A/N: So, this is my second Bones story. I just couldn't hold back any longer after so much has happened in the series and this just hopped into my head and demanded to be written.

Spoilers: Takes inspiration from The Dentist in the Ditch and The Devil in the Details with fleeting remarks to Two Bodies in the Lab, Aliens in the Spaceship and Harbingers in the Fountain but nothing that would really spoil you watching the episodes.

Disclaimer: If I owned them, Booth would go about at least semi-naked. So, make your own deductions from that.


Booth glanced at his alarm clock and 2:34 glowed in red back at him. He wasn't getting any sleep and although he had hoped to, he knew it wasn't possible. His faith had been shaken and he needed to think through everything he thought he knew. He got out of bed and turned on the TV, not really concentrating on what was on. His mind waited to be cleared of everything that had happened.

He knew his faith wouldn't leave him. It had faded in the past or he had tried to leave it himself but God always found his way back to him. Even during his darkest days as a sniper when he so often questioned what he was doing and felt his belief slip, it would never leave for good.

Booth could name so many occasions when he knew that his religion was more than a creation of man, more than a sum of beliefs, theories and ideas. It was something so him that there was no questioning whether he would be able to sleep the next night. His faith wasn't about the omnipotent God, it was about himself.

He was woken from his thoughts by a knock on the door. Given the odd hour, he knew it could only be one person.

So when Booth opened the door and looked into the crystal clear blue eyes of Brennan, he wasn't surprised it was her.

"Hey, Bones. What are you doing here?"

She smiled, a bit hesitant and nervous but possessing some sort of decisiveness that he couldn't place anywhere.

"I just... needed to talk to you."

"Come on in then."

As she entered, he was certain something had happened but he couldn't quite figure out what. Booth couldn't even decide whether it was something good or bad but she looked like she had come to some kind of a decision.

"Do you want something to drink?" And, without waiting for the answer he knew he would receive, he handed her that Mexican beer she loved and got one for himself as well.

They sat down and drank their beers in comfortable silence. Brennan had something to say and he would wait until she was ready to say what was on her mind.

"I've been thinking, Booth. That conversation we had has been replaying itself in my head and I..." she trailed off, not sure what to say but he gave her time. "Even though your faith in your God is irrational to me, I try my best to understand. Maybe I don't always succeed because I'm not comfortable with the lack of empirical evidence when it comes to religion."

Booth nodded, still not quite sure why she was saying this. He knew she made an effort to understand what he believed in and he didn't mind her occasional harsh comments towards it any more.

She wasn't looking at him but he could see that she had yet to make a revelation. And, as always, as for the past five years, he waited for her. He would wait forever.

"When I told Jared and Padme about starting to understand love, I meant it. And when I told you that I have faith in science, I meant that as well. But my mind keeps asking me how is it possible that I can fathom something so abstract and so... so unreal like love and yet keep believing that the world can be explained with science."

Brennan made a hand gesture, evidencing her inner struggle and Booth misinterpreted it as his cue to jump in and help her understand.

"You're a different person from the one you were when we first met, Bones. That's why you can understand both love and science."

He tried to go on but Brennan interrupted. "No, you don't understand. I'm not different just because time has passed. I am different because of you, Booth."

Booth looked at her, surprised. It was a rare thing for Dr. Temperance Brennan to be so open, honest and candid about her thoughts – and feelings?, his inner voice whispered hopefully – that he didn't know how to respond to this.

"Wow, thanks, I guess. But you can't give me all the credit. You've done it yourself, Bones."

She shook her head and he saw her smile. Then she lifted her gaze to meet his and continued.

"When Mr. White enclosed us into the Jeffersonian, my rationality took charge, telling me I needed to solve the case and the sooner I did this, the sooner it would all be over. I relied on my mind and at the same time I didn't think anything could happen to us because I knew you were out there. I knew you'd do everything you could. I have faith in you, Booth. No matter what, I know I can count on you."

She paused again and he saw the honesty, the emotion, the vulnerability she rarely showed in her eyes.

"Of course you can always count on me, Bones. I would do anything for you." His mind quickly took him back to New Orleans, to Michael Keaton, to the Gravedigger, to Dr. Leecock and knew he would do it all again in a heartbeat if it meant keeping Bones safe.

"I know. And that is why you are the only person I can ask this from."

He was a bit frightened by the solemnity of her words and his imagination gave him a thousand possible scenarios, and he sent a quick prayer that Bones wasn't ill, dying, involved in some sort of criminal activity or – the worst scenario he could imagine and yet didn't want to acknowledge – Bones leaving him, leaving with someone else.

"Booth..." she started and then paused but carried on as if a sudden thought had crossed her mind, "the heart is a muscle, divided into four chambers, responsible for the circulation of blood. It is not a separate being so it cannot feel on its own, it cannot break. That's what science tells me."

Oh god, this is it. Booth was certain she was going to tell him she had found some man – Hacker? - and was going to tell him how happy they were.

"But I realise I've been misled. It can feel and I think...I think it feels you, Booth."

His mind fought to process what she had said with unbelievable speed but none of the conclusions seemed to really reach his consciousness because of the current state of denial in it. She couldn't be saying what his inner voice was screaming at him: She's in love with you! It seemed so unreal.

"So... what are you saying?" He somehow managed to say as much.

Brennan gave him a careful smile. "I thought I was the one who couldn't read between the lines. After consideration and taking into account all evidence, I have deduced that I'm in love with you, Booth. And I think you feel the same way."

Booth's eyes widened impossibly and he couldn't find his voice to say anything at this manifestation he had been waiting for so long, the words he had dreamed of, the declaration he had held back to give her time.

So, he did the only possible thing he could – he kissed her. It was exhilarating, mind-blowing, as he poured five years of longing, loving, waiting, caring into that kiss and could feel her kiss back and fight the smile that was growing on her face.

Finally, when the need for oxygen became too dire to ignore, they broke apart. Booth rested his forehead against hers and whispered, "I love you so much and you have no idea how long I've wanted to just say it. No 'atta girl' this time, Bones."

Brennan gave out a radiant smile, one he hadn't seen before and replied, "No 'atta boy', Booth."


A/N: I realise it might seem uncanny for Brennan to be one to talk so openly and honestly since it's usually Booth but I really believe this declaration of love must come from her. And I don't think she'll run or be scared because she has faith in him.

But, then again, maybe you disagree? Anyway, do tell by clicking that nice little green button.