"Hey, Bones?" Seeley Booth said suddenly. Having come from their favorite diner after solving a case, they were strolling down the dark, almost deserted street towards their separate homes.
"Mhmm," Temperance Brennan responded. She was more at ease than Booth had seen her in a while. She wouldn't be in a minute, he thought.
"Bones, hold on a second," Booth said, grabbing her by the arm and stopping her. She turned to face him, her look inquisitive.
"What's the problem?" she asked. Booth shook his head.
"No problem. It's just… I want to say something." He paused.
"Well go ahead," she said. Booth opened his mouth, shut it, and took a deep breath. He hesitated, then put his hands on her shoulders. Looking her resolutely in the eyes, he said:
"Bones…Brennan, I… I just…" he stopped himself, looked away for a moment, and then looked back. Brennan looked expectant. He inhaled, and then, in one breath he said: "Brennan I love you."
There was a long pause where they just stared at each other.
"What?" Brennan said. She actually looked confused. Booth, removing his hands from her shoulders, ran them through his hair, wondering what he'd gotten himself into. He stared at her.
"I love you, Bones. Look, for a while now… I've thought… you're amazing. You're beautiful, and smart, and great at what you do, and, I know you have a really good heart Brennan," he said.
"I've never understood all the heart analogies people insist on using," she said distractedly, "The heart is an organ that pumps bloods throughout the body. It has nothing to do with the nervous system, no emotion comes from it." Booth supposed he should have suspected this. It was a very Bones-like thing to say.
"Is that all you have to say about it?" he asked half-heartedly. She sighed.
"What do you expect me to say, Booth?" she said, "This is kind of out of nowhere. I don't know what to say." She had started pacing, her hands in her pockets, not looking at him. Booth felt frustrated with her, as he often did. He thought offhandedly that Bones probably found him frustrating too.
"Well, I don't know, Bones," he shot back sarcastically, "How about how you feel? But I guess I can figure you don't feel that way about me, from your reaction."
"'Guessing' is a very inaccurate way of determining things," she murmured. Booth threw his hands up in the air.
"God Bones! Can't you just give me a straight answer? Please," he begged.
"What does it matter how I feel, anyway?" Brennan said hastily, "It wouldn't make a difference. We work together, after all."
"And why does that make a difference? Angela and Hodgins work together and they dated." She scoffed.
"And look how that turned out."
"Oh COME ON Brennan! You're being ridiculous. I personally think that's a lame excuse, you know. I see absolutely NO reason why two people who like each other and who happen to work together can't date."
"Now you're assuming that I want to date you. Thought about that?" Brennan said quietly.
"I don't know!" he shouted, "You haven't exactly told me either way, have you?"
"FINE!" Brennan screamed, "You want to know Booth, how I feel?! I'll tell you!!" That certainly got his attention. He was quiet, waiting. More softly, she said:
"I think I love you too Booth." His breath caught in his throat.
"I've never felt…this way before, even with men I've had sexual intercourse with. Maybe we're genetically compatible and I'm drawn to you, but for whatever reason…" She sighed, "Booth, you're a good man. I like you and I like working with you. But I don't see how this could..." Brennan had trailed off when Booth lifted his hand and brought it gently to her cheek. She met his easy gaze.
"Bones, can't you just go with it, for once? Give it a try? It'll all work out, I promise."
"Your argument is illogical," she said, but softly. He smiled.
"Just… trust me," Booth said, smiling, his palm against her cheek, and she could think of no reason not to trust him. Slowly, Booth moved his hand from her cheek to push a lock of hair behind her ear. Brennan grabbed his hand where it was near her ear and interlocked their fingers carefully. Then, as if making up her mind once and for all, she lurched forward and pressed her lips to his.
Booth was surprised, but he soon recovered, and responded with equal enthusiasm. With his free hand, he reached around and pressed Brennan closer to him. Their interlocked hands rested between their chests. They could feel the other's heart beating as well as the pounding of their own heart. It was almost too good to be true.
Eventually, they broke apart, panting, and stood there on the sidewalk with their foreheads pressed together. Both were grinning.
"Hey Bones," Booth said.
"Mmhmm…"
"Are we going back to my apartment?" There was a pause, where Booth grew suddenly nervous.
"Nah," she said, "Let's go to mine. It's closer."
They laughed and laughed, and then Brennan took Booth's hand and led the way.