Hi again, yes, I've updated again :D I hope you enjoy this chapter. I love the bit with the rose personally, tell me if you like it too! I hope you enjoy this chapter, another labor of love!

Brennan knelt by her mother's grave, a single white rose twirling between her fingers, a petal slowly breaking off and drifting onto the dew sprinkled grass beneath her feet. Booth touched the small of her back and they both knelt, her hair falling in front of her face, and she delicately brushed it away. Booth nodded at her, encouraging her to speak.

'Hey mom.' Her throat clogged up and Booth gently stroked her neck with his fingers, his breath ruffling her hair. She gingerly touched his hand and he obligingly knelt next to her, staring at the beveled lettering on the tombstone as Brennan tried to shake the feeling of guilt that was irrationally bearing down on her shoulders. 'I… Booth's with me.' Booth smiled a little to himself and Brennan shook slightly as his fingers traced the raised white flesh on her back. 'Booth I fail to see how this is helping.' She whispered to him.

'Bones. Trust me on this.' She looked askance at him, still unbelieving. He took the rose from her fingers and laid it on the soft grass just in front of the granite stone. She paused and then picked it up again, her skin catching on the thorn and a small bead of blood slowly dripped from her finger and landed, scarlet bright on the fresh grass. She looked directly into his eyes.

'Okay. Mom… I miss you.' Her eyes were swimming with tears and Booth pressed his lips to her hand. 'And… I want you to know that… I don't blame dad and you for leaving me because… I love you.' Booth nodded and smiled.

'You're doing good Bones.' She thanked him quietly, still uncertain of what to say.

'Mom… you never met Booth, I'm sorry I couldn't have saved you. But Booth and I… I know I was never normal in my fascination with dead things, but… I finally found someone who loves me. Mom… I love you.' Her eyes were once again filled with tears, and this time, Booth gently enfolded her in his embrace, as the rose lay lonely and desolate on the gray granite slab. Booth moved closer to the polished headstone.

'Christine? Bones' mom… hi.' Brennan clung onto his shoulder, not in desperation, but so that she could hear every word that was being muttered softly to the ground in front of him. 'Your daughter is amazing, the most amazing girl I have ever met in my life and I'm blessed to have her. Thank you.' Brennan felt her eyes welling up, a tear rolling slowly down her cheek as she tried to stop them.

'Booth… I… I…' She trailed off and couldn't speak. Booth pressed his lips to her forehead.

'It's okay.' He whispered, gently trailing his fingers up and down her arm. She felt a tear slide down her cheek and Booth wipe it away without a single word. Booth had metaphorically touched her heart, made her in touch with what she had lost. She felt her heart race and the blood rise in her cheeks, giving her pale face some color and warming her from the inside. Booth's touch caused heat wherever his skin touched hers and she felt lines of fire running from the slightest feel of him.

'Did you mean that…?'

'Bones. I love you. That's it. There's nothing else to it.' Booth leaned over and kissed her on the mouth gently, stroking her hair with one hand until she finally relaxed.

'Mom… I wish you could be here.' And suddenly she burst into uncontrollable sobs, dissolving completely as Booth tried to keep her strong. Her face as blotchy and red from tears, her hair tangled from her hand constantly running through it in desperation. 'I wish you were here…' She hadn't cried at her mother's funeral very much, and now she was in complete floods, unable to stop or even think straight as grief completely controlled her emotions.

oOo

Sweets observed the two people sitting in front of him, watched the way Booth held Brennan's hand gently, almost as if she was going to break.

'So, Agent Booth, Doctor Brennan how is your relationship progressing?' Sweets asked them as they sat together, careful to keep their body language colloquial and at a certain distance to one another.

'It's okay, no issues have risen.' Brennan stated coolly, keeping her composure and her voice flat as she tried to speak.

'Doctor Brennan, are you sure? Your tone of voice indicates that there is an issue that you are trying to keep still and flat. Am I correct?' Brennan chanced a look at Booth. Booth smiled, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

'Well…' Booth started, and then paused, noticing how Brennan was shaking slightly. 'You okay?' He whispered to her, pressing down on her hand.

'I'm fine. Tell him.'

'Tell me what?' Sweets looked baffled. 'Guys, I thought we were friends!'

'Sweets… you're our psychologist.' Brennan told him, crossing her arms. 'Can you really be our friend whilst also psychologically assessing us?' Sweets looked at her.

'I can, Doctor Brennan, you know what I was like at the hospital when you,' He indicated Booth with his hand. 'Had the brain tumor. I had no composure.' Brennan nodded and let Booth's other hand roam over her back almost absent-mindedly.

'Okay. Booth, do you want to tell him?' Brennan asked her partner in hurried whispers. He smiled.

'Sure.' Sweets looked at him.

'Agent Booth, I reiterate. Tell me what?'

'Doctor Brennan and I… we are now a couple.' Brennan touched his hand with her fingers and them moved it to place her palm flat on his forearm.

'Romantically involved.' Brennan supplied for Sweets, who was looking completely baffled by this piece of news.

'No, I got that the first time.' Booth pressed his hand against the small of her back where it always rested, always and it seemed forever. It was reassuring and Booth knew it.

'So how did this happen?' Sweets still looked completely in shock, still staring at them both as if they'd grown an extra head. Booth shrugged, but Brennan began to speak.

'I told Booth about my scars. I told him who did it. He knew the case; he knew what the man would have done to me. I spilled my heart out to him and he didn't call me back. And then a few days later he called me on my cell and came over. I have a photo of the man under a pot on my table and he found it. We had an argument, I ran out, and then he chased me.' Brennan relayed the facts in perfect chronological order and Sweets' mouth dropped open slightly.

'Bones, you missed a bit.'

'I did?'

'Yeah, you missed out the part where we kissed.' He smiled his trademark smile. Her favorite smile. Sweets still looked flabbergasted.

'Well, I wish you all the best.' He managed out as they left when half an hour of silence had elapsed.

'Thanks Sweets.' Booth clapped a hand on his shoulder and placed an arm around Brennan's shoulders. When the door had closed, he turned to her.

'Temperance, I need to tell you something. The scars on my wrist… there are others. I told you about them but they may have slipped your mind. I have more…'

Note the use of Brennan's name? It's going to happen more often. More scars! Means another chapter (yes, I want this to last as long as possible :L)

Okay, on an random note, if you review, tell me the strangest place you played Hide-And-Go-Seek. Yes, random.

Reviewsies?

They make me happy (: (and believe me, I need some happiness, my counselor thinks I'm depressed :D)