He wanders out of her building, he'd taken the stairs after stubbornly refusing himself the privilege of using the same elevator as David. He's angry with himself, he'd never thought himself worthyof her, and now he knew that she had never thought him worthy either. Seeing David at her apartment, seeing the intimate gesture that they had shared as David left her alone, had brought all of his feelings to the surface again. He had hoped to come here tonight and talk this out with her, thought that he could chase away her fears of getting involved. Now he could see that she wasn't afraid, he'd read her wrongly, she just didn't want him. As he exited the main doors to her building and fingered for his keys in his pocket he recognised the call of his name.

"Booth?"

Turning quickly he sees a smiling, waving Angela quickly approaching and he struggles to hold in a quiet groan. Company is the furthest thing from his mind right now, beer and tequila are amongst the current favourites. She stops in front of him and takes a quick glance at her watch.

"I didn't think you would be home so soon?" He smiles as genuinely as he can and nods stuffing his hands into his pocket. "I thought Bren was having dinner with David tonight? Bet you that was awkward, you know, you, Bren and the ex…."

Booth doesn't hear what she has said straight away. "It might have been awkward if I had actually gone in….Her ex?" She notes the confused look on his face and makes an O shape with her mouth.

"She didn't tell you? You didn't go in?...You know what, it's freezing here, wanna go for a drink?"

He looks toward the building and nods "Yeah…. You're buying." She smiles mischievously and takes his arm.

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He slides into the corner booth next to Angela and places a drink in front of her. She takes a sip and nods her thanks. "So, tell me exactly what happened tonight?" Booth wipes a weary hand over his face and nods slowly.

"I went there to tell her…everything. These past couple of weeks have been torture. Yesterday I started heading home, I went to see Gemma first. I ended it. I couldn't lie to her about my feelings, about what I had done. I told her about what happened that night… I don't think I will ever forget the look of utter disappointment that I saw in her eyes tonight. But I have to believe that I have done the right thing."

Angela frowns and puts her beer down on the table. "You told her about what happened that night?... You better bring me up to speed, because I have no idea what night it is that you are talking about."

Looking at her he realises that she had never known about his encounter with her best friend. "She never told you." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Watching Angela carefully he lets out a sigh. "Okay. Where do I start?"

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Angela's mouth hangs open and Booth gives her a tired look. "Wow. That is so romantic. I can't believe she didn't just let you scoop her up and carry her to the bedroom."

Booth hangs his head and looks at his hands in defeat. "She doesn't love me. I've already misjudged her disinterest for fear, guess I was to egotistical to believe that she wouldn't want me." He looks at Angela as her hand finds his and she gives it a gentle squeeze.

"Hey. She loves you. She ended it with David, I never asked her why. I never needed to." She looks at him and gives him a genuine smile. "I know her Booth. I know that she's afraid, she is so afraid of the way that you make her feel, because I know that she has never felt that way about anyone. Just like I know that you need to tell her how you feel, you need to be honest. The only way to get her to be honest back is to fight with her. You need to get her angry."

He chuckles slightly and nods. Angela drops his hand and picks up her beer, taking a long swig she bumps Booth with her shoulder and winks. Putting it back down on the table she takes a look across the room and sees a young man at the bar looking her way. "No offence Booth, but you should probably go and tell her now." She nods towards the man at the bar and Booth follows her eyes. "Besides FBI, you are cramping my style."

Booth rolls his eyes in mock offence and slips out of the Booth. Picking up his jacket he looks back at her. Angela adjusts her bra and looks at him quickly. "How do I look? Perky?" He smiles and nods at her. "Go get her G-man." With another quick glance at the man at the bar she gets up and saunters over. Booth shakes his head and makes his way to the door.

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She is just finishing up the dishes when she hears the knock at the door, frowning she looks at her watch and slings the dish cloth over her shoulder. On opening the door she is more than surprised to see Booth on the other side. He gives her a cocky grin and she steps aside to let him in.

"How was your trip?" She closes the door behind him and gestures towards the kitchen.

"Fine, it was nice to get away." He watches her face for any clues of her affection for him but is only rewarded by a confused glance and indifferent shrug. She makes her way back to the sink and taking the towel from her shoulder dries the last mug and places it on the kitchen counter.

"You want a coffee?"

"How about a beer?" Her eyes meet his slowly as she tries to block out their last encounter and nods. "As I was saying, it was good to get away. Gave me a lot of time to think things through." She nods and hands him a beer. "Thanks."

"So how was the weather?"

"Cold. But all that quiet time, it kinda puts things into perspective…. So I came here to.."

"Yeah why did you come here?"

He smiles at her and waggles his finger at her. "If you didn't interrupt, I would be able to tell you." She sighs and pulls up a stool facing him across the counter. "I came tonight to tell you that you were right. You and I, we'd never work. I don't want to ruin our friendship, so I apologise." He watches her for a reaction, she is stunned, looking like she wants to say something she nods mutely and he takes a swig from his bottle to hide his amusement. Frowning she looks at her hands. "Something the matter Bones?" She shakes her head slowly.

"No, everything is fine." Getting up she walks over to the fridge and pulls out a beer for herself.

"Good, I'm glad. I mean, what was I thinking?" He lets out a low chuckle and she looks to him sharply before resuming her place across from him.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you and me? Can you imagine it?" He dares to glance up at her and can see her defensive expression. The anger is brewing in her eyes at his scorn. His heart swells with hope.

"Would it be such a ridiculous idea?"

"Quite frankly…yes. I mean, here's you… never been in a stable relationship, you're so defensive and shut off from the world, the love of your life is your career. Then there's me.. I want it all, family life. Nice house, white picket fences and two point four children. We are so mismatched it's almost ridiculous. I want to love, and you don't want to be loved."

When his eyes meet hers again, he can see the barely disguised tears forming behind her eyes. Fire and ice, that's how he'd always thought of her, and now he was about to be drawn into the midst of her storm. Her anger is barely reigned and her voice quivers when he hears her next.

"That's what you think of me?.. Go to hell Booth! I never asked you to have feelings for me. I've never asked anything of you. What right do you have to come here and point out my flaws? You're not without your own!"

"Whoa, Bones. Don't take it so personally." He stands from his stool and makes his way around to her side of the counter.

"Don't take it personally? You think I don't know that I'm not the easiest person in the world to love? You think I don't know that?"

His stomach lurches as he sees tears start to form in her eyes. He knows he has to keep pressing her. "I don't think you know what love is Bones. I don't honestly think you've ever felt it. I don't think you've ever been loved." A tear escapes her eyes and he wants so badly to reach forward and brush it away with his thumb. "Not by David, not by Michael…"

Her eyes are like ice and blue flames dance before him. "You know nothing about me! Don't presume that you know anything about the relationships that I have had."

"I know one thing, you are so afraid of letting anyone close, you keep everyone at an arm's length, and eventually… they get bored trying to get close to you. It's why you'll never be loved." The words sound bitter, even to himself but the sting of her hand making contact with his skin makes him aware that he has hit his mark.

As he brings his eyes back to look at her he can see the fear and panic in her face. She is shocked at her own reaction to his goading, and her eyes only widen more when he smiles at her. Her chest is heaving, her cheeks are flushed and her lips are parted and in this one instant she has never looked more beautiful. Grabbing her by the waist he pulls her to him and presses his lips to hers. He is thrilled to feel her respond beneath his lips. Her passion matching his own as he pushes her against the counter. His hands roam over her back until they bury themselves in her hair, her hands have found their way to his chest and he can feel her fingers clumsily attempting to find the zipper on his jacket to remove it. Pulling his body back from her slightly he lifts her up to wrap her legs around him and slowly walks them both into the bedroom. Lowering them both slowly onto the bed he pulls back and rests his forehead against hers. They are both breathing heavily and the lust in her eyes is making his stomach churn in anticipation.

"Temperance, I can't go through with this if you are going to run away from me as soon as you are able to think straight again…. I love you. I have since the first moment I laid eyes on you… But I can't do this if you aren't in this one hundred percent?"

Her eyes fill with a sudden wonder. "You love me." He smiles and nods shyly. "But you said….."

"Do you love me Temperance?" He has the overwhelming urge to kiss her again, but knows that he can't move forward without her consent. She nods slowly and it's enough to allow him to crush his lips to hers once more.

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Sorry it took so long to update, my PC is playing up so have had to use someone else's.