Set immediately after S5E13. Brennan said no to Booth, and they agreed that he needed to move on. But, what if Brennan changed her mind?
Booth had been sitting on the sofa for hours, staring at the floor. The beer he'd opened upon his return home had warmed on the coffee table, the condensation making circles on the glass. Whether he liked it or not, tears kept trickling down his face. He felt like an idiot, like a child, swiping at his cheeks. His head was spinning. But he ached, and every time he thought of her, it just got worse.
I don't have your open heart.
He leaned back and stared upwards, silently asking God for strength. This was not how he had expected his day to go. Reliving their first meeting had pushed him to take the leap, and Sweets – he'd made him feel like there was hope. Booth had never forgotten that first kiss in the rain. He had wanted it to happen again, just as it was before. A couple of hours ago, he'd tried. He flinched at the memory and rubbed his face with the palms of his hands, wanting to scrub it out. He'd told Bones everything. He'd finally worked up the courage to say that he loved her, that he would always love her...and she'd said no. Her eyes had been fearful, but her first response was worry that the FBI wouldn't let them work together if they were a couple. It was a good sign, one that made him brave. He remembered all of the reasons he was so attracted to her when they first met, and that kiss, even through the tequila-haze, he couldn't forget about it. He'd seen her let down her guard for just a moment, and she looked so beautiful that he couldn't resist closing the distance between them. When he'd kissed her, she'd responded, she'd kissed him back with a hand pressed on his chest. He swallowed, remembering for the hundredth time the feel of her against him. For that moment it was just him and her, and his heart sang. He still felt the flush of relief, and pleasure and need, for those brief few seconds.
And then it all shattered.
She just couldn't understand how he could want her. She had a pernicious inability to see herself how he did, and she ended it before anything could begin. She couldn't understand that he was dazzled by her brilliance, enthralled by her mind and her fierce heart. What would he do for her? She knew that he would kill for her, die for her – he had done the former many times, and come close to the latter nearly as often. Yet, still, the idea that he could love her for who she was, was incomprehensible to her. Booth just didn't get it. She challenged him, laughed with him, shocked him with her quiet wisdom that she only seemed to share with him. He was in love with her. Goddamn it, he loved her desperately. He cleared his throat, his stomach churning.
"I don't know what to do," he said aloud. He couldn't bear to be away from her. Their friendship and partnership meant so much to him that not working together would be excruciating. But having to see Bones every day would present its own challenge when he knew that friendship was all there would be. He'd have to watch her date someone else, indulging in meaningless sex like it was all she deserved rather than the love he wanted to show her. The idea of it made his skin crawl. He saw her face in his mind, her sparkling eyes and crooked smile; the severe expression she tossed his way when he made a joke she didn't understand. How often she reached out to him, never afraid to be herself, taking a moment and laughing at his jokes, explaining things in her own way. Even through his tears, the corners of his mouth twitched into a small smile. The smile brought its own sadness, because underneath the love he felt, he was hurt. He was rejected. After five years of sitting on his feelings and watching them grow, there was nothing he could do with them. He was frozen at the crux of two impossible paths.
A knock at the door. Booth took a few moments to register it, and then wiping his face with the back of his hand, he padded over to the peephole. The last thing he wanted to do right now was to talk to anyone. He needed time to lick his wounds. He hoped to God it wasn't Sweets. He didn't want a shrink picking at his brains right now, and he didn't want to cry in front of a kid, or lose his temper. He'd never hear the end of it.
Looking through the peephole, his breath caught, his body jolting with an equal dose of anxiety and pleasure. Bones waited outside for the door to open.
Brennan had never been so anxious. Her heart thudded unevenly, her chest tight and uncomfortable in her white trench coat. She hoped she hadn't woken him, though she doubted he'd gone to bed. It wasn't even midnight, and he often stayed up late. She didn't know if he would even open his door. She knew she'd hurt him just a couple of hours earlier, really, really hurt him. At the time she'd thought she was doing the right thing but after getting home, she hadn't been able to sit for more than a few seconds. Her lips burned with the memory of the kiss, and his broken-hearted expression was all she could see. He'd just looked so sad, so broken, and she couldn't stop thinking about it. As the hours passed, the reasoning behind her decision to turn him down suddenly didn't seem so solid. Bones had paced her apartment, struck with images of him as he pressed his lips against hers. She remembered how her body felt like it was on fire, her head was dizzy with his scent and every part of her relaxed into him. Brennan didn't know that she could react to someone like that, or that anyone could want her like that – especially Booth. Booth, who was just so good. Good in everything he did, in everything he was. She didn't understand how he could love her, yet here she was at his door, because she knew it to be true.
The door opened slowly, and Brennan met Booth's eyes with uncertainty. She drank him in, wordlessly. In a simple white t-shirt and flannel trousers, she could see the muscular shape of his torso, the gentle slope of his hips and wide shoulders. Booth looked tired, and Brennan could see the slight redness in his eyes. Her mouth dried.
"Bones?" He asked, staying in the doorway. His face belied his genuine concern, despite everything. Brennan swallowed her fear.
"I need to explain," she said softly, worried her voice would break. "I know I'm asking too much of you, and you have every right to shut this door in my face, but I'm-," her voice cracked. "No one has ever...fought for me. I'm not used to it, it isn't what I know."
"Bones, come in, okay?" Booth was soft, reaching for her with an outstretched hand. She took it quickly, her fingers sliding across his palm, touching the inside of his wrist. His pulse thrummed beneath her fingertips.
He led her inside, shutting the door. They stood face to face, nearly nose to nose. Her cheeks bloomed, and she felt Booth's eyes on her. She raked greedily over his lips, his jaw, the gentle, reassuring brown of his eyes. He'd been crying, she was sure of it. She had, too. Without thinking, she touched his cheek, and traced the lines beneath his eyes, sweeping her fingers to the side of his face. Booth instinctively leaned into her palm, eyes closing. Both were equally surprised at her tenderness, at this new level of intimacy. It dawned on Brennan the line they were crossing. They'd known each other for so long, and so much was at stake but Brennan couldn't deny how much she wanted to kiss him. His breath tickled her wrist, but she didn't move her hand. The words she wanted to say wouldn't formulate. Booth seemed to sense this, and smiled reassuringly. It would've worked, had his eyes not been brimming with tears.
"I'm so sorry," Bones whispered. "I went home and I couldn't sleep. I just..." her words dissolved into broken sobs.
Booth pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and waist. She clutched at his back, breathing him in, trying to calm herself down. His warmth stirred more emotion than she could handle, and their embrace tightened, Booth threading his fingers through her hair to cradle her head. He breathed deeply, overwhelmed. They stood together in silence, swaying slightly. Booth couldn't believe this was happening. The agony of the last few hours, hell, the last few years, still stung but it was being eroded by hope, which was terrifying in its own way.
"It's alright, Bones."
"It's not," she sniffled, leaning away to wipe her eyes. "I don't know how to do this."
"Do what?"
"Be with you, romantically." She looked down.
He realised she had not come to change her mind. Booth felt like he'd been punched in the gut. She was just trying to heal the rift in their friendship, so they could continue working together. Trying to hide his crushing disappointment, he extricated himself from her and stepped away. Brennan felt his absence like someone had stolen the sun. Her hands remained partly outstretched, searching for him.
"You've made it pretty clear how you feel, Bones. I already told you that I'll move on. I don't need you to console me." He didn't mean for the last part to come out so sharply, but he saw her recoil. They bickered, sure, but he'd never spoken to her with that kind of malice. He regretted it instantly, knowing it was the wounded part of him lashing out at her when she didn't deserve it. "I'm sorry. It's been a long day."
Brennan didn't respond, not sure what to do. She wished she had come better prepared. She wanted to be able to communicate her feelings, but everything she said ended up hurting Booth more. He always knew what to say and how to approach matters of the heart. She had learned so much from him in that respect. He had shown her so many things over the years. Brennan realised she needed to emulate Booth, do as he did earlier that night. The trepidation rooted deep in her stomach made her feel sick, but she was steadfast in her convictions. She pushed through it.
"I don't think I have been sufficiently clear about my feelings, Booth. Just because I don't know how to be with you romantically, doesn't mean I don't want to." This time, she approached him, stepping closer and resisting the urge to look away. She felt completely vulnerable to attack, and her adrenaline spiked painfully as Booth searched her expression with unreadable eyes and said nothing. She'd never felt so naked. Her resolve crumbled quickly, "this was a mistake. I'm sorry, Booth, I shouldn't have come. I'll go."
"Bones, wait," he grabbed her hand as she turned to leave, lacing their fingers together. "I'm sorry, alright? I'm just trying to understand what's going on."
Booth's heart pounded, and he was sure his hands were shaking. He held on to her hand, brushing his thumb over hers, trying to keep her here. He wasn't sure if he'd heard her correctly, or if he'd imagined it...
"What I said earlier," Booth said carefully, on edge, watching her face and hoping with everything he was, and praying with every ounce of his faith, that he was right, "you feel the same?"
Brennan nodded, unable to say it again. She shook with nerves, "It's why I'm here."
Flood gates broke. Booth, caught in the deluge, pulled her against him, snaking his arms around her. He rested his forehead against hers, "I will never hurt you, Temperance. Not on purpose." He waited a moment, feeling how she quivered, "I'm human, I'll make mistakes, but I will always have your back."
He didn't want to scare her. The fact that she was here, that she had come to him and he held her in his arms, was a miracle. He had started to doubt himself, to worry that he had misread everything between them but now, his spirit buoyed and his heart was in his throat. He glanced down at her lips, wanting to kiss her more than anything he'd ever wanted in his life, but knew they needed to talk more. He couldn't cope if she ran again.
Bones placed her hands on his chest, gripping the neckline of his t-shirt, "What if we try and it fails, and we're never the same? Our partnership is so important to me. I can't risk losing you." Her lips were dangerously close to his. Bones saw his eyes darken, his mouth part, his breathing deepen. Around her, his body hummed with tension.
"I can't see into the future," his hands wandered to the small of her back, "but I'm willing to take a chance on this. I'll bet on you. In my experience, the odds are always in your favour."
"This isn't a bet, Booth. We are not as easily fixed as a bad hand of cards," she breathed.
"Every time two people decide to be together, they take a chance." Booth edged ever closer to her mouth, his resolve disintegrating with every second, "They make a play for a relationship, for love, Bones. Of course there's risk involved, but it's worth it." He leaned away a fraction, far enough so her face came into focus. Her blue eyes shone, and he saw all of her anxiety and love coalesced. He was nearly speechless. He softened his tone, "You are worth it. I need you to take the same chance. I don't think you'd be here if you didn't want to. Look in your heart."
She shook her head, "love comes from the brain, Booth. It is physically impossible for my heart to-"
"Bones, just stop thinking," Booth interrupted, "and look at me. Really look at me."
Brennan didn't know what he meant. She was already looking at him, she'd barely managed to look away since she'd come inside. But after a few seconds staring into his dark, soulful eyes, she felt a spark. Her body warmed at the connection. Their past poured down on her, and she saw his face over the years– not just at work when faced with death and blood, but how he smiled at his hands when they went for a drink together. The way he stuffed too much Chinese food into his mouth and then asked deliberately obtuse questions to irritate her. How he knew when she was suffering in silence, and always knew what to say to make her calm. She knew she wanted him and her body screamed at her to do everything she had dreamed about. She wanted nothing more than to give in, kiss him deeply, run her hands through his hair and feel every inch of his body. She wanted to wake up and see him sleeping beside her; she wanted to be the last person he saw every night. She wished he would be the one to love her, and that she could watch him unravel in ways no one else knew about. She wanted it all.
Booth's emotions spilled over, and the tears strayed freely from his eyes, "I love you, Bones. I've got you. Give this a chance."
I've got you. The evidence struck her like a bolt of lightning and the truth spoke.
Brennan closed the distance between them. Their lips met, and that spark set alight. Booth groaned in relief. She was tentative at first, her lips supple and soft, but as the kiss deepened, Booth felt her melt into him, and her inhibition began to wane. Her coat was the first thing to be discarded, Booth pulling it off her and dropping it to the floor before returning to kiss her, slipping his tongue to the entrance of her mouth, begging for permission. She parted her lips, and tasted his heady scent. She was overwhelmed, every kiss searing her lips so that she couldn't bear to slow down.
"Booth," she gasped when he broke away to trail hot, open-mouthed kisses down her neck. Her mind swam with desire, and she abruptly found herself silenced by the weight of her feelings. She had felt desire before, but not like this. This burned her from head to toe, and every touch stirred pleasure, right down to her bones. The connection to him made every sound he made reach so much further, every kiss and touch pulled them closer together. She stiffened in his arms.
"Are you okay?" He asked breathlessly, pulling away.
Booth saw a new expression on his partner's face, one he didn't recognise. Her eyes softened, her mouth trembled. She looked mildly shocked, as if she'd bumped into someone when rounding a corner. She was deeply flushed and tousled, her hair windswept and unbelievably sexy. He couldn't stop looking at her.
"I love you," she said, one hand trembling against his jaw. Uncertainty welled up inside her, the words unfamiliar and strange coming out of her mouth. She watched him process the words, expecting a smile but was met with an expression she didn't understand. He looked upset and it horrified her, "Booth, I-"
"I love you, too." He murmured urgently, recovering from the shock, "god, I love you, too."
Booth didn't hold back, holding her face and kissing her with a tenacity that made delicious tension spike low in her belly. She responded in kind, reassured, trailing her hands down his abdomen, feeling his desire straining against his pyjama trousers. Booth groaned deeply against her mouth at the contact. He held her close, sure he could never get close enough and gently bit down on her bottom lip with his teeth. Brennan grabbed again at the neckline of his t-shirt. Slipping his hands down, he picked her up so she had to wrap her legs around him, and walked them towards the bedroom, barely breaking the kiss. As soon as her feet hit the floor, she went to remove his t-shirt but Booth stopped her, hands around her wrists.
Her confusion was visible, and Booth saw her close off for a moment. He pressed a tender kiss to her lips, coaxing her back to him.
"Bones-"
"I don't understand. Do you not find me sexually attractive?" She furrowed her brow, genuinely afraid he was rejecting her. Had she misinterpreted this somehow?
He laughed, "dear God, Bones, of course I'm sexually attracted to you. Did you not notice?" He pulled her against him, making sure she remembered the current situation he had in his trousers. "I just want to make sure we do this right and if we keep going at this pace, it's going to be over very quickly."
"I have excellent stamina, Booth."
"I'm not talking about your stamina," He nuzzled her, kissing her hair. "And, Temperance..."
She sighed, angling herself so when he spoke, his lips brushed hers. Hearing her name on his lips, spoken like that, was something she wanted to hear again and again.
"By all means, very soon, I will fuck you if that's what you want." Booth whispered. He gripped her more earnestly, lifting her chin with his hand as she shivered at his sultry tone, "But this first time is not for that. This time is different."
He swept her hair behind her shoulder, cupping the back of her head and brushing his thumb over her ear lobe. The touch was so gentle, she nearly missed it. She remembered a conversation they'd had about sex. She had argued it was natural for two consenting adults to find sexual release without strings attached, but Booth was insistent that it had to be more. It felt like that was what he meant here. Making love with Booth was terrifying to contemplate, but Brennan wanted it more than anything.
"I thought I'd upset you by telling you I love you," she said quietly. She knew the statement wasn't logical but that was how it felt. Her heart thundered in the silence.
Booth pressed his lips to her forehead, then down to her cheek, her jaw, and the space just below her ear, "The opposite, Bones." He pulled away, wanting her to see his face so she knew he wasn't lying. "I've wanted to hear you say that for longer than you know."
He captured her in a kiss, deep and vulnerable, pushing and pulling, his heart overflowing. Bones lost herself in him, breathing him in, revelling in the pangs of pleasure his hands gave as they stroked the length of her back. His fingers hooked beneath her shirt, and he raised it above her head. He made quick work of her bra, skimming the sensitive skin of her ribcage before running his thumb over her nipple. She moaned quietly, arching into him.
"Lie back," he said.
"Take your shirt off."
He chuckled, "You are so demanding."
Bones lay down, playfully smirking at him, "it's only fair, Booth. I don't have a shirt on."
Booth gazed down at her, marvelling at the shape of her and the even tone of her skin. She looked inhumanly beautiful. He struggled to believe she was really here. "God, you're stunning."
The comment caught Bones off-guard, and her smirk dropped. Playfulness gone, Booth got rid of his shirt and watched as Bones stared openly at him. Her eyes dragged over his wide shoulders, the firm swell of his biceps and pectoral muscles. She saw every scar he'd accumulated over the years. The bullet wound in his chest, one he had taken for her, glinted mutely in the moonlight that streamed in between the blinds. The two weeks he had been dead were the darkest of her life. How many times in those weeks had she fought with her grief, knowing its depth stemmed from feelings she couldn't bear to admit? When he returned, how often had she looked at his face when they worked together, admiring the even symmetry of his features and the fullness of his lips? During how many daydreams and times alone had her mind wandered, wondering what it would feel like to kiss him, to feel his weight on her, as she came undone – and still, she did nothing?
"Please," she begged, sitting up. Her hands went to his hips. She kissed the small dip between his ribs, and worked down his abdomen until she reached the waistband of his trousers. He stopped her, panting.
"Goddamn it, Bones." He knelt between her legs, with her still sat on the edge of the bed and kissed her collarbones, sliding his hands up her legs from the knee. He dropped his mouth to her breasts, peppering kisses over the smooth skin before gently swirling one nipple with his tongue. Her hands slid through his hair, tugging gently as soft sighs of pleasure fell from her lips. "You are not making this easy."
She shivered as he unbuttoned her jeans, "Neither are you."
Booth helped her out of her jeans, becoming impossibly hard at the sight of her just in a pair of black panties. He breathed out heavily, cursing. Brennan looked up, surprised.
"You don't swear, Booth."
He guided her further into the bed, leaning down to kiss her again and managing to choke out, "I can't help it right now. I knew you were...but, god..."
He pressed down on her, and made a long line of languid kisses down over her breasts, taking his time over her ribs, over the slight curve of her stomach. She writhed beneath him, saying his name softly. He would never get tired of hearing her say his name. Booth had been picturing this, for years. Brennan parted her legs, and Booth slowed himself down, remembering his promise to show her what making love really felt like. His chest swelled with emotion, and slowly, he teased kisses on the inside of her thighs, watching as she pleaded for more and moved her hips towards his mouth. He relented, helping her shimmy her panties down her legs and discarded them. Finally, his tongue swept over her core, dancing over her clit with frustratingly light touches. She entwined her fingers in his hair.
"Booth," she pleaded, "I..."
He paused, teasing her opening with his fingers, "tell me what you want."
"You," Bones replied immediately. She stared him down with open lust, "please, Booth."
He began to move his fingers slowly, building a rhythm, matching the gyration of her hips as she sought pleasure. He drank in every sound she made, ecstatic in the moments when her breath hitched, and she tugged more tightly on his hair. The warmth of her was intoxicating, and he placed moist kisses on the sensitive skin of her thighs, moving inwards until his tongue joined his fingers. Brennan moaned in encouragement as his tongue swirled in smooth circles over her clit, and his fingers pumped evenly, feeling her tighten around him. She began to buck her hips with more power, her cries intensifying. Booth was torn, desperately wanting to give her what she wanted now, but also wanting to be able to watch her face as she came around him. The thought of the latter flooded his mind, and he couldn't wait any longer. He broke away, much to Brennan's dismay who cried out again, this time in consternation.
"Why did you-"
Booth cut her off, embracing her with a sultry kiss that made her forget her frustration. He kicked his trousers off, and then there was nothing between them. Brennan watched as Booth took a moment to look at her lying beneath him, watching his chest rise and fall as his eyes moved across her features. Suddenly, Brennan could tell that he was stressed. He smiled sheepishly.
"I'm nervous," he admitted, laughing at himself.
"So am I," Brennan agreed. She kissed him ardently, reassuring him that he was wanted, so very wanted.
Booth settled between her legs, reaching down between them to align himself and then, achingly slowly, he slid his full length inside of her. Brennan rasped in his ear at the sensation, and when they were as close as they could get, they clung to each other. Booth fought the urgent need to move, relishing this first moment, the moment he had hoped for, for as long as he had known Temperance Brennan. She appeared to be doing the same, adjusting to him. She nuzzled his neck, kissing below his ear and then ran her tongue over his ear lobe. Booth thrust forward lightly, making her gasp.
"I love you," she cried quietly against him.
Grasping his hip, she pulled him closer and together they set the rhythm. Booth could barely breathe, delirious with desire. As they moved, he watched her meet every thrust, dragging her nails down his back. He growled a little at the pain, dipping his head to kiss her, drunk on the taste of her mouth and the feel of her tongue as it danced with his. He could never have imagined this. No part of his imagination could have come close to the way she moved beneath him, or the beads of sweat on her neck that tasted like salt and sex. He grabbed one of her hands and interlocked their fingers, pinning it above her head, and then kissed her again, cradling her head with his other arm. He slowed his thrusts, watching her expression.
"Bones..." he breathed, releasing her hand and running his fingers through her hair. She wondered at him, panting. "Nothing could have prepared me for you."
Brennan was alarmed at the sudden stinging in her eyes, and she realised they were tears when it was already too late. Booth startled at the sight of them, forehead creasing. She shook her head, and he kissed them away before they hit the pillow. The air heated around them, and no more words were spoken. Their bodies moved again, speaking to each other in ways that they never had before. They didn't know how much time had passed. Booth held her as her sighs turned to moans, her arms tightening around him. She could feel every line of him against her, and strained against him, never getting close enough. She felt starved of love, like every encounter before him was nothing. It had all been meaningless and empty compared to this. She would become lost in the pleasure, in their closeness, and then suddenly she would realise it was Booth, her partner, the man she loved, giving her this. She watched him look at her and saw the unmistakeable love in his face. Even when his eyes were hooded with lust, and his hips moved in ways that made her cry out, she saw and felt the tenderness with every movement. Booth struggled to keep his orgasm at bay as she tightened around him, nearing her peak.
Suddenly, she flipped them, sliding on top of him. Booth sat, propped up against the headboard as Brennan straddled him. She kissed him fervently, sinking down until they were fully joined. Booth gasped at the new depth, and quickly broke out in a sweat as she began to move her hips. She rested her forehead against his, hands clutching at his face and back, rocking at a steady pace. Booth guided her, watching in awe, and soon felt a scorching warmth pool at the back of his spine.
"I'm close," he rumbled, "I don't know how long I.."
"Don't hold back," she said and kissed him, slipping her tongue against his.
Booth splayed his hands over her hips, and watched hungrily as she drew him to the edge. She stared back, blue eyes burning openly with desire. A moment of clarity came from those eyes, and Booth knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he would never love anyone else. He came forcefully then, fingers digging into her skin, as Brennan watched him come undone beneath her, his voice guttural and unrestrained. When his pleasure ebbed, he gazed at Bones with gut-wrenching lust. Without another word, he flipped them over so he was on top once more and began thrusting, kissing her soulfully. He lifted one of her legs, deepening their connection. She moaned, saying his name over and over, feeling like if she said it enough it would somehow make this last forever.
"I've got you," Booth whispered passionately to her, "I've got you, Bones. I've always got you."
Brennan fell into his words, pleasure splintering every part of her body. She cried out, Booth covering her mouth with his. She moaned against his lips and rode the waves with him, throat sore, body slick with sweat, saying again and again that she loved him until finally she was still, but for her panting breaths. They lay there together for some time, recovering, not speaking or moving apart, just close and sharing easy kisses. Booth tried to memorise how she looked beneath him, finding a different sort of pleasure in the perfect structure of her face.
"That was..." Brennan said, exhausted, invigorated, full of confusion. "It's never been like that for me."
"What do you mean?" He asked, though he knew what she meant. Booth wanted to hear her say it. It would be the only way he would know he had shown her properly.
Her voice suddenly thickened with emotion, "I didn't know it could be like that. I didn't know that we could..." The truth was, she could never have imagined that finally being with Booth would turn out to be that satisfying. It was more than just sexual satisfaction, she felt loved by him, adored and needed. How could she imagine something she'd never known before Booth? Part of her felt embarrassed that she was reacting to the best sex she'd ever had with tears, but another was desperate to understand why. She turned her head to hide her watery eyes, but Booth guided her back to him.
"You felt the difference," Booth said gently, kissing her. "It's okay."
"Why am I crying?" Her voice was sad, full of worry. Her eyes searched Booth's face for an explanation, "Why am I feeling so much?"
He rolled them onto their side, slipping an arm over her waist and pulling her against him. He traced small circles on her back, inhaling deeply, reminding himself that this was real. Bones was with him, his Bones, like he'd wanted for years.
"This has been five years in the making, Bones. This is all of it, all of the good times and the bad, the joy and the pain, and everything in between. It's a lot, and I'm pretty sure that's what made us so good back there." Booth flushed with warmth, remembering, unable to resist pressing a kiss to her lips and allowing himself to get carried away for a moment so she could remember too. When he pulled away, they were both breathing heavily. "When love is involved, things can be messy and scary, but they're also, y'know..."
"Worth it," Brennan finished his sentence, leaning into him. She knew he was right. Things were complicated now, more so than before, but he was still right. She pressed her lips to the scar, the bullet wound, that had shown her just how much she wanted him. Booth exhaled shakily, moved by her tenderness.
Love had always been stronger than fear, and now, they both knew it.
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