A/N: Chapter 10! Thanks for all of the lovely reviews for the last chapter. You all continue to be wonderful and exceptionally inspirational!

This chapter doesn't focus on the fluff so much. Our favorite couple hits a hiccup that they have to deal with. Starts with a brief Angela/Brennan convo and spirals on from there. =) Oh, and just to clarify - I ended up breaking this section into two chapters, so the part where Brennan yells at higher-ups comes next chapter. In this chapter she only yells at the more lowly people. ;-)

Thanks very much to Hannah Taylor1 for being an amazing, insightful, patient Beta! Check out her fic, Problem Solving, The Booth and Brennan Way - it's absolutely lovely!

Oh, and I keep meaning to say this - the structure for chapter 8 with the all night talk, was inspired by TemperTemper77's fic on livejournal called Therapy Session. I loved her randomization technique and the little snippets of conversation given. If you haven't read her work, you definitely should! She's excellent.

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em.

~B/B~

"Sweetie, I have a cup of coffee with your name on it and a serious case of curiosity that desperately needs satisfaction." Angela strode onto the platform, her hands in her lab coat pockets. "It is way past time for girl talk."

"Angela, I'm working." Brennan protested. "Clark, please explain the significance of the pattern of the marks on the right fibula, please."

"Yes, Dr. Brennan. The pattern indicates rapid…"

Angela stepped forward, interrupting. "Uh-uh. No way. No more torture patterns and bone indicators. Bren, you've been going over the remains for two days now and you've been avoiding me. Even when Booth came to check in on the case and you two were holed up in your office for half-an-hour, I didn't get to hear even one of the dirty details." Angela crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "So, I'm taking charge here, lady. You and me, upstairs, right now. You're going to dish so that I don't lose my pregnancy addled mind."

Brennan glanced at her determined friend. "Yes, alright." She peeled off her gloves while she gave Clark brief instructions to continue their work, then followed an excited Angela up the stairs to the common area where she had two steaming cups of coffee ready and waiting.

They settled in on the couch and Angela folded her legs underneath her, a grin on her expectant face. "Ok, Sweetie, tell me everything."

Brennan took a slow sip of her coffee, her eyes on her friend increasingly impatient expression. "Booth is exceptionally enjoyable to be with." She finally said. "I have found that since we have elevated our relationship, my desire to be with him has increased. I've always enjoyed spending time with him but…"

"Now you want to be with him all the time?" Angela supplied, sighing contentedly.

"Yes." Brennan admitted. "I do. And it seems he reciprocates the feeling, considering he has spent the last two nights with me." She smiled, looking down at her cup. "He says he doesn't want to go home."

"So he's romantic, then, isn't he?" Angela leaned forward. "He's amazingly, devastatingly romantic. Say it's true."

Brennan nodded, tilting her head as she did so. "Last night we slow danced in the living room for half an hour before going to bed. He enjoys whispering in my ear when he has his arms around me. I must confess, I do find it quite romantic."

Angela let out an empathetic groan. "Oh, Sweetie, he's absolutely delicious." She allowed herself a moment to revel in the confirmation of her long-existing suspicions before she grew more serious.

"What does the FBI say?"

"So far, nothing." Brennan shrugged. "Booth filed the informative paperwork with them two days ago, but has not received a response. He seems to believe that indicates that they've chosen not to be bothered with the status of our relationship." Brennan crossed her legs, taking another sip of her coffee. "He wants to celebrate by taking a vacation once we've made better progress on this case. A weekend away."

Angela reached over and took Brennan's hand, squeezing it lightly. "Sweetie, I am so proud of you. You know, we've been friends for so long now and I have always hoped that one day you could overcome your… considerable hang-ups when it comes to love and relationships. Because you were missing out on so much. But now… I think maybe you were meant to have it happen just this way. With this man. Who adores you."

Brennan shook her head. "Ange… things aren't meant to happen. Booth and I were not fated to be together in the way that you mean."

Angela smiled. "It's ok if you want to think that, but I know better, Bren. I've never seen a man love anyone the way he loves you. That's fate, if you ask me. Nothing can touch that."

"Dr. Brennan?" Cam's voice caused both women to look over, pulled from the momentary intensity of their conversation.

"Yes?" Brennan replied, her eyes shifting to the tall man in a standard FBI suit and tie who was standing beside her boss.

"This is Agent Wright."

~B/B~

Booth was reclined in his chair, feet up on the desk, head back, twirling his pen in his hand. His mind was alternating between the facts of the serial case that he had just jotted down, trying to make sense of what he had to work with, and one very lovely, very sweet, very his Bones.

The woman was quickly winning out over the murderer and he closed his eyes, remembering how it had felt to hold her the night before as they danced in the dim light of her living room. Soft music, her humming in his ear, her cheek against his neck, his arms around her waist. And when the music had stopped their dance had continued as he guided her down the hall and into her bedroom, between her sheets, allowing the dance to become even more rhythmic and soul shaking.

She was his.

Sometime the idea simply struck him out of nowhere and he couldn't stop the smile from spreading. She was his and she wasn't running. And he wasn't leaving. And apparently even the FBI couldn't deny that they belonged to each other in every single way.

Missing her, he pulled out his phone, trying to come up with an excuse to call her, but a knock on his door interrupted him and moments later Andrew Hacker was standing before him.

"Agent Booth." Hacker took a seat.

Booth set his phone down. "Agent Hacker, what can I do for you, sir?"

"Nothing, actually. It's simply been designated to me to give you the unfortunate news." Hacker sat back and crossed his legs, his eyes not quite meeting Booth's.

"Oh, yeah?" Booth's eyes drifted to his phone.

"Yes. Unfortunately, after receiving your paperwork indicating your relationship with Temperance, uh, Dr. Brennan – congratulations, by the way – the bureau did a thorough examination of your partnership with her and has made the decision to severe it, effective immediately." Hacker looked down at his hands. "I thought that you would want to be informed as quickly as possible."

Booth stared at the man across from him in shock. "What?" He said after a moment. "I'm sorry, I thought you said…"

"Severed, yes." Hacker nodded.

"No." Booth shook his head, standing abruptly. "They can't just sever our partnership. We've worked together for years, our success rate is through the roof. We have a psychologist's recommendation." He moved around the desk, his hands on his hips. "There's no way they can do that."

"I'm afraid it's quite true, Agent Booth. The bureau decided to err on the side of caution given the high profile nature of your work." Hacker chanced a glance at Booth's livid face. "In fact, your replacement, Dr. Brennan's new partner, was informed first thing this morning and left for the Jeffersonian just moments ago."

"High profile nature…" Booth began before he fully heard Hacker's statement. Then the significance of what the man had said sank in. "My replacement… on his way to Bones…?" He quickly moved towards his desk, grabbing his keys and phone. "That was a really stupid thing for him to do. Really, really stupid."

"Agent Booth, perhaps it would be better if…"

Booth whirled on his boss' boss. "Nothing would be better than me getting to Bones before she takes the guy out. Trust me. We're not done here though. Not even close."

With one last glance at Hacker's surprised face, Booth was out the door and down the hall, calling Brennan whose phone trilled futilely in her office.

~B/B~

Brennan stood, taking the man's offered hand. "Hello, I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan, forensic anthropologist. Do you require my expertise or simply an introduction?"

"Actually… Dr. Brennan," Cam said, casting a glance at Angela. "It appears that Agent Wright has been assigned as your new partner. The FBI just sent him over."

Brennan frowned and shook her head. "No, there's been a mistake. I have a partner already." She turned to Wright. "Special Agent Seeley Booth is my partner. I'm sorry, you've been misinformed."

Wright let out a loud laugh. "Wow, they told me you were peculiar. I shoulda believed 'em." He laughed again. "I just transferred in from Atlanta, Georgia and the big boss told me this morning I'd be working with you on cases involvin' bones and such. Somethin' about you getting' with your last partner… you know… that way." He raised his eyebrows and grinned at her, holding his palms up and shaking his head. "Just so we know up front, I'm a married man, Temperance Brennan the forensic anthropologist. Happily married."

Suddenly Angela was at her side. "Sweetie, just take a breath, ok?"

Brennan ignored her. Stepping forward, she kept the full force of her blue eyes on Wright as she spoke. "To begin with, Agent Wright, you have committed a logical fallacy in your assumption that because I became romantically involved with Booth that I would then necessarily attempt to do the same with you. Booth is a skilled agent and an excellent partner and the single most loyal friend that I have ever known. He is supremely talented in both observational skills and displays great patience and understanding. As far as I can tell you have none of those attributes. In fact, my first impression of you is that you are slow, uneducated, lazy and far too confident in your own worth. Not to mention that your musculature has grown decidedly soft in undesirable areas and the symmetry of your face, while not completely unpleasing, lacks any kind of long lasting appeal."

"What?" Wright's whole face wrinkled in concentration as he attempted to decipher her words.

"Sweetie…" Angela laid a hand on Brennan's arm.

"Dr. Brennan, there are better ways to handle this." Cam interjected.

Brennan took another step forward and continued. "However your logical fallacy is certainly not the only reason that your statement was ridiculous. It was also ridiculous because you presumed that I would consider ever working with you, which I can assure you, Agent Wright, I will not. The only FBI agent that I will ever work with is Booth. Therefore even if you were not an instantly frustrating man with an obviously low level of education and natural intelligence, I would still refuse to place my work alongside yours."

"Just a second now…" Wright stuttered. "Hold on here."

"Brennan, let's just call Booth. I'm sure he can sort this all out." Angela suggested.

"Yes, excellent idea, Angela. We need Booth." Cam agreed.

"What is this guy? Some kind of god?" Wright scoffed. "I hate to break it to you ladies, but Agent Booth is history. Welcome to your present." He indicated himself.

"Agent Wright, I can assure you that it is best not to antagonize…" Cam said, eyeing Brennan who looked more than furious.

"You may go." Brennan said dismissively.

"Yeah, I'm not leavin." Wright shot back.

"You will leave. And you will tell your superior that your services will not be required at the Jeffersonian. I refuse to work with you."

Wright stepped forward when Brenna began to walk away. "Now just wait a second here!" He shouted at her. "I will not be spoken to by some high-falutin female this way. You might think you're smart and all, but you don't have any authority here. I'm the agent and if I tell you we're workin together, we're workin together. End of story."

Brennan turned and met his gaze. "I don't think I'm smart, Agent Wright, I am fully confident in the fact. I have three doctorates. I have done work around the world. I am widely regarded as the best in my field. I've written more books and articles, delivered more lectures, and have consulted with highly respected professionals more times than you have ever even been asked your name. And while I am not aware of the meaning of "high-falutin" I can certainly ascertain the implication, and I would suggest that from this moment on you refer to me only as Dr. Brennan, and then only when necessary."

She turned again, heading for the stairs with a determined step. Then his hand was on her arm, his fingers gripping her as he attempted to turn her around.

She reacted with the same impulse that so often overcame her when she was in a threatening situation. Balling her fist, she began to swing back in his direction, fingers clenched, arm gaining speed…

"Bones! Stop!" Booth's voice arrested her motion. "Bones, for the love all of all that is holy do not punch the guy." She turned and saw Booth taking the stairs two at a time, his eyes on hers.

"Booth!" She lowered her fist, distracted by his appearance. She started to move towards him, but Wright's fingers were still curled around her arm. "Let go of me."

"Yeah, let go of her." Angela said, stepping forward and shoving the Wright's arm.

"Angela," Cam shook her head. "Let's just all handle ourselves with a little dignity and self-control here."

As she finished speaking, Booth reached the cluster of people and stepped between Wright and Brennan. His jaw clenched as he brought his face within inches of the other agent's, brown eyes locked on gray ones. Booth's strong hand descended on Wright's arm, applying excessive pressure. His words came out rough and clipped. "Let go of my partner, or you'll find yourself staring down the barrel of my gun."

Wright's hand dropped immediately and he took a step back.

"… Or we could simply threaten to shoot him." Cam muttered under breath.

"Booth," Brennan laid her newly freed hand on his back. "He says that the FBI split us up. We're not partners anymore."

"That's ridiculous, Bones." Booth continued to eye Wright as he turned to her and rubbed a hand along her arm where Wright's hand had been. "We'll always be partners. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. His grip was surprisingly weak. Further indication of his lacking musculature." She looked up at him. "Booth, you can't simply say that we'll always be partners and assume that because you made the statement, it becomes a fact. The FBI has apparently severed our partnership and replaced you with… that." She spared Wright a glance as he stood awkwardly several feet away, frowning at Booth.

"Hey, we will work this out." Booth said, reaching up to brush his fingers over her cheekbone. She took a step back to avoid his hand and his face fell as quickly as his arm did. "Bones…" Concern filled his voice. "I promise, ok? I promise we'll get this fixed. Don't pull away from me now…"

Brennan shook her head. "Booth, I am not bailing." She reassured him. "I just…" She glanced at Wright, "Agent Wright mocked our relationship by indicating that I could be loose with my regard. As irrational as it may be, I find that I'm now self-conscious about engaging in displays of affection with you in front of him."

"What?" Booth asked, looking for a translation.

Angela provided one. "He called her a partner-slut. Went out of his way to inform her he was married so she shouldn't set her designs on him like she did you." The artist glared at the new agent, her arms crossed above her stomach. "So now Bren is feeling skittish."

Without a moment's hesitation, Booth pulled his gun, turning and pointing it at Wright. "You called my partner a what?" His voice was low and dangerous.

"Booth!" Brennan protested, stepping forward. His free hand kept her back away from his weapon.

"Seeley, put that away." Cam said, stepping forward.

"Shoot him, Booth!" Angela piped up.

Wright held up his hands, palms out. "I didn't call her anything. Honest, I didn't. I was just makin a joke, ya know? Like just because we were gonna be partners didn't mean she could get handsy with me too." He gave a half-hearted laugh.

Booth released the safety on his gun.

"Booth," Brennan moved forward, despite Booth's attempts to keep her back. "Do not shoot the new agent."

"Get handsy?" Booth practically growled. "If you want to see what it feels like to gag on your own blood make one more insulting comment about my partner. One more."

"Seeley, enough." Cam stepped forward. "I don't want to have to call security."

"I am security, Camille." Booth spared her a glance.

"Booth, Cam is correct." Brennan moved closer to him, sliding her hand up the arm that wasn't outstretched and holding a gun. "Let's attempt to remain rational. If you continue to threaten an FBI agent with a gun, it could have unfortunate long-term consequences for both of us."

Keeping his eyes on Wright, Booth lowered his weapon slowly and stowed it away once more. "Fine." He said reluctantly. "Let's be rational then."

But Wright had had enough. As soon as Booth's gun was out of sight, he moved forward and invaded the partners' space. "You two are crazy. Ya hear me? Crazy. The FBI was right to split you up. They should fire both of you on the spot and if you think I'm not going to tell them so, then you got another thing comin'." He glared at them. "That's right. You two are bad cops, that's what you are."

Before anyone could react, Brennan had taken a small step forward, reared back, and slapped Wright across the face. When he reeled back, lifting his hand to his stinging cheek, she followed him, hand raised again.

Booth stopped her, pulling her back from behind with an arm around her waist. "Bones, hey, rational, remember?" He murmured in her ear, even as he watched in amusement as Wright's entire face reddened with humiliation.

"That felt rational." She insisted.

Cam stepped between the partners and Wright, her hands outstretched. "Enough. All of you. If one more person pulls a gun or raises a hand or says one cross word in my lab, you're all fired."

"You don't have the authority to fire FBI agents." Brennan said helpfully.

"Fine, Dr. Brennan, I'll fire you and ban them. Regardless, this behavior ends now." Cam turned to Booth. "Both of you need to be somewhere else for a few hours and cool off. We will discuss this later." She turned to Wright and frowned. "And as for you, don't think that just because you haven't held anyone at gunpoint or slapped them that you're not at fault here. I will be reporting your behavior to your supervisor. I suggest that disappear now as well. You will be contacted if any of my people are in need of your services."

She gave them all an encompassing look. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Cam…"

"Save it, Seeley. You can apologize to me when you mean it."

Cam looked at Angela pointedly. "There's no longer a show to witness here, Angela. Perhaps you have work to do."

"Sure, sure." Angela said quickly. On her way towards the stairs she stopped beside Brennan and gave her arm a squeeze. "It'll be ok, Sweetie." She said in a loud whisper before she was gone.

"Come on, Bones." Booth said, wrapping his arm protectively around her shoulder. "Looks like we're on lunch break."

"It's 10:00." Brennan protested as Booth started to lead her down the stairs. "And I'm not going anywhere except the FBI. I want to talk to Sweets immediately. You know he could have stopped this, Booth. You know he could have. He's doing some absurd experiment."

"If he is, we'll find out." Booth promised darkly.

~B/B~

Tension grew between them as he drove them back to her house. She had insisted on marching down to the FBI, he had insisted that they go back to her place and make some calls, get a plan. She never did like it when he overruled her, but they'd ridden in to work together which meant he was the one with the car keys.

And she was the one with the crossed arms, crossed legs, and clenched jaw.

He sighed and glanced over at her. "Bones…"

"You said this wouldn't happen." She cut him off. "You said that we would be fine. That they wouldn't dare to split us up. That's what you said Booth."

"Nothing has happened yet." He tried to assure her. "We'll talk to Cullen, to Sweets. Get this straightened out. There's no way they're taking my partner away from me." He glanced over at her, wishing that there was even a chance that she would accept a comforting touch right now. She could probably use one and he knew he certainly could.

"How can you say nothing happened?" She challenged him. "Dr. Saroyan just introduced me to my new partner. You are no longer my partner. Agent Wright is my partner." She jerked her gaze from the window to him. "So don' tell me nothing happened."

"Agent Wright is not your partner." He nearly growled. "I am your partner, Bones. Let's just get that straight right now."

She shook her head. "That is an unsound statement. We have been split apart because of our new romantic relationship. You did the paperwork wrong, Booth. Something went wrong."

"This isn't about a paperwork mistake." He pulled into her parking lot and shoved the car into park a little more forcefully than necessary. "This is about a power play by the FBI and some stupid fear that just because we're high profile we have to be even more by the book."

He leaped out of the car and would have moved around the vehicle to open her door, but she was already out and meeting him halfway. Silently they walked into her building, silently they entered the elevator, silently he stood beside her as she unlocked her door and let them in.

When the door closed behind them, the silence became too much for him.

"Bones, this is not my fault." He kicked off his shoes, took off his jacket and began loosening his tie, unconsciously treating her apartment as his home. "I'm just as angry about this as you are, ok?"

She stared him down. "Then why are you insisting that we remain here indefinitely instead of allowing me to go to the FBI and resolve this issue? All that we need to do is make them aware that we will cooperate fully and do whatever is necessary for them to reinstate our partnership. Whatever it takes, Booth." She took a step closer, her words ending on an almost pleading tone.

He felt his blood run cold. "Is that so? Whatever it takes, Bones?"

"Of course." She said automatically. "I spent a great deal of my time in Indonesia thinking only of returning and working with you again. You're the only agent I want to be partnered with." She crossed her arms again, her posture more defensive than offensive now. "I believed you felt the same way."

"Of course I feel the same way."His first instinct was to reassure her. "I want to work with you. You know that. But there are some things I won't do. Not even for the sake of our partnership." He turned away from her, striding into her kitchen and grabbing a beer from her fridge. "Do you get that?"

She seemed taken aback and he wished that it wasn't always so difficult to communicate with her.

He tried to explain. "As much as I missed working with you while we were apart, as much as I wished every single day that I could call you and tell you to be ready in fifteen because I was coming by to pick you up for a case, I missed you – just you- more. I love working with you, Bones, but I love loving you more."

She frowned. "I don't understand."

"No. You don't." He took a long swig of the beer. "See, the difference between us right now, Bones, is that I'm not willing to give up our relationship for our partnership, while you, you apparently are willing to give up anything for our partnership." Another swig. "Makes me wish I sucked at my job."

Confusion etched itself into her features. "Booth, you are jumping to conclusions that are not based in fact."

Her pervasive calm and her insistence on reverting to science suddenly inflamed him. "No, I think I'm pretty clear on where we stand, Temperance." He shoved away from her counter, abandoning his half empty beer. "Look, I'm gonna head home."

"Booth, wait." She held out a hand to stop him. "I believe you are confused about the importance I place on our romantic relationship. You've made incorrect assumptions about many of my statements."

"Yeah?" He glared down at her. "So then explain to me why the woman who couldn't keep her hands off of me long enough to let me brush my teeth this morning suddenly won't touch me? Or why the woman who spent ages looking into my eyes while we danced suddenly won't make eye contact with me? Admit it, Bones, this is a perfect excuse for you to run, isn't it?"

He barely had time to recognize the glint in her eyes before her mouth was on his, her arms twining around his neck. Her tongue was tinged with frustration and her lips were demanding over his own as they ate at him, leaving him no choice but to succumb to a wave of testosterone-induced frenzy as he kissed her in return.

His hands slid up her back and into her hair as he angled her head so that her mouth opened wider under his, allowing him complete access to her. One hand drifted back down, gripping her hip and jerking her against him.

She pulled roughly away, her hands shoving at him, her chest heaving. "Your gut is malfunctioning." She snapped at him. "At no point in our conversation did I indicate that I wished to bring our romantic relationship to a close, Booth. I cannot fathom what you based that conclusion on, but it is certainly not fact."

He gaped at her. "You just said…" He paused, taking a breath to steady his overworked nerves. "You stood right here and told me that we would do whatever it takes to get our partnership back. Anything, you said. All you wanted was to work with me."

"I was referring to more intensive, invasive evaluations of our interactions, or in-field observers, perhaps blackmail or threats." She shot back at him, passion infused in her tone. "Even if I were to wish that we could revert to a just-partners status, which I do not, the reality of that is impractical if not impossible. Booth, we've slept together numerous times and we've made declarations to each other. We will never be just partners again." She took a step closer, meeting his gaze. "I wouldn't ever want us to be just partners again."

He felt a little foolish as he stared into her wide, blue eyes. "Bones…" He wasn't sure what to say so he simply stepped closer.

"Booth?" She met his eyes, unwavering, unafraid.

He answered her unasked question with a firm kiss, his mouth pressing against hers as he clutched her to him again. He tasted her lower lip, tugging it into his mouth, feeling the softness of it with his tongue. With one hand he lifted up the back of her shirt and slid his hand underneath, claiming the cool, silky skin there as his own. She shivered against him, her own hands clutching at his back and his waist.

He let out a soft groan in her ear. "I am so in love with you." He whispered huskily. "You make me absolutely crazy."

Her hands went to the buttons of his shirt, her nimble fingers quickly undoing each one. Her fingers trailed down his chest and he flicked his tongue at her ear.

"So crazy that the thought of not having you makes me want to lose my mind." He brought his fingers to her ear, tracing the shell of it as his hot breath wafted over her neck. "I may have lost my mind a little there."

"I have been known to be unclear at times." She let out an involuntary gasp as his wandering hand rounded her waist and slipped up towards her ribs.

"I can't give this up." He cupped her breast through her bra as his mouth found hers for another smoldering kiss. "And I want you to not be able to give it up either. I want this… us… to be the most important thing to you." He pressed his lips to the throbbing pulse in her neck. "Is that unfair? It's unfair, isn't it?"

"It's irrational." She slid her fingers into the waistband of his pants. "It's irrational to build your life around something as fragile as a monogamous relationship."

"So I've heard." He nibbled at the nape of her neck. "Maybe it is irrational, but I'd give up my job if it was the only way to keep you. I'd hate it, but not nearly as much as I would hate going back to pretending that you aren't my whole world."

He lifted her chin up so that he could suck at the soft skin beneath her jaw. "Say something, Bones. Please…"

Her hands sank into his hair, trapping his lips against her skin. Her hips shifted, pressing against his. "I have no desire to lose you either." She murmured against his neck. "I am very happy. You make me very happy, Booth."

"I want to keep making you happy." He brought his lips back to hers, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth and sinking his teeth into it. Reaching down, he gripped her backside and lifted her so that she could wrap her legs around his waist. "How am I doing so far?"

"You are exceeding all my expectations." She shifted against him again, eliciting a moan from him as he carried her back towards her bedroom.

"We're just getting started, baby." He tumbled them both onto the bed in his haste to be on top of her and they ended up in a tangle of limbs, her hair spread across his face. She laughed against his neck and lifted herself up so that she could straddle him.

"Yes, I believe you are correct, Booth. We are just beginning."

~B/B~

She lay in his arms as his fingers traced patterns lightly on to whatever skin he could reach.

"Booth?"

"Yeah?"

"I appreciate your sentiments earlier." She tilted her head to look up at him. "About being willing to give up your job for our relationship. I find that to be completely illogical, and yet also quite charming. But I'm not going to allow that to happen."

"Bones… whatever happens happens. I'll do whatever I can to make us partners again, but if it comes down to it… I meant what I said. You're more important to me. I'll do something else. I can still work at the FBI, just not as the Jeffersonian liaison."

"No." She shook her head as she popped up from his embrace, crawling off the bed and gathering her clothes. She began to get dressed. "No, Booth. I find that scenario unacceptable. I refuse to lose you as a partner or as a lover."

"Bones…" He sat up, watching her. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to talk to Cullen."

"No…Bones," He stood up, placing a hand on her arm and trying to tug her back to bed. "That's not a good idea."

She evaded him with a light kiss on the lips, slipped her shirt back on and adjusted it, pausing to glance in the mirror and straighten her wild hair. "I think it's an excellent idea." She informed him. Turning to him, she placed another kiss on his lips, lingering for the briefest of moments. "I'm going to take care of this, Booth. Don't worry."

"Bones!" He called after her as she started to walk out of the room. Letting out a sound of frustration, he grabbed his pants and scrounged up his shirt, dressing hastily. "Bones!" He heard the front door open and close and cursed under his breath.

Striding towards the door, grabbing his jacket and tie on the way, he followed after her. "Don't worry." He muttered. "Sure, I just won't worry that she's about to light into the director of the FBI. Not concerned at all, Bones. Not a bit."

~B/B~

Ok, now no one panic! Of course B/B are going to be partners again and very, very soon. There's just one, maybe two more chapters left in this story so there won't be any prolonged conflict over this new development. Promise? Ok. ;-)

For those of you who were hoping to see Lyndon again - she'll be back. =)

This chapter was really fun to write and I hope you enjoyed it. If you were to leave me a review I'd be oh so excited. =) I'd probably write you lots and lots more to express my appreciation for your wonderful support!