Note: I know this is short but I had finals all day then watched a hockey game for three hours. There will be more to this soon, I promise, but for now enjoy my brief stroke of insanity. I broke and wrote something fluffy… AHHH!


Watching his daughter's eyes twinkle in the afternoon sun, Booth's smiles seemed tug at his dormant heartstrings. Over the last twenty four hours, his heart had gone from barely beating to trying to beat out of his chest. He now knew his heart had never left D.C., it was bundled up and kept safe by a small ball of energy that seemed to hold all the answers his life had lacked.

She was the answer to the thousands of questions swirling around his head. She was it.

He wasn't sure when it had all fell into place but in that exact moment he knew this was the life. The woman he loved more than life itself and the product of that love, perfection for a man who had done the most unspeakable acts. His saving grace and redeeming love, for her he would do anything. If ever he had doubts, in that moment he knew there had to be a God. There just had to be, she was proof of it.

Even though he had made many mistakes in his life, this was something he could not mess up. The perfection that radiated from her small form was enough to end any war with just a smile. The way her bright blue orbs danced across his mind sent his heart into overdrive.

My God, she's amazing.

His eyes slowly drifted toward the original source of his happiness. Without her none of this would have been possible and he would have died a bitter and lonely old soul. Once distant and cold, the woman standing before him was the epitome of love.

"Hey Bones." He called, forcing his partner to turn toward him with the same heart tugging smile dancing across her eyes.

He watched as her body shifted to face him, full attention on the man of her dreams. He could feel her eyes beating down on him but the firm, death grip she had on the cable links showed pure motherly devotion.

"I was wondering… well, curious really," He blushed; damn he was rusty… and nervous. Well as nervous as he was the last time he asked her on a date. She had said yes once before, she was bound to again… he hoped, "If you would like to go to dinner with me tonight. Just the two of us… you know… nice dinner and wine?" He fumbled, pushing the words out on an exacerbated sigh.

He gasped as her eyes darkened, years of pain and anguish slowly filtering through. In that instant he knew the exact amount of damage he had done. The once impenetrable force that was his partner, now lay shattered and broken before him. And he only had himself to blame. He was the only one able to cause such a great woman to shatter and he did, leaving her a daily reminder of the love they once shared.

"If you say no," He winced as the words started to flow, "I understand… I… I deserve it."

The once radiating smile all but drifted away, replaced by a frown and furrowed brow. Booth just sat in awe, unsure of whether to run or stay. The compassion she was showing was downright petrifying. What she saw in him, he wasn't sure but it damn as hell meant the world to her.

"Why would you believe that absurdity?" She faintly whispered, pulling Maggie up from the swing and walking toward the picnic table, "Booth, you are worth happiness… you are… you really are."

"I… I just thought…" His head dropped, unable to verbalize all the wrongs he had committed. "maybe after all I did… that you didn't…" He trailed off on a choking sob.

"No, Booth." She growled adamantly, "You do. If anyone deserves to be loved, it is you."

His eyes slowly drifted up, unable to keep the tight smile from forming on his lips. Had she just admitted, that after all these years she still loved him?

"Thanks Bones." He beamed, reaching his hand across the table and stroking her check lightly, "I am the man I am today because of you and because of a thousand reasons more, I love you. You have no idea how much… no idea…"

The giggle that escaped her lips was both mesmerizing and breath taking. It was always the small, barely noticeable things that caused him to fall more in love with her. In that moment he was drowning in pure devotion and love. And if it killed him, he would die a happy man.

"So about that date?" The words caught in his throat as the sound of his beating heart drowned out the world.

"I'd love to." Her smile was unmistakable as it slowly pushed through the mountain of giggles. She was in love.

Hope. That is all he needed to prove he was worth a second chance. And if it took a lifetime, he would make her believe in him once again, for he only believed in her.