Author's Note: I sat down meaning to write the final chapter of "A Weekend Away", but this popped out instead. This is my first time writing from Brennan's POV, so it might be slightly out of character. Constructive criticism and reviews are welcome!
Disclaimer: I don't own Bones. Fox does. This is just for fun.
"You loved him." I whisper the words aloud to my empty office. It's midnight and everyone else is gone, yet I'm still here. This isn't unusual, especially now that he's gone. It's hard to be anywhere else. "Why didn't you tell him when you had the chance?"
"Well, now you do." I turn to find my partner standing in the doorway to my office. He's dead. No, this is just a dream, he can't be here right now, it's impossible. All these thoughts run through my mind as I stare at him. It is physically impossible for people to come back from the dead. This isn't happening.
"This is impossible. This has to be a dream. You aren't standing in my doorway right now. This is some kind of hallucination or something." I can hear myself babbling as he still stands there looking at me. Even if this is some kind of hallucination fueled by grief, I can't look away. It feels so good to be able to see him again. I feel tears fill my eyes and begin to run down my cheeks as he smiles sadly at me.
"It's not impossible, Bones. People can come back from the dead." He walks over to my desk, places his hands flat on top of it and leans over, invading my personal space just like he did when he was alive. "Especially if they never got the chance to say goodbye."
I choke on a sob that rises in my throat. How can this be happening? It's not possible. Yet here he is, his face only inches from mine. His eyes are swirling with a mixture of sorrow and grief that I know must be reflected in my own. Even if this ends up being some kind of a dream or hallucination, maybe if I tell him how I truly felt, I can finally get some closure in my life.
"I loved you." I manage to say. "I never told you because I didn't want to ruin our partnership, but I did. I did." I place one hand over my mouth as another sob catches in my throat. "I really loved you."
He looks at me, one tear tracing a path down his cheek. He pulls away, dragging the chair in front of my desk closer so he can sit. He rests his forearms on it, fingers intertwined. "I loved you too." He whispers, tears coming faster now. "I never told you because I thought you would run, but I was in love with you for a long time, Bones. I just thought that I would always have more time. That eventually I would be able to tell you how I truly felt and we could be together…as more than partners."
"And now we'll never have the chance." My words are spoken with the finality that only death can bring. I reach out, expecting my hand to go through air when I try to touch him. But it doesn't. My hand rests gently on his cheek as I stare at him in shock.
"No, Bones, we won't." His hand comes to cover mine. "But know that I will always love you." With his free hand, he points to the sky. "I'll look out for you, all right?"
"Just like you always did when I was alive?" I ask.
"Yeah." He nods and takes my hand from his cheek, gently pressing his lips to the back. "I have to go." He stands and walks back to stand in my doorway.
"Booth, I miss you." I stare at him as he smiles sadly once again.
"I miss you too, Temperance. But I really have to go. I'm sorry." He turns away, as if to walk out.
"Booth!" He looks over his shoulder at me one last time. "Goodbye."
"Goodbye." I watch as he fades away in front of me. I continue to stare at the spot where he stood as minutes slip by. I am still filled with grief, but it is no longer so heavy. This burden feels much lighter than it used to and finally I stand. I gather my things and leave to head home. It no longer feels so hard to be anywhere else but here.