AN: Thanks so much for the quick responses and encouragement. I have to be honest. I only have a vague idea of where this story is going. It just seems to be flowing so naturally so I am not going to pressure myself into anything. I will promise to keep going (especially if I keep getting good reviews)!!

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Chapter 5 - Responses

This was undoubtedly the most difficult car ride that he ever had to endure. It was not her fault. He was not sure what had come over him. He told himself that he was not going to profess his love for her. He knew that it would be difficult and awkward and he knew that it was not a situation that was fair to her. He was ashamed of himself for not lasting 24 hours in her presence—Heck, he didn't even last 5 hours in her presence. When he heard what she was feeling, however, he knew that he had to do something drastic. He never wanted her to connect him with any sort of betrayal again. He was an intensely proud and loyal man. Honor and duty were not just matters associated with his military or government service; they were a part of his being.

He did not expect her to fall into his arms nor did he really expect an emotional response. He had not thought about the situation long enough to know what to expect from her. He just wanted her to trust him.

They had returned to the car and driven almost half way back to DC before either of them mustered up the nerve to say anything. He felt compelled to break the silence but every time he tried, he could not find any more words to say. He had poured out his heart and he was drained. Still, he could not leave everything the way it was even though he had gotten the last word—not an easy task around Temperance Brennan.

"Bones," He said tentatively. "There are many different kinds of love, you know. I really don't want you to feel pressured about anything here. Your accusation of betrayal scared me, and I needed to say something that meant something."

"Are you trying to take it back, Booth?" Her voice was calm and even.

"No, you know that am not the type of man to casually throw out words like that. I just want you to understand that you do not have to respond."

"Well, you are talking like you are waiting for a response."

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. She was right. He was actually desperate for her to say something—anything. "I am sorry. I didn't plan this and I don't know what to say or do right now. I am definitely in uncharted territory here."

"Don't worry Booth. You have spoken honest truths about me as well as yourself. You are always honest with me, and I really appreciate it. I am not sure what to say right now. I am not really equipped to deal with these types of emotions as you very well know. After thinking about it, however I conclude that using the word love to describe our partnership is accurate. We care about each other. We protect each other. We share confidences. You are right—there are different kinds of love. Besides, I did say a lot of things to you on the way out to the Park, and you found a logical way to make me understand that you had no intention of betraying me, and I believe you." She turned toward him and smiled and he could not help but smile back at her.

"Thank you, Bones." She was rationalizing again, but he felt more at ease as a peaceful silence settled into the vehicle.

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When they reached the beltway, Bones spoke again. "Booth, the bones in the Park have been there for a while. I would say at least five and maybe even ten years. I know that there is a lot of wildlife and insect activity to figure out but they are almost wiped clean and the skeletons had time to disassemble and intermingle. The positioning of the bones is kind of odd."

"What do you mean by odd?"

"I am not sure. If the skeletons were intact, then I would have a better idea of their positioning. It is almost as if they were stuck together."

"Well, I would say that that classifies as odd. We will be at the lab soon and you get that brain of yours working on the solution." She would figure it out. She had an uncanny knack of piecing together these puzzles. It did not take him a long time to fully accept her talents; in case after case, she gave him hard, often indisputable facts. She did her scientific thing so well. "I will drop you at the lab and give you and the squint squad time to get some answers. Give me a call, later?"

"Sure, perhaps we can grab a bite to eat tonight?"

"That would be great." He was so proud that they worked and existed together so well.

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After dropping her off, he let out a long, cleansing breath. He felt that the morning had gone well, but he was thankful for the break. He was not exactly emotionally equipped for this either. On his way to his office, he started to rethink what was said and how she responded. As he parked the SUV and headed toward the elevator, he suddenly felt a little dread and found himself somewhat irritated by her response. Had she dismissed his feelings as a logical solution to a problem? Damn her rationalizing.

"You are right back where you started." He muttered to himself. "Idiot." Sure, there are different kinds of love, but what does that really mean?

He had settled down to complete some long overdue paperwork when he heard the familiar sound of his cell phone. Looking at the display, he took a deep breath shaking away any remnants of irritation and answered, "Gee Bones that was fast. You are the best."

"Booth, we have an identity for the older male. His dentals were in the military database. His name was Richard Barton."

"Great, I will get some background information and head over to your office. Anything about those odd bones, yet?"

"Well, yes and no. I am confident that I will have more information when you get here."

"See you soon."

He slipped the phone back into his pocket and turned towards his keyboard, entering the name that Bones supplied. As the data populated his screen, he felt an uncomfortable weight building in his chest.