A/N: I don't own anything. The song is Say When by The Fray. Bones belongs to others as well.
SAY WHEN
Booth watches her; she's staring intently at the x-ray in front of her, trying to discern anything that might help them with their case. He had given up working hours ago; he is too tired to focus on work. Now he is waiting, waiting for her to finish so that they can go get something to eat before returning to their respective beds.
Her hair falls slightly in front of her face and he resists the urge to gently pull it back and tuck it behind her ear. He wonders when he became like this, the kind of man who watches what he wants instead of going for it.
I see you there, don't know where you come from
Unaware of a stare from someone
Don't appear to care that I saw you and you I want you
"The line," he remembers, wondering if that tortuous and intangible idea should have been created in the first place.
What's your name 'cause I have to know it
You let me in and begin to show it
He notices differences in himself, especially when he is with her. Gradually, they changed. They had indeed left marks on each other.
As of late, he touches her more. They are quiet with each other more often, and he finds himself wondering wistfully if he will ever hold her in the way he dreams of.
We're terrified, 'cause we're heading straight for it, might get it
He had desired her nearly from the start. But what began as a simple attraction grew into something much more over the course of several years. He can't pinpoint when he began to love her, but he knows for certain that he does.
You been the song playing the background
All along but you're turning up now
And everyone is rising to meet you, to greet you
Turn around and you're walking toward me
I'm breaking down and you're breathing slowly
You say the word and I will be your man, your man
He likes to believe he has a lot of self-control. He was a Ranger after all. But he knows without any doubt that if the moment ever comes, if she ever truly wants to be with him, he will not hesitate. He doesn't know if he could. The damned line will be crossed. If she asks.
Say when and my own two hands will comfort you tonight, tonight
Say when and my own two arms will carry you tonight, tonight
They dance. That's what he thinks of it as- dancing. They move easily together through turmoil and strife and high-risk situations. But more than that, he feels as if they dance around each other, around the idea of a 'happily ever after'.
We're coming close and then even closer
We bring it in but we go no further
We're separate, two ghosts in one mirror, no nearer
Later on if it turns to chaos
Hurricane coming all around us
See the crack, pull it back from the window, you stay low
Brennan is chewing on her bottom lip and absent-mindedly tapping her pen. He continues to gaze. He had once told her, "I know who you are." and he is sure that she has no idea of how true that really is. He knows that Angela is sure that Brennan is only stubborn and will not admit anything between them, but Booth knows that isn't it. He knows that she understands, on some subconscious level, that he loves her. But maybe, he likes to think, she just can't accept it, yet.
Say when my own two hands will comfort you tonight, tonight
Say when and my own two arms will carry you tonight, tonight
She shifts position in her chair, her eyes never leaving her work. He had believed he was in love before. He had loved Rebecca, though that love had changed over the years. He still loved her, but in a different way. He doesn't know when he began to love Brennan, but has proof that he does. He has seen her on her worst days, angry and sullen, frustrated and heated and he has loved. He loves her when she does things that hurt him, things that break him. He loves her for everything she is.
Come across you lost and broken
You're coming to but you're slow in waking
You start to shake, you still haven't spoken, what happened
They're coming back and you just don't know when
You want to cry but there's nothing coming
They're gonna push until you give in or say when
Now we're here and it turns to chaos
Hurricane coming all around us
Double crack throws you back from the window, you stay low
He relies on self-control. He can be patient. He can wait many more nights like this, watching her silently. He knows this. He relies on this.
It all began with a man and country
Every plan turns another century
Around again, another nation has fallen
Maybe God can be on both sides of the gun, never understood why
Some of us never get it so good, so good
Some of this was here before us
All of this will go after us
She finally looks up and gives him a sheepish smile.
"Okay. I'm done for tonight. Are you ready?"
He nods and stands, handing her her jacket.
"I'm ready."
Say when, say when and my own two hands will comfort you tonight, tonight