I stayed up late last night and early this morning to finish this chapter so as not to leave you all hanging for long. I blew through season 5 and kept the focus on Booth and Brennan. If you want more about the other characters, let me know and I can do some flashbacks in future chapters to fill you in.

Sweets was staring at the MRI trying to comprehend what he was seeing. It was a bit surprising. No, scratch that, it was mind blowing. Agent Booth had been in love with Dr. Brennan before his surgery and now he wasn't. How did he, the psychologist, miss that? He would have known if his two patients were having an intimate relationship. It was really bothering him, and he wished he could talk to Gordon Gordon about it if the man hadn't left the field of psychology as far behind him as he could. Agent Booth had been confused as to what he did for a living and who Dr. Brennan even was. Interestingly enough, Dr. Brennan had fled to Guatemala to look at Aztec remains.

~*~*~*~Flashback~*~*~*~

"Who are you?"

Brennan panicked. Booth didn't remember her. He had no idea who she was and looked entirely confused when she tried to explain. She had to get out of there. She ran to his apartment and packed all her things she had been accumulating there for the past eight months. She knew these kind of relationships didn't work. She knew it. She couldn't be with him if he didn't remember her, and what if he never remembered the relationship they had had? She needed him to remember without her telling him. It was the only way she would allow herself to be with him again. She didn't want him to be in a relationship with her because she told him they had been in one. It would make him feel obligated to be with her when he possibly didn't want to be, which was what she struggled with already. When she reached her apartment she finally broke down and cried, heaving sobs of a broken heart and disbelief. Then it hit her. If she went away, maybe he'd come to the conclusion without her influence. The idea caught flame quickly. Within an hour she had a flight to Guatemala and away from Booth. It was for the best. It would save their relationship. She had faith he would remember it all on his own. She really did. He had to. He was her Booth.

Present-Sweets' office

Yes, she had fled. It didn't make sense to him why she did that. Why leave the man you love and leave him to think he wasn't in love with her? Then there was the psychic, Avalon. She told him that Booth was in love with Dr. Brennan, whether he knew it or not, so maybe it was true. Tapping his laptop, he had to find out for himself. He went to Booth's office to wait for him. It wasn't long.

"Whoa!" Booth yelped, seeing Sweets in his chair after he turned the lights on. "Trying to give me a heart attack?"

"I wouldn't do that to someone recently out of brain surgery," Sweets joked. Booth just glared at him.

"What do you want? My brain is fine, thank you!"

"You're in love with Dr. Brennan," Sweets said. He saw Booth freeze.

"Who told you?" Booth asked.

"Avalon. She thinks you are even though you don't realize it," Sweets said.

"She's nuts," Booth snorted. "If I loved Dr. Brennan, then I would be with Dr. Brennan."

"Right," Sweets said. He noticed Booth was not calling her "Bones" like he used to. He definitely had a memory problem.

"Are you done?" Booth asked. "I have a case to finish."

"Yea," Sweets said, getting up and leaving. He noticed Booth was not wearing his colorful socks or his belt buckle either. Booth was definitely not himself yet.

Later

Brennan was going to confer with the doctor about the Harbinger case. On the way there she kept thinking about Booth. He had no recollection of their relationship at all, that she was sure of. He even called her Dr. Brennan in an almost formal way. She was definitely not telling him they had a romantic relationship. She arrived at the office and followed the doctor's voice and found a room where files were being shredded.

"You're reading the Harbinger files?" she asked. Then she turned to see the doctor standing there about to attack her. She shoved the lamp into his face and fled. He caught up with her and tripped her, making her fall hard. She scrambled to her feet and they faced one another. Then the doctor went to stab her, and she deflected with her arm. The pain was searing. Then suddenly the door was burst open, and Booth shot the doctor right in the chest. He stood there staring at the scene before him. He was only there because the psychic insisted he had to be in order to save someone. Then he noticed Brennan.

"Oh, whoa," he said, getting to his knees in front of her. "Are you all right?"

"I'm okay," she nodded. She went to pull out the instrument that was in her arm.

"No, don't!" he exclaimed right as she yanked it out. The blood started flowing. He took off his coat and wrapped her arm with it.

"Thank you," she said. She wanted him to hold her, to hug and and say, "I've got you, baby," but it didn't come.

"You're welcome. Help is on the way, Dr. Brennan," Booth said. She winced inside. He still was calling her that. Her Booth was gone. She had no idea if he'd ever come back.

Seven Months Later

Booth was in his apartment getting ready to go meet Sweets when he touched something at the back of his sock drawer. Intrigued, he pulled it out. It was a ring box. He stared at it. Why would such a thing be in his sock drawer? It was confusing. He put it in his pocket to look at later. He didn't want to be late or else Sweets would be on his case.

Sweets' office

Sweets stared at them both. His whole book was written based on their first case together, and it turned out it wasn't even their first case!

"We're sorry," Brennan said.

"So sorry," Booth added. He had vague memories of the case. It was mostly Brennan telling it. Ever since his brain surgery, Booth was still struggling to remember certain things about her.

~*~*~*~Flashback~*~*~*~

They were looking at remains, and Booth kept calling her Dr. Brennan. It had been two months since his surgery, and she had had enough.

"It's Bones," she finally said, looking at him.

"What?" he asked.

"You called me Bones," she explained. "I promised myself I wouldn't tell you things you didn't remember so as to prevent you from simply doing them without understanding why, but I honestly can't stand you calling me Dr. Brennan anymore."

"Oh," Booth said. He thought hard. "Oh, yea. Yea! Bones. That's right."

"You actually remember?" she asked.

"I think so," Booth frowned. "I remember you were very annoyed with it when I first started calling you that."

"Good," she said, relieved. She worried she had imprinted it on him, but he actually did remember. Since then, he called her Bones. It gave her a small feeling of hope that perhaps he was getting closer to remembering their relationship.

Present-Sweets' office

Brennan was continuing with her story. When she reached the part where Booth and her had kissed, she hesitated.

"Go on," Sweets encouraged. He knew she was holding back. He knew she wanted to say it.

"Well, since I was fired, we no longer worked together, so...we kissed," Brennan said. She peeked over at Booth to see his response. His face was a mask of confusion, and she could see him working hard to remember it.

"Wow," Sweets said. "I...wow. You know, I always said if you two kissed, the dam would burst."

"That's enough, Dr. Sweets," Brennan said a little harshly. She could see Booth was struggling. Why couldn't Sweets?

"Why can't I remember that?" Booth asked. "I remember me firing you and seeing you leave in the cab, but in between, I can't...I can't remember it."

"It's okay, Booth," Brennan soothed.

"No, it's not okay. Clearly it was important," Booth argued. "And I can't remember it. What else am I forgetting?" He looked at Brennan, whose lips were pinched together now. She so desperately wanted to release the dam and tell him, but she still believed he was too impressionable right now to do so. He had to be the one to remember. He had to come to her and tell her he loved her. Sweets was literally sitting on the edge of his seat, waiting for her to tell Booth. Sweets hadn't approached Brennan about their secret relationship yet. He didn't want to scare her off, and he wasn't exactly a hundred percent sure it had happened either, that perhaps it had only been Booth that was in love and not her.

"Let me just finish the story," Brennan said.

"Okay," Booth agreed. So she finished the story. Sweets sat there in shock afterwards.

"You two, you missed your moment, and you punished yourselves for it ever since," he said.

"I disagree," Brennan argued. They hadn't. They had developed a wonderful relationship, and then it had been ripped away.

"Oh? And why is that, Dr. Brennan?" Sweets asked, leaning forward. Come on! he wanted to scream. Say it!

"Because it was a moment, and then it was gone," Booth answered for her.

"You," Sweets said, getting it suddenly. "It's gotta be you. You're the gambler. You've gotta be the one to fix this!"

"Fix what? Dr. Br...Bones is my partner," Booth said. "Nothing more to it." Sweets could very much see the pain on Brennan's face now. Of course she wasn't saying anything! She needed the real Booth to step up and remember their relationship, not tell him it had happened.

"Right," Sweets said.

"If we're done here, I have plans," Booth said, getting up.

"I guess we're done," Sweets said.

"I'm sorry this ruined your book," Brennan said. She followed Booth out the door. Sweets sat there banging the palm of his hand into his forehead. Those two needed to sort their shit out!

Brennan

She went home. Booth was gone by the time she reached outside the building, and she felt like nothing would ever feel happy again. She wandered the streets until her feet led her home. Yes, her and Booth were slowly getting back to their old selves, but it was the selves they were before they fell in love. The banter was there as well as the sarcastic comments, but she wanted him to remember them as a couple, and he wasn't. There had been a moment a few weeks ago where she had almost told him. She had come so close, but she didn't know if she could handle his rejection.

~*~*~*~Flashback~*~*~*~

They were toasting love with Jared and Padme, his fiance. Brennan watched Booth as he looked at his brother with a smile on his face.

"When I first met Booth," she started. "I didn't believe in love. I simply thought it to be brain chemistry. But I learned that Booth is right, love comes first and then creates the reaction. I've seen proof of it." When she sat down, Booth was looking at her with a curious look on his face. She wondered if he was remembering. When he kept staring at her, she started to feel that he really was remembering. Heart pounding, she believed she would talk to him about their relationship, that he was right there with her. Once they had left the restaurant, he had bumped her lightly with his hip in a playful way.

"So, Bones. You've really seen proof of love, huh?" he asked.

"I have," she nodded. This was it. This was her chance to bring it up.

"I knew you and your Dad would establish a relationship out of love," Booth grinned. Her hopes sank. He hadn't remembered. He had merely been thinking about her relationship with her own father and how she had taken so long to let him love her and love him back. She had gone home trying not to be upset. The time would come. It would. He would remember. Then Angela called. She had been a little upset that Jared had returned home from India with a fiance after only knowing the woman for a month. While listening to Angela going on about it until she came to the conclusion that she was happy for Jared and just sad she was still alone, Brennan realized that she should have taken that leap regardless of Booth's reaction. Maybe she wouldn't feel so alone like she did in that moment.

Present Day-Booth

The ring. He had forgotten to ask Bones about the damn ring! She clearly knew him well in the past. Perhaps she knew who he had bought the ring for. Had he been in a serious relationship before his brain surgery? And if so, then where was this mystery woman? Why wasn't she there telling him they were in a relationship? It made no sense to him at all. He contemplated calling Bones, but what would that accomplish? He'd only be waking her up and dragging her into something that perhaps she wasn't even aware of. Booth was feeling strange around Brennan lately, and he wasn't sure why. He felt drawn to her, but he kept his distance. If everyone was right about him, then he should fully remember her by now, and he didn't. There were blips and flashes of memories, but they either made no sense or felt unreal. His phone rang suddenly.

"Booth," he said.

"Hey, bro," Jared's voice said. "Wedding is this weekend! You bringing the Doc?"

"I haven't asked," Booth said.

"Dude! Ask her! I think she's dying to be with you," Jared told him.

"And how would you know that?" Booth asked.

"Well, you guys always had such a special bond that everyone talked about. I witnessed it firsthand. If I didn't know any better, I think you two were sleeping together when I was staying in D.C. You guys just seemed flustered a lot whenever I was in the room."

"I very much doubt that," Booth scoffed. "If Bones and I were dating, she would have told me."

"You're probably right," Jared said. "Maybe I got it wrong."

"Okay, well, I'll see you in three days," Booth said.

"Three days! Woop woop!" Jared exclaimed. Booth laughed as they hung up. His brother was so excited to be married. He only hoped it was everything his brother wanted it to be. He fingered his phone. Checking the time, he dialed quickly.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Bones. It's me," he said.

"I know. I have caller I.D.," she yawned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just, uh, wondered if you wanted to come with me to Jared's wedding on the weekend," Booth said quickly. He heard her inhale sharply.

"Booth..."

"It's okay to say no," he interrupted. "I realize things between us have been strained since I forgot who you were."

"No, Booth, I want to go," she said.

"Really?" he asked, feeling excited.

"Yes! I'd love to go," she told him.

"Great! I'll pick you up Friday evening for the rehearsal dinner," Booth said.

"Okay," she replied. They hung up. Booth grinned to himself and tossed the phone up in the air, catching it in his other hand. They were going to a wedding!

Angela

"You're going to Jared's wedding?" Angela asked. She felt annoyed at this. Jared had been able to move on so easily. Why couldn't she? Things had been tense between her and Hodgins lately, but in a good way. She didn't know if that was going to go anywhere, but she was sticking to her celibacy plan. The first few weeks had been hell, but she was beginning to enjoy it oddly enough.

"Yes," Brennan said. They were at the Royal Diner. It was two days before the wedding. "Does that upset you? I know you really liked Jared."

"No! It's okay," Angela said quickly. "I'm happy for him, I really am. Was I hoping Booth would find more wrong with her than being a previous escort? Yes, but that was wrong of me. Jared and I knew at the start we were just a fling."

"And you still love Hodgins," Brennan pointed out.

"I don't know that for sure," Angela said, crossing her arms. She blushed anyway.

"Well anyway, I'm just glad Booth asked me to go," Brennan said, fiddling with her pancakes.

"Yea? How come?" Angela asked. Brennan tensed. She had debated telling Angela about her and Booth's relationship, but she knew if she did, Angela would instantly try and get Booth to remember, and that wasn't what she wanted.

"It just means we are getting back to a more normal relationship," Brennan explained. "He is remembering more of our work together and about who I am, so it's good."

"Yes, it's very good," Angela nodded. Her phone buzzed then. "Oh, shoot. I have to go, sweetie. See you at work?"

"Yes," Brennan nodded. She finished her breakfast and then sat there for a while, thinking.

Jared's Wedding Eve

They had driven to Virginia where Padme wanted to get married at her parent's place, and once they arrived at their motel, things became slightly awkward.

"Only one bed, huh," Booth said, staring at it. Brennan fidgeted with her bag handle. She wasn't sure what to say.

"I don't mind the couch," she said, heading for it.

"No! Bones, I'm the guy. I'm sleeping on the couch," he said.

"Why does you being a guy automatically make you the one to sleep on the couch?" she asked.

"Do you want to sleep on it?" Booth asked.

"Not really," she answered truthfully.

"There you go," Booth said. He smiled to himself. Things were becoming more normal between them, he could feel it. It was exactly what he was hoping for with this trip. They made their way to the rehearsal dinner once they had changed, and Booth was awestruck by how amazing everything looked. Jared gripped him in a big bear hug once he saw him.

"Dr. B!" he said, hugging her too. "So glad you came."

"I hope I didn't throw off your seating chart," Brennan said.

"Not at all. I knew you were coming," Jared replied.

"But how did...?"

"I just did," Jared said, not letting her finish. He turned to Booth."Hey! So how's your head doing?"

"It's fine, Jared," Booth said grimly.

"Good, good. Just checking," he grinned. Booth slapped him in the head playfully.

"Sweetheart?!" Padme called.

"Duty calls," Jared said, leaving them. Booth watched Brennan look around. She had dressed up quite lovely. When she turned and caught his eye, he instantly flashed back to something.

~*~*~*~Flashback~*~*~*~

"Booth!" Brennan was laughing. They had been at some event for the FBI. Christmastime it was. Booth was walking her to her door, and he could not stop admiring her figure in her dress nor could he stop pinching her. Too much wine he supposed.

"Can't a guy look just look at you?" he had asked.

"You wanna come in?" she had said suggestively, giving him a look.

Present Day-Booth

Booth gripped his wineglass so hard it almost broke in his hand. He stared at her.

"Booth?" she asked. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yea," he said. Did that really just happen? Did he remember something? Was it real?

"You look pale," Brennan said. She took the wine from him. "You better get some water and sit down."

"Okay," he said absently. He could see it all so clearly like it was yesterday. He struggled to remember more, but it was gone. Had he gone in with her? He was desperate to know, but how could he ask?

"Can I get some water?" Brennan asked one of the waiters, who nodded. She led Booth to a bench outside of the tent. It was going to be an outdoor wedding, and Padme's family had worked hard to make it look like magic.

"I'm really okay," Booth said. "Bones, did we...?"

"Tempe!" a voice called out. They both spun to see who it was.

"Oh my God! Sully!" Brennan said, standing up to greet him. Sully pulled her into a huge hug. "What are you doing here?!"

"Hey, Sul," Booth said, shaking his hand. Brennan couldn't stop staring at him.

"Well, I started cooking, and I opened my own sandwich shop. I got into catering though, and, well, here I am," Sully laughed.

"Wow," Brennan said. "That's great."

"Yea. Really great," Booth said, feeling annoyed. He wanted to talk to Brennan.

"So, what's new?" Sully asked her.

"Here's your water, sir," a waiter said, handing the glass to Booth.

"Thanks," Booth said, taking it. He had lost the conversation between Brennan and Sully, but he could see sparks flying. Then he remembered. Sully and Brennan had been in a relationship, and she had almost gone with him to sail around the world, but she didn't. Why was that again? He couldn't remember.

"Hey, man, you mind if I steal your date for a bit?" Sully asked.

"I guess," Booth said. He watched them go. Maybe his memory was only a dream he had once had. If Brennan had been in love with him, she would have told him. Maybe he didn't know her extremely well like he used to, but he knew that much about her at least.

Later

Booth was lying on the couch trying to sleep, but he couldn't. All he could think about was where Brennan was with Sully. Then he heard the door open and footsteps creep in.

"You're out kind of late," Booth said, flicking the lamp on. Brennan shielded her eyes from the light.

"You didn't have to wait up," she answered. She felt guilty enough as it was.

"Hard to sleep when your roomie is missing," Booth said. She looked confused at this. "How was Sully?"

"He was great! I'd forgotten just how much fun he was to be with," she smiled,slurring a bit. Booth felt stung at this, which was interesting to him.

"Hmm," was all he said. Brennan watched him carefully. Was Booth jealous? She went to change and eventually crawled into her bed.

"Good night, Booth," she said.

"Good night," he replied. The question that had been burning in his mind had faded. Why ruin a good weekend?

Jared's Wedding

Booth felt very touched by his brother's vows. He watched them walk down the aisle together, and he felt a pang of sadness. Clearly this was something he had wanted since there was an engagement ring hidden in his apartment. He couldn't bring himself to ask Brennan about it. He wasn't sure why. Brennan. He looked over to see her sitting with Sully, their heads bent together in a conversation that was making her smile very widely. He walked down the aisle with the maid of honor on his arm, watching Brennan. Then it was time for pictures. By the time dinner came around, Booth wasn't sure where Brennan even was. Then he saw her at a table alone. She was looking at him and smiled when he made eye contact. The relief that she was alone was immense. It was surprising to him in a way. After the dance floor had opened up, he made his way over to her.

"Where's your friend?" he asked.

"He's your friend too," Brennan frowned. "And he's cleaning up."

"Ah," Booth nodded. "Wanna dance with me?"

"You remember how?" she teased. She remembered the time he had made up a dance just for them, making them laugh hysterically and fall to the floor because it had been so complicated.

"Of course I remember," Booth scoffed. He took her hand and they walked to the dance floor. As they danced, Booth felt more and more sure that the flashback he had had was true, but he needed to know for sure. The words were on his lips when she spoke first.

"I slept with Sully," she spit out. He almost tripped, but caught himself quickly.

"Y-you did?" he asked.

"Yes. It was so stupid. We drank too much and it all just seemed to lead to one thing after another," Brennan said. "I shouldn't have. It just felt right at the time, and now I know it wasn't right. It was wrong."

"Why are you telling me this like you've cheated on me or something?" Booth asked. Brennan's breath caught in her throat. Of course he hadn't remembered. In his mind, her actions were completely normal. They weren't together, so there was no cheating.

"I...I don't know," she admitted.

"Are you going to see him again?" Booth asked.

"I don't know," she said again. She had had the rational thought that if Booth was never going to remember their relationship, why should she suffer a lonely life? She and Sully had had a great connection before. It was still there, but she felt conflicted about it. It was like betraying Booth without him even knowing. She hadn't even told Sully that she had been in love with Booth. It was like she was burying their secret relationship somewhere it would never resurface. She really hadn't intended to sleep with Sully either, but it had been eight months since she and Booth were together, and she had felt an urge she hadn't felt since then. In her logical thinking, she was only satisfying a human need.

"I see," Booth said. The song ended just in time. He couldn't stand to be touching her right now after knowing what she had done last night.

"May I have this dance?" Sully asked, cutting in. Booth wanted to punch him right in the kisser, but he refrained. It would only get him more psych assessments back home. Brennan looked at Booth one last time before she went to dance with Sully. He looked away. This weekend had not gone at all the way he had wanted it to.

Two Months Later

Hodgins and Angela finally tied the knot. Booth was still laughing about the way they did it, in a jail cell. It seemed perfectly normal for those two though, so he didn't tease them too much about it. Booth was trying to move on. Brennan and Sully had been almost inseparable since Jared's wedding, and Booth couldn't figure out why he wasn't okay with it. Brennan was not his girlfriend, so there was no problem. Why then, did it feel like a huge problem?! Then, the letter came. They wanted him over in Iraq to train the new soldiers. He contemplated this. If he left, he'd probably never come back. There was nothing here for him.

"You're what?!" Hodgins yelped. They were at the Founding Fathers a few days after Booth had received the letter. "You can't go!"

"Why not?" Booth asked.

"Because! You...you are needed here!" Hodgins said.

"I'm needed over there too," Booth pointed out.

"I agree with Hodgins," Zack said. "You should not go."

"But, why not? What is here for me?" Booth asked.

"You know who," Hodgins said pointedly.

"Not this again," Booth sighed.

"Yes this again!" Hodgins argued. "You are into Dr. B! Don't let her stay with Sully! Yea, he's a good guy, but he's not you. You gotta tell her how you feel, man."

"I don't know what I feel," Booth said truthfully.

"You do," Zack nodded.

"How did you get so relationshipy?" Booth asked Zack.

"Naomi has taught me lots," Zack simply said. They had been dating almost a year now.

"Ugh. I'm going, and that's that," Booth said harshly. Hodgins just shook his head at him.

"You are making a big mistake," Hodgins said.

Brennan

"You're going where?" she asked, surprised. Booth was standing at her door a little drunk telling her he was going to Iraq. She couldn't believe her ears. Sully wasn't there that night. She had been struggling with everything and finally told Sully about Booth, and he had left a little angry. When Booth showed up, she had planned to tell him, but he was angry too, and she wasn't sure why.

"To Iraq. To do my duty," he slurred.

"But you already did your duty!" she cried. "Why are you going again?!"

"To get away from here," he said, pointing around her apartment.

"Booth," Brennan tried. Don't go, don't go, don't go!

"No, don't 'Booth' me," he said. "I'm going. That's that." You've got Sully now. I'm not needed here.

"Okay," she said. NO! He stood there looking at her. She felt like he was going to say more, but he didn't.

"Do you love him?" he asked suddenly. What a stupid question! Of course she was!

"Why are you concerned with that?" she asked. Not as much as I am with you! She couldn't answer the question. Not really. She loved Sully but in a different way than she had loved Booth. Her love with Booth had been stronger and more passionate. With Sully, it was comfortable and nice. She couldn't have Booth, though, she knew that. He wasn't remembering.

"I dunno. I just think you're with the wrong guy," Booth said. He teetered but caught himself by grabbing her doorframe. He had definitely had too much to drink.

"Go home, Booth," Brennan said. She didn't want it to come out like this. Not with him drunk. She'd tell him when he was sober.

"I'll go home, but I'm not coming back," he said before turning to leave. Brennan stood there feeling torn once more.

Seven Months Later

"Booth?"

"Yea?" Booth asked. He was confused. It was dark and his phone had rang. He was somewhere in Iraq resting after an operation. Who the hell was calling him now?

"Booth, you need to come home," the voice said.

"Who is this?" Booth asked. He held out his phone and stared at it for a moment.

"It's Arastoo," the voice replied.

"Arastoo?" Booth asked, dumbfounded. Why was one of Brennan's interns calling him at this hour? "How did you get this number?"

"Not important. You need to come home," Arastoo urged.

"Why?"

"Sully has asked Dr. Brennan to marry him."

"Oh."

"Please come home," Arastoo begged.

"Why? Why should I? She obviously loves him," Booth argued.

"No, she does not," Arastoo said. "Look, I know she loves you. She was very upset when you left."

"No, she doesn't," Booth said.

"Yes, she does," Arastoo said. "Come home. Talk to her."

"Arastoo, I appreciate you thinking about me, but please don't call here again," Booth said, hanging up. He couldn't fall back to sleep. Sully proposed to Brennan?! He knew it was bound to happen, but he couldn't understand why it upset him so. He was over here living a new life.

The Jeffersonian-Next Day

"Did you call him?" Max asked Arastoo urgently. He was the one who had given Arastoo the number. Max was resourceful that way.

"Yes. I don't think he's coming home," Arastoo replied sadly.

"Damn it," Max said. "Do I have to go over there and drag his ass back here myself?"

"I don't think I'd try it if I were you," Arastoo said. Max harrumphed. He didn't want his daughter to marry Sully, especially not after good ol' Arastoo had told him about Booth and Temperance being together over a year and a half ago. He liked Booth.

"There's got to be something," Max mused. "Something to make him fully remember their relationship. I know that's why she didn't tell him. She's so rational that way. I just wish I knew what it could be!"

"What are you guys talking about?" Brennan asked, coming up to them.

"Just how nice it is that Sully proposed on one knee," Max said quickly. "Not a lot of guys do that anymore."

"I see," Brennan said. She peered at her father curiously. He adjusted his tie nervously.

"Let me show you what I found on the remains," Arastoo said, taking the attention off of Max. She followed him to the platform, making Max sigh in relief. Then he went hunting.

Brennan

"Why do you keep looking at me like that?" Brennan asked Arastoo.

"I just...I can't help but feel you aren't truly happy with Sully," he replied. She looked at him over the skull she was holding.

"And why is that any of your business?" she demanded. She felt afraid. Was it that easy to tell?

"Because you were in love with Agent Booth," Arastoo offered. Perhaps it was easy to tell.

"Yes, but Agent Booth left the country to be a hero in Iraq," Brennan said. He had left without a goodbye, that's what hurt the most.

"Because you didn't tell him about your relationship," Arastoo argued.

"I was going to the night he told me he was leaving. Sully was angry with me, but so was Booth. He was also intoxicated. I needed Booth to remember on his own, and he didn't. It has been almost 17 months, Mr. Vaziri. It's not rational to wait forever for a man to remember me."

"Maybe not, but I still think you should tell him," Arastoo urged.

"And what good is that going to do?" she asked. She had been upset when he left. Sully didn't even talk to her for a couple of weeks after their fight, but he came back around after hearing about Booth's absence, and she had tearfully told him Booth was never coming back. It had taken a while for Sully to believe she could even love someone else again, and she believed she did love Sully, just in a different way than Booth. It was Booth's fault really for showing her how to love people.

"I just think it will save a lot of heartache," Arastoo said simply. Brennan felt a twinge of regret suddenly. Perhaps Arastoo was right after all.

Booth

His phone rang again, making him very annoyed.

"What?" he asked roughly.

"Booth, you get your sorry ass back here this instant or I will come haul it over myself," Max threatened.

"I knew you were going to call me," Booth said.

"Good. Then you know I'm dead serious," Max replied.

"Max, your daughter is none of my business," Booth said. "We never had a relationship past partners! Yea, there was a moment seven months ago where I kind of liked her, but she got with Sully. End of story."

"And you left the freaking country because you couldn't stand it," Max finished.

"No. I left because of duty," Booth argued.

"Look, you gotta come back. Tempe isn't in love with Sully. I know she's not. She's filling a void, a void I think you left her with," Max said.

"How is there a void when there was no relationship?" Booth demanded. Then his mind flickered to that memory of her in the dress asking him if he wanted to come in. Oh.

"Booth, I think you just forgot the relationship part," Max said. "I really do. Search hard. It's in there somewhere, but in the meantime, come home!"

"Goodbye, Max," Booth said, hanging up. He rubbed his face hard. If Max was calling, then it was obviously serious business.

A Week Later

Everyone was bustling about the Jeffersonian when Booth walked in. At first, nobody knew what to do. Angela was the first to recover.

"Booth!" she cried, running to hug him. "I'm so glad you're safe."

"Hey, buddy," Hodgins said, shaking his hand. Zack waved at a distance. They never were the huggy type.

"You're back," Cam said. Booth nodded.

"Good thing too," Max said, sliding up beside him. "I was buying my ticket tonight."

"Shut up," Booth growled as the others watched uncertainly. "Where is she?"

"She's out with Perotta on a case," Zack replied. Things were cordial between him and Perotta at least. He had Naomi, though, and she was all he ever needed.

"I see," Booth said.

"Go home, take a shower, and come back later," Max advised. "You don't wanna smell like that when you see her."

"What are you insinuating?" Booth asked.

"That you need a shower," Max replied. Booth scowled at this man. This man had ruined his new happy life. But he did what he was told. When he got back to his apartment, he dropped his bag onto the floor and looked around. Nothing had changed. He wasn't really sure why he'd held on to this place so long other than the fact he might need a place to stay in the future, not that he knew at the time he'd ever return. He showered and started cleaning the place up a bit. Dust was everywhere. He even got onto his stomach and swept under the bed. That's when it came skittering out and hit him in the face.

"Ah," he said, holding his cheek. It had been sharp. He picked it up, recognizing it immediately. It was Brennan's earring, the one that belonged to her mother. Why was it under his bed?

~*~*~*~Flashback~*~*~*~

Brennan was laughing wildly as they tussled around in his bed. She had taken her earrings out and set them on the table beside the bed. Things had gotten even more wild as they continued to have sex. The earrings had been knocked off the table and disappeared under the bed. Brennan mentioned a while later that she couldn't find them, but he hadn't thought to look for them at his place.

Present Day-Booth

"Oh my God," Booth breathed. He dug around under the bed until he found the other one. He held them in his hands. She had been here. They had had sex. They had had a relationship. He had a vague memory of something else, and he ran to look for it instantly. He dug until he found his old phone and plugged it in to turn it on. He had received a new phone shortly after his brain surgery as he couldn't remember how to get into his old phone. Now, he remembered immediately. He flicked into his photo file and scrolled until he found it. He hovered only for a second before he pressed play.

"What are you doing?" Brennan asked, noticing suddenly and hiding her face.

"I'm making a video of us in case one of us dies or, God forbid, forgets one another," Booth said simply. "Then we have this memory."

"How could I forget you?" Brennan asked. "That makes no sense."

"Can you just go with me on this one? Please?" he countered.

"All right," she caved. "What do I do?"

"Tell me you love me," Booth said.

"But..."

"Temperance," Booth said sternly. She squirmed.

"I, Temperance Brennan, love you, Seeley Booth forever and ever," she said, kissing him hard. "I believe it's your turn now."

"Mine won't be so formal," he joked, "but I really do love you, Temperance. More than anything."

"Oh my God," Booth said again. "Oh my God!" He had loved Brennan. They had loved each other. His memories had been real. He had a ring because he wanted to marry her, and he was going to propose on their eight month anniversary before his head had been operated on. He had loved Brennan, and now...now...

"Over my dead body!" Booth shouted. He leaped to his feet and grabbed his coat. He was going to get his girl back.

I know, I know. Another cliffhanger, but it's a better one in my opinion. I have yet to read a story without one! I know, why the hell did I bring Sully back, but I felt that nonsense should have been brought back and sorted out before the very last season of the show and give us all a heart attack that she was going to go back with him then. It also was an idea that I wanted to try, having Brennan be the one engaged and conflicted instead of Booth since she has learned how to love from Booth and is more willing to have an open heart after being with him. It is called A Change of Events for a reason ;) BUT there is some light at the tunnel here. I'm not mean and won't drag this out longer than I have to, and it WILL end by the next chapter, so bear with me! You WILL get the happy ending you are looking for, but sometimes it's not all roses and rainbows getting there lol. Also don't forget, Sully is a good guy who does the right thing ;) That's all I'm saying about that right now.