Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters and stories belong to FOX, Kathy Reichs, and Hart Hanson.
A/N: Another chapter. The final confrontation. Please review. Thanks. Love, Lawabidingchild.
Brennan opened the door, a thread of surprise and hope betrayed the pain in her heart. She allowed him to sit down and she took her position back on the couch, hugging her pillow to her chest again.
She turned her gaze away from him. She couldn't allow him to explore the hurt in her eyes. He was probably just here to talk about what happened anyway.
Booth started at her from across the coffee table. He'd never seen her look so broken. He longed to pull her into an embrace and ravish her right there, but thought better of it. He knew her and he knew that she'd want to talk.
"Hannah left me," he said, breaking the silence and the tension that filled the room.
She looked up at him with hope in her eyes, which betrayed the concern in her voice. "I'm sorry to hear that," she said. "Why?"
He noticed that she was happy it happened. He was happy it happened. Sure, someone got hurt, but that someone chose to hurt herself in order to let someone else be happy. He didn't feel guilty about going to another woman after his break up. "Apparently, I knew that you were in danger."
"I don't see how that could trigger a break up," said Brennan, clearly clueless on how this worked.
"She saw that I knew what was going to happen," said Booth simply. "And she was right, Bones. I knew what you were going to do, and I couldn't shake the feeling off of me that this wasn't going to end well. So I left the apartment and tried to chase you. That's what tipped her off." He stared at her eyes, boring into the depths of her pupils. "Are you happy now?"
"I'm sorry, Booth," she apologized. She figured he must be mad. He just caused him and the woman that he loves unnecessary hurt. That made her chest hurt even more.
Instead, his eyes softened. "I'm not mad at you, Bones. I could never be." He moved to her side of the room, so he could face her on the couch. "I loved Hannah, but I wasn't in love with her." He reached out for her cheek and ran his thumb over it in a comforting gesture. "When I met her in Afghanistan, I was still recovering from the rejection you gave me. I fell what I thought was in love with her. I forgot about you when I was with her, but the minute we walked back into each others lives, I realized that I still love you. I love Hannah, but I'm in love with you. I hope you never forget that."
Tears formed back into Brennan's eyes. She was completely overwhelmed by what was happening. Booth just reconfessed his love for her. This was her reaction. "I don't know if I deserve this."
"Why, Bones?" he asked, confused.
"Last year, in front of Sweets' office, you-," she began, but he silenced her with a kiss. Her eyes rolled in the back of her head as she responded. When he pulled away, she wrapped her arms around his neck and nestled her head into his neck.
"I love you," he whispered. "And I'm in love with you. Those aren't empty words."
She pulled back, tears still running down her cheeks in powerful, hungry streams. "For once in my life, I actually know what that means." She leaned in and kissed him again. This time, she would never let him get away.
She was glad to be on the same side of the door.