A/N: Right sorry for the slight delay, this took a while to write. Hope its ok; it was a tad difficult to write as well. Back at school now and with exams this week and next might not be anything for a while. Good Luck to all that have exams and please review. Now enjoy:)

Stage 5

The journey to Brennan's apartment in Booths SUV was uneventful as Booth and Brennan sat in companionable silence. Booth tapping his fingers on the steering wheel in time to the tune on the radio, while Brennan gazed out the window. They both occasionally glanced at each other but apart from the sound of the tapping of Booths fingers there was silence.

Pulling into Brennan's parking complex Booth got her door. Brennan looked at him wonderingly for a second then timidly ventured.

"Do you want to come up?"

Booth nodded a yes and they both moved towards the apartment building. Moving towards Brennan's apartment Booth took notice of Brennan's apartment number for the first real time. '2B'. Made him think of an old quote from Shakespeare from long ago school days. 'To be or not to be? That is the question', and while Brennan rooted in her purse for her keys Booth took the time to study her. He had felt a growing attraction for the doctor for a while now and really hoped that 'this', whatever 'this' was, was to be.

Finally locating her keys Brennan pushed her door open. Throwing her coat and purse on the sofa she turned back to Booth.

"Make yourself at home" she said while gesturing to the room, which Booth noted with some amusement still possessed no Television. "Beer?"

Booth nodded. "Please". Sitting on the sofa and stretching slightly he gestured round the room with his hand and smiled when Brennan handed him a beer. "Still no TV eh Bones".

"No" she replied "I still don't see the point of owning one if I never watch it"

Booth laughed, "Ah, but, do you not watch it because you don't own one or would you still not watch it even if you owned one?"

Brennan looked at Booth a little bemused "There's a difference?"

Booth sighed and rearranged himself on the sofa. This put him closer to Brennan in what he thought was quite a sneaky way. However judging by the raised eyebrow on her face he was sadly mistaken. She hadn't hit him yet so he took that as a good sign.

Settling down into another comfortable silence Booth and Brennan were left alone with their thoughts.

Brennan sipped her beer contemplating what had happened that evening. It was amazing how her doubts and inhibitions had fled for a few hours, but, now sitting on her sofa, alone, with Booth, they all came flooding back. Watching Booth out of the corner of her eye she sighed inwardly. 'What do I do?' she wondered to herself. 'Do I let it go or do I try for a relationship. I'm not entirely sure of my own feelings and don't know anything about how Booth feels. Angela keeps pushing it. But could it be possible. Is there something there?'

Booth meanwhile couldn't get the dance out of his head. The way that Brennan fit in his arms as if she was supposed to be there. In his mind; always and forever. He was willing to try for this, he hoped that she was too. There was something there. He just felt it. He wondered if she did too.

Turning towards each other at the same time they said.

"Booth"

"Bones"

Booth indicated that Brennan should go first and slightly blushing she put down her drink and took a deep breath.

"Booth, I really don't know about this" she began hesitantly gesturing between them with her hand. Booth moved to interrupt but she held up a hand. "Please, let me get it out or I never will" Seeing Booths nod she continued.

"I'm not sure about this, about us, because whatever it is I'm feeling I've never really felt anything like this before. It's confusing and…" Comprehension dawned on her features as she admitted it out loud for the first time. "Scary, its scary Booth. I'm scared of being left alone, and whenever I let myself get close to someone. They leave". Tears began to fall from her eyes "I can't let that happen Booth. I can't lose you" She broke off with a sob and Booth gathered her in his arms for a hug.

Booth supposed that he should be ecstatic really, she did care for him as much as he did for her. But seeing her cry quashed any feelings of elation. He did know what she meant though. He had no idea what he would ever do if he ever lost His Bones.

When her sobs finally subsided Booth pulled back and holding her face in his hand he used his thumbs to wipe away the trails that the tears had left behind.

"Temperance" he said softly lifting her chin making her meet his eyes. "I can't promise to always be by your side, no one can promise that". She sniffed. "But what I can promise is that I will always care for you, I will never let you go if I can help it and I will always be here for you as long as you will let me"

Peering at her face he waited for her to say something. She sniffed twice more and then put her hands over his and lowered them to her lap.

"Seeley, thank you" Then her lips where on his and the sparks flew.

They both knew that this was the start of something new, and that they would have to go fairly slowly to start with. But they also both knew that it was the start of something good.

About a week later Angela was walking through the lab when she heard Cam's scolding voice from the cloakroom.

"No kissing in the lab". Then she saw her marching back to her to her office in full superior mode. Assuming Zach had been caught with Naomi in Palaeontology again she went to offer support. She could barely contain her squeal as Brennan and Booth appeared around the corner looking slightly ruffled.

Grinning from ear to ear she ran back to her office as fast as her heels would to tell Jack.

Stage 5 complete. Commence Stage 6.