"This is how the game should be played." Booth figure-eights around her, tails of his flannel shirt flapping, moving effortlessly and effortlessly happy. "Under the sky, on real ice."

Brennan lets him talk, concentrates on not falling over. She flaps and stumbles along behind him – why is she not better at this? – and when she finally gets her balance a knot of ice trips her up.

The first thing she finds to save her from total humiliation is Booth's shirt. It doesn't help, but at least they're both sprawling everywhere now, a knot of skates and limbs and Booth's ridiculous laugh.


FLANNEL ♥