Thanks for the reviews... chapter 9 as I promised. - Misty

"Let me in Bones!" Temperance could hear him yelling from the other side of the door, but chose to ignore him. She was too tired to deal with Booth at the moment and refused to open the door.

"Bones, I'm not a complete idiot I know you're here your car is downstairs. Let me in or I'll let myself in."

Temperance had already changed clothes for the evening, and didn't want to have to deal with drama at this hour.

"GRRrrrr! Can't you take a hint Booth?" She screamed as she reluctantly opened the door to see a very exhausted looking man in front of her.

Booth stood in awe, he had never seen her look so beautiful. She stood in front of him looking disheveled and out of sorts, but she still took his breath away.

"I am tired Booth can we please do this tomorrow."

"What, so you can avoid me again tomorrow? Not likely." Booth said pushing Bones aside and letting himself in her apartment. "I'm just as tired as you are, but I have some information you might find interesting." He sat on the couch making himself at home waiting for Temperance to do the same. "Sit down Tempe!"

"What makes you think that yelling at me is going to make me respond faster?"

"Because I know you."

Temperance sat down. "What is so important that it couldn't wait until tomorrow?"

"Nothing, but I knew if I told you that we needed to talk about personal issues you would have kicked me out already." Booth smirked knowing that Temperance couldn't resist his smile.

"Are you kidding me? Get out.. I am not discussing anything with you. I'm going to bed." Temperance started to her room when she felt the crushing weight of his hand on her shoulder.

"Please Tempe. I can't handle this back and forth, and I know it's getting to you too. You look like you didn't sleep at all last night." He moved his hand away from her shoulder; the slight brush of the feel from her skin was burning his hand and making his mind fuzzy.

"Don't think for one second that you had any effect on my sleep."

"Fine, whatever you say Tempe, but we still need to talk."

Tempe flopped back down on the couch now too tired to stand on her own two feet.

"What Booth?"

"About last night…"

"Stop right there, nothing happened last night so there is nothing to talk about."

"So was I imagining the fact that I made you cry?"

"It was one tear Booth, one tear, not the end of the world. I am a big girl you know I can handle your bluntness, for some reason it just got to me last night, no big deal."

"I didn't like seeing you cry, and I don't like the fact that I caused it. I came to apologize and tell you that it won't happen again."

"Apology accepted" Tempe started to stand but again was stopped by Booth's hand.

"Listen, whatever it was, or whoever it was that did this to you, it's over. It's done. You have to go on with your life. I learned a long time ago that the people that we assume with never hurt us inevitably will, and those that we assume will hurt us don't simply because we don't care enough about them to give a crap about what they say or what they do."

"Nobody did anything; I don't know what you are talking about." Tempe's chest was starting to rise and fall in an abnormal fashion, heavier than normal. Booth knew that he struck a nerve.

"Why do you do that? Why don't you talk to me? Why is it so important for you to cut yourself off, make jokes, change the subject. What do I have to do, or say for you to open up to me?" Booth took the tip of his index finger and tilted the tip of her chin upwards towards his face. He wanted her to know that she could trust him. He wanted her to look in his eyes and understand that he wasn't going to hurt her, that he was there for her.

She sighed, and after an agonizingly long pause spoke.

"It's easier for me. Digging into my work takes my mind away from the reality of my life. So I change the subject when someone gets personal."

"Hum.." Booth just sat there with a heartbreaking look on his face.

"What do you want to know Booth?"

"Why do you run from me? What is it about me that has you jetting in the opposite direction?"

"You scare me, make me doubt myself." Booth was hurt by these words she could see it from the expression on his face.

"I don't understand, what have I done to you that makes you think that way? Have I said something? Done something? Help me out here Tempe."

"It's not you, it's me. I haven't felt about anyone the way I feel when I'm around you. You make me want to be a better person, to live life. You make me want to feel." Bones looked back down at her hands.

"What's wrong with feeling Temperance?"

"Nothing in general, but there is a problem with having feelings for you."

"And what is that?"

"We are partners Booth, I can't get involved with you, what would happen to our professional lives if our personal lives got messy?"

"We would deal with it, that's what!… people do this everyday Tempe, they find someone they like, someone that they connect to and they make that leap; regardless of their jobs."

"I'm not good with relationships Booth, you know that. What if we get involved and you decide you don't like me? That everything you thought you felt was just the rush of the chase?"

"Thrill of the chase, and you will just have to trust me."

"I don't know if I can do that."

Booth knew there was no point in pressing the topic, she would take that step when it was her time, all he could do now was hold her, and show her that he was sticking around. He was afraid that if he said anything else the words would come out wrong and he couldn't take the chance of ruining the moment. He reached around her pulling her into the comfort of his chest. She cried, but this time he knew if was for a different reason, this time it was because her fortress had been broken. Moments later she had successfully cried herself to sleep.

He couldn't leave her, not now; it was too hard so he leaned back into the couch adjusting for her comfort, gently kissed the top of her head and leaned back to rest himself.

Seconds later he lifted his head back up off the rear of the couch, becoming engulfed in the smell of her hair. He did have something to say.

"I love you." he said in a hushed tone knowing that she was fully asleep and wouldn't hear it.