(After 'The Blackout in the Blizzard')

This is a sequel to chapter 199.

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

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He was nervous, he knew that, but he wasn't sure why. He had known Brennan for a long time, they'd been partners for six years and friends for at least five, so he knew who she was. And maybe that was the point, Brennan was strong and independent and she didn't need anyone in her life unless she chose them to be. They'd talked about becoming a couple the night of the blizzard, but they knew they both had personal issues that could torpedo what they wanted to do. It was a little scary. They both wanted to move into a personal relationship, but they were both afraid that it could ruin their friendship. And maybe that was why he was nervous. There was a lot riding on this first step and he didn't want anything to go wrong.

Rolling his shoulders, trying to relax, Booth stood in front of Brennan's door and began to rethink what he was doing. He'd never had a friend like Brennan and to lose her now would be devastating.

On the other side of the door, pacing in the living room, Brennan was nervous and she knew why. She still didn't think she had Booth's heart. He wore his heart on his sleeve and felt things deeply. She wasn't like that. She wasn't unfeeling, but she rarely let people know what she was thinking. She'd been protecting herself since she was fifteen years old and the two times she had opened herself to a personal relationship she had been betrayed, first by Michael Stires then by Sully. Michael had used her for his own ambitious ends and Sully had abandoned her by sailing off to the Caribbean. It was hard to trust anyone and it had taken years to let herself trust Booth, Angela and Hodgins. It wasn't easy for her and she knew that even her friends didn't understand her, not well. She felt that was her fault, but she automatically guarded herself and it took a lot of effort to let them see who she was, even if it was only once in a while.

A soft bump on the door and Brennan's heart began to race. She didn't feel prepared, but she couldn't refuse to go on the date after she said she would. It would be a terrible thing to do to her friend. Opening the door, she saw Booth near the elevator and she realized that he had pushed the elevator button. "Are you leaving?"

Startled, Booth turned to face Brennan. "Oh . . . um . . . well, I realized that I didn't bring you flowers or a bottle of wine and I didn't want you to think . . . I'm sorry, Bones. I should have thought of that before I came not after I started to knock on your door. I screwed up."

"I wasn't expecting gifts, Booth." Stepping out into the hallway, Brennan held her hand out towards her partner. "I don't need gifts . . . Would you like to come in while I finish getting ready for our . . . our date?"

Since there was only one answer he could give her, Booth walked towards the door, grasped her hand and stopped. "Of course . . . I really should have brought you flowers . . . or wine."

"You really shouldn't have." Squeezing his hand, Brennan released it and walked into her apartment. "I just need to get my purse and shawl and we can go."

Inside her apartment, Booth closed the door and stood with his back against it. "Sure, not a problem." As he watched her walk into her bedroom, he felt like he'd already ruined their date. Just get a grip, she says it's okay, so don't screw up anything else.

After she pulled her shawl around her shoulders, Brennan grabbed her purse from the dresser and took a deep breath. It's Booth. It's fine. I know him. I trust him.

Back in the living room, Brennan smiled at her partner. "I'm ready to go if you are."

Opening the door, Booth held it open until Brennan left her apartment, locked the door and closed it. "You look nice, Bones. That blue dress matches your eyes."

"Thank you." Moving over to the elevator, Brennan decided to compliment Booth. "The shirt you are wearing is new. I think it is pretty."

"Thanks." At the elevator, Booth laughed. "You know Bones, I don't know about you, but I'm nervous so if I say anything stupid just ignore it."

She knew how Booth felt. "I will."

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They found a table at the back of the bar, ordered a glass of wine for each and listened to the music in silence. Jazz filled the air and it had a calming effect on both of them. Booth appreciated the opportunity to relax for a few minutes while he thought about what he wanted to say. After a while, he looked at Brennan who was staring at him. "What?"

"This almost feels like the way we celebrate after we win a case." Brennan sipped some of her wine. "I was nervous before you arrived at my apartment, but since we've been here I realize that there was nothing to be nervous about. The wine is good, the music is enjoyable and you are sitting across from me like you always do."

"It does seem like our thing doesn't it." Booth laughed. "I think we were putting too much pressure on this thing we're doing."

Staring at her partner, Brennan knew that calling this meeting a date had inserted a barrier between them that shouldn't have been there. "Over the years, we have met many times at the Founding Fathers and at the Royal Diner. We have eaten meals and drunk copious amounts of wine, whiskey and beer as well as coffee and milk shakes and it never seemed wrong or unusual. This time, we have named what we are doing and that made it seem different when it wasn't."

"So we've been dating for years, but we just didn't call it that." Surprised, Booth could see her point. "You may be right . . . yeah, I can see that." Amused, Booth shook his head. "You know, count on us to get our lives mixed up like this."

Chuckling, Brennan shook her head and sipped the last of her wine. "Thank you for inviting me here tonight. I like it. I think we should do more of this dating thing."

"I think we should too." Finishing his wine, Booth placed his glass towards the side of the table, moved his hand across the table and grasped Brennan's free hand. "We can take this thing slowly, Bones. No rush. We'll work on our problems, my anger and your imperviousness and do this dating thing and I think before we know it, we'll be at that last line. When we get there, we can cross it together."

"Yes, an excellent plan, Booth." Brennan stared her hand clasped in Booth's hand. "I do think it would be wise to not mention what we are doing to Sweets. He is . . . unpredictable and his advice has had a deleterious effect on us in the past."

Slowly nodding his head, Booth agreed that Brennan had made a valid point. "And Angela too. We're not going to talk to either one of them about our dating. They're both nosy as hell and they think they know what's best for us when they don't. We have to do this thing by ourselves and we don't need anyone pushing us to do things their way."

"Alright, I won't tell Angela either." Brennan smiled and looked into Booth's warm brown eyes. "They will be surprised when we finally start a personal relationship."

"Maybe and maybe not. Who knows what those two think?" Releasing her hand, Booth raised his hand to get the attention of the bartender. "I think one more glass of wine won't hurt us and maybe in a little while, we can go for a walk and just enjoy the evening."

"An excellent plan, Booth."

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