AN: I have tense issues, I know, so if you see any glaring ones, please let me know so I can fix them. Thanks.
He follows her into her apartment building and up to her door, the two of them arguing the entire way. She unlocks her door and turns to face him before opening it.
"I did not need you hovering over me at the crime scene, Booth, I know how to do my job and I know how to take care of myself. I did not need you interfering while I was talking to the officer at the scene. We may be partners but that doesn't mean every move I make has to be cleared through you like you have some claim over me and that I can only talk to you about a case. It's my job, Booth, I will occasionally need to speak with other males and they will need to speak back. I do not need you to defend my honor like some damsel in distress if one of them makes a rude comment to me. I can handle it and will take my own actions when necessary. All you are doing with your alpha male tendencies is making me look weaker than I really am and like I need you to protect me from their big bad words."
"Ya know what, Bones, you may have a brain the size of Texas, but sometimes you just haven't got a clue. Have you ever stopped to think for just one second, that not everything I do is about alpha male tendencies or trying to annoy you or lay claim to you? Huh? That maybe, just maybe, I do a lot of the things I do because I care about you and just want to make sure you are happy, comfortable and safe? Yeah, maybe it's a little selfish, but only because seeing you happy and content makes me happy and content! And maybe I like being happy and content with you!"
She looks angry, then shocked, then confused, then angry again as she replays what he said.
Here it comes he thinks, wincing a little and waiting for the tyraid to begin.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean? Everything you do exhibits alpha male tendencies. I see no purpose in your actions other than to serve your own pride and dominance issues. Why would it make you happy to see me happy? The only thing that you seem to get enjoyment from is making me angry. If you care about me than why won't you respect the fact that I don't need someone to do all those things for me? That I want you to stop trying to show off your male superiority complex and using me to do it."
He grabs her arms loosely.
"No, I don't 'need' to do those things and no, you don't 'need' them done for you. But maybe once in awhile you can let me because I want to and maybe once in awhile you can want me to."
She remains quiet a moment and he can see her mind working as she tries to pick apart and analyze what he just said.
"For once will you just stop thinking and analyzing, Temperance? Please."
She pauses at the use of her real name and looks at him, faltering at the intense, pleading look in his eyes. But being Tempe...
"Booth, I think if you really..."
He sighs, "Bones, just shut up, trust me and let me show you?"
"Show me what?"
"This."
He pulls her closer and after only a brief hesitation, second guessing what he was about to do, he brings his lips to hers. At first she tenses and starts to pull back about to say something. He pulls her closer effectively silencing her protest.
She melts into him, wrapping her arms around him and finally letting go.
He takes that opportunity to deepen the kiss, pulling her tighter against him and pouring all of the emotion and passion he can into showing her just how much he really does care about her.
She starts kissing him back with a fervor she hadn't expected herself to display. Sure, she's thought about what it would be like to kiss Booth, but she never expected to actually been doing it. And then when he deepened the kiss all coherent thought went away leaving her unable to think anything but 'Wow!'
As they finally pull away Tempe has a small smile on her lips and a brightness in her eyes he doesn't get to see very often.
"You look happy."
She pauses, considering that simple statement.
"I am"
She sighs and lays her head on his shoulder, letting him pull her closer.
"You seem content."
"Yeah. This is much nicer than fighting," she breathes out dreamily.
He snickers slightly and she pulls back to see the smirk on his face growing into a full-blown Booth grin.
"See. I told you so."
"Told me what?" She pauses, "Oh."
She makes the connection with their conversation just moments earlier and punches him lightly on the arm while grinning widely herself.
"Just shut-up, Booth, and make me happy again."
"With pleasure." he says as he pulls her in for another, even more passionate kiss.
Fin
AN: Well, there it is, my very first Bones ficlet. I'll leave it up to you to decide if they've been together for a bit at this point or if this is first-kiss material. It could really go either way, and I couldn't decide. LOL Please tell me what ya think. I may feel inspired to write some more... if you liked it that is g . Thanks!