Belonging 8

A/N: Well this is the last chapter. I think that I may start a new story that continues this a little in the future. Thanks for all the encouragement.

He watched her walk away from him. His hand still retained the warmth of hers, and he flexed it closed, hoping to hold on to it for a few moments more. He observed her form, silhouetted by the warm glow of the Christmas tree lights. Something deep down was bothering her. He could feel it.

He watched as she stared out the window, as if searching for something that would make everything right in her world again. He knew that they were close to something. But was she ready? Was he ready? Who was he kidding, he had been ready for a long time. He had just been waiting for her to catch up.

He knew that she was struggling with her heart. She didn't have much experience in that arena. In fact, she usually looked to him for matters of the heart. She trusted him. That was why he was so afraid of the steps he wanted to take. He wanted to make sure that she felt as much for him as he did for her, because once this was set in motion, there was no going back. The momentum they had built to this point was almost guaranteeing that something was going to happen. He just prayed that it would be wonderful as opposed to disastrous.

Most of all he wanted to make everything perfect for her. He doubted that she had ever truly been in love, and if he was truthful, had he? He had loved women, but never before with this intensity. It was all consuming for him. She had become the center of his universe. He was afraid that the slightest wrong move would send the planets crashing into one another, destroying any hope of them ever being together.

He watched her reflection in the windowpane, watched as the emotions washed over her. She turned her head to face him. She was on the verge of tears. His heart wrench in his chest to see her like this.

"Booth, I don't know what is going on anymore. My heart tries to lead me one way, while my head goes in the opposite direction. I can't do it anymore. How do I make it stop?" She said looking over at him.

"I want to be loved. I want to love and understand all those emotions that you talk about. I don't want to be alone" She said turning her face back to the window. His heart ached. If she only knew how much she was loved, and how much love she was capable of.

He could no longer resist the gravity that pulled them together. He was at her side in two strides. As he placed his hands on her shoulders he whispered "Bones." The warmth of her skin invigorated him. Infused him with an energy he had never before experienced. He had touched her many times in the past, but none of those contacts held the promise of this one.

He met her eyes in the glass. He watched as she tried to wipe away the evidence of her sadness. His thumbs began to make slow circles on her neck, almost of their own volition. As if his body subconsciously knew what she needed at that moment. She leaned into him, making the contact between their bodies complete.

Slowly he began to move his hands down her arms. He wanted to make sure he gave her every opportunity to stop his advance. He could see the goose bumps his touch caused on her skin. His spirits soared. He moved from her arms to encircle her middle. He gently pulled her closer to him, desperate to feel more of her.

He bent his head to her ear and whispered, "You aren't alone, and you are loved. More than you could ever know." He stated this as a promise, a solemn vow.

He lifted his eyes to hers in the glass. Her eyes were beautiful round disks, wide with amazement. Could she have really doubted that he loved her? It was there, in her eyes that he saw the depth of her true feelings for him. She couldn't conceal it. It practically poured out of her soul. He was humbled by what he saw. He only hoped that he was worthy of her. He would do anything in his power to keep her happy.

She hung her head once again and he could hear her weeping. Felt the tears on his hands as they fell from her eyes. "Hey, what's wrong? I haven't over stepped my bounds have I?" For a moment he was afraid that he had misinterpreted everything, taken things to far, crossed that boundary. But he couldn't have. He had never been wrong about her. He was absolutely positive that what he saw in her eyes was love.

He knew she was afraid, afraid of what was changing inside her, unable to fully understand that her mind would no longer be completely in charge. She turned in his arms to face him. He didn't allow her to break their contact.

She placed her hands on his chest. He loved when she touched him. It was tentative at first, a whispy light touch with her finger tips. As she grew a little bolder, she flattened her hands on his chest, gently rubbing him with her thumbs. He felt the warmth from her hands spreading through his chest and into his heart, which swelled as he stared down at the top of her head.

He raised her eyes to his, and any doubts he had were erased. He could see that she was unsure about the emotions swirling through her. He wished that there was some way that he could reassure her, let her know that she need only embrace the moment, and a whole new world would open up to her.

"I don't know what to say Booth," she said looking into his eyes. "These feelings are so wonderful that I have no way of expressing it."

"Believe it." He answered. "You deserve so much more, likely more than I could ever give you." And that was it in a nutshell. What, other than love did he have to offer her. She could buy or attain anything she wanted. She was certainly more intelligent than he. But he knew that he would do anything for her.

"Booth, please don't say that. I'm the one that is undeserving of you. How could you possibly want me?" She slid her hands to his face, and he closed his eyes, not wanting to miss one moment of this sensation. "You are the kindest, most caring man I have ever known. You would sacrifice yourself for anyone you love. You have done that for me. You give and give, never asking for anything in return."

If she could only know that he would do it again without hesitation. He would sacrifice his life for her. He opened his eyes, unable to remain quiet, and whispered, "Bones."

"I cannot ever imagine that I would be truly worthy of you. But for some reason you have chosen me. I know I am far from perfect, but I can offer you one thing," she paused, searching his face. He knew that she was on the brink of some emotional precipice, struggling to find her footing. And then she said it.

"I love you." She had said it so quietly, he wasn't sure that he had heard her. However, his heart had heard her. The words that he had longed to hear uttered from her lips had gone straight to his heart.

She stilled in his arms, never breaking eye contact. It seemed to him as though time had stopped. The room was still, and only the ticking of the clock could be heard above their breathing. He had never felt so content in his entire life. She was his.

Slowly he lowered his forehead to hers, drinking in her scent. He pulled back slightly to look into her eyes and said, "Bones, I know who you are. I have always known who you are. You may have fooled others with your cold, clinical exterior, but I could always see through it. Your eyes told me everything. I can't understand why the rest of the world never saw it. You show all your emotions in your eyes. You have a wonderful heart that is so capable of loving, and I am the lucky one it has chosen."

It was then her tears began to fall anew. He couldn't bear to see her cry, not when they had just shared this life changing, wonderful moment. He cupped her face in his hands and gently brushed away the wetness from her cheeks. "I love you Bones. I always have. You belong with me."

He watched her eyes close as he slowly lowered his lips to hers. The moment they finally met was indescribable for him. Earth shattering some would say. This was the woman he was meant for. No other kiss he had ever experienced was like this one. It was like coming home for him. He gently, tenderly explored her lips and mouth. He never wanted the kiss to end, but he knew that there would be a lifetime of these kisses. He knew it, deep in his soul.

When they parted, her rested his forehead against hers, trying desperately to reign in his emotions so that he might thoroughly enjoy this new beginning. That is what this was, a new beginning for them both, together. The past was gone, and he looked only to the future.

She slowly pulled back to look into his eyes, and smiled. It was a smile he saw rarely. She was truly happy, and that was all he had ever wanted for her. And he could see it all in her eyes, his future, a future of happiness with this woman in his arms. He had found his place in this world, with her. He belonged to her.