[Author's Note: First of all, thanks to everyone who has read and/or reviewed this story. Especially the reviews are greatly appreciated, you've been saying wonderful things. I love it.

I hope you like this chapter, there's so much I want to write about, it's hard to keep up with my own thoughts sometimes.]

Uncharted Lands

4. She

"In that book which is my memory, on the first page of the chapter that is the day when I first met you, appear the words: Here begins a new life."

'Booth, wake up, Booth.'

Slowly, his mind registered her words, and he who was usually so fast at waking up found his mind slow to respond to her call. Knowing she was next to him made it harder to wake from his peaceful sleep, his mind still afraid that she'd be gone when he woke up.

But she wasn't. She was right next to him, under the sheets, their soft texture the only thing covering her body, but she was calling to him.

'We have to tell Angela. I don't want her to find out from someone else, or notice changes in me or something. I want to tell her, Booth.'

He was finally fully awake. 'Good morning, Bones.. Yeah, you should tell Angela.'

'But what if she disapproves?'

He frowned at her, and she frowned back. He managed a sweet smile as his brain worked to find a good answer. She was fully awake and he wasn't, making it hard for him to chose his words right.

'Why.. Why would she not be over the moon?'

Brennan shrugged. 'She just had a child, Booth. It's a little bit strange, don't you think?'

'What, that you are pregnant? That's not strange, Bones. It's amazing and wonderful and Angela will be so happy for you.'

She nodded slowly. 'Ok.'

Seemingly content with his answers, she put her head down next to his again, seeking the warmth and comfort of his body once more. He cradled her to him, stroking her back.

'Hey, everyone will be happy for us. They'll love it, Bones. You're gonna be such an amazing mom.'

She heard rather than saw his smile, and she smiled too. 'Ok. Really? It's so unexpected, Booth.'

'I know,' he whispered into her hair, his nose capturing her sweet scent. 'It's unexpected but it's still awesome.'

She closed her eyes, hoping to hold onto the feeling of peace that was encompassing her. 'You're a really good father, Booth,' she whispered. He chuckled. 'Thanks. I'm going to try to be even better for our kid. I mean, there are some things I wanted to do differently with Parker.'

'I understand,' Brennan answered, her eyes closed. He felt her lashes on his chest, something he had never noticed before. It felt like a tiny butterfly was padding along his chest every time she moved her eyes or blinked.

'We can draw up legal papers ensuring you time with our child if we separate,' Brennan continued.

'Hey,' Booth interrupted. 'That's not gonna happen. Don't even think about that now, Bones.'

She directed her eyes up at him, finding him looking down at her. 'Sorry.'

He smiled down at her.

'Just don't.. Don't think about that. I understand you want to be safe with everything, but it won't come to that with us. With me and Rebecca, well, things were different.'

'Different how?' Brennan asked.

Booth knew the answer. He didn't have to think about it for one second. But he also knew he had to go slow with her. Would it be too soon? He decided probably not.

'Different because I didn't love Rebecca like I love you.'

There, he said it. Brennan broke eye contact, her cheek coming back to his chest, her heart almost pounding out of her chest. 'Oh.'

He prayed to God hoping she wouldn't run, hoping it wasn't too soon. He was happy to feel her accept his words, as she slowly moved her hand to lie next to her cheek on his chest. Softly, her fingers grazed his skin and he felt her relax into his embrace.

'I think it's safe to say I have the same feelings for you, Booth,' she whispered, not soft enough for him to miss but not quite loud either. He smiled into her hair, his arms tightened around her body and his eyes watered at the sound of her words.

But she wasn't finished.

'And I've come to realize I was wrong.'

'Oh?' It was all he could manage, his brain working to file away the information she had just given him, her first confession of her love for him.

'I was wrong about love,' she continued. 'I used to believe that my life would be worth living without being romantically involved. That my science would provide everything I need. But it doesn't. And you were right, I'll have less regrets now that we're.. Together, if anything ever.. You know, if anything happens.'

He nodded into her hair, his eyes still watery and he didn't trust himself to meet her eyes. 'I'm so glad you think that, Bones. You're right. Everyone needs someone, you know, to just talk to. It's not a sign of weakness. It's a sign of strength, to be able to share something like this.'

'Don't get too psychological, I hate psychology,' she muttered, and he chuckled. 'Sorry.'

He wanted to show her how much he loved her, but suddenly he was nervous. Although he knew her body quite well by now, every sound she made, and which touch brought on which response, but he wanted something deeper.

Suddenly, she sat up. 'I'm going to take a shower,' she said, moving away from him and towards the edge of the bed. He reacted as quickly as his body would let him, capturing her hand. 'Hey, so soon? It's early.'

'Yeah, I want to stop by the hospital, see Angela before I go to the lab,' she answered. Then, she looked down, almost shyly. 'You're welcome to join me though.'

He smiled at her, nodding, and moved a little closer to press a kiss to her spine before she escaped his grasp.

Brennan moved from the bed, not really attempting to cover herself, still wearing only her panties. Booth was stunned once more by her natural beauty, the shape of her body, the shape God must have had in mind when he created the perfect woman. As he was looking at her from behind, she looked like she was made for sin and he knew her front didn't look any different. Her outside, her skin tone and shape were just perfect to get his insides on fire within a second. Then, God had created a perfect brain and heart and with those three put together, he had forged the most amazing combination of looks, intellect and emotional capabilities, and called it Temperance Brennan.

So he had no choice but to follow her. It was never his choice to make. From now on, his life was decided for him: He would follow her anywhere she wanted him to, gladly. Starting with her bathroom.

He waited until he heard the water run, and he was sure she was in the cubicle.

Then, he followed her, discarding his clothes on his bed before entering her bathroom, naked. She had left the door open for him and the scent of her shower gel welcomed him. His heart swelled at the thought of the scent lingering there, of her leaving a part of herself behind for him.

The shower door that separated the bathroom from the running water was already damp, obscuring his view and making him even more eager to join her. He was drawn to her like an addict to the drug, and in many ways, that was what he was.

He put two towels ready for them to use and then opened the shower door as softly as he could. Brennan was inside, anticipating him joining her, with her back to the door because she too liked to be surprised every now and then. Booth stepped inside slowly, trying not to make a noise, but immediately noticing the chill on her skin that gave him away. The cold air from outside the shower had penetrated with him, effectively giving away his approach.

Suddenly, he closed the door behind him and pulled her back close to his chest, his arms coming around her waist.

She gasped, surprised by his sudden movements, her hands flying to his arms.

'Hi,' he whispered in her ear. 'Hi,' she answered, leaning her head back onto his shoulder. 'Wanna wash my hair?'

He smiled at her, delighted she would ask him. 'Yeah,' he answered, reaching out to grab shampoo, giving her space to turn in his grasp.

Blue eyes met brown, and everything was clear for her. This was their life. Accept it, Brennan. You're his life, he's yours, the life inside of you is for the two of you together. And somehow, it didn't scare her. It left her feeling complete. So when he smiled, her lips found his to seal her commitment to him without words. And no words were needed, because Booth felt everything in the way her lips met his, how her hands caressed his side and how unashamed she was of the entire situation. This was their life.

When they broke the kiss, she smiled at him, he smiled back and held up the shampoo bottle. She turned, taking a little distance from him, giving him space to apply the shampoo. His hands massaged her scalp, making sure the shampoo was everywhere, and enjoying the feel of her hair through his fingers and her body moving closer and closer to him until finally, he had to let go because she was leaning flush against him. Her eyes were closed, and his arms came around her anew, caressing the underside of her breasts, his own face next to hers on her shoulder. A sigh escaped both their lips, and he had never been so aroused and relaxed at the same time.

She felt his arousal against her backside and she marveled at how perfectly they were like this, her standing in front of him, his groin fitting perfectly in the curve of where her buttocks meet her back. Was she really that small? She had always regarded her and Booth as equals, but now her length revealed a stunning difference she hadn't noticed before, even in their earlier encounters. It turned her on beyond belief, the dominance this man's body had over hers was clear, but the knowledge that he had never used and would never use it against her made her feel special and safe. She rotated her hips backwards, smiling when she heard his sharp intake of breath. 'Damn, Bones,' he whispered, and his hand wandered lower to hold her to him, and even lower to seek out her private parts. She let him in, spreading her legs a little for him, being intimately familiar with the wonders his hands could do.

And as his fingers started caressing her, she knew she wanted this baby more than anything. Suddenly, as one of his fingers entered her, his lips on her shoulders and neck, she knew this was everything she ever wanted. For sure. No regrets, no fear, no insecurities clouded her judgment, only this man working his magic on her body. The intensity of her emotions overwhelmed her and she grabbed his wrist, keeping him to her, giving him guidance she knew he didn't need.

'I want this, Booth,' she confessed in a haze, and he softly bit her shoulder, grinding his hips into her. 'I know,' he whispered. 'I want it too.'

Remembering the shampoo, Booth took the spray and rinsed her hair thoroughly, using his hands to soothe her and help her wash out her hair. He was still impossibly hard and she felt it, and while he washed her hair, she grasped his erection and pumped it slowly.

He moaned and his hips moved involuntary, making her aware of his arousal and causing another rush of liquid heat to pool in her center.

When he was done with her hair, he quickly moved his attention back to her breasts, keeping her back to him. She tried to turn around, but he held her close, making it impossible. 'I want to kiss you,' Brennan protested. 'It's nearly impossible to..'

His hand came to cup her cheek and turn her face towards his, and he kissed her quiet, making her forget and effectively proving she was wrong. It was possible, if you only want it bad enough.

Not breaking the kiss, he used his hands to grab hers and put them across her belly, leaving his hands covering hers. He had to bend his knees to be able to reach her core with his member, but he found the perfect position, and Brennan leant forward, trusting him to hold her upright. And he did, and he thrust home in one movement.

Brennan gasped. Booth moaned. Both of them were still surprised by the feeling that this connection caused in them. Tremors moved from his shoulders to his hips and continued in her, as if they were one, as was their pleasure. He felt her inner muscles flutter and he knew she was close. Needing no encouragement, he started moving, and Brennan bent forward a little more, giving him deeper access. She had never been fond of this position, because it usually made her feel inferior and gave the man a misguided sense of power, but not Booth. Never Booth. She felt wanted, because he kept telling her how beautiful she was, and how good she felt. He was gentle, his hands caressing her stomach, never leaving their place, still covering her own hands and effectively keeping her from falling.

Every thrust elicited a gasp from her, his movements massaging every nerve and adding fuel to her already blazing fire. Booth felt the same, his orgasm approaching fast and hard, his brain still trying to wrap itself around everything that was happening. He kissed her jaw line, her pulse line down her throat and back to her ear. His lips grazed her earlobe and one of her hands came free from his grasp to go to his back, to hold him to her.

'I love you,' he whispered in her ear. 'Bones, I love you. Please let me stay.'

She had never heard his voice so thick, so emotional, so on the verge of tears, so in love. She had no choice but to accept his statement, and she felt she wanted to say the same. But her brain was too clouded with the feelings he was stirring inside of her, that her mouth opened but all she could produce where little moans, a whisper of his name and 'Oh God.'

'It's true, Bones,' he repeated. 'I love you.'

And as her fingers sunk into the skin of his side, her muscles grabbed him deep inside of her and she came, hard, seeing and feeling and hearing only white followed by her own voice calling out to him, her own hand grabbing his, as her body milked him once more, and she felt his member grown impossibly harder before he exploded within her.

'Yeah.. I really…. need to tell Angela,' Brennan managed, as they regained their footing.

'What?' Booth mumbled.

'She'll know something is different the second I walk in,' Brennan said. 'I'm going to be so late.'

He chuckled, the chuckle turned into laughter and he let her turn around, slipping out of her, embracing her, never letting her go again. 'Yeah, you're gonna be late.'