I know that the last chapter didn't directly reference the episode it was attached to (Ep 1.12, The Superhero in the Alley) but frankly it wasn't one of my favorites from Season One and it really didn't inspire any references in me.

If you're a fan, then you'll know that this next chapter will reference episode 1.13, Woman in the Garden. An episode notable for one reason and one reason only: hot, pissed-off, protective alpha-male Seeley Booth in all his glory.

I could watch that scene with Booth and Ortez every single day.

Still don't own Bones, because if I did then Brennan would find out about the Booth and Ortez situation and do the only sensible thing…rip off her clothes and throw herself at Booth in gratitude. But that'll never happen. *sigh*

Smile

"So, are you going to tell me where you were?"

Booth looked up from the paperwork on his desk that was currently giving him a massive headache and realized that the pounding in his head was about to get a lot worse. Brennan stood in his doorway, tapping her foot and waiting expectantly for an answer.

"No." He looked back down and began working again.

"No?" She entered and sat in the chair across from him, crossing her legs and releasing an agitated breath. "Why the hell not?"

"Because you don't need to know. All you need to know is that I am sorry I missed the funeral, and that if it could have been helped I would have been on time. Nothing more." He knew she was getting more and more pissed with every word he spoke, but he would be damned if she found out that he was late because he was protecting her-something she insisted she neither needed nor wanted.

Brennan stared a hole into the top of his head as he continued with his paperwork, ignoring her glare. "So, did you go to Ortez directly or did you threaten one of his associates and have them pass the word on?"

Booth's head jerked up in surprise, giving her exactly the response she needed.

"I see. So you threatened him directly. You do realize how unbelievably dangerous that was, right? How careless and stupid you were?"

"Bones, I-"

"And do you have any understanding of how this whole thing makes me feel?" Brennan stood and walked slowly around the desk, causing him to turn to follow her, until she stopped in front of him, standing between his legs and looking down at him with an undecipherable look. She leaned down, getting her mouth as close to his ear as possible without bringing too much attention to anyone who happened to pass.

"It makes me unbelievably hot." Then she flicked his lobe with her tongue, stood, and turned around to walk out.

"Wh-" Booth gulped, not sure if he could even form a complete sentence over the combination of shock, relief and good old fashioned horny he was feeling. "Where are you going?"

"Home." She spared him a look, heavy-lidded and full of promise. "Care to join me?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Brennan was surprised to see that her hand was shaking when she unlocked her door. Booth was right behind her, his hot breath fanning her softly and making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. He ran one finger down her back as she struggled to get the door to open, and when she finally succeeded he pushed her into the apartment, slamming the door behind him and picking her up like a potato sack.

"Bedroom?" He demanded, looking around. "Where?"

"Down the hall! Last door-" Her instructions were cut off by his sudden direction change as he practically ran down the hall and kicked the door open.

Booth dropped Brennan unceremoniously onto the bed, shucking his jacket and removing his shoes almost simultaneously. She laid back, arms behind her holding her up in a semi-sitting position, and watched him undress. Generally, she liked to take her lovers clothes off, getting to catalogue each and every part as she unveiled their bodies. But this…watching buttoned-down Special Agent Seeley Booth divest himself of the professional veneer he always wore, the shell he hid behind everyday…this was better than Christmas, Easter and her birthday all wrapped into one.

Booth unbuttoned his shirt, eyes never leaving hers, never wavering. When the last button was freed, he slid it off his shoulders and dropped it to the floor, revealing his well-defined chest, muscular biceps, and perfect torso to her discerning eye. 'Damn,' she thought. 'He's absolutely perfect.'

Still holding her gaze, he slid his hands to his belt, sliding off the buckle and snapping the button. With a smirk, he lowered the zipper and then stepped out of the slacks, leaving the white boxer briefs in place. Finally, he stepped closer to the bed, kneeling on the edge, between her knees.

"This isn't entirely fair, you know. One of us is way overdressed." And with that he grabbed the edge of her blouse and pulled it over her head, leaving her gasping, He leaned over her, stretching his body over hers, and outlined her lips with his thumb, detailing the shape before his mouth took them under his kiss. Without preamble or apology, his tongue pressed into her mouth and moved freely, rampantly, stroking, delving, tasting all of her. Deftly, he reached beneath her and unfastened her bra, wanting to feel her soft, pale breasts directly against his chest.

"You have gorgeous breasts, Bones. They're perfect." His eyes, his words, then his hands and lips testified to that. He brushed light kisses on the soft flesh, lifting her breasts to his mouth with his palms. Her nipples beaded beneath his coaxing, and his tongue circled them in lazy contrast to the fury building inside them both.

His eyes rained liquid heat on her as they slid over her breasts, down her stomach to her waist. He released her belt, and slowly unbuttoned and unzipped her slacks, lowering them down her legs and throwing them behind him to the floor.

"I already knew your legs were beautiful." he whispered playfully, hooking his thumbs in the elastic of her panties and sliding them down, letting them join the pile of clothes near the door. Pressing a soft kiss to her inner thigh, he slid his boxers off and lay down beside her, drawing a lazy finger along the side of her body, just taking in her naked body and letting her take in his.

Brennan let her hand rest on his hard, muscled chest, feeling his heart beating rapidly; in contrast to the calm way he was stroking her skin and softly kissing her shoulder. She was relieved to know that she was affecting him as much as he was affecting her. She felt like every nerve ending in her body was on fire, and he had barely touched her. And she wanted to make him feel the same way.

They caressed each other earnestly, unhurriedly, delaying the gratification by heightening the anticipation. Whispers and moans, gasps and deep releases of breath accompanied their lovemaking, until finally Booth could take no more and rolled Brennan underneath him, lips softly urgent on her breasts and nipples. He moved slowly, settling between her legs and looking into her eyes, waiting for her to acquiesce. With heavy-lidded eyes and an almost imperceptible nod, she welcomed him as he slid into her, both releasing a breath neither knew they were holding. He filled her completely, the pleasure of his possession rippling over her like trickles of sensation from a waterfall.

"Oh God, so good, Bones.." he whispered, capturing her ear lobe and gently nipping as he moved above her, building a maddening rhythm that was threatening to snap the tenuous hold he had on his control.

"Booth." She softly cried his name as he began to stroke her with shallow thrusts that gradually deepened. Had she just forgotten, or had it ever felt like this before? Her insides coiled tighter as he reached higher and higher inside her, touching her deeper than she had ever experienced.

Booth watched her face as he moved, loving the way her eyes were half-closed, then wide open again as he thrust particularly deep and she let loose a keening, deep-throated moan that had him burying his face in her neck and sucking desperately, trying to drink in every scent and taste her skin was offering.

Moments later, Brennan felt herself quicken and knew she was about to be swept away. Her limbs curled around him and she burrowed her face in his chest. "Oh! Yes, Booth! Oh God…please! Don't stop, don't stop…" she gasped as her world exploded into dazzling fragments.

Booth watched in awe as she broke apart under him, clutching him tightly, gasping his name and arching into him with abandon. It was enough to send him reeling over the edge as well, his whole body tensing as he released into her, crying out her given name like a prayer. "Temperance…God, Temperance!"

He let the sensation slowly ebb away as he kept his face pressed against her breast, dragging deep breaths into his lungs. Her own chest was heaving, forcing him to roll over and pull her close to him.

"Amazing." She breathed. "That was just-"

"Amazing. I agree." Booth snuggled her closer, not wanting to break contact with her body just yet. "Why did we wait so long to do that?"

Brennan let loose a throaty chuckle. "I have no idea. But I'm glad we did. Can you imagine waiting any longer?"

"Not in a million years. Who would deprive themselves of that for any longer than they had to?" Booth laughingly agreed. "We would have to be crazy to have waited."

"Crazy."

"Nuts."

"Certifiable."

"Yeah, and we are none of those things, Bones. In fact, I don't think I can wait another ten minutes to do that again." He grinned lecherously and flipped her under him.

Brennan gave him a lazy smile. "Don't let me stop you. I'm not crazy, you know."