Disclaimer: If I owned Bones, this scene would definitely be in Season 5. ;)

Author's Note: I love, love, love this one. So I really hope you do too! After this is just a short scene from "The Woman in the Garden" (different from Threat). Hopefully I'll have time to write more soon, but until then, I very much hope you'll enjoy reading what I have so far and reviewing!

Moments in Time: A Collection of Booth/Brennan
#21: Choke

Title: Choke
Word Count: 802
Type: One-Shot
Point of View: Booth's
Timeline: I think it should be during Season 5. ;)

Choke

"So, Bones," Booth said lazily as the waiter brought him his pie. "Any particular reason you asked me to lunch this time?" He stuck a fork in his slice of pie and ate a mouthful, leaning back casually.

"Something has come to my attention," Bones declared.

"And what would that be?" he asked, taking another bite. They'd really outdone themselves this time—the pie was amazing.

"I'm attracted to you." The suddenness of the declaration startled him, and he choked on his pie, violently thumping himself on the chest with one fist.

"Do you need the Heimlich Maneuver?" Bones asked him, her eyes very wide.

"No—But a little warning would have been nice!" he managed.

"Well, it's a bit late for that," she pointed out.

"Geez, Bones; what are you doing, saying stuff like that..." he trailed off, wondering if he'd misheard. "Just to clarify—what did you say?"

"I'm attracted to you," she repeated, looking impatient with him.

He stared at her a moment, still stunned. "Okay...and?" he prompted. He wondered if he was asleep. He hated it when he had this dream.

"What do you mean, 'and'?" she asked him, raising an eyebrow. "I have nothing else to say."

Nope. This was the real Bones, all right.

"Well, you can't just tell a guy you're attracted to them and...and leave it at that!" Booth said, crouching down over the table to whisper.

"Why not?" Bones asked him at a normal volume, not mirroring his action.

"Shhh, Bones; geez..."

"Well, no one's listening!" she said impatiently.

"They will be if you say something like that!" he hissed desperately.

She rolled her eyes and crouched closer to the table.

"Now...what do you want me to say to that?" he asked her.

"Who said I was expecting you to say anything?" Bones asked him. "I merely told you a simple fact."

"A simple fact..." he laughed incredulously. This woman, this infuriating woman...who knew how long he'd squelched down his feelings for her, and now she was suddenly claiming she was attracted to him?! "So...what do you want to do about this?" he asked quietly.

"I don't need to do anything," she answered. "I just thought you should know."

"Yeah, okay; thanks, Bones." He knew she had her heart in the right place, but this would only make things more tense between the two of them. He stayed hunched over the table, his pie sitting forgotten. She sipped her coffee, apparently unconcerned. "Bones?" he said after a short silence.

"Yes?"

"I'm...I mean, for a long time, I..." He swallowed and gave up trying to say it, instead going a different direction. "You're attracted to me."

"Yes."

"Like...in a romantic way?" he asked dubiously.

She rolled her eyes again. "In a sexual way, yes, if that's what you mean."

This time he choked on nothing.

She looked at him oddly. "Do you have a cough?"

"Yeah, Bones...I have a cough," he told her.

"You should get more rest," she said simply, taking another sip of coffee.

He looked at her incredulously, still trying to determine whether he was dreaming or not. She sure was acting like the Bones he knew though. But what would make her declare attraction suddenly like that? "...Why?" he said at last.

"Well, because sleep boosts your immune system," she said as if it were obvious.

"No, I mean...why are you attracted to me?"

"Well...you have many traits that are considered attractive; your large mandible, a pronounced ratio between the width of your clavicles and your ilia—"

"That's it? Because I look good?" he asked. He should have known, but he was disappointed.

She was quiet a moment. "No," she said at last. "That's not it."

He waited patiently for her to continue. When she didn't, he prompted her. "Well? What else?"

She sighed. "I suppose I have developed an...attachment to you that I have never formed with another male."

"So, we're close."

"And you seem to have a way of distracting me from all the unpleasant things I must occupy myself with."

"So, I make you happy." A small smile was beginning to spread over his face.

"And...and for some reason, I find myself wondering about you when you aren't around, and thinking about what you're doing, and worrying about your safety."

"So, you love me," he joked, feeling much better. He took another bite of pie, reassured enough to tease her now.

There was a pause. "If you want to call it that," she finally said.

He choked again.

Author's Note: LOL. I'd actually really, really like to post this as a standalone One-Shot. What do you guys think? Is it a good idea? Please let me know in a review or a note!
If you have no opinion on that, you can just review and tell me what you liked or didn't. ;)