(The Feet on the Beach)

A/N: loverofbones and kareneb wanted a sequel to chapter 162.

I don't own Bones, not even a little bit.

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She didn't know why she was nervous. "It's just Booth." Of course, it was just Booth. That was the point. She wasn't the type of person to be nervous about anything or anyone except this evening was important. It might show them that they were on the right path or that there was no path to follow. This night promised to be filled with anxiety, but it must happen. No matter what transpired she promised herself that she would not be disappointed. "Who am I kidding? Of course, I will be disappointed if all doesn't go well . . . and when did I start talking to myself? Clearly, I am showing signs of stress and I haven't left my apartment yet. This is ridiculous . . . and stop talking to yourself."

Throwing her hands up in frustration, Brennan glared at her image in the bathroom mirror, leaned on the sink and forced herself to smile. "It's just Booth. You've known him for seven years and you have been his partner for six, excluding our separation for a few months. You know who Booth is. You know what to expect."

With that last statement still ringing in the air, Brennan moved her hands down the sides of her dress and sighed. "I am as prepared as I can be." Moving out of the bathroom, she grabbed her shawl from the bed along with her purse. The dress and shawl were new and she had chosen the color to complement the shoes and the purse. She didn't usually bother to be fashionable, but tonight was special and she wanted to show that she was putting some effort into the proceedings.

Once she was in the living room, she noticed her answering machine had a message on it. The phone must have rung while she was in the bathroom. Worried that she had a case and tonight would be postponed, Brennan listened to the message.

Bones, it's raining. I'm on my way. I'm going to drive up into the parking garage and park in the visitor's section. I'll be there is a few minutes.

Glancing at her watch, Brennan moved to the door, opened it, turned off the living room ceiling light with a flip of a switch, closed the door and locked it. Taking the elevator, the car arrived at the parking garage level and she exited the car. While she moved to the visitor's parking area, Booth's SUV came into view and stopped beside her. Quickly leaving the truck, Booth hurried around to face Brennan. "Bones, I thought you'd wait for me in your apartment."

"You didn't clarify that part of your plan, Booth." Feeling a little awkward, Brennan adjusted her shawl so it covered her shoulders a little higher. The evening was a little chilly and she realized she should have worn a sweater or jacket.

"Yeah, maybe I forgot that part." Opening the passenger door, Booth gave his partner a broad smile. "I love your dress. It's new right?"

Surprised, Brennan carefully entered the truck since she was wearing high heels and a dress. "Yes, it is. I'm surprised you noticed."

Before he closed the door, Booth leaned in and gave her his charm smile. "I notice everything about you Bones." The door closed, he hurried around to the driver's side, opened the door and entered the truck. Settled on his seat, Booth turned and smiled. He felt that he might be doing that too much, but he couldn't help it. He was happy. "I'm happy." Damn it, I didn't mean to say that out loud.

"I'm glad, so am I." Brennan returned Booth's smile and felt her nervousness wash away. It's just Booth and he's being very Boothy tonight.

"You are?" Booth started his truck. "Good, we're both happy and that is a good start for us. A very good start."

Amused, Brennan chuckled. "Yes, it is." He seems a little nervous, but he does appear to be happy. Perhaps this evening won't be the trial I assumed it would be.

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The restaurant had a live jazz band playing on a raised dais on the left side of the room. Booth had chosen this particular restaurant because he knew that Brennan loved jazz and he wanted to make a good impression. This night was very important to him and he didn't want to screw it up. He had made sure that there were vegan and vegetarian meals on the menu and that they were careful not to cross contaminate their food.

While they looked at their menus, Booth glanced over the top and saw the frown on Brennan's face. "The manager said they have vegan meals, Bones. Check the back of the menu." Satisfied when she turned it over and smiled, Booth returned his attention to his menu. He loved meat and he wanted to order the steak, but he wanted to be considerate and not appear to be uncaring of Brennan's feelings. She's seen me eat steak. Of course, she has but she's really into vegetarian stuff and why annoy her for no good reason . . . Maybe shrimp linguini? Damn, this is not supposed to be hard, nitwit. "I might get the shrimp linguini." Staring at Brennan over the menu, he saw her shrug her shoulders and decided to just go with it. Placing his menu down, he waited for his partner to choose her meal. Sipping some wine, he glanced at the band across the room and thought they were playing very well for an unknown group.

She had worried that she would be stuck with salad, but the vegan dishes that were offered seemed to be diverse enough and sounded delicious. "The mushroom risotto looks like it might be good." Now that she had made a choice, Brennan placed the menu down and looked at her partner and saw him was staring at her. "What?"

"Nothing." A slight smile on his face, Booth reached for a bread stick and tore it into two pieces. "I'm glad we're doing this. It's a step in the right direction."

"I went on my first date with Sully to a jazz club restaurant." She hadn't thought about it for a long time and after seeing the look on Booth's face, she wished she hadn't brought it up. "This is a nice restaurant, Booth. I'm not complaining or making comparisons." Worried that she had already ruined their first date, Brennan sighed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned Sully."

At first, he was annoyed with her, but when he saw Brennan's mood swing from happiness to a sadness he hadn't seen since her intern had died, Booth knew that there might be more going on here than what was on the surface. "Bones, I'm not going to buy a boat and sail away. I told you a long time ago I wouldn't walk away from you and I won't. I'm not Sully."

"Of course, you aren't Sully . . . yes, never mind, I know what you are trying to say to me." Not sure she wanted to have this conversation, Brennan grabbed a bread stick from the basket and tore it in half to have something to do. "Sully was interesting and kind. He was similar to you in some ways and unlike you in many others. He was the first man I had ever considered having a monogamous relationship with . . . I didn't believe that love was a lasting emotion and I felt that he would leave me sooner or later, but I hadn't counted on it being that soon. I knew he was restless and he wanted to leave the FBI, but I was under the impression that once we started dating, he was rethinking his leaving. I was wrong. We were only together for a few weeks and suddenly he had purchased a boat and was asking me to leave everything I knew and understood behind to go with him on an adventure." She paused and looked Booth. "He tried so hard to get me to give up what I do to do what he wanted."

"I'm not like that, Bones." After shifting his glass of wine, his glass of water and the breadbasket over, he reached out and grasped Brennan's hand. "Angela once told me that Sully lived a wide life, like she does and I told her I did too, but Bones, I don't really do that. I like my job and I'm not interested in getting another one. I have a few friends and some family and I'm happy to be here for them. Parker is in England, but I love my son and if Rebecca ever said that Parker wanted to live with me, I'd take him in a heartbeat. I've made mistakes, more than a few in my life, but I'm a stable kind of guy. You've seen my apartment . . . Once I find a spot for stuff, I never seem to get rid of it. I find a place for whatever I own and there it stays. I'm like my apartment. I've found a place to stay Bones and I don't want to leave. You can count on that . . . besides I'm not really a big fan of ships and boats. I like firm ground under my feet. I like stability and I will be the same with you. You don't have to worry about me just taking off because life has thrown some curve balls at me. I don't do that and I will never give up on you so, don't you give up on me . . . Do you understand what I'm saying?" He was worried that he had rambled too much and lost her. "I'm here and I'm staying here."

She had listened closely to what he had to say and she found his words to be comforting. They were the word she needed him to say. She assumed that any relationship she had with Booth would not last forever since nothing could last forever, but she knew that if he asked her to stay with him for thirty or forty years, it would be worth the effort. He was someone she trusted. He was the stability she had searched for since her parents had abandoned her when she was fifteen. Booth was a constant, her constant. She had worked with him for six years and she knew that she could count on him to back her up and to be there when she needed him. Even when Hannah had been in his life, he had still been her constant. Booth had remained her partner and her friend and he had not walked away.

"Say something Bones." Brennan's silence was making him nervous. Had he made a mistake? Was she able to trust him enough to give them both a chance?

"Something, Bones." Her joke was funny and of course she had to laugh. "I can be very amusing." Her smile faded a little but didn't completely disappear. "You are not Sully, Booth. I know that. You are my partner, my friend and someone that I trust. I . . . I can even admit that I love you."

Surprised, Booth grasped her hand more firmly. "I love you, Bones. We're doing the right thing. I think in the end, we're going to be where we need to be and we're going to do it the right way. No running away. We fight for this relationship, no matter how rocky it might get. We will always fight for this."

"Yes, we will always fight for it. It is worth winning, Booth."

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