A/N: I still don't own anything. Well maybe the writing but the characters etc. Nope not a one. Since I'm writing this as Executive Producer/Director I'll throw in an occasional song or two as the soundtrack to the story. Thanks for the reviews and now on to the story.

Jeffersonian Platform

"Good morning Sweetie," Angela greeted her friend.

"Good morning Angela," Dr. Brennan replied trying to hold in her smile as much as possible which was ridiculous because her friend saw right through it.

"We have got to talk," she said as she motioned to her office.

Brennan was in far too good of a mood to put up a fight so she quietly walked into her office as Angela shut the door behind them.

"So, how was it?"

"How was what?"

"It."

"Ange, I don't know what that means."

"Brennan, this is me you're talking to. Don't think you can hide it from me."

"I really have no idea what you're talking about," she pleaded.

"Temperance," she said as she enveloped her friend's hands in her own. "You're glowing. That can only be from two things, the first is that you knocked boots or the second is that you boarded the Booth express. Which is it?"

"I can only assume that those are euphemisms for intercourse…"

"That would be correct," Angela interrupted. "So how was it? For your sake I hope it was good and I'm mean really good."

Brennan blushed at her friend's bluntness and smiled. "I don't have to tell you every detail about my personal life."

"Yes you do," she countered. "If you don't then I'll get it out of you eventually. Veee have vays of making you talk."

"Are you trying to make fun of Eastern Europeans?"

"Sweetie, it's from a movie or something. It's not important. So spill."

Knowing full well that she couldn't get out of it, she said as she rolled her eyes, "we kissed."



Angela let out a loud squeal and clapped her hands showing approval.

Brennan was sure that there were dogs barking in the distance and garage doors opening and shutting by themselves.

"Oh my God, was he a good kisser? Because I always thought he would be."

"It was very nice and passionate but tender at the same time."

"Awwwww, who initiated?"

"I'm not sure," Brennan replied with a look of deep concentration. "I really don't remember. I think he might've but it doesn't matter because…."

Angela interjected, "Sweetie, you're glowing. You don't have to explain anymore." She was caught up in her friend's smile and the expression in her eyes that made her look like she was a million miles away.

Brennan's phone rang and she launched out of her chair to her purse to retrieve it as she crashed back into reality. That reality soon started disappearing again as she looked at the caller ID.

"Good morning Booth," she said in a singsong manner.

"Bones, I'm on my way over."

"Is everything alright?" she said as she could hear the serious tone in his voice.

"I'll explain when I get there, which will be in about ten minutes," he said trying to keep his voice from sounding too upset.

"I'll be right here waiting for you," she replied as she closed her phone.

"Everything will be fine Sweetie," Angela said as she could sense the anxiety of her friend and she figured out the gist of the conversation. "And besides you just quoted Richard Marx and anyone that does that will be okay."

"Who?" Brennan asked.

"It's not important," she said as she gave her friend a comforting hug. "But what is important is that you're together now and nothing else matters."

Brennan watched as her friend walked out of the office and waited for Booth to show up. She didn't have to wait long though as she saw him walking towards her office door.

She stood up to meet him and noticed the dark circles under his eyes. She leaned in and hugged him as he hugged her back squeezing so tightly that she could barely breathe but only for a moment before he released her slightly.

"What happened?" she asked as she made eye contact.



He pulled away from their embrace and dragged his hand over his face as he noticed his scruffily beard from not shaving since the previous morning.

"There was an incident last night," he said as he sat on her couch and put his elbows on his knees so his hands could cradle his weary head. "An incident involving another Agent, Agent Pickering, I'm not sure you've ever met him, he worked in Vice."

"Well anyway he had been undercover working for a drug kingpin when apparently his cover had been blown. The bastard didn't take kindly to the knowledge and kidnapped Pickering's family. They forced him to watch as they brutally killed his wife and children before they finally killed him too."

"I'm so sorry," she said as she sat down next to him rubbing his back. "That's awful."

"When I got the call last night the FBI were pulling in a tactical team and wanted me to be a part of it. We surrounded the place and a firefight broke out. Most of his guys were killed or taken into custody. He was just slitting Pickering's throat as we collapsed on him. We lost a few other Agents too but I was the one who took out that bastard."

She knew that he hated taking lives even though it was sometimes necessary. She caressed his forehead with her hand and slowly pulled his head to face her.

"Bones," he said choking slightly, "There's some major evil out there. I don't know what I'd do if something like that happened to you or Parker. Do you remember why I drew the line in the first place?"

"You said something about people who work in high risk situations can't be romantically involved."

"Yes I did and we're always in high risk situations…"

"Booth," she interrupted, "Just because you're afraid of something that may or may not happen doesn't hold credence that we can't be together, we just have to be careful, that's all."

"I care too much for you to take that chance."

"I don't understand why, though," she said as she entwined her hands in his. "You said if something happened to myself or Parker, and you're not romantically involved with him and you're not going to shut him out of your life. You can't do anything but protect him as much as you can. You can do the same with me."

He pulled her hands to his mouth and kissed them gently. "You know Bones, you're making a lot of sense," he said with a wry smile.

"I'm just presenting the investigator with the facts, that's all," she said with a crooked smile.

"I knew I loved you for a reason," he said not cognizant of the fact that he just admitted that he loved her.



Her eyes glistened as she immediately processed that information. She knew love was an irrational emotion and she realized that she had never really been in love before and wasn't positive she was now. She knew that she cared deeply for him but to label it love seemed premature.

"I would never do anything to hurt you," she said as she smiled as she slowly pulled him in for a kiss.