Disclaimer: If they were mine, they'd have been together LONG ago, but sadly they're not.

A/N: Sorry I didn't get an update out sooner guys! I've been swamped with homework and preparing for my final project in my Photography class. I'm glad that you guys enjoyed the last chapter! It was so much fun to write! =)

It had been a week since our first official date and things were going well for us. We still bickered a lot, but I didn't think having a relationship with her would change that. Not that I minded. I loved it when she fought with me, it was hot. We bickered about all the same things we used to.

During the past week we had solved another case. One more case to add to the other two, showing how well we worked together. I looked at my watch and my eyes widened. "Come on, Bones! We're gonna be late for our session with Sweets and you know what Hacker said about cooperating fully…"

"I know, Booth. I can't help that you distracted me while I was trying to shower." Her eyes glowered at me.

I felt the grin spread across my face remembering our lovemaking session in the shower not long ago. "C'mon! Let's get a move on!"

I didn't know she was behind me until I felt her playful slap on the back of my shoulder. "Let's go, impatient one." She said as I followed her out the door.

We got to Sweets' office with one minute to spare. He eyed us suspiciously when he saw our hands linked, then ushered us in and told us to take a seat.

The first five or ten minutes in Sweet's office were more like a stare down. Sweets stared at us, and we stared back. Nobody spoke. It was kind of a disconcerting silence. I sighed and spoke up. "Alright, I forfeit, but you know that Bones here could stare you down all day." I smirked at the young psychologist.

Sweets cleared his throat. "So, Booth, you guys finally took the plunge?"

I rolled my eyes. "You've known this for a week now, and you're just NOW asking us this?" I asked amused.

"Well," he started nervously. "I know how evasive you two can be so I figured it would be best to let you guys settle down before pressuring you for information."

Bones took that moment to finally speak up. "Andrew told us if we didn't cooperate fully with you that our partnership would be severed, so it doesn't look as though we have much of a choice but to answer your questions."

Sweets looked her over in his 'shrinky' way. "So, Dr. Brennan, can you enlighten me as to what made you finally decide to give a relationship with Booth a chance?"

I looked over at Bones, I too was curious as to the full extent of what was going on in her head. She was looking at her free hand that rested on her lap. She seemed to be faltering on where to begin. I squeezed her hand gently to encourage her to speak. "I'm sure you remember the night we met with you about your book. When we had to explain to you how we first met." She paused.

Sweets nodded. "I remember."

Her fingers started to tremble a little, so I squeezed her hand again in reassurance. "That night after we left here, Booth proceeded to tell me that he was a gambler. He wanted to give us a chance at 30 or 40 years, but…" I saw her eyes start to well up with tears at the memory of that night. "But I told him I couldn't change. I couldn't love him the way he deserved to be loved."

Remembering back to that night, I shared in her pain, although my pain was different from hers. Mine was heartbreak because she had shot me down. "Bones, you have one of the biggest 'heart muscles' out of all the people I know. You have changed more than you realize…" I paused and looked at Sweets, who seemed to be very interested in what I was saying. As if I was opening the doorway to my soul and he could see everything. It made me feel naked, but I had to do this for Bones, for us. So, I continued. "Over the years of our partnership I have watched you change before my very eyes. You went from the awkward anthropologist who had a lack of social skills and knew nothing of popular culture, to this person. You actually get most of my jokes now, and you have gotten better at dealing with people. You helped build a bridge for a community, you helped Wendell keep his internship, and most of all you opened your heart to me and my son. He adores you just as much as I do."

"I agree with Agent Booth. You have changed tremendously in the time I've known you as well." Sweets was looking intently at me as he spoke.

Bones nodded, but didn't look up, instead she sighed. "You're right, Booth. I suppose I just never noticed before." She still didn't look up, but she squeezed my hand back this time. I know that talking about her feelings was never her strong point. I just had to be supportive so she could get through it easier.

I watched as Sweets jotted some things down on his notepad, and then looked at Bones again. "Please continue your story, Dr. Brennan."

"Oh, um… After I told Booth I couldn't change, he backed down. He told me he had to move on, and I accepted that. I couldn't expect him to wait around for me to change my mind." She looked up at Sweets now. "That's why I went to Indonesia. I needed time to think. I needed time away to analyze the situation and come to terms with the feelings I was experiencing. I've never really been close to anyone in my life, and the feelings I had for Booth were unlike anything I had ever experienced before." She looked back down to her lap before continuing. "When we came back, I was nervous, but I was also excited to tell Booth of the new developments I had recently discovered. He asked me to meet him at the diner the following night, and when I arrived, Booth was there with another woman who he introduced as his new girlfriend. I was furious. I know Booth had told me he was going to move on, but I didn't realize how fast that would become a reality. In an angry outburst I told him that while on the Maluku Islands I had realized some things, but I didn't wait around for a response. I left, I put in my resignation at the Jeffersonian, and I went to India."

Sweets' eyes widened in shock. "India? Why didn't I know about this?"

This time I spoke. "Of course you didn't hear about it. Neither of us had been back to work yet."

Sweets glared at me, then said to Bones, "I'm sorry, Dr. Brennan. Please continue." I watched as he wrote something else down.

I was surprised when she looked up again, but this time she looked intently at me. "Booth followed me to India. On the day I went to tour the Taj Mahal, Booth surprised me with his appearance." She smiled softly at me and I returned her smile, though I could feel Sweets' intent stare as he watched our interaction. "Booth forced me to see the error in my ways, and after informing me that he waited at the Taj Mahal for three days until I appeared, I asked him to have dinner with me so we could talk. After that, things pretty much fell into place, until Cam called to tell Booth that his son's mother passed away and he needed to return home to care for him." She reached out and placed her free hand over our linked hands. I don't think I or Sweets were prepared for what came. She leaned in and placed a quick, but tender kiss on my lips, then pulled back and smiled at me. Her radiant eyes glimmered in the light.

We both turned to Sweets expectantly and I spoke. "Is that enough cooperation for ya, Sweets?" I smirked.

Sweets had a look of total shock on his face. "Wow, um… I don't know what to say."

I gasped in mock horror. "You mean the fair psychologist is at a loss for words?"

Bones giggled at my comment. "Yes, it is quite surprising that he hasn't said anything more, considering he's been pushing for this for so long." She smiled brightly at me.

"Hey, I'm just a little surprised is all. Nobody ever thought you two would work these things out and finally give your relationship a try. I'm proud of you both. You overcame a lot of fears and obstacles to get to where you are now."

I rolled my eyes for the second time since entering Sweets' office. "So is that enough cooperation for one session? Are you going to say bad things in your report if we skip out a few minutes early?"

Sweets jotted something else down on his pad, and then looked up at me. "Yes, I think we've made remarkable progress today. Feel free to leave if you'd like, but remember I need to start seeing you twice a week, starting Tuesday. Same time."

"Excellent." I said as I stood up, pulling Bones with me. "Okay. See ya Tuesday, kid." I smirked as we walked out of his office.

After arriving at my SUV and getting in, I couldn't help the grin I flashed over to Bones. "You did great in there." She looked down at her hands. She seemed to be unsure of herself now. I reached out and lifted her chin so she would look at me. When our eyes made contact I leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "I meant what I said up there, Bones. You have one of the biggest 'heart muscles' around." I smiled softly.

This time she smiled back. "Thanks, Booth. I recognize the fact that you are trying to boost my confidence and for that I thank you."

A/N: Wow, I think this has to be one of my longest chapters ever! I hope you all enjoyed it! If Sweets seems a bit out of character I apologize! I know nothing of psychology so I tried my best here! Any suggestions would be welcome. Please review! *heart*