A/N: Here is the fourth chapter as promissed. I hope everyone likes it!!! I didn't have time to read everything to find my errors, so forgive me!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones.

One year and many months later...

The days turned to weeks, the weeks turned to months, the months turned to years. As the time continued to pass, Booth watched helplessly as Brennan's relationship with Sully continued to grow stronger.

It took Brennan many months to open up to Sully. Before that, they would watch movies, go dancing, have dinner together, and on occasion, they would kiss, slowly and sweetly.

Sully never pressured her. The sexual part of their relationship would be on hold for as long as she wanted to. He enjoyed her company, her laughter and her kisses. And that was enough to get him through the days.

In those months he waited, she pondered everything about their relationship. He was so good for her, taking care of her, making her laugh, not making her cry. But it took an act of kindness to show her how much he really cared.

The flue got to her really bad, and her body weakened faster than it should. One morning she simply didn't wake up. By ten in the morning her friends figured that she was with Sully, but when he called asking about her, saying that she wasn't answering her phone they really started to worry.

Wasting no time Sully broke down her apartment door after spending some time knocking and calling for her. He found her breathing heavily and unconscious in her bed. Taking her in his arms he carried her out of the apartment, rushing to his car as he drove to the hospital. When he entered the hospital they were surrounded by the nurses who placed her in a stretcher, wheeling her out of his sight.

When the rest of the team got there after receiving a call from Sully they found him slumped in a plastic chair in the waiting room. His eyes were wide with a desperation that Booth knew too well. It was the same look he would get every time she was in danger.

When the doctor came up and told them about her condition, Sully had asked as many questions as he could think of. The doctor assured him and the others that she would recover. The flue got her bad, and she didn't eat well, drink or sleep, so her body got too weak to fight the disease. When the doctors cleared them to visit her, Sully, Booth and Angela entered the room first. They were frightened to see how pale she looked and how soft her breathing was.

Everyone took their time talking to her, willing her to wake up. As the night ascended, they eventually went home, but Sully refused to leave her bedside. Sitting himself in the uncomfortable chair beside her bed, he held tightly to her cold hand, refusing to let go.

And it was like that for the three days that she remained unconscious. Sully would only leave her with Angela or Booth to go home to shower. The dark circles under his eyes were enough evidence of his lack of sleep. Angela forced him to eat, but not even then he would leave her side.

By the third day her cheeks had a light pink color, showing her improvement. When the firs rays of sunlight flashed through the closed curtains of the hospital room, Brennan opened her eyes. Looking around she felt confused. The bright white color in the walls told her she was in the hospital, but why?

Shifting in the bed she noticed a light weight on her right hand. Turning her eyes she saw the crown of his head, the brown hair in a mess. His light breathing told her he was asleep. She carefully lifted her hand and stroked his hair lovingly. He stirred, mumbling something.

"What?" she asked playfully, trying to understand what he was saying.

"I said stop messing up my hair," and he lifted his head to look at her with the sweetest smile he could. She smiled back at him, her eyes a bit unfocused by the remains of her sleepiness.

"Hi," she whispered, taking one of his hands in hers, wrapping her fingers in his.

"Hi," he said, kissing her fingers, one by one, "Don't ever scare me like that, okay?" his tone was light, but underneath she could hear the emotions.

"I'll try not to," she said, just then noticing his appearance, "How long have you been here? How long have I been here?"

"You've been here for four days, and so have I".

"You slept here?" she asked.

"I couldn't leave you," he didn't directly answer her question, but she knew she was right.

"Why?" she asked, wondering what could make his stay so long in the hospital with her. He didn't answered immediately, just brought his face closer to hers, kissing her forehead so softly that she almost didn't feel it.

"I'm in love with you," he whispered in her ears he pulled away to look in her eyes, "I don't expect you to say it back. I know you're not ready for that. All I ask of you is that you let me love you".

"I guess I could get used to that," she said, smiling at him when he brushed his lips against hers softly.

In the waiting room, Booth and Angela waited for Sully to come outside so they could talk to her now conscious friend. And for every second that Sully spent in that hospital room, Booth was always in the waiting room. Nobody noticed, but he never left that hospital for the four days she was there.

From that day on, Brennan saw Sully in a different light. Before, he was the guy who would try his best to make her laugh, the guy who would take her to diferent places and show her fun. Now, he was the man who would stand by her side, guarding her, protecting her even from herself. And she was grateful for that. From then on, she opened herself up to him.

In nine months, they moved in together. The relationship was solid as was their feelings. Not everything was paradise, they fought a lot, argued all the time, but that wasn't enough to break them apart.

He would go out to clear his head, to take some air while she took all her frustration on a punching bag. Late at night she would wait for him on the couch. He would go in, kiss her, say he was sorry and then, he would give her the strawberry ice cream he knew she loved. She would smile at him, kiss him back, and take two spoons so they could eat the ice cream while curled up in the couch, watching TV.

And that way, they worked. He would compromise for her, and she for him. It wasn't perfect, but they found their harmony. Before anyone knew, they were celebrating their first anniversary.

Booth walked fast into the Medical-Legal Lab, his eyes scanning the platform in search of his partner. Bending over a computer he recognized the soft dark curls of Angela's hair.

"Ange," he called and she turned to face him, smiling.

"Hey sweetie what are you doing here so late?" she asked. It was after nine pm, and everybody had already gone home except for her and Hodgins, who was working on some samples at his work station.

"Just need to talk to Bones. Is she in her office?" he asked.

"She's out with Sully," she said, eyeing Booth with curiosity, "It's their one year anniversary today. I think he was planning a surprise," she saw him wince, probably from bad memories.

"I'll just come back tomorrow then," and he turned to leave. Before he completely descended the stairs, she called him back. He turned.

"Do you want to talk?" she asked with soft eyes. He contemplated her offer for a few seconds, and finally decided that he needed to let everything out. Sitting himself in a chair in front of Angela, he crossed his arms in his chest, sighing loudly.

"I just… You know…" he took a deep breath, "I just wish things were different, you know? Maybe if I remembered our anniversary that day, than we would still be together".

"Booth, honey, one thing you have to understand is: it wasn't that night alone, it was everything. It was the forgetfulness, the late nights working, the days she couldn't reach you. She was lonely, and you left her that way. Don't think I'm trying to make you feel bad, this isn't my intention and all I'm telling you is truth".

"I thought that we could get pass that. I thought that everything would be okay".

"Yes, honey, and she thought that too. For so long she held herself up, believing that you would change, that you would make things better soon. But that day never came, so she gave up hoping," Angela felt bad for telling him those things, but he had to know. He had to realize the extension of the damage he made. Taking his hand on hers, she smiled sadly. "You know that night, the anniversary?"

"How could I forget?" he said bitterly.

"Do you know why Brennan went through all that trouble to make everything perfect?"

"No, I just assumed that it was to celebrate".

"No, there was more to it. That night, she was waiting for you to take the next step," said Angela.

"What?" he asked a little louder, "She was expecting me to propose?"

"Yes, and it's your fault. Do you remember what you told her back when you started seeing each other?"

"Bones, do you think you will ever marry me?" asked Booth as he stroke her naked back, enjoying how his touch sent shivers up and down her spine.

"Why do you ask? You know how I feel about marriage," she said as she watched her boyfriend through heavy eyelids, fighting the sleep that threatened to take her over.

"Well, I think that you'll change your mind," he said, now stroking her hair, passing his fingernails in her scalp.

"I don't do that," she said and a moan escaped her lips.

"I think you will. A year from now, I'll ask you to marry me. If you changed you mind, you'll let me know and we'll just set the date," he said as he kissed her shoulder softly.

"A year from now you won't even remember we ever had this conversation," she said, now fully awake as he kissed her neck, moving up.

"I will remember this. I promise that a year from today, on our anniversary, we'll take the next step," and he kissed her waiting lips hungrily.

"I can't believe I did that!" he said as he got up and stared pacing in front of Angela.

"She really believed you that night. And I know you didn't mean to forget, but it doesn't matter anymore. She moved on. I know it's hard, honey, but it's over. You have to move on too".

"I have to go," and so he descended the stairs, not caring to look back as he felt the weight of everything on his shoulders. Never in his life was he more regret.

Across town, a couple sat by a corner table of a comfortable restaurant, drinking wine while eating their delicious Italian food. The restaurant was warm and the soft violin songs floated on the air.

In this same restaurant, this same couple now stood face to face, him on his knees, her sitting in her chair with a shocked look on her face. He reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out a blue velvet box. Her hands were shaking when he held them with his free one, looking directly into her wide blue eyes.

"Temperance, will you marry me?"

I know that you want to kill me right now, but I swear I'll update soon! And just so you won't run away I'm a huge BB fan, so I'm not against happy endings, but the fic is not ending yet, so have patience!!! Tell me what you think and feel, give me your opinion so I'll know if I'm doing something right!!! Tell me something that you want me to write (not BB together by the next chapter, of course). Next chapter by the weekend.