Author's Note: Thanks again to all who wrote reviews on the previous chapters; I have truly appreciated your feedback and support. There will be one more chapter after this one; hope you enjoy!

Failure is not an option, Booth thought as he stole the ball from Sully. Not when Brennan was on the line and all the squints were watching. It didn't matter that he was tired and his muscles were sore. He HAD to win. He took a shot from ten feet away and inwardly rejoiced when the ball hit its mark. Now they were tied. He heard Hodgins, Zack and Cam cheering for him. Angela whistled and clapped loudly. He wondered what Brennan was doing. Was she rooting for him or Sully? He stole a quick glance at his partner. She was smiling at him. That smile was all he needed. He felt invigorated. Refreshed. Rejuvenated. Like he could take on the whole damn world. He would take on the world for Bones. He would do anything for her, even beat her boyfriend in a game he hadn't played in years.

Yet Sully was equally determined to win. This is my game, he thought, and Temperance is my girl. Who the hell did Booth think he was, asking him to stay away from her? She was nothing like the women he usually dated. She had beauty AND brains. She said exactly what she thought–no games, no secrets. She didn't want the traditional trappings of romance: flowers, candy, presents. She didn't want a husband, a house with a white picket fence and 2.3 kids, which was fine with him. Maybe Booth had a thing for her, but he had never acted on it. If Booth were a true friend, he would get over it and be happy that Sully was happy. Sully dribbled the ball three times and took a shot. Booth tried to block it but failed; Sully was in the lead again.

"You can't stop me from scoring," Sully taunted quietly, "with a basketball or with your partner." He turned to Temperance and waved at her.

Booth turned too, wondering if Bones was giving Sully the same smile that she had given him earlier. He wanted to believe that he was the only one who could make her smile like that, and so he was initially relieved to see that she wasn't smiling at all. Angela was saying something to her, and whatever it was had Brennan's brow furrowed in thought. Booth's relief quickly turned to concern as he studied his partner's face. She looked like she was angry. No, she had just passed angry and was on a direct flight to pissed. Seriously pissed. She was getting up off of the bleachers and walking toward them.

"Have you ever seen her mad before?" Booth asked Sully. "It's not pretty. If we run in different directions she can't catch us both."

"I'm not scared," Sully responded.

"Then you're an idiot," Booth shot back.

Brennan was inches away from them now. She grabbed the basketball out of Sully's hands and threw it to the opposite side of the court. "Is it true that you're playing for me?" Neither man answered. "Tell me!" She demanded.

"Well..." Sully began sheepishly. "It seemed like a civilized alternative."

"An alternative to what?" Brennan asked.

"Booth kicking my ass," Sully answered. "He came over to my place yesterday and demanded that I stop seeing you. When I refused, he started punching me."

Brennan fixed her piercing stare on Booth. "You punched him?"

"After he bragged about sleeping with you," Booth answered. "I was defending your honor."

"I don't need to be defended, Booth. I can take care of myself," Brennan declared.

"Of course you can," Sully chimed in. "Booth had no right to interfere in your personal life."

Brennan whirled around to face Sully. "So you challenged him to a game of basketball with me as the prize?"

Sully lowered his eye to the ground. "Yes. But---"

Brennan had heard enough. She kicked him in the groin and he fell to the floor. "I'm not a prize to be won!" She shouted as she sprinted out of the gym.

"Bones, wait!" Booth yelled as he ran after her.

Angela turned to Hodgins and Zack. "Well...that was interesting. You okay there, Sully?"

Sully only groaned.

Angela laughed. "No one messes with my best friend."

What can Booth say to Bones to make her forgive him? One more chapter to go!