Chapter 12- All Fun and Games until...

She ran quickly and deftly down the mountain trail, laughing as she went, her hair bouncing in the ponytail. Booth watched her avoid his grasp a number of times as he chased her down the mountain, marveling at her childlike innocence that he rarely ever had the privilege to see. Honestly, he couldn't remember the last time he had seen her act so childlike and alive, if he had ever seen it before. "Bones?" He called after her, watching her hop from rock to rock as she slowed, sliding to a stop with him above her.

"What?" She asked, looking up at him, taking another step or two forward to keep her balance, she smiled up at him with a brilliant grin that just sent his heart soaring.

"Nothing..." He said, shaking his head, taking a step, he put his hand on a tree beside him as he breathed the morning air. "Just taking a break for a second."

"A break?" She snickered. "Are you old or something? Do you need a walker to get you the rest of the way down the mountain? I can call some search and rescue people if you don't think you can…"

"Funny, Bones!" He said as he took a step forward, watching her step backwards, he knew that if he approached her, she'd take off again, so he pushed his back against the tree and looked up the mountain.

"Hey, are you alright?" She asked, her smile disappearing for a moment as her eyes filled with concern. She watched his eyes flash to hers again, and she saw the smile on his face.

"I'm okay… just trying to figure some stuff out in my head." He said. "I don't have that super computer of a brain like you do."

"Just because I have above average intelligence, doesn't mean that I don't have to think things over. Are you feeling regretful about anything?" She asked seriously.

"No." He replied immediately, his eyes suddenly on hers, intense and serious. "No regrets, Bones. I don't do things without thinking first." He replied, seeing the sharp upturn of her lips, that half smile that always got him to react.

"That is very true." She nodded, pursing her lips. "You seldom do anything without thinking about it thoroughly first."

"Right." He said, taking a step toward her, he waited for her to make a break for it again, and was pleasantly surprised when she turned her hand palm side up for him to take it.

"Let's take the rest of the way down slower then." She said, shrugging. "That way… you know, by the time we get to the bottom, you'll have figured some things out."

"Like where to have breakfast." He said, taking her hand in his, he leaned down to kiss her cheek, finding though that she had turned her face toward his, and placed a kiss herself on his lips.

"You're always thinking about food." She replied as they continued to walk together.

"Not always…" he said with a tug of her arm, he put his arm around her shoulder and this time succeeded in dropping a kiss on her temple. "I'm not always thinking about food, Bones." He said as they slipped into a companionable silence.

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They reached the end of the trail, and Booth shrugged the backpack off his back, walking around toward the back of the SUV, Brennan followed him. "Hey, boots…" He said, turning to see a confused look on her face, marked with a slight smirk. "What?"

"Nothing." She said, amusedly. "I thought maybe you were coming up with a new nickname for me."

He chuckled and shook his head. "Yeah, Bones… that's my new nickname for you when we're away from the office… Boots." He laughed as he opened the hatch and tossed the bag in.

"I kind of like it." She said, pulling herself up into the back of the SUV. "Terms of endearment are extremely common in romantic relationships. I've been called many things ranging from honey, sweetheart, darling, baby… none of which I've really latched onto…I very often find such monikers to be derisive and sexist, almost as if attempting to bring someone down to the level of a child, giving the person who is using the moniker some level of superiority over the person they're…" She carried on as she unlaced her boot, she looked up to watch him leaning against the car, his head shaking as he smiled. "What?"

"Nothing, Bones." He said, grabbing her boot, he pulled it from her foot and tossed it beside her as he walked to the passenger side, opening the door.

"What, you don't agree with me?" She called, wondering where he was going as she untied the other boot, she looked through the car and saw him closing the passenger door. "Booth?"

He stepped around the side of the car and tossed her sneakers into the back beside her, she gave him a grateful smile and he grabbed hold of the other boot, pulling it from her foot. "Just get your sneakers on and quit yappin', will ya, Boots?" He laughed, watching her eyes light up a bit when he spoke. He tossed her boot into the back of the truck and walked around to find his own sneakers. "I'm starving." He said in an amused tone, as she pulled her shoes on and prepared for their next adventure.

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Booth navigated the roads carefully, his eyes focused on their destination. He could sense her crystal blue eyes staring into him, so he ventured a glance and smiled when she tipped her head and smiled at him. "There are a few places in Luray…" He said, turning his attention back to the road. "Then we can head up to the cabin, and get settled…"

"Cabin?" Her voice was supposed to sound curious, but he could sense a bit of fear within her question.

"Yeah." He said, looking toward her, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

"You… we… a cabin?"

"Wow, Boots…" He said, smiling brightly. "I don't think I've ever seen you speechless before." He laughed. "A buddy of mine has a cabin a little ways from Luray… He lets me crash there when I'm out this way… It's a good place to go when you're getting away from things. You're looking a little pale there, Boots, you alright?"

"Bones." She said, swallowing hard as she focused out the window now, her brow furrowed in concern. "I'm Bones." She whispered. "I'm fine." She whispered, watching them pull into town, and turn down the main street. "I just… I'm fine…" She nodded quietly, as Booth tried to keep his thoughts on the road, and not the wrinkle on his partner's forehead and the implications that most certainly applied to it.