A/N: Sorry about the delay on this. I had an awful case of writer's block, but it's all better now. Let me know what you think!

Everything Happens Eventually

Part 2

Brennan looked around nervously as she waited for Booth to answer the door. She looked down at the simple black slacks she was wearing. She knew she looked nice, but she wondered if Booth would think so, then scolded herself for caring. She'd never cared what he thought of her attire before, but then she'd never had a date with him before. She took a deep breath as a fresh wave of nerves threatened to overwhelm her. Then the door opened and her brain locked up as he smiled at her.

"Hi," he said warmly, taking her hand and drawing her inside. Closing the door, he helped her out of her jacket and hung it on the coat rack. He took a moment to appreciate her outfit. She wore a seafoam green turtleneck with her black slacks. Her eyes were a startling crystalline green and there was a becoming blush on her cheeks.

"No way I can ogle your cleavage tonight," he teased with that cocked grin that never failed to make her smile in return.

Her eyes went wide with mock innocence. "Really? That never occurred to me," she teased back. Point of fact, she'd searched for the sweater for ten minutes. It was the only turtleneck she owned.

She was so damned cute. By exercising all of his self control, Booth resisted the urge to kiss her. There'd be time for that later. "Have a seat. Dinner's almost ready." He headed for the kitchen and she followed, admiring the fit of his black jeans.

"Can I do anything to help?" she offered. She smelled garlic and basil and her stomach growled.

"Open the wine?" Booth asked, nodding towards the table which was laid with burgundy placemats, stoneware and a pair of lit tapers. Brennan opened the wine, touched that he had gone to so much trouble for her.

Booth had made stuffed manicotti with garlic bread and Brennan closed her eyes in bliss at the first bite. "Where did you learn to cook like this?" she asked after she had savored the incredible flavors.

"My mom is an amazing cook and she insisted I learn. She said, and I quote, 'the best way to impress a woman is to show her she isn't gonna have to slave over a stove for you every night.'" Booth was smiling fondly and Brennan could tell he had a good relationship with his mother.

"Well, I'm going to have to thank her if I ever meet her—" Brennan began, then blushed as she realized how that might sound. "Uh, that is, what I mean is—"

Booth interrupted her flustered attempt to recover with a statement guaranteed to increase her discomfort. "She wants to meet you," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

Her mouth dropped open. "You told her about me?" she asked.

"Well, yeah, you're my partner, so naturally I told her about you. I call her every Sunday afternoon." Booth took a sip of his wine as he watched her process that.

"I see. That's really sweet, that you call your mom so often," Brennan said, focusing on her plate. For some reason the fact that he and his mother had talked about her made her uncomfortable.

"I'm sure she'd like you," Booth said casually, forking more manicotti into his mouth.

Brennan frowned a little. "You think so?"

Smiling, he nodded and swallowed. "She really admires strong women who know how to handle themselves."

She grinned and straightened a little, flattered. Then she frowned a bit. "Wait, if you think I can handle myself, why are you always trying to protect me?"

"You're not invincible, Bones. Besides, when Cullen agreed to let me take you into the field, he made me responsible for your safety. I take my responsibilities very seriously," he said.

Brennan sighed. "I know you do," she replied resignedly. Time to change the subject, because she really didn't want to dwell on his protective tendencies. "Oh, Zach finished the tissue markers, so Angela should have a sketch for us by tomorrow afternoon—"

"Uh-uh. No shop talk," Booth interrupted. "Not tonight. Tonight is just about us," he said firmly.

Brennan nodded, her stomach trembling as she realized the moment had come. She put down her fork, her appetite suddenly gone. Booth put down his fork too and pushed his plate away, draining the last of his wine. She didn't touch hers—she had had more than enough. Booth stood and blew out the candles, then offered his hand to her. She put hers in it and he was surprised at how cold it was. He drew her to her feet and led her to the couch in the living room.

They sat an arm's length apart. There was a long pause, then they both spoke at once.

"What did you mean when you said—" she began.

"Why did you—" he said. They both smiled. "You first," Booth prompted.

"When you said everything happens eventually, did you mean…us?" she asked tentatively.

Booth sighed. More of his words, come back to haunt him. When would he learn to think before he spoke? She had the most amazing memory. She was watching him, waiting for him to reply. He decided the truth would be best.

"Yes, among other things," he admitted. Her eyes widened. She hadn't expected that.

"How long have you…?" she whispered, hardly daring to breathe.

"Since before Sully," he said. "That whole thing with him kinda…settled it for me. I was so relieved that you didn't go with him."

"There was never really any question…I couldn't go with him. I didn't love him," she said seriously.

Booth's spirits lifted. "Really? I thought you wanted to go."

"I had more reasons to stay than I had to go. I would have been miserable anyway," she said honestly. "I don't think I'm cut out for an aimless existence like that."

Booth looked pleased. To his surprise, she moved closer to him, studying him closely.

"Why have you been watching me?" she asked softly. Her eyes searched his somberly and Booth stared back, mesmerized by the emotions flitting across her features. "Seeley?" she asked, and his name on her lips, spoken in that smoky voice, sent a shiver down his back.

"I didn't believe it at first," he began with a crack in his voice. He cleared his throat. "I mean, we've worked together for so long, become such good friends, how could I look at you as…" he stopped and swallowed thickly. "So at first I was trying to figure out what exactly had changed. You still treated me the same as you always had. But it was like I was seeing you, really seeing you, for the first time. I talked myself out of it so many times. Then you'd laugh at something and smile at me, and there was something in your eyes…" he trailed off as she moved still closer, drawn by the warm intimacy in his eyes. "I know you view…intimacy…as just satisfying biological urges," he said, then his voice dropped to a husky murmur. "That isn't what I want with you…I want it to be…deeper."

Brennan gasped softly and tried to rise, to run away from what he was asking for. His hand on her arm stopped her. "Nothing less would be worth it," he insisted. "If I'm going to risk everything for this, for you, I want it all." Her eyes were wide as the enormity of what he was asking of her threatened to overwhelm her. Holding her gaze, he went on in that deep voice that was sending thrills up her spine. "Tell me now if you can't give me that, and I'll stop now."

"Could you do that?" she whispered.

His throat worked as the idea of going back to the way things were before robbed him of speech for a moment. "Yeah, if I have to. Can't say it would be easy, but I'd handle it," he said hoarsely.

Her eyes continued to probe his, and he could almost see the wheels turning in her head. He started feeling light-headed and realized he'd been holding his breath, waiting for her to speak. When she did, he felt light-headed for a different reason. "I don't want to go back," she confessed. Then she closed the distance between them and kissed him softly. He allowed himself a moment of bliss, returning her kiss gently, tenderly. When she drew back a little, it was his turn to search her eyes.

"You're sure?" he asked, giving her one last chance to turn back. Her lips twitched into a tremulous smile.

"Yes," she whispered. Smiling too, he pulled her into his arms. The depth of her trust in him suddenly struck him and he dropped his face into her hair, silently promising then and there that he would do everything in his power to earn that trust.