A/N: So yeah. I've never written a happy ending, so let me know how I did, ok? I have to say that I strongly dislike the way Booth has been acting this season, and I truly hate Hannah!

Love and smiles

Oh, and on this site, people are always saying that they don't own something or someone. Umm…isn't that obvious? If any of us owned the show, this season never would have happened! Duh! So I do NOT own Bones, or anything associated with it.

I guess that's all. Enjoy the story.

She sat shivering in the front seat of his car.

"What were you thinking?" he yelled. "You could have been killed! You would have been killed if I hadn't happened to be there." She could tell that he was angry and if she hadn't been so dang cold and sad that would have made her angry too. What right does he have to be angry at me? Still, she wasn't mad; at least, she wasn't mad yet.

"I'm sorry Booth," she said," but I had to do it. Lauren told me to, and I just…"

"No, you didn't have to Brennan," Booth yelled. Her sharp intake of breath was audible to the both of them. "What do you mean Lauren told you to? Why are you taking this case so hard?"

But she didn't hear the last part.

"Wha—what? I uh…what?" She couldn't even form a coherent thought. Now she was mad.

"I said how could you be so stupid?" he repeated, but she was beyond listening.

"Oh no, Seeley," she seethed. His eyes became wide at her use of his name. "Don't you even pretend to care. Don't you dare."

Booth was startled by her tone. He realized that he shouldn't have been angry, but why would she be angry? He asked,

"Why? What were you thinking; why are you so angry?" He thought the two thoughts might be connected. He was wrong.

"Why am I angry? I do not know, Seeley. Why would I be angry?" She could tell from his confused look that he really didn't know. Sighing, her anger faded. He didn't know. "I'm sorry Booth. You didn't realize; I know you didn't mean to hurt me."

"What do you mean?" he asked sounding agitated. "What did I do?"

"I am Bones. I'm not Brennan. Not to you. I'm Bones." Tears began to trail down her cheeks. "I want to be Bones."

"What? Oh Bones, I'm so sorry. I'm an idiot. Of course you'll always be Bones. I never should have called you Brennan. You'll always be my Bones," he reassured reaching towards her.

"Don't say that Booth," she said, scooting away from his hand. "I want you to call me Bones, but don't make another promise that you won't keep. I can't take it again."

"What do you mean 'another promise that I won't keep'? When have I ever let you down?" he asked angrily.

"Booth, I can't. No matter what you've done to me, you deserve happiness you've gotten and I deserve what I've gotten. Don't make me say it. Don't make me make it worse. I don't want to screw anything up for you or make you feel guilty."

"Damn it Bones. You don't just say that I broke a promise to you and then not tell me what it is. How am I supposed to learn from that? You know it hurts me to hurt you. You're my partner."

Avoiding his eyes, she gave up and decided to tell him. She knew she would lose at some point. No use dragging it out.

"This case has made me realize for a second time," she began, "that life is, metaphorically, very short. I don't want to have any regrets. What I say now should have no effect on you, but I need you to know." The tears were flowing freely now and her voice broke as she continued. "When I was in Maluku, I was attacked by several men." She heard his sharp intake of breath. "Daisy had gone into town and I was alone. They took me to their camp, I assumed as a hostage, and tied me up. The next morning, they took me several miles and…" she paused and edited, "they left me for dead. I could barely walk Booth. I'll spare you the details, but I almost didn't make it back alive. I did though; I think the only reason that I did was because I believed that I had something worth living for. Then I came back, and it was gone."

He closed his eyes and leaned back against the steering wheel. The car slowed to a stop on the side of the road. Hearing her pause, he opened her eyes and with his eyes, told her to continue.

"I love you." She said it so clear, but he couldn't help looking startled. "I always have, even when I didn't believe in love; I loved you even then. But back then, I had to protect you from myself. I wasn't good enough for you—I'm still not. I couldn't make you happy. In Maluku, I realized that, in trying to protect you, I missed my chance at happiness; I missed our chance." She was no longer able to continue.

Looking back, Booth began to see that what she was saying, about only trying to protect him, was so very true. But it still didn't change the fact that he now loved Hannah.

"Bones, why are you telling me this now?"

"You made me," she replied. There was an edge of anger to her voice.

"I don't see how that shows that I broke a promise to you," he retorted. He couldn't believe how incredibly mean and insensitive he was being, She just told you she loves you and that's all you can say? But it didn't stop him from being mean and insensitive.

"You really don't see it? Huh, I thought for sure you knew." She smiled an angry smile. "Booth, you told me that love was forever. That there was such a thing as true love that could last for 30 or 40 or 50 years. You told me that you loved me like that. You promised me that 30 or 40 or 50 year kind of love. You promised me. And then I come back after seven months and it's not true anymore? You decided you didn't mean it?"

He tried to cut in, but he couldn't. She just kept right on talking.

"You just decided that it wasn't true anymore. So forgive me if your promise means nothing to me right now. When you asked me to risk everything we have, I couldn't do it. First of all, I had to protect you from myself. That was most important. But there was another reason. You are all that I have—the only thing worth fighting to live for. I always screw up anything that deals with emotions. I couldn't let myself screw up what I had with you. I didn't know that by trying to not screw it up, I'd just screw it up worse."

"Bones I—" Booth began.

"I'm not giving you an ultimatum. I would never do that to you. I know from first-hand experience how terrible that is. I know you love Hannah. You deserve her Booth, you really do. I just had to tell you. Like I said, I don't want any regrets. And I promise to still be your friend. I'll still be Bones. For as long as I can; I promise," she finished. Finally, she raised her eyes to meet his.

"Bones," he began. "I don't even know what to say."

"Booth, you don't have to—"

"No, you had your turn, now I get mine." Seeing her sit back in her seat to listen, he continued. "Everything that you said is true. I did promise you those 30 or 40 or 50 years of love. But I never broke that promise. I still love you. I love you Bones. I shouldn't have asked you to take that risk. I knew you weren't ready, and yet I didn't even once tell you that I loved you. I've been over that night in my head a million times. I never told you. I'm not making that same mistake tonight. I love you Bones. I will always love only you."

"Booth, I—no. You love Hannah. This is why I didn't want to tell you. You are happy with her Booth."

"Hannah left a week ago."

"What? Booth I'm so sorry. What happened?"

"I—I said, when I was asleep, I said 'I love you Bones' and she figured it out. She told me that she couldn't be with a man who was in love with someone else."

"Booth I—I'm sorry. This is entirely my fault. You could be happy if it weren't for me."

"Bones, it was over before that night, I just didn't know it. That night, I realized that I loved Hannah because of all the things that were like you. But no matter how like you she was, she just wasn't you. And I love you Bones."

"How can you love me Booth?"

"I can love you because you are you. And that's all I'll ever need."

And then, finally, he reached over and pulled her into his arms. This time she didn't pull away. She was giddy inside.

He loves me too!

Looking up into his eyes, she said four words she never thought she would get to say to him,

"I love you too."

And he pulled her closer and their lips met. Everything they had, they poured into the other. And just like that, the center realigned and the world was right again.

Please Read!

So I have a request for any authors reading this story. I really enjoy reading Fanfics. Almost as much as writing them. But it's more fun to read something by someone else. So, I was wondering if more people would write what they think would happen if Booth called her Brennan instead of Bones. Does anyone else think all hell would break loose? I want to see other perspectives. If you would, that would be great and I will most certainly review those I see.