A/N: First off, I'm really sorry it's taken so long to get this final chapter to you. I'm currently holding down two jobs and that's sadly left me little time to do any of this. Hence my second apology. This chapter was written in about 45 minutes so if it feels rushed or an inadequate end to this story, I really am immensenly sorry. Nevertheless, this is what you get kiddies, I just hope you like it more than me.

And finally, I just want to say an enormous thank you to every single person who read and reviewed this. My intention was for it to only be a few little one shots based around some good lyrics I've heard over the years but, with your encouragement, it seemed to take a life of it's own. So thank you everybody, you really made my day. Well, month actually. Huge thank yous to Mariah, Bella, Goldpiece, Lynn, Shauna, PeachesGirl and of course, Ava my cheerleader extraordinaire. You guys are the reason this site's so good. Now that's more than enough from me. Thank you again.

"Stay by me and make the moment last.
Please take these lips, even if I've been kissed a million times,
And I don't care if there's no tomorrow
When I could die here in your arms.
Even if the stars have made us blind, we're blind,
So blind in love."

'Stay By Me', Annie Lennox

oo00oo

Temperance Brennan closed her eyes with a contented sigh, wrapping her arms around herself in the cool breeze to warm up a little. Slowly, she blinked her eyes open again, staring up in the autumnal sky.

The clouds hung heavy above her, their bellies bleeding gold against the salmon pinks and raging reds of the sunset. It was all just so beautiful, so peaceful.

Brennan had been to many parts of the world and seen many a sunset in her time, but this one was different. Before, whenever she saw the dying of the day, it meant nothing. It was just the natural process of the planet rotating during its orbit of the sun. It was just the way of the world.

Not anymore.

Now every sunset had significance. She finally understood the power the sun had over the ancient civilisations like the Egyptians and the Aztecs, all with their Gods and rituals surrounding its influence. Now she had her own rituals and her own God which she worshipped without question and would follow for the rest of her life.

Now she had Booth.

Brennan slowly got to her feet, crossing the porch and leaning against the wooden railing, her eyes still fixed on the clouds rolling past above the silhouetted trees. A relaxed smile curved her lips as her eyes trailed down to the scene below her.

Her partner was strolling up the winding path, a broad grin on his face directed at the adolescent blonde marching along beside him. The boy walked with the easy movements of someone totally confident in their own skin. Just like his father. The lad tossed a baseball up in the air, caught it, and flung it up again. Just like his father.

Brennan's smile grew as she watched the pair of them. Father and son. All together, they were the family she never had growing up. At least, almost all.

The gentle gurgle of giggling bubbled up from nearby and Brennan turned, crossing the porch to the bassinette by the bench. The anthropologist leant down, brushing the dark hair off the baby's petite face.

I can't resist just staring at the architecture of her features. I can already see Booth in her structure. I see his nose, his smile, his eyes, and there's even the same look of love in them. But I also see my mother in those cheeks, those lips. That's why I chose her real name, that's why I called her Ruth. Because although she might be dead, I see my mother in my child.

She felt a gentle hand on the small of her back, her partner's touch trailing up her spine to rest on her shoulder. Brennan felt his eyes shift from her to their little girl.

And to think I never considered having children. Now, I have no idea why. Now, I can't imagine anything more rewarding, more perfect. I suppose it's the human genetic make-up, the way we're coded to protect our own. I guess before I was simply trying to beat the anthropological rules we all live our lives by day after day. And only now do I realise just how rewarding those rules can be.

Booth squeezed her shoulder slightly, laying a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"She really is beautiful."

Brennan smiled, unable to tear her eyes away from her giggling little girl.

"Yes, she really is."

Parker's blonde head peeked over the edge of the bassinette, looking back up at them with a cocked eyebrow.

"She's pink. She's really, really pink. And tiny. I mean, look at those fingers."

Booth chuckled beside her as Brennan caught the boy's eye. Parker grinned, shrugged and wandered back inside the house. She turned back to her partner with a sarcastic roll of her eyes.

"Like father, like son."

He grinned at her, wrapping his strong arms around her waist and pulling her towards him.

"Well, then you're a very lucky woman."

Brennan couldn't keep the smile from pulling at the corners of her mouth as she cupped his face with her hand, the dying light glinting off the ring on her finger.

I never wanted children. I never wanted marriage. I thought it was an antiquated custom and utterly pointless within today's society.

But then that was before Booth. He's changed me, he's made me a better person. His emotions, his way with people, his moral codes and everything else about him, they've made me venture back in to the world. Being with him has made me embrace the world I only observed before.

She was caught in his gaze, her smile growing with every racing beat of her heart, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes, I really am lucky."

He smiled, leaning in towards her to lock her lips with his own. As he inched closer, she felt her breath catch in her throat.

How is it that after all this time together, all these years, he still gives me butterflies? Just the sound of his voice makes my pulse race, just the touch of his hand sends bolts of electricity through my body, just catching his eye gives me shivers… After all this time, he still…

Their lips met and Brennan's mind went blank. It always did.

His touch was soft and warm, his breath sweet against her skin. Her eyes sliding closed, she let her lips part a little, let herself taste him again. Their tongues dancing against one another, she felt his grip tighten around her waist, pulling her body flat against his own. Brennan hooked one arm around his neck, pulling him deeper in to their kiss as her other arm traced the lines of the muscles flexing in his back.

Feeling him shudder slightly against her, she smiled in to the kiss and knew he was doing the same.

So this is what love is. This is what it feels like to love and to be loved.

She lost herself in his embrace yet again. Every worry, every concern, every thought just dissolved on the cool evening breeze, not that she felt it anymore. In his arms, she never felt cold and she never felt scared. Although she was more than capable of taking care of herself, she felt protected when she was with him, she felt safe.

She felt like she was home.

oo00oo

The turbulence of the flight stirred Booth from his slumber. About to wipe the sleep from his eyes, he suddenly realised he couldn't move his arm. Still not fully awake, he looked down with a confused frown. What he saw immediately put a smile on his weary face.

His arm was hooked around his partner, who was curled up across the seats, one foot dangling in the aisle. Her head lolling against his shoulder, she had one arm round his waist and the other in his lap where she had a firm grasp on his hand.

Booth was enthralled by her, just watching the light play across her face and how the shadows danced and enhanced her beautiful features.

She really is structured very well…

Smiling slightly, he carefully adjusted his position so that he could get a better look at her. She was smiling too, her eyes shifting below the closed lids.

I wonder what she's dreaming about. I wonder if it's me.

Less than a month or two ago, he would have chastised himself for ever thinking such a thing about his partner. But then, that was before.

They were returning home together to what he knew would be a whole new life. Neither of them could deny that. After all, they were taking the first steps in to a new relationship that might only be strained by the fact that they worked together.

He laid a soft kiss on her forehead, the scent of her hair dizzying him for a moment.

It won't make things strained. It'll make us stronger. We're partners in every sense of the word. This is going to work, I know it. It has to. Because without her, none of it matters. I know that now.

He pulled back a little, raising her hand still clutched in his own and kissing it gently. She shifted in her seat slightly as her lips parted, causing him to freeze. He didn't want to wake her. She needed rest and nothing in the world would make him wake her now.

Brennan relaxed against his shoulder again and Booth couldn't help but sigh in relief. But he froze again only moments later when one word escaped her lips.

"Seeley…"

Booth couldn't keep the grin from his face as he realised she really was dreaming about him. Things were perfect.

He pulled her closer to him, shuffling down in his seat to rest his head against hers. Closing his eyes, he sighed contentedly.

Everything's finally working out. Everything's just…just perfect.

He felt himself slipping back towards sleep, his mind drifting to all the new possibilities that were awaiting them when they got back.

Her whispering voice close to his ear surprised him, making him jump.

"I love you…"

The grin was now plastered to his face as he turned his hooded eyes back to her.

"I love you too, Temperance. Sweet dreams."

Drifting away again, he was vaguely aware of the pilot's voice announcing when they would reach Washington. Booth didn't care.

He was already home.

A/N: Forgot to mention, I have the day off tomorrow so I'm gonna start properly drafting the sequel to The Man In The Lecture Hall. The first couple of chapters should be up within the week but I should warn you that my infamous rapid updates might not be so fast anymore. I promise to never leave you dangling too long though! Thank you again to everyone for reading. I just hope you enjoyed the ride.