This is a BB piece inspired by Snow Patrol's "Run". I highly recommend listening to that song while reading this story. It just seems to fit. Enjoy, and at the end please let me know what you thought. I fixed a mistake on 3/1, but nothing major has been changed. Thanks so much to all my reviewers, especially to Gayle for catching that typo. I'm thinking of turning this into a multi-chapter story. What do YOU think?

No Exception

It's a strange feeling, the one that comes when you realize you are inches away from staring at death's door. With his long record of public service, Agent Seeley Booth had experienced this feeling several times. And though his spine might've been tingling with trepidation, he always knew he'd fight until the end.

Today was no exception.

In his more recent years he had become accustomed to working with Dr. Temperance Brennan, a forensic anthropologist with more guts than were good for a woman. She believed herself to be just as strong as he was and rarely took "no" for an answer. He had begun respecting the motivation she had for getting the job done, even if it meant he was faced with double duties: catching the criminal and watching her back. Sometimes they were thrust in such imminent danger that he wished she had simply chosen to become a ballerina.

Today was no exception.

The morning had started out completely normal. A set of human remains was found and the squint-squad headed off to investigate. Brennan rattled off orders to her team and waited for Booth's instructions. He had a few leads to check out and she was sure to tag along.

"I'm not 'tagging along,' Booth. I'm your partner," she said firmly.

"Relax, Bones. It's just a phrase." He tossed her his signature smile and chuckled when she accepted it as an apology.

Their suspect list grew increasingly throughout the afternoon and Booth felt as though he had grilled dozens of people. Everyone seemed to have an alibi, but neither person was willing to give up. Booth commented that he could almost taste the break in the case. Two hours later, the lab came back with an answer: DNA from the suspected murder weapon had matched someone in the criminal database. The person they needed to talk to most had served ten years for aggravated assault and was an ex-bomb-squad member.

"This isn't going to be easy," Booth said when he and Brennan reached the SUV.

"Is it ever?" she retorted.

Booth called Deputy Director Cullen and relayed the new developments. He alerted the man as to their plan of action. Brennan made sure Angela knew where they were headed.

"Call me if anything comes up," she said.

"I will. And Sweetie, be careful," Angela replied.

The only documented address for the suspect was at a warehouse. The building was large and several of the windows had been shot out. They entered quietly and Booth called for any occupants to announce their presence.

When no one responded to his demands he said, "We're going to search all the rooms. Stay with me."

A rat scurried across the floorboards. "You got it," answered Brennan.

She was only a few steps behind, choosing to stick to his words. They weren't here to apprehend anyone, just to talk, so they hadn't found backup necessary. As they plunged deeper into the dark warehouse, both doubted that decision. Booth stepped into a dusty room, but instead of his quick inspection and exit, he stalled. Brennan ran into his outstretched hand.

"Dammit," he hissed.

"What?" she asked, trying to mask the concern she felt.

"Bones, I want you to turn around and run out of here. Run as fast as you can and don't look back."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Can't you just do what I tell you for once? Without an argument?"

"You're not serious. What's going on?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

He sighed, never moving his hand from where it now lay on her shoulder. "Do you remember why this guy was probably going to be difficult to pin down?"

"He's a bomb expert. So what?"

"I think he just proved himself guilty."

She contemplated his statement for a moment and soon her mouth formed the shape of an "o." She glanced down at his feet. "You're standing on…" she trailed off.

He nodded. "Now will you run?" His eyes were pleading in such a way that she had never seen. Their unmasked terror made her shiver.

"You know I can't do that. I can't just leave you. That's not how this partnership works."

He lowered his hand. "You have to understand something, Bones. If you stay here, there's a good chance that we both won't make it out alive."

"And if I leave?"

"Then I have it on my conscious that you got out."

She met his eyes, but he was unable to maintain contact. "What about you?" she asked.

"We shouldn't think about that now. I have a chance." For a fleeting second he thought he had convinced her. He thought maybe she would value her own life more than his.

"What if I was the one standing on that board? Would you walk out and leave me?" Her voice shook with emotion.

He wasted no time in responding. "Of course not."

"And you expect my answer to be different?"

Booth accepted her resolution. "No, I don't."

The professionalism that usually dripped from Brennan's words was long gone. "Why don't we just call the bomb squad?"

"A cell-phone could trigger the explosion. And I don't think you want to leave to go call someone."

"So what do we do?"

In a dire situation, it made his heart swell to know that she still depended on him for guidance. He was the man with all the answers for her, the one who knew just what to say and what to do. Now he only hoped he could find a comforting solution to their dilemma. He would hate to let her down.

"I've done a lot of things in my life that I'm not proud of. I've made some mistakes, probably more than any normal person should," he began. "And then I met you. And it drove me crazy that you wanted to be such a big part of my cases. But I got used to it, and even started to like it."

"You don't have to do this, Booth," she whispered.

"I don't regret working with you, Bones. I think these have been the best years of my life, even with our silly fights. You're a good person, you know."

"Thank you." The sound was barely audible.

"I really wish you'd leave. I wish you'd get as far away as you could and just remember that you are probably my best friend."

"I'm not leaving you."

"I know. I'm glad."

She wrinkled her eyebrow at his conflicting statements. "How are we getting out of this mess?"

He tried to look into her eyes, but her questioning glance bore into his soul and he was forced to look away. "In a minute I'm going to take your hand and we're going to run as hard and as fast as we can."

"And if I fall behind?"

"You won't. I'm not going to let go." He held out his arm and she grasped his hand. He stared at their fingers with the knuckles that were turning white from holding so hard. And in the calm before the storm he made a mental promise that if they both got out alive he was going to tell her he loved her. It would only be fitting.

Please, God, he thought, let us both get out alive.

He squeezed her hand and told her to be ready on the count of three. And as the numbers began to fall from his mouth, each one prepared for the upcoming shock. Booth shouted the number three and it reverberated from the concrete walls. He thrust himself forward and Brennan pulled just as hard.

They ran like there was no tomorrow; their legs pounded the floorboards as they headed away from doom. It felt like hours before they reached the front door and just as they crossed the threshold a loud explosion sounded above their heads. Booth jumped, saying her name as he pushed her to the ground, covering her body with his.

The wind had been knocked out of her, but she was able to regain her breath slowly. Booth was dead weight on top of her and she was afraid to move as debris sprinkled the road. Minutes later, concrete shards still fell from the sky and her next fear was that he had been struck by a large chunk of matter and was injured.

She shifted her weight and heard him groan above her. He lifted himself from her and helped her to her knees. Together they crawled to his SUV which had turned a dusty gray. Their chests heaved with exhaustion as they sat against the metal.

"Are you okay?" he asked and brushed the hair away from her face.

"I should be asking you that," she said as she noticed a trickle of blood running down his arm.

"I'm fine. You?"

"Not a scratch, although I think you might've bruised me. Zach was right, you are strong." For some reason, she found that a smile should accompany that thought.

Booth agreed. He chuckled softly. "You know, in spite of all the dirt in your hair, you are really beautiful."

Brennan's cheeks turned crimson. "We should call the cops."

"I am the cops. And I'm sure they've been called. A building did just blow up." He rested his finger under her chin. "Thank you for staying."

"Thank you for letting me."

Sirens sounded in the distance and began to grow closer. Booth closed his eyes and rested against the car. He took hold of her hand and began to stroke it with his thumb. "I told myself that if we got out of there I was going to tell you that I love you."

She laughed uncomfortably. "Why would you do that?"

His eyes opened, but he didn't release her hand. "Because it's true." He leaned closer.

A swarm of people began to gather around the pair, but they paid no attention. "I know," she breathed.

And he kissed her. He kissed her because she was the craziest, smartest, best person for him to be around. She let him kiss her because he cared about her and protected her like no one ever had before. Their personalities always worked so well together.

Today was no exception.

"Run"

I'll sing it one last time for you
Then we really have to go
You've been the only thing that's right
In all I've done

And I can barely look at you
But every single time I do
I know we'll make it anywhere
Away from here

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Louder, louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say

To think I might not see those eyes
Makes it so hard not to cry
And as we say our long goodbye
I nearly do

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Louder, louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say

Slower, slower
We don't have time for that
All I want is to find an easier way
To get out of our little heads

Have heart my dear
We're bound to be afraid
Even if it's just for a few days
Making up for all this mess

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Please Review. You'll light up my soul.

This story was un-betaed, so feel free to tell me if there are typos. I'll be happy to fix them. Many Booth-filled dreams to those that click that little button. :)