Disclaimer: Don't own Bones.

A/n: Ah, thanks for the creativity with the Y words, you guys are made of awesome! Enjoy!

YEARS

Booth looked around for his partner and didn't find her. When he asked one of the guests if they'd seen her, he really didn't think anything of it when he got a smirk. Throughout the course of the evening, Booth had realized that smirking was the preferred mode of expression among this crowd.

"I believe I saw Dr. Brennan head towards the balcony with Dr. Stires."

Maybe if he'd thought anything of that pretentious smirk, Booth would have been better prepared when he opened the frosted balcony doors and found her kissing another man. And not just any man. But that smug asshole who'd tried to make her look bad on the stand.

"Am I interrupting?" It was an icily delivered question.

"Of course not." Her eyes flickered but he couldn't tell if that was guilt or apprehension or just plain surprise. "I'm ready to leave, Booth. Are you?"

"I'll wait in the car." Booth turned on his heel, afraid he might actually punch Stires if he looked at him another moment. "Take your time, Bones."

-x-

"You're angry."

Booth didn't bother with an answer. He kept replaying the last few minutes of that dinner benefit in his head and it made him feel capable of ripping the steering wheel in half.

"Refusal to talk is very childish, Booth."

"I've got nothing to say," he gritted out, flooring the accelerator, hoping to expedite the ride to her apartment. Lucky for him, it was barely a ten minute drive and before she could say more than his name again, he was pulling into her parking garage.

"Can you please come up with me?" Brennan asked when it was obvious he had no intention of doing so. "I would prefer we talk about this."

"Nothing to talk about."

"I cannot believe you're angry with me." Her lips firmed in annoyance. "I didn't do anything wrong. Why are you blaming me for Michael's actions?"

He'd been determined to keep his cool, but now he couldn't help whipping his head around to glare at her. "Are you fucking kidding me? I opened those doors and you were fucking kissing him!"

The repeated cursing indicated his outrage, but his words triggered some of her own ire. "I was not!" She unsnapped her seatbelt in a flurry of indignation. "He was kissing me. There's a difference. You walked in before I could even react!"

Booth scoffed. "I've seen you elbow a guy in the gut for standing too close. But he has his mouth on you and you can't react," he sneered. "Right."

"It is unacceptable that even after all these years you don't trust me!" she breathed furiously, slamming out of the car.

He'd meant to drop her off and get himself home before he'd strangled her. But now, he stormed out of the car as well, her rage a fuel to his. "I trust you with my life and you damn well know it!"

"No! That is not what I meant and you know it!" Angry color flushed her cheeks, their raised voices especially loud in the quiet parking garage. "Do not play stupid with me, Booth."

Dumb, he thought automatically. Don't play dumb. But he didn't bother to correct her because the word was raking across his skin and drawing blood. "Oh, it's not an act. I am stupid," he hissed. "Stupid about bones and stupid about fancy words and stupid about us, apparently."

He had felt slightly out of place most of the evening, in a big fancy mansion surrounded by PhDs and geniuses, but what really made him feel like an idiot was the thought that maybe he'd been deluding himself these last few months.

"You know, all these years, everyone that came before …" Booth paced, words rushing out like a geyser. "It didn't really matter because we were too afraid, right? I mean, it wasn't fun watching you date two guys at the same time or go out with my brother, but—"

"And you think it was fun for me to see you with other women?" she retorted heatedly. "My boss, for example?" That it was the first thought out of her mouth told her that one had stung more than she had cared to admit at the time.

"Really? You wanna go there?" Booth could not believe her. She had dated his boss even after he'd asked her not to.

"I never slept with Andrew."

"Before … before doesn't matter, Bones," he repeated hotly. "I thought … I thought we were past that …" Booth laughed bitterly. "I'm an idiot. I mean, it's not like we've made any promises to each other or anything like that, right? Burning a couple of pieces of paper was just some stupid superstition you don't even believe in, after all."

She blanched, the urge to hit him actually making her fists clench. "Are you trying to drive me to physical violence?" Her words pulsed with anger and she actually moved forward. "It's been very many years since I've felt the urge to strike you."

"Take your best shot," he invited, chin tilting forward defiantly.

"Booth," she said warningly, the words coming out through gritted teeth. "I was not kissing Michael."

"You know what, it doesn't matter," he tossed out, recklessly. "You're free to kiss whoever you want." God, he was pissed. Booth wanted to let her words soothe his anger, but all he could see was male fingers tangled in her hair, her soft curves pressed flushed against another man's. "Hell, feel free to call him up and let him go at you all night. I don't care."

She didn't slap him, but she shoved him hard enough to send him stumbling back. "Damn it, I've been waiting for you for years!"

"And you got tired of waiting, is that it?" He was on a collision course with self-destruction and couldn't seem to stop the train. "If I'd come looking for you five minutes later, what would I have walked in on?"

"I'm done defending myself!" She nearly screamed it, before her tone went ice cold. "If you insist on thinking the worst, then maybe I'll just give you an actual reason to do so."

A muscle ticked in his jaw, his voice harsh. "Do whatever the hell you want." Some part of him was screaming to calm the fuck down, but he couldn't, not when her stubborn chin lifted, those gorgeous blue eyes gleaming with purpose.

"I will," Brennan threatened and at the moment, she was angry enough to almost mean it. "I will invite a man over, I won't even care who, and I swear, Booth, by the time the night is over, he'll have made me forget all these wasted years."

She spun away from him and her beautiful evening gown spun with her. Like his, her aim was dead perfect and he just lost it, his body reacting without his brain's permission.

With a growl, Booth closed his fingers over her elbow, whirling her around, crashing her body against his. "And I swear," he snarled. "If you let somebody else touch you, I'll kill him."

"No!" she hissed back, her fists pounding on his chest. "You don't have the right. There's nothing between us. No promises, remember?" she tossed right back at him. "Nothing but stupid superstition and stupid, meaningless years. I can do whatever the hell I want."

"In one way or another, every year I've known you, I've needed you, and I've wanted you, and I've loved you." His fingers gripped her shoulders, shaking her a little. "Even when I didn't know it or I tried to pretend it wasn't you I needed, I fucking did. Don't you dare tell me those years were meaningless."

"They are meaningless. They are, they are, they are," she taunted right in his face. "They mean nothing, you mean nothing. Our partnership, our friendship, wanting you, needing you, trusting you … it all means nothing—"

The stream of angry words ended up in his mouth. He slanted his mouth over hers and for a moment she went soft against him. But then, Brennan yanked herself back and out of his grasp, looking at him with desolate eyes and kiss-swollen lips.

"Nothing, Booth," she repeated hoarsely, taking a step back. It was a step away from him and he tensed in denial. "If you don't believe me when I tell you I did not want to kiss Michael. If … if after all these years you don't believe me, then yes, they were utterly meaningless."

With that, she turned to walk away and he wanted to run after her, but felt frozen in place. "That's it? You're just walking away?"

She didn't stop or turn back to him, but Booth heard her clearly anyway. "I've got nothing to say."

The words landed like a slap and he nearly winced. She was suddenly making him feel guilty and it infuriated him. He had caught her with another man. You know that's not true, his brain reminded him and he cursed.

Booth stormed back to the still running car, reversing out of the parking space with a scream of burning tires. Anger and self-recrimination made for one hell of a cocktail and he slammed his hands against the steering wheel.

What the fuck?

They never actually said it, but Booth could have sworn they were together. For months now, he had been certain of it. Yeah, they weren't having sex, but he knew what they were doing. He thought she knew it too.

Late night dinners at her apartment with soft jazz music and candlelight.

Watching a movie on his couch with her curled up in his arms.

Taking her ice skating and holding her close even when they both knew she was in no danger of falling.

Slow dancing with her in an empty Jeffersonian even though there was no music playing.

God, it couldn't have all been make believe. Damn it, they were amazing together. And they made each other happy. Not just surface happiness but real, wake-up-with-a-smile-on-my face and bone-deep contentment happy.

The thought that it could all end with one disastrous fight was ludicrous. But then, her words echoed in his head and the devastated look in her eyes flashed in his mind and his blood ran cold. Because it didn't seem so ludicrous to believe he might lose her before they actually verbalized all the things they'd been communicating silently for the past several months.

Son of a bitch.

He made it less than a block before he turned the car around.

-x-

Brennan sat on her couch, feeling almost shell-shocked.

Tears ran down her cheeks, unbidden and she brushed them away on a shuddering breath.

Damn him. How could he not trust her?

Admittedly, it probably hadn't been the best idea to walk with Michael into that empty balcony. But they had been engaging in an animated discussion over the latest bone de-fleshing technique and Brennan had barely even paid any attention where they were going. Even when he had closed the doors behind them, she had merely raised a disbelieving eyebrow and scoffed. She could hardly believe that after all these years, Michael thought they might actually resume their sexual relationship, but then he had been right in front of her, his hands shooting out and pressing her into him. Her body had tensed, preparing to give him a good shove and in that one second, her partner had walked in, his voice arctic in its coldness.

Damn it, damn it, damn it.

The night had spiraled into insanity so quickly, Brennan felt dazed. It seemed surreal that only a few hours ago Booth had picked her up, his eyes going wide when he saw her, his fingers brushing her softly curled hair back. He had leaned close, whispering how beautiful she looked and flushed warmth had raced through her.

Brennan had wondered if maybe tonight, once he took her home, his arms would go around her and his lips would touch hers and the fancy clothes they were both wearing would end up on the floor of her apartment.

The pounding knock on her door made her jump out of her fantasy and she frowned. It wasn't difficult to guess who was at her door; she actually recognized the way he knocked. Ignoring him crossed her mind, but Brennan was too rational to engage in such tactics.

She opened the door, her face impassive, but Booth took one look at her and knew her composure was nothing but a mask. Though barefoot, she was still in her evening gown, her pretty heels dangling from her fingers. She didn't step back to let him in, just looked at him with red-rimmed eyes.

Aw, damn it, she'd been crying.

"Just tell me," he rasped out, shoulders stiff with tension. "All these months … have I been fooling myself?"

"Does it matter what I say?" Brennan shot back bitterly. "Are you even going to believe me?"

"Damn it, Bones!" He propelled forward and she finally took a step back, letting him in. "I walked through those doors and he had his mouth on you … yeah, I'm gonna be pissed." Booth paced away for a moment before facing her again. "Would you put yourself in my place for just a moment? How would you feel if you saw another woman with her arms around me, her lips on mine?"

Brennan's lips tightened. "Admittedly, it would be unpleasant. But I would believe you if you told me it was her kissing you." Her voice turned brittle and her arms went around herself, those shoes still dangling from her fingers. "You don't trust me. Even after all these months, all these years, you don't trust me."

"I do," he said immediately. "Damn it, I do trust you." Booth took a deep breath, knowing some harsh things had been said and he was mostly to blame. Looking her straight in the eye, he answered his own question. "I know that a few minutes later and I would have walked in on Stires on the floor with a busted lip."

"And how long did it take you to come to that conclusion?"

"Probably longer than it should have," he sighed honestly. "Would you like me to do the math?"

"Yes, please."

Booth nodded, calculating time—opening the balcony doors, driving to her place, and then the point in their argument where he'd realized he had lost his mind, even as he couldn't seem to stop himself from doing so. "About fifteen minutes. Give or take."

"All these months," she repeated stonily back to him. "Have I been fooling myself?"

Booth inhaled and took a step forward. "No. No way, Bones."

"Because you said I was free to kiss whoever I wanted. That I was free to call—"

"Temperance …" He said her name quietly, his gaze unwavering. "The only man I want you to kiss, or ..." Booth added, recalling some of the reckless things he'd said. "Do anything else with is me."

With a thud, her shoes dropped from her hands and she was moving to stand in front of him. "It's been a number of years since I've had any desire to kiss anybody but you."

"I'm sorry I was an idiot."

"An illogical, jealous idiot," Brennan corrected decisively.

"Yes," he conceded solemnly, raising his hands and cupping her face. His thumbs brushed the outer corner of her eyes and this close, he could see faint tear tracks on her face and it made him ache. "Ah, hell, Bones, I made you cry," Booth whispered hoarsely.

"You did," she agreed in that direct manner of hers. "I was quite distressed as I did not envision our night ending so poorly."

"I'm so sorry. I trust you, Bones, I do. I know you weren't kissing him … I was so caught off guard and I lost my mind for a moment there. I'm sorry, baby," Booth whispered, resting his forehead against hers. "I want to be the reason you smile, not the reason you cry."

"I recognize that interpersonal relationships have the capability of generating emotional distress." Her hands rested on his chest, feeling his slightly accelerated heartbeat. "However, I am willing to accept those instances because I believe the good things about our interpersonal relationship far outweigh any negatives."

"I'm glad you think so." Embracing her, he pressed his lips to her temple. "I do too. Sometimes, it feels like we're not even speaking the same language, but—"

"We are always speaking English, Booth."

"Too literal, Bones." He could see in her face she immediately understood his meaning and he smiled. "My point is that even when we take different routes, we end up at the same place. Most of the time." Gently, Booth brushed his lips against hers. "And that place is pretty damn awesome."

"And what place are we in now?" The words were serious and flirtatious at the same time in that unique way that was all hers.

"The best place," Booth murmured, enjoying the way she swayed forward, brushing against his lips, again and again. "The one where you're in my arms. I've been dreaming of this place for years, Bones."

"Booth …"

Her lips parted and her hands wrapped along the collar of his white dress shirt. With a groan, he slanted his mouth against hers, one hand cupping the back of her head. She groaned too, tongue darting into his mouth and her grip reminded him heatedly of the way she'd held on to him that year Caroline maneuvered them under some mistletoe.

Unconsciously, his hands fisted her hair and the kiss became wild. Other than holding her, he'd barely touched her these past few months and now felt ready to devour her whole. Releasing her mouth on a gasp, Booth moved his lips to her neck, scattering deep, sucking kisses. Her head tipped back in encouragement and he ran his hands all over her.

The feel of her perfumed skin under his mouth was making him feel nearly intoxicated. That might have been why his hands roved over her back, finding the zipper of her dress and bringing it down, without any real thought. They both gasped when the dress pooled on the floor, leaving her standing in front of him in silky, black underwear.

"Oh my god," Booth rasped, eyes frantic. "Bones … I …oh, jeez, you're so beautiful."

"That was very impressive," Brennan praised, she'd barely even felt him tugging on the zipper and then the dress was flowing down her body.

"I didn't … I'm sorry … oh, wow, so pretty," he breathed, mesmerized and half-horrified at the way his hands had undressed her without his mind's permission.

"Thank you." Her smile was soft and pleased and she brought her hands behind her back, releasing the clasp of her strapless bra.

"Bones," he choked out, watching the bra fall to the floor. Booth saw her fingers hook on her panties and he reached out, placing his hands over hers. "You're gonna give me a heart attack. I don't …maybe we should … you're, um, yeah … and I … oh, Jesus Christ, I can't think."

"What is it that you wish to think about?"

"Well …" He let out a strangled chuckle. "We were just kissing and now you're … ah, naked and …um, soft and oh, hell, you smell so damn good …" The words ended against the side of her neck, his mouth pressing a line of kisses up to her jaw and claiming her mouth again.

Brennan moved her hands from under his and began undoing the buttons on his shirt. Briefly, she wondered what he had done with his jacket and bowtie but then she was pushing the white fabric aside and the only thing on her mind was getting him naked as quickly as possible. The grip he had on her hips didn't allow her to discard his shirt all the way, so she grasped his wrists, moving his hands.

Finally realizing he was half naked too, Booth raised his head from the curve of her neck. Her palms stroked his chest, followed by tiny kisses and he moaned softly, feeling like putty in her hands. "In about two more seconds, I won't be able to stop touching you," he panted, closing his eyes when her tongue flicked out and grazed one nipple. "Bones, are we really doing this?"

"Well, I'm trying, Booth, but apparently, you insist on thinking," she murmured, running her nails down his stomach and toying with his belt. She flicked the buckle and unzipped him, but he grabbed her wrists before she was able to lower his pants.

"Not so fast." Eyes glittering, he dropped to his knees in front of her. Pressing a kiss on her stomach, Booth traced his tongue over the edge of her panties. "It's not fair the way you're driving me crazy here." In one move, he was tugging down her panties, baring her to his gaze. She stepped out of them and Booth ran his hands up the back of her thighs until he palmed her bottom. "No fair, Bones."

His tongue snaked out, dipping between her folds. She cried out and braced her hands on his shoulders. Booth hummed at the sweet taste of her, gliding his tongue over the top of her clit. The angle didn't allow him to really penetrate her body, but he laved her slick folds in deep swipes and then used the tip of his tongue to flick her tiny bud, side to side.

"Oh, that's good," she gasped, tunneling her fingers in his hair.

Booth could only agree, she was like honeyed cream around his tongue and it was making him crazy. "So sweet and slick …oh, Bones …" He murmured his appreciation against her sex, gasping when she tugged on his hair, drawing his mouth away from her.

"I want you inside me," she breathed, her blue eyes so dark they were like midnight. "Take me to bed, Booth."

His own eyes darkened and he rose from the floor, his hands on her rear end hauling her into his body. Brennan automatically locked her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck, her breasts pillowing against his bare chest.

Booth turned around, heading for the bedroom and leaving behind her clothes and his shirt in a pile on the floor. He laid her on the bed and while she flicked the covers out of the way, he got rid of his pants and briefs.

Brennan moaned a little when he settled over her and his hand stroked up her side, palming one breast. His mouth closed over the tip in a gentle suction that made her grip his hair in encouragement. His lips felt firm and warm as he kissed the valley between her breasts, before tracing his tongue over her other nipple, already puckered in anticipation.

"Booth," she breathed huskily, winding her legs around his waist and arching into him. "I need you."

With a shift of his hips, he was buried deep inside her. She felt amazing and he raised his head, realizing he was bare inside of her. "Bones, oh, hell baby, I don't have a condom with me." Just the thought of removing himself from the warm haven of her body made him want to weep.

"I … I believe I have some in my bathroom, but we don't need one, Booth."

"We don't?"

"Well, not on my account." Her gaze turned pensive. "Of course, if you have any health concerns that—"

"No, Bones," he choked out, a little horrified at the timing of the conversation. "None. I just, I wasn't sure you …"

"It's fine, Booth," she reassured, scraping her fingernails gently along his back and arching under him. "You feel so very good. You fit me perfectly."

"Yeah, I do," he agreed, moving experimentally and groaning from deep in his chest. "Jesus, you're like hot silk, so fucking amazing." It had been nearly a decade since he'd had unprotected sex and Booth could not believe the feeling of vulnerability and trust that moving inside her, without any barriers, created. Plus, it just felt goddamn fantastic. She was soaked and exquisitely snug, so much that he tried to temper his thrusts afraid he would hurt her. "Bones, oh god … baby, you're very tight, please tell me if I'm hurting you."

"You're not." Brennan nearly laughed at the suggestion; she was more than ready for deep, stroke-into-me-over-and-over-again-until-I-scream sex. "It's just been a very long time."

Her words gave him pause and Booth remembered what she said earlier. She'd been waiting for him. For years. It made him shudder. He'd thought she'd been his for months, but maybe she'd really been his for years.

Very softly, he kissed her mouth, trying to convey all she made him feel. He had to admit he'd been hers for years too. Sometimes, it felt like she had taken possession of him from day one.

"Tell me what you like," he whispered softly, carefully tracing his tongue over her bottom lip. "I want to make this so damn good for you."

"It is good," she gasped, enjoying the way he was sliding in and out of her, stretching her out deliciously with every stroke.

"Tell me."

"Kiss my breasts, please." If he wanted direction, she was more than willing to give it to him. "Suck me. The way … ah … the way you did before. Soft but not so much that I can't feel the pressure."

Immediately, he obeyed, kissing teasingly around her areola before sucking gently. Her feminine moans washed over him, offering encouragement and guidance. Booth alternated between each perked breast, testing and toying with the silky soft flesh. He could tell she liked a soft, steady suction, but also the scrape of his teeth right across those sensitive pink nipples.

"Oh, yes," she gasped gently, cupping the back of his neck, her body bucking beneath his as he applied the exact perfect pressure. "Yes, oh, that's … that's so good."

Her nipples were dark and glistening from his mouth and a shiver raced through him. His cock throbbed and he pushed through her softness with a rough groan, her walls tight and so very hot around him. He was pulling out of her slowly; trying to savor the feeling, but every thrust inside was getting less and less measured.

Nipping at her throat, Booth trailed a hand down her body, smoothing a finger into her and applying pressure to her clit. "What about here?" Brennan let out a little whimper and he sucked a little harder on her throat. "Show me, baby. How do you like to be touched?"

A delicate little growl escaped her throat and she snuck a hand between their bodies, settling her fingers over his and increasing the pressure. He moaned against her throat and rubbed her in tight, hard circles. She removed her hand, letting him take over all on his own and her core began to clench around him in a rush of liquid heat and fluttering muscles.

Brennan arched into him, the movement pressing her breasts against his chest and exposing the line of her throat. His name tripped from her lips in breathy little murmurs that were nearly incomprehensible as they turned to harsh moans. White heat exploded inside her, permeating every cell and she closed her eyes, trying to stay balanced on that delicious crest of pleasure. He kept thrusting inside her, no longer controlled, his rhythm fast and hard now, riding her body through her orgasm and into his own.

"Fuck, baby, yes, yeah, yeah, yeahhh," he groaned, his voice hoarse and desperate. She was all satiny skin and sweet, welcoming body and Booth came hotly inside her, buried to the hilt and shuddering at the pleasure.

Aware his entire weight was collapsed on top of his partner, Booth mustered whatever dregs of strength he had left and dropped to his back next to her. His chest rose and fell in exertion, heartbeat pounding wildly. He could hear her choppy breathing too and though unable to move, he turned his head on the pillow, facing her profile.

"Hey …" Booth brushed the back of two fingers over her shoulder in a small caress.

Brennan's head lolled to the side to meet his gaze and she gave him a sleepy, satisfied smile. "Booth, that was …"

"I know," he rumbled in a husky, post-orgasm voice that made her smile widen.

"You," she panted softly, "take direction very well."

Booth chuckled and turned sideways, bending an elbow and propping his head on his hand. Raising a finger, he ran it down her cheek. "Oh and you give direction so very well." She laughed softly and he traced the shape of her lower lip, entranced by the way she looked, all soft and flushed and relaxed. "You know, when I first met you I thought you were so beautiful, but somehow, you get more beautiful every year."

"That's unlikely," Brennan denied, but she scooted closer to him until she was able to brush a kiss on his shoulder. "But very, very nice."

"It is likely." Booth wound a hand through her hair and kissed her gently, but thoroughly. "Bones, hey … our partnership is completely personal."

"I know."

"I just … I wanted to say it. Out loud, you know," he clarified. "Let's go on a date tomorrow."

"I thought we had been on numerous dates already," she said carefully.

"Yes. But we never called it that." And maybe that was fine before, but some things should be said out loud. "For a lot of years, there were a lot of things we didn't say, Bones, but you know, this …" He brushed her lips on the word. "This is worth saying out loud."

"I understand." Brennan smiled under his lips, closing her arms around him as he rolled over her, dropping tiny kisses over her mouth. "Let's go on a date, Booth."