"Booth?" Bones lightly tapped Booth on the shoulder. It was sometime in the middle of the night, and though Booth and Brennan had to share a bed, they both feel asleep easily- surprisingly.

Booth moaned, but opened his eyes, wearily, "Yeah, Bones?" He asked, in a rough, droopy voice.

"I can't sleep." Bones sighed heavily, her breath blowing onto Booth's cheeks, and he closed his eyes shortly, sighing slowly.

"Why not?" Booth murmured, rolling over to face her- but suddenly they were closer then they had been in a while. They were face to face, breath to breath…

They were close, but they had been closer.

"I've been thinking about you." She whispered, not quite meeting his eyes.

Booth had been sitting against the bed post, his head down lazily, trying, in vain wipe the sleep out of eyes. But now that his partner, the famous Dr. Temperance Brennan, had broken down Booth's walls and walls of denial around his heart, Booth looked at her clenching his jaw. A silence overcame them for a few shattering and electric seconds, but Booth swallowed, and unclenched his jaw.

"You shouldn't do that, Bones." He warned her.

"I know." She murmured, ashamed, and solemn, "I'm sorry, Booth."

"Are you okay, Bones?" Booth leaned forward, and pulled Brennan's chin up, so she would look at him- really look. She didn't answer his question.

"Bones, I gambled, I went all in- your heart, and mine- and just because you didn't bet on me, doesn't mean you folded."

"I'm confused, Booth."

"I'm saying that we're not over, not yet…if you changed your mind about me, I'm still here- I'll always be here."

"No, Booth. You have to move on...you said you would."

"Bones, I can't just stop loving you in a week." His words made her shutter; "All I'm saying is that we're still in the twilight zone- where I'm trying to get over you, and where you're adjusting to the change of balance in our relationship- I mean- you know, partnership." Booth looked away from Bones nervously. And Bones winced silently, fighting back tears.

"Damn it, Booth! I know that. You think I'm stupid, helpless? I'm not a baby!" She pointed out, aggravated.

"God, Bones, why are you so emotional?" Booth rolled his eyes, trying to block out her words, because he knew she was right. He was being condescending, and sarcastic- mean. Didn't Bones have the right to protect herself? Maybe he just forgot just how protective she used to be, because he had been her protector for so long.

Booth suddenly realized Bones had gone quiet, so he raised his eyes at her. A single tear was sliding down her pale cheeks, and that was the only evidence to Booth that she was crying. Damn, she was good at hiding it.

"Bones?" she looked up at him.

"What?" She snapped.

"I'm sorry I'm being mean."

"You're sorry?"

"For being mean." Booth nodded.

"You're not mean." She whispered, staring at him.

"Well, I'm not nice."

"I'm not nice. I'm a cold hearted, cold fish, I'm such a bitch."

"A bitch?"

"Yes, Booth. Don't you agree?"

They had been inching toward each other, and now were almost nose to nose, hip to hip; their eyes were the same level.

The attraction that was always there was getting harder to ignore- If they touched there would be sparks, electric sparks.

"You're the most caring, loving, understanding person I know."

"I don't understand anything"- She started but he brought his pointer finger to her lips, to silence her.

"You understand the important things."