so i made this the last chapter, otherwise its just going to get boring. This one could be boring as well - its kinda sissy, but didnt know what else to do. Please read it anyway and give me your thoughts.

This chapter, and story, is dedicated to my good friend Cameron. Thanks for your support!

Thanks everyone

Enjoy!

When he woke up he was surrounded by light.

White, false light.

He knew exactly where he was.

Damn, he hated hospitals.

He moved his left arm. A sharp pain spread through his muscles. He groaned in agony. Looking down, he saw a large bandage wrapped around his chest.

He remembered the familiar dark room. The knife spinning through the air. Bones entering the room.

Bones.

He quickly turned his head, indicating a sharp snap from the quick movement as his head turned, probably for the first time in a few days. He didn't have to search far. His partner sat on a chair next to his bed. He watched her face. She was asleep, probably exhausted from staying by his side. Booth smiled. He knew Bones would have stayed there until she kne he was alive, even though the doctors would have told her he was. She was one of those who have to see it to believe it.

He didn't want to wake her gentle slumber, but he couldn't help it. Her face was so peaceful, so pale, and so beautiful.

She was lying in an awkward position; her arms folded on the very sheer edge of the crisp bed, her head lay on her folded arms. He reached down, ignoring the pain screaming through his muscles, and kissed her gently on the top of the head.

She sat up, and blinked. When she saw Booth was awake, her expression lightened amazingly.

"Booth!" she exclaimed. "You're awake!"

Booth was still exhausted and wasn't used to the sudden rush of emotion. He reeled back, his arm agonising, but he once again overlooked the pain. He saw her look startled at making him jump, but he assured her with his eyes that he was fine.

"How are you?" she asked, trying to keep her voice low and normal, but she could feel it starting to break. He didn't see it.

"Hmm, let's see," he said, mocking thinking deeply. "I was tied up, stabbed in the chest and nearly shot. I feel great!"

She grinned a sad smile, but her face soon became upset again. She launched into an emotional speech at once. "Booth," she whispered, tears brimming in her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" he asked, surprised.

"Everything. I should have listened to you. If I wasn't so pig-headed..." her face scrunched in anger.

Booth reached out with his right arm – the oppostie arm to the knife cut – and stroked her face. "Hey," he soothed. "You are not pig headed, and don't let anyone think you are."

She tried to ignore his reassuring words. "I listened to him. I trusted him over you. You've been my partner for years, and I've only known him for a few weeks. I was stupid not to trust you. You're an FBI agent – you can tell who is a criminal and who is innocent. And I know why I did it. And I'm not proud of it."

"Why?" he asked softly.

She shook her head and moved on. "I fell for his looks. I fell for his kisses, I fell for him. I should know by now not to trust just anyone."

Booth chuckled lightly. "You never did have a normal stream of boyfriends. So how many murderers does that make it now, three?"

He knew she was tempted to slap him playfully, but she was careful of his arm. He gazed into her face, and saw she had a bruise. He narrowed his eyes. She followed his gaze.

"It's nothing," she shurgged. She saw his look of concern, knowing it was clearly 'nothing'. She sighed, losing. "Phil tried to retaliate."

He sat up quickly, his chest screaming mercy at him. "That son of a bitch." He looked quickly at Bones. "What else did he do." It was not a question. He was angry at Phil, and wanted to go and kill the guy, no matter what the charges.

Bones saw the anger in his eyes. It was her turn to sooth him. "Once he caught you, I came in and tried to attack him. He sort of hit me first. I knocked him out then went to you. You were nearly unconcious. I was praying, yes, Booth, praying, that he hadn't killed you. I would never forgive myself if he did. I don't know what I'd do..." Booth squeezed her hand.

"How did you find me?" he asked, his voice barely more then a whisper.

"I came to talk to you. Actually, to tell you to..." she looked sheepish. She cut off. "I was looking for you. I came in and saw Phil. But by then...."

She was silent. He stroked her hand. She didn't seem to mind.

"So where is he now?" he asked cautiously. He don't know what he would do if he had got away because Bones was trying to save him.

"I called the ambulance immediately," she was whispering now. "Then I called the FBI. I don't know what they did with ... Phil" she struggled to say his name, "But I don't care. As long as he's not near any of us, we'll be fine."

Bones smiled at him, and she grinned back. But then she sighed again. "I still can't believe it. I told you to stay away from him, believed you were lying, believed you were just jealous." She shook her head. "I even hit you. I was completely wrong – I jumped to conclusions.

"Now I see why you don't like to jump to conclusions" he stated, trying to create an airy atmosphered, but she wasn't in the mood for jokes. He knew his sarcasm would have no effect.

"Hey," he said, and reached out his arm to lift her chin up. "You made a mistake. Everyone does. You don't make them often, but this was an experience for you. I forgive you, Temperance Brennan. You saved my life."

She laughed soflty. "Well, now we're square."

They were silent for a moment, both letting their feelings into the quiet. Booth tried to make conversation.

"So, how long have I been in here for?" he asked casually.

Bones had to look at her watch. "Um, now, four days." Booth looked up and realised there was a clock on his wall. The hand was two minutes past twelve.

"Hey Booth," Bones asked hesitantly. "Can you promise me something?"

"Yeah," he answered, suspicious.

"Next time you leave for work, don't give me a new partner. Or if you do, make sure he's over forty, then he doesn't have to compete with you."

The words were out of her mouth too late before she realised. Her mouth gaped wide in shock. Booth seemed not to have notcied – either that or he was purposefully making no comment to the fact that she had just announced that no-one was competition for him.

But then his next comment, along with his crooked smile, upgraded her second suspicion.

"So you think I'm good looking, eh?" he asked, purposefully flirty.

She tried to crawl out of the hole she had just dug. "In a way, yes. You are the dominant male in your field, and have a very nice bone structure."

"I think you're saying I'm hot, Bones."

"I did not say that, I said you had good bone structure."

Booth gave a look that he knew she was lying. "Well, I think you have very nice bone structure too, Bones."

She nodded her head. "Thankyou."

She was avoiding a topic and Booth knew it. He suddenly had an inkling he kne what it was.

"Hey, you never told me why you fell for him. You said there was a reason, but you never told me what it was."

She had clearly been hoping this subject wouldn't come up. She stared awkwardly at the floor, inspecting her black boots. She needed to change. She stayed silent. Finally she knew that she wouldn't be able to avoid it any longer. She looked up.

"I've worked with you for years, Booth. And through all that time..." she paused, not wanting this to go on.

"I love you, Booth. I always had boyfriends around you to distract myself from you. But then when you left, I couldn't face the time alone, not knowing how long you would be. And then when you came back...

You tried to tell me Phil was a murderer. But I was so stubbornly in love with you and not wanting to show it that I tried to immerse myself with him, tried to distract myself from you. But now I realiased I can't stay away from you." She looked up into his eyes, those chocolate bronw eyes. They were wide, filled with devotion.

She seemed embarassed now. "That was why I was with him. I just...didn't know how you would react."

Booth was speechless.

Finally, he got his mouth working again. "I've always loved you. Have you noticed how I haven't had many girlfriends? I only wanted you. But I didn't want to scare you."

He held her hand, and then leaned forward. His chest screamed but the pain was numbed. Bones, too, leaned forward slightly. Booth gently laid his lips on hers, his mouth savouring her flavour. Bones, knowing Booth was in pain, did most of the effort, moving her mouth to mold hers to his. It was a gentle kiss, full of emotion and love.

They broke apart, embarassed when the nurse walked in. She gave a disapproving look at them, but pretended to ignore them. She walked to the pole beside Booth's bed and filed it up with pain medication. Booth could feel his eyes start to droop as the drugs kicked in.

"Don't leave me..." he whispered.

She shook her head. "I'll always be here, Booth. Right by your side."

He gave a slight smile before sinking into unconciousness.

The last thing he felt was her lips on his once more.

As i said, kinda sissy.
Thanks everyone for reading my story and all the support you've given me. Hopefully i didnt ruin this last chapter with the fluff - but i like happy endings.

Thanks again!

Amy (bobthetree123)