Later, after the celebrations, he finds himself sat with Bones, as he usually does when with this group of people. He glances at her cautiously, wanting to say something, but knowing she's more-than-likely going to react badly, "Since we've started solving crimes together, I've been offered three different promotions." he begins, watching her carefully.

She freezes, eyes widening in panic. She needs to leave, now, because she knows how this conversation ends, and she can't hear that, not from him. Before anyone can even turn towards her, she practically flies from her seat, fleeing the diner.

"Bones!" he calls, quickly following her exit. Once outside, he quickly turns about, and, seeing her halfway down the opposite side of the street, he chases to catch up. "Bones, wait, dammit!" he snaps, grabbing at her wrist, forcing her to stop. Bending over to catch his breath, his grip tightens as she tries to pull free of his hold.

He finally looks up, and, noticing the tears building in her eyes, pulls on the wrist in his death-grip, curling his free arm around her middle. "I was trying to tell you that I turned all three down. I was trying to reassure you that this, that what we do is more important to me than any other offer I could receive."

Booth sighs, arm around her tightening for a moment before he steps back, letting her go so they could look at each other, "I wanted to tell you that I won't leave as long as you don't want me to leave."

She stares at him, lips parted in surprise. Swallowing past the lump that has formed in her throat, she steps closer, arms folding around his waist, face burying against his chest, "You can't know that." she argues quietly.

"You're right, maybe one day something will happen, maybe I'll die, or get fired or - well, who knows. But, right here, right now? What we do is exactly where I wanna be."


He wakes in the middle of the night, images of her leaving him floating around his skull. And, while he'd like some verbal assurance that she has no plans of leaving him, he also knows that isn't how she operates.

For the moment, though, with her chest pressed to his back, arms around his broad shoulders and legs around his waist in an almost octopus-like display, he has all the assurance he needs that she likes having him around.