Breaking Point
Disclaimer: Nope, they're still not mine.
A/N: Well, here's the next chapter. With the encouragement of the ladies at the aby, I actually wrote smut. I'm a bit anxious about it so please let me know what you think. I have to thank Puppet for all her help on this chapter. Also, the opinions stated in this chapter are my own and based on living in Alexandria for a number of years. I don't have anything agaisnt DC or it's school system. I don't mean to offend anyone.
Chapter 10
"Moving in together?" Brennan repeated, as she leaned forward and set her wine glass on the coffee table.
"Yes," Booth answered, as he looked at her intently.
"Well," she said, as she shifted so that she was sitting Indian style, facing him. "That's a pretty big step."
"Yes, it is," he agreed, as he too shifted to face her. He rested his right arm on the back of the couch and pulled his right leg underneath him, getting comfortable, for what he knew would be an important conversation. "And I think it's time we took it, don't you?"
"I . . ." Brennan began and trailed off, not knowing what to say. The suggestion of moving in together had taken her completely by surprise. For some reason, she had been sure he was going to mention marriage and, she was ready, with all the reasons why she didn't believe in it. Moving in together had not entered her mind at all, and now that that was the subject brought up, and not marriage, she was at a loss as to what her answer would be.
She was also somewhat let down that marriage had not been the suggestion. It wasn't that she wanted to get married, she didn't believe in it after all, but he did. Not only did he believe in it, but he proposed to Rebecca when they had been going out for a much shorter time than her and Booth had been. She knew the circumstances had been different, what with Rebecca pregnant and all, but she couldn't help wondering if maybe he didn't want to marry her and why would that be. She, of course, forgot all about the many lectures she'd given Booth about how marriage was antiquated and not needed.
"Temperance," Booth said, when it became obvious she wasn't going to continue. "Tell me what you're thinking," he urged.
"It's just," she began, as she leaned forward, picked up her glass, and took a sip of wine. "Moving in together . . . I've never really moved in with anyone. You really think we're ready?"
"Yes," he said firmly, as he leaned forward. "Temperance we've been together four years now. For the past two years, with the exception of the last three months, we've practically lived together anyway. This would just make it official."
"Yes," Brennan said, as she twirled the glass stem. "But . . ."
"But, what, Bones?" he asked. "Tell me what's going on in that head of yours?" He demanded, with a smile, as he put his hand under her chin and lifted her head up.
Brennan looked into his eyes and saw only love, tenderness, and commitment and she had to ask herself, what was holding her back? Why couldn't she just be happy that the man she was in love with wanted to live with her? Even after everything they'd gone through and everything she'd just put him through, he still wanted to live with her, and what was she doing? Instead of jumping at the chance, here she was hesitating. Why?
Because, despite the fact that she had a take charge, take no prisoner kind of attitude at work, when it boiled down to the relationship side of the coin, she was a coward. It was as simple as that. She had no clue what she was doing; and she was never comfortable in a situation when she wasn't sure of herself. Then again, this whole working together and having a relationship had been new ground for her. And as scary as it had been at the beginning, it had worked out, and she was glad that she had listened to and trusted him and had embarked on the adventure with him. So, why not listen to him now?
The only thing keeping her from saying yes was fear. Was she really going to keep letting fear rule her life?
"I'm just wondering," Brennan said, with a small smile, as she leaned forward to put down her wine glass, "which place would be better for us to move into, yours or mine?"
"Which . . .?" Booth started to ask, surprised, as a huge smile crossed his face. "Are you sure?"
Brennan's smile grew, as she saw the sparkle in Booth's eyes and she knew that she had made the right decision.
"Yes," she answered, nodding "I'm sure."
"Woo Hoo!!!" Booth shouted and then sheepishly looked towards Parker's room and said in a lower voice, "Yes! I love you, Bones!" He then swooped down and pulled her into his arms and kissed her deep and long and hard.
When lack of oxygen required them to pull back, Booth started raining kisses down her neck to her collarbone.
"So," Brennan said, as she leaned her head back to give him more room, "as nice as the idea of living together is, do you think either of our places is big enough? I mean, I need an office, Parker needs a room, and you should probably have a room of your own and . ."
"Well, Bones," Booth said, as he started to kiss his way back up to her ear. "We should probably just get a new place – a bigger place, that would be ours and not mine or yours."
"That sounds nice," Brennan said, as she smoothed her hand across his chest, while he nibbled her earlobe. "Oh, that feels nice," she breathed. "Yes, right there," she whispered, as she tilted her head even more, to give him more space.
"I was thinking that maybe a house would be nice," Booth said, as he gently pulled her lower lip with his teeth, sucking on it before letting it go.
"A house?" she asked, as she leaned back to look him in the eyes.
"Yes," Booth said, as he took a deep breath and also retreated a bit. This was a conversation that should probably be had with a clear head. "A house would have all the space we'd need. Parker would have his own room and a backyard." And then because he knew her better than she knew herself sometimes, he added, "And you'd have your own office and all the space you would need for when and if you feel the need to be alone."
"Yes, but a house?" Brennan asked, again. She hadn't lived in a house since she was fifteen and her parents had left, and had never really felt comfortable with the idea of living in a house again. "Apartments are so much more convenient, don't you think?" She asked, with a small grimace. "I mean with a house, you have to mow the lawn in the spring and summer and in the winter you have to shovel the snow. Plus, there's no maintenance you can call when something breaks down. You have to do all that yourself."
"Bones," he said with a grin "since when are you scared of hard work? Going to war torn countries and identifying bodies is your idea of a vacation."
"That's different," she denied with a shrug, "one's work related, the other one is not."
"And if it's not work related, you're not interested, huh?" When she shook her head, he laughed and said, "Well, don't worry. I'll do the mowing and the shoveling and any repairs that come up. You won't have to worry about it."
"Well," Brennan said, sounding unsure.
"Come on, Bones," Booth coaxed, sounding very much like Parker had earlier in the store. "It'll be fun. Just think about it; we can look for a house that suits all our needs and then we can fix it just how we want it. You can decorate it however you want and it won't be mine or yours but ours. Doesn't that sound nice?"
She had to admit that the more he talked about it, the better it sounded.
"Ok," she said, with a laugh, "it does sound nice. But where should we look for a house? Here in DC?"
"In DC?" he asked, incredulously. "You're kidding right. The only houses you can get in the District are either in bad neighborhoods or they're in the uppity ones that we can't afford."
"Well," Brennan argued "we could afford it if . . ."
"No," Booth argued back, before she even finished speaking, "we can't; maybe you can. But we're not getting a house that only you can afford. And no," he said when she opened her mouth to protest, "I'm not being a pig-headed alpha male. I'm not insisting that only I pay for it but, I do insist that we both pay for it, equally."
"Yes, ok," she said, giving in easier than usual, since she had always insisted in equal participation. She couldn't very well argue against it now. "So, where should we look if DC is out?"
"Well," Booth said in a thoughtful tone, "we could look over in Virginia. Alexandria has some very nice neighborhoods."
" Alexandria?" Brennan repeated. "Yes. There are some very nice houses over there. But are you sure you want to move to Virginia? I know you like to be close to Parker and moving to another state . . ."
"Bones, it's only Virginia," he interrupted with a grin, "less than ten minutes away. It's not that far. Besides, Rebecca has also been thinking about moving."
"Really?" she asked, surprised but interested, "how come?"
"Well," Booth answered, as he leaned back on the couch and adjusted his pants; the conversation had calmed him somewhat, but hadn't erased all the effects of the earlier embrace. "Parker is starting Middle School next year and while the elementary school he went to was okay, she thinks it'd be a good idea if he goes to a better school system, and the ones in Virginia are better."
"What do you think?" Brennan asked, as she shifted and leaned her elbow on the back of the couch and laid her head in her hand.
"I think," he answered easily, having already given the matter much thought, "that she has a point. Parker needs to have a good, solid academic foundation to be able to get into a good college and for that he needs to attend a good high school. Unfortunately, the ones in the District aren't that good, and if he's going to change high schools then he might as well change schools now. It'd make it easier on him, both academically and socially."
"You're probably right," she agreed, with a nod, "but what would Rebecca think of Alexandria? Would she really move there just because we do?"
" Alexandria has one of the best public school systems in the area," Booth answered, with a shrug, "it's actually at the top of her list. Whether she can move soon, that's another story. She just signed her lease for another year; she wanted to wait another year before moving."
"But we're not waiting a year, are we?" Brennan asked; characteristically, now that the decision to move in together had been made, she wanted to go ahead and do it, not wait.
"No, we're not waiting," Booth assured her. "My lease is up in a couple of months and you own your apartment. We can put yours up for sale and start looking this Sunday. How does that sound?"
"That sounds fine," she answered.
"And," Booth continued, though he hesitated a bit, "I can talk to Rebecca; if we move before the school year begins, maybe Parker can move in with us until Rebecca can move later on."
"Do you think Rebecca would go along with that?" Brennan asked, leaning forward a little, sounding very interested.
"I don't know," Booth shrugged, "I think so. I know she really wants Parker to have the best education possible. It won't be easy; he's always lived with her and she won't be happy not living with him. But she wants what's best for him and if she knows that he'll have that, living with us, she'll agree to it."
"She is a good mother," she agreed, "and it's not like she would be giving him up for good; Alexandria is pretty close and she can still see him pretty often."
"Exactly," he nodded, "but what about you?"
"What do you mean, what about me?" she asked, confused.
"Well," Booth answered, as he shifted forward. "You won't only be living with me but with an eleven year old."
"Yes," she agreed, still sounding somewhat confused, "but it's not just any eleven year old. It's Parker. You know, I love him."
"Yes, I know," he repeated, "and he loves you, but living with an eleven year old is different from having him only on the weekends" he explained.
"Well, of course it's different," she agreed, "just like it'll be different living with you."
"Right," he said, "and you're sure you know what that means?"
"What living with you?" she asked with a grin, "well, I'm sure it won't all be fun and games. You can be quite annoying when you want."
"Funny, Bones," he said with a smile, "very funny, and you can be quite trying yourself. But I was talking about whether you knew what living with Parker would mean? Getting him up in the morning, and ready to go to school; leaving work at a decent hour to pick him up after school and giving him dinner and making sure he's done his homework. It will be a major life change, Bones, and I want to make sure you know what it means before we do anything."
"I know that, Booth" Brennan said, sounding offended, "I'm not an idiot, of course living with you and Parker would mean a change in how I live. I knew that when I said I'd move in with you. A suggestion, by the way, that was yours and you convinced me. Have you changed your mind? Do you want me to change mine?"
"No, of course not," Booth denied "I just . . ."
"You just what?" she insisted "what is going on, Booth?"
"I . . ." he sighed deeply, and raked his fingers through his hair. He hadn't wanted to get into this, had actually thought that there would be no need to talk about it. They had already discussed most of their issues and he didn't really want to open up another can of worms, but he should have known he couldn't ignore this. It involved Parker, after all, and his son's well being superceded any other concern.
"Remember when you said that I wasn't the only one you pushed away these last few months?" he finally asked her.
"Yes," she answered, "I also pushed away Angela."
"Yes, and Parker," he stated quietly, and had her looking at him with wide eyes, "I'm not telling you this to make you feel bad," he hastened to add, when he saw the distress in her eyes, "but the past three months haven't been easy on anyone, Parker included. He had gotten used to you being around; besides Rebecca, you're the only woman that has been a consistent presence in his life. When Parker was born, I decided that I wasn't going to have an endless parade of women in and out of his life. That would only confuse him and set a bad example, so you're the only one I've introduced him to."
"He didn't meet any of your other girlfriends?" Brennan asked, surprised, "not Tess or Cam?"
"No," Booth answered, "I never felt comfortable enough with either of them. Well, the thing with Cam was never serious and we both knew that."
"And Tess?" she pressed, "according to Angela and her stages of relationships, you two were pretty serious."
"Angela's not always right, you know," Booth denied, "and anyway, that's not the point."
"Then what is the point?" she asked, pretty sure she wasn't going to like the point.
"The point is," he said, as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, "that I wasn't the only one that missed you, I wasn't the only one that felt it when you pulled away. Parker didn't understand what was happening and as kids tend to do, he wondered if he had done something to make you stop coming around."
"He did?" Brennan asked, feeling horrible, "I never meant to . . ."
"I know, you didn't," Booth agreed before she finished, "but . . ."
"But, what?" now it was her turn to interrupt, "that doesn't change the fact that I all but abandoned him."
"Well," Booth argued, "abandoned is perhaps, too strong a word."
"No, it's not," she disagreed "it's exactly the right word. I can't believe that after everything I've been through, I did to Parker, the same thing that my parents did to me."
"No," Booth said, shaking his head, "you didn't; this was completely different."
"Yes, you're right, it was," Brennan, agreed with a small nod, "they at least thought they were acting in my and Russ's best interests. I, on the other hand, didn't even think of how my actions were affecting Parker."
"Bones," he said, but she wasn't listening.
"No, I can't . . . what was I thinking? But that's the point, isn't it? I wasn't really thinking. I can't believe you'd even want me to be around him anymore . . ."
"Temperance!" Booth finally called loudly, and caught her attention, "you didn't abandon Parker. Ok, you were . . . absent for a while," he added, when she opened her mouth to protest. "But that was because you were scared and made a mistake. We all make those."
"A mistake?" she repeated. "Booth, I probably traumatized that kid for life!"
"No, you didn't," he denied with a grin, "kids are very resilient, Bones. Sure, he was confused and hurt, but seeing you tonight, spending time with you, changed that. He knows you love him and he trusts you when you said that you won't disappear like that again."
"I do love him, you know," she agreed quietly. "I realized tonight that I love him as if he were my own."
"I know," he said, with a beautiful smile, showing how delighted he was at her admission.
"At first it was because he was yours, but now I love him because, he's him; he's just such a great kid," she added, thoughtfully.
"Yes, he is," Booth said with the same wide smile, "and that's in part because of you."
"Me?" she asked, "no, it's you and Rebecca; you both have done a great job with him."
"For the last four years," he argued, "you've had as much influence over him as I have. And you've been great and that's why I want you around him and I'm not worried about it at all. You were scared," he repeated, "and that led you to act somewhat . . . irrationally. But I know you, and I know you wouldn't do anything like that again. I didn't mention it because I was worried, but, because I just need to be sure that you know what living with me and Parker means. I trust you, Bones, with my love and with my son, but I just have to be sure that you are sure, you understand?"
"Yes," Brennan answered, after looking into his eyes for a few seconds. "He's your son and you have to be sure that he's going to be taken care of. That's what makes you such a good father," she told him and then paused for a minute before continuing, slowly but firmly, "I am sure, Booth. I love you and Parker, so much, and there's nothing I want more than to live with both of you. I know that moving in with you guys will mean a lot of changes in both our lives; but you're right, we're ready for them. And you know what else," she added as the thought crystallized in her mind, "I am really looking forward to them, too. For once in my life, I want to enjoy the now and look forward to tomorrow, without worrying about what could go wrong – because, as long as we're together, we can overcome anything."
"Yes, we can," he agreed with a wide grin, as he pulled her to him. "Now, come here."
"Where?" she asked, laughing, as she fell into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Here?"
"Ummm," Booth answered, "yes, right here," he murmured, as he slid his hand onto her neck and pulled her face into his. He then proceeded to kiss her long and deep. When oxygen once again demanded they part, he started to kiss his way down her neck, as she leaned back to give him more space. She raked her fingers through his hair, as she enjoyed Booth's kisses. When he reached her shirt and started to unbutton it, she pulled back and asked, "don't you think we should move this to the bedroom?" She turned her head in the direction of Parker's room and added, "what if Parker comes out? We wouldn't want him to watch something he shouldn't, would we?"
"No," Booth said, as he stood up with Brennan in his arms. "We wouldn't, and you're worried about how you'll do with Parker? Bones, you're already thinking like a mom."
"I am?" she asked, sounding surprised, but happy about the fact.
"Yes, you are," he answered, as he kicked his bedroom door closed. "But as much as I like this side of you," he told her, as he gently put her down on the bed, and laid down alongside her, "do you think you could go back to being the sex kitten you can be when the bedroom door is closed? I've really missed her," he added, with a smirk.
"Oh, you want the sex kitten, huh?" she purred, as she slid her hands up his chest and around his neck, bringing his face down to hers to kiss him. "Well, here she is," she whispered, as their lips were almost touching. She then hooked her right leg around his hip and flipped him onto his back.
"Yep, here you are," he agreed, with a grin, as he brought her lips down to his. His hands then ran down her back and when he reached her waist, he pulled up her shirt and snaked his hands underneath it until he got to her bra, which he immediately unsnapped.
"You have very nice hands," she commented, as she pulled back a bit and started to unbutton his shirt. "And very fast fingers," she added with a grin as she leaned down to kiss the skin she was uncovering.
"Thank you," he said, and then gasped as she licked his nipple. "You have very soft lips," he trailed off in a moan, when she sucked the nipple she'd just licked. He put his hands on her waist and flipped her over. "If you don't mind, I think I want to be on top – at least for a bit." He then pulled back and settled on his haunches over her, with his knees coming to rest on the outside of her hips. He shrugged out of his shirt and threw it on the floor before he quickly finished unbuttoning her shirt. When it was completely open, he put his hand underneath her and pulled her up, so that her shirt and bra slid down her arms.
She shook them off and threw them across the room, before laying back down and trying to pull him back down on top of her. He resisted and moved down to unzip and unhook her pants, before he stripped them and her panties off. In seconds, she was lying naked before him.
"Yes," he repeated in a whisper, "I have missed you. I've missed the sight of you," as he ran his eyes up and down her naked body. He then leaned forward and kissed her lips, her chin and started to run kisses down her torso, until he reached her breasts. He rubbed his cheek along her breast and nipple, "the feel of you."
He ran his hands along her sides, as he moved down her body. When his hands reached her knees, he parted them, and put her legs on either side of him. He ran his hand on the inside of her legs until he reached the apex. He then reached forward and took a deep breath, "the smell of you."
His fingers caressed the sensitive skin at the top of her legs, before they slowly and gently, pulled her lower lips apart. "The taste of you," he said, before he leaned forward and licked her from end to end.
"Oh, God yes, Seeley!!" She moaned, and threw her head back, as the delicious sensations his expert touch created, coursed through her body.
"The sound of your sexy moans," he stopped licking her long enough to whisper before returning to her warm center.
One of her hands went into his hair, to hold his head in place, and the other fisted the blankets, as the sensations reached their peak. "Oh, yes! Seeley, yes oh, God, yes, yes!!"
"Yum," he said, with a grin, when his head came up from between her legs. "Mine, all mine," he declared, as he swiped his tongue across his lips and ran a possessive glance across her body.
Brennan was a strong, independent woman who did not really believe in the concept of one person owning another, but when he looked at her like that, especially after having 'kissed' her like he just had, well, she really didn't have it in her to complain. And she had to admit, the idea of Booth belonging only to her, definitely had its appeal.
"Well," she said as she brought her hands to his shoulders. "If I'm yours then you're mine," and with that she pushed him to his back and climbed on top of him. She bent forward and licked his lips before pulling his lower lip and nibbling on it while her fingers were busy unhooking and unzipping his pants.
When his pants were unzipped, she pushed them down his hips and kept pushing them down farther, as she slithered down his body, kissing, licking and nibbling his chest. She used her feet to push the pants all the way off and then kicked them off the bed. She ran her hands back up his legs, to his waist, and grabbed a hold of his underwear and started to pull it down slowly and carefully. Her mouth followed his shorts, and his hips arched, and he moaned the closer her mouth got to his groin.
As she reached his fully erect cock, she raised her eyes up his body, and locked them with his, as she extended her tongue out and slowly licked him as if he were a lollipop. He groaned louder and fisted his hands in her hair and she opened her mouth and took him all the way in. He involuntarily arched his hips as she sucked him deeply and pushed his shorts the rest of the way down.
After a few deep thrusts with her mouth, she drew back and with a last lick at the head, she started to kiss her way up his body. After all, she didn't really want him to explode before he got inside her. She finally reached his mouth and after peppering kisses on his lips, she sank her tongue deep into his mouth and intertwined with his.
As he returned the kiss wholeheartedly, he ran his hands down her back, to the top of her legs and pulled her thighs so that she was straddling him. When his hands moved to take a hold of her ass, Brennan tightened her legs around his thighs and sucked his tongue deep into her mouth, mimicking how their bodies would soon be joining.
Booth used his hold on her ass, to move her hips, so that his cock slid in between her vaginal lips, wetting it with her juices. After a few rubs, he moved her hips again and positioned himself at her entrance. As she felt him begin to enter her, she pulled back from the kiss and looked into his eyes, as she lowered herself down, and his cock filled her to the hilt, in one smooth thrust.
"Yes! Please! Fuck me," she hissed, while he whispered, "Oh, Shit!! Temperance!!"
She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed up until she was sitting on him. She raked her fingers down his chest and back up, stopping when she reached his nipples to tweak them, making him groan and tighten his hands on her ass to pull her up and down at a faster pace. When she leaned her hands on his stomach and took up the rhythm he wanted, he moved his hands to her breasts and kneaded them as he pinched her nipples, making her throw her head back and cry out, "Yes, harder, harder. Oh, please!!"
"God, you're beautiful," he rasped, as he leaned forward, and pulled her right nipple into his mouth, nipping it and then sucking it hard.
"Yes, Seeley! Please, please. God," she cried out, as one of her hands moved to the back of his head and fisted in his hair to hold it in place.
Booth pulled his mouth away, as he tightened his other arm around her waist, and flipped her onto her back once more.
"Yes!! Faster, please, harder! God, Seeley!!" She cried out when he leaned one of his hands by her shoulder and increased the pace of his thrusts.
"Yes, yes," he chanted, as the hand that had been kneading her breast moved to tilt her head back and he leaned in to kiss her deep and hard. The kiss became deeper and deeper as his hips thrust faster and harder. As the intensity reached its peak, Brennan's orgasm exploded through her body making her milk Booth's cock until, he too, exploded and spent his seed deep inside her.
As the last spasm raked through their bodies, Booth pulled back and whispered, "I love you," as his body settled on top of hers.
"I love you too," she whispered, as her body came down and she brought her arms around his shoulders. A few minutes later, Booth moved to the side so that she'd be able to breath and they both shifted until they could pull the sheet and blanket over them.
Brennan yawned and turned on her side, before scooting backwards, and Booth put his arm across her waist, pulling her into his body, until her back was snug into his chest and they were spooning.
"I'm tired," she said, sleepily as her hand came to rest on top of the hand he had around her waist.
"Me too," he replied and moved his top leg over her hip, pushing her ass into his groin.
"It's been a long day," she murmured, and he could tell she was falling asleep.
"Yes, it has," he agreed, as he kissed her shoulder. "Let's go to sleep," he suggested and the soft snore coming from her informed him she hadn't needed the suggestion. With a soft smile and pulling her more firmly against his body, Booth settled his head onto the pillow and allowed sleep to claim him too.