onto his back so that she was on top of him. "I want you up here where I can see all of you." He moaned softly as she unclasped her bra and tossed it aside. "You're so beautiful, Jessica...the most beautiful woman I've ever known…and I love you so very much..."
"I love you, too, James...more than I've ever loved anyone." She slowly lowered herself over him, groaning in pleasure as he moved his hips up to meet her. "Ooh...I've missed this…"
"Me, too…", he moaned as she gyrated her hips on top of him. Reaching up to stroke her breasts, he ran his thumbs over her nipples, enjoying the way her back arched in response to the gentle stimulation. "Come on, baby...you've waited so long…" He cupped her butt and drove into her deeper. "Come on, Jessica…let go..."
Her climax was breathtaking...exhilarating. She screamed his name before collapsing in his arms to ride out the wave of ecstasy that was flowing through her body. "Wow...I'd say that was worth waiting for…I love you, Aubrey..."
He wrapped his arm around her, stroking her back tenderly as he savored the sense of peace he felt. "I love you, too."
They lay together for a few minutes, enjoying the sensation of being with one another again, until Aubrey's phone rang. "Dammit...I hate that fucking thing. I swear, if it's Booth…" He hurried to find his phone in his jeans pocket. "Hello?" He rolled his eyes at Jessica, who was making funny faces at him. "Oh, hey, Wendell. Yeah, 9 AM tomorrow sounds good. I appreciate it. Thanks."
"So we've got a moving truck for tomorrow." Frustrated about having his plans circumvented, Aubrey glanced over his shoulder at Jessica, who was trying not to giggle.
"Oh, you think this is funny, huh? Well, just wait 'til I get you home tonight, because I'm gonna leave the phone in the garage, and then we won't be interrupted, okay?" Glancing at the phone, he stood up and retrieved his clothes. "Wow...look at the time…"
"What are you doing?", Jessica asked as she rolled over on her side. "Come back to bed…"
"You were the one who said you wanted to do some cleaning, remember? I'm just gonna go down to the grocery store and get us some lunch…"
"Oh, alright...but I'm going to hold you to your promise about what happens when we get home. We're going to turn off our phones and concentrate on us, okay?" The redhead gave him a sultry smile. "There are a lot of things I've missed over the last few weeks...and I need you to give me a refresher on all of them tonight."
"You got it...let's finish up here as quick as we can, so we have plenty of time to take care of that." He leaned over and gave Jessica a kiss. "Maybe you should get dressed…"
"That's no fun." Laughing softly, she got out of bed and removed the sheets. "Let's take these home...to my new home."
"Here…let me have those." He took the linens from her and bundled them up. "I'll be back in a few minutes."
Jessica smiled as she got dressed, pondering the way things had happened over the last few weeks. Moving through her apartment, she was amazed at how things had worked out. She was closing the door on a part of her life, but opening another door...one that she hoped would be one step closer to a wonderful future with the man she loved.