Her furious typing was interrupted by a pounding on the door. No knocking. A desperate flurry of fist against wooden barrier. She knew who it was, she had been waiting. Opening the door, she instantly felt saddened by his disheveled appearance. He was never disheveled and the fact that he was now was testament to the terror he had recently been through.

She stepped to the side, he entered her apartment. He was staring intently at a spot on the floor, attempting to hide the red puffiness around his eyes. Returning the favor from a time long past, she grabbed his hand and led him to the couch. They sat together, her still tightly holding his hand.

Sheepishly he looked up at her. "I couldn't sleep."

She smiled at him comfortingly. "I remember how it was when…when it happened to me."

His eyes started to water and he averted his gaze. "When I was locked in that ship…when I thought it was the end, that I was going to d…I can't sleep because I keep thinking of when it was you that he took. Of how it could have ended up. My nightmares from then…their back…and… I just wanted to know that I would see you again…I had all these things that I would say to you whirling around in my head as the water got higher… Now that I'm safe, now that he's gone…I just…Bones…"

She watched as her usually articulate partner sit in shambles, unable to coherently finish a thought. And for once, she knew what he was feeling with certainty. With assurance she squeezed his hand before standing up and walking to her bedroom. When she returned, she handed him a torn and folded piece of paper.

He looked at the paper, then at her, and back at the paper before accepting it. Gingerly he unfolded it and read the contents.

Booth,

I am not much for being completely open, even when I am about to die. But if I never see you again, I want to say goodbye, and thank you. You challenge me to be a better person, to feel. Without you I probably wouldn't find it necessary to write to anyone at this juncture. You are a good man Booth and I know that you tried, are trying, to save us. I have faith that you tried everything and I don't want you to blame yourself. I wish things could have ended differently, but I am glad to have had the opportunity to be your partner, and your friend.

Yours,

Brennan

His breath hitched as he finished, his head slumped forward. Tears finally escaped, landing rhythmically on the paper he clutched in both hands.

"You kept this? This whole time?" His voice was but a whisper.

"I found it in my pocket two weeks after. I put it in my drawer and that's where it stayed."

"You…you didn't give it to me."

"When I found it again, I knew…Time had passed. You were with Cam. I didn't think it was appropriate any more."

Not relenting his grip on the note, he slumped back into the couch, running one hand through his hair. For the first time since he arrived he truly met her gaze. "We save each other Bones."

"He won't get us again. He's gone. We win Booth." She willed him to understand that they had truly won against their biggest foe to date. She wanted him to know so much, and hoped that somehow her eyes were telling him what her words did not convey.

"Not just from the gravedigger. Everything…we save each other. You, me…us. We're something. And I am happy for that." He attempted a smile. Although it was a failure, she did notice a little more life entering his eyes. With more conviction, she returned the smile. .

"We're much more than something Booth. We have helped a lot of people, just like we help each other. And if we stay together we can help a lot more."

As they sat side by side looking at one another, their eyes danced, messages of thankfulness, fear and longing twirling together in silent communication.

"You and me Bones. You and me."