A.N : I own nothing regarding Bones.

The lyrics used on this chapter is a free translation of a Brazilian song.

Oh, and by the way...thank you for correction me with the expression wrapped around your finger.

CHAPTER 16- REALIZATIONS

You and me

It´s not that complicated,

It´s not that hard to realize

Which one of us will say

That it´s impossible for love to happen

If I say that I don´t feel anything

That the road without you is safer

I know, you´ll laugh at my face

I already know your smile, I read your look

Your smile is just disguise

And I don´t need it

I´m sorry to say

That I really love

And it´s hard to disguise

Between the two of us

There´s no space for any secret

Beyond the ones that we agreed

On the void of things We had said

It´s no use for us to be just friends anymore

And When I say that I no longer want

The phrase stays backwards

Right in the opposite

And when I pretend that I forget

I haven´t forgotten anything

And everytime I flee I approach more

And to loose you of my sight is just too bad

And that´s why I cross your future

And make of the memories a safe place

It´s not that I want to relive any past

Or turn a felling already turned

But everytime that I look for a way out

I end up entering by accident in your life

I´ve searched for any excuse to not face you

To not say again the same thing

Speak just to speak

That I don´t even care for this conversation

That the history of us doesn´t interest

If I try to hide half trues

You know my smile, read into my eyes

My smile is just disguise

That I don´t even need…

Booth took deep , calming breathes in his kitchen while fixing his Bones´s lunch, asking God for some kind of guidance. Because he knew that Brennan, being the always curious and blunt person she was, would probably never let the question go while it remained unanswered. And he honestly didn´t know what he should say. So many things had already happened, so many things were said, that Booth had the distinct impression that there was no turning back point for the two of them. He didn´t know where any of this would lead them, but there was no way they could just go back to how they used to be around each other. Something had changed. Booth set the tray with Brennan´s food carefully in his hands, stopping at his bedroom door for a minute, looking at it as it would open by itself revealing something scary .Jeez, I´m actually afraid of facing Bones. Why did she have to ask me such a thing?

Another long breath later, he opened the door, a broad smile plastered at his face with his best charm, a feeble attempt to make temperance forget their previous conversation. She looked like she just had been slumbering, looking at him with groggy and confused eyes, and Booth felt secretively thankful. Maybe she got too distracted.

" there you go, Bones. A nice, yummy chicken soup. And the tea I´ve promised you" Booth placed the tray in front of her, observing her face wince as looking at it´s contents. Apparently, the nausea was still there.

" I´m not very hungry." It was a lie. She was actually starving, for her alimentation wasn´t exactly good since the day before. But at the same time she craved for some food, her stomach churned in protest, reminding her that the nausea was a constant feeling. Booth came closer, adjusting the tray between then, a smug smile all over his lips.

" yeah, I´m not buying it, Bones. You barely ate yesterday, and you threw up everything today, so…sure you´re hungry." He could tell by her face that he was right, just like he could tell what was bothering her. " C´mon, Bones. You can´t just decide not to eat because you´re queasy. That´s not how it works. You know you have to eat to get better. Just try some, slowly. You don´t have to shove all of this into your mouth. C´mon, I´ll help you." He grabbed a spoon full of soup and started to guide it directly to her mouth, but the look in her eyes made him stop in the air.

" Don´t you dare, Booth. I´m not a baby or a dysfunctional person to need to be fed. I can do this on my own, thank you very much." She took the spoon of his hand angrily, enraged by her own resistances and difficulties. Booth seemed to be reading her more and more, and it was driving her crazy. Besides, it was freaking her out, all that caring, all that proximity. So, she decided it was time to take some control, even if it was to such a small thing as lifting a spoon to her mouth. And even if with that single tiny movement, her body screamed in protest, her arms heavy. But she couldn´t let Booth realize that. She sipped the soup carefully, afraid that by the touch of the food she would be sick. Surprisingly, it didn´t happen, the taste actually welcomed as she ventured a little more. She eyed Booth, realizing that he looked extremely self satisfied, and felt the urge to bark at his cocky expression, but decided otherwise. " This is good, Booth. Thank you." She spoke slow and gently, and felt his hand by her face, freezing immediately. Oh my God. What he is doing? She held her breath as his fingers slide, finally reaching it´s goal; a trend of her hair sprawled over her face. He tucked it carefully behind her ear, happy to realize that his movement had caused her goose bumps.yeah, or maybe the fever, Seeley. Bones is right, I can be pretty cocky sometimes, I guess.

" I´m glad you liked, temperance. It´s not your mac and cheese, but hey, we do our best, right?" he gave her a dazzling smile, and temperance started to wonder if something was seriously wrong with her, for she felt flushed at every single smile, like a silly teenager girl. She fought to regain her composure, feeling her ears burn.

" I´ll cook you mac and cheese as soon as I can get out of this bed, Booth. As a thank you gift. " What´s wrong with me? Why do I feel so happy all of a sudden just because he seems satisfied?

" I´ll love it, Bones. But take your time,ok? There´s no rush. C´mon, eat a little more." He watched as she once again took the spoon to her mouth, realizing how deeply involved he already was, how right Angela had told his Bones he felt. Completely, irrevogably and unmistakable wrapped around all of her. It was a feeling of pure scare and freedom at the same time. Because he was finally admitting something that was so buried inside that sometimes he was sure it would never come up.he had feelings for temperance Brennan. Deep, strong feelings. And he felt like he was finally ready to stop running and facing whatever could happen.

" Why aren´t you eating?" This is just great, temperance. Booth is busy making you food and neglecting his own feeding. But once again Booth seemed to read her thoughts, a soothing hand placing on her arm.

" I´ve had a nice meatloaf sandwich as I was fetching your soup. Don´t worry, Bones. I´m well nurtured." He watched as she struggled to eat a little more and failed miserably, and he knew it wasn´t the time to push, as she looked at him apologethically and pulled the plate away. " It´s ok, Bones. At least you managed to eat a little. Just drink your tea now and I´ll leave you alone." She sighed deeply and did as she was told so, and soon the cup was empty. Booth placed the tray on his bed table, thinking about measuring her temperature once more when her voice rose with decision.

" You never answered my question." Booth froze in his tracks, cursing the fact that his partner had an elephant memory, as well as a need to know about everything.

" About what, Bones?" maybe, he thought, if he kept diverging the subject, she would get annoyed and would just let it go. Only he didn´t believe at this at all. The proof was the rolling in her eyes and then her firm gaze at him.

" About you being wrapped around my finger, Booth. Are you?" She spoke as she was talking with an infant instead of with a man in his mid thirties. She longed and feared his answer at the same time. Because she was starting to realize that maybe, just maybe, if Booth was indeed wrapped, it wasn´t such a bad thing at all.

" Why is this so important for you to know, Bones?" Booth asked without patience, his head a complete mess as he tried to figure out an answer that would be good and unable to freak both of them out.

" Why is this so hard for you to answer, Booth?" She spoke as irritably as him, and Booth knew that he couldn´t stall anymore. But before he could tell the crude true, his brain seemed to be hit by a lightening, as a new approach formed in his head. She wants answers? So do I. Ok, Seeley, time to invert this game.

" What do you think is my answer to your question, Temperance?" His voice was serious and yet soft, but it looked like his Bones was strike by a lightening herself too.

" What…what do you mean, Booth?" Oh, he is clever. Transforming my question into one of his own. Now it was her time to fumble and be confused as his brown eyes pierced hers, prodding, asking, demanding a satisfactory answer. The thing is, she doesn´t know if she had one.

" You know what I mean, Bones. Tell me. What do you think my answer would be? You know it. Actually, I rephrase my question: What would you like my answer to be? And how would you answer if I´ve asked you the same thing?" There. He gave his final move, he put all the cards in the table. It was about the two of them always, after all, right?

Temperance Brennan felt as if she was caught in the middle of a hurricane, and she was swirling , drowning, without breathing. She would look for something to hold on to, but discovered that all she got was herself in this one. Booth had turned the cards, and she felt too tired to try to hide once more. She took a deep sigh as she realized that Booth´s eyes followed every single move of hers, and came to the conclusion that he was as confused and nervous as she was. Good . At least I´m not alone in this awkwardness. She measured her words carefully, knowing that wathever she would say from now on, it would stay carved into each other forever.

" I think that…in a way, we both would have similar answers." Carefully, temperance. " Angela says that this expression means that you are the boss. But I´m starting to think that it´s deeper than that. It means that…you care deeply about the other. So deeply, that you are willing to do anything if you think that it´s for the other person´s good. And..looking by this side…I would have to say that yes, I do have you wrapped, because you are here, taking care of me as no one never did, worrying, being here all the time. But… I would have to say, then, that you have me too. Wrapped around your finger. Because I would do exactly the same if the situation was opposite." She looked anywhere but at Seeley Booth now, all her body flushed and agitated. She was sure she could hear his insharp of air at her response, but dared not to look at his face. She had opened up. She had just ruined her well built walls. She was in great danger.

A strong, yet gentle hand was placed by her chin, lifting it, forcing her to look at him. Brennan reunited all her nerve to look back, and was glad to see the same confusions and fears mirroed at Booth´s chocolate eyes. His fingers were like fire against her skin, and temperance suddenly desired that she wasn´t sick at all, so she could,- I can´t believe that I´m thinking about this – Kiss him. Booth was serious, more than she had ever seen, his eyes dark pools full of meanings.

" Temperance… you realize that we will need to have a serious conversation soon or later, don´t you?" She did. But part of her was still resistant, the part that was abandoned so many times that got too hard to break. And she feared that, once she let Seeley Booth touch this part, it would become dust in the wind. And she just didn´t know if she could afford trusting so much at someone to maybe someday be left.

" talk about what, Booth?" She was being purposefully evasive and numb, but she didn´t care. She was frightened to life. But Booth was not someone to be easily dismissed, she realized as he once again lifted her chin and made her stare directly at his eyes.

" Do not pretend that there is nothing happening, Temperance. We both know better than this. Do not run away." His eyes seemed hypnotic, because suddenly, all she could do was to look at them, as if her safeness depended on it. Slowly, very slowly, she nodded, admitting what was already obvious.

" I´ll admit that things were said and done that will definitely cause a direct change at our dynamic. And I´m willing to discuss it in order to reach a satisfactory agreement." She used her beloved technical words as a shield, for she felt as if she was talking without emotion, things would remain somewhat distant. Many people had asked why she used such complicated words to say things that were oftenly simple. She had never answered. But deep down, she knew that it was her way to protect herself. And she was trying really hard right now. Booth just kept staring at her, now a small smile playing on his lips, and she felt like kicking him. He knows exactly what I´m doing. Damn him and his reading people skills.

" yeah, Bones, nice way to put things into words. Very fancy. I have a suggestion, thought. Why don´t we wait to have this conversation when you´re kind of feeling better? You know, and talking with more sense?" He really, really hoped she would agree with his proposal. Because he wanted everything clear. He wanted his Bones to be completely lucid by the time they talked, so she would not be able to use her crazy talk when sick as a defense after they had reached some kind of agreement. He wanted to put all the dots in the "I"s, and he wanted her to be in her best shape then. Because it would be a decisive moment, he just knew it.

" I appreciate your concern regarding my verbal skills when I´m not well. And I agree with you. So, keep disregarding by now anything that I might say about you and me, because it´s the very irrational part of my feverish brain speaking. It can´t be held against me. Do we have a deal?" She gave him unconscious puppy eyes, and Booth felt like hugging her. She sometimes seemed so defenseless.

" deal, Bones. Now , what you say about you taking a nice nap?"

(-------------------------------)

Booth stretched at his sofa happily, watching the cartoon that was on at his TV. This was one of his secret pleasures, to sit and just enjoy the innocence of parker´s favorite cartoons, without worrying about freaking CNN with all the global crisis, environment, economical stuff, politics, hunger and so on. It was just him and Sponge Bob. Yup, that was life. He stretched again, glad to look at his watch and see that the afternoon had passed in a blur , with Bones soundly asleep at his bed and him wandering around the apartment until settling down in front of the TV. Temperance fell asleep just past few minutes after their fatidic conversation and somewhat admitting that they were becoming something a little more than friends. It probably had stressed the hell out of her, he thought, making her sleep like that. He knew it had stressed him, he could tell by his stiff neck, full with tense muscles.

A sudden fit of coughing was heard, and Booth was on his feet in no time, opening his bedroom door only to find his Bones seeming completely out of breath as the coughing kept going. He was fast to seat by her side and hold her, watching the way her hands held tight her own torax, as if trying to subdue the pain stamped down her face. He kept giving small taps on her back, watching worriedly as her eyes welled up with tears and her hands clutched her chest tighter.

" Take it easy, honey. Try to just breathe." His voice kept chanting the same phrase over and over, as his own chest tightened by the view of his Bones so powerless. Just by touching her he could see that the fever was spiking again, but what was really freaking him out right now was the expression of pure pain on her face.

" hard to breathe." She spoke hoarsely as she struggled for air, trying to inhale deeply, only to feel her toracichal muscles complain with the effort. Plus, there was all that damn congestion over her air ways, which kept her from take the correct quantity of oxygen to her body.

The cough finally subdued, and Brennan felt as she was only half conscious by the end of it, all her body aching. The only thing she had sure was of Booth´s arms supporting her, as he adjusted a pile of pillows at the bed and placed her carefully there, so her body was in a kind of seating position, making a little less hard to catch some air. She opened her eyes in order to look at him, and what she saw almost made her loose her air again. There was so much…caring. Like nothing else mattered to him but her welfare. Like there was nowhere else he would like to be than with her, even if she was a mess.

" Booth…I really, really like the way you look at me" And here I go ruining everything again. But I blame it on the lack of oxygenation caused by the coughing. It´s proven by science that lack of oxygen causes confusion and incoherent speech.

Booth looked at his crazy partner half worried and half amused, his hands still massaging her back as his eyes studied her figure. Her eyes were somewhat glassy, and he suspected again that the fever was too high again for her own good. He tried to ignore the things she said, he really did. But man, her comments were driving him crazy. Did she really meant all that? Because lord knew that he loved to look at her. It was one of his favorite things, since they had became partners, He would study her by the corner of his eyes, realizing every tiny detail of her face, of the way she moved. Every day he would find out something new and incredibly appealing about temperance Brennan. And every day, he fell a little more for her.

" We definitely need to do something about this cough. I´ll ask Cam for something as soon as she gets here, so You´ll feel better. Also, I have some eucalypits cream, which it´s great to open the air ways a little. I always rub at parker chest when he has a nasty cold." And the exact time Booth realized what he´d just said, he regretted. Because he was sure of what was coming next. He wasn´t disappointed as his Bones loose tongue attacked again.

" Will you rub down my chest? Because I think it will be very enjoyable for both of us."

TBC…

So, by now you already know the drill…reviews give me inspiration and desire tio keep writing.