At 6 o'clock, on the dot, I heard a soft rapping at my office door, the opening of which revealed none other than Dr. Temperance Brennan on the other side. Alone.

"Ah, Temperance, good to see you," I welcomed as I ushered her into my office. "Glad you decided to join us again - or just me - as the case may be." I peered out into the hallway to be sure, before shutting it behind her. "Will Agent Booth be joining us this evening?"

"He'll be here soon," she informed me. "Cullen needs him to finish up some paperwork." She hesitated before moving further into the room. "You don't mind that I came here without him, do you?"

"Oh, no, of course not. Actually, I had hoped to speak with you alone for a few moments." With that we had taken our prior positions - she on the couch and me in my chair. "I assume that since you said that he had paperwork to finish, that it was for a case? One in which you weren't involved?" I inquired.

"Well, I started working with him on it, but then Agent Sullivan requested my assistance." I eyed her questioningly. "I asked Booth if had minded before I gave him my decision." I eyed her again. "He told me I should go," she stated defensively.

I had taken a moment to collect my thoughts, trying to figure out the best route to take with her. From what Booth had told me in a prior session, Temperance wasn't very receptive to psychology. She had a lot of trauma in her past and abundant trust issues with people - stemming from her family leaving her at a young age. Surprisingly, she was remarkably strong-willed. From only my few short experiences with her, I had surmised her main coping method: Disassociation. By disassociating herself from people by putting up "walls," so to speak, she never had to worry about them abandoning her. Booth had been slowly breaking down the walls she fought for so long to keep intact, and that scared her more than anything, I knew to proceed with caution and not to push her too much.

"So, how would you define your relationship with Booth?"

I watched her with interest as she absently played with one of the buttons on her shirt.

"Booth and I - We're friends and partners. Beyond that, I don't think I can really define what we are," she said as she tried to sidestep the question.

"Well, why don't you try? This might be of great help in figuring out what's going wrong in your partnership," I implored.

"Fine," she sighed, shifting nervously on the couch. "But what I tell you stays between us? Right?"

"Yes. The only way he'll find out, Temperance, is if you ask me to open a dialogue between the two of you based on information you've provided me. Otherwise, "I assured her. "I hold whatever you tell me in the strictest confidence."

She looked down at her hands, then back up at me. Her eyes were wide with apprehension. Slowly, it faded and she began to open up to me.

"Booth and I - above all else - Booth and I are - partners. As he mentioned previously, we've got each other's backs. 100 percent. Besides that, he's one of my closest friends. He's accepts me for who I am - social flaws and all - and has proven time and again that he'll always be there for me. Yet there is still a piece of me that feels like I have to hold back certain things..."

"Certain things? Such as?"

She nervously twiddled her thumbs in her lap. "Such as the possibility of something beyond friendship with him. I'm sure he believes that I'm oblivious to the sexual tension between us at times - since for the most part I do try to ignore it. But for me, getting involved with Booth would be detrimental to our relationship. We would be putting on the line everything that we've worked so hard to achieve together. And, right now, that's a risk that I can't afford to take. Everyone I've ever loved has abandoned me and I can't let that happen with Booth. Even if it means keeping him at arms length."

"So, is that why you choose to be with Agent Sullivan? Because you have no emotional connection to him, thus making him 'safe' in your eyes?"

"I choose to be with Agent Sullivan, Tim, because he's not Booth."

I said nothing, choosing instead to let her continue to gather her thoughts.

"For one thing, he's practically a squint-" I looked curiously at her. Apparently, she understands people better than she gives herself credit because she immediately picked up on my unspoken question and continued, explaining further. "A 'squint' is what the FBI calls scientists, because, well, we squint at things. At first, it's what Booth used to call us - I believe it was out of disrespect, but that's changed over time."

"I've also heard him call you 'Bones.'" I mentioned. "Where did that name come from?" At the mention of her moniker, a smile crossed her face.

"There's really not much of a story. I work with bones, so Booth decided to call me 'Bones.' I was so infuriated with him for calling me that at the beginning of our partnership, but with time, it has become something of a term of endearment, much like 'Squints' has."

"And how do you feel about these 'terms of endearment,' Temperance?"

"Put it this way, Dr. Wyatt. If anyone else ever called me Bones, I would dropkick them," she laughed. It was the first real laugh I had heard from her since we had begun these sessions.

"So, let us get back to Agent Sullivan. How is he 'not Booth' as you had stated previously?"

"Sully majored in Biometrics and minored in Kinesiology at Princeton. He's cerebral, analytical and cautious – much like myself. Whereas Booth is driven by emotion; he doesn't think before he acts and trusts his gut and his heart more than anything. Professionally, Tim understands me more than any other man has."

"But, what about personally?" Her eyes met with mine and again, she hesitated. I assumed this was uncharted territory that she had never spoken about with most people.

"Personally? That would be Booth. He's the only family that I've ever really had -" Then, as if almost on cue, the door opened and in rushed Agent Booth.

"Hey guys. Sorry, I'm late," he apologized as he sat down on his pre-established side of the couch and exuberantly clasped his hands together. "So, what's going on? Cullen wanted me to finish these reports and - well, it doesn't really matter. I'm here now. So, where are we?" As he had entered, I observed Temperance wipe her cheek in effort to regain her composure.

"How nice of you to knock, Booth." Temperance looked at him, mildly annoyed.

"Oh, wait. Were you two - " He gestured between the two of us as he perched himself at the edge of the cushion, prepared to stand up.

"No, Booth. Dr. Wyatt allowed me to wait for you in here," she said, not being entirely truthful. "Much more practical than waiting out in the hallway for the last -" She paused as she looked at her watch. "Oh, twenty minutes or so. Plus, you know how much I hate psychology." She turned to me and winked, which went unobserved by Booth.

"So last time, we discussed how Agent Sullivan's relationship with Temperance is causing undue stress in your partnership -"

"You really like to jump right in there, don't ya, Doc?" Booth said as he squirmed in his seat.

"Why beat around the bush, Agent Booth? We need to address the issues at hand so you can be reinstated. Isn't that ultimately what you want? As soon as I sign off on that paper you'll never have to see me again," I reminded him.

"Fine." He sat back and readjusted himself on the couch, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Let's try a different approach, shall we? Booth, define the relationship between you and Temperance."

"Like, regarding our partnership...or beyond than that?" he inquired.

"Whatever you feel comfortable discussing."

"We're partners and friends," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Care to expand on that?" I said, probing for further information

"As you know, I have my - as some people would call them - quirks. But so does she. We complement each other. I would even go as far as calling her the yin to my yang."

Confused, Brennan turned toward Booth. "I'm yin to your yang? What's that mean?"

"We're like - soul mates, Bones."

"Oh my god, Booth, You're jealous," she stated matter-of-factly turning to face him. She remained, however, firmly planted on her end of the couch they shared.

"I am not jealous," he retorted. He seemed to be glued to his couch cushion as well.

"Yes," she stated emphatically. She scooted over onto the middle cushion, closing the distance between them and getting closer to his face. "You are." Her hand stopped just short of poking him with a finger.

"No," he paused. "I'm not." He gave her this smirk that's hard to identify. It seemed to be a kind of defensive reflex; an attempt to use charisma to get himself out of a jam, much like at our previous session. "For your information, the term soul mates doesn't necessarily have a romantic connotation."

"I'm quite aware of that, Booth. Anthropologically speaking, it's a part of love economics, which plays a huge role in our society and culture. Soul mates are souls which have been with each other throughout many lifetimes. There are various types of soul mates - twin flames being the most popular concept. Twin flame soul mates have intense chemistry and attraction towards each other. They 'complete' each other and, if separated, tend to suffer enormous pain."

Sounds like two people I know.

They search each others eyes, a realization dawning upon them. Dr. Brennan tries to ignore this newly gained insight and continues her analytical diatribe.

"But, soul mates can also be friends, co-workers or even family who have an emotional bond and have helped each other in times of need," she explains as they continue to hold their intense stare. "Sometimes one can be mistaken about who his or hers is, though. If another person exists, with whom he or she can achieve a higher soul mate ratio, then the current partner is not his or her soul mate after all. There is nothing in this world that could make a person happier than spending time and being in love with their soul mate."

"Does Sully make you happy, Bones? I mean really happy?" He asks her directly while continuing to hold her gaze.

"Honestly, Booth, he does. I wish I could say that he doesn't and that I know that things with him aren't going to work out, but I can't. I have to see where this thing with him goes." Her eyes plead for his understanding.

Booths nods as he places a hand on her knee, giving her a little squeeze. "I understand, Bones."

"But you make me happy too," she says as she places her hand atop his. "And I don't want to lose that. I don't want this," she waves her hand between the two of them, then places it back on his. "Whatever this is - between us, to ever ruin that or make things weird. I'm not as oblivious as you think, Booth. I'm aware that there is something, I just don't think we're ready to take that chance yet," she admits.

"I agree. 100 percent, I agree." They smile at each other, a mutual acknowledgement of future possibilities.

"Besides," She says taking her hand off his and placing and open palm on his shoulder. "We need to start slow. After all, you still have issues with even talking to me about sex!" she exclaims, lightening the mood once again.

"I do not!" He protests. "I just don't see any need to discuss it. It's a very private act, Bones. You don't see me butting into your bedroom activities now, do you?"

"No," she pauses. "It's because you have issues."

"No. I don't," he combatively states, enforcing his point by jabbing his finger into her shoulder.

"Do too," she stubbornly states, once again moving closer to him, about to return the action.

Oh god. This could go on for quite a while. Instead, I decide to interject before her retaliation can commence.

"No, I-"

"Well, you two, time is up." They both stop, mid-action, and turn to look at me. A bit embarrassed, having realized how childish they must have seemed, they sit back on the couch, their thighs slightly touching.

"I think we've made some exceptional progress. Temperance, thank you so much for joining us. I know that you have some - reservations - about psychology, so thank you for not fighting me."

"I did and I still do, but it was actually quite – therapeutic," she admits.

I turn back to Booth.

"We've worked through a majority of the issues that were brought to light at our first session, at least the ones I think had the most impact on your work performance, so I'll be signing off on your release."

The Agent smiles and excitedly questions, "So this means I get my gun back, right?"

Temperance rolls her eyes and laughs.

"Yes, Agent Booth, that is exactly what that means. Do me a favor though, if you ever again get the urge to randomly shoot at something - count to five," I advise. "And, whatever you do, don't do it because the consequences of subsequent incidents will be far worse then having to spend time with me."

He stands and turns to Temperance, taking her hand and helping her to a standing position.

"Thanks for everything, Doc," he says as he walks forward and shakes my hand. "Hey, who knows, maybe you'll be seeing me sooner than you think..."

I raise an eyebrow at him.

"And not because I'm required to," he smiles.

"Thank you, Dr. Wyatt," Temperance says as she takes a step closer to me. "This was quite the experience." Then she does something that I would have never expected. She hugs me.

Before the two of them can leave the room, I call out to Booth.

"Oh, before you leave. There's one more thing you'll have to do before I can sign off on these papers..."

-----------------------------------------

End 3. Yes. I'm evil.

So the final chapter will be on its way soon. It's more of a fluffy epilogue, but I'm sure you'll still enjoy it.  Thanks so much for taking the time to read and review.