Disclaimer: I do NOT own Bones or its characters. All credit goes to their rightful owners
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Chapter Eleven
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Yes, this was her brilliant idea. Yes, they've gone through the details over and over again. Yes, she knew that even now, as she walked toward her apartments, she wasn't alone. Yes, she was terrified.
As her apartment building came into view, the adrenaline started pumping through her as she fought back the impulse to run in the opposite direction. She hated Willis and Oliver for creating this irrational fear in her.
That anger kept her on the path to her door. She looked over her shoulder as she went in, pretending to be scared she was being followed, then pulled open the lobby door. She took a couple of minutes getting her mail before taking the elevator up to her apartment, taking deep breaths as her heart tried beating out of her chest.
She cursed when she dropped her keys because her hands shook so bad and she felt like maybe she was going to be sick. But this was her idea. And Booth was in the apartment already, and there was no way he'd let Willis hurt her. Not to mention they had backup waiting in the wings.
She opened her door and followed her routine. Put her keys in the bowl. Take off the jacket, leaving it on the hook. Put mail on the counter.
Her legs felt numb as she went down the hall to her room. She took off her shoes and socks, throwing her socks in the hamper.
Through all this, she tried to spot Booth. She wasn't sure where he'd decided to hide. She wished she knew so she could stay close to that spot.
With another deep breath, she made her way back to the living room. She'd put on her TV, the one Booth insisted on buying her, and just…"
"Temperance."
She jerked to a stop as her blood ran cold. Her breath caught, and the tears stung her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. It took everything in her to turn and face him.
"You are supposed to be a genius. And yet you are dumb enough to return home?" He laughed. She noted the knife in his hand and the look of desperation in his eyes. He was desperate and pissed.
"I had to come home at some point." She was proud that she spoke without wavering.
He took a step toward her, and she winced but didn't step back. "I knew you'd have to come back. That's why I watched for you. You never should have left. I'm going to make you wish you never…"
The sound of a gun being cocked had Willis breaking off mid-sentence. "Take one more step towards her and I'll put a bullet in your head."
Willis laughed but didn't move. "You wouldn't shoot a man in the back."
"Try me." Booth bit out. "Drop the weapon."
Willis' nostrils flared as He dropped the weapon and Booth put him in handcuffs. "You will regret locking me up, Temperance. You will be looking over your shoulder every day for the rest of your life. One day I will get out and I will come for you."
Brennan moved until she was in his face. "I will spend the rest of my life knowing you will never touch another woman. And every time I think about you I will laugh because I know that once they find out what you did, they will surely make you their bitch." With that, she balled up her fist, drew it back, and decked him with everything she had.
"That's assault!" Willis yelled as Booth escorted him from her apartment. She could hear Booth talking, but couldn't make out his words.
She sat slowly, allowing the fear she'd held on to take over now. She shook and tears fell. It was over. Willis would be locked up forever, and she was no longer a walking target.
Booth stopped the elevator, turning to Willis as the alarms blared. Rage filled him as he grabbed the man by the throat. "Now that we have a few moments alone I want to have a little chat. You're going to go to jail. And if I have it my way? Your ass will get the death penalty. But if by some miracle you get life in jail? And you happen to escape? I will hunt you down and I will kill you without thinking twice." He put his gun to Willis' head. "And know, while you rot in prison, that the only reason you are walking out of this building alive is because of Brennan. She needs you behind bars. She needs justice. But me? I want you dead. So try it. Just try to escape and come after her. Because I will gladly end your life."
Willis started making choking noises as he fought for the air that was denied him. Booth held him there just a moment longer before letting go and moving as Willis fell to the floor.
"Get up," Booth said as he helped Willis to his feet and hit the button to make the elevator move once more. He wanted to do so much more than just threaten this asshole, but he said his peace and that was just going to have to be good enough.
Brennan sat on her ottoman, trying to get herself together. He was in custody, she was safe. So why was she still filled with fear? Why couldn't she seem to stop the tears?
Arms came around her, and she leaned back into Booth's solid chest. She knew it was him without having to look. She knew his touch. His scent.
"It's okay, Bones." He whispered against her neck. "I've got you. I've got you."
"I don't even know why I'm crying." Brennan shook her head. "It's silly."
"You just faced off with the man who tortured you. It's not silly." Booth took her chin in his fingers, making her look at him. "Don't pretend like this meant nothing. You were extremely brave."
She laughed as she wiped at the tears. "It's over."
He smiled too. "It's over."
He didn't like it. Sure, he should have seen it coming, but still, he didn't like her not being here. He'd gotten used to her being here. Now his place seemed too quiet. Empty even.
He turned to his side, annoyed with his bed. Because it was empty. After that night he held her, they'd been sharing a bed. It had been only a week or so, but in that week, he'd gotten used to holding her to him. He hated not having her here.
With a sigh, he turned to his back. He wanted to call her and make sure she was okay. It was her first night spent in her apartment. But he'd called her at nine and she'd said she was fine. It was nearing one in the morning. Surly she was asleep.
Annoyed with himself he got out of bed. He would have some coffee and watch tv. No way he could sleep now that his mind was racing.
Now that Willis was put away, he couldn't stop wondering about where he and Bones when from here. He needed her to know that he was in love with her and wanted to take that step. She probably knew this, but he needed to say the words.
Problem was, he didn't want to push. He didn't want to take advantage of her vulnerability. Fuck. How was he supposed to know when the right time for this was?
He poured the freshly made coffee as he shook his head. Maybe it would come up naturally? Yeah. For now, he'd had to play it by ear. But he would only wait for so long. No way was he letting her slip away again.
She shook as she stood in the middle of her kitchen. Every light in the apartment was on, and she even had the radio on to drown out the silence.
When Booth had called earlier in the night, she'd been so glad to hear his voice. She had managed to keep him on the phone for half an hour just talking nonsense. Since the moment they hung up, she'd been fighting the urge to go to his place.
She wanted to stay here. Wanted to find her independents again. But this apartment freaked her out. She couldn't look around without the reminders.
She let out a sound of frustration as she headed toward bed. She was a grown-ass woman with self-defense skills. She could stay the night in her own damn apartment!
She stood in the doorway to her room, trying to get herself to calm down. She was alone. No one was going to come jumping out at her. All the lights were on. She could see everything.
She jumped back when there was a sound inside the closet, and without a second thought, she ran to her front door, put on her slippers, and grabbed the keys.
She ran to her car, fear choking her. She didn't even care that she wasn't sure it wasn't a box falling over. No way was she staying there tonight.
By the time she got to Booths, her anxiety had lessened, and now she sat in the car park, feeling stupid. Was she going to run to him every time something scared her?
"What's wrong with me?" She groaned, putting her head on her hands that were still gripping the steering wheel.
A loud laugh echoed through the parking garage, making her nearly jump out of her skin. It was just a woman getting into their car, but it was enough to have her getting out of her car and running onto Booth's building. She would worry about how irrational it was later.
She knocked, maybe harder than she needed to, and looked around her as if she were waiting to be jumped at any minute. Which she supposed she was.
The door opened, and Booth stood there in flannel sleep pants, and a white sleeveless shirt. "Bones?" He seemed surprised to see her there. She was surprised too.
Booth had just rinsed his coffee cup and was going to give bed another go when there was a frantic bang at his door. He hurried to it, yanking it open when he saw it was Bones on the other side.
"Bones?" He was surprised to see her, but he put that on the back burner. She looked terrified. She wore sleep shorts and a threadbare T-shirt he recognized because it was his. The one he'd left at her place a while back.
Before she could say anything, he pulled her to him, hugging her. Thank god she was here. Because he was about ready to go out of his mind. He closed his eyes when her arms went around him, and she buried her face in his chest.
"Can I stay the night?" Her words were muffled, but he heard them clear enough.
You can stay forever. "Yes." He pulled back, even though he didn't want to.
"Want anything to drink?"
She shook her head. "Willis confessed."
He turned to look at her. She sounded weary, but she stood with confidence. That's his girl. "He did. To the murders of Lyra Harris and Megan Queen as well as kidnapping you." She knew this. She'd watched him do the interrogation.
"I know. I didn't mean I needed to be reminded. I'm just surprised he confessed." Worry creased her face.
"Hey. He took her hands. "He's going away for the rest of his life. Caroline is going to fry him."
"Sweets said I need to face my fears head-on."
"Okay?"
She looked at him now, clearly uncomfortable. "Sweets thinks I should be blindfolded by someone I trust. And I should let them feed me and whatever. To regain the trust that, just because I can't see, doesn't mean I'm out of control. That even blindfolded, I have a say."
Sweets. That kid. That's the strangest thing he's ever heard. "Bones, sweets…"
"I need to do it." She blushed now, and shit, he loved when she blushed. "I feel silly even thinking about it, but it also scares me, so I think I should. Would you help me with that?"
"Of course. I'd do anything for you, Bones." He wanted to kiss her. Jesus, he wanted to hold her and kiss away all her fears.
"Okay. Then tomorrow." She left him standing there, making her way to his room. He loved that she felt at home enough to just plop onto his bed. One day, he hoped she'd spend every night beside him.
Brennan sat completely still. Blindfolded. She was at Booth's dining table, and she could hear him moving about his kitchen. Her heart was frantic as she kept taking long, slow breaths to keep her panic at bay.
"You okay?" Booth called to her. He'd been doing this since they put the blindfold on. Him asking if she were okay. And that helped put her at ease.
"I'm fine." She laughed, hoping he believed her.
She'd been surprised that Booths voice didn't scare her while blindfolded. Well, no. Maybe she really wasn't. Booth was Booth. And he'd never hurt her. And Willis, while he sounded a lot like Booth, was never Booth. He never got the tones of Booth's voice right. So, yeah. Maybe she wasn't at all surprised not to be afraid of the voice. Because it belonged to Booth, who she trusted more then anyone else in the world.
She turned her head slightly when there was a sound next to her. Probably the plate of food being placed on the table. That was followed by the sound of a chair moving. Booth sitting.
"Okay," Booth chuckled. "This is strange, Bones."
She nodded, but couldn't speak. Booth took her hands and put them to his face. "It's just me, Bones. You and me. No one else is here. No one will hurt you."
She nodded again but cleared her throat. "What did you prepare?"
"I ordered in. I got you that Alfredo tofu and broccoli. From the little restaurant down the street."
"I do like that." He knew that. She was just nervous.
"I know." He moved. "You ready?"
"Yes." She replied, opening her mouth. The bite he fed her was small, delicious. She chewed, and swallowed. "I forgot how amazing that place is."
Booth laughed, though it sounded a bit off. "I got dessert too. The chocolate cake. Ready for another bit?"
She nodded, opening her mouth. As time went on, she stopped feeling afraid. Booth always prepared her for her next bit. They talked in between. Laughed when he dropped pasta on her chest. Her breath caught as he used his fingers to remove said pasta because he'd never touched her there before. Heat licked at her, and she hoped he didn't realize how he'd affected her. The rest of dinner was uneventful, and she was laughing more tonight than she had since she'd been free.
He moved them to the living, putting them on the couch, where they reminisced about the past. Nothing deep. Just funny stories they both remembered, one thing leading to the next.
Once she was ready, they moved on to the cake. Just like dinner, he told her every time he was coming in with a bite and just like dinner, the cake was blissfully good. She couldn't help but moan as the flavor exploded on her tongue. "God that's good."
"Yeah." Booth cleared his throat. "That's why I picked it.
The rest of dessert was done in comfortable silence, though Bones could all but feel the heat coming from Booth. She hadn't meant to be sexual, but her moan had turned him on. She could tell by the way he'd had to clear his throat.
The idea of his arousal sparked her own, making her both wanting and afraid. She hadn't been touched by anyone since Willis. Hadn't been with anyone in a long while since before Willis either.
The thought of him made her shake, and she had to fight back the nausea that came with the fear he provoked in her. She hated him! Hated what he'd done.
"Easy, Bones." Booth pulled her closer to him, so close she was practically in his lap. He put her hand on his chest. She could feel his heart beating. Maybe faster than it should. "It's me. Remember. Just me."
It was him. Strong, warm, compassionate Booth. He was everything to her. She'd been so blind to not having seen it sooner. Or maybe she'd not been strong enough to take that chance.
She hesitated for only a moment, her hand sweeping down, then pulling up at the hem of his shirt. She couldn't see his face, but he moved, taking the shirt off, so he must have been okay with it.
Hesitant fingers glided up his stomach, feeling his muscles twitch as she moved. It was easy to forget how fit he was under his suit. The hard muscles that spanned his stomach and chest. His body was powerful, ready to take action at any given moment.
Yet with all that power, Booth was soft. Kind. Never using his strength to overpower the weak. Never using it to intimidate anyone who didn't warrant it.
Her hand stilled on his chest, feeling his strong heart pounding. His chest rose and fell in a cadence that suggested he was nervous. As nervous as she was.
"Touch me." Her voice came out small. Not like her at all. But she was afraid even though she wanted his hands on her.
"Bones." His voice came out tortured.
She moved, taking her shirt off, wishing she'd worn a sexier bra, but it was what it was. She loved the way his breath caught. She'd surprised him. "Booth, it's okay."
Silence. Nothing but the music that was playing softly in the background. She waited, feeling his hand twitch on her knee. "Bones, I don't want to do this while you're afraid and can't see."
"Please?" She reached back, undoing her bra. With shaky hands, she pulled it off. "I had no control before. Nothing. He touched my body without permission. Used my body to hurt me. His hands were unkind and painful."
"Bones."
"I want to be touched on my terms. By hands I chose. Please. Let me have that control. Unless you don't want to? But if you do, please Booth. Please."
She waited, her eyes filling with tears because she thought he wouldn't do it. She'd put herself out there and…A large hand landed between her breast. Her breath hitched with surprise, but she blew out slowly as a thousand sensations overtook her.
He rested his hand there for a moment before his fingers glided over her skin, following the outline of her breast. Her skin came alive with his touch, her nipples getting hard as he moved.
His touch was slow, lazy. He touched her everywhere but over her nipples where she desperately wanted him. She touched him too, exploring his chest, stomach, and arms. Taking in the feel of him.
She let out a gasp of pleasure when his thumb ran lightly over her nipple. His other hands did the same to the left one, and this time she let out a low moan, unable to keep it in.
"You're beautiful, Bones." His tone was one of awe, and it hit her hard. He'd always managed to make her feel beautiful. More so than she thought she was. Not that she didn't think she was, she did, especially once she grew into herself. But Booth made it seem like she was the most beautiful woman in the world.
She yelped at the sudden movement. Booth stood, taking her with him. He wrapped her in a hug, holding her tightly. "Strong. So incredibly strong, Bones. You constantly amaze me."
He shifted them so that her hand was in one of his, but his other arm still held her close. He moved slowly, rocking them side to side to the slow beat of the song that played. He was dancing with her.
She rested her head on his chest, breathing him in. Holding him back. The lingering fear she'd been feeling faded as she relaxed into him. She was in control. But with Booth? She didn't need it because he'd never hurt her. Never let anything happen to her even if she couldn't see.
"I want you." He continued swaying as he spoke.
"I know." She could feel his want pressing into her. "I want you too."
"Bones." His phone rang, cutting him off. "Damn." He moved away from her. "Booth. Okay. You're sure? Okay. Yeah, I will be right there."
"What is it?" She looked in the direction he was in. Fingers touched her cheeks before sliding off the blindfold. "Broadsky. He was spotted in the cemetery."
Before she could respond, her phone rang as well. "Brennan. Okay. Yeah, I'll have Booth drop me off." She hung up. "We have a body."
"Okay. I'll drop you off on my way in."
Brennan let out a sigh as they dressed. They had so much to talk about. But it would have to wait. At least for now.
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I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Reviews and comments are greatly appreciated. Thanks :D
