OK…not too much to say before this one except that by the end of this you may all want me dead…or at least maimed…but not enough that I can't update 'cause I couldn't figure out what to do at the end but then I got this very evil idea…sorry!!!!!I promise though that I will post again tonight before I go to bed so you won't have to suffer long…lol…

Chapter 36

Twelve minutes later Temperance was pulling up to the Hoover Building. She saw Booth leaning up against a wall, his head down and his shoulders slumped. She parked and walked over to him.

"Booth," she said softly, touching his arm.

He hesitated a second before looking up at her. She had to hold back a gasp at the sight. He obviously hadn't shaved that morning and his hair stuck up a bit, probably from running his hands through it repeatedly. What caught her attention immediately was his red-rimmed eyes, as if he'd spent a great deal of time crying. Her eyes shifted downward to the large, red mark on his left cheek. She reached out with gentle fingers to touch his skin. She saw him wince but after a few seconds he relaxed and let her cradle his cheek in her palm.

"Seeley…what happened?"

"Not here…OK?"

"OK. Come on, we'll go to my place."

"OK…"

She took him by the hand and led him to her car. The drive was silent but she continued to hold his hand.

He stared at his shoes again as they walked into her apartment and she saw him on the couch. He let his arms hang limply from his knees. His head stayed down so she sat in front of him on the coffee table and reached out for his hands.

"Seeley…?"

"She slapped me."

He sounded disgusted…with himself.

"Seeley, what happened? I know everything up until Zach left."

He shook his head as if trying to chase away the memory.

She reached out again and caught his uninjured cheek in her hand, turning him to meet her eyes.

"Tell me…let me help you. We can fix it, OK?"

She watched tears fill his eyes again.

"I deserved it…I know I did…I overreacted. I should've gone after her…she looked so…scared. If we've ever 'beaten' each other up…it was always without the intention to hurt…we've never physically hurt one another…God, I should've gone after her…"

"You were in shock…it was understandable…"

"It's inexcusable!"

Temperance was taken aback by the intensity of his voice.

"I just keep seeing her face…she was terrified…of what she'd done…of what I might've done…and I just let her walk away. She's been through enough…what is this gonna do to her?"

He looked so scared himself…so vulnerable that it almost broke Temperance's heart. She got up off the coffee table and sat beside him on the couch. She wasn't sure where the impulse came from but it was there…the burning desire to give him what comfort she could. She'd felt a few days ago, standing in his kitchen watching him fall apart. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into her chest. She ran a hand over his hair and murmured softly in his ear.

"No one expects you to take care of everything, Seeley…you're just one man. A wonderful, kind, and compassionate man…but still just one man. You two will get passed this…I promise you."

She felt him shudder in her arms as the first sob was ripped from his body. He was still trying to hold them back but as each one was torn from him, his entire body shuddered.

"Let go, Seeley…don't fight it…just let go."

Finally, she felt the tension leave his body as he gave in to the feel of her arms.

"I can't do it all…I thought I could…but I can't," he choked out.

"You don't have to…we don't expect you to. Vivian and I love you just as you are."

She froze. 'Did I just say…what I think I said?'

His sobs slowed and he pulled back from her to look at her face.

"Did you just say…"

"I love you."

His eyes grew wide and his breath caught in his throat. He expected her to deny it…or say that she meant only as a friend. But to confess it to him…when he was the most vulnerable he had ever been before her…was the most amazing thing that had ever happened to him.

"Bones…"

"I've never said that to anyone, Seeley…no one but my family at least."

Despite the tears still clinging to his eyes and cheeks, he smiled softly at her. He reached out and stroked her cheek.

"Temperance…that means so much to me…I can't even begin to tell you…"

"I probably shouldn't have said it so soon…and probably not now, given the circumstances…"

"No…no, Bones, it's alright. That's one of my favorite things about you…"

She smiled shyly.

He caught the back of her neck in his hand and pulled her close. He brushed his lips over hers slowly. He sighed.

"You never fail to surprise me, Temperance. I always thought that I'd be the first to say it…looks like I'll be second."

She looked at him, shock filling her eyes.

"You…"

He smiled and cradled her face in both his hands.

"Temperance…"

He kissed her eye lids.

"Bones…"

He kissed his way down her left cheek.

"You're the most amazing woman I've ever met in my life…"

He kissed a line down her right cheek.

He hovered over her lips, pressing light kisses on each corner.

"I lo-"

The ringing of her home phone stopped them both.

"Ignore it," he murmured.

They waited for the ringing to stop but whoever it was waited for the answering machine.

"Dr. Brennan! It's Zach! Are you there?! Please, if you're there, answer the phone. Please, please, please! It's Vivian!"

The sound of Zach's voice had stunned them both to stillness but the minute he'd heard his sister's name and registered the panic in Zach's voice he hurled himself off the couch and seized the phone.

"Zach! Zach, what's wrong?! Where is she?!"

Temperance couldn't hear what was being said but she could see Seeley. And she could see the blood run from his face and his grip on the phone go slack. She watched it crash to the floor. Seconds later, Booth's body followed as his knees gave out.

"Seeley!"

A/N: I know! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Forgive me, please!!!