I never thought I would finish this story. I promised over and over again that I would, but life took several very unwelcome turns. I doubt I'll ever write any fanfic again. But it was BOTHERING me that this story was unfinished. I fought with it for quite a while, because I wanted it to be two more chapters. But the story itself only wanted to be one. It's not wonderful, as I'd hoped, although the story I wanted to tell from the beginning has been told. The fic of three months in BB's lives became a five-year saga on my part.

For anyone who is no longer interested in this story, I more than understand your choice to not read this chapter. You are under no obligation. If you do read it, however, I hope you find something to your liking. And I apologize profusely for the inexcusable delay.

Just a warning: I am a huge fan of the first three seasons. Most of what I wrote was based on that. I feel that the current characters are almost unrecognizable, and have kept my characters true to earlier seasons. Also: as usual, I am my own beta, so if there are any mistakes, you have my apology.

THE BET

Sometimes, Booth thought, things just lined up perfectly. Bones didn't believe in fate or luck. But he did. Fate and luck along with a lot of hard work had gotten him to this point in his life. And right now, it seemed like all three had played a part in bringing him to this spot at this time. Casting a steely glare at an overeager cab driver, he strode across the street as the light changed.

He'd been looking for someplace to share lunch with Bones since her impromptu picnic the week before. They'd been so busy with their new case that they simply couldn't take the time to go to one of the outlying parks. But there were places in the city that were really nice, if you looked for them. He didn't need anything fancy – too many times they'd had to make do with a table in a rural sheriff's department, or the tailgate of the Tahoe, so almost anything would be an improvement. A nice bench to sit on with her, and something interesting to look at while they ate, and he'd be a happy man. In his numerous trips across town he'd been scanning every corner, every little patch of green or slightly shady spot. Then, the previous day, he'd stumbled across a place that stirred his interest, and he'd come out today, lunch in tow, positive that it would work. Sure, they could always fall back on their favored spot at the reflecting pool, but he wanted something different. Change was good.

Thinking about how Bones had changed since they'd begun their relationship, he smiled, and his eyes warmed. Yep. Change was pretty damned good. Then he looked up, pausing in front of the small stone structure that had brought him here to begin with. His eyes narrowed. His heart thumped hard once, almost painfully, then resumed its normal cadence. He thought again about fate and luck and hard work. And love. Yes, he definitely believed in all of them. A smile spread on his face and he reached for his phone.

BBBBB

"Due to the posterior angulation of the ulnar shaft and the posterior dislocation of the radial head, it's clear that this is a Type Two Monteggia fracture." Zach glanced up at Brennan for confirmation and continued at her small nod. "Most Monteggia fractures are caused by either a fall with the forearm outstretched, or a blow to the back of the upper forearm."

"A defensive injury." Shifting from one foot to the other, Hodgins looked at Brennan excitedly. "So we're looking at murder."

"Not necessarily." She spared him a brief quelling look. "As Zach mentioned, it could simply be from a fall. I'm not comfortable telling Booth foul play was involved until I'm sure. We'll have to do more research before I can definitively conclude the cause of death. Zach, please continue to examine the bones, particularly the torso and upper extremities. Jack, collect any particulates you can find – if a weapon was indeed the cause of the injury, some trace evidence may still be present."

"So...you never answered my question."

At the accusatory remark she turned, her eyes meeting Angela's. "What question?"

"My question about dinner. I asked you when you and Booth want to go out again, and where." Angela's shrewd gaze measured her friend. "You pretended to be busy and changed the subject. Why?"

"I don't know what you mean, Angela. I am busy. Don't forget, I need a face for the victim as soon as possible. Please make it a priority." Shucking her gloves and tossing them in the receptacle, Brennan leaned over Zach's shoulder, peering approvingly at his work before spinning on her heel and striding briskly away. "And I can't answer your question."

"What do you mean? Why can't you answer it?" Suspicion and concern colored Angela's voice as she called after the rapidly retreating figure. "Are you two fighting?"

"Of course they're fighting." Taking advantage of her distraction, Hodgins leaned in and kissed her cheek. "They always fight. You said so yourself. You were the one who told me that that's the natural state of things for them, remember?"

"Hmm. Maybe." Jack might be right, in this instance. But she hadn't liked the look in Brennan's eyes. There was a special stillness there; over time, she'd learned that it was not a good thing. "I don't know, though. She seems different. This isn't her usual way."

He crossed his arms and rocked back on his heels. "How do you mean?"

"Well, it's hard to describe – she's very serious and thoughtful, as usual, but it's more upheaval-y than her usual mood."

"Upheaval-y? You do realize that there's no such word, right?" Grinning, he caught up one of her hands, caressing her sensitive palm with his thumb. "Still, I like it. It has panache."

"Jack." She couldn't keep from smiling at him, even as she rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean, though, right?"

His hands lifted in a defensive motion. "Hey, I leave the deciphering of female emotions and motives strictly to you. I get into way less trouble as a result."

"It's just – I'm having trouble explaining it." Biting her lip, she frowned and tucked her clipboard under her arm. "Have you ever experienced an earthquake?"

"An earthquake?" He frowned, bemused.

"Yes. This is like that. Afterward, everything eventually looks normal, seems normal. But you know there are cracks that weren't there before. When I look at Brennan...I see cracks."

"Well, as long as there's no liquefaction..."

"Huh?"

"Nothing. You were saying...?"

Yes," she declared abruptly, her laser focus returning to the potential crisis, "something happened. She almost seems like she's running again, figuratively. But I don't know why."

"Running? You mean, from Booth?"

"Or from what she feels for Booth." Pulling away from Hodgins, she straightened her spine resolutely. "I need to find out what's going on."

Smiling indulgently, he took in her determined expression. "Of course you do." He held up a quelling hand, stopping her mid-step. "Wait. Did you forget your presentation to the Board? I don't think they'll be too happy if you bail on them last-minute..."

"Damn!" Tipping her head back, she rolled her eyes. "I can't miss that. El Jefe will skin me if I do. Besides, I really need that funding for my recognition program. Crap." Grabbing his wrist, she checked his watch. "I have to leave now or I'm going to be late." Heaving a sigh, she hurriedly began gathering the rest of her papers. "I'll have to talk to her later."

"I don't think they're going anywhere, babe. You can fix their love life later this afternoon."

"Oh, ha ha." She swatted him playfully, then turned and, spotting Zach hovering nearby, swatted him as well.

Regarding her with confusion, he set down his clipboard. "Why did you hit me?"

"You probably deserve it." Turning, she backed away, regarding them both with amusement. "You're hanging around with Jack. That usually leads to some sort of destructive experiment, and then an argument about who's King of The Lab. So I'm performing a preemptive strike on both of you." With a flirty one-sided smile, she winked at Jack and strolled to the stairs.

Eyes glowing, Jack watched her graceful departure. "Damn." His favorite distraction gone, he stepped to the examination table. "Now c'mon, let's determine that this is murder so we can get this guy justice."

"You heard Dr. Brennan – at this point in our investigation, we are unable to conclusively determine that the deceased subject was the victim of murder."

"I heard her – but you know and I know that this guy was murdered."

"I'm sorry, Hodgins, but I don't know that. Further examination is necessary in order to substantiate your conclusion."

"Well then, let's get to work." Zach's curious expression halted him mid-glove. "What?"

"I still don't understand why Angela hit me."

His grin was wide and mischievous as he bent over the table and grabbed the nearest specimen tray. "Yeah, Zach, don't even bother trying. It's a woman thing. Just be glad she didn't hurt you."

BBBBB

Briskly mounting the steps an hour later, Brennan snapped on a glove and approached the examination table. "Zach, please bring me the bone fragments. I would like to examine them again." At the sudden shrilling of her phone she hissed impatiently and snagged it out of her pocket. "Brennan."

"Hey Bones, what's going on?"

Fighting the urge to tap her toe, she crossed her arms and studied the bones from a distance. "I'm preparing to conduct a bone examination. What do you want?"

Smiling at her trademark single-minded focus, he chuckled inwardly. "You need to put that aside for a little bit and meet me for lunch."

"This is for our case, Booth. I don't have time for lunch right now."

"Sure you do. You have to eat – your brain works better if you feed it regularly. Besides, you know we're at a standstill in the actual investigation until that warrant comes through. C'mon, you can afford to stop and take a break."

Recognizing the familiar phrase, she sighed and shifted her weight, her gaze drifting across the room and settling on Zach as he approached. "I arrived at the lab late today, as you are aware, and am running behind schedule. I'm attempting to complete my scheduled tasks."

"Yes, I do know you were late today." His voice deepened. "I also know why you were late. Are you saying you regret it?"

At his intimate teasing she relented, a small, satisfied smile flitting across her features. She took the clipboard from Zach and flipped through the pages, signing in several spots. "No. If I did I wouldn't be telling the truth." Warmth washed over her at the memory, and she took a calming breath.

"Exactly. Now, please come have lunch with me. I promise I won't keep you for too long - but there's something I really want you to see."

She recognized his tone instantly – persuasion, logic, and a large portion of charm. Even knowing he was doing it, as usual she found him difficult to resist. Sighing again, she finally relented. "Okay. But only for thirty minutes, Booth. I really do have a lot to do today. Are you picking me up?"

"No, I can't leave. I don't want anyone to take our spot."

"What spot? Where are you?" As she mentally noted his location she turned and swiftly strode back off the platform toward her office, Zach following closely behind. "Do I need to bring anything?"

"Only you, Bones. Just bring yourself."

"I'll be there in ten minutes." Disconnecting, she logged off her computer and turned, coming to a quick stop in order to avoid Zach. "Why are you following me, Zach?"

"You have my clipboard." He motioned toward her arm, drawing her attention to the item in question. "I have to return the forms by the end of the day today in order to meet the imposed deadline."

As she passed the clipboard to him, she became aware of his intense, questioning stare. "Yes, Zach?"

"Was that Agent Booth?"

"Yes." Frowning again, she shrugged off her lab coat. "He insisted I meet him for lunch. I won't be gone long – I have several projects to complete by the end of the day. Please continue to examine the remains in my absence – I want to stay on schedule as much as possible."

"Don't you want to go to lunch?"

"What?" Surprised by his unexpected question, she stared at him. "Why would you say that?"

"You appear to be displeased, and your tone of voice is registering impatience."

"Everything is fine, Zach. Why are you asking me this?"

"You appear to have been distracted by your phone call. Although I am not an expert in the field of psychology, I have observed that you have been disturbed lately. Perhaps you are conflicted emotionally about your romantic relationship with Agent Booth."

"Zach." Straightening her spine, she stared at him in displeasure. "I don't feel this is an appropriate conversation for the workplace."

"But it appears to be affecting your work. I know that you would say something to me, were our positions reversed. You have been behaving differently the past two months. As that is the amount of time that you have been interacting with Agent Booth from a romantic standpoint, the logical conclusion is that something about it is bothering you."

She snatched up her wallet. "I am not going to talk about this with you. I have to go. Booth is waiting for me."

"I may be able to help."

"Help?" Unable to prevent herself from responding to his blunt statement, she turned back to him. "I don't require your help. Everything is fine."

"Perhaps if you used logic, you could resolve your issue."

"Logic? What do you mean?"

"I find that when I am in a confusing situation, if I approach the problem with logic, I am able to determine a satisfactory solution fairly quickly. Since you are as logical as I am, I believe you could successfully employ logic as well."

"Logic." Mind stuttering to a halt, she stared blankly at him as the color drained from her face.

"Yes. Logic." He paused. "Are you all right, Dr. Brennan?"

"Yes. Yes, I'm fine. Thank you Zach. I'll be back soon." Gathering up her phone and wallet, she walked slowly out of her office, ignoring Zach as he called after her.

She'd been so stupid. How had she not seen it? She just needed to be logical, and the solution to her concerns became clear.

BBBBB

Ascending the stairs from the Metro station, Brennan made her way down the street, ignoring the raucous clamor of horns and voices and searching the crowd at the corner for Booth's distinctive appearance. Then she saw him and froze, studying him intently when she realized he hadn't yet spotted her. He was scanning the sea of people as well, standing tall and handsome in his light grey suit. He seemed happy, carefree.

He was happy.

Ignoring the nervousness in her stomach, resolutely she squared her shoulders and moved forward, forcing an answering smile onto her face the moment he saw her.

"Bones, there you are. You made it!"

She frowned in confusion. "I told you I would come, Booth. Didn't you believe me?"

Rolling his eyes good-naturedly, he took her hand. "Of course I did. But I know you're busy. I'm just glad to see you. C'mon." Expertly steering her around the masses of people filling the sidewalk, he ushered her a short way to a bench at the intersection. "Here we go. I brought you some vegetables, and some olive hummus, and the tilapia ceviche you liked so much from that little Mom and Pop place." Making a ceremony of it, he snapped a napkin in the air and handed it to her with a flourish. "I know you don't like soda, so I got you a bottle of super green juice."

She looked at him reprovingly. "You don't need to make a face. It's actually quite tasty, and it's extremely healthy. I don't know why you won't try it."

"Maybe because I don't want to have green teeth and spinach breath for the rest of the day." Cracking open a can of soda, he grimaced at her in between bites of his lunch. "I'll let you be healthy for the both of us."

"That's impossible, Booth. I cannot be healthy for you. You would do well to pay better attention to your health." She gestured at his giant, sloppy burger, her expression earnest. "That is not an optimal meal for someone of your age."

A painful wince spread on his face. "Yee-ouch. Thanks for that, Bones. Way to make a guy feel manly."

"Healthy nutrition can actually have quite a bit to do with 'manliness', as you said. But if it will put your mind at ease, I admit that I would find you to be an optimal male specimen whether you were eating your sandwich or a salad."

"Oh, really?" Roguish grin firmly in place, he leaned closer. "You find me to be an optimal male specimen?"

"You know that you are without a doubt an exceedingly well-formed example of the male of the species." She quirked an eyebrow. "I believe I've made that clear on several occasions."

"You certainly have. Numerous occasions. Thank you, Bones." He waited until she took a bite of hummus and leaned in for a quick kiss. For several minutes, they ate in silence. Finally he came up for air. "So, how're the Squints today? Everything peaceful and happy in Squintland?"

"Everything is fine. We're still processing data. While I have not yet determined if the subject from Magruder Park was murdered, I feel we are getting closer to making that determination. It's not conclusive, but many Monteggia fractures can be defensive wounds."

"Unh-uh, no shop talk right now. If we're going to have lunch, let's relax for a few minutes. I meant, how is everyone? They all good?"

"Oh." Familiar by now with the sort of details he would find interesting, she nodded. "I'm fairly certain Hodgins is conducting another experiment – he ordered more blast-resistant glass yesterday."

"Probably another contest with the kid. Do me a favor – try to stay clear of it all, and when the sirens start, text me so I know you're okay, will you?"

At the mention of Zach, her smile dimmed as tension flowed back into her. "Of course. However, I'm sure everything will be fine."

He paused mid-bite. "What's wrong?"

"What do you mean? Nothing's wrong."

His mouth slanted in impatience. "C'mon, Bones. You had a look. You made a face. What's up? Something wrong with your savant?"

She immediately bristled. "While his intelligence is in fact genius-level, Zach is not a savant. Far from it, actually. He has a very wide base of knowledge, and is extremely logical in all matters."

"Whoa, okay, okay. Sorry." Surprised by her vehemence, he peered more closely at her. "He's not a savant." But he had something to do with whatever was bothering her, he was sure of that. "So why are you upset?"

"I'm not upset."

"You're something. Talk to me, Bones."

"I told you, I'm fine. Everything is fine."

"Really? Tell that to your napkin."

She glanced down, saw her white knuckles and quickly relaxed her hand, setting down the mangled paper. "It's nothing. Just work."

If her quick-ass mood swing had anything to do with work, he'd eat her hummus. All of it. "So, tell me about whatever it is."

By sheer dint of will, she managed to relax and smile at him. This was not the time to deal with anything of great consequence. She had to try to wait until later, when they had more time. "It's not important. Are you done with your lunch?"

He stifled a sigh and let it go for now. When she wanted to tell him she would. And if she didn't, then he'd do some slightly less gentle prodding. "Yep. But wait, don't leave yet. I want to show you something."

"What?" Glancing around the area in expectantly, she looked back at him for an explanation.

"It's why I wanted to eat here." Smiling excitedly, he stood, dumping his lunch in the trash can and slipping his hand to her back. "It's over this way."

"I thought you wanted to have lunch here because of the pleasing architecture. The older buildings are quite impressive."

"They are, but that's not it." Herding her closer to the street corner, he maneuvered her until she was standing squarely in front of a small granite structure. "Here it is." He lifted his hand, pointing above the columns to the word carved in the stone. "It's yours. Welcome to the Temperance Fountain."

At a loss for words, she stared in silence, viewing her name on the top of the monument. Taking advantage of her surprised silence, he continued. "Technically, it's about alcohol and not about you, and it isn't even a fountain anymore." His smile widened. "But as far as I'm concerned, it's your monument."

Finally she found her voice. "How did you know this was here?"

He watched her fingers run delicately along the cool, smooth surface of one of the columns. "I didn't. I saw it the other day when I was scoping out lunch spots. And look..." He nudged her forward even further, until they mounted the steps and stood under the roof of the structure, next to the central sculpture. "Dolphins."

Her eyes widened as she took in the overly ornate carving. Two fish intertwined, head-down, gazing in opposite directions. "Are they..."

"I know - I don't think they look like dolphins either. But I did my research. Legend is, they actually are supposed to be dolphins. They used to spit water; this part was the fountain. Oh, and there are words carved on the other sides. Ah...oh yeah. Faith, Hope, and Charity." He turned to her, eyes twinkling merrily. "All of which you possess. But I have to say, I like the Temperance side the best."

A delighted smile crept across her face, brightening her eyes. "They are very ugly."

"I know. Hideous. But dolphins, and Temperance? It was obviously meant to be." Winking mischievously, he smiled. "Just like us."

Without warning, emotion leapt up in her, closing her throat and welling her eyes. Blinking hard, she realized she had changed her mind. She didn't want to delay any longer. She couldn't wait – she needed to say it now. "I'm sorry. I wasn't honest with you before. You were correct. I need to talk to you."

In a flash, his eyes narrowed and became serious. He shoved his hands into his pockets. What the hell was this? "I'm glad you decided to tell me. What's going on, Bones?"

Unable to stand still, she faced him, hands once again clenched. "It's about the bet."

"Oh. Wow, that came out of left field." He actually hadn't thought of that in some time. The fact that she was referencing it now made his gut tighten. "Okay, what about it?"

"She took a deep breath. "I've decided I want to renegotiate the terms."

His mind didn't even process what she'd said for one stunned moment. Then the ache hit, like a blow from a sledgehammer. "What are you talking about?"

"The bet, as I've already said. I want to revisit the time limit that was imposed. I'm not happy with it. Therefore I believe we need to discuss this further."

Two weeks. Two more weeks to go and she was bailing on him. Bailing when he knew she'd been content. The bet itself had never been the important part. Being with her was what mattered. Being with her was everything. He needed her like he needed…nothing else. There was simply nothing to which he could compare it. He'd never needed anything this much. Disbelief and hurt raged through him until he finally found his voice. "Are you kidding me? What the hell is this?"

She stood straight, steeling herself against the anger lashing toward her. "It's just what I said, Booth. I believe I've been perfectly clear."

"Bones...you said you would try. I don't understand." Desperation began swamping him. "Why would you do this now?"

"I've decided I can no longer wait to discuss this. I was going to delay it until later, but I changed my mind."

She stood before him, implacable and determined. Defeat weighing heavily upon his soul and squeezing his heart, he sighed quietly and steeled himself to face the end. "Fine. If you have to do it now, let's just get it over with. So I guess we're going with two and a half months, then."

"No." She watched him carefully, not wanting to miss a second of his reaction. "Six months." With an almost amused sensation, she watched his eyes widen with bewilderment. "I have decided that the time limit for the bet should be extended."

"But...Bones..." He could barely breathe; was afraid to believe what she was saying. Hope exploded almost violently within him. "Are you saying...are you saying I won?"

She took a deep breath. "Yes, Booth. I will concede that you were correct. I...that is..." She hesitated, afraid and uncertain of how to express herself.

Her fingers were trembling. She was nervous. Somehow, seeing that she was scared settled him. He took a quick step forward and slid his hands around her waist. "You love me."

"I don't know. I'm not certain how to quantify what I'm feeling."

"Okay, then, tell me what you do know. Why did you change your mind?"

"Well...something Zach said made me think."

He tried not to wince. "Zach? What could he possibly have said about us?"

"He said if I was having a problem, I should approach it from a logical standpoint." She smiled slightly at his pained expression. "Once I did, I began to see things more clearly."

"Okay, so maybe logic's not so bad. What did you see?"

All humor gone, she stared intently at him. "I realized that no one else I've been involved with ever cared enough to find a fountain with my name on it. I never mattered enough to them. But I matter to you. You don't think you can control me, and you don't try to change me. You only want what's best for me, and you always stand up for me." Her arms tightened around him. "When I asked you to back away, you did. But you didn't leave."

He leaned in, dropping his forehead to hers. "I'll never leave, Bones. Never."

"You know everything about me and you're still here. I'm strong enough to stand on my own. But I want to stand with you. You make me happy. "

He smiled; an easy, warm smile. "Yeah. That's love." Feeling her tremble, he pulled her tight against him. "Don't be scared, Bones. There's no reason to be afraid."

Pressing her face into his neck, she let his familiar scent comfort her. "I have not been able to sustain long-term relationships up to this point. You are aware that I often say or do the wrong thing."

Thinking about those assholes who'd treated her so badly made his anger crackle again. "When are you going to stop blaming yourself? You weren't meant to be with those other guys. You're meant to be with me. We understand each other. So let's forget about that, okay?"

She persisted, still anxious. "I'm not an easy person to be around. I can be difficult. Many people have told me that. You've told me that." She stepped back and eyed him carefully, studying his reaction.

He sighed, trying to find the right words. "Bones...if I wanted easy, I wouldn't be with you. I've had easy. What I wanted was complex. Caring. Dedicated. Fascinating. Compassionate. Stubborn. Fun. Challenging. What I wanted, Bones, was you."

For a long moment, she watched him. "I make you happy. "

"You do."

"You love me."

"Yes. So much."

Without warning, she flung her arms around him. "Thank you for loving me. Thank you, Booth."

He held her, as tightly as he could. "You don't need to thank me, Bones. Just love me back."

"I do. I do."

"Bones. God, Bones."

After several minutes, he stepped back. He wanted to hold her forever, but they needed to calm down a bit or they'd never get through the rest of the day. As he watched her, he cocked his head curiously. "What? What's going on in there?"

She faced him seriously. "It occurs to me that there is something else we need to discuss. You officially won the bet. As I recall, the prize was to be determined when a victor was declared."

She was fiercely competitive. This had to be killing her. "The victor. So...me. Because I won."

Realizing his intent, she narrowed her eyes. "What prize do you choose?"

He smiled, his eyes teasingly bright, and simply held out his hand. "You know, for a genius, that's a pretty dumb question."

THE END

Believe it or not, the fountain is real. Google 'temperance fountain washington dc'. Meant to be, indeed...

Well, that's it. Again, if you read, thank you so much. I'm extremely glad that I can put the 'finished' stamp on this story, because I feel like I learned so much about writing in the process of telling it. To those who commented so faithfully in the past: I can't even begin to tell you how much your lovely words meant to me. Really.

Thank you again.