Chapter 12

"Booth?" Max said. Booth started after Brennan but Max stopped him, "We need to talk."

"No, Bones..." Max put his hand up gently but firmly pushing on Booth's chest.

"Sit." Booth sighed and slumped his shoulders, walking around the couch and taking a seat.

"Please go after her. She's upset. I crossed the line. Max, I hurt her. Please go take care of her."

"We both know she's down in Limbo staring at a skeleton. She doesn't like to lose control, she wants and needs time to compose herself. Her purse is right there, she's not going anywhere."

"She shouldn't be hurting..."

"Booth! Shut up! We are going to talk about you; you and your ridiculous line." Booth looked at him helpless, in desperation. "Now you listen to me. I left my kids, Russ was only barely a man, Tempe was still a young girl, because I thought that being close to me was going to get them killed."

"You were right."

"No, I wasn't. There were other ways to keep them safe but I reacted out of fear and desperation. I dragged my wife away from our kids. I broke four hearts and ruined four lives not just that day but over and over again with my choices. It didn't matter, I lost my wife anyway and in the end, the little girl we left behind saved us all. This line you've drawn has become the stuff of legend around here. You really think that you can keep her safer by denying what you feel, somehow you will be more objective? Are you objective now? Is she here where you can protect her? What exactly is your line preserving?"

"I have let Bones down over and over again. She is my responsibility, I took into the field to chase psychopaths and they take her and I let them. I nearly killed Cam because she acted against her judgment at my request. Your daughter has trusted me with her life, she trusts me. We talked to someone today that reminded her of Christine, she was sad, I wanted her to feel better, I hugged her. We got into the office and she was mad. I don't know what happened, I took advantage of her. Max, I'm so sorry."

"Booth, she was kissing you back. She's fighting her feelings for you. Probably because she was abandoned by me. You need to tell her what you're thinking, how you feel. Even if you want to keep your distance and have your stupid line, you need to talk to her."

"She isn't like you and me, I can't just say things to her. I'll say it wrong, she'll get confused and she'll be hurt. How can anyone be okay with, 'I love you but...'"

"Booth, you know her better than anyone, better than I do, maybe even better than Angela does. Just talk to her. It won't hurt her to know you love her."

"Wait a minute, I never said..."

"Yes you did, Booth, now go say it again."

Booth walked into Bone Storage barely breathing. His eyes blinking back tears as he scanned the room for her. He walked in further and rounded a table to see her sitting on the floor against the far wall with a box on her lap and a femur in her hands.

"No, Booth, I don't want to do this." She said without looking up.

"I really need to talk to you."

"And say what? You're sorry. You shouldn't have. You didn't mean to. Okay, I understand."

"Bones...Temperance, I don't think you do." He was close enough to touch her but he sat down on the floor in front of her.

"You know what Booth, I'm a genius, I have a 'disturbingly steep learning curve', and I know you. I really do understand and I really don't need to do this. We are tense, frustrated by the case. Our biological urges got the better of us for a minute. You've been clear about the line. Let's just drop this."

"No."

"Booth..."

"No." The heavy silence was broken by Brennan's cell phone.

"Brennan" she answered, putting the femur back. "Okay, we're coming." Brennan stood up and returned the drawer to its place. Booth stood and waited for her to look at him.

"Bones, look at me."

"We have to go. Cam has something."

"Bones." She tried to walk by him but he put his hand gently on her arm. Tears threatened again but she swallowed them with the lump in her throat. She took a deep breath and then turned to him. Her eyes met his and he saw hurt.

"Okay, fine. I will not deny that you are a handsome and strong man and I feel a great attraction to you. You've made it clear that we are just partners, and I accept that, in fact, I agree with it. Before I met you, when I was in El Salvador, I was identifying the remains of a girl and I was captured. I felt helpless and weak and I vowed I wouldn't let that happen again. I have come to rely on you, and its making me weak. I knew when the Gravedigger had us that you would come for me. Maybe that helped me hang on longer, but I should have fought hard enough to get out on my own. I'm not the kind of woman you want, and I can't be a good partner if this is happening."

"What kind of woman do you think I want?"

"The kind that wants to marry you and have lots of babies and a big house like Judy's. Blonde, intuitive. Agent Perotta. It doesn't matter. No more touching, no more hugging, 'guy hugs' or otherwise, no more hand-holding, and no more catching. If I'm going to fall, you need to let me fall."

"Bones, I promised you I would never let you fall..."

"You will let me fall."

"Bones,"

"No, Booth, I can't love you the way you want." With a jerk, she freed her arm and stormed away from him. Booth stood there, his chest aching. Booth, you really really suck!