At 5 o'clock Brennan grabbed her things and snuck out of the lab to meet Booth. He locked her purse and jacket in the SUV and they headed to the Jeffersonian's gardens.
They wandered for a few minutes, enjoying the relative peace of the gardens and each other's company. Booth could tell that her thoughts had turned to the upcoming conversation when she began to glance at him as if taking his measure.
He steered her toward a bench and they sat down.
"So, you have questions?" Booth queried, opening the conversation.
She nodded her head, trying to put her thoughts in order. It's so hard to think when he's near.
After a minute, she managed, "I could tell the other night that you'd been thinking about this, about us, about what a relationship between the two of us might be like. When did you realize…"
"That I had feelings for you?" he finished. "I think I must have known for a while, but I wouldn't admit it to myself. But after I was kidnapped and you came to rescue me, I couldn't deny it anymore. Angela was going on about how you asked your Dad to help find me and about the tension between us, making her usual innuendos. I stood there, tuning her out, and thinking about the fact that I didn't doubt you'd be there. I had this image in my mind of you walking through that hangar door and in that moment all my self-delusions fell away."
'This conversation is turning out to be harder than I expected,' Booth thought. He shifted forward so his elbows were on his knees and turned his head to look at her.
Brennan expression showed her astonishment at the depth of his faith in her. After a moment, she collected her wits and asked her next question. "The other night you mentioned sacrifices. What exactly did you mean by that?"
"Well, any long lasting relationship requires compromise. We see things very differently. You talk about chemical reactions and biological urges and imperatives. I believe in love. You don't need a piece of paper to show your commitment, and I want to get married and have a family. These are some pretty big differences, but I think we can work through them," Booth said.
He glanced at his watch. "Come on, Bones. We should leave now if we want to make our reservations."
They stood and headed in the direction of his SUV. By mutual agreement, the ride to the restaurant was silent, both preferring to wait to continue their discussion. When he pulled into the parking lot of a nice Thai restaurant, Brennan smiled with appreciation at Booth.
Over a dinner of curried chicken and lemon grass soup, the conversation continued.
"Did you have some particular compromises in mind?" she asked. She was slightly afraid of what his answer might be. She wanted to be with him so much, but he was right about their differences.
"First issue: marriage. I know you don't need a paper to prove your commitment, but if things work out I'd like one to prove mine," he began.
When she started to interrupt, he said, "Temperance, just let me finish. It wouldn't have to be a church wedding. I don't expect that you'll change your opinion about religion."
"What do you mean by 'if things work out'?" Brennan asked with trepidation.
Booth reached across the table and put his hand over hers in reassurance. "If we can agree on some compromises," he answered.
"Okay," she indicated her understanding. "What about the rest?" She looked him directly in the eye, intending to challenge him, but the emotion she saw in his face almost overwhelmed her.
"Another big issue would be kids. I understand why you wouldn't want to bring a child into a world like this, but there are plenty of children in the world already who need homes and parents. Parenting can take a lot of time and energy, but the rewards are amazing. Maybe we could consider adoption," Booth suggested.
He couldn't believe they were talking about this like it was a negotiation, but he knew that she handled logic better than emotions and he didn't want her to run for the hills.
The waiter brought the check. Booth paid and they headed to her apartment.
Brennan was silent during the ride, deep in thought. The compromises he's suggesting are reasonable. I think I could live with them. Earlier he said he wants forever, but so many people split up these days. What if he were to leave? I don't think I could handle that. I've never been so emotionally connected to another person. This is Booth. He's stuck around through a lot of hard things the past couple of years. And he knows most of my faults already. It's a risk, but maybe it's a good one. If I don't take my chances now, eventually he would probably find someone else and then I might really lose him. The more she thought about it, the more realized that losing him was the crux of the matter. She had come to depend on him in so many ways.Sometimes relying on someone else is scary, but it can also be really nice. The thoughts swirled in her head. She had good reasons to be wary, fearful even, of relationships lasting. But she also had a history with Booth that indicated things could be different with him, but she still needed some reassurance.
By the time they arrived at her apartment, she made up her mind. As soon as the door closed behind them, she dropped her purse on the floor and invaded his personal space. She looked him directly in the eye and asked, "Everyone I love leaves eventually. Why should I expect you to be any different?"
He answered slowly, "We've been through a lot together in the past two years, more than most people experience in a lifetime. We've come through it stronger and better. You know me and many of my secrets, and I know you and most of yours. You match me and understand me in more ways than any other person. You accept me how I am. Do you know how rare it is to find that in someone?"
The depth of his answer and the way his logic mirrored hers surprised her. She took a step back. "Why me?" she asked in a small voice. "I'm just a cold-hearted workaholic with abandonment issues."
"That's not what I see when I look at you. I see a beautiful, competent, intelligent woman with a passion for finding the truth who puts up a façade to distance herself from the awful realities that she sees every day," Booth answered.
Her eyes widened a little at this declaration and then she wrapped him in a tight hug. His arms came around her. She fit so perfectly in his arms. It took him a minute to realize that she was crying softly. He started to rub her back in soft, soothing circles.
After a minute or so, her tears stopped and she looked up at him. Her eyes were a little puffy, but he thought she had never looked more beautiful.
"Yes," she said softly, grabbing his hand and pulling him to the couch.
"Huh?" he asked, confusion evident in his features.
"Yes, to all of it – everything. Those are reasonable compromises and I'm sure we can work out any others," she replied with a radiant smile.
He was stunned. He hadn't expected her to make up her mind so quickly and when she smiled at him that way… he could hardly think. He pulled her close and cuddled her to his chest, still trying to digest it. He stroked the soft skin of her cheek and then slowly leaned in to press a soft kiss to her forehead. Happiness exploded in his heart. He wanted this so much, but he'd barely let himself believe that it could happen.
"What? Why?" he fumbled for the words to ask the question he wanted. He tried again, "Why'd you agree?"
"I couldn't stand the thought of losing you," she answered simply.
Her answer brought tears to his eyes. He blinked them away. So it goes back to her abandonment issues and her desire for a family. He tightened his arms around her. "I'll never leave you," he promised. He kissed her softly, seriously, trying to say with his actions what he could never put into words.
Like she had been doing all evening, she asked another question, "When?"
Confused again, he asked "When what?"
"Well, if I'm not mistaken, Seeley, there was a proposal somewhere in our discussion and I just accepted," she offered him another brilliant smile.
He looked at her in shock for a moment, and then replied, "You just gave me what I've been wanting and hoping for for a long time. I'm so happy I can hardly think. You're right, of course, I just expected it to be harder or longer or something. But I don't have a ring or anything, and …"
She put a finger on his lips. "You're babbling, Booth."
He kissed her finger, smiled, and said, "We should celebrate."
She went to the kitchen and returned a moment later with two glasses and a bottle of red wine.
As she popped the cork and poured the wine into the glasses, she said, "I've been saving this for a special occasion."
She offered him a glass. "To us," she toasted.
She clinked her glass against his and they both took a sip. She put her glass down and he followed suit. Slowly she leaned toward him. Her eyes darted to his lips and then to his eyes. Ever so slowly her lips moved toward him. Unable to hold back his desire any longer, Booth closed the distance between them swiftly and he kissed her gently. After a moment, he pulled back and slowly traced her lips with the tips of his fingers. He continued to explore her face with his fingers, still a bit unable to believe that it was actually happening.
At his touch, Brennan felt another of her walls melt away. She rained small kisses on his face, before capturing his lips. Her nerves were on fire. Her fingers twined in his hair and she tried to deepen the kiss, but he pulled back, looking dazed.
"So, when?" she repeated her question.
He couldn't have said what day or even what century it was. The woman he loved was finally in his arms.
"Um, now?" he asked.
She laughed in amusement. "Seeley, I don't think we could get married right now. It's 2AM. I'm pretty sure the offices are closed."
Suddenly a thought struck Booth. "Crap! I have a 7AM meeting with Cullen," he said. "I'd better go."
They stood and headed toward the door. He pulled her into a tight hug.
"I love you, Temperance," he whispered, kissing her forehead gently.
He reached for the doorknob, but she grabbed his arm and pulled him back for a long kiss.
"Do you really have to go?" she asked.
His lips quirked into a smile. "For now? Yes. But I'll see you tomorrow," he promised.
He dropped one last kiss on her sweet lips and then he was gone. She stood staring at the door for a few minutes, a silly smile on her face. Then she went to her room to get ready for bed. She fell asleep with a smile on her face, remembering his kisses and thinking about the plans she had to make.