A/N- I am so sorry for the delay, real life has not been kind, and I've not had the time or motivation to write. This one's a little longer and pretty smutty, so hopefully that helps. Probably just one more chapter after this one. Thanks for sticking with me:)


When Brennan got home, Max and Christine were playing out back. "Hey Dad."

"Hi Tempy." He kissed her on the cheek.

She bent and picked up her daughter, hugging her close. "Hey baby, did you have a good day?"

The 2 year old wiggled against the tight hold. "Yeah Mommy. Look what I done." Getting down, she ran over to the table and picked up a piece of paper. She handed it to her mom proudly.

It was like most toddler drawings, rather hard to determine what it actually was, but Brennan loved it. "That's very good Christine! It's beautiful."

Suddenly her mind went back to Booth. "Dad, would you mind taking Christine for the night? Booth and I have some things we need to discuss without being interrupted."

Max was busy picking up some of Christine's toys. "Sure, whenever you need. Do you want me to drop her off in the morning?"

"Yes, that'd be great. Thanks Dad." She picked up Christine. "You're going to stay with Grandpa tonight, ok? Be good."

"Uh-huh. But I want Daddy." Her little mouth turned down. She was very much a daddy's girl.

"I know. You can see him in the morning." Brennan kissed her little girl again, eyes closing for a second.

Max saw his daughters' anxiety. "Are you and Booth ok? I can shoot him for you if you need it."

Brennan gave a forced laugh. "No Dad, we're fine. We just need some time alone."

They packed some of Christine's things for the night, and then she walked them out. When they'd driven out of sight, she went back in the house and started dinner just to keep herself busy.


At 8 pm she was slicing some tomatoes for a salad, the lasagna in the oven, when she heard the door swing open. The knife fell onto the counter with a clatter, and she spun and saw Booth standing in the doorway. "Booth." It was all she managed to get out, and then she was in his arms, pressing her face into his neck.

His arms wrapped tightly around her, one strong hand stroking her back. "It's ok, Bones. Everything's all right." He crooned softly in her ear, knowing how scared she'd been.

Her hands moved all over him, suddenly stilling as her hand hit something on his side. Brennan pulled back and lifted his shirt. There was a large white bandage just above his hip. "Booth, you said you were fine!" she said angrily.

Booth looked down at her and sighed. He'd known this was coming. "I am, Bones. I just got nicked by a bullet, and only had to have a couple of stitches."

Poking him in the chest, she responded, "That's not fine! You're still hurt and you didn't tell me."

"I'm sorry Bones. It's ok. Everything's fine." Booth knew that her anger was just covering the fear that she felt. She melted into him, trying to nestle up inside of him, but she couldn't get close enough.

She pulled back just enough to cover his mouth with hers, kissing him desperately. He was taken by surprise, but responded with answering urgency.

Her hands slid under his t-shirt and pulled it over his head. She kissed him hard, body slamming against his. "I need you, Booth." Not giving him a chance to respond, she kissed him again, mouth open and hungry over his.

They stumbled towards the stairs, mouths fused, hands roaming wildly. "Too far," Brennan gasped out.

Booth just nodded, and they made it to the couch, falling in a mess of tangled limbs. They undressed quickly, and when Booth moved to lay back on the couch, Brennan stopped him.

"I want you on top of me. I need to feel you. All of you."

Understanding what she needed, he lay her down. His mouth captured a taut nipple, and he bit gently and then soothed it with his tongue.

Brennan's hands were in his hair, and she arched into him. She wrapped one leg around his back as his mouth continued its assault on her breasts. A long moan came out, and for a moment she didn't even know who it was. Booth glanced up her, but she quickly pushed his head back where she wanted it.

One of his hands joined his mouth, cupping her breast before squeezing lightly. He gave a last kiss to the soft underside of her breast before moving down, kissing his way over her flat stomach to her hips. "You're so beautiful," he said huskily, spreading her legs wide, leaving her completely open to his gaze.

She watched him look at her, and thought her heart might burst. She still couldn't believe just how much he loved her, as well as how much she loved-and needed-him.

Her hips tilted up towards him in invitation, and his fingers moved from her hip slowly down between her legs. He could already feel her wetness, her desire for him. One long finger slid inside her, and then a second. Brennan's mouth fell open as his fingers moved in and out, and his thumb hit her clit at just the right spot. "Booth..." she moaned. Then his mouth covered her, and he sucked her, tongue sliding just inside of her. She cried out, jolting upwards towards his mouth.

"Oh God, Booth." Brennan moaned. He responded with more pressure, laving her while opening her legs even more.

"Enough," she breathed. "I need you."

Booth moved up over her, mouth covering hers. Her hand grasped the back of his head as her tongue delved deep into his mouth. Her taste was on his lips, and it was incredibly erotic. She made no attempt to cover how desperate she was for him, reaching between them and grabbing hold of his hard length.

When he was positioned at her core, he tilted his hips and slid inside, moving easily into her wetness. Her hips moved against him, and she pulled his body all the way down until they were pressed tightly together, mouth to mouth, chest to chest, pelvis to pelvis. Somehow it was never close enough.

Booth kissed her, his tongue mimicking the action of their bodies. "You feel so good, Bones. It's always perfect, you and me."

She just moaned in response, rocking beneath him, nails digging into his back. Her feet pressed into the couch, and at every thrust she met him, absorbing the shock of his thrusts. They moved together almost violently, bodies slamming together again and again.

Booth pulled back slightly, hiking Brennan's right leg up around his back, deepening the angle of his stroke. His head moved down, sucking a lush breast, pulling her hard nipple into his mouth. Nipping her, he could feel her starting to tighten around him, body readying for orgasm.

"Booth...Booth. I love you. Love you so much." Her words were breathless and husky, spoken between thrusts.

"Come for me, Bones. Let go. I'm right here, I'm okay." He suckled her breast hard and slammed into her again, and she came undone around him, her walls clenching around him.

"Oh fuck," Booth grunted. Then he exploded into her, body trembling with the force of his orgasm. Brennan's heels dug into his back, taking his wet warmth eagerly into her body.

Booth collapsed on top of her, burying his head in her neck. He panted hard for a minute, before pulling out of her, moving to his side and drawing her body to his.

They lay together in silence, hearts gradually slowing to normal. After what seemed like a long time, Booth sat up. "Let's go to bed, Bones." He held out his hand and she took it. They gathered their clothes and went upstairs.

Brennan crawled under the blankets, not bothering to put any clothes back on, while Booth used the bathroom. When he came out, he got in and laid down, pulling him against her, stroking her from shoulder to hip.

"We got him Bones. He can't hurt us anymore." Booth spoke quietly into her hair, eyes closed.

She dropped a light kiss on his chest. "Promise me, promise me you'll never lie to me again, Booth. About anything. I don't want anything to do that to us again. I don't want to hurt like that ever again."

Pulling back enough so that he could look her in the eye, Booth spoke firmly. "Never again. I swear to you, Temperance Brennan, that I will never lie to you again." He paused for a moment. "Unless of course your clothes make you look fat."

"Booth!" She tweaked his nipple but laughed. "I love you."

"I love you too. What do you say we get married as soon as we can get it all arranged?"

"I say yes, Booth. Let's not waste any more time." She smiled brilliantly at him, the stress of the last 6 months draining away.

He kissed her softly, and then she snuggled up to his chest again. Exhaustion swept in, and the couple drifted off, letting peace reign over their slumber for the first time in what seemed like forever.