Disclaimer: I don't any of it, heck I don't even own the stuff I made up. The voices in my head own those.

This one will be a little less fluffier than my last two stories. There will be smut but WAIT if you don't like smut I will be posting a smutless chapter. So the story will keep on rolling without the details. This took me about two months to write so please enjoy!

Okay everybody I'm not doing a rewrite perse but more of a Oh my god I feel stupid fix =D. So I'm fixing grammatical errors, giving some people descriptions (since I know what I think they look like, I just forgot to tell ya'll). At the same time I am working on the sequel. This is to reign in my cracked out muse. She's on some kind of crack/caffine bender. Writting four stories at one time was slowing me down. So I thought I'd re-edit one and write the other =).

Chapter 1: Before I Say Goodbye

Booth's Apartment: November 2nd

Booth was sitting on his couch when he heard a quiet knock on the door. Setting his beer down, he walked to the door and opened it. He saw his partner Dr. Temperance Brennan on the other side looking decidedly shy.

"Come in, Bones. What are you doing here?" He asked as he opened the door wider and swept his arm back in invitation. She smiled and walked through the door.

"I need to speak with you," she said softly. Booth regarded her with curiosity, she was acting completely unlike herself. Booth gestured to the couch and she sat down.

"Beer?" He asked her with a smile.

She returned the smile and nodded yes. He carried two beers into the living room, handed one to her, and sat down on the other end of the couch. She took a nervous sip then sat looking at the bottle in her hands. Booth leaned over and caught her eye.

"That night outside the Hoover," she said hesitantly. Booth froze as she lifted her eyes to his and held his gaze.

"I said some things and they hurt you. I never wanted to hurt you and I was trying to protect you. What I told you was true I'm not a gambler, I am a scientist and I can't change," she continued.

She bit her lip and glanced back down at her beer. He leaned forward and set his beer on the coffee table. Putting his elbows on his knees, he clasped his hands together. She was still staring at her beer with her bottom lip tucked between her teeth.

"Bones, I...I don't want you to change. I did not fall in love with someone you think you should be. I fell in love with you and everything about you. I know I'm that guy and I said a lot of stupid things among them that I had to move on. When I was dating Katherine and I told you that you were the standard, I was not just being nice. You are the standard," Booth told her in a low tone. She glanced up with a start and her eyes got wide.

"You. love. me?" She asked, confusion and surprise on her face.

"Yes, I do, Bones. Did you think I didn't?" He asked in stunned surprise.

"You never said that you loved me. You asked me to gamble," she choked out in pain.

"No, I love you, Bones. For everything you were and are," Booth sighed, realizing that there were things that neither had said or heard. She turned to him and gave him a hug and he hugged her back.

"I am not saying no. I'm just saying let me have some time to gain some understanding of what is going on with my emotions. I have to examine this logically to understand it. I am unsure how to do this because you are the one who usually helps me with these sort of things," she said, looking at him. She shrugged helplessly at him and he pulled her into a hug.

"We will figure this out. No matter how long you need I will wait. If you need to talk to me, you can. We will have e-mail, I have video calls, and there is always snail mail," he whispered, kissing the top of her head.

"Snails do not carry mail, Booth," she said seriously. He chuckled and squeezed her tighter.

"I have to check into the base at 6 am tomorrow but I want you to stay. No pressure I just want to hold you before you leave," Booth semi-pleaded.

She nodded, that she could do. They sat together on the couch watching a movie, him leaning with his back against the armrest, her snuggled between his thighs with her back to his chest.

"Come on, Bones, we can't sleep on the couch," Booth whispered in her ear, when she started to doze.

She stood up groggily and he lead her to the bedroom. He opened his drawers and handed her a Flyers tee shirt. Being to tired to think of anything other than sleep, she stripped down and pulled on the tee shirt he had given her. He took a mental snapshot and stifled a groan. He would carry that image with him while he was in Afghanistan. She pulled on her shirt, reached under, and took off her bra. They crawled into the bed and she wrapped herself around him as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

She fell asleep to the beat of his heart and he to the even sound of her breathing.

Booth's Apartment: November 3rd

The alarm went off at 4 am and she groaned. He kissed the top of her head and smiled to himself.

"Come on, Bones. I wish I could stay like this forever but I need to get to the base before I am AWOL," Booth gently prodded.

"You would not be able to stay like this forever. You would need to get up for various bodily functions as well as eating," she stated, blinking sleepily.

He smiled at her and leaned forward kiss her softly on the lips. He rolled out of bed and headed towards the shower. She rolled out and got dressed, throwing his tee shirt on the bed. She went out to the kitchen and made coffee. When the coffee was finished brewing, she poured herself a cup and stood staring into it. Booth came from the bathroom wearing his uniform and saw her staring into her cup. He walked up to her and took the coffee cup from her hands. Setting it on the counter, he pulled her against him. She stiffened then she started to softly cry.

"This is my fault. I was running again and now you're going somewhere that may get you killed. I was just too scared to gamble on you Booth. To scared of loosing you as a partner and now I may lose my best friend," she said, still sniffling. He rubbed his hand down her back and used the other to tip her face up.

"Yes, things may have gone differently if you had chosen to stay. However, they are what they are and now we have learned and grown a little. Just by coming here to talk to me, you have faced that fear. Instead of leaving to our separate corners angry and hurt, we are now leaving with an understanding for you and hope for me," Booth said gently.

He kissed her softly on the lips and then her forehead. He reached around her, grabbed a cup for coffee, poured some coffee, and sat down.

"I'm going to have my last good cup of coffee for the next year. And I am going to share it with a beautiful and intelligent woman," he said, smiling at her. She grabbed her coffee and sat down on a stool next to him.

"What are you doing about your apartment while you're gone?" She asked him, tilting her head as she questioned him.

"The landlord is sub letting it while I am gone. The movers will come in and pack everything up tomorrow to put it into storage," Booth said, grimacing at the thought of strangers touching his stuff.

She nodded and began to think about that. He sighed and stood up. Walking to his room, he picked up his duffel bag and swung it on his shoulder. She stood up and he grinned.

"Give a soldier a ride?"

"You know I will. It's about time I got to drive," she said in a saucy tone as she picked up her keys. They step out the door, into the future, into a year of separation.

Dulles International Airport: November 3rd

Cam stood in front of Brennan knowing that her once rival but now friend was leaving for a year.

"I've really enjoyed working for you, Dr. Brennan," Cam told her with an almost sad look.

"In fact, Dr. Saroyan, I worked for you," Brennan stated calmly.

"We both know better," Cam said with a smile, pulling her into a hug. Hodgins stepped forward with a sad look in his eyes.

"I made you this chart of all the poisonous reptiles and insects, what they look like, how to avoid them, and what to do if your stung or bitten," he told her, handing her a flip book.

"Thank you, Dr. Hodgins. I love you too," Brennan told him.

"Wow," Hodgins said with a look of surprise not expecting that from her.

"Booth informed me the proffering of overly solicitous advice is indicative of love," she told him.

"Wow," Hodgins replied his eyes almost tearing up. Angela stepped forward almost laughing at the look on his face. With a smile, she pulled Brennan into a hug.

"Angela," Brennan almost whispered her throat clogging with emotion.

"Hey, Sweetie. I hope you find something that just changes what it means to be human," Angela told her with a smile truly hoping that her best friend would find what she was looking for in Maluku.

"I will," Brennan told her with a small smile.

"Okay," Angela said, pulling her into another tight hug. Over the sound of people moving through the airport they hear,

'Passengers taking 3pm flight 262 to Jakarta now boarding'.

"Dr. Brennan, we really need to go," Daisy tells Brennan.

"Yes," Brennan says, clearing her throat that was clogging with emotion.

Reaching down for the handle to her luggage, she glanced around. As she pulled up the handle, someone caught her eye. She finished pulling the handle up and made her way across the terminal to where Booth was standing, twisting his hat in his hands.

"Dr. Brennan," Daisy calls as she sees Brennan walking off.

"Oh. My. God." Cam utters as her mouth falls open. Angela's mouth purses as she feels the pain her friend seems to ignore.

"Sorry I couldn't get a pass I had to sneak off base," he tells her as his worried filled eyes probe hers. His heart is in his eyes and the rest of his face stoic.

"Listen, Bones, you have to be real careful in that Indonesian jungle," he says. His voice almost cracking but not quite.

"Booth, in a week you're going to a war zone," she says. Her face awash with fear and worry, "Please don't be a hero. Please just don't be you," she says, barely holding back the emotions flooding her eyes. He reached down and grabbed her hand.

"One year from today we meet at the reflecting pool on the mall right by the-"

"coffee cart. I know. I know. One year from today," she finishes his sentence.

He swallows hard, releases her hand, turns, and begins to leave. She turns in the opposite direction and heads toward the group waiting for her. He paused and looked over his shoulder. His eyes caught hers and held. They were only separated by the airport yet it felt as if someone was squeezing his heart.

She stopped, turned and looked over her shoulder at the same time. When his gaze caught hers he could see her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She dropped the handle of her luggage and began to walk to him. He walked toward her swiftly, they meet halfway, he scooped her up, and their lips locked in a slow sweet kiss. The tears running down her face fall on his shirt.

"Dr. Bre-" Daisy beggan to whine. Sweets wrapped an arm around the back of her head and clamped a hand over her mouth. Booth put Brennan down, cupped her face in his hands, and used his thumbs to wipe the tears from her face.

"You need to get on that plane and I need to get back to the base," he whispered to her. She nodded, kissed him one more time and turned to get her bag. Dragging her bag she headed to her flight, turning he walked out of the terminal doors headed to the base. They leave a dumbstruck Jeffersonian crew standing in the terminal with their mouths hanging open.

Maluku: November 4th

After a 20 hour flight with Daisy Wick, Brennan was ready to sleep. Before she could do that, there were a number of things her administrative duties required. She had to check in, see who was already here, see what had already been completed and set up sleeping arrangements for all of the scientists and interns. She set her bags down in her hut and looked around.

There were two beds, two nightstands, two desks and two trunks. She was impressed that the site had electricity supplied by solar powered generators, a satellite on top of the lab building for internet connections, computers in the lab and offices, and full set of laboratory equipment.

There were four brick buildings, an office building, a lab, a building with numerous sets of individual showers, and a kitchen with a dining hall. Her hut resembled a yurt, as it was round with a tented roof. It was built with local wood and could easily be easily disassembled and reassembled.

The floor looked to be a round pallet with a wood overlay. Wooden doors hung on the frame and the windows were holes cut into the walls with wooden blinds that rolled down to close them.

As the lead on the dig, she received one of the bigger huts with queen-sized cots, a table next to the bed that held a solar electric lantern, a steamer trunk and a desk. She shared the hut with another PHD whom she had not yet met.

The interns and most of the other anthropologists were in bunker style cabins built similarly to her hut. Stepping out of her hut, she made her way to the offices and found a note on the desk telling her to begin working in the morning.

She sighed, sat down at the desk, and began reviewing what had already been set up. A few hours later, she could smell coffee drifting through the camp. Getting up, she made her way to the almost empty kitchen.

The intern behind the counter handed her a coffee cup and pointed to the large coffee urns. She made her coffee and sat in a camp chair that was with others in a circle placed in the middle of the encampment.

She sat sipping her coffee and watching the sunrise. Yet, somehow, the coffee didn't taste as good. She finished her coffee and made her way to her hut. Sitting down at her computer, she booted up and connected her remote access. Sighing in relief at the quick connection, she began an e-mail to Booth.

Booth,

We have safely arrived in Maluku. The base camp is actually quite comfortable in comparison to some I have stayed at in the past. I will be sharing a hut with another doctor but do not know whom she is. They have given the doctors larger queen sized cots and better accommodations. I don't understand why though. I find that the coffee this morning is worse than the coffee at the Hoover building. The flight was long and Ms. Wick talked incessantly about nothing of interest or relevance. I pretended to sleep and Ms Wick continued to speak as if I were awake. I find that I am having homicidal thoughts about Ms. Wick, more so than when we were at the Jeffersonian. I believe that I am rambling and not very coherent so I will end this and go to bed. I have been up for 30 hours now and am extremely tired.

Bones

She opened her video camera when her hut mate entered. The woman stopped short when she saw Brennan and smiled. The woman was short, about five foot three. She had dark red hair, streaked with blonde and gray highlights. Her round face was sprinkled with freckles and her bright blue eyes twinkled. Brennan could see that she had obviously had children from the spread of her hips and the small bit of extra weight she carried. Sticking out her hand, the woman introduced herself.

"Hi I'm Dr. Eleanor Aragon from the Australian National University," she said with a heavy Australian accent. Brennan took her hand and shook it.

"I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan from the Jeffersonian in Washington DC," Brennan said, firmly shaking her hand.

"Please call me Eleanor," she told Brennan.

"I generally prefer to be called Dr. Brennan. However, since we will be living and working together it would probably be better if you called me Tempe," Brennan told Eleanor with her usual social graces.

Eleanor blinked in surprise at Brennan's statement but took no offense. Brennan liked the Australian woman right away, which surprised her. She watched as Eleanor bustled around her side of the hut gathering showering supplies.

"You look tired maybe you should get some sleep," Eleanor suggested, seeing how tired Brennan looked. Brennan nodded and watched as the woman left for the showers. Turning on the camera on her computer, she faced the screen and began a video blog.

Hey Ange,

As you can see, I arrived in Maluku safe. The site is very well appointed the facilities are nice. It is hot and humid. This will make sleeping uncomfortable. They have already began laying out the dig sites but as I arrived at 3am and have yet to sleep it will be some time before I actually get to see the sites. For some reason this dig is different. I am unsure as of yet why, as Booth would say it's a gut feeling. Even though your gut can't actually feel anything. I will be observing this situation carefully to determine why. Again, I am rambling due to my extreme sleep deprivation. I hope that you are enjoying Paris and please say hello to Hodgins for me. I will set up another video log in a few days.

After completing the video log, Brennan stripped down to a tank top and sleep shorts. Climbing into bed, she fell into a restless sleep full of dreams about bones in the sand. She tossed and turned mumbling in her sleep. Breaking out into a sweat, she sat up with a silent scream on her lips. She rubbed her forehead, climbed from bed and headed to the offices.

Maluku: November 5th

Brennan spoke briefly with Eleanor then sat down at the computer next to her. Hearing someone enter the office, Brennan turned and looked at the door.

"Can I help you, Ms. Wick?" Brennan asked sharply. Daisy bobbed her head and smiled.

"Dr. Brennan, there is a meeting scheduled for tomorrow morning. I was told to advise each hut. It will be at 8 am," she practically screeched before bouncing off to the next hut. Turning with a frown on her brow, Brennan looked at Eleanor who burst out laughing.

"Want to start a betting pool as to who kills her first?" Eleanor asked with her voice full of laughter.

"I'm not exactly sure how those work. However, according to Booth you put money on the outcome. Are you able to bet on oneself? I will have to ask Booth about that," Brennan said after pausing for a moment.

Eleanor looked at her and burst out laughing again. She had noticed how often Brennan's 'partner' Booth's name came up in conversation. She noticed that a soft look that stole across Brennan's face when she said Booth's name. Eleanor watched as Brennan left the offices and headed towards the lab.

Brennan's day passed quickly setting up the lab equipment and setting up the dig rotations for the interns and other doctors. That evening, she sat at her computer desk and opened the camera on her computer.

Hey Ange,

I know that I said a few days, however, I seem to have an abundance of free time. It is my second day and we accomplished very little today. I am surrounded by people but I feel very alone. This is an usual feeling for me. We have begun a betting pool on who will kill Ms. Wick first. I am not sure if I am allowed to bet on myself. Truth be told, I would not kill her because she is a person from home. I am observing that I am upset at the the thought of being gone for so long. I have been having a very strange dream. I dream that I am walking in the desert and I find a set of bleached bones. They were male but that was all I was able to determine before I wake up. Right now, I could really use a guy hug from Booth. Enough about that though it just makes me more upset. I am sharing my hut with Dr. Eleanor Aragon from the Australian National University. She seems to be nice. I believe if the encampment is any indication then Dr. Hodgins bug chart will be very useful. I should go to bed but I do not want to have that dream again. We have an early start tomorrow morning so I do not have a reasonable choice. Goodnight Ange I hope you are enjoying your time in Paris.

Brennan opened her e-mail and saw an e-mail from Angela. She clicked it open knowing it was about the scene at the airport.

Bren, Sweetie,

That kiss at the airport, was sooo, sweet. The only other word would be hot but between the two of you, I would expect no less. You really are going to need to give me some details. What happened? When? Why are you two still on opposites of the world? Let me know something the suspense is killing me!

Love,

Angela

Sighing Brennan opened a new message and began to type momentarily ignoring Angela's e-mail.

Booth,

It is very odd to have nothing to do for such an extended period. It will be almost a month before all of the laboratory equipment is here. Some of the doctorates are not arriving for another two and half weeks. I spend my time scouting the area and setting up lab equipment as it arrives. Ms. Wick is metaphorically driving me insane. How exactly do betting pools work? We have started one for who will be the first to kill Ms. Wick. Can I bet on myself? I would think not as that would be unfair. The humidity is becoming unbearable as we head into the wet season. It is making sleeping difficult and causing some very strange dreams. Some of them are interesting and some of them are just plain strange. I must go, I hear a jeep pulling up to camp it must be a new piece of equipment. I hope to hear from you soon.

Bones

Afghanistan: November 10th

Booth was tired and he still had to get his unit settled into their digs. He grabbed a cup of coffee and started barking orders. He got his trunk settled in and started sifting through his items. He pulled out a bag and smiled. He put the bag under his pillow. His bunk mate looked over at him with a raised eyebrow. Booth ignored it and set up the rest of his bunk items.

He was taping up his pictures of Parker, the squints at a formal, and one of him and Brennan. He heard a low whistle when he put up the picture of him and his bones. He looked up to see a man standing to his right. He blinked a couple of times at the man. He looked vaguely familiar to Booth it was almost a sense of dejavu. He reminded Booth of that actor, Josh Lucas.

"I'm Sergeant Major Seeley Booth and you are?" He said introducing himself to the man standing to his right.

"I'm Sergeant Richard Parks. That's a nice looking gal you got there," Parks commented idly.

"That's my Bones but you may call her Dr. Brennan," Booth said proudly, grinning at the picture.

"Got yourself a doctor, do you? Wait a minute as in Bred in the Bone, Dr. Brennan? Dr. Temperance Brennan?" Parks asked in astonishment at Booth's statement.

"Is there any other?" Booth asked, smirking in Parks general direction. Parks whistled and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Booth questioned as he shook his head.

"Oh but I do, Andy," Parks answered, his voice full of laughter.

"The characters in my book are purely fictitious and have no basis in reality," Booth said, doing his best Brennan imitation.

Parks laughed then watched while Booth finished unpacking. Booth walked out the tent door and headed over to the com tent. He signed in and due to the hour didn't have to wait. He scanned his e-mails and read one from Parker. He grinned as he saw several from Brennan, opening them one at a time he read then started writing a reply

Bones,

I arrived safe and sound. I hope that I will be able to send you an email every day. While on base, I did not have access to a computer for personal use so I was unable to get your e-mails. Now that I am at Camp Phoenix, I will be able to check daily. I set my video conferences up for Thursday's to speak with Parker. Maybe I can bribe someone to let me speak to you. I know it seems silly but I miss you already. I can hear you thinking from here,'that's irrational to miss someone in less than a week'. I know I know I can't hear you thinking either. I would love to see some pictures of where you are. You have my address still, right? Oh and in the case of Daisy, it is quite all right to think that way. I often did while she was at the lab. And no, you can't bet on yourself in a betting pool. Strange dreams, about what? I know you hate having nothing to do but I am sure you will find something to occupy your time. I have to go get some sleep I've spent the last 15 hours on a plane with a bunch of young kids.

I miss you already,
Booth

P.S. My bunk mate thinks that I am Andy.

He hit the send button and watched as the notification that the mail had been sent appeared. The ping alerting him to a new e-mail sounded. Clicking on his inbox, he scanned for the new e-mail. He raised his eyebrows at the address. He huffed out a laugh when he realized it was Angela's e-mail address.

Studly,

Thought you may want to see these. They are uncensored so no blabbing about the information on them. And if you tell her I showed them to you I will kill you.

Love,

Angela

At the bottom of the e-mail was a link. When he clicked it, he saw a link titled video log 1. Clicking the link, his heart swelled and his eyes softened at the sight of Brennan on the screen. He watched the video and then watched the second video. His heart clenched, she looked so tired and that was a week ago. He wondered if the dreams she had been having were interfering with her sleep.

A/N Probably won't get them up everyday. All depends on how things are going. Anywho, I'll leave original notes and what not still on the chapters.

If you're new to reading this story reviews are welcomed and loved. If you've read it before and want to make another comment go ahead. If you just want to lurk feel free to do that too!