A/N: Thanks to having spent pretty much all yesterday in bed feeling like death, I couldn't get a wink of sleep and seeing as all my tossing & turning was just annoying the hell out of my wonderfully patient other half, I decided to get up and finish this just for you guys. Thank you for all the get well soon messages, they were very sweet and put an enormous smile back on my face. Thanks as ever to the wonderful Ava, Little Miss Muse herself.

"Tell her not to cry, I just got scared that's all.
Tell her I'll be by her side, all she has to do is call.
All she has to do is call.
Tell her something in my heart needs her more
Than clowns need the laughter of the crowd.
Tell her what was wrong.
Tell her I sometimes think too much, but say nothing at all.
Tell her nothing if not this, all I want to do is kiss her."

'Tell Her This', Del Amitri

oo00oo

Booth sat in his SUV outside his building, staring up at the lit window to his apartment.

I know that Parker's fine with Hodgins. I know that seeing Bones and getting this whole mess between us straightened out is the right thing to do. I know Angela will kick my ass if I don't go. So why am I still here?

He glanced down at the clock on the dashboard.

4:42pm. He had to be at Wong Foos in 18 minutes.

So why am I still sat here?

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

You know exactly why. You're chicken shit, plain and simple. You just can't stand another rejection. Not from her.

He looked down at the little toy pig on the passenger seat, feeling his heart pound just at the sight of it and what it meant to him.

Would Angela have set all this up if she didn't really think it was going to work?

He picked Jasper up, absently twirling the toy round his fingers.

But Angela was wrong before, wasn't she? She told me to go and see Bones, that she felt the same way about me as I do about her, but when I went to kiss her all I got was an angry tirade. All I got was rejection.

He slammed the pig down on to the passenger seat and rested his forehead against the steering wheel.

But this is Bones you're talking about, Seeley. She probably just got scared, that's all. Same as you are right now. So suck it up, soldier. Go and see her, tell her exactly what you feel about her. Tell her that you love her. What's the worse that can happen?

Booth screwed his eyes closed.

That she tells me she loves me too and I still have to leave tomorrow. In a way, that would be worse than ever knowing for sure. I don't want to be just another person who deserted her, I don't want to be just another reason for her to cut herself off from the people she cares about.

He stared down at the clock. 17 minutes…

Seeley Booth, your whole life you've fought for what you knew was right, both literally and figuratively. Don't you think it's right to see Temperance, don't you think it's right to let her know the truth?

He shook his head, not quite believing that he was arguing with himself.

You can't just leave her hanging. At least this way, you'll both know where you stand. And when you get back in a couple of months, you can start fresh. Maybe even with the woman you love. It's only a couple of months.

Seeley jammed his key in to the ignition and sped off in to the dusk, wishing the roar of the engine had drowned out his last thought, the one he never dared to voice.

Or it could be an eternity. I'm going to war. I might never come back.

oo00oo

Brennan stared out of the passenger window of Angela's car without really seeing the city rushing by, absorbed in her own thoughts as she wrapped the black pashmina tighter around herself, more for comfort than warmth.

Sighing heavily, she self-consciously ran a hand through her perfectly styled hair, feeling a little uncomfortable in the dress that Angela had picked out for her. After all, they were only going to Booth's apartment.

She blinked, suddenly seeing where they were.

Hang on…

She turned to Angela with a frown.

"This isn't the way to Booth's. Where are we going?"

Angela's face dimpled with a sly smile as she winked at her friend.

"You'll see."

Brennan felt herself stiffen as the tangle of nerves in her stomach seemed to tighten.

No, this isn't right. I was prepared to meet Booth on his territory, give him that psychological advantage so that he'd be more prepared to forgive me. That's what all those books recommend. At least, I think it is. Of course, if Angela's taking us both to neutral ground, then he might feel more comfortable.

She sighed heavily and rolled her eyes to herself.

God, I hate psychology…

Brennan cast a sideways glance at the artist.

"Ange, seriously. What's going on?"

She smiled broadly as she glanced at her friend.

"I told you, sweetie, friends fix things for you. I fixed the time and place…"

She pulled to a stop in the parking lot outside Wong Foos and turned to face the anthropologist, a gentle hand on her arm.

"…But now you have to fix the rest."

Brennan just stared at her, blinking rapidly. Slowly, she nodded and clambered out of the car.

Staring up at the neon sign, the nervousness she felt inside began to take control.

What on earth are you doing here? Telling Booth that you love him… It's going to change everything, your whole relationship, not to mention your partnership at work. And he still has to leave tomorrow, even if it is only for a couple of months. Not to mention the fact that you don't know if he's going to forgive you for how you acted yesterday. Are you sure you want to do this?

Brennan's nerves untangled a little as she realised that was a decision she had made months ago without even thinking about it.

Of course I want to do this. I want him.

Swallowing hard, she let Angela guide her inside. Walking through the archway in to the main area of the restaurant, Brennan let out a gasp of surprise.

All the tables had been removed to leave just one in the middle of the floor, draped in crisp white linen with a vase on top containing three roses, one white, one yellow and one red.

Loyalty, friendship and love. How apt…

The whole room was lit by strategically placed candles, the booths draped with pink and red fairy lights that created a strangely comforting sense of warmth. The strains of violins drifted from somewhere unseen and Brennan focused on the music.

"What is that? Beethoven?"

"No. I'm surprised at you Doctor Brennan. I took you for something of a classical aficionado."

The deep voice made her jump and she spun to find Sid emerging from behind the bar, a wide grin plastered on his face.

"It's the 'Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet' by Nina Rota. Beautiful, isn't it?"

Brennan smiled back.

"Yes, it really is, just like what you've done with the place. It truly is breathtaking, Sid."

He moved over to kiss her on the cheek, a gesture that took her more than a little by surprise.

"Just as you are, Doctor Brennan. Truly breathtaking."

He moved away, winking at Angela leaning on the archway.

"It's good to see you two kids have finally come to your senses. I thought I was going to have to knock your damned heads together… Anyway, this is well worth closing up the place to the regular joes for."

He disappeared somewhere back behind the bar with a grin and Brennan just smiled, crossing to the table to admire the roses as Angela appearing by her side.

"I would say good luck, sweetie, but looking like you do, I highly doubt you'll need it."

The anthropologist did her best not to blush as Angela pulled her in to a tight hug, squeezing her carefully so as not to wrinkle the dress. When she eventually pulled away, her eyes were prickling with tears.

"I'm so happy for you, Bren. For both of you."

She scuttled away, wiping her eyes, as Brennan looked around. Wandering about the restaurant, she admired the numerous candles and fairy lights. Staring up at the twinkling lights above her, she felt a familiar sensation in the pit of her stomach.

Booth's here…

She turned just in time to see his back retreating through the archway.

He's leaving?

Hitching up her skirt with one hand, Brennan ran as fast as she could in her dangerously high heels, chasing him out to the parking lot where he was stood completely motionless beside his SUV, the keys dangling from the hand hanging limply by his side.

Coming to a halt a few feet behind him, she swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Seeley…?"

He started but didn't turn, didn't make any move to show he was willing to go back inside. The nerves returning, Brennan took a tentative step towards him, her voice sounding far more confident than she felt.

"Booth, I… I didn't arrange any of this, it was all Angela's doing. She said that I needed to fix things between us and she's right. Of course, now I'm not so sure that this was the correct way to do it."

Still he said nothing. She took another step closer.

"The things I said yesterday… None of it was true, Booth. I hope you realise that. I'd hate for you to leave thinking that I hated you when in actual fact, it's quite the opposite."

She watched the back of his head as he nodded slowly, willing him to turn around.

"I know you probably think that all of this is incredibly unlike me and, well, you'd be right. After all, you're the stodgy traditionalist when it comes to love and relationships and I'm well aware that I can come off cold and detached sometimes, but doesn't that just show the effort I'm making here? For you, Seeley. I'm making the effort for you. I mean, just look at this dress for Heaven's sake…"

Still he didn't move. She took one more step, swearing it would be her last, her voice betraying both her exasperation and her fear.

"Seeley, please, just look at me."

He raised his head and she heard him sigh heavily. Slowly, he turned around and the look in his eye caught her breath. Swallowing hard, he began to speak and she had to strain to hear him.

"Temperance… All of this, it's just beautiful. You're beautiful. And I know that what you said yesterday was just because you were scared and of course I forgive you. But I need you to see, I need you to understand that you're not the only one who's scared about all this. There's just… there's so much to lose. I've been in love before, with Rebecca, and when that ended… I couldn't bear to have that happen to us, to lose what we already have."

He ran a hand through his hair, his eyes locking on to anything but her.

"What all this means… Everything's about to change and now we're here, now we're finally doing everything I've wanted us to do for so long, I'm just not sure if I can do it."

Brennan's heart fell straight in to the pit of her stomach and she couldn't help but lay a hand over her abdominals, trying to will the nausea away.

He doesn't want me… All of this was for nothing.

Booth's eyes finally locked on to hers and seeing the disappointment there, he took a brisk step forward, closing the gap between them as he shook his head.

"What I mean is I'm not sure that I can stay here with you tonight, have our fancy romantic meal and then still have to leave tomorrow. It was hard enough knowing I'd have to say goodbye to you as a friend but now… I can't stay with you and I'm just… I don't want you to think that I'm leaving you because I'm not. I could never leave you."

She forced a smile on to her lips, caught in the depths of his brown eyes.

"I know, Seeley. I know. Just like I know that I can cope with a couple of months without you as long as you tell me that you're coming back to me. You've never once broken a promise to me, Booth, not once. So promise me you're coming home."

He stared at her, his eyes sad.

"Temperance…"

She crossed the final gap between them, shaking her head as she gripped his arm, well aware of the tears brewing in her eyes.

"Seeley Booth, I love you and that terrifies me. I've never loved anyone before, not like this. I didn't even believe in it, not until I met you. So tell me you're coming home and, as irrational as it is, I know I'll be ok, that we'll be ok."

He cupped her face with his hand, brushing away a single tear with his thumb.

"Then I promise. I promise I'm coming home to the woman I love."

He grinned at her as he added the sentence he knew might result in violence.

"I'm coming home to Cameron Diaz…"

Brennan's eyes widened.

Who the hell is Cameron Diaz? If I ever meet that woman…

Booth had to suppress a laugh.

"Bones, she's a Hollywood actress. You know I love you. And I'm coming home to you. Only you."

She offered up a sheepish smile as she leaned in closer.

"So did I fix it?"

He leaned in too, his hand resting on her hip, and she felt the warmth of his breath on her cheek, smelt the intoxicating scent of his aftershave, heard the rapid beat of his heart thumping in time with hers.

"Yeah Bones, you fixed it."

Together, they bridged the final gap. Their lips brushed together lightly, sending bolts of electricity up and down Brennan's spine as she let her hand snake up his back, her fingers tangling in his hair. One arm around her waist, he pulled her closer to him, his other hand travelling from her face and up through her hair as their kiss became deeper, hungrier, more urgent, their months of waiting finally over.

Brennan felt the rest of the world melt away as she explored the taste of him, clutching to him as if her life depended on it, letting herself get swept away in the gentle urgency of his touch. Right then and there, nothing else mattered. There was no-one else in the universe but them, nothing but this kiss, nothing but the joy and nervous excitement coursing through her veins.

The rational side of her brain told her that it was simply the release of endorphins, a chemical reaction creating serotonin that was making her feel like she was hovering ten feet above the ground while wrapped safe in his muscular arms.

For the first time in as long as she could remember, Doctor Temperance Brennan ignored her rational brain and surrendered to her heart. She surrendered to him.

Seeley Booth. The man I love. The man I've always loved. The man who loves me.

A/N: Check out the slushiness! If that's even a word... Anyone that knows me or has read any of my other Bones fics knows that I don't actually like putting BB together and have never done it before. I wasn't even sure I was going to do it in this but my anniversary is coming up in a couple of days (four years and counting, and no, we're not married) so the slush probably ain't gonna end anytime soon! The next chapter should be up this evening, seeing as I think I've now managed to curb the vomit reflex...