A/N: Just a quite little author's note before you go ahead and read the next installment. My beautiful Beta, Naomi, has only beta'ed the first half of this chapter. I have gone through the other half and edited parts, but if there are still some mistakes, they are my own and I do apologise in advance.

I very much like this chapter, it shows a new dynamic to Brennan and Booth and without saying too much, I will say there's vulnerability on Brennan's behalf that she grips hold off and takes it for a ride in which, hopefully you will all enjoy.

So please, you now may read ahead and hopefully enjoy as much as I enjoyed writing.

o0o

Justified

They swam, they laughed and they enjoyed each others company until the sun started to rise over their halo of trees and the first signs of life came about in their secluded location. The joie de vivre of the sun shone on the dewed blades of green grass and reflected onto the surface of the lagoon; birds chirped away happily as they nestled in the trees or flew overhead, while a rare sighting of a fawn in the distance bought a whole new dimension to the early spring morning. In the lagoon itself lay Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth, resting upon the edge and squinting against the bright reflection which bound in their eyes.

"This has been a truly amazing experience Booth," Brennan commented, bringing her wrinkled hand from the water to block the sun before casting her face over to watch Booth smile weakly against the soft ripples there body's were creating.

"I'm glad you liked it Bones," Stopping his eyes which had been previously tracing water droplets on the contours of breasts, as they rose and fell with each breath she took, Booth lifted his orbs to come face to face with hers, a content smile shining brightly behind the crystal blues.

"Last night, something changed between us didn't it?"

Booth nodded, replying in the only way which would avoid his voice cracking against the words he would speak if he strung together a coherent sentence. In the end he settled with a simple smile and one worded answer, "Yes."

She nodded in return and let a long breath vibrate through her lips, "I don't know what it means."

"Neither do I, Bones. But we can't just keep the 'friends with benefits', it's not working for us. There's more between us then making each other cum." He watched her carefully as she argued within herself at his response and how to answer his statement. She must have came up with an answer, because the next thing he knew, she was pressed against him, her head rolling back on the ball and socket joint of his shoulder, an absentmindedly sigh passing through her lips.

"You've told me on numerous occasions that love isn't brain chemistry. Love is the affection, whether it's tender or passionate, that you have towards another person. You allege that love is more than just sex. That love is when you miss the other person when they're gone and when they're around you become complete. I…I feel those things towards you Booth. You're my partner and my best friend; and if love is what you say it is, then I must come to the conclusion that…that I love you as well."

Shock.

Surprise.

Clarity.

Happiness.

Guilt.

But ultimately, love.

These were the emotions that encased Seeley Booth in the short time that it had taken him to fully understand what Brennan was saying. She loved him. Maybe not on the level in which he loved her. But she genuinely loved him.

Letting a small smile that was full of affection and warmth caress his lips, Booth chuffed and squeezed an arm around Brennan's shoulder. "Thanks."

"For what? Saying I love you?" Brennan intrigued, bringing her face around to peer over her shoulder and into Booth's puppy-like brown eyes.

"No, not that; well, yes that. But for letting yourself feel and experience what love is."

"You're the only person I feel comfortable in being myself around. I feel the need to push myself to be liked by others, but you…you take me for who I am. You've helped me through my family dramas with my father and brother, you've sacrificed your life for me, you don't mind correcting my social faux pas and…you don't take me at face value. I've let you peel back the layers to find out who I truly am. I thank you for that." Tears welled in Brennan's eyes, as Booth slowly bent his head down, capturing his lips in hers and let a flotilla of steamboats pass in the intimate moment.

Breaking apart Brennan giggled, "I hope you know my undergarments are now ruined from our night of swimming." Looking sheepishly down at her red ensemble of lace panties and matching bra, Booth laughed innocently when he felt a pink hue rise on his cheeks.

"I'll buy you a new pair." He blurted.

"And here I was thinking you were a prude."

"Not always. Although I will concede that I would prefer to keep my private life private, which also consists of my sex life and anything sexually related."

"I accept that as a valid explanation," Her squint talk would be the end of him one day. She could talk squint all she liked; Booth would never get sick of hearing her voice. There would only be one situation where Booth wouldn't want Brennan talking squint. He wouldn't want his squint-ess talking her colourful language while he bedded her. Squint and Sex do not go together, nor will they ever fit together like a puzzle missing its final piece.

They fell into a silence. Each became silent for their own reasons, but together, as the water gently lapped around them and the sun continued to rise overhead, they let gentle smiles gracefully caress their lips.

o0o

Brennan and Booth were leaned against the side of the lagoon in peace and quiet for just under an hour when Booth's stomach let out a hungry rumble and bought sequences of laughter and splashing that lasted until Brennan's own stomach let out a warning that she too needed food to replenish her energy and keep her stomach satisfied.

Another half hour had passed by the time they'd finished in the lagoon and they'd dragged their wet selves up the short hill and towards Brennan's car. Having wrapped blankets around their bodies, which were tucked neatly in the car boot, Brennan started her engine at the insistence since it was her car, her rules. Her first rule being - she drove. Booth didn't grumble and he didn't argue, he simply let Brennan drive them back in the direction of DC and towards his apartment.

o0o

They were to shower and change before meeting again at Royal for breakfast. Booth of course arrived first after having a quick shower and shave, followed by Brennan who entered the diner only minutes after her partner had taken his seat at their usual table by the window.

"I preferred you in the red lace substitute swimsuit," Booth teased over the menu as Brennan took a seat opposite him. She too only took a short shower, but it gave her enough time to wash her hair, scrub her face and glide a razor over her legs and under her arms. In turn, she opted to let her hair dry naturally if she wanted to make it to the diner before 10:30AM, when the cooking staff turned off the burners before the lunch hour started. So, her usual auburn locks were a dark chestnut strung together in a loose bun at the back of her head. Her red laced panties and bra were replaced with a similar blue set (not that Booth would know) and a casual blue blouse and a pair of dark denim washed jeans were placed over the top. And not to forget the unmistakable chunky wooden necklace draped around her neck.

"I will admit, that I miss seeing your pectorals on display," She commented back with a smirk. However, she would confess -even if it were only to herself- that she rather enjoyed the view of Booth's faded Metallica shirt in which was layered under his green cargo jacket.

"What can I get the two of you?" Heidi, Brennan and Booth's usual waitress asked. Although she knew the answer towards their breakfast preferences, she still had to ask out of courtesy and respect.

"I'll have the oatmeal with brown sugar and full cream milk and a strong black with two sugars" Definitely his usual. Scribbling just the name of Booth down on her notepad, Heidi knew instantly that the other girls behind the counter would know exactly what was needed to be made.

"I'll have the fruit salad and a glass of cranberry juice," Again, all Heidi needed to write down on her notepad was the same word she always wrote – Brennan.

Nodding, Heidi left the pair to give the orders to the girls behind the counter. They were a fascinating pair and all the staff at the Diner loved to see their favourite two people enter each and every day, whatever time that would be.

"So Bones," Booth started, leaning heavily on the table and facing her directly eye-to-eye, "You know how it's your birthday next month…"

"Yes…" She longed out her single worded answer in hope that Booth would continued. In which he did.

"Well I was in the shower before and this idea came to me. I was thinking, rather hoping that you'd embark on a little pre-birthday surprise."

Sighing, she leaned forward on the table until their noses became within inches of each other, "Drip."

A puzzled look came across Booth's features, until a small light bulb went off in the back of his head, "Spill Bones. As in 'spill the beans.'" Shaking his head and letting a smile caress his lips, Booth chuckled and continue, "Anyway, I was wondering if you'd participate in a month long treasure hunt in which on your birthday it will end and you'd receive your present from me."

"Why?"

"Because it'll be fun," He groaned, resisting the urge to kiss the confused look sown into Brennan's brow, "And I want to take things slow between us." Sighing, he saw a little of the stitching from her woven confused brow fray, "If you participate in this fully, I will know you're ready to give us a go. I also promise at the end of the treasure hunt on your birthday I'll give you what you wanted to start off with – sex." He kept the last word of his sentence as quiet as possible as Heidi came back and sat their meals in front of them, which caused Booth to lean back to allow room on the table.

"Okay." She nodded stabbing a piece of honeydew with her fork, "When do I start this…treasure hunt per se?"

"Next Saturday. It gives me just under a week to get everything organized. But believe me, I have some great ideas." He said enthusiastically around a mouthful of oatmeal, "Oh, I have two rules for the treasure hunt."

"O-Okay," She replied warily, dropping her spoon into the bowlful of fruit salad.

"One: The squint squad may be involved if you need their assistance and you will need their assistance, but you have to go and receive the clues by yourself, they can only be involved in finding where the next one may be located. And two: You must keep all the little keep-sakes that you will receive with each clue; they're little sentiment pieces; a unity of sorts."

She carefully filed the rules away in her mind, before picking her cranberry juice up, pausing just before her lips to speak, "I can abide by those set boundaries; although they weren't actually rules, Booth."

Chuckling, he took a sip of his steaming coffee and winked playfully towards Brennan as they fell into their own free flowing conversation. All the while they enjoyed the developments in their relationship and the company each other provided and gave the Diner an entertaining vibe in which everyone could enjoy.