Author's Note: I'm sorry that it took so long for this update, but my grandma passed away, and family was in town for a few days after the funeral, so I was pretty busy. I don't think there's any spoilers in here, and Brennan might be a little OOC. Thank you for all the reviews and favorites! I really appreciate it. Also, I apologize for any wrong information regarding the Catholic church, as I'm not very familiar with their practices.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, and probably never will as it belongs to Fox and Hart Hanson.

She heard the heels clicking across the lab's floor less than an hour after he left. Sighing, she clicked out of the Word document, which held the latest chapter of her book, and stood, gathering her things. She was slipping into her jacket when Angela appeared in the doorway.

"What did I tell you about Booth?" Angela demanded, eyes flashing. "Do you ever listen to a word I say?"

"Yes." She said, picking up her purse from her desk. "I went back to see him." It wasn't worth it to tell the whole story again. Angela didn't need to know about all that right now; besides, the sooner they got to the mall, the sooner they could get out of there.

"Then what are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you." She walked out of her office, shutting the lights off behind her. Angela followed her after a moment of hesitation, and quickly caught up.

"Waiting for me? Do you think you could explain yourself, this time without leaving out key details?"

"Those don't matter right now. The point is that tonight, Booth's making me dinner." She braced herself for the squeal that she was sure would follow this statement. It didn't, and after a moment, looked over at Angela, who was wearing a perfectly normal expression on her face.

"Did you hear me, Angela?" She asked, pausing. "Booth's making me dinner."

"I heard you. But don't you and Booth do that at least a few nights a week?"

"Yes, I suppose we do, but that's because of a case. This has nothing to do with any case whatsoever." She watched her friend think about this for a moment before a shocked and excited expression spread over her face.

"Oh, Bren!" Angela yelled, throwing her arms around Brennan's neck in a hug that almost had both of them losing their balance. "Thank God you finally realized what I've been telling you all along! Oh, we have to go to the mall. You really need a new outfit."

"I was expecting that." She replied, gently pushing Angela away. "That's why I was waiting for you."

"Well, you could have just told me everything from the beginning." Angela said, digging her car keys out of her purse. "It would have been much easier."

"I thought I made everything clear." Brennan said, her brow furrowing. "Didn't I?"

Angela just laughed at this, and shook her head.

__________________________________________

He knelt in the pew, hands folded together in prayer. Mass was over, but Parker was still in Sunday school, and he needed some time here to himself.

Dear God, he began, please keep her safe while I'm gone. Don't let her get into any trouble; I won't be here to protect her from any murderous criminals.

He was jolted from his silent prayer when someone slid into the pew next to him, and he knew without even looking over who it was.

"Aren't you supposed to be with Angela?" He asked, turning to look at her.

"I left her in Macy's." She replied, her gaze darting around the church. Her nose wrinkled, as it had the last time he'd taken her here, and her eyes fell on his. "Do they have those burning every time you come here?" She pointed to the candles.

"Yes. And could you lower your voice?"

"There's no one else in here-" His hand clamped over her mouth, and she glared up at him.

"I know you don't believe in this, but I do. And as this is a house of worship, you could at least show some respect." He whispered heatedly, eyes flashing. "How many times do I have to tell you that?"

She reached up to remove his hand from her face, and he made no move to stop her. Intertwining her fingers with his, she scooted closer to him, and laid her head on his shoulder.

"I needed to tell you something." She paused, her voice quieter than before.

"What was so important that you had to come here to tell me?" She turned so that she could look him in the eyes, her grip on his hand tightening.

"I wanted to say I was sorry." When he opened up his mouth to speak, she held up a hand to stop him. "I put you leaving for Iraq, and you dying, in the same category as my parents disappearing, Booth, and that wasn't fair to you. You'd never leave on purpose, and I should have known that, been able to differentiate that. But I was just trying to explain how I felt, and it was the same thing that I felt when my parents disappeared. I didn't mean to lump you into the same category as them, it just happened."

For a moment, he said nothing, just looked at her as he mulled over her words in his mind. "You don't have to apologize for anything. I understand that you didn't mean anything by it, and I know that I would feel the same way if the roles were reversed."

"I can't imagine you as a scientist." She said, shaking her head.

"Bones, it wasn't…you know what, never mind." He chuckled, but when he saw the look in her eyes, the laughter faded away. "Don't even think about it."

"Don't think about what?"

"Kissing me."

"I wasn't about to kiss you, Booth." She said indignantly, glaring at him.

"Yes, you were."

"No, I wasn't."

"Yes."

"No." Before this could go on much longer, he stood, making his way past her and into the aisle.

"Look, I have to get Parker from Sunday school, and you have to get back to Macy's before Angela calls the cops."

"You are the cops." Hearing this, he rolled his eyes, and began walking down the aisle to the lobby. She jumped up, and quickly followed him.

"Can I kiss you now?" She asked after they had made their way into the lobby.

"Oh, so you were going to kiss me before. Why didn't you just admit it?"

She put her hands on her hips and looked up at him with a defiant expression on her face. "Because that would mean admitting defeat, and I don't do that."

"No, you don't. You really should go." He said, placing a hand on her arm, and gently shoving her toward the door. "You'll see me tonight at seven. Besides, Angela will kick your ass for running off on her like this." The word slipped out before he could stop it.

"Agent Booth." He heard the voice behind him, and knew it instantly. Sighing, he turned around to find Father Hartwick walking quickly toward him.

"It just slipped out, Father." He said, bowing his head to look at his feet. Even after all these years, any prominent member of the church could still make him feel ashamed.

"I understand. Where did Dr. Brennan go?" He asked, gesturing towards where she had been standing only a moment before.

"I…uh, I don't know." Booth answered, confused by her rapid departure. Then, another thought occurred to him that was even more puzzling than her departure. "How do you know Bones?"

"Ah, is that what you call her? Although she would probably not wish for me to tell you this, she came to see me after your death."

"Why?" There was no reason for her to go see a priest. She thought that religion was merely a story; that, as it couldn't be proven, it couldn't possibly exist.

"She had a question. She considered me an 'expert' in this field, and therefore, the one best prepared to answer her question. But as for any other information, I think it's better that you find out that from her."

At that moment, Parker's Sunday school class let out. Caught up in his son's excited stream of words, he didn't notice that the priest had left.

__________________________________________________

"Angela, aren't we done yet?" She said, collapsing down into a chair in the shoe department. "We've been here for hours."

"Correction. I've been here for three hours, while you ran off and had me worried sick for an hour, going to see Booth in church. Now, would you quit complaining? You don't even have to do anything but sit there." She bustled away to begin looking through the many rows of shoes set out, and Brennan sighed. This was not her idea of a good time.

The two hours she'd spent with her best friend had been productive, at least in regards to her outfit. Angela had picked out a beige sundress, which she was excited to find that the color didn't totally wash Brennan out, whatever that meant. It had some kind of floral design on it, really more of an abstract one, as Angela had put it. Brennan had to admit that it did fit her extremely well, but she wasn't sure if it was her. Ugh, now she was wading into something like psychology, but what would Booth think? Wouldn't he be imagining something a little more…subdued? He was only making her dinner.

"Angela?" She said, wandering over to where her friend was browsing. "Can I ask you something?"

"If it's something along the lines of when we're leaving, no. Other than that, ask away."

"Do you think the dress is something I would wear?" She asked, a somewhat nervous expression appearing on her face even though she tried to hide it. "Do you think Booth will like it?"

"Brennan, while it's not something you would ever pick out for yourself, yes, it does look like 'you'. And Booth will love it." Angela grinned wickedly, her eyes lighting up. "That reminds me. You need some new underwear."

"Ang-"

"Don't 'Ang' me. Don't you want to get some new stuff? Stuff that Booth will go crazy over?"

"First of all, I don't think Booth will 'go crazy' over anything. Secondly, I suppose some new underwear would be nice, as long as we can get something to eat first. Being stuck in this store has made me realize how hungry I am." Angela smiled at her, and nodded her head.

"We can eat first-there's nothing wrong with that. But I'm going to help you get ready tonight."

"You really don't have to. I am perfectly capable of dressing myself." She retorted, knowing that Angela would spend at least an hour on her hair and makeup.

"Sweetie, I have to. You're finally getting together with Booth, and you have to look your best."

"Fine." Brennan spun on her heel and made her way over to where she'd been previously sitting. It was going to be a long day.