I absolutely loved this episode! I couldn't believe the ending. But I couldn't let it end there, my mind keep going to possible solutions. So I figured, if I was writing it in my head, I might as well write it down in words. I'm sure there will be a lot of stories from this episode, but here is mine. I almost added Brennan dropping a dish, I'm sure I'm not the only one that thought of it, but I considered the outcomes and found my options of storylines minimized by it, if that makes any sense. So anyways, here it is. I hope you like it, if you do -review! Or if you don't, then you can review too, I don't mind constructive criticism.

Continuation of The Heart in the Matter "Skeletons in the closet"

"Bones, I got that. Go sit down." Booth grabbed the dish cloth from Brennan hands. But she instantly took it back.

"I will not leave you with the mess. If we work together it will get done quicker."

"Bones," Booth used that sympathetic voice he had for her, the one he used when he thought she might break down or get angry.

"Booth, I'm fine…really. Now here, put this away." She handed him a pan.

"We all have skeletons in the closet Bones, but that doesn't mean that you have to hide yours, or let them continue to run your life."

"I don't have skeletons in my closets, and I'm a forensic anthropologist. Are you implying that you have a human skeletal…"

"No bones, it's a metaphor; I meant that we all have a past. But it is just that, our past. We can credit it to making us who we are today, what brought us together even, but we don't have to continue to let our pasts affect our lives, our future. It is that theory that keeps me from sharing my… misfortunes with other people."

"You shared them with me." She was still slightly confused; he could read it on her face.

"I trust you Bones, and I know that you trust me, I think that it is good that you are able to tell me about your past as well. It helps me understand partially what is going on in that pretty little head of yours."

"Actually Booth, you wouldn't understand the majority of the complex…"

"I meant your emotions Bones, you have given me the code to continue to unlock what you have hidden inside since you were fifteen years old. And I'm glad that you are able to let me in."

"We should finish these." Bones turned back to the sink, leaving Booth staring at her messy ponytail she had pulled her hair into before she began in the kitchen.

Silence filled the kitchen as the partners set to cleaning the kitchen. Gordon and Sweets had left after the long night of talking, eating, and being a 'family'. No more childhood memories were brought up, not even the ones that had been shared earlier that night. Gordon hadn't asked why the pair had red streaked eyes, or about the goofy smile on Sweets face. The night went on and dinner was delicious, Gordon had indeed mastered his culinary skills over the past year.

"Bones?" Booth was the first to break the long silence. He had placed the last of the silverware into their drawer and was leaning against the stove facing her, his eyes full of concern were piercingly brown and contained the remnants of almost-shed tears.

"I'm fine Booth." She answered him in almost a whisper and went back to placing plates into the cabinet.

He didn't press her, he didn't want to scare her away. It took them four years to get to this point, and he'd be damned if he were to mess it up now. But a small part of him wanted to know for sure, to make sure that she was alright. Booth knew about skeletons in the closet, he had his fair share of them. But unlike Bones and Sweets, he had had someone to look after him, he had a person to go to when life felt too hard to handle, when it would have been easier not to live at all, then to go through life in constant fear or suffering. He was ashamed to think that he had almost given into that desire, the desire to end it all then and there. Yes, he had an alcoholic father who beat his mother and drank nonstop. As a boy he would hide in his room in a dark corner to avoid the shouting and possible shoves and threats. He had had to place himself between his father and younger brother to protect the smaller child. But never had he been locked away for days without food or water. Never had he been beaten to the point that he would forever be reminded through physical remnants. When he was sixteen he began training for the military full time, next to school that was all he did. It was his escape from reality. When he became a teenager, with his grandfather's help, he was able to avoid his father's outbursts and live a pretty normal life. Bones had been at least fifteen when she had been locked away. Fifteen, abandoned, alone, scared, and hopeless. Her family had abandoned her, her foster homes abused her, and all she had was herself. And even then she had had to lock herself far away, inside her. And slowly, ever so slowly, he was finding her inside of herself. He was gently pulling her out of her protective overcoat and hard shell interior.

"I was frightened. I didn't know my whereabouts, or the time. Time was what scared me the most, I knew how long I could physically survive locked in conditions such as the one I was in, I could calculate how much air I had and the temperature. It got cold at night, really cold. I had to assume the fetal position and place myself in the corner closest to the interior of the car. But time, I had no way of calculating it other than counting, which I did for almost seven hours, but then I went back to thinking of ways I could have avoided dropping that dish. I… I was always clumsy, I still am at times, but there was nothing I could do, I…, except maybe have been more focused, yes, I could have been more focused. I was worried about the water's temperature too much and I…" Booth had wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest.

Once over the initial shock of his presence, so close, she rested her head slowly against his chest. She could feel his heart beating rapidly against her ear. His arms quivering ever so slightly as he drew in a shaky breath. Without looking, she could tell that he was crying. His head rested upon hers gently, her entire body now tucked into his, a perfect fit. He held her silently for awhile, the only noise came from their steady breathing.

Brennan felt Booth's body tense up and then he took a deep breath.

"I'm here for you Bones, whenever you feel alone, whenever you feel frightened, I will be here waiting for you. If you feel like crying or if you just need someone to hold you and tell you that you are loved, I'm here for you and I always will be. I wont leave you and I would never hurt you. I want you to know that you are one of the best things that has ever happened to me, and with you here I feel as if I will be ok too. You give me strength and I hope that I can do the same for you. You're my best friend Bones, my partner, and I love you. You are a part of my life now and I don't want you to ever feel differently. Just remember that you always have someone here to look after you."

She felt him take a deep breath when he finished and she mimicked his action to gain the courage to reply with a simple, "If I understand your definition of love, the way you perceive it, then I too love you Booth."

That is what I imagined would happen as they cleaned up after a night of 'family time'. I also have a few other versions, involving curling up on the couch and talking about their childhoods. Or simply watching a movie in each others arms. There are so many possibilities! I may add another one on here later if I get the inspiration. But for now, I hope that you enjoyed my take on this. Please Review and let me know what you thought of it.

Can you believe that they are changing the day AGAIN? What gives? I mean seriously! Tuesday-Wednesday-Tuesday-Thursday-Wednesday-Thursday-Monday-Thursday! Why cant they pick a day! Well, I cant complain too much, three episodes in five days? That does help take the stress of finals off slightly. And the preview! OMG, I was laughing so hard! I cannot believe that they just took that guy.

Again, loved the episode, this is my version of an extended version, I do not own bones or any of the characters, but I hope you like my story.

~B