I started this with the intention of making it a one shot. Depending on the reviews I get I may continue it so if you want more you know what you have to do when you you reach the bottom of the page. And please, if you have nay ideas on where you think I should take this, let me know.

Brennan raises her hand to Booth's door and knocks sharply three times. She shifts her weight between her feet as she waits for an answer. Finally he draws the door open, his eyes widening in surprise at seeing her on his doorstep.

"Bones? What are you doing here?" he asks.

"I wanted to talk you."

"About what?" I know exactly why she's here

"Can I come in?"

"Uh, sure, sorry." Booth steps aside and lets Brennan in. She stands just inside the door, her arms folded. "So, what's going on?"

"That's what I came here to ask you." Brennan stares at him, trying to read his face.

"What do you mean?" Booth plays innocent.

"Booth, you've been acting strangely for weeks now and it's starting to affect our cases." Brennan states. "Is there something going on with you?"

"Uh, no, of course not. What could be going on?" She's not buying this

"Booth, please. If there's something bothering you, you should talk about it. It doesn't have to be to me." Booth sighs heavily and walks over to the couch.

"Sit down Bones, there is something I need to say." Brennan follows him to the couch and takes a seat at his side. She turns so she is facing him and looks intently into his eyes.

"The reason I've been acting strange lately. Well, it has to do with you."

"What? Did I do something wrong?" she asks, her voice laced with worry.

"No Bones, you did nothing wrong." Booth smiles. "In fact, you've done everything right."

"I don't understand."

"You wouldn't." Booth chuckles. "Bones, there's something I've wanted to tell you for the longest time but I haven't had the courage."

"Whatever it is, you can tell me. We're partners."

"Partners." Booth chuckles again. "That's a big word with a lot of meanings."

"I don't…"

"Understand, I know." Booth takes a deep breath and locks onto her bright blue eyes. "Bones. Temperance." She shudders when he uses her given name. He only uses it when something big is going on. "I'm in love with you."

Booth's words echo round Brennan's head. He's in love with me? Why? Why would he say that? She sits in shock as Booth stares at her, obviously waiting for a response. When she doesn't say anything Booth begins to worry. This is not how he imagined this moment going.

"What?" Brennan finally whispers.

"I said I'm in love with you." Booth repeats, hoping this time the shocked look on her face will change. Instead, Brennan rises to her feet and begins to back away from him towards the door. She looks scared he notices. I didn't mean to scare her.

"Bones?" he rises to his feet and steps towards her but Brennan keeps moving until she reaches the door. Her hand fumbles for the doorknob which she finally finds. With her jaw still hanging open in shock, Brennan pulls the door open and steps into the doorframe.

"Temperance, please wait." Booth reaches out to grab her arm but she turns and takes off running down his driveway. "Bones!" Booth calls after her. She doesn't stop though. She keeps running; down the path, down the street and as far from Booth as she can get.

xxxx

Booth runs to his bedroom and yanks on a pair of sneakers and a sweater before bolting out his house to follow Brennan. I have to catch her, I have to fix this. He keeps up a fast pace, heading in the direction Brennan ran in, hoping he'll catch up to her.

xxxx

Brennan gasps for breath, her chest feeling like it's going to explode. She begins to slow down, her legs aching and her lungs burning. I can't run anymore. As she glances around her surroundings, she realises she's in a park. Spotting a bench, she jogs over and collapses down onto it, hunching her body over and burying her head in her hands. Why did he have to ruin everything?

xxxx

Booth reaches the end of his street and doesn't know whether to turn left or right. He makes a split second decision and goes left, running towards the park he often takes Parker to when he has him at weekends. As he slows to a jog, he spots a dark figure on a bench. He doesn't need to be any closer to know who it is.

"Bones?" Booth approaches her slowly, not wanting to scare her. But she shows no sign of running this time so Booth slips onto the bench next to her.

"Why did you say it?" she asks quietly, her eyes focused on her shoes.

"Because it's true." He shrugs.

"But why? Why would you want to change everything?" she lifts her head and turns to him.

"Bones, I can't keep pretending that this thing between us isn't there. We both feel it. You can't tell me you don't."

"I do."

"So why did you run?" He asks. Brennan swallows, preparing to explain to him why she took off.

"Booth, you are the one solid thing in my life. The one person I know I can rely on no matter what." Booth takes her hand in his but she snatches it back. "I don't want to lose that."

"You won't."

"Booth, you don't understand." Brennan feels few tears fall from her eyes. "It won't work."

"Why not?"

"Because Booth. Every guy I get involved with eventually leaves." She sighs. "If you leave me, I don't think I could handle that."

"Bones, I'm not going to leave you."

"You can't promise that. You don't know what's going to happen. And I'd rather keep you in my life as my partner, and my friend, than not have you in my life at all." She feels her voice growing stronger.

"I don't know if I can do that Bones. I'm in love with you and I can't just turn off my feelings."

"I know." Brennan rises to her feet. "But in time you'll meet someone else, someone prettier and smarter and funnier. Someone you don't need to explain everything to."

"I like that I have to do that Bones." Booth forces a smile onto his face but Brennan just shakes her head.

"I know things will be difficult for a while Booth, but soon enough we'll go back to normal." Booth looks up at her from the bench, his heart slowly breaking into a thousand pieces.

"Bones, please." He begs.

"Booth, please. This is my decision. Trust me. It's the best thing for us. You'll understand one day." As she begins to walk away from him, Booth rises to his feet.

"Temperance!" he calls after her but she doesn't stop. She doesn't want Booth to see how much this hurts. She knows she's breaking his heart but hers is breaking too.