I must confess I should be updating my other story, The Partners Coming Home, but this idea just totally gripped me and wouldn't let go, so I'm going to go where my creative juices takes me this time and do this new fic that's just bursting from my head. It's a little spoilerish, but not too much.

So here goes. Hope you all bear with me as Partners goes on hiatus and pick up this story instead.

Brief AN: This is set anytime in the BB universe where Hannah never existed and BB are together like we want them to be. This story's going to be a little dark, my first foray into suspense, so hope you all enjoy. This idea came upon me as I was reading spoilers for the new episode that's going to air after the Christmas/New Year break.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones or the characters in it. Though I'd really like a Booth.

Booth sat on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, his heart thudding wildly in his chest, his left leg bouncing nervously up and down. He jammed his right hand into the pocket of his suit jacket, his hand closing around the small velvet box inside. It felt heavier than it should be and he took in a breath in an attempt to calm his nerves.

His mind flashed to the events of the past month in vivid detail. His clenched fist around the velvet box tightened. He could still see her bloodied face, the blood trickling down the left side of her face from the deep gash on her temple. He remembered her blue eyes locked firmly onto his, full of trust in him. Fear and guilt gripped him again as those memories flooded his mind.

"I'm so sorry I chose Parker over you."

Booth closed his eyes, forcing himself back to the present. She's alive. Nothing else matters.

A cool spring breeze blew past him and he opened his eyes. There she was climbing the steps towards him, her hair blowing gently in the breeze. His heart beat even faster, and as it always was when she was near, his world was right again.

… …

One month ago

Booth opened the door to his darkened apartment for the third night in a row. He shuffled his tired feet through the doorway, closing and locking the door behind him. He shrugged off his suit jacket, throwing it over his couch. Quietly he toed off his shoes and pulled off his striped socks before opening the door to his bedroom. His tie and shirt were the next to go, followed by his pants. The room was dark and he waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness.

A beam of moonlight filtered in through the window, catching the curves of the sleeping woman in his bed. His lips turned up in a smile as his breath caught in his throat. She always, always took his breath away. His heart ached in a good way, the way that it only could when you loved someone so much that it hurt. As gently as he could he pulled back the covers and slid into bed beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist, simply content to hold her sleeping form in his arms.

His girlfriend of almost six months stirred, turning in his arms. Without opening her eyes she mumbled a sleepy, "What time is it?"

"It's a little past midnight. I'm sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep."

"Hmm, you're back early."

Booth smiled. "It's not that early Bones."

"Earlier than the past two nights."

"Yeah," he sighed. "I'm sorry about that. Caroline was breathing down my neck for the paperwork - "

"I don't really want to talk about Caroline in bed." Brennan's eyes opened, and she offered him a smile in return. "I missed you."

"I missed you too."

She pressed herself closer to him, and his body immediately reacted to her closeness.

"It's been more than a week." She muttered, pressing her lips to his.

"Eight days." Booth mumbled in between breaths as their lips moved against each other.

Her hand wandered to the waistband of his boxers, her fingers tickling his skin. He gasped at her contact. "You sure you're not too tired?"

"It's been eight days Booth."

And with that Booth kissed her back, his tongue scrapping her lips, seeking entry. Her lips parted willingly as his tongue brushed hers and he slipped a hand under his over-sized FBI t-shirt that she was wearing, pleasantly surprised to find that that was all she has on.

She moved quickly to roll him onto his back. Straddling him she pulled off her shirt in one swift motion, leaving herself bare to him. She lowered her lips to kiss him again, her hair curtaining his face as she ground her core against his growing erection. He broke the kiss to slip lower on the bed, capturing one dangling nipple in his mouth. Brennan moaned, arching her back and pressing herself into him. He sucked and licked, then repeated his actions with the other breast.

He lifted his hips off the bed as Brennan helped to pull off his boxers. Booth moved a finger to test her readiness for him. He couldn't help the moan from his lips when he found her slick and wet, all ready for him.

She got up on her knees, taking his hard length in one hand she positioned him at her entrance before sinking down onto him. Their mutual groans of relief were soon replaced by panting and moaning as she rode him. His hands on her hips helped to move her up and down and she soon brought herself to her release.

As she struggled to catch her breath, Booth flipped them over. Still inside her, he lifted her right leg, hooking her knee over his shoulder. He pressed deeper, once twice and when she moaned his name loudly the third time, he slid in deeper knowing he was hitting the right spot. Spurred on by thoughts of wanting to pleasure her and of how much he loved her, he pounded into her, bringing them both closer to the edge.

In that moment when they were intimately joined, when he was inside her, nothing else mattered. The difficult case that they had just closed that was the cause of his and her late nights, the emotional toil it took on them, all melted away.

His breaths came out in short pants as did hers. As soon as he felt her walls clenching around him the second time that night he groaned out her name and let go, pouring his seed into her.

Afterward he rolled onto his back, pulling her on top of him, their sweaty limbs still entangled, both breathing hard, trying to catch their breaths.

"You ok? Didn't pull a hamstring?"

"I do yoga remember?"

"Right. Lucky me."

He tightened his arms round her, nuzzling her hair. "Everything just feels so right when I'm in your arms, even more so when I'm inside you."

… …

In the darkness of his van, the man fought to bring his breath under control. He had jerked off to watching the FBI Agent and his anthropologist girlfriend have sex, and as he watched them collapse onto each other in post-coital bliss he felt his anger grow. They did not have the right to be so happy.

He listened to their light banter, listened to him confess his need for her and watched as he teased her about the two orgasms he had given her.

Soon. Soon he would wipe that cocky grin off the agent's face.

… …

Despite the lack of sleep Booth woke up feeling energized. The case was closed and he was waking up to a new day with Bones in his arms. With a sniper's stealth, Booth slid out of bed and went for his early morning jog, something he had to give up because of their case. But now that it was closed, he could go back to his regular exercise routine.

He was rounding the corner a couple of blocks from his apartment when he bumped into a teenager, coming the opposite way.

"I'm sorry." Booth started.

The teenager was silent, simply shoving an envelope into Booth's hand.

"What?"

The kid shrugged wordlessly, walking briskly away from him, leaving Booth puzzled. He opened the vanilla envelope and unfolded the letter inside.

Scrawled in barely legible handwriting were the words that made the blood drain from his face.

Do you know where they are?

Booth spun round in a circle wanting answers but the teenager was nowhere in sight. His first thoughts were of Parker and Brennan. Surely they had to refer to them? Fear took over as he stuffed the letter into the pocket of his sweats and took off running down the remaining blocks that would take him to his apartment. All he could think of was please let them be ok.

A short chapter to get the story started.

Like I said this is my first attempt at suspense so I hope you all hang around to see what I have planned. Trust me this story is practically unfolding and writing itself in my head.

And remember to review. I'm not ashamed to say I'm really excited to know what you all think. Make my lack of sleep worth it :)