Booth finally reappeared, waking her from a restless sleep when he opened the door. His face was tired as he threw his coat over a chair.
Brennan sat up slowly. She wasn't sure for a moment if she was looking at real Booth, or the one from her dreams. "Where have you been?"
He held up a bag of take-out. "I didn't figure you had much to eat today."
She looked at a clock. "It took you twelve hours to get take-out?"
"Of course, not." He grabbed plates and began to set the food out on one of the counters. "I spent the day finding out where our little friend had come from."
"He wasn't my friend," Brennan corrected him.
Sighing, Booth shot her a look. She colored. "Oh," she said. "You didn't really mean we were friends."
"Of course not, Bones. His name was Craig Jones. He apparently started working here a year ago. He was part of the maintenance crew in this building. Started sending the letters six months ago."
"I know this, Booth. I got the letters." Brennan's eyes got a far away look in them. "I don't know if I knew him, though. I try to pay more attention to the people around me since I met you, but I guess I'm still not very good at it."
Booth stopped unpacking the food to look at her. "You notice plenty of things, Bones." Booth had spent a lot of time over the last five years wondering what she saw when she looked at the world. He read people, their emotions and their body language. When she looked at a person, it was clear she didn't see the same thing. Did her eyes eliminate the exterior to focus on the bones beneath?
"Besides," he continued. "You may have never interacted with this guy. He could have avoided you, watched you from a distance. Figured out who you were after he got the job. We may never know for sure."
Brennan nodded, but her eyes were still troubled. "If you think so. I am just bothered by the fact that I don't know who he was."
He ignored the comment and went back to his explanation. "He apparently bribed the guy who installed your alarm to add an extra code that you didn't know about. That was how he could get in and out of the apartment even when the alarm was set."
"You were busy." Brennan found a plate and began to load it with food. Ellie watched them from the other side of the room, but didn't approach.
Booth grabbed something from a third bag and walked toward the dog. "Here you go, El," he said. Holding out his hand, he watched with amusement as she took the offered treat gently. "That's for being such a good girl last night."
"Booth, " Brennan admonished. "Why are you spoiling my dog? The books say-"
"I don't care what they say, Bones. That dog did just what she should have last night. Stayed to protect you when I left your side. That definitely deserves a special treat."
"Then logically you don't deserve a treat for leaving my side to begin with."
Raising one eyebrow, Booth just looked at her. "You didn't want me to leave your side?" He considered what she'd said. "And you were going to offer me a treat?" His blood heated at the thought of what kind of treats she could offer.
Clearly flustered, Brennan turned away from him and Booth chuckled behind her. He stopped suddenly when she started speaking again. "No, Booth. I didn't want you to leave my side. I didn't want you to get hurt."
Booth swallowed. "I wasn't going to get hurt," he said. He wondered what expression was on her face that moment.
She turned back to him, but she settled her face into a blank mask. Something she had to work hard at accomplishing. "You don't know that, Booth. You've been hurt protecting me before."
"And I'm still standing here," he said. He tried to find a way to lighten the mood. "You and I both know I'm Superman."
She smiled, and the mask fell away. "I actually know who that one is."
OOOOOOOOOOOO
They ate in comfortable silence, talking of inconsequential things. More than once Brennan opened her mouth to say something about her feelings to him, only to change her mind at the last minute. Now that the threat was gone, Brennan wasn't sure what that meant for their relationship. Were they just partners again? Could they be something more?
Booth watched emotions dance through her eyes during dinner, but didn't push to find out what was going on. It was clear Brennan was working through something, and space was the best thing he could give her.
But it was hard not to reach across the table and touch her casually. Hard not to ask her why she'd squeezed his hand when he woke her last night.
The warmth of her lips still lingered on his fingers, almost twenty-four hours later. And he desperately wanted to sleep in the same bed with her again, even if all they did was sleep. Maybe this time she'd be willing to share the covers with him.
Finally, when Brennan had yawned for the third time in ten minutes, Booth knew it was time to go. Calmly, he packed what clothes he had and prepared to leave.
Behind him, Brennan watched his careful movements. She was missing her chance again, she knew it. Booth was going to leave, and it was within her power to stop it. All she had to do was say his name, tell him how she felt and he would stay. For tonight, for tomorrow night, for as long as she wanted. She wouldn't be alone. She didn't have to be.
Booth waited for a sign, a signal that she wanted him to stay. But when it didn't come, he resigned himself to the fact that it might never come. That at some point he may have to walk away from her, even though it would probably kill him to do it.
His hand was on the door when her voice finally stopped him. If he hadn't been listening for it, praying for it, he might not have heard the desperate whisper behind him.
"Yeah, Bones," he said. Turning, he set the bag at his feet and leaned back against the closed door. Crossing his arms across his chest, he watched her.
Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, Brennan considered her words. "It's late," she finally pointed out.
Booth narrowed his eyes. "Did you really stop me to tell me it was late? That's why I was going home. You yawned three times in the last ten minutes." He rubbed his hand over his face.
She shook her head. "No, but now that I've stopped you, I'm having trouble explaining what I want to say. I don't know how to put it into words." She was clearly frustrated with herself and it pained Booth to watch her.
"Bones, whatever it is, good or bad, you can tell me." He was tempted to just walk forward and take her into his arms, but he resisted. Whatever happened had to be her decision. If she asked him to stay, she had to be sure. Because when Booth crossed that line, he had no intention of going back across it.
"No, nothing's wrong," she reassured him. "Its just that…this past week…has been nice." She bit her lip. "I know it's not logical."
Booth took a step toward her. "I enjoyed being here, too, Bones." Nice wasn't the word he'd use to describe it. Tempting. That was a good word. He'd spent an entire week fighting the temptation to touch her, to hold her, to love her.
"The thing is," she tried again. "I didn't realize just how nice it was not to be alone at night. I'm sure it was just the rush of neurotransmitters that made me feel safe."
One corner of his mouth lifted. "I'm sure that's all it was."
A look of concern crossed her face. "Do you really think that's all it was?" Had she been wrong about his feelings for her? She took one step back.
But he took another step forward. She held her ground. Their eyes met across the space and Booth's skin began to tingle as if she'd touched him.
"Of course, not. But you always seem to feel better when you think it is." When emotions threatened to overwhelm her and that brilliant brain of hers helped her hide.
This time Brennan took the step. If either reached out a hand, they would touch the other. "I find that now that it's time for me to go to bed, that I don't want to be alone. I mean, I have Ellie, but-"
"But?" he encouraged.
She found her courage. "But she's not you."
Hope flared. "What are you asking me, Bones?" His voice was husky with emotion. She had to be clear, for both their sakes.
There was no doubt in her eyes. She was the one who finally reached out and took his hand. "To stay. I'm asking you to stay."
A/N: I know this ending will upset some of you, but I'm marking this story as complete for now. I hope you enjoyed the journey.