Chapter 1 The Beginning in the End

She glanced back at him after they just said their goodbyes and she felt that the universe stood still. Her heart froze and she knew she had to make a choice right here and there, otherwise, like Booth warned her, things will change and she was not sure she could accept it. It was unusual and weird feeling, something that Brennan never experienced before. Was it what Booth meant when he told her that he knew from the start? She desperately needed the evidence, the evidence that what he meant was real, she knew he loved her, he proved it again and again, not just with his declaration, but with his actions. She was terrified of the intensity he held in every movement, every action around her. She was terrified of herself when she was around him, her metaphorical heart dominated her mind when she was in his presence. He promised her he will move on and he already tried with the marine biologist and it felt so wrong. She knew, that she couldn't claim him, that he belonged to nobody but himself, but she didn't want to share him with anybody. It was a selfish and irrational and very real feeling. During her father's trial Booth advised her to go with the heart and however illogical it was, right now, in the crowded airport, she made a decision to go with her heart again. Even though the statistics of a successful relationship was against them, even though they were leaving, she had to tell him that he was not the only one. She didn't want for him to move on, she didn't want him to die thinking she never loved him, she didn't want to miss this signal, she didn't want to have any regrets.

So, she dropped her suitcase and walked slowly towards him. She barely acknowledged the voices of her friends calling her back. Daisy yelled something and Brennan heard Angela shooshing her. Booth looked at her with a puzzled expression, not sure what was going on. He looked so vulnerable and miserable, staying in this crowd of strangers, not understanding what was going on. Brennan knew it wasn't fair from her side, but Booth could die there, he could get injured, the possibilities were endless. Her emotions were at jumble, by the time she reached him, she wasn't sure what to say, how to explain her behavior. The blood was pounding in her ears, her heart was beating loudly, the only thing she could focus on was Booth's huge, brown eyes. He wanted her to make a leap of faith, to give them a shot, so that will be it, if anybody she ever met was worth the possible pain, it was Booth.

Before he could open his mouth and ask her what was going on, Brennan put her palm on his face and pressed a careful kiss to his lips. She was terrified he will get mad at her, emotions and social cues wasn't her area of expertise, but she was pretty sure that love confession right before one year of separation was not the best idea. She knew she made a mistake that night at Hoover and this was her way of fixing it, she just hoped it wasn't too late. Brennan felt that Booth froze, he didn't respond and she felt her own heart freezing.

'Bones, what are you doing?' Booth asked her quietly.

'I made a mistake, Booth, and I am…I don't want to have any regrets. You offered yourself to me and I was so afraid and I still am, but…I am sorry, I am not good at expressing my emotions and I understand that we are leaving and I pushed you away and…'

'Bones,' he almost whispered, asking for clarity. He needed her to tell him properly. She already crushed his heart once, she drove them apart and up until a minute ago he was sure they were going their separate ways.

'If you still believe the things you said to me that night at the Hoover and I know it's not rational, but when we come back, I would very much like to give us a chance. I am completely aware that the timing is off and I take full responsibility, but…'

Before she could finish the sentence Booth crushed her lips with all the passion he was holding back for weeks and months and years. He could barely believe what she was saying there, of course, Bones being Bones, chose the worst possible moment, but he will take what he can get. He knew how much it took from her to tell him that, he knew how fragile her beautiful heart was, but if she was ready to give it to him, he will take it with everything that follows, the separation, her stubbornness and their differences. If them going to the opposite sides of the world was necessary for her to give him a chance, he will take it.

She broke a kiss gently, the voice above them announced the boarding. It was time to say goodbye.

'Bones, you could not have chosen a better time, could you? How can I just leave now?'

'I have more I have to tell you, Booth, before we leave.'

'Do you want me to have a heart attack or something?' he tried for some humor.

'No, of course not. Heart attack is a very serious event and I would never want you to experience something like that!'

'Bones, it was a joke.'

'Yes, right of course. I know that twelve months apart is a considerable amount of time, especially given the gravity of situations you might find yourself in and I can not expect you to…'

'Bones, I love you,' he knew what she was saying and he needed to make sure that he will wait for her, for them and if she is willing to give them a chance there can be nobody else. 'And when we come back if you really meant what you said, I will be all yours. I am still that guy.'

Her huge pale eyes looked at him as if he was a puzzle, she still was trying to figure out. How can someone so genuine and good and warm love someone like her? But he said he did and Brennan knew that Booth wouldn't lie to her, not ever, let alone about something like that. She still couldn't explain it, she can barely comprehend how two people, as different as they were, could be so compatible at work and in their friendship and maybe, just maybe in relationship too.

'I meant what I said, Booth, I…I love you too,' she whispered. There it was, the universe was moving again, she finally heard other noises, not just her beating heart. She broke the dam, the last of her imperviousness she tried so hard to cling to was gone now. She didn't know what she will do if this experiment fails, if Booth changes his mind, but if she didn't try, she would regret it for the rest of her life.

Booth's mouth fell open. Her giving them a chance was one thing, it was a proof that he finally made a dent in the wall that she built around herself, but he never expected her to love him back, not yet anyway, he was already mentally preparing himself for the fight for her love, but apparently this battle was already over.

'Bones, your timing sucks big time, just so you know it!' he said in frustration. 'I have to go to the war zone and you to your weird jungles and we have to wait for the entire year to finish what we started under that rain! Damn, I should have jumped in the cab with you!'

'Just to be clear, you are saying, that you are still interested in a romantic relationship with me?'

'Jesus, Bones, for somebody who is supposed to be a genius…Of course, I am! Bones, I have been in love with for years! I want it all! God, this year will extremely frustrating, but…You are definitely not an easy type, are you?' despite the fact that he really needed to leave now, he never felt happier. He was positively beaming now, to the point that his face muscles hurt. But it didn't matter, his heart felt lighter than a feather, just as easily as she crushed it a few months ago, she healed it, right here, right now.

She finally smiled at him too and it felt like the whole world was just right. She couldn't prove it, she knew it was just an illusion, but that what it felt like.

'One year from now,' her smile grew even wider.

'Yes, one year from now,' he kissed her hand. The voice above them repeated that it was the boarding time for Brennan and Daisy. 'You really should go, otherwise I will lose my mind completely and drag you back to my place.'

'As tempting as this thought it, I don't want you to get in trouble with the military forces of United States. And I am still very much interested in making a revolutionary discovery. That being said, we can still communicate from time to time using the satellite.'

'I would like that very much,' he was about to say something else, but the voice repeated the boarding, again. 'You really should go now, I will send you an email with all my contact information as soon as things get settled there.'

She nodded at him, her face was once again all serious, her big eyes were now sad and he wanted nothing else but stay here. He couldn't though, his duty called him and her need for a break from the horrors of the past five years called her. He captured her lips once again and it was so bittersweet, he almost fainted. It's worth it though, everything they have been through and this temporary separation and all the heartache, it was all worth it.