A/N: A few people have asked to be warned when the end was nigh. We're at chapter 38. Peas is gonna end up with 40 chapters. So...we're getting close. And I hate that. Selfishly, I don't want to say good bye to it! This story has been a big part of my life for so long now and I dearly love it. It will always have a special place in my heart. I've met so many wonderful people through writing it. Most especially you, who have taken the time to read and comment. I can't even begin to tell you how much that has meant to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Sophia...I sincerely hope you realize just how much I appreciate your help. Thank you.

Would You Go With Me

"Booth?"

Brennan was frozen in place. Her eyes went wide and she felt like the air had been knocked out of her lungs. There he was. Right in front of her. Standing! He was standing! Looking like he always had in the past. Blue jeans, Flyers t-shirt and leather jacket.

She couldn't believe her eyes. The familiar sight caused an emotional reaction she had definitely not been expecting. She gasped deeply when she realized she'd forgotten to breathe.

He chuckled, "Surprise!"

"Oh my god." She rushed toward him.

Brennan slammed into the wall of his chest, wrapping her arms around him. After a couple of seconds, she started laughing. "Booth! I can't believe...you're here...you're standing!" She felt like her brain had ceased functioning. Was she dreaming? She squeezed with all her might and felt his arms tighten around her. There were few times in her life she'd been happier.

Booth had physically braced himself for what he'd assumed, or at least hoped, would be her reaction and she hadn't disappointed him. He leaned into her for support as he held on and just enjoyed being with her again. Feeling her in his arms. He'd missed her so much and now he was back where he belonged. All his hard work had paid off. He hadn't been this ecstatic since...well, it had been a long time. Not even his milestones could measure up to this moment.

Brennan had quit laughing and was content to stand there holding him, resting her cheek on his shoulder. It hadn't been that long ago that she'd stood beside his hospital bed wondering if they'd ever get to do this again. If he'd ever be able to walk again. And here he was, standing in her doorway. Oh...her doorway. "I'm sorry Booth, come in!"

Booth rested his weight on his stronger leg as she pulled away from him. She walked to the door and held the handle, ready to close it once he entered. Now came the hard part. He had to let her know he still wasn't able to do this entirely on his own yet. He reached out and grabbed the handle of his cane where he'd propped it against the wall. He let his lips slide into an embarrassed grin and slowly stepped forward, heavily using his cane for support. He'd only quit using his walker a couple of days ago and didn't want to embarrass himself by falling like he had in therapy.

He didn't look at her as he walked into her living room. He simply concentrated on moving forward. He stood there waiting while she closed the door behind him, a little anxious about her reaction to his cane. When she returned to stand in front of him, her face was still...glowing. He couldn't believe it but he should have known. She really was the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on. Both inside and out. She had one of the biggest grins he'd ever seen on her face. Her bright blue eyes sparkled with excitement. He'd been thrilled just to be in her building. Her welcome was nothing short of elating.

Brennan walked over to the couch. "Come. Sit down. How did you get here? When did you get in? I...I'm so...I think I might be speechless!" she laughed.

He had to laugh too. "Wow. The great Dr. Temperance Brennan? Speechless? I'm certainly going to write this one down on the calendar."

He slowly made his way to the couch and carefully sat down, making sure he kept his balance. When he hit the cushions of the sofa, he allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief. He'd done it. He was having a hard time with his confidence and kept waiting to make a wrong move. But walking, even slowly, was far better than the wheelchair he'd spent so much time in. Although he'd gotten pretty fast with his chair, he was looking forward to getting used to this new pace...to walking again. He nodded slightly as he smiled at the thought.

Brennan was so proud of the man before her. She couldn't take her eyes off him. Rather than sitting at the other end of the couch, she chose to sit right next to him. She tucked her leg under her and sat sideways so she could see him better. After a couple of moments, she reached out to lay her hand on his leg. It was silly, she knew, but she needed the physical contact to remind herself this was really happening. Her cheeks were beginning to hurt, but she couldn't stop smiling.

"How did you get here, Booth?"

Booth was getting hammered with emotions and his chest filled with all of them. He was thrilled to see Bones, but he was nervous as hell for many reasons. Her touch on his thigh was a lifeline he couldn't resist. He slowly reached out and placed his hand over hers, simply drinking in the sight for a second before responding.

He grinned mischievously as his gaze traveled back to her. "Well, I got here like you did, Bones. I flew."

He loved the way her smile stayed even though she rolled her eyes and shook her head. He chuckled, "I had some help. Shawn, the airline staff, a couple other people."

Brennan shook her head, her face showing all the joy she was feeling. "I can't believe you didn't tell me." She couldn't help herself and leaned over, touching her forehead to his shoulder. "Booth, I'm so happy to see you." When she pulled back, her watch snagged and dug into her wrist. The feeling reminded her of her plans for the evening and she looked to see what time it was.

Booth watched her face fall when she glanced at her watch. "Bones? What is it?"

Brennan didn't bother to hide her disappointment. "I arranged a girls' night with Angela. She'll be here any minute. Actually, I thought it was her at the door when you arrived. As much as I enjoy spending time with her, I'd rather spend it with you right now."

Booth nodded. "Maybe she won't show?"

"Of course she will. She'll probably be late though, so we may still have some time."

Booth scrunched his face a little and shook his head. "She won't come."

"We made arrangements, Booth." She paused as an idea came to her. "I could call her. Explain. Yes. I'll just tell her we'll have to have a girls' night some other time."

She started to stand up when Booth reached out to grab her hand. "Just sit here with me."

"I will in a minute."

"Bones! Ask me how I got here."

Her question was written in her expression. "I already did. You indicated you flew, although I assumed you most likely traveled by taxi from the airport since I do not have a runway outside my door."

He grinned as he shook his head, enjoying knowing something she didn't. "Nope. No taxi."

"Then...how?"

"A couple of friends picked me up." She frowned in confusion and he decided to explain. "You know when you told me about Angela being pregnant? Well, I decided to send her a text...ya know, just congratulating her and Hodgins. We started texting back and forth and I let her in on my plan to try to be able to walk by the time you got back. But when I talked with you every night, you sounded really happy to be home...so I decided to come back too. Angela planned the girlie thing to make sure you'd be here when I showed up. She and Hodgins were the ones who picked me up at the airport."

"But...I saw Hodgins earlier today. And I've frequently talked to Angela. They didn't give me any indication they'd had any contact with you."

"Well, they weren't going to let the cat out of the bag, now, were they? I told them it was a surprise. They were only too happy to help me out." He grimaced slightly, "Especially Angela. She can be..."

Her eyebrows shot up as she nodded, "Overwhelming." Her expression told him she knew exactly what he was talking about.

His eyes crinkled in amusement. "Yes. Overwhelming. Good word." He paused, his grin widening, "Admit it, Bones. We got one over on you!"

She chuckled, shaking her head. "It would seem you did. But I can't say I'm disappointed. It was a good surprise, although I will seriously question my ability to trust those two in the future."

"Eh, they were just helping me out when I needed it. They're good people."

She smiled shyly. "I still can't believe you're here, Booth. Are you home for good? Do we need to go back to Texas to continue your therapy?"

"Nope. We're back baby!" he grinned before shifting his head to the side and sighing a little. "Well, back in DC. Got discharged from therapy at Ft. Hood. I still gotta keep it up though. Not out of the woods yet, but at least I can see the treeline now."

She nodded, unsure of herself. Talking of Texas reminded her of the letters. She knew he had to have read them, but he still hadn't said anything during any of the conversations they'd had since she'd left and she didn't know how to bring the subject up. Maybe he wasn't ready to talk about them yet. "Would you like a drink? I have the makings for strawberry margaritas, hot chocolate...water...I could make some tea or coffee. I'm afraid I don't have any of your beer here."

He chuckled, "Strawberry margaritas? That's what you and Angela drink on your girlie nights? You don't like foo foo drinks."

"You're correct, I don't," she said, clearly showing her distaste. "But Angela does. I usually drink wine."

He nodded, happy there was at least one thing he was sure of tonight. "If you've got the makings for margaritas, you've got tequila."

"Um, no. Angela's pregnant and refused alcohol. I told her light alcohol consumption would not hurt the fetus, but she said she didn't want to take any chances."

"Ahh." He settled back, studying her as he decided what to drink. "You got those little marshmallows?"

She grinned, realizing what he was saying. "I do! I'll be right back."

Booth watched her walk away. Once she disappeared around the corner, he took a deep breath and let his lungs empty as he pursed his lips. He'd been so excited, but now he was here, he wasn't really sure what to do. The life that had become normal to him in Texas seemed so far away now and his last few memories of DC hadn't been all that great. It felt strange to feel a little awkward with Bones. He knew they needed to talk, but he didn't know how to start that conversation. As anxious as he was to discuss the things she'd said in her letters, he wasn't sure his first night back was the best time.

He looked around the apartment. Everything was just as he remembered it. But sitting on the couch, waiting for her to come back with a drink...it felt formal. Maybe what they needed was a taste of the way things used to be. He grabbed his cane and pulled himself up. He shrugged his jacket off, threw it across one of the chairs and slowly made his way to the kitchen. He took advantage of the fact she was facing away and just watched her for a few seconds. He started forward again just as she turned his direction.

"Booth, I would have brought the drinks back."

"Yeah, I know. Just got lonely," he smiled. "Anything I can do to help?"

"You could get the hot chocolate ready while I get some of the snacks? Since I thought Angela was coming over, I have what she suggested...and not much else. I didn't stock anything because I was planning on flying back to Texas tomorrow," she grinned.

"No need for that now, is there?" He paused, "You're okay with staying, right?"

"What? Of course I am. As long as it doesn't hinder your progress. Though the reasons we left didn't really have anything to do with your therapy."

His eyes darted to the side and he felt a little guilty. "Yeah. Not really." He knew he didn't have to explain any of those reasons to her. She had known he needed to get away. She, more than anyone else, would understand that. He looked back. "I'm good now. I'm...okay with everything. Let go of a lot of the anger."

Brennan nodded. He had seemed to be more tolerant of the reactions of strangers and acquaintances in Texas. She hoped it would hold true with his friends and family as well. The excitement she'd felt at being able to stay home was tinged with a small amount of trepidation. Not only for Booth's mental well being, but for the way they might frame whatever relationship they had now.

She brought mugs and the hot chocolate ingredients over to the bar where Booth could sit on a stool. She turned back toward the cupboards as he sat down. Halfway there, she stopped.

Booth looked up from the bar when he saw her quit walking. "Forget something, Bones?"

Brennan slowly turned back. She had avoided the subject for so long now. She was tired of the questions. The worry. She was tired of playing it safe. She looked at Booth as she made her decision and knew the second he realized she was ready to talk about something more serious than hot chocolate...his eyes told her everything. His face relaxed into a sober expression. But she could tell he was just as nervous as she was, which bolstered her confidence.

Her question came out like a statement, "You read my letters?"

Booth's eyes were glued to hers. His chest clenched as he swallowed nervously. "Yeah," he whispered.

Brennan nodded, waiting...for something...she had no idea what.

Booth could get lost in her eyes. "You...you had a lot to say, Bones. They're part of the reason I'm here...why I came home."

Her silence made him even more nervous. He wanted to look away, to gather his thoughts. He thought he'd have more time. Trust Bones to knock his feet out from under him. She had quite the knack for it. All the carefully planned statements he'd outlined in his mind on the plane vanished in an instant. But at least it was out there...and he adored her for starting down this path.

The idea of opening up to her was both exciting and nerve wracking. "Your letters? They really helped me understand. Made me realize a lot of things. You shared so much of yourself with me, in a way nobody ever has. I hope you know...well, let's just say those letters are...they're a gift I'll treasure the rest of my life." He watched her eyes dart down before her chin followed. They both took a deep breath before she looked back up.

He unconsciously tapped his fingertips against the bar. "Back before we left? I didn't..." He sighed, hating that he always bumbled these kinds of conversations. "I...I've always had trouble with the way you take off and go on these digs. I always thought you were running away. Burying your feelings. Escaping things that upset you." He paused. "I was wrong. I get it now. I didn't before, but I do now. I'll never be able to thank you enough for understanding when I needed to get away. The thing is, though...I never realized that when you left, you were...like you said in your letters...running toward what scared you. I wish I could say the same thing about myself," he shook his head, "but I can't."

He pursed his lips into a frown and he shifted on the stool. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. I'm sorry I didn't look deeper. That I didn't have more faith in you. If I had, things might've been different. Maybe not. I don't know. What I do know is that I can't change the past. I just reacted. Afghanistan? I was scared too, Bones. I took your leaving as a sign that you didn't want to be around me any more. And...it hurt."

Brennan had stayed quiet, giving Booth time to say what he needed to say, but she couldn't let him go on thinking he wasn't important. She walked to stand next to him. "Booth, I never felt that way. I value our partnership and our friendship too much to simply leave you." She looked down as she toyed with the edge of the bar. "I never meant to hurt you. I was too close to everything. I needed some space. To be able to think. To be able to rationalize. I was confused. I realize now that in trying to protect you, I also caused pain in a way I never intended."

She looked up into his eyes. "You've taken the time to get to know me better than anyone else ever has. You did look deeper. You did have faith. I...I didn't actively ignore my feelings, I just didn't understand them. If I wasn't sure about what I felt, how could you possibly expect to know? Although...I believe you realized before I did."

The whistle sounded on the kettle. After staring at each other a few seconds longer, Brennan turned to the stove to take it off the heating element. She turned to bring it back to the bar when Booth stopped her, "Leave it, Bones. We can fix the drinks later."

She nodded, placing it on the cool surface of the stove.

Booth braced his arm on the bar to stand up before reaching out for her hand. "C'mon. Let's go sit down." He grabbed his cane and slowly lead her back to the living room. He let go of her and sat back down on the couch, waiting for her to join him. He loved the way she sat sideways and scooted closer to him again. They were as close as they could be without him dragging her onto his lap, which was more tempting than he would ever tell her.

He shifted around to face her, studying her for a few seconds. "Bones, I don't think anyone can know you better than you know yourself. Even me. What I thought I saw was the potential for something more for us. I never wanted you to change. I fell in love with who you are, who we are together...not some idea of who I wanted you to be. It's you. Just the way you are. Do we get things wrong sometimes? Sure. But who doesn't? Nobody's perfect. Nobody. What matters is not giving up."

His words brought back the conversation she'd had with her father. He'd said the same thing. "I didn't give up, Booth. I needed perspective."

He reached out for her hand again. "Yeah, I know that now. And...I needed it too. I just didn't realize it until it was time to leave. But before that...when you first decided to go? I thought you were giving up. On our work together. On our partnership. On us." He pursed his lips, trying to figure out what to say.

After a brief pause, he continued. "You know, after that night, I had a hard time for a while. It hurt when I realized you didn't want to be with me the same way I wanted. I didn't have anything else to offer besides being your partner...and I would never abandon you. But working with you every day...I tried to move on. I did. It didn't work though. And we sorta fell back into our same pattern after a while. We were 'us'. And I was fine with that. I could have gone on that way...probably forever if you wanna know the truth."

He looked down. It felt so right to be holding her hand and it gave him strength. His eyes traveled back up to hers. "I knew that even if we didn't have what I really wanted, I at least had you as a friend and partner. After a while, I decided that was enough for me. But as soon as I heard about that project, and how big a deal it was...I knew I didn't stand a chance. I saw the signs before we left. I knew you were getting run down. I knew you'd want to be involved. I knew it was a great opportunity for you. Who was I to stand in your way? I couldn't. But I couldn't stick around, doing the same job in the same town...without you. That would have hurt more than going to Afghanistan did."

Brennan smiled sadly, her voice low and quiet. "Booth. I'm sorry. I'm sorry it took leaving for me to understand things. I'm sorry I hurt you." She looked down at her lap. "I still wish you hadn't decided to go there. You've had such a difficult recovery from your heatstroke."

He reached out to tilt her chin back up. "Hey. We've talked about this. You believe in cause and effect. I believe in God. Either way, we're in the same place. We ended up here because of all the events that happened up to this point. All those causes resulted in these effects. Maluku? Afghanistan? They happened for a reason. Do you think we'd be sitting here right now, having this discussion, if we hadn't left? What I'm trying to tell you is that as much as I've hated some of the things that brought us here, I wouldn't go back and change any of them. I wouldn't want to be anywhere but here...with you...in this moment. And I think, deep down, right here," he pointed to her heart, "you know that too."

Brennan was trying to absorb his every word, every expression. She didn't want to miss anything. "I can't regret going to Maluku. I regret some of the consequences of my decision, but my time there was well spent. I didn't leave because I wanted to get away from you. It wasn't because I didn't care about you. In fact, the opposite is true. It's almost as though I cared too much...and I didn't know how to deal with that. I told you in my letters...I learned things about myself. Some were unexpected. I thought I needed to gain perspective on my career and on our intermingled lives. I needed to understand why I was so preoccupied with you, with us. I didn't expect to discover..." She paused, trying to find the words to explain what she was feeling. "That what I feel for you is so much more than I thought. That..." she sighed, slouching as she looked up at him.

Booth squeezed her hand. "That you love me?" he asked hopefully.

She hesitated, her eyes darting back and forth between his. "That...I love you."

Booth's heart leapt into his throat. He had hoped for that answer for so long, but it still shocked him to hear her say it so openly.

Brennan's eyes opened wide, amazed to finally be talking about what she'd longed to discuss for so many months. They weren't fighting. They were sharing their thoughts. Honestly. She huffed out a laugh in surprise. "I do. I'm not sure how it happened, or when. My father says he knew the exact moment when he fell in love with my mother, but I can't point to anything so specific. However, I know that what I feel for you goes beyond friendship. Booth, I struggled with those emotions." Her brow furrowed as she remembered the confusion she had felt and her desperation to get away. "I couldn't make sense of them and the only person I knew who could help was you. But I couldn't talk to you about...you. And in Maluku, I was so afraid. Both for your safety and of your reaction to what I had been saying in my letters to you. I've continued to be worried since I started giving them to you. I thought maybe I had come to my conclusion too late. Or that it was too much for you to absorb given your physical condition. Or that you didn't feel..."

"Bones. No." He reached up to run the back of his fingers down her cheek. "You are one of the bravest people I know. If nothing else I've seen over the years had proven it, those letters did."

She grimaced. "I'm not sure I agree with your assessment. I didn't feel very brave. I felt like..." She paused as she tried to voice what she'd been feeling. "I was just as confused when I figured things out as I was before I left."

Booth leaned forward. "Hey. You wrote those letters without getting any answers in return. You were honest. More honest than anyone has ever been with me. I don't think you realize just how special that is. That took guts, Bones."

The side of her mouth lifted in half a smile. "Your grandfather told me something the day we took him back to the retirement facility. He told me not to be scared. That I shouldn't live with regrets. I know that if I hadn't told you what I learned about myself, I would regret it one day. He was right. I don't want to live that way. I was scared...I still am...but...I'm ready to face those fears. With you, Booth."

She looked at the hope in his eyes and felt it herself. Her heart was pounding. She felt like she was struggling to breathe fast enough to keep up with its pace. She hoped he understood what she was trying to say. "I won't be perfect. I'll undoubtedly make mistakes. I will still need both time and space occasionally. It's who I am and I can't be anyone else. But...it won't mean I'm leaving you or that my feelings have changed." She paused as she looked into his eyes. "While I value what we've had together, and would gladly accept that kind of relationship if it were my only option, I know I want more now. I've told you before, I can't promise forever. We don't know what the future holds. But I can promise you that I will give you...everything I have to give."

The air Booth had in his lungs raced out of his body. She'd just given him all he'd ever wanted. The words he'd ached to hear from her...for years. His arm darted out and wrapped around her, pulling her closer. He held on as tightly as he dared and buried his head against hers, overwhelmed with emotion. Her grip on him strengthened and he squeezed a little more tightly. He never wanted to let her go. "Bones, you just made me the happiest man on the planet. And before you say anything...yes, I do know that for a fact."

"Bones...Temperance..." He pulled back, the need to see her face overwhelming. "I love you." He was inundated with so many thoughts and emotions, he struggled to make sure he said the right things, because he was in serious danger of babbling. "I will do everything in my power to make sure you always know that. And I know you'll need time and space sometimes. I won't stand in your way because I know you'll come back. And we'll screw up sometimes. You're right, we won't be perfect. I know we'll fight..." he grinned as he winked, "because we're so damn good at it." Then he looked at her seriously. "But it will never mean I don't love you. It will never mean I want to give up. I'm in this. All in. And I'm not going anywhere. For as long as we have...I will love you."

He suddenly realized the magnitude of what he was saying. He pulled a little further back, nervous that he might be overwhelming her. The rapid rising and falling of her chest and the way her brow was scrunched gave him every indication he had.

But then she smiled and his heart soared.

Even after talking to Booth and listening to what he had to say in return, Brennan still worried about what life would be like with him. What she felt, over and above that, was hope and excitement. "So we're...?"

Booth's face lit up and she marveled at the way his eyes shined so brightly when he started nodding. "Yeah...we are."

Brennan was fascinated with the way the nerves throughout her entire body began tingling. She needed to have him closer to her again, to feel the joy that welled up between them. She gave the slightest hint of a squeeze, which was apparently all the indication he needed to pull her to him again. She lost track of how long they spent in that position. For the first time in her life, she knew what people meant when they said time didn't matter. That a few seconds could feel like an eternity. That when you were in the arms of the person you loved, time was irrelevant. She was quite sure she could stay this way forever even though the notion was preposterous.

Booth had never been so happy...so euphoric. It was intoxicating and he didn't think he'd ever get enough...that he'd always crave this feeling. With Bones, he was complete. He pulled back again, unable to deny the draw her eyes held for him. They had always been the window he'd used to really see her. He'd begun to think he'd never see the message he saw now. When he looked into them, he saw his future. His future with Bones. It was the most beautiful and precious journey he could ever have imagined.

As though they were linked, they simultaneously leaned closer together. Booth watched her eyes grow larger as her face neared. He knew what was coming. After all this time, it was finally inevitable. It wasn't passion fueled desire. It wasn't an obligation or something born of desperation. He loved her. And Holy Mary, Mother of God...she loved him too.

Her eyes fluttered shut and his closed automatically.

Booth's lungs quit working at the first soft caress of their lips. He relished every single sensation as they hovered, slowly brushing against each other. He drew in as much life sustaining air as he could when he finally closed his lips around hers. She applied the slightest pressure as she timidly pulled on his mouth. He was sure he'd died and gone to heaven. He couldn't resist any more and gently pressed his lips against hers, swallowed in feel of her touch. Never had a kiss so tender caused such monumental emotions in him.

Brennan felt light headed as she explored Booth's lips with her own. She etched every single sensation in her memory, knowing she'd never forget this moment. She'd thought her heart had already been beating fast, but it was nothing to the way it pounded when their kiss deepened and Booth's hand slipped into her hair. Everything she wanted to say but didn't know how was poured into the physical message she was sending to him. She wanted him to know that she mirrored everything he felt.

Brennan slid her hand up Booth's back to grip his shoulder. She relished the warmth and affection she felt in his kiss. She'd kissed many men before, but she'd never felt...loved. Cherished. There wasn't another place in the world she wanted to be. She had begun to believe she would never experience the feelings that most people took for granted. But here she was, in the arms of someone who was arguably the most special man she'd ever known...and he loved her for who she was. She knew...and she felt it too.

Booth let his hand slide out of her hair and gently cupped her neck. He began to pull back, but lightly kissed her upper lip before brushing down meld his mouth against the swell of her lower lip. He slowly leaned back and opened his eyes to the best view in the world. He watched as Bones opened her eyes. She looked almost dazed...and he'd been the one to put that expression on her face. He wouldn't forget it for the rest of his days. Her smile brightened the room and he smiled in return.

When she spoke, she sounded both surprised and elated...as though she was testing the freedom of using the phrase. "I love you, Booth."

He wondered if his heart would ever not skip when she said those words. "I love you too, Bones." He could see the wheels turning in her head, and despite the way things had turned out, it still made him a little nervous.

"Booth?"

"Yeah?"

"You kiss very well."

He chuckled in relief, his expression alerting her to the incredible understatement of what he was about to say. "You do too, Bones."

"Will you be writing this on your calendar also?"

His smile, his eyes, seeing how happy he looked now they'd talked...and kissed...it was quite a potent combination for her. One she was very much looking forward to exploring. She wanted to see this look on his face every day of her life.

Booth raised his eyebrows in question. "That kiss? Yeah...it just might be too much for a calendar. I'm thinking a bill board might be more appropriate!"

She laughed. "You're exaggerating. That was funny." She paused to enjoy the feeling of contentment that stole through her. "Would you like to make hot chocolate now?"

"Yep. After this," he said as he pulled her toward him again. He looked into her eyes, his mouth turning up in a slight smile. He was looking forward to kissing her whenever he felt like it. Starting now.

Brennan watched Booth's mouth descend until her eyes slipped closed of their own volition. She relished the firmness of his kiss. Her mind swam as his tongue slipped across her lower lip. He cupped her face gently and she felt him shift to get a slightly better angle. She sighed, melting into him as he broke away. She opened her eyes just as he leaned his forehead against hers and smiled, "Okay, now I'm ready for some marshmallowy goodness!"