Author's Note: The semester ended and the Holidays started, all within about a week of one another. This has been sitting here half finished and full of notes and plans for a while now. Anyway, I'm sorry for the delay. You should know there's only the one chapter after this, which actually serves as more of an epilogue than anything else.

That being said, the end of this chapter does venture a bit on the M side for reasons you'll have to read to find out. If you're too young or don't like that kind of thing...well, knowing you you'll probably read anyway. It's really not much. You've been warned.


"You'll call when you get there?"

Booth nodded and pulled her close, pressing his forehead against hers. A call had come for him to speak at an important conference at Quantico; he was supposed to be speaking to incoming agents, and while he was happy to be of assistance, Booth was already dreading the few days away. "I'll call when I get there."

"Apparently the girls have off school this Monday for some sort of teacher inservice day, so Russ was considering bringing everyone in for a visit." Brennan told him. It wasn't that important and it wasn't like she had to ask him, but she still felt it was something he needed to know.

"That's good, right? You won't be alone." Booth replied as he pressed a kiss to her forehead and breathed in deep.

Brennan furrowed her brow and pulled back. "You're suggesting I wouldn't be perfectly fine by myself? And even if that were true, Parker will be spending this weekend at our house."

Booth shook his head and sighed in apology. "Bones, that's not how I meant it at all. I just-"

"I know." Brennan replied with a smile. She pulled him in for a hug. "Have a safe trip, Booth; those new agents will be lucky to hear you."

"I sure hope so." Booth laughed and kissed her softly before heading for the SUV, hoping the trip would be a tolerable one.


Click. Click. Click.

Booth sighed and set his pen down. He stared down at the set of notes on the table before him, hoping he looked interested in the person that was speaking.

He would be speaking next and felt prepared, but it didn't stop the set of nerves buzzing within him. His fingers drummed the tabletop as he wondered whether or not him pulling his phone out to text Brennan would be noticeable.

"-which is why I am very proud to introduce to you..."

Click.

Booth shoved his chair back and adjusted his tie. He cleared his throat and prepared to speak.


Brennan watched as Emma and Parker were chasing each other through the backyard, throwing a ball back and forth, and she laughed.

"You're enjoying family life again, sis?" Russ stood with a shoulder propped against the back door frame, a cup in one hand and joining her in watching the kids playing the game they were.

Brennan turned in her lawn chair and shrugged. "I guess you could say so."

"But you miss Booth." Russ noted before shutting the door and sitting in the chair next to hers. He took a sip from his cup. "I don't think anything's wrong with that."

"I find it interesting how easily I've been able to adapt back to the way things were before. In some instances, it feels as if I never left." Brennan mused. She smiled as Parker turned and grinned triumphantly as he had apparently scored a goal. He was looking for he approval, and she was more than willing to provide it. "Excellent, Parker. Great job!"

"How's he taking all of this?" Russ asked, speaking of Parker. He had always found it interesting that Parker had taken such a strong liking to Brennan, but then again he'd seen the relationship he had with Booth who was undeniably in love with her, and it was easy to see at least part of the reason.

Brennan focused again on her brother and offered a shrug. "He's been incredibly mature about everything. I'm sure Booth being so patient and calm about it all has probably rubbed off on him." She had a feeling it was true, and as she took a sip from the drink at her side she thought about how much everything seemed to fall back into place. There were still a few things not quite concrete and she wasn't sure how to handle them. Her memory was growing more solid and strong, and while she did have Booth in part to thank for that, Brennan felt that the few days away would maybe provide her with an opportunity to contemplate and work on a few more of the techniques Sweets and her doctors had suggested. Russ and the family coming by had been a good thing too of course because they had been a great help in her recovery as well. Still, while she loved and at time longed for to independence to do things as she wished, she couldn't help but feel like what Russ said before was true. She missed Booth in way she hadn't experienced in quite some time.

Russ groaned as Haley and Emma collided in the middle of the yard, both fighting for control of the ball. "Girls, take it easy. Don't hurt each other."

Amy opened the back door as she held Ryan in one arm. "Look who woke up."

Brennan smiled as she watched Russ stand and take over for Amy, cradling Ryan safely in his arms. She turned back just as the door opened up a bit more.

"And look who I found walking in as I was headed back out here." Amy said, stepping out of the way as Booth walked out onto the patio.

"Welcome back, Booth."

"Dad!" Parker exclaimed, letting the ball bounce away from him as he ran to Booth for a hug.

"How was your trip?" Brennan asked. She stood and walked over, secure in her movements as she hugged him tight and kissed him softly.

"It was good, but I'm glad to be back." Booth replied as he hung a loose arm around her and the other around Parker. He eyed Amy and Russ standing close around the baby, and he gestured to the girls who were slowly making their way over. "You guys planning on staying for dinner?"

"I don't know," Amy said as she checked her watch. "The girls are back in school tomorrow and we still have to make the drive back home."

Parker perked up and tugged on Booth's jacket sleeve. "Pizza? That doesn't take forever like some stuff does."

"You think so, huh?" Booth laughed and shook his head, happy to be at home again. He loved taking part in his official duties, but it was around family that he felt the most at home. "I'd say that sounds like a pretty good idea. You guys can stay if you want, but don't feel like you have to."


"I missed you while you were gone." Brennan offered as they began getting ready for bed. As suggested by Parker they ordered Pizza for dinner before Russ and Amy made sure everything was packed up before heading home. Rebecca dropped by a few minutes after they left to take Parker home, a fact that made her both sad and a little relieved. With the house empty she felt comfortable with bringing up what had been on her mind with Booth. She watched as he took his watch off and sat down on the bed to slip out of his shoes.

"I missed you, too." Booth replied without looking up at her. "I've gotta tell you Bones, I know you think you hate public speaking, but I've seen you. You're better at it than I am."

Tentatively, Brennan took a few steps toward him. She wove the hem of her top between her hands, clenching and unclenching her fingers, and she couldn't remember ever feeling so nervous. Once the idea had settled earlier it didn't leave her mind, but had instead progressively grown to fruition. "Booth?"

To him it sounded like a laugh, so he kept on with the untying of his shoes and the telling of the story. "No, I'm being completely serious. I was prepared, but once I got up there in front of all those agents and everyone expecting me to have something really great to say, I just started second guessing myself."

She was standing almost directly in front of him, and yet he still hadn't looked up. Brennan didn't take it as an insult so much as proof that he'd become so ingrained in the simple routine that had become their lives. If he looked up at her she might lose her nerve, though if he didn't she'd take it as a sign that it wasn't going to happen. "Booth."

"I know, Bones. I shouldn't, but-" Booth paused as he looked up, feeling almost alarmed that she was suddenly standing so close. "What?"

"I realized something while you were gone." Brennan replied. She reached a hand out and rested it on his shoulder, giving her thumb the luxury of rubbing back and forth slowly against his collar bone.

Booth's eyes lit up at the possibility that she remembered something new. "What was it?"

Telling herself it wasn't that big of a deal and that it had happened many times before didn't help her at all. Instead it served to make her feel more nervous because she was well aware of just how long it had been. Her thumb slipped from fabric to skin, landing close enough that she could feel his pulse beating soundly. "I realized that I missed you."

Booth stared back quizzically, certain they had already covered that conversation already. He settled his hand against her hip and smiled. "You getting all sappy on me here, Bones?"

"No, I was saying-" Brennan paused and felt her cheeks warm. It was childish to feel so embarrassed and she knew if Booth was aware of what she was going for he would probably oblige, but getting them to that point shouldn't have felt as difficult. She stared back into his warm and reassuring eyes and felt his knee nudge hers gently; a sign of encouragement for her to continue. His fingers burned warm against her hip, the thin fabric of her blue pajama top barely making a difference.

"You were saying what?" Booth asked. Every second that passed without her saying anything, though it had only been a few, made the idea slowly click into place in his mind. She couldn't possibly be...could she? His suspicions were confirmed as he felt rather than saw her nudge his legs open before promptly sitting on his lap. He gulped rather audibly. "Don't get mad at me for saying this, but what's going on here?"

She braced herself and was happy as she felt his arms slide to a comfortably familiar place around her waist, keeping her still in one spot. "You have been incredibly patient with me, Booth. You never once gave up hope that I would make a full recovery. I will always be thankful for that. I also realize that my behavior early on after discovering the truth about us was rather immature and selfish on my part, but you still refused to give up on me, and that-" Brennan paused as she shook her head, her eyes misting over. She held it all back, because after all it was not a moment to cry. "I love you, Booth."

"You have no idea." Booth shook his head, finding himself almost entranced in what she was saying. "You're worth it, Temperance. I love you, too."

Brennan framed either side of his face with her hands and pulled him into a kiss, building slowly at first until they both let it get the better of them, Brennan mapping the planes of his chest through his shirt with her hands and Booth by sliding his hands underneath her thin pajama top and letting the weight of both her breasts settle in his hands. His calloused thumb rubbed slowly over a nipple, causing it to harden. Brennan gasped, pulling back from his mouth, making an audible 'smack'.

"God, I'm sorry Bones, I promised myself I'd go slow with this, but-" Booth sighed and tried to collect his breath, leaning his forehead against hers.

Brennan leaned her forehead against his and grinned. "Don't apologize." She replied, leaning further into him so he had to remove one hand in an effort to support their joint weight from collapsing onto the bed. "When I said I missed you, I meant emotionally as well as physically. However-" Brennan grinned deviously against his lips before sliding her hands down to the waistline of his jeans, unclasping the buckle before slowly removing his belt. "I also meant that I missed you...sexually."

Booth could feel the effect her actions were having on him grow even quicker by the second, and he worked to keep his breathing under control. "So, what you're saying is-"

"You're my husband, Booth." Brennan stated matter of factly. The way his hand was massaging her breast as she spoke and made quick work of unbuttoning and unzipping his jeans told her that he knew very well what she was saying. "Unless you have an objection, I'd really like it if we could-" Brennan paused, suddenly hating the scientific way she was about to phrase it. While it was true in the technical sense, what she had when him-what she remembered having with him-was more than that. She leaned in again and kissed him deeply. "Make love to me."

Brennan's lips were tracing down his neck and her hands were moving to take off his shirt, but there was one last thing he had to do before he gave in. "You're not just doing this because you think it's what I want, right?"

"No, this is what I want." Brennan's answer was very simplistic and succinct, but it gave him everything he needed to hear.

Booth breathed slowly, swallowing hard as he shifted her on his lap, using both hands to lift her before moving them on the mattress. He hovered inches over her, planting kisses everywhere his lips landed, wanting to map and remember everything about the moment and what it meant. She smelled like cinnamon and vanilla and other things he couldn't name. She tasted as sweet as her remembered-if not better-and the last thought he had before giving in and letting go of everything else except them was how glad he was to be back home.