His mind reeled as he pulled away from her, stuck in a passion fuelled haze. He had kissed Bones, and not in the we're just partners kind of way. He had kissed her the way he had always imagined kissing her. Every pent up emotion he had ever felt, every secret glance, every protective motion, every suppressed feeling had gone into that kiss and his heart pounded excitedly inside his chest because he knew she had kissed him back.

It wasn't the right time and he knew it but he was finding it hard to make himself believe it was wrong when it felt so right to have her lips pressed into his. Her skin had felt so smooth underneath where his hands rested on her back, pulling her to him and pressing them together. As they had kissed, exploring each other's mouths with a heated intensity the back of Booth's mind had been screaming at him that he was taking advantage of her weakened state but it had felt so incredible to finally be kissing her that he had shut it out. Her deep throaty cough brought him back to reality and he shook his head to clear it from its haze.

"Bones, I-I'm sorry," he stuttered his hands grasping around her arms, "I didn't mean to."

"Booth, I," she shivered and Booth suddenly noticed the goosebumps that had risen on her damp skin.

"You're freezing," he said rushing to wrap her up in the towel that lay discarded on the floor, all thoughts of the kiss flooding from his mind as he worked to get her warm.

"I'm okay," she said as he rubbed his hands up and down her arms, "I just need to get changed."

"Of course," he flushed again. He had worked so hard to bring her fever down and then left her in wet underwear because he had got so caught up in kissing her.

"Do you..I mean will you be okay doing that on your own...o-or do you need any help?" he asked feeling his cheeks get hot.

"I'll be fine," she assured him, crossing her arms across her chest.

"O-okay, I'll just be outside so call if you need anything," he said racing from the room.

Booth collapsed on the bed after he closed the bathroom door behind her. He was terrified he had ruined whatever relationship they had had by kissing her. He knew how lucky he was that she trusted him as completely as she did as trust was not something that came easily for her and he may have just set them back by giving in to the feelings he had long suppressed. He lifted his head from his hands when a knock sounded on the door and he remembered the room service he had ordered for them while down in the lobby.

He tipped the man who bought up their food and wheeled the trolley into the room, going about setting up a tray with oatmeal, fruit and a glass of orange juice for her, trying to keep his mind off what would no doubt be an awkward conversation when she finally emerged from the bathroom. He began to get nervous when she hadn't come out ten minutes later and after nervously pacing outside the door for a few moments raised his hand and knocked.

"Bones, are you okay in there?" he called.

"No," she called back weakly after a moment.

"Is it okay if I come in?" he asked panicked.

"Okay," she called softly.

He didn't burst through the door like the FBI agent inside of him was begging him to do, but opened it slowly so as not to startle her. She was sitting on the closed toilet lid, dressed in the pyjama's he had left for her.

"Are you okay?" he asked rushing to kneel by her side.

She bit her lip and shook her head and Booth was surprised when she leaned forward and buried her face in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tight when he felt her hot tears wet through the shirt he was wearing.

"Hey, Bones, hey what's the matter?" he asked rubbing her back.

"I'm not used to feeling this way," she sobbed into his chest.

"It's okay," he soothed, "Everyone gets sick once in awhile."

"I don't," she hiccupped.

"It had to happen eventually," he reasoned with her, "And it's okay if you're feeling bad, I'm here to look after you and help you to feel better."

"No," she sniffed pulling back and shaking her head, "I don't need you to look after me."

"I know," he soothed as the tears continued to fall down her cheeks, "But I want to."

"I can't remember the last time someone looked after me," she said softly biting her lip in an effort to stop her tears, "After my parents left and I was put in the system the few times I did get sick I was too scared to tell because I was afraid I would be sent back to the group home or that I'd be in trouble."

"Oh Bones," Booth said sadly, his heart aching for his partner, "There is nothing wrong with needing someone's help every once in awhile."

"If you rely on people they leave," she sniffed sadly.

Booth was a little taken aback with how open and honest she was being with him. In the years they had known one another she had spoken very little about her past and had always kept her cards close to her chest. Her trust was something that had to be earned and even then she usually held something back, to protect herself from whatever evil she thought might be lurking deep down underneath. Her closest friends had long worked out the reasons behind the walls she put up and had worked hard to chip away at them but even then they all knew one little slip up could damage her further than she already was.

Booth knew it was the flu that was making her so forthcoming but he couldn't help but hold onto the little insight like it was the most precious gift anyone had ever given him. She was basically laying out her worst fears for him on the table and he knew that from this point on he could never leave her. If he did he would basically be confirming everything she had ever believed in.

"I'm not going anywhere Bones," he said softly pulling her in to his chest again and wrapping his arms around her, sighing when moments later he felt her arms do the same.

"You can't know that Booth," she said her breath hot on his neck.

"I am but a man of my word," he said confidently, "Now come on let's get you into bed."