Three thousand plus readers! Wow, you guys have done the impossible: struck me speechless. While my little green men will be taking out your garbage for the next year, I have decided it just isn't enough. I'm going to reward you with a bit of fluff. *shoves dancing Mexican whooping llamas off the stage* Let's hear it for the llamas! I know, I know...Get on with it!

Chapter Nine: Earmuffs, Syringes and Dumb Things Grown Ups Do.

After dinner was over and the dishes done, Bones helped her father settle in. Max opened a few drawers and put his clothes inside. He heard strained whispering coming from the kitchen as he pulled on his pajamas. Out of his coat pocket, he pulled a small vial labeled in Wendall's handwriting and buried it in a pair of his clean socks, stuffing the wad in the drawer as well.

Max Keenan was no fool. He knew his little girl was in love with Agent Goody-Two-Shoes. He sighed. Why couldn't she just find a nice felon? But he knew that wasn't up to him. He was determined that after missing the formative years of Tempe's life, what Tempe wanted he'd be damned if he wasn't going to get it for her, legally or otherwise.

When Max ran into Wendall at the end of the day, he was filled in on the situation. If anyone could make this happen, it was him. He'd ran home, packed his bags and showed up on her doorstep. Max knew with everything the rest of the Office Pool was doing, it was his job to turn up the heat and make sure it stuck. He grabbed his earmuffs and pulled them on before heading out to the kitchen.

Booth and Tempe stopped mid-sentence as he entered. He couldn't hear crap with these things on. He smiled warmly, "I just came in to say goodnight. I've got an early morning tomorrow." He kissed Tempe's cheek.

She backed away and grabbed at his earmuffs, "Are you cold, Dad? I can turn up the thermostat."

He swatted her hands and fixed them firmly back in place, "What? Oh! These! No. I just thought... I didn't want to interfere or be a burden. I was young and in love once, too. You're free to do as you please tonight. I can't hear a thing with these on."

Tempe blushed, "Dad!" He pretended like he didn't hear her and went to the guest room closing the door behind him.

Insert Dancing Fuzzy Earmuffs line break here. :)

Booth closed the bedroom door behind them and whirled, hissing frantically, "He sleeps with me! Are you crazy?"

Bones calmly turned the bed covers down on both sides of the bed, "I don't understand the problem. Everyone thinks we are dating and we are supposed to be..."

Booth threw a nervous glance at the door, "Everyone thinks! Thinks is the operative word in that sentence, Bones! Now we're going to have to make your Dad think we're a couple at home, too!"

Bones took an oversize t-shirt with FBI written on it into the bathroom, "We need to keep up the charade until they catch the stalker. You know that." She walked out of the bathroom in nothing but – dear God, was that...

"Bones, is that my FBI shirt?"

She hopped on the bed smirking, "It might be..."

"You sleep in my shirt?" He'd never get that image out of his head: Bones in nothing but his t-shirt. He was in so much trouble. His libido had been working overtime, he'd been kissing her all day, and now he was going to crawl in bed with her wearing his t-shirt. She was bringing him to his knees without even trying.

"You left it here." She drew circles on the comforter refusing to meet his eyes, "Besides, I find it extremely comfortable. I can give it back to you if you want." She reached down to her waist and began to lift it over her head.

"Whoa! Bones! You can't just take your clothes off in front of me!" He turned to stare pointedly at the wall.

"I don't see why not, Booth. I've seen you naked several times."

Because you don't have sexual fantasies of your partner in nothing but your FBI t-shirt, he groaned inwardly. He shook his head and raised his hand in surrender, "You win! You win, Bones. Keep the shirt."

"I intended to." She was stifling a giggle when he turned around.

He growled and grabbed his pajama pants and a clean t-shirt of his own, heading into the bathroom to change. When he returned, he opened the closet door, obviously looking for something.

"What do you need?"

"Extra blanket and a pillow. I'll take the floor."

"Don't be ridiculous, Booth. You have a bad back. You're not sleeping on the floor." She climbed out of bed and closed the closet door on him. She pointed at the bed sternly, "In. Now. Baby."

"I love it when you take charge!" He laughed. She tucked him in and kissed his forehead.

"Now get some sleep. I have an early day tomorrow as well." She climbed back in on her side of the bed and turned the lamp off. After a moment, "Now would be a perfect time to conduct our sexual experiment."

"What sexual experiment?"

"To find out if you are really as insecure with your sexual prowess as your 'Cocky' belt buckle leads me to believe."

"What? Bones! No! No experimenting!"

He put his head back into the pillows and sighed with frustration, inhaling her scent deeply. Lord help him, he was in Bones' bed less than two feet from her. He shifted two inches to the middle of the bed. Thirty seconds later, he shifted two more. On his third wiggle to get closer to her she spoke, "Does your back hurt?"

"No." He wiggled again.

"What's wrong Booth?"

"Nothing. I'm just getting comfortable." And nothing was going to make him more comfortable than sleeping with her in his arms. Maybe Zack was right. It wasn't going to happen until he came clean. "Bones, before we go to bed, can I ask you something?"

He heard the covers rustle as she rolled over to face him, "Sure."

"Something's been bothering me and..."

She laid a hand on his shoulder in the dark. He almost jumped clear out of the bed. "What is it, Booth?"

All or nothing. Snipers forward, hoo-yah. "Why did you go to the Malapoopoo Islands?"

"Maluku Islands. It was an incredible opportunity..."

He interrupted gently, "How about the version that's not going on your resume?"

There was a long pause, "I don't know what you're asking."

He turned on his side in the dark to face her, "Bones, did I have something to do with you leaving?"

She sat up and turned on the light, "How so?"

"Did you even think about me at all while you were gone?" Afghanistan had been hell on Earth for Booth. Not because he was being shot at, but because he couldn't see Bones. He couldn't undo that damage he'd done.

"Of course, Booth. We're partners. I thought of you often."

"What would you think about?"

"I missed you Booth. I thought about meeting you at the coffee cart."

"I missed you, too. Any regrets? About leaving?" He finished quickly.

"No. I... Why are you asking me this?"

"I had a regret the whole time I was gone."

"Was it going back into a war zone? I know how difficult..."

"No."

After a long pause, she rubbed her hand lightly over his shoulder, searching his face, "What was your regret?"

"That I scared you that night in front of the Hoover."

"Booth, I..." Her eyes were wary.

"Bones I have to say it. Just hear me out, OK?" She dropped her eyes, and nodded wearily. "I never got to say the most important thing you needed to know that night. And I'm going crazy knowing I should have told you." He climbed out of bed, "Get dressed. We're going for a drive."

Insert Dancing FBI T-Shirt line break here. :)

Booth led her to the steps of the Hoover building. She bundled up against the February cold. Her expression was guarded, "Booth, what are we doing here?"

He stopped under the exact tree where he'd asked her to take a chance, "What do you remember from that night?"

"You kissed me." He grabbed both her arms and before she could protest, kissed her breathless.

"What else?"

"You asked me to take a chance on us." She murmured.

"What did you say?" His memory of that night twisted in his heart.

Tears welled in her eyes, "I said 'no'. I said I couldn't change. I still can't. Booth, I can't..."

He leaned his forehead on hers, "No one is asking you to change, Bones. No one."

"But I can't promise you fifty..." Her tears ran freely now.

"Bones, I didn't say everything that you needed to know. That's my fault, OK? Mine." He pulled her in and held her as she cried, speaking softly into her hair, "I needed to tell you that I love you. I did then and I do now." Her breath hitched in her chest as she froze like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming car. He plowed on, he wasn't going to make the same mistake of not being clear enough, of not saying enough. "I can't sleep in your bed with you and not want to hold you. And I won't have sex with you for the sake of some experiment because I can't just have sex with the woman I love. I want to make love to her. To you."

"But Booth I..."

He shushed her with a single finger over her lips. Now that it was started, he was getting it all out, "And I know you're not comfortable promising anything to anyone for fifty years. That's OK. Just promise me...if you love me, that every day we spend together you're going into it hoping there's going to be another tomorrow and another until one day fifty years does come. Promise me that." He desperately held his breath there under the bitter cold, clear sky and waited.

She pushed away from him to search his face for a full minute. Desperation made his eyes dance between hers. His lungs were burning. His heart was aching. He willed her to say something, anything. But she didn't. She only managed a nod. And that nod made him the happiest guy on Earth.

After he'd swung her around, her nose crinkled, "Booth? Does this mean all those guy hugs weren't really guy hugs at all?"

"No more guy hugs, Bones." And with that, he kissed her under the sparkling night sky on the steps of the Hoover building.

Insert dancing stars line break here. :)

The next morning Booth walked Brennan into her office and was kissing her goodbye when Angela walked in and cleared her throat. Even though she knew they were playing at being in love, it was sure hard as hell to tell the difference. Booth blushed slightly under Angela's smirk and left.

It was time to take Brennan's proverbial temperature. She'd been under tremendous stress lately, and as much as Angela herself had contributed to it, she just wanted to make sure Brennan wasn't being so stiff she broke under the pressure. She also had to figure out what else she could do to shove these two hard heads into each other's arms.

Angela sat on the corner of Bren's desk and raised her eyebrows, "So? What's all this about? Ooh! Nice flowers!" Long stemmed roses in crystal vases choked the coffee table, the spaces on the bookshelf and every empty corner of Brennan's desk, "How many did Booth send you?"

Brennan blushed every so slightly as she straightened the papers on her desk, "Nine dozen. What are you talking about? What's all what about?"

"You. Booth. The sucking noises that drew me in your office?"

She was refusing to look up from her desk, "Booth and I are... dating, Angela. It is customary for people to kiss when they..."

"Uh-huh. So how is it?" A conspiratorial smile spread over Angela's face. One thing played in her favor: Brennan couldn't lie well to save her life. It was definitely time to play twenty questions.

"It's...nice." Brennan's face got a faraway smile.

"Nice? You have the hots for a guy for six years and finally getting his lips wrapped around yours is just 'nice'? I'm not buying it."

"I did not have the hots..." She prickled.

"Yes. You. Did. Bren, there's nothing to be ashamed of. Booth has loved you forever. I mean..." She was expecting an argument and launched into her diatribe automatically.

"I know." She interrupted softly.

"He told you?" Angela squealed, jumping off the desk.

"Yes. We talked last night." She was so calm and collected.

"Did you tell him?" Oh my God! If she needed wild horses to drag it out of Brennan, her husband was a gazillionaire, she'd just use the black card.

"Tell him what?"

"That you love him." Her smile faded as she watched her best friend prepare to evade the question, "Bren? You didn't, did you?"

"Angela, love is nothing more than chemicals in the brain." Even as she said it Angela could tell she didn't quite believe it any more. Something had changed. There was no way Brennan was just playing at being in love. Hallelujah! Good old Studly was helping her see the light.

"If love is just chemicals, then you could have given me a shot and I would have fallen madly in love with Studly myself. But I didn't Bren, I fell in love with Jack. And I didn't need a shot to do it. I knew he was going to be there for me," She placed a hand on her belly, "For both of us. No matter what. Chemicals don't make men act like that, Bren. Love does that."

"Zack said something similar." Brennan mumbled, lost in thought.

"You talked to Zack about love?" Angela laughed with disbelief. That was the blind leading the blind.

"Last week. He said he finally understood it was not solely chemically based. He tried to explain, but I was running late." Maybe Dr. Wyatt was right. Maybe Zack was the only one who could explain it to her.

"Maybe you should go see him and hear him out." Angela paused at the door on her way out, "You love that man, Bren. And sooner or later he's going to want to hear it." Because we all know if you say that to him, there's no way this is over when Caroline's 'stalker' is caught, she finished in her mind.

Brennan turned her attention to her desk. A letter that must have been hiding under one of her reshuffled piles came to her attention. The return address said Dr. Z. Addy. She opened the letter. Maybe she wouldn't have to go see him after all.

Insert dancing syringes line break here. :)

Parker dragged his book bag on the ground behind him. He couldn't believe it! She'd kissed him again. He'd have the girl-cooties for sure this time. At least his Dad was coming to pick him up from school today. Mom and her new boyfriend Fred were always kissing and stuff. It made a guy uncomfortable. He didn't need to see that.

As the SUV pulled up, he could see Dr. Bones in the front seat. Last night when Dad called he said he had something to tell him. Whatever it was, it couldn't be as bad as Emily Meekins slobbering on his cheek. He hopped in the back seat and buckled up, "Hey Dad!"

Booth turned around and watched his son buckle in, "Hey Bub! How's things?"

"Hi Dr. Bones! Boy am I glad to see you! The science fair is next month. Think you can help me?"

Dr. Bones smiled, "Of course, Parker. We should take time to organize your notes and make a plan..."

"It's his project, Bones. He can do it." Dad pulled away from the school.

"Of course he can, Booth. I'll only be supplying the scientific assistance." Yeah! You tell him, Dr. Bones! He knew he could count on her. Dr. Bones was cool and probably the smartest person on the planet. With her help, there was no way he wouldn't win first place!

"Hey Bub, how bout we go get some pie?" Uh oh. Dad only invited him to pie when he was going to miss a weekend. Facing the thought of another weekend watching his Mom and Fred chasing each other around the kitchen almost made him lose his appetite for pie. Almost.

"Sure, Dad."

They entered the Royal Diner and slid into a booth. Parker took the seat next to Dr. Bones so he could show her the cool idea he had for his science project. He and Dad ordered apple pie. Dr. Bones got ice cream. Dad was kinda quiet today, which was weird. Usually, he'd chew your ear off, especially if Dr. Bones was there.

When the pie came, he guessed his dad had worked up his nerve, "Parks, Bones and I have something to tell you. It's kind of important."

Dr. Bones nodded and swallowed her ice cream, "Your dad and I are getting married."

Whoa! Dad and Dr. Bones!

"Bones! That's not how you tell a ten year old..." He turned back to Parker, "It's not what it sounds like, OK, Bub?"

"You and Dr. Bones! Wow! Cool, Dad! Hey Dr. Bones does this mean I can call you Mom now?"

Booth shot her a hard look before trying to diffuse the situation. Bones would never agree to really marry him, but Parker would never understand that. He was too young. "It's for pretend, Parks. Just for pretend, OK?"

"You're going to pretend to get married?" Parker saw his science grade plummeting before his very eyes. "That doesn't make any sense. Pops says you love Dr. Bones."

"Parks, it's not..."

"And Pops says you can't get cooties from kissing women, only girls. Dr. Bones is like the smartest lady in the world, Dad. You have to marry her for real."

Dad was getting a little mad. The vein in his forehead was doing that mad thing, "See, Bones? I told you I should tell him. Listen Bub, Bones and I..."

Parker wasn't going to be swayed, "Dr. Bones, you love my dad, don't you?"

A silence hung as all attention was turned to Bones. She played with her ice cream, "Parker, I'm in trouble."

The only time Parker ever heard of women talking about being in trouble was on TV when... Wait a minute. "You mean you're pregnant! Awesome! I always wanted a baby brother to beat up on! We're going to be the coolest family ever!"

"You see what you did, Bones? You see?" Dad slapped his hand over his face.

Dr. Bones put down her spoon and looked at Parker. He didn't usually understand much she said, but she used smaller words this time, "No, I'm not pregnant. And I think it would get very confusing if you called your mom and I both Mom. The reason your dad and I are pretending to get married is because there is a man who wants to hurt me. Booth and I are going to play a trick on him so we can find out who he is and arrest him."

"Me and Dad won't let anyone hurt you, Dr. Bones. If you married Dad for real, we could always be there to protect you. And I could have a new brother!" He reached over and put a hand on her arm. Dr. Bones would be the coolest Mom ever.

"The point is, Bub, aside from Bones and me, you're the only person that knows we're pretending. We have to keep it a very big secret or we might not catch the bad guy." Dad was whispering now.

"Dad, I'm only ten and I know this is dumb. You love Dr. Bones. She loves you. You guys should just get married for real. I'll ask Pops. He'll say it's dumb, too."

Out of the mouths of babes. Parker also says to hit the little review button at the bottom. He says it makes you cool.