Disclaimer: I swear, this is the last time I'm going to say this:) Haha, but still, I don't own anything!

Well, here it is! The last chapter, and I hope you like it. I want to give a big thank you to all of those that reviewed my story, especially dddynamite for supporting me throughout the whole story, and Scazydramaqueen282 for giving me one of the funniest reviews ever:) So again, thanks to everyone that reviewed this story! You are all awesome:)

Pairing: Still Booth x Brennan

It had slipped out, those three little words. At first, Tempe didn't even realize she'd said them.

There was silence on the other end of the phone, and all Temperance could hear was Angela's hushed breathing.

"Oh. My. Gosh." Another three words, but this time in shock, not a proclamation of love. "You…you love him?" Angela was overjoyed that her best friend had figured out her feelings on her own.

Tempe swallowed, gathering up the courage to explain herself. "That's the only logical explanation that I could think of." Of course, Tempe was always the logical one.

"And that's the only reason? That it's logical?" Angela asked dryly.

"Yes, no…It's just my head tells me illogical and stupid to think I'm in love with Booth, but my heart is telling me something else. I've pondered about this for hours, and I can only come to the conclusion that I am in love with Seeley Booth." Tempe finished, and waited for Angela to say something. And waited. "Angela? Are you still there?"

"Yes, I'm just in shock. It's just you've finally realized what all the rest of us always knew. Why do you think that you never loved David, or thought he was the best? It's because you compared him to Booth; he's been your standard of all men you date since you met him." Angela continued, finally telling her best friend what she had desired to inform her of long ago. "And why do you think that David felt the need to have another relationship? Because you weren't all there. You were emotionally unavailable. He loved you, but you were just using him as a means for sex. You were never invested emotionally because the man to whom you gave your heart was someone else." Angela's words stung, but Temperance knew they were true. As much as she tried to deny it, everything that the artist said was completely, well, undeniable. "I know I sound harsh, but I'm just really glad you finally see it."

Tempe nodded, though Angela couldn't see. "Thanks, I think." She paused, then asked, "Do you think I should tell him?"

Angela laughed so hard she almost choked. "Well, duh!"

"But what if he doesn't feel the same?" Angela just laughed again. "If only you knew, Sweetie, if only you knew. I promise that the feelings are mutual. You should tell him now!"

"Now? As in this moment in time? As in hang up the phone and go tell Booth that I love him?"

"Yes!"

"But…I can't!" Tempe panicked.

"And why not?" Angela sounded motherly, almost as if she was asking an unruly child why they couldn't clean their room.

"Well, because…I just can't!" She couldn't come up with a plausible excuse.

"That's all you can come up with? 'I just can't.' Is that really the best you can do?" Angela's tone was light and easy, but Tempe could tell that Angela was baiting her.

"No, I just…" Angela's silence drove Tempe over the edge, and she felt her will resolve. "Fine." Sighing, she roamed from her living room – where she had been sitting during their phone call- and into her bedroom.

"Good. Now, I'm going to hang up the phone, and you're going to go and talk to Booth, okay?"

"Yes, I suppose so." Tempe conceded.

"Great. Call me later- if you're not too hot and steamy with Booth that is." Click. Before Tempe could even protest- although the thought was nice- Angela had hung up.

Tempe threw the phone on her bed, and stared at her closet. What to wear…

Tempe decided on keeping it casual- a pair of loose fitting jeans paired with a tank top and chunky necklace. Part of her couldn't believe that she was worrying over what to wear when all she was doing was seeing Booth. Just saying his name sent shivers down her spine. That's why I'm worrying about appearance. She told herself. Because just his name sends me over the edge.

She contemplated driving over to his house, but didn't trust herself to get over there without crashing- she was so nervous about the meeting with Booth that she was shaking. She decided finally on calling a cab, and paced her apartment nervously until it showed.

After giving the cabbie Booth's address, she tried to sit back and relax. However, relaxing wasn't that easy, and she found herself fidgeting the entire way.

Finally, after what felt like ages to Temperance, the driver stopped at a well-kept apartment building. She paid, then jumped out of the backseat; if she waited too long, she just might turn back and forget this whole 'I love you' ordeal.

The front doors were locked, but there were little buttons to the side that had residents' names on them. Great, I have to be buzzed in. That'll ruin the element of surprise. She thought bitterly.

Just as she was reaching towards Booth's button, an elderly lady pushed open the doors, barely sparing a glance Tempe's way. This, however, provided Temperance with an entrance.

She decided against the elevator- just more waiting- and instead took the stairs to the second floor.

Stepping out of the stairwell, Tempe hunted for 2D. After turning a corner, there it was. The dark mahogany door with the brass knocker. Taking a deep breath, she banged the knocker three times.

From inside his apartment, Booth sat up with a start. He laid in his bed, watching TV, when he heard a knock on his door. Funny thing was, he hadn't buzzed anybody in. Which didn't make sense, because the only people beside him that had a key were Rebecca and Tessa. It couldn't be Rebecca- she and Parker were on vacation in California. So it must be Tessa, although Booth couldn't figure out what she would want. After they had broken up, Tessa had returned everything of his, except his other key. No matter how many times Booth had asked, Tessa always claimed she had lost it.

The knocker sounded again, and Booth rolled out of bed. "I'm coming! I'm coming!" He yelled, while pulling on a shirt that matched his sweats. He jogged to the door to reveal not Tessa, but…

"Bones?" He was confused and pleased at the same time.

"Were you expecting someone else?" Tempe asked. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come." She started to walk away, and it took Booth a moment to realize she was leaving.

"Wait!" Tempe turned back, looking hopeful. "I'm sorry, I just thought that- never mind." He decided against mentioning Tessa- it would just drive Bones away.

Tempe walked backed into his apartment, and Booth shut the door behind her with a resounding thud.

Tempe paced nervously around the room, and Booth watched her. Oh, how he loved the way she looked when she thought, or was nervous. He loved how she looked all the time.

But that wasn't the only reason that Booth loved his partner. He loved her because she was smart, funny, loving, yet still independent and strong. She was strong-willed, and always challenged him. She didn't let him get away with stupid remarks, and she never just gave into him. His so-called charm smile would work on any other woman, but her. She was perfect in every way that Both could think.

Finally, the pacing grew to be too much for Booth's nerves, and finally he spoke up. "Not that I'm not immensely happy that you're here, but it's just that: why are you here?"

Tempe stopped pacing and looked up at Booth- she had almost forgotten that he was there. "Oh. Sorry. Well, when David and I," Booth flinched at the mention of David's name. Apparently, he still remembered those bruises. "Well, when we broke up, you talked to me in my office. You told me I would move on and find someone better than David. At the time, I thought that it would never happen- me finding someone better." She took a deep breath then continued. "Well, I have found someone better than David could ever hope to be. And I love him more than I have ever loved anyone else."

Booth's heart dropped to the floor. Angela's plan had failed and Tempe- his Bones- had fallen in love with someone else. This wasn't how it was supposed to go! She was supposed to come here and tell him that she loved him; it wasn't supposed to be that Bones came here and told him that she was in love with someone else. He looked to the floor, wondering who the lucky man could be.

"Booth, that's what I came here to tell you." Booth looked up, waiting to hear the name. Temperance paused, and nervously met Booth's eye. "It's not easy for me to tell you this Booth, but I am. It's you, Booth. I love you Seeley. Booth's eyes widened in shock; his hearing must have gone, because Bones wouldn't love him. He wasn't on her level. No matter how much he loved Bones, he never would have imagined that she would reciprocate the feelings.

"Me? Not anybody else? Just me?"

Tempe laughed, suddenly lighthearted. Booth hadn't laughed at her, asked her to leave, or told her she was nuts. "Yes, you. When you stopped calling or coming around the lab, I…I missed you." She told him truthfully. "And it sort of put things in perspective for me. Then Angela and I talked and-" She was babbling and she knew it, but she didn't seem to be able to stop.

"Bones."

"And I told her what I was feeling-"

"Bones."

"And we agreed that what I was feeling-"

"Bones!"

"Was most likely love. Well, that's what I thought and she-"

"Bones!" Temperance finally stopped talking and looked at Booth.

"What?"

"Can I please say something?" Temperance nodded, silent for the first time since she told Booth her feelings. "Thank you. Now that I've heard how you feel, I want to be able to tell you how I feel." Booth was smiling at her, but his eyes showed his true emotions. Awe, joy, and love. They were full of love. "Ever since David," He spat out the name, showing his hatred for the man, "beat you up," So he did know it was David. Tempe thought to herself."I realized that I'm in love with you. So I kinda just put myself into your life. I didn't know how you would react, but you seemed to take it well. But I didn't know how to get you to feel the same way. So I took myself back out of your life, and it worked, because you're here. And now I can finally tell you how I feel. And that is that I love you, Temperance Brennan."

Tempe felt tears come to her eyes, and she was glad that Booth finally knew how she felt. Slowly, she looked up at Booth, who was standing right in front of her. Their lips were only centimeters apart and Booth's breath teased Temperance's lips. Her longing was growing to be too much, and she waited for him to kiss her. She didn't have to wait long.

Heehee, the end:) Hopefully you like it, and if you do, I might just consider doing a sequel or something like that!

Reviews will always feed my soul.

Charlotte