Notes: YAY! New chapter! A couple of things... go back and re-read II. I added stuff to the end, and want to make sure you don't miss anything. Also, this chapter is much more angsty, which reflects my mood of late... I hope you like it. Lastly... I'm looking for a beta. Please e-mail me at lauradugan(at)gmail(dot)com if you're interested. Writing/editing experience preferred. Also, plot help would be nice. Thanks!

Part III

"I don't get it."

"Get what? The movie's been playing for all of two minutes."

"It says 'a long, long time ago,' but there is obviously interstellar travel. We don't have that yet, not like this."

"It also says, 'in a galaxy far, far away.'"

"But that doesn't matter."

"Sure it does. This galaxy could exist beyond our scope of understanding."

"So say this galaxy exists 'far, far away.' They had this technology a 'long, long time ago.' You don't think they would have found us by now?"

Booth pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. "It's a movie. You're supposed to dispend belief, Scully."

"And they're humanoid," she rattled on, ignoring him. "Most of them, anyway, so I'm supposed to believe a race evolved naturally, in some galaxy not known to Earth, that looks exactly like us?" She paused. "Scully?"

"TV reference."

"I know. You called me that once before."

He looked surprised. "Yeah. I said we're like Scully and Mulder."

"I still don't know what that means."

"It was a show called The X-Files. They were partners at the FBI. She, Scully, was a scientist, a pathologist, and he was an agent with a belief in the supernatural."

"Do you believe in the supernatural?"

"Not like he did. But I am spiritual – and he was, too, in a way."

"So, we're like them because I'm a scientist and you're spiritual, and we're partners?"

"Yeah, I mean, it's a metaphor, Bones." He rubbed at his temples. "Plus, they had this whole… thing about them. They argued like we argue. Didn't often see things the same way. Especially not when they first started working together. But in the end, they were partners, and that's all that mattered."

Brennan looked thoughtful for a moment. "So what was the show about?"

Booth chuckled. "The X-Files. Cases that seemed to have a supernatural element to them that Scully rationalized scientifically and that Mulder explained," he hesitated, trying to find the right word, "other worldly." He paused, momentarily distracted by the action on the television. "That was the bulk of it, the cases, the 'myth,' but there was also a whole will-they-or-won't-they thing, too."

"Will they or won't they what?"

"Huh?" Booth turned to look at her. "Have sex. Fall in love."

Her face scrunched up. "You said we were like them." Booth could sense what was coming next. "Do we have that? The will-they-or-won't-they thing?"

He grinned and raised an eyebrow. "You tell me." She looked somewhere between frightened and flabbergasted, and Booth chuckled. "Let's put it this way: I'm pretty sure Angela and Hodgins have a running bet."

"That actually wouldn't surprise me. About the sex part, anyway. Angela's been trying to get me to sleep with you since we first met."

"I love Angela. She's a smart girl." He smiled broadly.

"Really, you should see a doctor. An ego that large cannot be healthy."

"Ever think I might have good cause to have such a healthy ego?" Booth asked, moving closer to her and putting on his sexiest smile.

Brennan felt a warmth grow deep down inside her, but she forced her expression to stay nonplussed. "Or your compensating for certain…" she flicked her eyes downward, "insecurities."

Booth's grin remained. "Can't say I've ever had any complaints."

Somehow, Brennan knew that was true. She cleared her throat. "So did they?"

"Did who what?"

"Did Sculder and Mully…"

"Mulder and Scully."

"Whatever. Did they have sex?"

"Not on screen, no, but it was assumed that they did. And it was pretty obvious that they had fallen in love." Brennan scoffed. Booth paused the movie. "What, are you saying you don't believe in love?"

Brennan shifted uncomfortably, suddenly needing to put some space between them. "I believe people can be attracted to each other, that their chemical signals match – it makes sense, those we consider most attractive tend to have the best genes to pass along. Strong bones, good musculature. Survival of the fittest."

Booth gaped. "I can't believe you just scientifically rationalized love. Where's the romance?"

"I, personally, have never been in love. Therefore, I don't really trust that it exists. I have no referent."

"That's sad. That's like saying you've never eaten chocolate, therefore it mustn't exist."

"No, one is tangible, one is not. It's a completely different scenario. I can prove chocolate. I can't prove love."

"Love is tangible, when you truly experience it."

She shrugged, wanting to be anywhere but in this conversation. "I loved my parents and they left." She wasn't exactly sure where that statement came from, but now it was out there, and she cringed inwardly as she awaited Booth's response.

"Just because your parents left, Bones, doesn't mean that everyone who loves you – or everyone you love – is going to leave."

"How did we get on this conversation anyway?" she deflected, reaching for the remote. "I thought we were supposed to be watching this highly improbable movie."

Booth took the remote from her hand and turned her to face him. "Did you love Sully?"

She shifted again, crossing her arms defensively. "No. I was attracted to him, yes. I suppose if I had loved him, I would have gone with him."

"He loved you?"

"He said so." Her voice remained neutral.

"He was important to you?"

"I wanted him in my life, if that's what you mean."

"Why didn't you…"

"I was afraid, okay? Is that what you want to hear? It's what Angela tells me every time I end a relationship. I'm afraid to fall in love." She stood and stormed off into the kitchen, muttering to herself. Booth followed close behind.

"Temperance…" he said, reaching for her.

"Don't," she said, slamming her hand against the counter and whirling around to face him. "I know. I'm cold, I'm heartless, I'm unfeeling. I've heard it all before. I don't know what I'm missing out on."

He let her seethe for a moment longer. "Feel better?" he asked, gently. Her eyes softened as they met his. "I don't think you're any of those things: cold, heartless, unfeeling. I know you're not. I do agree, though, that you're missing out on a lot of love and happiness. I know you're afraid, and I understand why you're afraid. I also know that you deserve to love and to be loved, and some day you'll realize that." He stopped, exhaling slowly, awaiting her response.

She seemed pale and tired and Booth wondered for a moment if she was going to be sick again. It took him a moment to realize that he couldn't recognize her expression. What was she thinking? Anger? Fear? She almost seemed surprised, and he found himself wondering if he was the first person to tell this remarkable woman – this beautiful, intelligent, funny woman – just what she was worth. He knew her past, knew what she had endured, but so often saw her strength he sometimes lost sight of the abandoned 15-year-old who had at once lost everything.

"Can we go back to the movie now?" she asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Are you going to make snide comments every two minutes?" he grinned, allowing her to exit the conversation, but noting to himself that this conversation would be revisited later.

"I'm never snide," she smiled back.

He rolled his eyes dramatically. "Sure, Bones."

She headed back over to the couch, ready to forget reality and lose herself in fantasy, but Booth halted her by taking hold of her arm.

"You do know I will never leave you." His voice was serious, his eyes showing concern.

She sighed. "You can't prom…"

"I will never leave you," he repeated, emphatically, ignoring her attempt at a protestation.

She opened her mouth to speak again, trying to find some rationalization that he would buy, but couldn't find the words. Again, that unfamiliar expression crossed her face. It was gone in an instant as she walked to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He squeezed her back tightly.

"Thank you," she said, barely above a whisper. She lingered a moment longer before breaking contact. Booth followed her to the couch.

He plopped down, and turned the movie back on. "Back to your debunking, Scully."

She grinned, "I know what that means," and settled into his embrace.