Thank you for the amazing reviews! It was amazing to hear that you're still out there…
The road continues… Here is their reunion!
The days continued to pass, and with them, she felt herself grow stronger and more like her former self. As she woke, she felt calm and rested, but she also felt an odd sense of excitement and energy, something she had missed badly, since she was so used to being physically fit. She stretched her limbs slowly, waking up, turning towards the window, staring at the first rays of sun. She loved how the sky changed colors, how it slowly let go of the darkness of the night to give way to the new day. Reflecting back, she could see that somehow, her life was reflecting those exact changes. She had been slowly letting go of the pain and fear she had carried for so long to let the light in, to let herself be happy and loved, like any other normal human being. She wasn't prone to turn to poetics, but she thought the metaphor was appropriate.
She recalled telling Booth so long ago that she was jealous of Angela, and Jack and Cam, and him, for being able to lose themselves into another person so easily and believing that love was transcendent and eternal, something she wanted to do, but didn't know how to do or even considered she wanted before. Secretly, she had longed for that connection with someone else, but the life she had led had made her cautious of such deep level of trust; and besides, experience had taught her that not many people deserved that effort on her part, as she had always ended up being disappointed by those who promised to care for her and love her, thus making her believe that those vows sometimes meant absolutely nothing before the truth of their actions. Her family first, then the pain she lived with her foster families, then Michael and his rejection of who she was and her success; it was after this deception she had stopped searching for that emotion, and had decided to aim her efforts only towards the fulfillment of her biological desires and somehow soothe her loneliness for a little while, instead of the desires she secretly carried in her heart, the desire to find someone who would soothe her battered heart, who would love her for who she truly was without judgment.
Then, after Peter, who continued to judge her and call her cold and practically used her for her body and the convenience of their relationship, Sully had come into her life, and while he had come close to threatening the stability of her walls, he hadn't stuck around long enough to tear them down. He had made her feel many things she hadn't allowed herself to feel before, and he had arrived at a point in her life when she desperately needed to feel wanted and cherished, and honestly, she had felt he was deserving of her trust. But through it all, Booth had always been there, like a shadow, keeping her safe and just helping her find her way.
By that point in her life, she had felt she and Booth were slowly heading towards becoming something more than partners, that the attraction they had felt hadn't faded during their time as partners and best friends, but when Cam entered their lives, things had shifted between them. He hadn't changed in the way he behaved, as her partner and friend, and in fact, he had made her feel his loyalty and commitment would always be to her alone, but when they parted at night, it was with the bittersweet knowledge that he wasn't going home to an empty bed, even if he had claimed afterwards that while he cared for Cam as a true friend, their sexual liaison had been just that, something they knew wouldn't last long. It somehow reassured her now that even back then, he had always saved a spot for her in his heart, as he had told her when he asked her to give them a chance. She had seen the way Cam acted towards him, and deep inside, she had known it wouldn't last as well: Cam wasn't ready to settle, and Booth wasn't someone to start a fling without knowing it could become something meaningful, because the responsibility he felt towards Parker was too big, and he wouldn't expose his son to the heartbreak of getting attached to one of his girlfriends and then suffer if things didn't work out. However, when Epps poisoned Cam, she had seen the way he had worried about her, his devotion, how he had never left her bedside, and she had started to long for him in ways she couldn't understand. If there was a reason she wanted to curse Epps, it was because he had stolen the chance to make them head towards something more: and while she appreciated his overprotective streak, she had felt the first pang of rejection, because when he told her he couldn't enter a relationship with someone he worked with because it was that dangerous, it felt like he was saying he wouldn't and couldn't give her the chance to try.
She realized that the one mistake Booth had never made, a mistake many men had regarding her, was trying to change her: Booth had always made her feel accepted, cared for, cherished for who she was. For the first time, she secretly felt like her shortcomings and failures didn't matter, because there was someone who saw who she was and didn't try to make her any different. When Sully told her that her work was important, but not important enough to be her whole life, she had acted like his words hadn't stung, but deep inside, they had. If he had truly known the extent of the pain she had gone through, and why she was so thorough, so intent on giving the dead their voice back, he would have never questioned her devotion to her work. Booth had always supported her, but he had done more than that: he had helped her find the balance she needed to have a life and her work at the same time. In all ways that mattered, Booth had set himself aside from all the other men in her life, a fact that had thrilled and terrified her beyond her comprehension.
She closed her eyes, and let herself relax fully against the soft fabric of her covers, a feeling she rarely indulged in, as she was always tight as a string even first thing in the morning, ready to pounce if needed, with her reflexes sharp and honed from a lifetime of protecting herself, of awaiting for someone to hit her hard, metaphorically and literally. But here, in this moment, surrounded by the sound of the crashing waves and the ocean breeze entering through her window, she felt that for the first time she could truly let go and breathe. With her father on the room next to her, silently but determinedly keeping vigil over her, she felt safe and taken care of, something she was quickly learning to embrace and appreciate for what it was: a token of love and not an attempt to dominate her or subjugate who she was. Her father was the first person who had understood that she wasn't like any other children, and the encouragement she had received from him and her mother was exactly what she had needed growing up to find her footing in life. No matter how hard life had gotten, the confidence she had learned from him had never been erased, and it had been the only way to hang on to her self-esteem that her foster families had steadily tried to erode with their abuse.
When she looked at the watch on the nightstand, she realized that almost 2 hours had already passed since she had woken up, and not wanting to be lazy any longer, she slowly stood from the bed, and touched her neck softly. It was still sore and tender, but not as much as it had been. When she realized it was time for her to attend her first follow-up, she had called her doctor to let him know she wouldn't be in town for him to remove her stitches, and he had swiftly booked her with a doctor at a small private clinic a few miles from where they were staying, giving her that small complacence as she was healing so fast. The young, kind doctor that tended to her had been already informed of her condition by his colleague, since they were friends, and after gently removing her stitches, he had instructed her to keep her wound dry and clean, also prescribing an ointment that would speed the healing of her skin; she was glad when he had cleared her for mild physical activity, meaning, she could now go on walks, of course, always accompanied in case she got dizzy or too tired. She was glad that at least she wasn't bound to her recliner any more, and she had already started to walk slowly across the beach's shore, Max walking silently next to her, lending her his helping hand when tiredness hit her and she refused to succumb to it, wanting to push her recovery further. She understood the mechanics of what her body was going through, but for someone who was so accustomed to being so self-reliable, it was a tough pill to swallow.
And of course, she was somewhat discouraged by the scar that now marred her otherwise perfect skin, and the doctor told her that she could wear scarves if she felt that self-conscious about it. He also told her that the cream he had just given her would help improve the initial scarring, but she knew she had to deal with it while it fully healed. She was vain enough to care about its appearance, but not vain enough not to care about what it meant: that she and the people she loved were alive and well, safe from harm, and that she now had a new chance to be happy, to make them happy, to embrace the love they wanted to give her, and to love them back.
She rummaged through her closet, choosing a light white silky dress, not wanting anything to scratch her still tender skin and opting for something fresh and soft, along with the appropriate underwear. She stripped her silk nightgown, and stepped into the shower, letting the water hit her full blast. She thoroughly washed her hair, and even took the time to run a loofa with an exfoliating cream over her skin, pampering herself as she hadn't done in the past weeks, now that she had the go-ahead from the doctor. After a long while of standing under the warm water, she dried her skin and meticulously applied creams and lotions to her face and body, wrapping herself in a plush terry robe she had brought along for the trip. She would have usually let her hair to dry on its own, but today she took the time to slowly dry it in the curly style she had foregone for the straight hair and bangs of the past few months.
As irrational as she knew she was being, and she didn't know why, but she felt the need to look pretty, and after a while she decided to apply a light makeup in rose accents. When she was done, she looked beautiful and young, relaxed and soft. She put on her dress, deciding it was casual enough for staying in or for perhaps going for a walk on the town. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, and compared it to the one that had been meeting her ever since the Lauren Eames' case had reached her life: she remembered how pale and gaunt she looked. She shivered as she recalled the deep dark circles that surrounded her eyes, how her hair looked dull and even unkempt, how her whole skin had lost its glow and she looked devoid of life. Remembering those days, she could also recall the fear and pain, because she now knew what a life without Booth was, and she was determined to continue being her own self, but luckily, with him right next to her.
When she opened her door, she was hit with the enticing smell of pancakes permeating the air. She smiled softly, thinking her father was on a mission to fatten her up, and she couldn't blame him for trying. Now that they were staying together, he had noticed how thin she had become, a fact she had tried to hide under her clothes and loose jackets, and he was resolute to help her regain her healthy weight back, though he always told her she looked lovely, no matter what. It always made her feel better, because she could see the honesty in that statement in his eyes.
Max sensed her presence, and raised his eyes from the pan, smiling softly at her.
"Wow, honey. You look beautiful today", he said earnestly, getting a wider smile in response, "What brought it on?", he knew she had been favoring comfort over looks during her recovery, and for a fleeting moment, he thought perhaps she had somehow found out he had told Booth to meet them here, though he knew she wouldn't have, because he would have already received the "talk" of a lifetime.
"Nothing. I don't know. I just woke up, and I felt like… stop looking sick and dreadful", she teased, but Max shook his head.
"Honey, you could never look dreadful, and you're already looking tons better than when we got here, but I'm glad to see you're feeling better, and with enough energy to pamper yourself a little", he smiled. "Now sit. I have your breakfast ready", she headed over to the table and sat, smiling as he placed a plate with pancakes covered in syrup, and a side dish of strawberries and slices of mango, along with a glass of orange juice.
"Thanks, Dad. It looks amazing", she said honestly, and while she had never been a big eater, it felt good to indulge herself in these little pleasures, so she started to eat slowly, and then Max took his own plate and sat before her on the small kitchen table, talking about mundane things and just being there, enjoying each other's presence. Apart from Booth, he was the only person who understood and respected her need to be silent at times.
"Dad, I was wondering if we could go to the town. I would like to take a walk there and get to know it", she said.
"Aw honey, I know you're all dolled up and everything, but I'm quite tired. I had trouble sleeping last night, and…", he didn't know what credible excuse to come up with, as he knew Booth would be arriving any time and he didn't want him to come to an empty house and turn on his heels. "But you know what? Let me rest for a little while, and we can go in the afternoon ok?", Max said, and he was glad she had bought into the lie, because she smiled tenderly.
"Are you sure you're all right?", she looked worried for a moment, and he reached for her hand, "I am, honey. It's just that I'm old now and at this age, everything starts to ache", he teased, and she rolled her eyes, but continued eating.
When they were done, he took their plates and started washing them. She hadn't been able to eat the whole thing, but she felt pleasantly full and her energy levels somewhat lifted.
The day started to pass, slowly, they busied themselves with sharing memories and reminiscing about the good days, playing cards and dominoes, and before they knew it, it was time for lunch. He made them both some unexpectedly tasty chicken salad, and they ate companionably. She was still sitting on the table, and he gently instructed her, "Why don't you go outside and sit on your chair? I'll meet you in a little while", she slowly nodded and stood, walking to the terrace. He saw her leaning against the rail, lost in thought, her eyes clear and unguarded.
He had sent her out the moment he felt his phone vibrate, and he needed a second to check if it was what he thought it was. He didn't want to spook her, and he had asked Booth in an earlier text to let him know when he arrived to brace himself for anything, telling him where to park without being noticed.
He quickly finished doing their dishes, and dried his hands, reaching for his cell. His heart picked up speed when he read the text.
I'm here.
There was only one reply.
She's ready. Be gentle.
He sighed deeply, and stayed inside, but close enough to help Booth (or her) in case it was needed. He knew she would feel shocked, and a little betrayed, but what he was doing was in her best interest, and besides, she couldn't be angry at him for calling the man she loved to accompany her during the weekend at a beautiful beach getaway.
B&B&B&B&B&B&B
He was walking slowly, feeling the warm, soft sand caress his feet. He had woken to find a new message from Max telling him to park on the back of the house so he didn't want to startle her, and asking him to send a text when he arrived so he could be prepared to help diffuse any confrontation that might arise. He had arranged everything so he even had the next week off(and even 2 if he so needed it), if she agreed to his staying with them, and after packing, he had started the drive to his destination, only stopping for gas and a lunch at a small burger place, which turned out to be surprisingly tasty. Before he knew it, he was there, and excitement warred with trepidation, praying that this reunion was everything they hoped for. He had taken his shoes off to enjoy the warmth that the sun had left on the sand, and walked towards the cabin, impressed at how beautiful this little getaway was.
His heart was pounding hard in nervous anticipation, but it practically stopped at the sight of her on the terrace. 2 weeks without seeing her, and he was starved. She looked more beautiful than he had ever seen her. Max had been feeding her well, it seemed, because he could already see that her curves were slowly starting to regain their normal appearance, giving her hourglass figure that beautiful shape. Her hair was in those curls he had missed so badly, and her face had a glow he hadn't seen on her for the past months.
She looked lost in thought, leaning against the railing, not even noticing she was being watched, and his heart melted as he realized the color of her gaze matched the blue of the ocean. God, he would love to drown in those depths until his dying day, and he vowed to himself he would get to do that, no matter what.
She felt slightly chilly, and in that moment, she wanted nothing more than Booth's strong arms around her body, warming her. She missed him with every cell of her body, and her mind couldn't let go of the thought of him. She had even reached for her turned-off cell phone more than once during these days away, but had stopped herself, though the longing was killing her, still undecided about which step to take: she wanted him here, but she truly didn't know if they were ready to face each other yet. She knew he must be waiting for any type of message from her, but she was aware than once she called, she could never go back, they could never go back. If he came here, it was to finally start moving forward.
She was so focused on the crashing waves, she didn't even feel him silently take the few steps from the sand to the terrace and stand behind her. He smiled, and he thought that afterwards, he would tease for being so lost in her daydreaming she hadn't even noticed he was there. He wanted to surprise her, but not scare her, also knowing she could use one of her kung-fu moves on him if she was startled enough to sense him as a threat, a pain he wasn't looking forward to, so he stood behind her, and he gently touched her waist, slowly encircling his arms from behind her, wrapping them around her, giving her senses time to recognize him, and gently kissing her uninjured side, huskily whispering, "I never thought you could be more beautiful, but you are, Bones".
She gasped, and the small moment of panic, which had quickly escalated after she felt male hands than weren't her father's around her body, faded just as fast as she felt his tender kiss on her exposed skin and his soft voice caressed her ears. She thought she was dreaming about him again, but his warmth and smell couldn't be another figment of one of her fevered dreams about him.
She turned in his arms, and her eyes widened and pooled with tears at the sight of his beautiful, but tired face. He was smiling softly, and for the first time, the smile was reaching his eyes, but she could also read he was cautiously waiting for her reaction. She realized Max must have called him, and any indignation she must have felt at their plotting behind her back quickly vanished at the joy of seeing the man she loved here.
"Booth!", she threw herself at him, and his arms quickly enfolded her in a hug, his hand going to the nape of her neck, gently placing her head on his shoulder, not wanting her to injure herself in any way.
"Bones", he said tenderly, surrounding her with his arms, letting her feel his warmth. She sighed happily, feeling positively tiny against his body. Without any heels on, she was a good few inches shorter, and while before it would have bothered her, now she felt feminine and petite against his muscular bulk; in his arms, she finally felt safe and loved.
Long moments passed, and she let her head rest comfortably against his shoulder, inhaling his musky, manly, Boothy scent, her hand over his beating heart, which was thumping as wildly as hers, feeling his arms around her waist, soothingly traveling back and forth through the expanse of her back over the fabric of her dress; she had never fully acknowledged just how perfect their bodies molded, and she guessed she had never allowed herself the luxury to enjoy these moments. Inhaling deeply, feeling his musky, unique scent cloud her senses, she told him, "I don't need to ask you. I guess my dad called you and asked you to come?", she felt his nod against her head, and he pressed an apologetic kiss to her forehead, tightening his arms even tighter around her.
"I know you needed your time and space, but Max told me you needed me here, and you know me. I couldn't not come if in fact, you did need me. I missed you so much, Bones, so, so much", he whispered against her hair, and she hid herself against his chest, loving how healing this embrace felt. The old Temperance would have chided her for appearing so weak, but putting on a mask of strength and coolness had only brought her pain in the past, so she had decided to let him know all she felt.
"I'm not mad at you, Booth, I could never be, because I did miss you, a lot. But … I needed these days alone with Dad to figure things out, about our family, about myself. But I'm… I'm so glad you came, Booth. So very glad. I must have reached for my phone to call you a thousand times, but I… I didn't know if we were ready, for this", she whispered, just as soft, and she raised her head to meet his eyes, which were filled with a myriad of emotions: longing, desire, tenderness, lust, but above all, love.
When he stared into her eyes, he swore he had died and gone to heaven. They were finally so open, so clear, not hiding anything from him. She still looked a bit tired, but those beautiful pools of ocean blue were shinning so much he felt his heart was about to burst. He couldn't recall the last time he had been able to stare at his reflection in her eyes, and it humbled him to know he had a new chance to right his wrongs.
They turned when they saw Max standing behind the glass door, with an indulgent smile on his face, and Booth smiled at the old con, who walked to meet them.
"Booth, it's good to have you here", they shook hands, and Booth still kept a hand around her waist, his hands caressing her through the thin fabric of her dress, burning her skin in the most delicious way. "Honey, I hope you're not angry at me for going behind your back, but I know you, and I know you were missing Booth, and that you wouldn't call him, so I did it for you. Forgive me? I know I'm an overprotective Dad, but I like to take care of my little girl", he said, and she shook her head, but there was no anger behind the gesture as she had a gently smile dancing on her lips, making her look young and carefree. She reached for Max's hand, and squeezed, letting him know she was truly ok.
"I'm not mad, Dad. And… thank you both. To you Dad, for doing what I told you not to do, and to you", she turned to Booth, placing her hand on his chest softly, "For coming, even if you were risking my wrath", she teased, and he pressed another kiss to her hair, inhaling in her sweet, clean scent.
They knew they had many things to say, but they were still wary, afraid to break this calm, peaceful moment, but Max seemed to know all they needed was the space because he joined them, and said, "Honey, I'm going to the town. Remember the doctor told us you need to eat some meat to boost your energy, and knowing you, I know perhaps the only meat you're going to take is some fish, and we're out of it, so I'm going to buy some. You'll taste some of my culinary expertise tonight, Booth", he teased, and the three smiled, the old man seeing the gratefulness in both their eyes at his silent exit. "I'm taking the car. See you in a while. Take care of my little girl while I'm gone", Max said, and turning on his heels, keys dangling in his hand, he left.
"it's beautiful out here", Booth started, breaking the silence that had settled after a few minutes of standing there, both of them staring into the ocean, and she nodded, both of them enjoying the warmth of the sun, which was starting its journey down onto the horizon.
"Actually, I was thinking I could walk for a while. We were supposed to go to the town, but now I know Dad was waiting for your arrival. Care to join me?", she replied, and with a nod, they made their way through the short stairs, and left their shoes at the bottom before they started their walk.
Long minutes passed, and neither of them was brave enough to break the silence, but they knew they had to get things out of the way so their time together was finally peaceful and they could let go of grudges, old and new.
I decided to break this into two smaller chappies, as I realized perhaps some of you would find such a lengthy piece hard to read. But part 2 is coming up next!