A/N: Long time since I've updated this. I apologize. I've been working on Sarge. Anyway this one was inspired by the promo. (Raise your hand if you agree that the kiss between Hannah and Booth was lame). Anyway obviously SPOILERS FOR SEASON 6 and speculation. Enjoy and please review.
"Booth fell in love in Afghanistan." Brennan said, her spoon not quite making its way out of her bowl.
"Oh, Sweetie, I'm sorry." Angela said. She really was sorry for her friend. It seemed like the two of them could never get on the same page. She had agreed with Cam; she was under the impression that once they had returned from their trips, they would get together. Actually it kind of bothered her and she couldn't stop the anger towards Booth that rose up in defense of her friend.
"Why are you in love with him?" Brennan asked. Angela gave her a look.
"I'm married to Hodgins remember Sweetie. I was saying sorry because you're in love with him." Angela braced herself for the usual denial but it never came.
"Bren? This is usually the time you tell me that you're not in love with him." Brennan looked down at her plate.
"I don't think I can deny it anymore." She said softly. Angela was beyond stunned.
"Oh Sweetie." Despite being in the crowded diner she leaned over and gave her friend a hug.
"I can't believe he came back from Afghanistan with another woman." Angela said harshly after she had let go of her friend.
"Don't be mad at him Ange." Brennan said.
"Why not? He hurt you. You guys belong together." Angela said furiously.
"Because he doesn't know he hurt me."
"What?" Angela tried to make sense of what her friend was saying.
"How could he not know that coming back with another woman would hurt you?"
"Because I hurt him first." Brennan confessed. "Nine months ago, Booth…" She took a breath. "Booth told me that he wanted to give us a shot. He said that he knew right from the beginning that I was the person he wanted to spend the next 30 or 40 or 50 years with."
"Oh Sweetie. You said no didn't you." Angela inferred sadly. Brennan nodded.
"I said no. I told him that I didn't have his kind of open heart and that I couldn't change." Brennan could feel herself getting worked up just thinking about that awful night. It was the one thing in her life that she would forever regret.
"He must have known that you were just scared though Sweetie. He knows you better than anyone."
"Probably. But I don't think he was really thinking rationally by the end of the conversation. He looked so sad."
"You broke his heart." Angela said. She hadn't needed to say it but it came out anyway and Angela noticed Brennan's grip on her spoon tightened.
"He said he had to move on. Find someone who was going to love him. I know I've said that regrets are useless because you cannot change the past but I do regret saying no." Brennan confessed.
"Of course you do Sweetie. You and Booth belong together. I've been saying it for years." Angela couldn't believe what she had just heard. A lot of things made much more sense now but it didn't mean she had to like the situation.
"Sweetie, you should tell him how you feel." Angela counseled.
"No." Brennan said forcefully. "He's moved on and I don't want to risk ruining our relationship again because of my feelings." Angela sighed. She dropped the subject for the moment, knowing how stubborn Brennan could be. She just hoped that Booth's new girlfriend wouldn't be around for long.
{}
6 weeks later.
"So Hannah leaves for Afghanistan today." Booth said as nonchalantly as he could.
"Oh?" Brennan attempted to appear concerned. "How long will she be gone?" Booth shrugged.
"She said six to eight months. And then she's going back to LA"
"So you guys broke up?" Brennan inquired trying not to sound too hopeful.
"Yep."
"Are you okay with that?" Brennan asked seriously.
"Yeah I am." He paused for a moment and looked at her. Brennan felt like he was reading her like an open book, it was somewhat daunting.
"I wasn't in love with her." He said finally.
"Yes you were." Brennan stated. Booth almost laughed.
"I think I would know my own feelings Bones." He said with a laugh before sobering quickly.
"I wasn't in love with Hannah."
"Then why did you pursue a relationship with her?" Brennan asked; hoping she didn't sound like she was accusing him. She was the one who said no.
"Bones. I meant it when I said I knew right from the beginning and that I want to spend the next 30 or 40 or 50 years together." Brennan tried to look away but he hooked a finger under her chin so that she was looking directly at him. "I love you." He whispered.
"I went out with Hannah because I was hurt and lonely and I really wanted to feel like someone loved me. It seemed logical at the time." He gave her a tender charm smile. "Hannah's an amazing person, but you'll always be the standard Bones." Brennan was silent. She could feel the tears in her eyes and knew that Booth could see them.
"I don't want to risk our relationship again Booth. I almost lost you the last time."
"You'll never lose me Bones." He replied sincerely.
"I almost did." She paused for a moment before deciding to take the gamble he had taken almost a year before.
"What would you say if I told you that I regret not saying yes to you that night?" She asked him seriously. He could see the fear in her eyes. It was etched into her features. His heart began to beat erratically in his chest.
"It would give me hope."
"I do regret it."
"I know." Their voices were barely audible as they spoke, they were so close together.
"I know you're trying to move on. Hannah was a clear indicator, but do you think that maybe we could give it shot?" She asked him, silently hoping that the tears in her eyes wouldn't overflow. When he didn't answer right away she began to backtrack. "I understand if you don't. I hurt you and you probably don't trust me at all anymore. It was silly of me to ask."
"Bones, shut up." Booth said. Before she could respond, his lips were over hers. This time when her hands lifted to his chest, it was so that she could lean forward, not to push him away. Booth was grinning madly when they pulled apart.
"You just made me the happiest guy in the world Bones."
"That is not a valid statement as you don't know everyone in the world or how happy they are." Brennan responded typically. She was still trying to get her bearings after the kiss.
"Whatever Bones." Booth said affectionately before kissing her again. One thing he knew for sure; he was never going to get tired of kissing her.
