We stand in front of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and I ask him, "Have you ever wondered what would happen if we used all of Earth's resources and it couldn't sustain us anymore?"
"I thought you didn't believe in conjecture," he retorts, tearing his gaze from the mesmerizing waves that weave gently across the pond. I trace the ripples with my eyes back to the other side, where a small girl stirs circles in the azure water with a small stick.
"I don't," I shoot back. "I just worry. About dying before everyone else."
"Maybe you're in the wrong line work if you're afraid of death." He shifts in his sneakers, clearly uncomfortable speaking to me about this.
"I'm not afraid of death. I'm afraid of dying." I give him a look, pleading silently for him not to tell anybody.
He nods. "Our secret. It stays between us."
"Okay. I've been having trouble lately. Working, I mean. I can't distance myself anymore. When I look at the bones, they're not just bones anymore. They're people. People who had lives and families, and jobs and hobbies and…" I swallow hard, trying to choke down welling tears. My gaze falls to my hands, twined together so tightly that my knuckles are turning white. "And maybe some of them were in love."
"Bones…"
I take a deep breath and look up into his beautiful chocolate eyes. "I don't think I work here anymore if I get so involved in the cases. I can't examine a skeleton and know that somewhere, a spouse and children in California are wondering where their mommy or daddy or husband or wife is." I was trying to keep myself from screaming, but I could hear my voice raising. "And then I wonder, if I went missing, would anybody know I was gone? Would any of you notice if I didn't show up to work one day, and the day after that?" The tears that burn my eyes streak down my cheeks. I wipe them away roughly.
"Of course we would," he says gently. "And I would personally go and find you."
"Booth?" I curse how my voice cracks. A small sob escapes my throat.
"It's okay. You can say anything to me."
His soft reassurance causes me to burst into loud sobs. I know people are staring. I scared off a bunch of pigeons. I don't care. I am totally enveloped in a bubble where I don't care about anything. I'm oblivious to everything outside of myself and the tall, handsome man I am spilling my guts to.
"Bones." He pulls me into his arms and hugs me close. I rest my head on his chest as I cry, letting out all the stress that's built up over the weeks, months, years gone by.
"I love you. I love you, Booth, and I'm afraid that I won't be able to tell you or make you believe me and I'll die alone. I've never been able to tell people how I feel and I don't think I can do it now. And I'm afraid that all those families I was trying to help will hate me, and I'm afraid that I can't do what I love anymore."
He just holds me and lets me babble between gasping sobs. It seems like an eternity before I can finally stop crying, but I do. And I try to breathe, and I am suddenly so tired that my knees buckle and he can barely catch me before I hit the ground.
"Sorry. I'm sorry, I'll just go." I turn to leave, but he grabs my arm and pulls me close. Our faces are inches apart, but those inches feel like miles.
"I don't know what I can do about those last few. But I can tell you that I know you will be able to tell me when the time is right, and I will believe you. And I will not let you die alone." And then he bends down and kisses me.
It's not how I imagined our first real kiss would be. It's everything I never really knew he could be- gentle, soft, patient. My breath catches when our lips meet, and it feels like I'm about to faint. Everything is spinning, my head is pounding almost as loud as my heart. Then suddenly, I'm so happy I'm dizzy. He pulls away.
"When you're ready, let me know. I'll be waiting." He pecks me again on the forehead, and walks back to his car.
"Booth!" I call after him. He stops and turns to face me, a crooked grin on his face. "I love you." He smiles, lighting up the entire city with his shiny teeth.
"I'll see you tomorrow." He keeps walking.
I'm absolutely giddy. Maybe I won't die alone after all.