A/N: This is unbeta'd. This is mostly like terrible, haha.

This isn't them.

There are no more longing glances, knowing smiles and subtle touches. No more talks of soul mates, entropyand everything is worth it.

There is tension. Awkward tension

It is not the kind that is them.

--

It is 5 weeks after the-night-that-changed-everything. She is in her office when she receives the invitation. A dig. In Indonesia. At first, she folds it up and tucks it away, but after a few moments, she slowly pulls the letter back out.

A dig. In Indonesia. A year.

--

A week later, she decides to tell Booth. It is Friday night, and she hesitates with uncertainty. What if he's with….She picks up her cell phone and presses speed dial '2'.

"Hey."

"Hey."

The line was silent for a moment, before she clears her throat and speaks again.

"Are you…are you doing anything tonight?" Is she there?

"No…Why?"

Slightly relieved, she says, "Can I come over? There's something I need to talk to you about."

"Uh…yeah. Sure."

She takes notice in his hesitation. "Are you sure? I mean, if you have plans--"

He cuts her off. "No, no. I'm sure."

"Alright. I'll be there in 20."

--

Twenty minutes later, she is knocking at his door. Within a few seconds, he is at the door and letting her in.

She stands there for a moment while he locks back up. She is unsure of what she should do. She hasn't been there in a while.

Booth is the first to speak.

"Do you want a beer or something?"

She smiles politely and says, "Sure."

He walks from the fridge to find her sitting on the couch. Two beers in hand, he hands one to her and sits down. "So, what was so urgent that you needed to come see me so soon?" He gives her a playful smile.

"I received a letter from an ambassador from Indonesia. Requesting my presence there, for a dig."

Booth looks a little stunned. "Oh. For how long?"

"A year."

Booth looks taken aback. Then, he chuckles, kind of sadly and says, "You're running, aren't you? Like I knew you would. I'm kind of surprised you didn't leave sooner."

Brennan's eyebrows furrow and she replies.

"Running? I'm not quite sure I understand."

"Oh, come on! You know exactly what I'm talking about! You're running from me. From your feelings. From us."

She gives him a confused look. "Us? Booth, that's not what I came here to--"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You don't want to talk about us. But, it's convenient, isn't it? The trip, I mean."

She stands abruptly and turns toward to the door. "This wasn't a good idea. I should just--"

Booth stands up immediately, grabs her and faces her towards him.

"God, for once in your life, I wish you'd just….tell me how you feel!"

He expects her to hit him, to strike him, to slap him, just as she had all those years ago. To his surprise, she doesn't. She just looks at him.

"I can't…I don't know…"

Booth's expression softens and he pleas, "Just…just tell me how you feel. What I know you feel. Just give it a chance."

Frustrated, and affected by the burn of his stare, she blurts out, "I already told you, Booth! I can't…I can't change!"

"Bones, I don't want you to change! Can't you see that? I want you. Just the way you are."

"I…I can't love you. Not the way that you want me to. Not the way that you need me to. I can't promise you I'll feel the same way in 30, or 40, or 50 years."

"Then just promise me today. Just…don't go. Please. Let me prove it to you. Prove that…that this will work."

Tears begin to will in Brennan's eyes. In a little voice, she says, "I have to go. I have to let you move on."

"God, Bones - don't you get it? I could move on, move away and be halfway around the world, but I'd still be here."

His words overwhelm her and her tears begin to roll down her cheek.

She whispers, "I don't want to lose you."

He pulls her into a hug and simply holds her.

"You won't….can't lose me - even if you tried."