She ran her hands up his sides, tickling him. He tried not to laugh, biting his lip. Be manly his mind said. Don't let her know how this effects you. She continued to tickle him, and he let out a laugh.

"Knew it," she whispered as she stopped tickling him.

"Knew what?"

"I knew you were ticklish."

"I'm horribly ticklish."

"May I?"

"What?"

"May I tickle you?"

He groaned, "Fine."

She started tickling him again, and he didn't fight back his laughter this time. After he'd begged her to stop numerous times and she was finally pleased she'd tortured him enough, she stopped and rested her head against his chest. He looked down and noticed her cheeks were red from laughter.

"You think it's funny to tickle me?"

"Yes I do," she chuckled.

"Hey Bones, are you ticklish?"

"Ye…wait! Booth!" she screamed as he pinned her down on the bed and started mercilessly tickling her. "Booth! Booth! Stop! Please stop!" she gasped between laughing fits.

He paused for a few seconds and pinned her arms to the bed. Nose to nose, he asked "Why should I stop?"

"Because I HATE being tickled!"

"So do I, but I let you have your fun with me."

"But Booth-"

"No buts Bones," he kissed her lightly.

"Please Booth?" her eyes begged him.

He sighed, "Alright, fine." He ran his fingers up her sides once more, getting a giggle out of her, then rolled back to his side of the bed and looked up at the ceiling.

"Are you mad Booth?"

"No."

"You look mad."

"I'm not mad Bones!"

"Then why are you staring at the ceiling? And you'd usually be really close to me right now." He sighed. "Tell me the truth."

"Bones…" he paused. "I just…I love to tickle you because it makes you laugh. It drives you crazy and for once in your life you're not over thinking things. You're just being a human, and having a human reaction, and letting another human get close to you. Why don't you like to be tickled?"

"I feel like I'm not in control."

"And that's okay Bones," his eyes met hers. "You can trust me."

"You're upset because I won't let you tickle me."

"No. Wrong. I'm upset because you don't trust me."

"Just because I won't let you tickle me doesn't mean I don't trust you."

"It seems that way. Bones, you have to learn to just let me take control sometimes…to just be my Bones…"

"You know I'm not good at that."

"And I know I'm not ever going to hurt you."

"How do I know?"

"You know because when we lay here in bed, YOU'RE the one who has to ask for sex. I'd be happy just cuddling. When you want to tickle me, I let you, even though I can't stand it and have to clench pillows to keep myself from stopping you. Mainly, I'M the one who's begging you to be in a real relationship with me, even though you keep refusing."

"Why don't you just give up on the relationship?"

"Because someday Bones, I'm gonna marry you, and I don't care how long I have to wait to do that."

"Well you'll be waiting quite a while."

"I don't care Bones. I really don't."

"I'll never get married."

"Yeah, you will Bones. You're falling for me right now. I can see it in your eyes. And someday, it's gonna be you begging to marry me."

"Never."

"We'll see."

"It'll never happen. Never in 1,000 years."

"Then I guess I'll just have to wait 2,000."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. "Booth?"

"Hm?"

"You're right."

"About what?"

"I'm starting to really love you."

"Then date me. Or better yet, just say you'll marry me right now."

"No. I don't want to be in a relationship."

"Then I'll keep waiting."

This was how they drifted back to sleep. Neither of them would give up the fight that day. Maybe neither ever would. But she'd come around, he was positive. He already knew what she wanted, and there was no going back now.