Title: This is Life

Disclaimer: I do not own these lovely characters. They belong to 20th Century Fox. But it doesn't stop me having so much fun with them!

Rating: This is an M rated story and a T rated chapter.

A/N: I hope everyone is liking this so far. I decided how I wanted to play out this chapter, so I just had to write it tonight. There is plenty for BB action to come, but perhaps a little more fluff a little less angst. Let me know what you think.

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Buckling his seatbelt, Booth unfolded the discarded newspaper he'd found in the boarding lounge. It seemed all news was bad news, but it was easier than looking out the window at the grey sky and the prospect of rain. Perhaps New York would be brighter. He had to admit, he wouldn't exactly miss the miserable Irish weather.

Taking a pen from inside his jacket, he attempted the crossword puzzle, then, when fourteen across stumped him, he began his attack on the arrow word. The lady next to him had settled down to sleep, and the plane hadn't even finished boarding, yet. Some people were just too eager. Clicking his tongue, he sighed.

"One…" he murmured, looking blankly at the letters. "Single… no, that doesn't fit." He trailed his fingers over his head, listening vaguely as the doors clicked shut and the air hostesses began the routine preparations for flight. "Singular…" sighing again, he scribbled in the corner of the page. "I hate arrow word."

"Would you be quiet please?" The woman opened her eyes, glaring at him. He blinked.

"The plane hasn't even moved away from the terminal yet," he said slowly. "And speculating aloud helps me to think." The woman opened her mouth to speak.

"Don't worry, it annoys me too." Together they glanced up, Booth in astonishment, the woman in confusion at the red-haired suit-clad Brennan. "One, solitaire?" His brows furrowed and he glanced down at the newspaper, his face breaking into a grin.

"My God… I could be in the running for a hundred pounds…" Brennan glanced down now, her smile still sympathetic.

"I'll make sure he says quiet. Sort of." She stepped over the woman's legs. "As soon as we have a little chat. In the mean time, you might want to make use of the earplugs." As ever, Brennan sounded ironic, when in fact, there was no sarcasm intended. The raven haired woman straightened in her chair, her lips thin.

"Excuse me?"

"Well," Booth said, "that is what they're for…" Her dark eyes flashed and she seemed to growl. Brennan buckled herself in, as the captain spoke over the intercom. She ignored him, pulling her hair from its tight binding and ruffling the silken stands. After a long moment, she sighed loudly.

"I need a drink," she said. "I only just made it." Booth ran his fingertips over his two day stubble before folding his newspaper and tucking it into the pocket before him. He watched her as she craned her neck, looking for an stewardess to assist her sudden desire for gin. Or rum. Whichever unnecessary spirit that took her fancy.

When the engines roared, and the plane thrust forward, he settled back against his chair and finally turned his eyes to the overcast skies above. Within minutes they'd be propelling through the gloom, into the clear blue stratosphere beyond. He was looking forward to seeing the sun again. The last time had been…

"Why did you come, Bones?" He asked as the plane ceased to touch the tarmac and the land below seemed to be pulled away. The green fields looked sewn together, again. The hedgerows that separated the land acted as rough, inaccurate stitching on a world that was both majestic and haunting. Yet, he didn't think he'd miss it that much.

Brennan reached into her jacket, producing the little clip. It seemed more tarnished now. Seeped in history. "This," she said, dropping it into his lap, as though it explained everything.

"O…kay," Booth said, running his thumb over the rough bronze. "Sorcha's medallion. So…" Brennan shook her head, reaching above the push the 'attention' button. A chime went off, as the plane levelled out.

"It is irrelevant who owns it, Booth. I doubt we'll ever agree on that. Ghosts…" she scoffed, almost chuckling. "More like an insane woman wandering in the rain-"

"She didn't sound insane. And besides which-"

"Besides which, ghosts wouldn't leave physical evidence of their having been there!" Brennan countered.

"Besides which, there was no place for her to go. She just disappeared," Booth fired back, his fingers tight around the clip.

"Locals know places we don't," Brennan said, tucking her hair behind her ear. "And this 'Sorcha' woman wasn't like some ghostly entity." Booth threw his hands into the air, shaking his head in despair.

"For someone who doesn't watch movies, you sure know who to stereotype. There was something about her, Bones…" Brennan nodded.

"There was indeed." He seemed surprised at her agreement, but said nothing. "She said to you that emotions are like a maze. And, even though you repeated this to me, I don't think I listened. Well, not really. I was too busy drowning in my own despair. I thought the pain of losing our baby was unlike anything I'd ever felt before. Until you left. And then it was like…" she paused, watching as the grey clouds broke and the sky outside became infinitely blue. "It was like I bobbed to the surface and I was able to breathe again. And I didn't like the taste of reality. My emotions were a maze. And you leaving as the guide that showed me the exit." Booth was quiet for a long time, and finally the steward arrived.

She had curly blonde hair, like ringlets and extensive eye makeup that made her brown irises seem enormous. She passed her gaze across Booth, then smiled prettily before turning her attention to Brennan. "Can I get you something, ma'am?" She asked.

"Can I have a vodka, please? Ice. No mixer." The stewardess nodded, once.

"And you, sir? Would you like anything?" Booth waved his hand, and she moved off, leaving them alone, aside from the dozing woman, whose yellow earplugs apparently served their purpose.

"Ireland didn't turn out to be so nice for us, huh?" Booth said, tipping his head back and closing his eyes. Despite the beautiful scenery, their love hadn't fell back into place until they'd boarded the plane that would take them away from its celestial beauty. When he opened his eyes, Brennan was shaking her head slowly.

"I think it did," she said at last. I would never have found the courage I needed to swallow my fear. I would have remained oblivious to your pain and essentially been selfish until your love for me would simply have… failed to exist. Coming to Ireland might not have been the romantic reunion you had in mind," she reached across, taking his hand in hers, "but it ended better for me than I could ever have wished for." He squeezed her fingers, and the stewardess set a set a plastic glass and a mini-vodka on Brennan's fold down table.

After a satisfying sip, her shoulders eased. "Nice," she said, her throat scorched.

"So," Booth said, his eyes bright. "Still no kids?" Brennan chuckled, draining her glass.

"A couple more of these and I'd agree to anything you asked." Reaching above her head, she dinged the attention button again and winked. "Ask me again in a couple of hours."

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A happy ending? Well, if you don't think so, there's some nice BB fluff to come. I hope everyone thought it was an appropriate time to ease up on the dark stuff. Let me know via reviews! Wink, wink, nudge, nudge!