Chapter 12 – And They Lived Happily Ever After….

A/N: Thank you for taking this journey with me on this story. I hope you enjoyed reading this little nugget of love!


Bones


2 Months Later….

I bent down; laying a bunch of Christmas roses at the bottom of the gravestone. Flowers that symbolized virtue and peace. I stood; my hands finding their way into the pockets of my coat, as another gust of wind blew by.

"I'm sorry you died," I said softly.

Personally, I had never understood anyone coming to the cemetery to talk to dead loved ones. Booth had tried to explain it to me several times—encouraging me to even do it with my mother—but as I had explained to him…our loved ones weren't actually here.

I was here with him once, when he came to speak to one of his fallen soldiers. A friend he had called, Teddy. Something he would do every year on the date of his death. A young blonde would be here too, who I later learned was the girlfriend of his fallen friend. Someone that Teddy had loved and apparently had intentions of marrying, but never got the chance. He had been too afraid to take the leap before being sent to Iraq where he ultimately met his untimely death.

The last time I was here, Booth had consoled the young woman. Stood with her and traded stories about Teddy. What he was like in Iraq. How brave he always was. How much he loved the woman he had left behind. Booth had shared the last time they had come together; he told her Teddy's intentions of coming home to marry her. I watched as she broke down and cried, weeping into Booth's shoulder. Later, as we walked to the car, he told me the peace it brought her to know, and to come and talk to him. That was why people came long after their loved ones were gone. It gave people the comfort to believe they could hear us and know we still loved them and thought of them from time to time.

I had done that a few times with my mother. Once even when Angela came with me. Even though I didn't think it actually made any sense to talk to dirt, I have come to find it rather cathartic and peaceful in the solitude.

"While I found your methods unusual and even revolting that you would write anything about that sadistic killer…you didn't deserve to die."

"It's probably best you didn't speak at his eulogy," Booth said from behind me.

I pushed a piece of hair the wind had blown into my face away, half turning behind me. Booth was dressed in his normal standard F.B.I black suit, white button-down shirt, black tie, and trench coat, finished with his cocky belt buckle. The sight of him made my breath catch.

"How did you know I was here?"

The corner of his mouth lifted upwards as he shrugged. "I have my sources."

I grinned. "Angela," I muttered.

Booth came to stand next to me, our arms touching. I was glad that he was here. I took my left hand from my pocket, looping my arm through his, as I rested my head on his shoulder.

"What made you come see Thomas Vega?" He asked curiously.

I looked down at Thomas's headstone, my eyes taking in each carved letter.

I sighed. "I find that I am sad that he died. I am sad, because I feel responsible for the fact that he is dead," I admitted.

Booth's hand came to rest on top of mine that was looped through his, squeezing it reassuringly. "You are not responsible," he replied evenly.

I nestled into his shoulder, finding comfort in his embrace. I hadn't admitted to anyone—not even Booth what I was about to say—but I found the guilt I was feeling was starting to threaten to swallow me whole.

"Booth, it was me that took the evidence. I had the piece of paper with the serial number we found in Hodgins leg."

He looked straight ahead, his hand squeezing mine again. "I know," he said.

I turned to him abruptly; my brows knitting together at how nonchalant his reply came. My eyes narrowed.

"You know because I just told you," I say, correcting him.

He grins. "Bones, I'm a Special Agent of the F.B.I. I knew."

I lift my head and turned to him fully, his head turning to meet my gaze head on. "Why didn't you say something? You could have arrested me for stealing evidence."

A wry smile reached his lips, as he looked back out on the horizon. "No, I could not."

My expression turned aghast, as I let go of his arm. "You certainly would. You should. You always do what is right, Booth. That's who you are. It's why you arrested my dad and Russ. I know you never took pleasure in it, but it's what you have—"

"No, I don't," he interrupted more sternly.

My lower jaw hung open slightly. "But…why?"

He turned towards me, his expression looking hurt that I even would ask. "Because it's you, Bones. I would never hurt you. I would die for you. Kill for you. I will always protect you. No matter the cost. I love you," he reasoned in a tone that told me it wouldn't be argued with.

My heart swelled at the words. Touched. Honored. Filled with so much love for the man standing before me. The man that despite all my shortcomings, faults, and emotional challenges…still picked me. Loved me.

"I find that makes me love you even more than I already do."

"I know," he said with that same smugness as before.

I kissed his cheek, taking him off guard—which was extremely hard to do—before I once again looped my arm through his and resumed laying my head on his shoulder. I could feel his head resting on top of mine.

After a moment of silence I said, "Don't you want to know why I stole it?"

I could feel the slight shake of his head. "I already know," he answered softly. "You wanted to catch the Grave Digger. But mostly, you wanted to give Hodgins peace."

I smiled. "Thank you."

Not only did he know why I had done it, but he had once again protected me by making sure it got back to its rightful place without anyone ever the wiser.

"You don't have to thank me, Bones."

I let out a content sigh. "I love you."

"I kno—"

I jabbed him in the ribs before he could totally finish that sentence, pulling the lapel of his coat, planting a rather passionate kiss on his lips, before he even knew it was happening.

"Are you ready to go home?" He asked wiggling his eyebrows once we pulled apart, his skin taking a rather flushed tone. It was making me even more heady than I already was from the kiss.

"I'm ready."


I looked out the window of Booth's massive SUV as we started making our way back to our place. I smiled; thinking about our place.

A lot had happened in the last two months since I had regained consciousness, and got my memories back. All it had taken was the one phenomenal kiss from Booth when he had taken me back to my apartment.

It was as if everything had flashed behind my eyes within seconds. It was a lot to taken in all at once, but then again, I was preoccupied with Booth's lips on my own. Not our first kiss when we thought we would never see each other again. Not a kiss, because we were undercover and it depended on us staying alive. Not a kiss to satisfy whatever curiosity that Caroline Julian and her steamboats seemed to have. This kiss…this was the real deal.

This was love.

Getting back to work had taken a little getting used to, but after a week in the lab, everything started to fall back into place. We hadn't gotten a new case as of yet, but Booth and I were back on active duty.

One of the other changes, was after a month of my memories coming back, Booth and I made the decision to move in together. We had already wasted so much time by not being together the last couple of years, moving in now just felt right.

Neither one of us wanted to move into each other's apartment, so while we looked at plots of land to build our own place, we decided on an apartment to rent together until then.

We were headed back to our place, all our friends and family gathered there together since the Grave Digger case was solved and all my memories had come back.

"Are you sure you're ready for everyone to come over all at once?" Booth asked.

I looked away from the window and back at him. "Why wouldn't I be?"

He shrugged. "You went through a lot, Bones. I know you said you have all your memories back, but I just wanted to make sure you felt ready."

I smiled. "I know you are just looking out for me."

"Always."

"I'll be fine, Booth."

We pulled up to our place a few minutes later, the lights already on and music could be heard from the front steps. Both my dad and even Angela had a key.

Booth came around to open my door, helping me out, as we started walking towards the front. As soon as the door opened, the aroma from the food hit me first. Followed by the music playing and the laughter of our family and friends talking and laughing from inside.

"Everyone…there here!" Parker shouted.

"Hey sport!" Booth acknowledged, ruffling his son's hair as he pulled him towards his side for a hug.

Parker stayed at our apartment at least one weekend per month. There were times we would get him for extra time if Rebecca was out on a trip, but I enjoyed having Parker around. It really made it feel like we were a family. Something I had never thought I had wanted before, but now being with Booth, and seeing the way he was with Parke

r day in and day out…made me all the more think about those things I never once wanted.

Parker's eyes glanced up at me, and he offered a smile. "Hey Brennan."

"Hey Parker," I greeted, each of us offering our fists for our only secret handshake. Something just for the two of us.

Parker ran off, all of our friends and family standing at the end of the hallway that connected to our kitchen.

"You guys are home!"

My dad was the first to come up and hug me, before it turned into a receiving line of hugs. I wasn't sure why, since it had been two months since I got my memory back, but I wasn't going to shy away from something that I knew was making everyone happy.

Booth helped himself to a beer, leaning against the kitchen island, his eyes smirking at me, while I finished working my way down the receiving line of hugs. Once I was finally free, he offered the glass of wine in his hand to me.

"Did you have a chance to visit Vega?" Angela asked, coming to stand next to me.

I nodded, taking a sip of my wine. "I did. I feel better. Thank you."

She bumped into my hip. "You're welcome."

I looked into the direction of where Hodgins and Zack were standing and debating about something passionately. "How are things with you and Hodgins?"

Angela smiled, as she looked over at her boyfriend of over a year now. "We're good. We're talking about marriage."

My brows shot up. "Are you going to do it?"

She sucked in her bottom lip. "You know, marriage wasn't something I thought I would ever really want…but Hodgins makes me want a lot of things I never thought I wanted."

I looked over at Booth who was talking to Parker and my dad, a similar notion coming to my mind as well. "I know exactly what you mean."

We clicked glasses, before taking another sip. The party lasted another couple of hours before our friends and family had left. Parker was the last to leave, just as Rebecca came to pick him up for school the next day.

Booth and I grabbed our drinks, plopping down on our sofa, just relishing in the silence of the fact that we were alone again. He took a sip of his beer, me my wine, as I laid my head against his shoulder.

"This is nice," I said.

I felt Booth's lips on my head, placing a soft kiss there. "It is," he agreed.

I cleared my throat. "Angela mentioned something interesting to me tonight."

He took another swig of his beer. "Yeah. What's that?"

I played with the single piece of fuzz on my pants. "That she and Hodgins are talking about marriage. She is considering it, when she never considered it before."

Booth was quiet for a moment, his bottle coming to rest on his upper thigh. "They'd be good together," he finally said. "Hodgins is madly in love with her. Personally, I don't know why she fought it for so long."

I dipped my head back so I could look up at him. "You could say the same thing about me. I fought it for so long."

Booth grinned. "I know. And I am so glad you came to your senses." He kissed me softly on the lips.

"Do you think that will ever be us?"

Booth held my gaze. "Would you want that to be us?"

I looked away briefly, unable to meet his eyes. "I wouldn't not be open to the idea."

His fingers found my chin and lifted my face so I could meet his eyes. "It's always what I thought about with you, Bones. This is enough for now…but I intended forever with you."

I felt like my heart was going to expand until it flew out of my chest. What was happening to me? That couldn't even actually happen, and yet that was the first thing that popped into my head.

I looked up into his waiting gaze, putting down my glass of wine on the table without breaking our concentration. Both my hands grabbed hold of either side of his face, as I pulled him towards me until our lips met with a long, slow, kiss.

"What was that for?" he asked once we pulled back slightly.

I grinned. "I want forever with you too, Booth. Always."

The End.


A/N: Thank you again for taking the time to read this. I hope you enjoyed Holding Out for a Hero!