A/N: Hi, guys! First of all, English is not my first language, so I'm sorry if you spot any mistakes I might have missed! I want to thank Thais Christ (thais_christ) and Chelsey Lamb (chelslamb) for their amazing beta skills and opinions! It means a lot, girls! And thank you all for reading it!

The Proposal in the Fight

Booth & Brennan

Angst/Romance

He knew she was stubborn since the first day he met her. Besides that, she was also fearless, always so sure of her ability to protect herself. This time, none of her arguments about having skills in three martial arts, or any other one she might throw at him would work. She'd crossed the line that day, putting herself and everyone around her in unnecessary danger and he was furious.

Booth found her in her office, her brows furrowed deep in concentration. He loved that expression on her face, the resolve to finish whatever she had to do and the way she ignored the world around her, the task at hand the only thing that deserved her attention. For a split second, he forgot the whole speech he had prepared just for her, his eyes unable to stop staring at her beautiful face. The thought of losing it because she sometimes could be so damn reckless made him shook his head and in three long strides, he was standing right in front of her desk.

Her first reaction upon noticing him was to lift her head, a smile ready on her lips that vanished the minute she noticed his dark expression and clenched jaw. Her forehead creased, and it was a sign she was completely confused about something. Why he looked so mad at her?

"Booth, what,"

"Unless you stop hitting the bad guys, I won't take you to the field with me anymore."

He went straight to the point, in part because that was the way she liked to settle things down and in other, because he was mad. Just mad. He had to make her see how incredibly wrong she was.

"You're talking about the guy we just arrested?"

"The guy?! The mob guy, Bones! The head of the worst gang from the worst part of the city. Do you think you can beat and humiliate a guy like that and there won't be any consequences?"

She stood then, walking around her desk and stopping in front of him, her arms crossed in a position of self defense. She didn't regret what she did and if he wanted to fight because of it, then she would stand her ground.

"What consequence, Booth? We got him for murder. He'll probably never get out of prison. And you know why I did that."

He knew. The man overhead a conversation between the partners when they mentioned their daughter and he used it to push all her right buttons. He had mocked her, guaranteeing Brennan she could never fight crime and educate her precious daughter at the same time. And because of mothers like her, children and teenagers like Christine ended up finding guys like him: someone who offered love in other shapes.

The suspect found himself with his back on the ground the minute he stopped talking, Brennan's right foot on his chest preventing him from moving. She looked deep into his eyes, telling him without words that mothers like her would do whatever it took to protect their daughters, even if it mean knocking who threatened them to the ground. She released him then but it was already too late: the whole FBI was trying hard not to laugh at the tough guy knocked down by a woman.

"You humiliated him, Bones."

"And so what, Booth? He deserved it. Are you going to arrest me?"

"Of course not!" – He sighed. It was one of those times when he just wanted to strangle her for being so damn infuriating.

"So I can't see any consequences."

"He put a hit on your head!" – Booth finally exploded, unable to keep that to himself another minute. She had to understand what that consequence could have meant if he hadn't found a way to stop the mob guy. Again. This time, fortunately, it was a simple deal: Booth would guarantee his safety in prison – the others prisoners would make his life a living Hell for killing children – and in return, he'd call off the hit.

"Booth, we put him away. His hit means nothing now." – Brennan reasoned with him, her voice was soft and calm. She wanted him to ease the tension away, to forget about the mob guy, this stupid hit and everything. She wanted to go home and enjoy a quiet evening with her family.

"He's a mob guy, Bones, for Christ's sake! He has his whole gang behind him! They would have carried on the hit without him even asking them to do so but they won't."

"No, they won't. Just like they did nothing last time when I attacked one of them. Do you remember?" – She was about to smile at the old memory when she saw his eyes on fire. He took a step forward and knowing she had just said something wrong, Brennan took one back.

"You think you always have all the facts, don't you, Bones?" – He nearly growled the words, his voice low and dangerous.

"Actually, I do. Years ago, when I hit that guy, either he or his gang came after me. That is a fact."

"Well, you don't. That guy also put a hit on you and nothing happened because I went after him! I put a gun inside his mouth and warned him: if he or his pals ever touched you, I'd kill him! That's why nothing happened!"

She looked at him in disbelief and he wasn't sure if she couldn't believe his words or the fact that he had kept it to himself for so many years.

"This is how it works, Bones: once a gang has a hit, they won't stop until they hit it. They'll hunt you down, find you and kill you. "

"I can protect myself, Booth."

Why did he have to be so damn overprotective?

"Oh, can you, Bones?" – He took another step towards her, effectively blocking her way. Brennan hit the wall with her back, their eyes locked and having a battle of their own. – "And if they find you, what are you going to do? Run away with my daughter again?"

The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. Booth saw the pain and regret flashing in her eyes and a part of him wished he could take it back. He knew it was her only choice back then, he understood that. Once he had his girls back, Brennan promised never do that to him again and he believed her.

"I promised I'd never do that again." – She whispered, her eyes leaving his and staring at her feet. The hurt in her voice broke his heart.

"If you keep messing with the wrong people, you might just well have to do it again." – He pushed one more time, not sure why he just couldn't drop it and take her in his arms, apologize for his words and go home to meet Christine. Her head jerked up, their eyes meeting and he knew she was the one mad now. He was doubting her promise and since she couldn't lie, she hated when people didn't believe her.

"I won't leave!" – She shouted, her face coming even closer to his. She could feel his breath on her lips. – "Why can't you just believe it?"

"Because you shouldn't do things that jeopardize our family!" – He shouted right back, fighting the urge to press her against the wall and kiss her until they both could forget this whole mess.

"So this is all my fault now?!"

"No, I,"

"You what, Booth?" – She grabbed his lapels, pulling him to her. – "It's been a year since I'm back. I promised you I'd never do that to you again. Don't you believe me?" – She shook him, infuriated by his lack of response.

"I do, you just have to,"

"What? Stop field work? I can't do that. We're partners. Always. You said it yourself." He opened his mouth to speak but she silenced him with her index finger. - "Stop hitting people even if they deserve it? Well, I'll consider it if they are mob guys next time, I promise."

Booth pushed her against the wall, his solid body against hers.

"I know you won't leave me."

"But you're afraid if a circumstance arises and my only choice is leave, I'll do it because that's the only logical way." – He kept quiet and watched as if she seemed to consider something. She then nodded, as if accepting whatever her brain was telling her. Brennan looked straight into his eyes, her next words whispered against his lips. – "Marry me, Booth."

"What?" – His eyes grew big, and when he tried to pull away to take a better look at her, just to make sure she wasn't kidding, she stopped him, her hands firmly holding him by his arms.

"Marry me." – She repeated her proposal, her composed exterior an ironic contrast to her out of control heartbeats. – "You believe marriage is a lifetime commitment and if I'm your wife, by the laws of your God, we have to stick together, no matter what. That's the only way I can think of to make you believe I won't leave you ever again, no matter the circumstances."

"So it's only about logic and soothing my mind for you? What do you believe, Bones?" – He wanted to accept the minute she proposed but they had to be on the same page about this one: marriage was about the two of them. Nothing less, nothing more.

"I believe I don't want to leave you again. I've been there, Booth. I know how it feels. I believe that even though I don't need a piece of paper to prove my commitment, I want to do this. I've taken everything you had last year and now I have the chance to give you everything you deserve. "

He kept silence for seconds that felt like hours until a slow and bright smile appeared on his lips. It was a clear reminder of the night she told him she was pregnant and a relieved laughter escaped her own lips one more time. She knew his answer.