Booth shifted in the driver's seat. "Maybe you just need a couple days off."

"I'm alright now." I turned to look at him, a familiar tightening in my chest. I chuckled nervously. "Except I- I made a mistake." I stared at him, still unsure if I wanted him to know this. But Angela told me once: "Give up a piece of yourself every once in a while. Tell somebody something you're not entirely sure you want them to know." This was as deep a secret as I could reveal. Maybe it was time for me to take the leap of faith that I couldn't all those months ago in front of the Hoover.

He looked me in the eye for longer than was safe, his fear and apprehension clear. "Naw I- I told you my opinion. I mean you got it right."

I fought down the fluttering in my stomach and shook my head. "Not everything." We continued to stare at each other. I could feel the heat of fear spread through my body. Every impulse, every instinct that I had screamed for me to leave the situation, to back track like I had so many times before. But I met Booth's gaze, I did not flinch.

He looked away from me, pain evident behind his eyes. He was the only person in the word whom I could read. And I could see that he feared what I might say next. But I continued.

"She died with regrets." I felt tears beginning to form, but I refused to lower my head. I had been running for too long. It was time to face my reality, whether I got hurt in the end or not.

He scoffed quietly, nervously. "Come on, Bones, everybody has regrets." His voice caught ever so slightly on the last word. Not knowing how to respond, I chuckled anxiously.

"I heard her. You know?"

I tried to smile at him, but he turned towards the road. Emotions had never been something I let into my life. I built walls, dams, and bridges so I could avoid the dark, deep water. I refused to let myself drown, I wouldn't even let one toe dip in the water. But now, my dams were crumbling, my bridges were falling, and I needed a way to stay afloat. I turned to my last remaining scapegoat- logic.

"Micah says that all we get are these…" I chuckled, remembering the lovable security guard. "…dim, staticy messages from the universe."

Booth was clearly distressed, he glanced from me to the road. "Who is this Micah guy?"

I nodded slightly. "The night watchman. But he attends a lot of lectures. Anyway, the point is…" I paused. Could I really do this? After years of hiding, and countless times of starting and pulling back, could I reveal so much of myself to him? Could I allow myself to swing that last, devastating blow and break my weakening dam? Or should I stop, retreat in on myself, patch up my walls, rebuild my bridges, hide away from the dark and swirling water? No. I had to let myself fall apart at some point. I had to trust someone with information I wasn't entirely sure I wanted them to know.

Booth looked at me, apprehension clear on his tight features. But I kept going. I had passed the point of no return.

"She never gave him a chance." My voice wavered as I spoke, revealing the emotions behind my walls. I watched my partner carefully, my heart beating wildly in my chest. There, it was out there, I had thrown a glove onto a bridge and whether or not someone chose to reach out and take it, it was there. My stomach was hot, and the tightness in my chest grew worse.

"Micah?" Booth asked, sounding almost hopeful.

"No." I shook my head, my voice falling. "The helicopter pilot. He offered himself to her but she never gave him a chance." At that, I broke. My voice rose with my distress and the tears began to well in my eyes. I took a moment before speaking again. "That was her regret."

There. I had said it. He understood, but I had to say it aloud. I had to finish everything, finally tell him what I should have told him years ago. But he stared at me, furrowing his brows, ad asking silent questions.

"I got the signal Booth. I don't want to have any regrets." The weight in my stomach grew heavier, and my heart twitched painfully as I struggled through each word. I love you. Oh god Booth I love you.

I closed my mouth, letting silence fill the car. My entire heart was ripped out of my chest and laid down for him to see. My dam was leaking, my bridges were no longer sound. He made eye contact with me. Everything behind those warm brown eyes screamed pain. He took a breath, I could sense his voice before he spoke. I felt my face fall, my eyes betraying my fear and anxiety.

"You know, I'm with someone." He spoke barely above a whisper. "And uh, Hannah, she's not a consolation prize. I love her." I turned away from him, tears threatening to spill over my cheeks. The dam broke. I was drowning in years of trapped pain and I couldn't seem to be able to fight my way to the surface. My lungs filled, my eyes burned, I was surrounded on all sides. I couldn't get away. I bent my head down to my chest, sobbing. I had never felt pain this intense. I really was drowning, and there was no one to pull me to safety. My only life line was watching me drift down into the deep and he couldn't do anything to save me.

I breathed deeply, refusing to let him see me at my most vulnerable. He knew now. All those years wondering, and I just told him. I had ripped out my own heart and handed it to him. I forced him to make a choice. And in that instant, he broke my heart in two to save the woman that he loved. I shouldn't have told him. Now I was left with the pieces of a broken heart, and no way to heal.

"You know, the last thing I want to do is hurt you, but those are the facts."

I couldn't open my eyes, I couldn't see him. If I saw his face, everything would be real. When I finally opened my eyes and raised my head, tears ran races down my cheeks.

"I understand." My voice cracked with each word. I finally forced myself to look at him, he stared at the road. I looked away, the pain was unbearable. "I missed my chance."

A small, pained laugh came from my lips. "My whole world turned upside down." I glanced over at my partner. "I can adjust." I said, more to convince myself than anything else. I raised my hand to wipe away the tears than escaped from my eyes.

"I did." He answered me, carefully and quietly.

My voice was breathy and pained. "Yes, you did." Why hadn't I taken his offer at the Hoover? Why had I been so scared? I was afraid of losing myself in the torrent of water that would overwhelm me. I was afraid to break my dams. And that was what I just did. Before I could stop myself, I laughed just a little. I looked at him, terrified he would ask. But he didn't notice. I looked back at the road.

He was in pain, he was broken just like I was. "Do you want me to- uh- call someone? To be with you?"

I couldn't speak for several seconds. And when I finally did, my voice quivered, shaky and unsteady. "No, I'm fine. Alone." Even when I had hurt him, even when I had thrown him a choice between the woman he loved and me, he still thought of me. He still cared, even if I wasn't the one he wanted to see at the end of every day. "Thanks."

I leaned my head against the seat and closed my eyes. We were about five minutes from my apartment and I was silent for the rest of the ride. Booth pulled up in front of my building, and I opened the car door. But as I stood, he reached over and grabbed my wrist. Instinctively, I recoiled from his touch. Suddenly his faced flashed with pain and understanding. He realized how much pain he had caused me and he let my wrist go immediately.

"I'm- I'm sorry Temperance." I could only nod as the tears began anew. I couldn't even thank him for how kind he was, I just turned and fought every urge to run at top speed into my building. I didn't hear him drive off until I was through the door, but I never once looked back. Funky music was playing in the lobby. All the night guards liked to play weird and upbeat music to dance along to. They even changed the elevator music every night. I smiled through my pain and stepped onto the empty elevator.

As I stepped into my apartment, I grabbed the remote to my stereo and pressed play. I wanted some loud music to lose myself in. But as I kicked off my shoes and leaned against the corner, a deeply familiar beat reverberated around my apartment. My knees gave out and I sunk to the floor, sobbing. Tears streamed down my face, and I didn't try to stop them. I buried my face in my legs, gripping my thighs tight to my chest. I let myself cry, reliving all of the times I had tried to tell Booth how I felt about him. All the times I backtracked and later had to patch up my leaking dams and bridges. I relived the night he offered himself to me and I denied him. And as "Hot Blooded" came to a close, I could only form one thought. He knows. Yes I am hurt, but he knows. He finally knows.