Disclaimer: Bones originally belongs to Kathy Reichs, but is currently under the great care of Fox, Hart, Deschanel, and Boreanaz.

A/N: Setting is season 5.

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He's frantic, wanting to be with her, to experience that ultimate happiness at any cost. "Why? Why?"

"We can't be together romantically and work together." Brennan tried to rationalize.

Booth tried his best to pull her back into his arms. "That's no reason..."

"No." Brennan shoved him away. "Look, I can't do this, Booth." Her voice was small, and tears began to trickle down her cheeks. "I can't."


Hot water coursed over Brennan. She couldn't shake her conversation with Booth, so, understandably, a hot shower was in order. She hummed to herself as the shower door and bathroom mirrors began to steam up. She stopped mid-hum and listened. Her door had clicked open and there were heavy footsteps by the kitchen. Thinking quickly, she left the water running and grabbed her towel. That way, whoever had broken in would be none-the-wiser.

Brennan, armed with an arsenal of martial arts training, opened the door to her bathroom slowly. She surveyed her apartment and saw that nothing had been taken or broken, not even the front door seemed forced open.

Out of her peripheral, she noticed a silhouette. She didn't even think; she acted.

"Woah Bones!" Her attacker choked out.

"Booth?"

Brennan let go slowly, eyeing her partner warily. "How'd you get in?"

"Door was unlocked." Booth explained, straightening his collar. "Shouldn't leave it open."

"I usually don't." Brennan punctuated her point by clicking the deadbolt shut. "But then again, I don't plan for my partner to just burst into my apartment."

Booth chuckled. "I didn't burst in. The door was open." He grinned at her, seeing if she could logic her way around that one. "Should be careful, any psycho could burst in."

Brennan shook her head. "I am careful. I can take care of myself, Booth. Don't treat me like a child." Brennan admonished, taking a step towards him. She felt like pushing him out of the door and wiping that stupid grin off his face, and she knew she could, if she really wanted to. Her hands clenched into fists as she felt her anger begin to rise, to fume.

"Alright, Alright." Booth held up his hands in mock-surrender. He cleared his throat and glanced his partner up and down. Her blue eyes were still fierce. His eyes lingered on interesting parts of his partner that weren't quite completely covered by the towel.

"Uh, Bones?" He gestured to her 'attire' as the air between them sizzled with intensity.

Brennan huffed, "I'll be right back." And padded out of the room, grabbing her clothes off the bed. Her heart was irrationally pounding in her chest. She returned to find Booth standing in the same place, looking shell-shocked.

"You walked away." His generally warm brown eyes were filled with hurt. And she knew that he didn't mean then, but early when he had told her... Her mind froze around the words.

Brennan's voice wavered. "You didn't stop me."

Booth stared back into his partner's wide blue eyes. "You didn't want to be stopped."

Brennan's emotions were quickly switching from anger to hurt. "Then why are you here, Booth?" Her voice choked with emotion the way it always did when her emotions heightened.

He closed the space between them, resting his hand on her shoulder. "We can't just ignore this, Bones. We can't just gloss it over like it never happened."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" She hit his arm off her shoulder, but he wasn't about to give up. He took her by the shoulders and stared into her eyes, desperate now, begging her to give him a chance.

"Something should happen between us." Booth insisted, watching as tears came to the corners of his partner's beautiful blue eyes.

She had to close herself off and quickly, things were becoming too dangerous, she was too far open, too susceptible to hurt, and she blamed it on him. "Like what Booth! What should happen?"

"Something..." He paused and looked straight into Brennan's tear filled eyes, trying to convey to her what he meant without saying a word.

But Brennan's last little bit of guard was up. Her heart was pounding and there was a look in Booth's eyes that showed complete caring, gave her a glimpse of someone who was completely devoted to love her, and that scared the rational hell out of her. Because feelings weren't rational.

"I don't know what this means." Brennan choked out, before Booth closed the space between them with his lips. Their kiss was light at first, testing, then it heated to exploring, then knowing, then passion. Brennan felt almost... safe... in Booth's company. Something was escalating between them, Booth was already lost in it and soon she would be too.

Maybe Brennan would finally open herself up and let that 'something' happen.


A/N: Next chapter will be in the present. set right after chaptre un. That means no more flashback mode.