Okay. This is my favorite scene. It's a little sad for me though.
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Booth and Brennan walked slowly into the lab. At a round table, they sat down. Booth decided to sit to the right of her.
"We'll take care of her, Bones."
She nodded her head.
"I know you will. I just wish Ellie had someone else in her family. It's so hard being alone."
"That was a good thing you did back there."
"What was?" Brennan asked as she leaned her elbows on her knees.
"Holding her. I think that's what she really needed."
"Maybe," Brennan sighed as she looked into the distance.
Booth mimicked her stance and they sat like that for what seemed like hours. Then, he couldn't stop himself.
"So, what's your decision?"
"Hmmmm."
"Sounds good, Bones."
"I still don't know. Is that bad?"
She turned her head to look at him.
"No," he says gently, "it's not. You've got a pretty big one to make. You have the right to be confused."
"I'm sorry. For not telling you about everything."
He smiled. Bones actually apologized.
"Just don't do it again."
"Psshhh. Bossy is here again."
"Ohh, that's right."
Rubbing his hands slowly together, he looked down at the floor before gathering his courage to look at her again.
"I may have made a bad judgment yesterday, Bones."
"You're kidding me."
"Ha ha. But, seriously, I think I did."
Booth cleared his throat.
"I just…want you to do what's best. And no one knows what's best for you, except you. And I know that it's a good opportunity. So, that being said, I support you. No matter…what you decide to do, I am behind you one hundred percent."
In that moment, Brennan felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. For the first time in days, she could breathe easily. She didn't know why, but there it was.
(Center of Attention by Jackson Waters should be playing in your head softly)
"And to show you that," Booth reached for his jacket and after fumbling through a pocket, handed Brennan a small white plain box.
"What is it?"
"The whole point of the gift is to open it, Bones."
She managed to give him a look of annoyance before turning her attention back to the box. Pulling the lid off, she stared inside for a moment. Her mind grasped for some distant memory, but couldn't find it. She lifted the small 1.0oz bottle labeled, N°5 CHANEL Paris PARFUM, and looked at Booth.
"You got me perfume?"
"Yeah, well," Booth shrugged his shoulders,"The woman at the store told me that all the women love it. And, I was feeling…a little disappointed with myself."
"Are you trying to bribe me?"
"I have learned that you are singularly unbribable, Bones. It's just a gift."
"A going away type of gift?"
"It's only that if you make it."
She smiled very softly.
"Thank you, Booth."
Booth interlaced his fingers and could feel his blush heating his face.
"Just don't go thinking you can forget me, now."
"I might not leave."
"I know," he shrugged, "but just in case."
"Just in case?"
"Yes, Bones, it's called being prepared and it's something I live by."
Brennan tried to hide her small smile. Same old Booth.
"What if I do leave?"
There was a moment where he couldn't say anything.
"Well," Booth raised his eyebrows and took a deep breath, "if you leave…I'll keep you here."
Booth made a fist with his left hand and pressed it to his heart.
"Right there?"
"Right here."
"That's a strange place to put me, Booth"
"Well, it's a lot less strange than hacking you into bits and storing you in boxes around my house, don't you think?"
"Just a little, I suppose."
"So, where will I be?"
"Ummm," she pointed to the floor, "here?"
Booth laughed and shook his head.
"Come on Temperance, humor me. Where will I be?" he asked tenderly.
Brennan slowly made a fist with her right hand and even slower brought it to her heart. She wasn't sentimental. She didn't believe in frivolous acts like this. But what would it really hurt? He needed it, didn't he? Maybe she did too.
"You...I will keep you here."
Booth smiled and nodded his head leisurely.
Staring at him now, Brennan couldn't help but reach up and lightly caress the area around his battered eye.
"I'm mostly sorry for hitting you, Booth."
"Mostly?"
"Well, you did deserve it."
He laughed.
"I guess I did."
They locked on each other's gaze, the silence around them deafening, but also protective.
Booth, drawn by some unknown force, leaned closer to her. Brennan, drawn by some unknown need, leaned closer to him.
"Where will you keep me, Temperance?" he asked as his mouth hovered above hers.
Her breath caught, but she looked into his bright eyes.
"I'll keep you here," she whispered.
With those words, he let himself waver just one more second before he gingerly laid his lips on her own. And she didn't pull away. Afraid of his own reaction, he only let himself delicately feel her lips.
He pulled away, her chin in his left hand. He let his left fore-finger run down her cheek. Then, before he broke down and asked her to stay, he gave her the best semblance of a smile he could muster, and stood. Then, he walked away, hands in pockets. And she let him.
(The song, mainly the chorus, should practically be BLARING by now)
So. Did I do good. No. Yes. Maybe.