A/N: Okay. I was watching The Verdict in the Story and The Boy in the Time Capsule last night at about 1:00 AM, when I was suddenly struck with this little plot bunny. And I thought, OMG! My two-month long bout of Writer's Block has finally left! YAY! So, here you go. Right now I'm giving it a rating of T, just because I can, but it may later turn to M. Depending on my mood…Please enjoy. :)
"You're better than Smurfette. You have your looks and a whole lot more." Booth tells me. I smile, staring at the little plastic figurine resting in my right hand. How can he make something so small and meaningless into something so important and beautiful?
"I would very much like to hug you right now, but the table is in the way." I say bluntly. He chuckles.
"Well I'm sure we can easily remedy that small complication if you really want that hug. It's getting late anyway. What do you say we call it a night?" He replies. We gather our things and stand, having already paid the bill. As always, once we are side by side, his and rests at the small of my back, guiding me through the diner to the door. This small but possessive and overly protective action used to make me angry, but I have grown used to it and now feel out of place when he doesn't have his hand on my back.
At this thought, my brain begins processing everything at high speed. When did we become so close? When did I start allowing him to burrow his way so deep into my life? And when did I stop caring that he knew things about me that no one else did? We stop beside his truck.
"I'm better than Smurfette?" I question quietly.
"Way better." He instantly replies. I wasn't even aware that I asked that out loud, so his response surprises me. I look up at him abruptly, vaguely aware that I have a vulnerable look on my face. He flashes me his patented charm smile, and I slowly return it with a smile of my own. As always, he's chased away the vulnerability and made me feel safe.
It was during this interaction that a sudden realization of great importance crashed into me and demanded that I listen to it. As much as we deny it to ourselves and others, we are so much more than partners. This gift of Brainy Smurf, as wells as the little plastic pig named Jasper he gave me last year, is all the evidence I need. His actions transcend the parameters of our work-related partnership and solidify our close bond. He isn't just overly-protective of me because he has to be, he's overly-protective because he wants to be. Because he cares about me beyond our strictly-business partnership. And I would be a fool to push him away, because even I know that this is most likely the most important relationship, no matter how it changes or ends, that I will ever have. As much as I hate to admit it, I would be lost without him.
As this realization runs its course through my head, it is joined by a second: I'm not afraid. I expect myself to try to put up walls and push him away for fear of being hurt, but to my great surprise, I don't feel the need to do so. I feel safe and secure. And I know he will not abandon me.
Putting all my evidence and my two realizations together in my mind, I finally arrive at my long sought-after conclusion: I am in love with Special Agent Seeley Booth. I am no longer able to deny it. And I no longer care to.
I look up at him. He is silent throughout my series of realizations, and now realizes that I have come to my conclusion. He stares at me expectantly, wondering if I am going to share my conclusion with him. I smile, a real smile that almost hurts it's so enormous and powerful, and throw my arms around him, pulling him close in a long-overdue hug.
He is surprised, but he's never been one to look a gift horse in the mouth. He wraps his arms around me, his large hands resting on my back. I bury my face into his neck and he hugs me closer. This isn't one of his guy-hugs, and he realizes this.
I want to tell him how much he means to me. But I don't know how. I never believed in love, and I'm still not sure I do. But I know for a fact that I need Booth, in more ways than one. He releases me from our hug. He seems to understand that I'm struggling, but making progress.
"Let me know when you're ready, Bones. I'll be here." He says quietly. "I'll drop you off at home." I nod and smile, thanking him.
The ride to my apartment is spent in comfortable silence, each leaving the other to their own thoughts. I am thankful for it, and again surprised. He really knows me, better than anyone else. I once again feel that in any other situation this would trigger a strong defense mechanism, resulting in forcing him out of my life. But this is Booth. I don't need to force him out.
Booth stops the car just outside my apartment building. "Goodnight Bones. I'll see you tomorrow." He says, his expression neutral. I lean over and quickly kiss his cheek.
"Goodnight Booth." I whisper.
I'm not ready yet. But I will be soon.
A/N: *Huge sigh* Thank god that's finally typed! I hate computer problems. Feel free to review, you know you want to. It would make me super happy! :) Thank you to MissyAlexM for helping me get through the bout of Writer's Block by allowing me to co-author her story Grace. She is fantastic, and everyone should go read it RIGHT NOW! I mean….if you want to….It's a really great story…But so is this one! Maybe. I'm going to stop rambling now. Thank you for reading, tune in next time for chapter 2. (If I decide to continue this.)