(A/N:- I promised to myself that I would leave 'Amor est Vitae Essentia' as a one-shot, but I've given in to temptations and decided to write a sequel. Oh well. May I burn in hell.I've really gotten into writing again, after all this chaos with exams and stuffHopefully I'll get a lot more done in the next few weeks, but I'm not promising anything to anyone. Well, I hope you like it. The title means 'Joy in Truth'.)
(Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Bones, or the Latin language. I wish that I owned both, but to be honest, if I did, I doubt that I'd be writing this. Bones is the property of FOX and Temperance Brennan belongs to Kathy Reichs, much to my dismay. I also don't own Oprah Winfrey, or Mary Murphy, nor do I have anything against the latter person. She was just the first person to come to my head, and seemed to be the kind of person that Tempe wouldn't like – you know, the happy, scream-y type. Please R&R if you want me to continue!
Gaudium in veritate
"I'm bored." Temperance Brennan complained. They had been driving for hours, and were still miles away from where they were heading to – New York City, New York.
"Yeah, I know. You've only told me five hundred times in the last half an hour." Booth muttered, changing gears and grabbing onto her hand. He squeezed it tightly, and brought it to his lips. He kissed her knuckles, and sighed. "Want to play a game?"
She straightened up in her seat, and turned towards him. Now you're talking!
"Yes. What game do you have in mind?" She asked him sweetly.
"Well, I was going to say truth or dare, but dares in a car? Not a good idea. So how about we do the truth part now, and the dare part when we get to the hotel?" He raised his eyebrows suggestively, and Temperance laughed – giggled, in fact.
"Go on then. Anything is better than sitting here in silence for the next God knows how long."
"Stop complaining, babe. You want a vacation don't you?" He exclaimed, exasperated.
"Hey, if you remember correctly, I didn't want to come. You made me..." She started. He cut her off quickly.
"Want to turn back round and go home then? Cause that'll take exactly the same amount of times as it takes us to get to New York anyway..."
"No, we're not turning round. Come on, let's play this truth game. You wanna go first?"
An hour later, they were still driving and still playing.
"What's the most embarrassing thing you've ever done, Bones?" Booth asked, glancing at her slightly as he drove along.
Temperance laughed to herself. God, I think of more than one occasion that I've embarrassed myself publicly.
"Well there was the time when I was in an interview on the Oprah Winfrey show, and I said that I absolutely detested Mary Murphy. You know, that crazy ballroom dancer with the annoying scream? It turns out she was in the audience and was one of my biggest fans. She went right off me, apparently... Oh well." She laughed again. Apparently she didn't care that she offended someone so badly.
"My go. Ask me a question, Bones." Booth pushed, eager to get his turn over and done with.
Brennan thought about it for a while. What could I ask Booth? I've already asked about his favourite foods, his family, his childhood...
"Why me?" She eventually said, in a small voice.
"What?" Was she asking what he thought she was asking? Why would she even ask that?
"Why, out of all of the woman out there, all the woman more beautiful than I am, did you choose to give your heart to me...?" She asked, eyes fixed on her feet.
"Temperance – You want to know why?" He snorted, apparently humoured by her question.
"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't..." She muttered, slightly confused as to why he was laughing.
"I chose you Temperance, because you're you. You don't care what anyone else thinks about you. You care more about your work, and being there for your friends than you do about yourself... Although, sometimes that's not a good thing." He added as an afterthought. "You're the most intelligent woman I've ever met, and also the most stubborn. And the most beautiful. Don't put yourself down, Bones. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me." He smiled, and thought about the lyrics to one of his favourite songs, oblivious to the fact that she knew the words as well.
"To me or the world." She completed, smiling at him.
"You know that song?" He asked, open-mouthed.
"Well, yes. I've heard it numerous times on the radio when I was working late, and I downloaded it onto my computer. I bought the album as well..."
"That's another reason I love you – you surprise me everyday!" He grinned.
"You... you love me?" He loves me... He loves me... Oh my Goodness.He.Loves. Me. He smiled at her awestruck face, and nodded.
"Course. You're the love of my life. I've loved you for longer than you can imagine, Temperance."
"I... I love you too." She whispered.
They had been dating now for seven months, and neither of them had ever said that they loved the other. They knew that they loved each other, but they never said it. Never said those three words. Those three words that could cause so much joy.
Tears threatened to fall from Seeley's eyes, and he quickly brushed them away. She smiled, and wiped at the tears falling from her own eyes. She sniffed, and grinned sheepishly.
"Well, this was an interesting game of truth." She acknowledged.
"Believe me, babe. The dare part's gonna get a whole lot more interesting." She grinned, and leaned back in her seat, begging the time to pass even more than she was before.
(A/N: - If you're nice, and help me out by reviewing, you might just get a chapter on the dares. But it depends whether I'm in a good mood. Reviews help my mood, by the way. Just a random drabble really, so if I've droned on, let me know. Any criticism, as long as it's constructive, is greatly appreciated. Oh, and cookies for all reviewers.And cyber kisses from David Boreanaz. Or Emily Deschanel, if by the off chance you're a guy. Or whatever. Thanks in advance to everyone – I do try to reply to every review – holbonesfan)