Chapter II

It had been three days since Booth kissed Bones in her office. Things were starting to get awkward between them and Booth wanted to get her alone so that he could straighten things out. Since she was avoiding him in the lab or continuously surrounded by her colleagues he had to somehow get her alone when they were outside the Jeffersonian. Their latest case was a human skeleton found in the basement of the Library of Congress in their compact storage room. They decided to meet each other on the ground floor.

They took the elevator down to compact storage which was housed down a long dark corridor in the bowels of the library. It wasn't hard to imagine that a murder could take place there or that a skeleton could lay undiscovered for such a long time.

Booth was taken back by how Bones carried on as though nothing had transpired between them. The two of them crowded each other on the tiny elevator and the closeness though awkward was still comforting to Booth. It was the closest he'd been to her since that day in her office. Bones tried to shield her discomfort by chattering on about the anthropological significance of libraries and physical repositories of knowledge and the famous Egyptian library at Alexandria. Booth angrily pushed the button for the elevator door to close and the abruptness of this action made her stop talking. The rest of the ride down to the basement was in awkward silence.

When the elevator door opened agent Sully was standing before them.

Booth and Bones were both shocked by Sully's presence. She had not seen Sully in over 2 years and had only briefly communicated with him through postcards. Booth greeted Sully with a friendly but disparaging "hello." Booth glanced back at Bones so see the expression on her face. She was elated. Sully gave Tempe a huge hug and sized her up and they started to catch up on their way to the crime scene.

"I'm with the NSA now Tempe." Bones, clearly impressed, responded. "Wow, Sully, the NSA, that's great." Booth interrupted, "Yeah, great, really great and all but we're here to investigate.." Sully interrupted, "Yeah Tempe let's catch up later over dinner. I'm here to investigate a skull that was found here." Booth turned and objected. "No we're here to investigate a skull. You guys are just here because of the NSA classified documents found in the skeleton's bag."

Sully smiled and retorted, "I see you haven't changed Booth." Booth paused, "No. I haven't!"

Bones and Booth returned with Sully to the Jeffersonian where they were greeted by Hodgins and Angela. Cam overheard the commotion in the lab and interrupted the reunion. "Sully, my god you're back." Cam and Angela looked at Booth then at each other with a knowing glance. They knew that Booth must be annoyed over Sully's return.

Bones, leaning over a lab bench with Wendell, started analyzing the skeletal remains. Wendell started, "based on the cranial sutures and the rib morphology I would estimate the person was between the ages of 25 and 30." Bones chimed in, "The stippling pattern in the long bones are typical of a rare genetic abnormality. This person would have an extensive medical history. We should look at hospital records."

Bones took a closer look at the long bone of the right leg. "Hodgins, take a look at this." There was something embedded in the leg bone. Hodgins, intrigued by the idea of secret NSA documents and now a possible embedded anomaly, pulled out his magnifying glass to take a closer look. "I need to put this under the scope." He took the entire leg bone away and came back a few minutes later. "This is some type of computerized microstorage device surrounded by an inert residue, probably to keep the body from rejecting it post-implantation." Somebody went through a lot of trouble for this.

Bones held up the tiny device. "Hodgins, can you analyze the residue and give the chip to Angela. Maybe we can get some information off of the chip.

Sully pulled out his NSA badge and officially classified all findings. "Everything has to be cleared prior to removal from the Jeffersonian. From this point on, Wendell, I'm sorry but you cannot be involved directly with this case." Bones looked confused. "Wait, Sully, how did you know that Wendell wasn't cleared yet?" Sully turned to Tempe, putting his badge back in his wallet. "I know everything about everyone at the Jeffersonian Tempe." He glanced at her for a moment, and then looked at Booth with a knowing glance. "The NSA will be notified of any new findings." Sully looked at Bones before leaving. "We'll catch up soon Tempe."

Two weeks later and still working the case, Sully went to Booth's office. "Booth, can I come in and talk to you?" Booth, annoyed with Sully, closed the files on his desk. "That depends. What would you like to take now? You've already taken over my case." He was loosely implicating Bones in the acquisition as well since he was sure that they were seeing each other regularly now over the past week.

Sully sat down in the chair across from Booth. "Tempe has these episodes in her sleep." Booth visibly uncomfortable and disturbed by this disclosure stopped Sully immediately. "I don't want to talk about your sex life with my partner Sully." Booth was fuming at Sully's utter disregard for her privacy. Sully leaned back in his chair, clearly distraught. He exhaled deeply. "Booth, have you read her latest manuscript."

Booth turned in his chair trying to figure out how he wanted to answer and how to get Sully out of his hair. "I've read parts of it." Sully leaned forward. "I read a small part of it last night while she was sleeping. Booth, already upset that Sully was in his office talking intimately about Bones was now visibly angry. Sully continued unrestrained. "I was conceited enough to think the guy in her book was me but it's not."

Booth, now feeling a little less angry, relaxed and asked, "Who do you think it is?"

Sully, clearly upset now said, "I think it's a composite of a few people including me." "Regardless of who it is, I can't be with her Booth. I don't think Tempe was ever with me really. I know she wanted to be but it was something she forced. It wasn't real and I know that now."

Booth, unsure of what to say, asked Sully to give it some thought. "I wouldn't read a whole lot into her books Sully. They're mosh ups of a lot of people. I don't think she's writing about anyone in particular."

Sully stood up. His eyes were red and Booth pretended not to notice but it was obvious he'd been crying. He was a guy and a man's man but even he knew that real men do cry. Sully walked to the door and turned to Booth. "I know Tempe Booth. I know her; do you know what I mean? This book is tearing her apart. It's giving her horrible nightmares." Booth stood up too. "Then why leave her now? Why leave her when she needs you?"

Sully turned to Booth. "It's not me she needs. I'm leaving again. That's why I'm here. I'm going to New York Booth. She's going to need someone...someone close to her." With that, he left.

Booth was angry that Sully was leaving Bones like this. He knew she would be hurt but that she would try to conceal it. He left intending on going home and giving her the space she wanted but instinctively drove to her place instead.

Bones was rummaging through her closet looking for the sleek black dress she'd worn at the museum benefit. Booth had given her a look that night that made her feel sexy and she wanted to look and be sexy for Sully who was picking her up for dinner. She heard a knock at the door and quickly put on the black heels and gave herself one last glance in the mirror. When she opened the door, it wasn't Sully but Booth standing in front of her.

"Booth, what's wrong." She looked behind him expecting Sully to walk up at any moment. "I'm meeting Sully for dinner Booth. Is there a break in the case?" Booth's heart sank. She was so beautiful and he wanted to strangle Sully right now for leaving. "Sully is gone Bones. He left."

Bones turned away. She knew in her heart that he meant gone as in gone for good. "I don't...I don't understand. You saw him?" Booth came inside and shut the door behind him. "He came to see me tonight Bones." She knew the moment would come when Sully would leave and thought she would be hurt by it but she wasn't. She was relieved. She walked over to the sofa and sat down. Booth followed her. Booth, searching for what he wanted to say, turned to her grabbing her by the hand. "He doesn't deserve you Bones."

Bones moved her hands away, pulling her hair back. "Who does? Who deserves to be with someone like me Booth? I'm not a person someone falls in love with." She stared down at one of the two glasses of wine she poured earlier (meant for her and Sully). She picked up one of the glasses but Booth took the glass from her and replaced it on the table before she could sip. He looked deep into her eyes and held both of her hands. She looked down, inspecting her palms.

Finally, Booth could say what he'd wanted to tell her for so long. He told her what he hoped she already knew. "I love you Bones. I'm in love with you."

He put his hand on her chin cupping it slightly. He kissed her lightly and waited for her to return the kiss. She hesitated but kissed him gently. She cupped his head with both hands and caressed his cheeks and ran her fingers through his hair. The kiss grew more urgent. She'd dreamed about this moment many times but never felt it would happen. She remembered how badly she wanted him at the museum. She was sure they would kiss that night. She wanted to kiss him so badly. She did love Booth. She was sure of this much but she was afraid to love him. She didn't want things to change between them but her feelings were so strong that it became harder and harder to be around Booth without wanting him. She felt weakened by him, for needing him so much. His touch was so gentle and calming. In her dreams, she gave herself completely to Booth but there was nothing to lose in a dream. She felt safe but remained guarded. Now she wondered as the soft velvet of his tongue slid smoothly against hers, if she could go there again, to that place, in her mind and body that only existed in her dreams.

Booth relished in the warmth of her embrace. He was reserved and knew that her guard was up even now. He knew that it would take time and he didn't want to move too fast. Bones thought about Angela's comment about being too guarded and afraid to fall in love and give in to trusting someone completely. She thought about this and it bothered her. She wanted to dip her foot into the untested waters of surrender and decided that now with Booth she would try. She pulled him closer and deepened the kiss. Booth, taken back by her sudden verve, tried to draw back to slow things down but she would not release him. Her tongue imprisoned him in a sultry dance around the perimeter of his mouth. His core vibrated with desire for her. Under her increased passion, he resigned to give her mouth and body his full attention.

He'd dreamed of this moment so many times. His body was aching now under the touch of the sensuous woman in front of him. Her hands traced the ripple of muscle beneath his shirt. She pulled it free of the tuck and undid his belt. Booth moved his hands along the curves of her body finally resting one on her breast and the other around her waist. They were lying face to face on the sofa now and Bones slid her body up and down and side to side along his growing erection. She smiled as he moaned beneath her, and guided her to control the pressure of her weight on his pulsing muscle. "Bones." He choked out her name. She smiled and relished the control she had over him. She loved the control she suddenly realized she had over him. The blood rushed through his body like liquid fire. He wanted her now. He grabbed her by the hips and lifted himself and her off the sofa and carried her to the bedroom. He pulled off her dress in one motion. It went over her head, through her arms and onto the floor. He wanted their first time to be special, not rushed. He slowed things down to prolong his time with her.

He sat next to her and admired her well toned body. She lay flat on the bed. "Are you going to join me?" She stretched out her body across the bed. He didn't need an invitation. He lay next to her and looked deeply into her eyes. With Bones, the eyes were everything. He fixed his gaze on her dark eyes and without looking away or allowing her to look away, he removed her bra and underwear. His eyes were momentarily diverted when he caressed her breasts cupping and kissing them. He returned his gaze. While searching the depths of her eyes, he thrust his tongue deeply into her mouth and slid it along hers. He swirled her tongue around in an erotic dance that ended with capturing her bottom lip between the folds of his own two lips. He suckled her lips and tongue always looking deeply into her eyes. In the midst of suckling her mouth and breasts he fixed his gaze upon her once again and took his free hand and thrust his fingers deep into her moist center. She moaned fervently. Her eyes rolled back and closed. He had her. He slid his thumb along her tiny pink mound and deepened his kisses capturing her breath from her so breathing was labored. The deprivation of air only heightened her arousal as he released his hold on her mouth just long enough for her to take a gasp of air. Her body began to shake with the need to release. She wanted him to enter her. She needed to feel him throbbing hard inside of her. Booth thumbed her hardening mound and her body screamed. Her body began to shake uncontrollably and reverberated like the string of a violin.

When he entered her, her moist womb tightened around his hard muscle and it was almost painful for him. He gasped and closed his eyes. Bones put both hands on his chest holding him off. She wanted to keep him from thrusting fully into her for fear he would hurt her. He grabbed both of her wrists with one hand. "Do you trust me Bones?" She nodded and replied weakly, "yes." Booth lay still only a partially inside of her. He showered her with kisses and adulations. "You're beautiful Bones."

He wanted her so badly now that it became a physical pain to hold back. His tongue sensuously kissed her mouth and teased her tongue out its hiding place. He suckled her lips and pushed himself a little further inside of her. She moaned and her heart raced in her chest. Her body began to shake again. She called his name. "Booth." The sound of his name on her lips aroused him deeply and he thrust fully into her. Unable to control himself he repeated the assault. She grabbed him by the hips and pulled him into her. Her womb contracted around his hard muscle holding on to each thrust. Booth's body spasmed as he released into her. Her release was concurrent to his own and was so complete and intense with feeling that it caused her eyes to tear. She sobbed uncontrollably and her body did not stop shaking for a full hour. Booth held her and they lay quietly until she fell asleep.

He felt complete for the first time. She held on to him tightly as they slept. If she had the dreams again, Booth would be there. She felt safe with him. She didn't think the nightmares would rob her sleep again.

Booth woke up in the middle of the night to Bones calling out his name. He watched her and held her close. Her restlessness turned violent and she, once again, started screaming. He held her closer. She woke up sobbing. She held on tightly to Booth and through her sobbing found his lips. She kissed him urgently and straddled him on the bed. Booth returned her kissed with equal urgency. If this was what she needed now, he was going to give it without question. They made love again for the second time. He wondered if she loved him as much as he loved her. He wondered about her book and the nightmares but tonight he would just hold her and hold on to the moment. They would talk tomorrow.