I'm SO sorry for not updating this sooner, but I've been very busy this and the past month with all the school stuff… Anyways, I hope you like it :) Thanks to Boneslover10 for help! Also, thanks to everyone who's reviewed this story, especially to the 100thperson who sent me a review; it is either Grapevine-fires (again :P) or Megwill, I'm not sure; I had problems with my account... Also, I changed the rating to T from unknown reason :P

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize!

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Who's shirt is that?

BOOTH'S POV

"Hi, Booth," she said, smiling. Smiling! Despite my being a total ass to her the past year, she still managed to smile when looking at me.

My eyes adjusted to the light in her hallway and I noticed she wasn't wearing pants. The only clothing on her was a large black T-shirt that reached to the middle of her thighs. Unintentionally, my eyes roamed down her body and I noticed a FBI print on the left side of her chest. I lingered there for a moment too long and I worry she might have thought I was staring at her breasts…which I was. It was kind of difficult not to! She was wearing no bra! I started listing off saints before Jr. gave a standing ovation.

I brought myself out of my thoughts, thoughts I should not be having about my partner. Like the thought of slamming her apartment door shut, pressing her against it and ripping that damn shirt off of her and… Get a grip Seel! A voice inside my head screamed at me.

Finally, I forced my eyes to look at her beautiful face. I had to say something, and fast. I did come to her apartment to talk. Talk, nothing more. But damn! Her wearing my FBI shirt was so damn adorable and hot all at the same time.

"Hi, Bones!" I finally spoke up.

I could tell she was uncomfortable, so I tried to break the tension by saying:

"So here's the shirt I've been looking for…" I looked at the shirt and managed to smile, before quickly returning my eyes to her face.

I wanted to take back my last words when I saw embarrassment wash over her features. Bones never gets embarrassed, not even when talking openly about sex, so why would she feel embarrassed about wearing nothing but my FBI shirt? I had a feeling that it went far beyond just that.

"Oh… This one is yours? I...umm…I thought I got it in that FBI package we get every year for Christmas…"

"Sure you did, Bones…" Woops… I didn't mean to say that out loud and make her even more uncomfortable.

.

The truth was, that we both knew the exact night I had left it at her apartment. It was when I came over to talk to her about Heather Taffet's trial. I ended up going back to my SUV and grabbing the spare clothing, I always kept in the back, in case I ended up staying the night. I just couldn't leave her alone. We ordered Thai food and watched a stupid film until falling asleep at about 2 in the morning. All I remember is waking up wrapped up in blankets with Bones pressed to me closer than she would be ready to admit.

.

God, I really screwed everything up, and I needed to fix it.

I finally said something to make her feel less embarrassed, but I think I failed with the following words:

"Nevermind… You look cute." She blushed slightly and let me in.

"Why are you here, Booth? Shouldn't you be at home with Hannah?"

'Here goes all or nothing, Seeley. Don't screw it up!'

"Yes, well… No, I mean… I want to talk to you and show you something."

Her expression turned worried and confused. Only God knows what she thought I was going to talk to her about. Just when she was starting to sit down, she remembered she wasn't wearing anything besides that shirt, so she excused herself to the bedroom to get dressed.

Three minutes later, she came out with a pair of black yoga pants that shaped her mile long legs perfectly and the FBI shirt still in place. Still no bra. She seemed less worried, just a little anxious.

"You said you wanted to talk to me? What is it that you want to show me?" her voice was calm, but curious.

I took the picture frame from the coffee table where I had put it earlier and placed it in her hands face down.

"What's this?" she asked, looking up at me with big curious eyes.

"It's a photograph. Come on, turn it over," I smiled encouragingly.

After moments of staring directly into my eyes, she finally turned the picture frame over so that the image was now facing her. Soon, as she looked down, it seemed as if she couldn't take her eyes off of the photo anymore. Her hair was hiding her face, but I knew she must be crying.

After a few long minutes, she took a deep breath and lifted her head. There were tears cascading down her cheeks. I felt so bad, for I knew I was the person causing her pain.

.

"Why are you showing this to me?" she asked, determined not to show me just how upset it had actually made her. "Is it to prove to me that I made a mistake? Because I know just how badly I messed up saying no to you, okay? You don't have to give me more evidence, when I already made a conclusion." The smile that had welcomed me was long gone. Her voice was sad and full of regret in contrast to her angry words.

She tried taking deep breaths to calm herself down, but her breathing turned into erratic sobs. She turned away and I could only see her back heaving as she struggled to keep her tears from falling.

.

"Bones," I called softly. The only response she gave to me was the shake of her head. "It wasn't meant to make you cry. You have to believe me. We both know what we messed up by saying 'no' to each other… I just wanted to show you that what we had isn't gone forever; that we just lost it for a little while and we just have to bring that special connection back. And it's my fault, Bones. You shouldn't have regrets."

I scooted closer to her on the couch and put a hand on her back. "Listen to me… We had something special and I ruined it that night outside of the Hoover, by trying to make more out of it, when you were clearly not ready yet. And, God, I wish I could turn back time and not push you into something you weren't ready for. I so badly wish that I would have fought for you, told you that you didn't have to change, that you were perfect just the way you are, that you have the most open heart out of anyone I know… and then… when I left and came back with Hannah…," she winced at the sound of her name.

Telling her that, I realized all over again just how much of a jerk I had been, bringing someone back from Afghanistan with me - or just being with someone, knowing I had feelings for Bones. It was wrong.

.

"I should have waited until we figured things out between us, before being with someone else. I am so sorry, Bones."

She finally turned around. Tears were still running down her face, but they were silent and her sobbing had stopped a while ago. "So why didn't you, Booth?"

"Because I was angry for ruining everything that ever truly meant something to me. My mind was fogged and I… Hannah came and I was so far away from all my real troubles and she was nice. She wasn't…"

"Overly rational, closed-up, unsociable, a burden?… yes I know." She said, starting to sob silently again.

How could she possibly think that I thought she was a burden? I love her, she could never be a burden in my life! And she would not be the same person without all of those things that made her... Bones.

"No, Bones. You are not a burden. And Bones, I love everything about you. Those things are what makes you who you are, I would never want that to fully change. Yes, Hannah was easy to be around and was open about her feelings right away, but she didn't have all of the things that I love about you… I made a mistake and I have regrets. So this picture here isn't meant to make you cry, but to remind you of the love that is still hidden somewhere in both of our hearts."

"Booth, what are you saying?" she took a deep breath to stop her sobs. "Things can't be the way they once were. You saw how Hannah reacted, when we told her about us. And that really wasn't even half of the things we've actually experienced! You have her now, and, as much as I'm sorry… we can't…" she motioned to the photo and turned her back towards me, to hide the tears once again.

"I realized that Hannah will never compare to the love I have for you, Temperance. Hannah noticed she would never mean as much to me as you do. I decided to end it, it was mutual" I feared she would be mad at me for coming to her so fast after the break-up, as if she were a consolation prize– but the fear was only caused by my internal guilt.

"I'm so sorry Booth," she said honestly.

"Don't be... Bones, I have no right to ask for things to go back to 'normal' between us, let alone to ask you to become something more, but I'm asking you to take that into consideration, because you've grown and you've changed without even realizing it and what I feel can't be described in just words… You don't have to cry…" I said as I saw her face when she turned to look at me. She was still trying to catch her breath from crying.

"I can't stop," she tried to smile, but her sobs continued.

"That's okay," I said and put both of my arms around me, pulling her in for a hug from the side, her head resting on my shoulder, with my hands running through her hair. I gently placed a kiss on the top of her head.

It can only get better from now on... I thought, as I made circles on her back and listened to her subsiding sobs.

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Thanks for reading! Make sure to leave a review :P And have you heard; Emily is pregnant! (I hope Bones isn't though…)

Hope you're all getting my responses :)

~K