Thank you for reading my story. This is the last chapter. Let me know what you think of it.

I don't own Bones.

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Booth spent most of the evening sitting on his recliner staring at the bedroom door or at the clock on his wall. Feeling like he had lost total control of his life, he wasn't sure what he wanted to do anymore. He'd been depressed before, but this time he felt like a gray cloud had enveloped him and there was no hope of seeing through it.

Around 2 a.m., he moved to his bedroom and had lay down on his bed. Sullenly staring at the ceiling, he thought about the mistakes he's made with his life over the last several months and couldn't see how things were going to improve anytime soon. Finally he closed his eyes and fell into a restless sleep.

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Arriving in her office, Angela made sure that Jack hadn't followed her in and hurried over to her desk. While she was alone, she took her phone out of her purse, called the NBC station and asked to speak to Hannah. Impatiently waiting, Angela stared at the painting she'd started of her son, Michael. Her loving thoughts were soon interrupted by Hannah.

"What can I do for you Angela?"

Hannah seemed to be sad, but it was hard to know that for sure. "I was wondering what you decided to do with the information I gave you yesterday."

Spare me from nosy people. Hannah snorted and decided to tell her. "Yeah okay, I've accepted a new overseas assignment. I'm leaving in a few days. I'll be gone for about two years if not longer . . .. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Look Hannah. . ."

She wasn't about to allow Angela to make excuses for her interference. "I get it Angela. You want your friends to get together and I was the obstacle in their path. I may not like your tactics, but I get it . . . I have no intention of staying in a relationship with a man who loves someone else. I'm not stupid and I'm not crazy. I have enough excitement in my life I don't need to add to it."

"So Booth. . . ."

"I moved out last night. It's been interesting knowing you Angela. I'm sure you'll understand if you never hear from me again." Ending her call, Hannah dropped her phone on her desk and stared at the picture she had of Booth sitting on her desk. Slowly, she picked it up and moved her index finger down the side of his face and tried to smile. Tears finally escaped the pools in her eyes. Sad that things hadn't worked out, she placed the picture back down on the desk, booted up her PC and started doing research on the leaders and the political system in Morocco.

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The call clearly ended, Angela stared at her phone for a short while and finally placed it on her desk top. Determined to carry out her mission, she stood up and straightened the necklace around her neck. Leaving her office, she walked over to Brennan's office and peered in to see if her friend was there. Glad to see that Brennan was available, Angela noticed that her friend was staring at a photograph she held in her hand. Firming her resolve, Angela took a deep breath and entered the office.

"Hey Sweetie."

Startled, Brennan Brennan placed the photo face down on her desk and looked at Angela. "Did you need something Angela?"

Standing next to the couch, Angela placed her hands behind her back. "I just got off the phone with Hannah. We, uh . . . well we talk once in awhile and she told me something very interesting that you need to know."

Not really interested in Hannah or Angela's friendship with her, Brennan stared at her friend with an expressionless face.

Nervously, Angela bit her bottom lip and then cleared her throat. "She . . . she told me that she has a new assignment overseas. She's going to be leaving in a few days and she won't be back for at least two years."

That news seemed very sudden. "What about Booth?"

Shaking her head, Angela hoped that her plan would not fall apart. "Hannah said she moved out of his apartment last night. I guess they broke up."

A headache building behind her eyes, Brennan rubbed her forehead, closed her eyes and placed her hand on the photo lying before her.

Angela, knowing when to retreat, left the room quietly.

Oooooooooooooooooo

Disgusted with the way his life was stumbling along, Booth called in sick and left his apartment shortly afterwards. He'd been away from his apartment for about forty minutes, when Brennan arrived. Knocking on his door several times, Brennan soon became very frustrated. Finally reaching in to her purse, she removed the emergency key Booth had given to her years ago and opened the door. Surprised to find the apartment deserted, she walked down to the parking garage to check on his parking spot.

His parking space empty, Brennan walked back to her car and stood next to the driver's side door. Taking her phone out of her purse, she called Booth hoping he would answer.

He heard his phone ring, but chose to ignore it and continued to stare at the sparkling water in the Reflecting Pool. The sun had finally made an appearance and Booth had been staring at the sunlight reflecting off of the water for the last half hour. His mind a blank, Booth gave no thought to who might be calling. He wanted peace and answering the phone would shatter it. He didn't care who was looking for him, he was done. He reached in to his jacket pocket and turned his phone ringer off.

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Walking along the edge of the Reflecting Pool, Brennan finally spied Booth sitting on a bench. He was hunched over and his hands were clasped together. Noticing the soulful look on his face, his eyes closed, Brennan hesitated to move closer. Finally accepting that that wasn't really accomplishing anything, Brennan moved towards the bench, and stopped beside Booth.

"Booth?"

Not looking up, Booth quietly asked her. "How did you know where I was?"

Unable to keep her eyes from staring at his downturned head, she cleared her throat. "Angela traced your phone and told me the general area you were in. I've been looking for awhile."

Not responding, Booth opened his eyes and stared at the water. Brennan, tired and anxious, sat down on the edge of the bench beside him. "Angela told me that Hannah has taken an overseas assignment."

Booth unclasped his hands and leaned back against the bench. Staring at the trees across the pool, Booth finally responded. "Yeah . . . she did."

Uncertain where she was taking the conversation, Brennan commiserated with him. "I'm sorry, Booth . . . I'm sure you'll miss her."

Not willing to betray himself, Booth chose not to speak and looked up at the sky instead.

Nervously, Brennan rubbed the top of her left hand and persevered. "I didn't mean to hurt you Booth . . . "

Clearing his throat, Booth shook his head. "Never mind Bones . . . You hurt me, I hurt you, you hurt me, I hurt you, it's what we do. It's just . . . what we do."

Sad for him and for herself, Brennan started to lean over and touch Booth's knee and thought better of the idea. "I don't want to do that anymore. I know you've heard of the popular definition of madness . . . keep doing the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome? . . . I want us to stop doing the same thing over and over again Booth. I want us to . . . I want to try for a different outcome."

Her tone of voice breaking through his apathy, Booth looked down and studied his partner's sad face. "I don't know what you mean, Bones. You're going to have to be clearer. I probably got an hour of sleep last night . . . I think I've slept three hours in the last two days so my brain is pudding right now."

She opened her mouth, reconsidered her answer, reached out and touched Booth's knee. "I love you Booth. You told me that you love me. I want to . . . " She wasn't sure he really wanted her anymore, but she needed to let him know that things had changed. "I want to do something with that love you feel for me and I feel for you. I want to start seeing you in a more personal relationship . . . Now that Hannah is gone, I want to start the relationship you asked me to try several months ago outside the Hoover. I don't know if I can really give you the love you want, but I am willing to try."

Since he didn't respond, Brennan pressed on. "For a long time, I've told myself that love doesn't really exist, but lately I've discovered a truth about myself . . . I've come to realize that in the past when I denied to you that love was real, I believe I was merely erecting a wall between us that I could use to keep you at a safe distance. Everyone in my life that was supposed to love me has left me, Booth. No one has ever stayed with me. Their love had the power to harm me and it did. I didn't want to give you that power over me too."

He felt a faint hope enter into this thing they had between them and it scared him. "I promised you a long time ago, Bones. I will never leave you. I'm still here. I haven't gone anywhere. I never really did."

Sadly, Brennan stared at the dappling light on the water. "Yes, you are. You are the only one who has done that Booth. My parents, my brother, lovers that I've had in the past. They've all told me that they loved me and when things became complicated, instead of trying to find a way to keep me in their lives they just walked or ran away from me . . . They deserted me, but you didn't do that. Lately, our lives have become very complicated and very sad and yet here you are. You're still my partner and my friend . . . I trust you Booth. You've proved to me that I can trust you when I could trust no one else. What I want to know is, can you trust me? Can you trust me to learn how to love you, to be patient with me as I try to adjust to the fact that you are what I really want in my life and what I really need? Can you wait while I learn to love you the way I think you need to be loved?"

Slowly, Booth reached out and clasped her hand in his hand. "You don't need to learn how to love me or anyone else Bones. You already have a big heart and you already know how to love. You just don't see it. If you need it, I can wait how ever long you need me to. I'm not going anywhere . . . You captured my heart a long time ago. I couldn't walk away from you even if I wanted to and believe me, I don't want to. I love you Bones and I'd do anything for you."

Tears starting to drip down her cheeks, Brennan nodded her head. "What if I told you I don't want you to wait while I learn, that I want you now, Booth?"

Suddenly wrapping his arms around her, Booth leaned his head against her forehead. "Bones, I love you and yes, I want you. God I want you so much. If you're ready then I'm ready. If you want to take it slow, we can do that too. I'm not going to push you too fast ever again Bones. We have to do this at your speed."

Amazed that somehow they'd crossed a line that had seperated them for such a long time, Brennan kissed Booth. His gray fog finally leaving him, Booth saw Brennan looking at him with love in her eyes and his heart felt as if it would burst. His hopes answered, he smiled at her and returned the kiss.

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Ok, I bet you were worried that I was going to give you a sad ending. Let me know what you thought of my short story. Thank you.