An: Longest chapter for the win, and if anyone is watching the Boy with the Answer now...that beginning was something out of Saw...it was AHMAZING! I loved it, but it was so creepy. Yayyyyyyyy!

But you're going to love this chapter, and it will totally get you through any sort of potential sadness...hinty...hinty...hint...hint...

Next song: Playing The Villain - This Providence


You have stolen my heart;
You have stolen my heart;

And from the ballroom floor we are in celebration,
One good stretch before our hibernation;
Our dreams assured and we all, will sleep well.

Sleep well.

-Stolen (Dashboard Confessional)

Just a random dance was all it took. A random dance in the top floors of the Jeffersonian Institute, with the lights dimmed, and the softest of music playing.

Everyone seemed coupled up, but not just for dance partners. What Booth saw, was that there was some sort of underlying feelings between each couple, and he couldn't help but smile as his arms remained tight around his partner, knowing that he was not an exception to that observation.

"What are you looking at Booth?" she asked quietly, her body pressed flush to his, a pathetic excuse in her mind for being so close to him, being too warm herself against him.

He turned and squeezed her hand softly, smiling and shaking his head, a sense of bliss in his eyes that Brennan rarely saw. "It's nothing Bones."

"Evolution is very impressive, and whatever you could be looking at isn't nothing," she reasoned, smiling up at him, as a soft chuckle left his lips.

"It's an irrational observation you might not accept," he whispered, a teasing glint flashing in his eyes, which brought Brennan's head to a tilt.

"Tell me anyway," she ordered softly, her fingers gently brushing against the nape of his neck unconsciously.

He shivered softly, and the arm around her back tightened, their lips only millimeters apart as they spoke in hushed tones that only they could hear.

"It looks to me like everyone dancing with someone has some sort of deep, romantic feeling for their partner," he hushed, seeing the spark of interest in her eyes.

"Well, that is a logical observation, since, many of the older couples are dancing with their spouses, Cam is with Paul, Angela is with Hodgins, and…" she trailed off, her eyes casting down between them, before the lifted back to his "…Us…"

"Us?" he asked quietly, a small, curious smile on his lips, trying his best to hook her into him. "What do you mean us?"

"Us," she stated, her voice taking on that soft, but slightly husky tone she spoke with when she was speaking from her heart, and she didn't know it. "Even though we are partners, and best friends, there is still that underlying romantic tension, which is easily explained by the multitude of times we have helped each other physically, and emotionally, and saved each other's lives."

"Romantic tension?" he asked gently, "So you're admitting it?"

"Admitting what?" she asked, slightly pushing away, but finding her weak to his strong hand settled on her bare back.

"That you have some sort of romantic feelings for me."

"Booth," she whispered, her eyes darkening, and her hands coming to rest on his cheeks tenderly. "I never said I didn't."

He didn't know what to expect from her, but he never did, and when she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, a gasp rose to his chest, but he didn't dare release it in fear she would pull away.

But she did in fact, way too soon, but they were at a work benefit, and the spark in her eyes, and the soft smile on her lips gave him answers to his silent questions.

"You're ready?" he whispered tenderly, his arms coming to wrap tight around her back when she stepped closer to him, and buried her face in his shoulder.

Her lips pressed into his neck, and she smiled against his skin, a soft nod brushing against his chest. "I think I am," she admitted quietly, her arms tightening against his neck as she pulled back to look him in the eyes. "I can't promise anything solid, but I trust you enough to do the best I can."

Booth smiled, and leaned forward, brushing his lips against hers in a tender, soothing kiss. "One day at a time Bones. I've waited for you for six years and finally having the woman who stole my heart in my arms, is perfect. I don't care what happens in thirty or forty or fifty years, the here and now is…perfect."

"You already said that," Brennan pointed out quietly, smiling and laughing softly before he pulled her into his chest for a warm, and almost bone crushing hug.

Brennan's eyes rose, and she looked over Booth's shoulder, and found her coworkers smiling madly, and biting their lips to keep from cheering.

"I think we've made many people very happy," she whispered against his ear, laughing when he turned in her arms, and brought a hand from her back to rise into the air, wiggling his fingers in an innocent wave.

The orchestra ended the song, and everyone clapped, but instead the squint squad rushed and brought excited, relieved, and just plain happy arms around the two; Angela being the loudest and most enthusiastic of them all.

The orchestra stood and bowed, and everyone moved to their tables to grab their coats, but the squint squad stood, and Angela rested her arms on Brennan's shoulders. "How about you two love birds head home…one…home."

"Ange," Brennan hushed, smiling and shaking her head. "I can't tell you what the night has in store but you seem to know whatever happened the second I walk into the lab."

"Well I will definitely know something good happened when you BOTH don't come into work tomorrow…" Angela hinted, wiggling her eye brow suggestively, with an evil grin on her lips.

"You aren't celibate anymore; you don't need vicarious thrills anymore," Brennan brushed off, smiling as Booth walked up behind her, and draped her coat over her shoulders.

"The crowd is leaving, should we get going?" Booth asked, his arm wrapping around her shoulders, and bringing her closer to his side, his lips making their way to her temple.

"You shall," Angela answered, smiling and turning them both around, while pushing them towards the large oak doors. "Have a good night you two, we're all happy for you, and we don't hope to see you tomorrow, but if it happens that we do, it better be after mind blowing sex that has left you both incapacitated, 'kay bye!"

Booth laughed as his hand fell, and he shook his head slowly. "You can never have a boring day with Angela can you?"

"No, you cannot, even though, it's night," Brennan returned, slipping her arms through the sleeves of her jacket and allowing her hand to return next to his.

Their soft skin brushed against the other, and they looked at each other with slightly timid eyes, before both of their faces broke into a smile, and their fingers interlaced.

"You know, I've probably told you this already…but, you look beautiful Bones," he whispered, smiling at her, and chuckling at the blush that rose to her cheeks. "You're blushing," he pointed out, leaning over and pressing a small kiss to her cheek.

"I'm aware," she muttered, bringing her fingers up to touch her skin. "Booth, can I ask you something?"

"Sure Bones, what is it?"

"Can we go back to my apartment? The two of us?"

"Why do you sound so nervous? That's fine Bones." he whispered, smiling and opening the door of his SUV for her, helping her up and leaning against the door as she settled back in her seat.

"I don't know," Brennan whispered, smiling, and biting her lip gently. "I guess I'm just treading in unknown waters right now."

Booth smiled and stuck his pinky out to her, his other hand coming to circle her wrist, and bringing her pinky finger to lock with his. "I promise you, I will always be here to help you when you're scared. I told you this is going to happen one day at a time, one moment at a time, and I'm going to hold up to that."

"You have to kiss your hand to make it official," Brennan whispered, remembering the childish, school-aged act.

He shook his head and moved his hand from hers to cup her face, leaning forward and moving his lips to hers, their mouths opening and clashing with each other's passionately, and leaving both of them completely breathless when they pulled away.

"Does that make it any less official?" he whispered, smiling and brushing his fingers across the soft skin of her cheek.

"Not at all," she returned, her answer coming out on a weak exhale as a large smile lit up her face.

"Let's go home Bones," Booth muttered, smiling and closing her door, before jogging around the truck's front, and quickly slipping into his seat.

"Booth, even though you make your presence at my apartment a lot, you don't live there," Brennan ventured rationally, resting her head back and looking at him with a gentle grin on her lips.

"No, I don't, but you're my home Bones."

"How does that make sense, you don't live in me…"

"Home is where the heart is," Booth explained, starting up his suburban, and winking at her, before he pulled the black vehicle out into traffic.

"Then wouldn't home be your chest?"

"Nope, you're my home."

Somewhere in the midst of their soft talk on her couch, and the second dance in her living room, their lips had managed to find their way to their long lost partner once again, but this time, their hands took action.

Tender caresses brought their clothing to the floor, and soft embraces brought them under her sheets, where they made slow, passionate love for hours.

As midnight struck, Booth laughed and stretched dramatically, Brennan grumbling against his chest as her semi sleeping form was disrupted. "Booth," she grumbled softly. "What are you doing?"

"Having one good stretch before our hibernation," he explained, bringing one hand to rest behind his head, while his other arm wrapped tight around her back.

"Hibernation?" Brennan asked in interest, looking up at him with tired, but playful eyes.

"Yes, hibernation, because, after tonight, I have a good feeling that this bed won't be unoccupied for awhile," Booth whispered, leaning down and moving his lips against hers.

She growled huskily, and moved her hands to the side of his face, angling her body so that she was draped half way across his chest. "Is that a threat Agent Booth, or a promise?"

"Definitely a promise," he assured, his hand coming behind her head, and bringing her lips harder against his.