Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, but I am obsessed.

Author's Note: Well, here it is. The end of the story. It's also the longest update that I've ever written for anything. This word is what made me want to write these one shots in the first place. There has never been a word that describes Booth and Brennan better than this one. It was my favorite, so I saved it for last. I hope that it lives up to expectations.

I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed/alerted/favorited these stories. Your support has been incredible and I have enjoyed all of your feedback immensely. Enjoy.

Chapter Twenty: Mamihlapinatapei

Mamihlapinatapei: Yagan (indigenous language of Tierra del Fuego): "the wordless, yet meaningful look shared by two people who both desire to initiate something but are both reluctant to start."

Retired Deputy Director Samuel Cullen stood in line at the Louvre. He glanced at his watch, and tapped his foot impatiently. He'd been standing in line for over two hours, but it was going to be worth it. This small tribute to his daughter was worth it. Amy had never gotten to see the Mona Lisa in person, as had been her dream. But even if she wasn't able to see it in person, he could feel her spirit, here with him.

His wife stood on her tiptoes, craning her neck to see how far they still had to go in order to get to the head of the line. Satisfied that they had made progress, Julia returned to his side and wrapped her arm around her husband. "We're almost there."

Cullen patted his wife's hand as it tightened further around him. "I can't believe that we're really here."

"I know. You, on a plane? Over an ocean? I'm so proud."

Cullen nodded and looked around the museum. "She would have loved this. The art, the people, the excitement."

Julia gave her husband a soft smile. "Well, she did get to experience it, in her own way. What Ms. Montenegro did for her, it was a miracle." Sam nodded again, even after all of these years the pain of their loss was still there, but he could find solace in the fact that their daughter had had that happy memory during her last days. Sam turned his face to his wife as she asked him a question. "Have you heard from Seeley lately?"

"Got an e-mail wishing us a safe trip. He promised me a round when I got back to town."

"And how is Dr. Brennan?"

Cullen shrugged, "Fine, I guess. He didn't mention her, actually."

Julia raised an eyebrow. "Really? He said nothing about her?"

"I didn't ask, and I'm not his boss anymore. Believe me, I'm happy to not have to control those two. They were trouble." His voice held no malice, and Julia knew that he missed having to reign in that pair.

"They're adorable together."

Cullen groaned. "Oh, not this again. I told you, they are work partners. There is nothing else between them."

"You have no sense of romance."

"You say that to the man who flew you to the most romantic city in the world." Cullen continued to mock grumble. "And you're right. You know that, dear. You are always right. There was always this chemistry between them. And the way they would defend each other in my office. And there was this one time." Cullen paused in his story to let out a hearty laugh, drawing the eyes of several curious bystanders.

"What happened?" His wife prompted.

"I don't know. I said something that made Dr. Brennan upset, and he just reached over, and grabbed her hand and they stared at each other for the longest moment. Then my phone rang, and he dropped her hand and the moment was over. Then they both kind of looked at me like I was the one who didn't belong there. In my own office. That afternoon I finally put my money in on the office pool. Still waiting to hear who the winner is though."

Julia considered her thoughts before speaking. "Well, I'm sure they'll find their way. I'll never forget what they did for all of those people, what they did for Amy. I just want them to find happiness. They deserve it."

"Now that I am no longer Booth's boss, I have to say that I agree."

Julia smiled as she squeezed his side. "There's the romantic that I married."

The couple continued to stand in silence as they finished their wait, lost in their own thoughts. The last few museum patrons stepped aside and Sam Cullen finally looked upon Mona Lisa's enigmatic smile. Julia was still curled into his side, and he swore that he could still feel some otherworldly presence, ridiculous as that might sound, with him.

Julia breathed softly beside him. "Look, Sam. We're here."

"It's here!" The shout of a young woman caught Dr. Daniel Goodman's attention. The call was soon followed by the loud rumble of a rusted pick-up truck, making it's way down the one barely passable road. Dr. Goodman and his colleagues set down their tools with ease and made their way to meet the truck. Four weeks into a six week excavation and all of the members of the team were eager for the outside communication. Eager for news from home.

A large package was thrown to Goodman once he had reached the truck, and he happily caught the box and dug into it with gusto. On top were letters from his wife and daughters. Below that were some recent photos taken from the twins' first day of school and a neighborhood block party that he had missed while he was away on this particular dig.

Goodman smiled as he continued to uncover his treasures. His wife had included some of his favorite snacks, and he tore into the wrapper of the candy bar, suddenly ravenous. The taste of home was just what he needed on a day like today.

He dug through to the bottom of the package and pulled out the most recent editions several of his favorite journals. He could access them online when the sporadic connection of the dig site was working, but his wife knew that he preferred the hard copies. He glanced through the small stack and paused when one journal had a post-it note stuck to the front that read, "Check out the cover story. I'll think you'll recognize the stars."

And sure enough, under the note was a picture of Dr. Temperance Brennan in her blue lab coat, holding a skull and standing on the familiar forensics platform. Goodman never regretted taking a position at a different institution, where he was now able to teach classes and travel on digs. While, he had excelled at being an administrator, he was happier being back in the field. Even though Goodman had moved on, he fondly remembered his time at the Jeffersonian.

Goodman absently passed around the other journals, allowing his colleagues to look at the latest research in their fields, keeping the last one for himself. He quickly flipped to the main article, a feature on using the latest technology to solve crimes, both ancient and modern. There were several photos of the lab that was his former home. But more than the places in the background, it was the people that he remembered. And taking up the bottom half of one page was the entire team assembled: anthropologist, pathologist, artist, entomologist, and agent. The interns were also pictured, although Goodman didn't recognize any of their faces.

The archaeologist continued to analyze the photo. Dr. Saroyan looked every bit as proud and powerful as she on the day that he had hired her, an ill-at-ease Hodgins was attempting to hide to behind a glowing Angela, and in the center of the glossy picture was the center of the team. Booth and Brennan. They were both facing the camera, Booth with a nervous smile and Brennan looking a bit smug. Goodman could only guess what thoughts of theirs had been captured on film.

Goodman turned the page. He squinted at the accompanying photo before grinning. There were the partners that he remembered. The photographer had taken a candid shot of Brennan in her office, Booth beside her. Files were spread out beneath them, but they weren't looking at the papers. No, they were focused on each other with an all too familiar expression. As much as things had changed over the past years, they had still remained the same.

The same voice that had heralded the truck's arrival broke him again out of his reverie. "Hey, boss? Didn't you used to work at the Jeffersonian?"

"Yes, I did. These were some of my colleagues."

Another grad student glanced at the article. "No way, you know Temperance Brennan? I love her books. Is she as amazing as they say?"

Goodman nodded, "Even more incredible. She and her partner, the whole team really, they are the best in the world at what they do. I was honored to have worked with them. I am honored to consider them friends."

Another colleague wiped at his sweaty brow, glancing at the pictures still on display. "So no regrets, leaving the air conditioned Jeffersonian for the heat of this jungle?"

Goodman shook his head as he carefully tucked the journal back into his box. "No, not at all, but sometimes... Sometimes, I really miss that place."

"I can't believe that I missed this place. I'm back in town two days, and I already want to go back on vacation." Dr. Camille Saroyan rolled her eyes as she removed her latex gloves in disgust. Walking in on Monday morning to a gooey body had not been her idea of a welcome home party.

"You know, Dr. Saroyan. I'd be happy to remain in charge of the forensics team if you wanted to take some more time off. We fared quite well in your absence."

Cam threw her gloves into the garbage as she hid an eye roll. "Thank you, Dr. Brennan. It's nice to know that I am superfluous."

The beep from the front of the platform drew both women's attention. Booth's security card was in his teeth as he flipped through some files. He removed the card and turned to the pathologist. "Come on, Camille. You know that we'd be lost without you."

Brennan frowned, "That is not strictly true. I have an excellent sense of direction."

"Bones, we're working on this. Less literal, more metaphorical. You can do it." Brennan just turned away from her partner and focused on the body in front of her. Booth shook his head and continued to talk to his friend. "Well, welcome back. Did you have a nice trip to New York City?"

"I did. Great shopping, amazing food. Saw a couple shows. Bought myself a few new soundtracks." Cam smiled broadly, remembering her time away.

Booth groaned. "Yuck, I hate musicals."

Cam nodded, "Yes, that's why we never made it to the Big Apple when we were dating."

Brennan's eyes snapped up from the body as she stared down the back of Cam's head. Booth and Cam's brief relationship hadn't been mentioned in a long time, but Brennan was surprised at the pang in her chest at the memory. She brushed it aside and focused on the murder victim in front of them, bringing the conversation back to work. As soon as she had concluded with her preliminary findings, she stripped off her gloves and quickly made her way to her office, shutting the door with force.

Booth once again turned to the pathologist. "What did we do?"

Cam didn't bother to hid her eye roll, "Brought up our fling."

Booth's eyes widened a bit at that thought. "Do you think she was... no... of course she wasn't. She's Bones."

"She still has feelings, Booth."

"I know that." Booth raked his fingers through his hair in frustration.

Cam looked down at their victim, not willing to talk in circles all day, not on her first day back from her vacation. "Well, anyway. We've got a murder to solve here. So, we might want to get back to that."

Booth nodded, "Right, right. I'll let you know when I have anything, Camille."

"Sounds good, Seeley."

"Don't call me Seeley."

Cam's usual retort was cut off as Booth had already turned on his heel and marched over to Brennan's office. She watched the man as he entered his partners office. Through the glass, Cam could see Brennan's face relax as Booth worked his magic on her.

Cam grabbed a new set of gloves and slowly worked them onto her hands. It wasn't just Booth's hatred of musicals that had kept Cam and Booth from going to New York. Cam could still recall digging through the earth and pulling Brennan and Hodgins out of broken glass and dirt. She could see the pure joy on the partners' faces when they realized that Brennan and Hodgins were safe, that the Gravedigger hadn't won. Cam had watched them as they stared at each other, and she knew then that her latest relationship had an expiration date. Of course, the actual end hadn't been pleasant at all, but being poisoned may have had something to do with that.

Cam sighed and began taking samples from their victim. As some fluid began leaking from the corpse, Cam could only shake her head. "Lord, two hours back on the job and all I want to do is go home and take a nap."

"Uhh, you can get up now." Warning bells were still resonating off of lab walls as Booth turned his head from its placement near the ground. A soot covered Dr. Jack Stanley Hodgins was staring down at the partners. When Booth had heard the explosion, he had instinctively ducked for cover and pulled Brennan underneath him. They had stayed on the floor, Booth refusing to move from his position as protector.

Hodgins repeated his earlier statement. "Guys, you can get up now. It was just a flash bang really. All lights and noise, no actual power."

Brennan squirmed underneath her partner. "Booth, we're fine. You can get off of me now." When he didn't move, she called his name again. "Booth?"

The man finally came to his senses and eased himself to the side of his Brennan's body. "Sorry, Bones. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

He continued to stare at his partner. "You sure? You didn't hit your head or anything on the way down?" His hands reached out and ran fingers along her face checking for injuries.

"I'm fine. Really, Booth." She pulled away from his ministration, stood and extended her own hand, pulling him off of the floor. Their hands remained clasped for a moment, and Booth seemed reluctant to let her hand go.

Hodgins watched them in amusement. This wasn't the first time that Booth had felt the need to rescue and protect her. Booth was looking at Brennan with an expression that Hodgins had seen many times before. He remembered the first time that he had seen that look on the agent's face.

The entomologist had rushed an injured Booth to an abandoned warehouse in order to rescue his partner. The man was emotionally beating himself up, surpassing even the physical bruises that had been left by an exploding refrigerator. Hodgins had just pressed his gas pedal harder and asked the universe to help them make it in time.

And they had made it in time. Hodgins had watched as Booth had taken down a corrupt agent and rescued a terrified Brennan from near death. Her eyes were wide with fright even as Booth helped haul her off of the hook and hugged her tightly. Then there had been a moment, where Brennan had pulled away and looked at Booth. Hodgins felt like an intruder watching their intimate moment. He'd been sure that they were about to kiss, but instead they had just gone back to hugging each other, and then returned to the hospital.

Hodgins blinked and was brought back to reality. Cam had finally come out of her office, trying not to shriek at the man who had once again managed to blow up her lab. Booth and Brennan separated as if they were pieces of shrapnel and Cam gave Hodgins an odd look at their reaction.

"Hodgins, there is a reason that you are supposed to run experiments by me."

"Sorry, Cam. Won't happen again." Cam fixed a glare on him and he held his hands up in apology. He risked a quick look over at the agent and anthropologist, and was surprised that they still seemed so shaken. His tone was contrite as he faced his boss once again. "Seriously, I will try very hard not to set off any more explosions in the lab, especially without your permission."

Cam nodded her acceptance of his apology and then turned to eye her anthropologist and agent. "You two OK over there?"

Booth nodded, "We're fine, Camille."

Cam raised an eyebrow. "You sure, you look a little... off."

"Seriously fine, Cam." Booth exhaled, tested his limbs once and then put on his best charm smile. "Yep, we're good. So, Bones, you hungry?"

Brennan smiled, finally releasing the tension in her body and on her face. "I suppose that I could eat." The partners turned towards the exit as Cam returned to her office, muttering about paperwork.

Hodgins watched the pair walk away, Booth's hand at Brennan's back. They were at the door before Hodgins found his voice. The partners completely ignored him as he shouted after them. "Hey, can I come? I'm hungry, too!"

Angela Montenegro threw popcorn at the television screen in disgust. "I hate this movie!"

"You picked it out, Ange. I thought you loved romantic comedies." Hodgins argued as he sank more heavily into the couch, extending his arm around her shoulders.

"I used to. But look at this crap. The two most unbelievable romantic leads in cinematic history are just staring at each other, like they want to kiss, but don't want to cross the line."

"I thought that you loved Colin Firth."

"That's not the point. I'm tired of all this staring and no action."

Hodgins looked at his watch. "We're like twenty minutes into the movie." Angela threw another handful of popcorn, this time at him and Hodgins swore as a kernel bounced into his eye. "What's gotten into you tonight?"

"I live this everyday. I don't want to watch it on TV, it's just stupid."

"What do you mean? Oh, oh. I get it. You're talking about Booth and Brennan."

Angela frowned, "Who else would I be talking about? I'm telling you, those two on screen, they've got nothing on the sexual tension between Booth and Brennan. I can't take it anymore. Seriously, sometimes, I just want to lock them both in a room until they do some touching to match all of the looking."

"Well there's nothing you can really do about it, Angie. It's up to them. When they're ready, they'll get there." Angela shot Hodgins an icy glare which he returned with a smile. "Just think of all of the ups and downs that we've had. And we're still here. Together. We did it, they can too." Angela set her popcorn bowl on the coffee table and reached over to turn the television off. "So we're not gonna finish the movie?"

Angela reached for his shirt and tugged it off of his head before he could react. Hodgins just watched her as she started to unbutton her blouse. "I just said that I was tired of all of this staring and no action." She winked at him and waved him towards her with the wag of a finger.

Hodgins finally reacted as he leaned forward on the couch and captured her lips with his. "I can give you action. Oh Baby, I am all action."

"Die, scum, die!" Dr. Lance Sweets yelled into his computer monitor as his hands rapidly moved along the keyboard. "You can't kill me. I shall emerge victorious!"

"Dr. Sweets?" At Brennan's questioning voice, the man whipped around in his chair.

"Uh, Dr. Brennan. You're early. I wasn't expecting you yet."

Brennan's brow wrinkled. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, just playing a game. I shouldn't play it at work, but you and Agent Booth are my first appointment of the day, so I'm not really on the clock yet, and... well... yes. Anyway, why are you alone?"

"Booth said that he would meet me here. He had to take Parker to school this morning."

Sweets nodded, turned to flick off his monitor and then started to settle himself for their appointment. "Well, even though it's just the two of us, we can get started."

Brennan just sat herself primly on her side of the couch. "I'd prefer to wait for Booth."

"Of course you would. We can just make small talk until he gets here."

"Why?"

Sweets rested his chin on the tips of his fingers. "Why not?"

"Fine, I'll try. Were you winning in your game?"

Sweets grinned. "I was totally kicking ass."

The office door clicked and Booth was there, holding two cups of coffee. "Sure you were, Sweets. Heya, Bones. I got you your favorite."

Brennan looked sheepish, and Sweets realized that she had also come prepared for their morning by bringing him coffee. Two travel mugs were set on the table in front of them. "I also brought you coffee. I thought that you would might be distracted by the alteration in your typical morning routine."

Booth smiled as he handed her one of his coffees and grabbed his travel mug from Brennan. "I'd never forget your coffee, Bones. You know that." Booth sipped at the coffee that Brennan had brought and sighed in satisfaction. "Man, this is good stuff. Where'd you get it?"

From his perch, Sweets watched the partners in fascination. Brennan extolled the virtues of organic, fresh ground beans even as she drank the more generic brew that Booth had provided, her original mug forgotten. As they began to bicker about whose coffee was better, and whose job it was to bring said coffee, Sweets just observed.

He couldn't help but remember one of their very first sessions when Booth had looked devastated at the idea of never seeing Brennan again. She had looked equally stunned when Booth had explained his stance on their relationship. From those very first days, Sweets had known what their partnership meant to them. Even if there were no more murders, they were more than just occasional coffee dates.

The partners had stopped their good-natured bantering and were now watching at the psychologist. Booth settled back into the couch and cleared his throat, "So, Sweets, you got something to say, or can we just get back to work?"

Sweets raised his head off of its perch on his hands. "Fascinating."

"Dad, I'm bored." Parker Booth whined as Booth emerged from his room.

"Well, what do you want to do today, Bub? Want to hit up the zoo? We haven't been there in awhile."

Parker rolled his head from side to side. "Daa-aad. The zoo is for little kids." His eyes sparked with hopefulness. "We could go to the movies."

"No way. I know what movie you want to see, and your mother already said no."

"I'm not a baby, Dad."

"No, but you aren't 17 yet either."

"It's not fair." Parker continued to whine, he hated being treated like a baby. Booth let him pout for a few minutes, until the boy apologized for his mood.

At the apology, Booth let out a grin, telling the boy that all was forgiven. "You want to go swimming?"

Parker's eyes sparked again. "Really? Where?"

"Where? Bones' place. Where else?"

"We haven't done that in forever. Not since before you went away."

Booth had been tying up his sneakers, and paused in the activity. Had it really been that long since he had taken his boy to her pool? "Has it really been that long?"

"Yeah, Dad. But it's cool. She'll let us come over. And maybe she'll make us some mac 'n' cheese. It's soooo good."

"I don't know, Bub. She's pretty busy, and it's rude to just invite ourselves over."

"But she told me that next time that I came to see her, she would make it for me. She promised."

Booth sighed. "I know, kid, but things are different now."

Parker frowned, "Oh, because you guys broke up? And then you were with Hannah?"

It seemed that Booth's shoes just weren't meant to be tied. Booth snapped up and looked his son in the eyes. "Parker. Bones and I, we never dated."

"Sure you did. You ate together all of the time, and you got her a Christmas tree, and you were always touching her when we were all together. You were totally dating."

"No, we weren't."

"Why not? She liked you. You liked her. You totally wanted to kiss each other."

"Parker..." Booth warned even as he turned to finally fix his shoes and then rustle through the front closet for his favorite jacket.

"I could tell. You were always looking at each other all mushy. Whenever I see that on TV, the people always kiss. Why don't you just grab her and kiss her and tell you that you love her. It always works on TV."

Booth sighed. How could he explain it to his son? "Cause real life isn't television, Parker. Now, do you want to go swimming or not?"

"I want to go, I want to go."

Booth tossed his phone at his son, "Go ahead and giver her a call, Bub. She won't say no to you."

Parker smiled as he scrolled though Booth's contacts. He made polite conversation with Brennan and she readily agreed to an afternoon of swimming and dinner of cheesy pasta. Parker hung up the phone, still grinning as he handed it back to his father. "She said yes."

"Good. We'll have fun."

"Yeah we will. But, I still think that you should just grab her and kiss her. Then I could have mac 'n' cheese and go swimming all the time."

Booth shook his head as he reached over to ruffle his son's hair. Parker protested as he playfully pushed his father away. "Daa-aad."

"Dad, what are you doing here?" Brennan asked as Max Keenan pushed his way through her front door.

Max pressed a kiss to his daughter's cheek. "Can't a father just stop by to say hello?"

Brennan's forehead wrinkled. "Well, I suppose some fathers could."

"I'm just trying to be one of those dads, Tempe."

Brennan nodded noncommittally. "But what are you doing here?"

"Just wanted to see if you wanted to grab some lunch. Maybe take in a movie. I haven't seen you in awhile."

Brennan smiled. "That would be nice, but I already have plans."

"Booth?"

"Yes, how did you know?" Brennan nodded even as she looked at her father in surprise.

Max just chuckled. "Where one of you goes, the other generally follows."

"Would you like to join us? I'm sure Booth wouldn't mind."

Max waved her off, "Nah, I can stop by another time. I'll give you a call and we can make actual plans." Max made his way towards the door, but Brennan stopped him.

"Are you leaving already, Dad?"

"Well, you've got plans with Booth. I don't want to interfere."

"He won't be here for about twenty minutes, if you want to stay."

Max grinned at his daughter. "He's picking you up?"

Brennan nodded, "Yes, he usually does."

Max's eyes lit up even further. "So it's a lunch date?"

Brennan sighed. "It's not a date, Dad."

"But that Hannah-girl, she's gone?"

"Yes, she has returned to Afghanistan, and she is no longer dating Booth."

"Well, that's good. I never liked her."

"You never even met her!" Brennan exclaimed as she distracted herself by straightening up her already immaculate apartment.

"But she made you unhappy, I'm your father. I'm always on your side. I had to hate her."

Brennan ignored the latest comment and offered her father a drink while they waited. Max asked for water and Brennan retreated to the kitchen. Max watched her go, a small frown on his face. He sank into the couch and was lost in his memories. He had seen the hurt in his daughter's eyes when she had told him about Booth and Hannah. Max had just wanted his daughter's happiness, and he had always known that Booth would make her happy. Booth cared about her, deeply.

Max had once asked Booth point blank if he was sleeping with Brennan. Booth had denied it, but Max had seen something in the agent's eyes. And when Booth had sincerely told Max that 'Bones is beautiful,' Max had known that Booth was in love with his daughter. He'd always assumed that it would just be a matter of time until Brennan would be willing to enter into a romantic relationship with the man who was clearly head over heels for the woman.

Still, nothing had happened. He had watched them share Christmas together, had seen the way that they looked at each other as they shared a festive toast. He had witnessed them both put faith in a system that could be unfair, how Booth stopped Max's plan for vengeance in order to protect Max's daughter. Oh Max had seen it all, he just hadn't seen the two of them cross the line into a full blown relationship. And he knew why. In trying to protect his daughter, he had taught her that people that she loves will leave her. Of all of his regrets, the scars that he had left on his daughter's heart were the ones that haunted him the most.

"Dad, here's your water."

Max leaned forward on the couch and grabbed the offered drink. He took a sip and smiled as his daughter sat down next to him on the sofa. "I just want you to be happy, Tempe."

Brennan's brow crinkled in confusion, all she had done was get him a drink. "I am happy, Dad."

Max shook his head. She was satisfied with her job, and she had friends, but it wasn't enough. Nothing less than everything was enough for his daughter. "You have the moon, but I want you to have the stars and all of the planets too."

The anthropologist pressed a kiss onto her father's cheek. "Thank you, that's very sweet of you. But I'm good, Dad. Really."

The man smiled and took another sip of his water. "Only the best for my Tempe."

There was a knock on the door, and Max had to conceal a grin as Brennan's eyes sparkled and a smile of pure happiness lit her face. She opened the door and a casually dressed Booth entered the apartment.

Booth greeted Max warmly when he noticed that he was in the room and Max reached out to shake the man's hand. Booth was standing close to his partner, and neither seemed to notice the breach of personal space.

"Max, you joining us?"

"Sure, why not?" He just winked at his daughter when she had given him a confused look. "Where are we going?"

Max followed them out of the apartment as they chatted about work and their lunch plans. Booth's hand reached for Brennan and landed on the small of her back. Max smiled to himself. He had faith that they'd figure it all out, sooner rather than later.

"I can't figure this out, cher." Caroline Julian growled as she walked into Booth's office.

"What are you talking about, Caroline?"

"This mumbo jumbo that your partner sent over."

"Well give her a call, set up a meeting. We'll straighten it out."

"Does she have to be so technical?"

Booth grumbled, "She's thorough."

"She doesn't let anything slip through the cracks, I'll give her that. But couldn't she just say collar bone instead of clavicle, just once?"

"Well then, she wouldn't be Bones then, would she?"

Caroline huffed. "And we all know that you've got to have your Bones, don't we, cher?"

Booth turned back to his computer monitor, but Caroline didn't accept the informal dismissal. When the prosecutor didn't move after a minute, Booth turned back to her. "Is there something else that you needed, Caroline?"

"Well, I'm not so inclined to be nice to you right now, Seeley Booth. I don't abide rudeness. But I just thought that you'd like to know, Rodgers hired his defense attorney. We're facing Candace Walker."

Booth groaned. He didn't like Walker, not one bit. "Ugh, she hates us. I hate going on the stand against her."

Caroline pursed her lips. "She's just bitter. We're 6 and 0 against her."

"Caroline, she once accused Bones and me of colluding to get a man convicted. She accused Bones of making up evidence because my case wasn't strong enough! She basically accused us of perjury."

"And it didn't work. And that man will be serving 20 more years before he even hears the word parole."'

"I just don't like her attitude, especially about Bones and me. She's always trying to pit us against the jury."

Caroline frowned at the man. "Well can you blame her for trying it? It's a tactic. She just doesn't like your friendship. She thinks that you two are too buddy-buddy."

"Bones and I are nothing but professional on the stand."

"It's off the stand that she has a problem with. You two, you walk in all lovey dovey, and you sit together, and you whisper together, and you smile at each other, do you need me to continue?"

Booth sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Not this again, please, Caroline."

Yes, Caroline had always seen it. Those two kids, subtle wasn't in their wheelhouse. She had seen it when she unleashed her Puckish side and had gotten them to kiss. She had walked away dumbstruck when Brennan had planted one on Booth, bringing in a flotilla of steamboats. But, Caroline had seen it most clearly when Booth had been on the stand at Max Keenan's trial. Booth had had to accuse his partner of possibly committing a cold-blooded murder. He'd had to tell the court that she had the motive and opportunity to kill Kirby. And he had done it, because it was the truth. Booth was incapable of committing perjury, but Caroline had seen that if he could ever be tempted to lie on the stand, it would be to protect his partner.

Caroline had not won that trial, it was one of the very few that she had lost when she had Booth pulling the case together, but she didn't let it bother her too much. Kirby had been a bad piece of work, and Max Brennan had been protecting his children. She hated losing, but when she had seen the relieved faces on her team, and when she had seen father and daughter reunited, she had gotten over the soreness. Brennan was a good woman, and Booth was a good man, she could let them have this one. Caroline had stood on the steps of the courthouse and watched as Brennan hugged her father, but her eyes had been only for Booth.

Booth had turned back to his monitor. "Anyway, Caroline. I'll give Bones a call. She'd be happy to go over the files. She doesn't want this guy back on the streets any less than we do."

"Nice change of subject, cher."

"Whatever."

Caroline shrugged, "I just call it like I see it. And you two, you rented out a sky-writer. Anyone can see it, miles away."

Booth felt like shouting from the rooftops. Brennan had come to him in the middle of the night. He had imagined the scenario thousands of times. Of course, he had never thought that the impetus for the move would be the tragic death of an intern, but he could stop the joyous feeling in his chest that Brennan had come to him.

Yes, anyone could see how they felt about each other, everyone else had noticed it, commented on it. Their bosses, their friends, their family, everyone knew it, and finally Brennan and Booth had caught up to their own reality.

Booth loved her. He was in love with her. He had always known that she was the one. He'd made mistake after mistake when it came to his relationship with her, but he wasn't going to make them anymore. He wasn't angry anymore, and she was no longer impervious. She was strong enough now. She had proved that point by coming to him in a moment of weakness and vulnerability.

He looked down at his finally sleeping partner. She had cried for a long time, while he whispered meaningless words in her ear and rubbed her back. She had fisted her hands in his shirt and tried to slow her breath, and stem the flow of her tears. He had pressed kisses into the crown of her head as she rested her ear against his chest and listened to the steady beating of his heart. Eventually, her breathing had slowed and she had fallen asleep. Booth had simply watched her as dawn approached.

He was still exhausted, but he didn't want to close his own eyes. Despite the tragedy of the previous day, he didn't want this experience to end. He wanted to hold her forever, to revel in the fact that she was finally in his arms. But his alarm was about ready to buzz, and he had to find Broadsky. He had to end it. He reached over to silence the alarm before it could startle his partner awake and gave himself one last moment. He then returned his arm to Brennan's back, rubbing gentle circles until she began to stir.

Her questioning eyes met his, "Booth?"

"It's morning, Bones. We should get up." She nodded before burying her face in his chest. He pressed another kiss to the top of her head. "It'll be OK, Bones. We'll get Broadsky. It will be over today."

"I'm scared, Booth."

"I'll be fine. We will all be fine."

Brennan shifted and brought her head off of its resting position. "I worry about your safety, yes, but that's not why I'm scared. I don't know how to say this."

"You can tell me anything, Temperance, you know that."

"I love you," she blurted as she blushed. "I just wanted you to know that. I don't want you to go another day without knowing the truth. I love you, Booth. I've been scared, terrified of telling you my true feelings, because last time, you were with Hannah and then you were angry."

"I"m not angry anymore, Bones."

"And we're both strong. I have nothing but complete faith in you, Booth. You will capture Broadsky, and you will stay safe, but I wanted you to know the truth. Life is short, Booth. Vincent's death showed me that. I don't want to hide anymore. I don't want to be scared anymore."

She met his eyes, and they stayed connected for a long moment, watching each other, attempting to read the other person. They each asked and answered a thousand questions without speaking a word. Finally, they both smiled and tilted their faces toward each other.

Just before their lips met, Booth whispered. "I love you too, Bones. Always have, always will."

She just nodded and closed the gap between them. This kiss contained the passion of their first one, the desire of their second, and the desperation of their third kiss. They remained connected and deepened the kiss, surpassing all of their previous attempts.

Eventually, they separated, breathing unevenly and unable to keep their eyes off of each other.

Brennan sat up in the bed and toyed with the hem of her borrowed sweatshirt. She looked at Booth with one final question in her eyes. Did they dare take the last step in their relationship? Could they finally cross the line? Here? Now?

Booth steadied her trembling hand with his own. He squeezed it once and nodded his head. They were ready, they didn't have to be scared anymore, didn't have to worry. It was time. His eyes met hers, she read his answer. And their lips met again.