[Author's Note: since our beloved Bones won't air until November (probably due to ED's pregnancy which I love and adore so I'm completely down with the longer hiatus) I decided to throw in a little case, just a little one. Not a lot of science because I am really terrible at writing that. Enjoy.]

Uncharted Lands

"No cause is lost, if there is but one fool left to fight for it."

If the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome, they were the most insane people in the world.

But they were living proof of that if you only want something bad enough, no matter how insane it might seem, it can work out. If you give your everything in order to get it.

As she lay in bed, in a deep sleep, exhausted from everything that was going on both inside and outside her body and mind, he was watching over her. Sleep wouldn't come for him, and he was content to hold her loosely in his arms and listen to the sound of her breathing.

When sleep did finally come to him, he had an unexpected dream.

Are either of them aware of the gathering turbulence?

The book she had started writing while he was in a coma. Its text was still buried deep within his mind, and only at desperate or intensely peaceful times did it surface. This was the only time it had surfaced at a peaceful time.

He had dreamt about Bren, his wife, the night he had met Hannah.

He had dreamt about Bren and their life the night Bones had told him she had regrets. That night had been the worst.

He had dreamt about Bren and her pregnant belly the night he had broken up with Hannah.

Tonight, he dreamt about Bones and their life together. Only it was almost the same as his life with Bren. But then even a little bit better.

He woke at around three in the morning, knowing he went to sleep way too early to be able to sleep the full night, and instantly aware of the vivid change in his dream. No longer would his heart be haunted by images of what couldn't be. It would be comforted by images of a life that lay ahead, whether she married him or not.

In her sleep she had rolled slightly away from him, now lying on her side facing away from him. He was on his back, one of his arms trapped underneath her silk hair, and his other draped over his own body in an attempt to encircle her.

She was still sound asleep, but he hadn't woken to silence. She was talking in her sleep, mumbling words barely loud enough for him to hear.

Closing his eyes he concentrated on her words, but he couldn't distinguish any of them, until he heard her say 'no'.

And she repeated it. 'No, no! Booth, no.'

He frowned, instantly worried, and he rolled on his side towards her to softly try to wake her. He shook her shoulders a little, turning her onto her back, and she opened her eyes.

He saw a flicker of fear, just one moment of unguarded emotions before she realized she was safe, in her own bed, with him beside her. Her look stayed unguarded but the fear disappeared. 'Booth.'

'Hey, were you dreaming?' he asked softly.

'I don't know, I think so,' she said, frowning. 'How did you know?'

'You were talking,' he said, lying back down, pulling her close. 'In your sleep.'

'Oh, did I wake you?' she asked. 'No, I just heard, so I woke you,' he answered.

She let him pull her close and wrapped her arms around his own. 'Thanks.'

'What were you dreaming about?' he asked.

'It's not true that dreams can be explained through symbolism, Booth,' she warned. 'I know you believe in that but don't try to explain my dreams. I know what they mean.'

He chuckled and his thumb soothed over the skin of her belly. 'Hey, easy, I won't.'

Still, she seemed hesitant.

'Come on Bones, tell me. If it's bothering you I want to know.'

She sighed deeply and finally nodded.

'I dream about a little girl. She's two years old. She has your eyes and my nose, and she keeps running away from us. And we can't get to her. But it's not a new dream, Booth. I've had it for years. And I know what it means. It's quite clear.'

He nodded into her hair.

'Yeah. I get it, Bones. Don't worry, she'll be fine. We'll raise the most beautiful, most intelligent and sweetest child on this planet. Together with Parker.'

'Jesus, Booth.. Do you want to tell Parker?' she suddenly changed the subject.

'Not yet, Bones.. Look, that dream. You know what it means, that's good, you also know it's bullshit right? We won't abandon our child and she won't abandon us. She'll have a better childhood than you had, Bones. She'll have the best.'

His kind words eased her mind but didn't put her demons to rest. She tried closing her eyes again but all she saw was the curly-haired girl, auburn hair, brown eyes piercing into her. 'Yeah, we'll be fine,' she whispered before falling back into a more peaceful slumber.

But like Booth's dream, hers wouldn't go away. It was the image that combined both her worst fear and her deepest desire, and it cut right through the scientist in her down to her core. And it cut her there, where it hurt most. And there, where only one person could help her.

And he was right beside her, like he always was.

Another hour or so later, his phone woke her, but he was quick to answer it. She listened to his voice, soon understanding there was a case.

'Is it bad?' she asked softly once he put down his phone.

'Pretty bad, Bones. Maybe you want to sit this one out.'

'Why?' she asked, turning towards him.

'It's a kid,' he said, his eyes worried as they met hers. 'I'll go alone.'

'No, I'm coming with you, it's not easier for you than it is for me, Booth,' she said, already on her way to the bathroom.

Only half an hour later they were both ready to go.

They decided to take his car, because they usually arrived in his car, and since not a lot of people at the lab knew about the new them, it seemed like the better plan.

'How bad is it?' Booth asked as he approached the officer in charge of securing the crime scene, an alley full of garbage and trash.

'Pretty bad sir, the body is over there,' he gestured. The officer knew the two partners well, he had worked a couple of cases with them and he had been one of the fine men at the office recently when Doctor Temperance Brennan had walked straight into the arms of Special Agent Seeley Booth.

Booth nodded his thanks and he signaled Brennan, who was talking to Cam. 'Why is Cam here?' he asked when she joined him. 'They also found an arm, it's not fully decomposed yet,' Brennan answered clinically. Booth looked at her.

He saw the woman he loved, hidden but present, covered by a layer, ever so thin of pure science, logic and distance that was the doctor in her. He nodded in acceptance, knowing this was how she dealt with it all, and he let her approach the body he hadn't dared to lay his eyes on.

After determining the victim was a girl of approximately three years old, Brennan asked for the remains to be shipped back to the lab. Partially because of the resources there, but partially because it made her nauseous watching the body lying there, between garbage bags and maggots, the smell sickening her.

She searched for Booth's eyes and found them, a concerned gaze of her always present partner, directed right at her. She started walking towards the car, apprehensive about showing sny affection especially with Cam there, but the nausea overwhelmed her.

She swayed, found the wall and threw up. No way of stopping it.

Everybody turned towards her, all eyes focused on Temperance Brennan who didn't vomit. Who didn't bat an eyelid at the most gruesome cases they came across.

Booth was at her side in a second, before his brain even realized it was probably normal for her to react poorly to the smell. One of his hands went to her arm, holding her up, as his other came around her waist to balance and ground her.

Cam's jaw dropped, not as much in surprise as in amazement of what she saw in front of her.

Booth didn't look surprised. Just worried.

Cam wasn't a fool. She'd known there was something going on between the two partners from the moment she joined the team. She knew Booth had a soft spot for Brennan. A pretty big one. So big in fact that for all the love he cherished for Brennan, he had never initiated a relationship with her because of the danger. The risks.

However. His movements now suggested something else. Had they finally gotten over the nonsense? Of course their job was dangerous, but sentencing yourself to a life without confirmation of your love was more dangerous. It was a killer.

'I'm fine,' Brennan waved at Booth, and he let go of her waist but kept his hand on her arm. 'You sure?'

'Yes, it was just the smell. I was overwhelmed by the effects it has on me now.'

She said it softly, only he heard. His answer was a nod, a smile and a squeeze of his hand on her arm before he let her go to gesture towards his car. 'Lab?'

'Lab,' she nodded, following him.

'I'm going to stay here, call Hodgins,' Cam called.

'He's not available, I think,' Brennan answered. 'Baby is coming home.'

'Then I'll collect the samples for Wendell,' Cam said. Brennan nodded. 'We'll figure it out at the lab. See you when you get there,' she greeted before getting in the car with Booth.

Definitely something going on, Cam decided.

'Do you think she saw it?' Brennan asked Booth as he got in and closed the door.

'Saw what?' he asked. 'She saw you.. You know, throw up, and then she saw me next to you, but otherwise..'

'Do you think she suspects us?'

'Look, Bones,' he said, his tone as serious as his eyes as he leaned in a little to get through to her. 'There is nothing to be suspected of. We're not committing a crime. Cam knows how I feel about you and she probably knows how you feel about me. She's pretty good at reading people. So maybe she knows, maybe she doesn't.'

'Does that bother you?' she asked, her eyes as serious as his.

'Not at all,' he answered honestly. 'I never loved Cam like that. She's great but she's a friend. We'll talk to her if you want to, you know, get it straight. She'll appreciate it.'

'Ok, let's do that later,' Brennan nodded. 'She deserves to hear it from us. Cam's a good friend.'

Booth nodded. 'Ok. How're you feeling now?'

'Fine, thanks,' she smiled. 'I hope we can clean the bones fast, get rid of that smell. It's going to be difficult for me working with bodies if the smell makes me sick.'

'I think that's first trimester only,' Booth said. 'I remember Angela craving chili con carne when Hodgins was analyzing some mold. She said it was because of the way it smelled.'

'Really?' Brennan said, her eyes wide. 'Those molds can smell.'

'Really,' Booth laughed. 'I just hope your cravings won't be for those smelly health stuff smoothies you used to have breakfast with.'

'Ugh, I can't really stand to even think of those,' Brennan said. 'They're healthy but absolutely an acquired taste.'

'Yeah, they're disgusting,' he said. She laughed and nodded. 'Absolutely.'

The ride to the lab was easy, both of them comfortable in each other's presence. But once they arrived, Booth noticed changes in Brennan.

'Hey, you nervous?' he asked, concerned.

'A little, Booth. These are our friends, and they had a difficult time as well. But we, we have each other. Some of these people don't have anyone. I feel.. Like we've cheated on them.'

'Cheated?' he mused. 'Yeah, I think I know what you mean. Like we were selfish. But Bones, you're so wrong. We are the most selfless people around. You see that, don't you?'

She thought about it, then nodded. 'I know I should feel fine with it all. But you know, they deserve to have the same happiness I found.'

He took her hand and squeezed it softly before he exited the car. She followed him, and together they walked towards the main entrance.

'This is insane,' Brennan muttered to herself as they approached the lab platform where a few employees were working.

'It's gonna be fine, and we still have some time before they get back with the fleshy bits,' Booth said. 'Do you want me to stick around?'

'If you'd like, you can stay until I've finished my preliminary examination, see if we can identify the remains or determine cause of death,' she said rather coldly, but as he looked in her eyes he saw a different story. Yes, she wanted him to stick around. She needed him to. So he stayed.

So he watched as she worked, he took in every tiny movement, how her brow furrowed at a mystery, how her gloved fingers softly touched and examined the remains. Where others saw a dedicated scientist, he saw a passionate woman capable of great love. He knew she still had trouble accepting this new pace, their lives suddenly intertwined forever, by fate and not by choice. But like a crime that looked impossible to solve, she had always been able to make impossible things happen. And he knew that deep down she longed to have a family, like him. He had Parker, but she, she had had nothing of the sorts to substitute. It made him incredibly happy to know that not only was he going to have a family, he was going to give her one as well. A real family that would never abandon her, never walk out on her. A smile formed around his lips as he thought of their future.

In a corner, Cam had entered the Jeffersonian. She stood speechless, witnessing her friend and former lover Seeley Booth sitting there on the platform. He looked so happy, his features void of anything sad or angry. She saw contentment, love and joy beaming from his face, the object of his glow being Temperance Brennan.

So it was true.

What Angela had said, it wasn't a joke.

Angela had called Cam this morning, telling her to look closely at the two and 'see the miracle.' Cam hadn't believed it, Angela often saw love and joy where it wasn't due. But this time, she had been right on the spot. Those two were finally together.

And even though Cam was seeing someone, a great someone, she felt a pang of jealousy. She had let him slip. She had told him that it was just fun. And now he had finally found peace, she was glad, happy for him, but only because she knew she wouldn't have been able to make him happy. His heart had belonged to Temperance Brennan even before they had met.

She decided not to interrupt, so softly she moved the arm into her autopsy room and went to work, everything going unnoticed by both Brennan and Booth.

After Brennan had finished her examination of the body, she gave her findings to Booth, who called them in to the FBI. He wanted some time to be with Brennan, to tell Cam together, because he knew this was a wall she had trouble getting over.

'You wanna do it now?' he asked when he met her again.

She nodded. 'I think it's best to let her know now, I mean, the earlier they all know the better, that's how I feel. It is going to be extremely difficult to find adequate replacement when I am on maternity leave, so Cam might want to start looking,' Brennan rationalized. Booth chuckled.

'You sure it's that, or do you just want to tell her?'

'No, it's only practical she knows,' she answered, but again, her eyes told him the opposite story. But he didn't need her eyes to tell him that, he knew. She was a scientist, but she was a woman first. And even though she had been very good at hiding the woman, after seven years of knowing her, he understood the woman in Brennan better than she herself.

She approached the Autopsy room, swiftly, surely. But as soon as she opened the door and the smell that was worse in there got to her again, she hesitated but pushed through, and Booth followed her, his hand on the small of her back to support and guide her.

'Hey Cam, we want to talk to you,' he started.

Cam looked up from her autopsy table, her eyes large and questioning. 'No, I haven't found anything yet, if that's what you were going to ask.'

She knew the dumb game worked with Brennan, but she was unsure if Booth would be fooled by it.

'It's not about the case,' Brennan took over. 'I'm pregnant.'

Booth looked at her, his eyes big, and his jaw dropped. 'Bones!'

Cam's face looked much alike, her eyes surprised and her mouth agape. 'What?'

'I will need to go on maternity leave, so you might want to start looking for a replacement.'

Booth stepped forward, taking over the conversation from Brennan. 'Yeah.. Cam, right, Bones and I.. we're kind of… We're together… Yeah.'

He was uncomfortable so he stepped back again.

'Congratulations, I had no idea!' Cam exclaimed, not entirely convincing.

'Thank you,' Brennan accepted, but she looked at Booth, who was silent. 'We didn't plan it,' she added carefully.

'But we're very happy,' Booth said quickly, reassuring Brennan, because he saw in her eyes she needed it. 'Yes, very happy,' she said, smiling.

'The things you want rarely come at the time you want them,' Cam pondered loud enough for them to hear.

Brennan missed the sour note in her voice, Booth didn't.

'Even though it makes little logical sense, you're right,' Brennan said.

Booth nodded. 'Yeah. Come on Bones, time to get back to work.' He guided her outside.

'What was that for?' she said, moving to free herself from his grasp.

'Let's just give Cam some time to think about it, ok?' he asked. 'She's happy for us, of course, and now she knows, so it's fine now.'

'I don't understand why you're upset,' Brennan said, a frown on her face.

'Look, Bones.. Cam's just a little sensitive about the subject, ok? Just leave it.'

She nodded, but was clearly not happy with it. However, she dropped the issue and they didn't bring it up again.

At the end of the day, he made a scene of picking her up at the door of the Jeffersonian, a quiet hint to everyone there that it was true, that every rumor they had heard could be believed, and she played along, only tensing a little when he kissed her softly before helping her in the car. He wanted to laugh, cry, scream and run all at the same time, but he had no idea what was going on in her head.

Although her face betrayed nothing, Brennan was nervous about everything. About Cam's reaction, about Booth's response to it, about her pregnancy. It made her feel overwhelmed and out of control and she couldn't handle it. She felt like she was about to burst into a million pieces of raw emotion, and it scared her. She knew she could confide in Booth but she had been so out of control lately that she didn't know how much of her he could handle.

She knew only one thing for sure: She had to confide in him on at least a small part of it, because her own bucket was about to overflow.

'What did Cam mean, Booth?' she asked softly as they were on their way to her apartment. 'When she said things you want rarely come at a time you want them, what did she mean?'

Booth looked at her before answering, seeing the importance of her question and his answer in the tears threatening to overflow her eyes.

'She meant.. You know what, she didn't mean that we didn't deserve it. Or that we cheated on her. None of that, Bones.'

Brennan nodded. 'But what did she mean?'

'Look, Cam and I go way back, you know that,' he said. 'She just.. She just meant that she regrets being so casual with me, I guess. She knew I didn't want that.'

Brennan went quiet. She hadn't considered that answer and it hurt her, it stung her like an angry wasp.

Jealousy.

She had learned to live with it when Hannah was in the picture, she had even learned to suppress it. But not anymore. Cam had implied that she wanted the same from Booth as she, Brennan, now had, and that hurt her deeply. How could Cam know what she felt for Booth? Who was she to judge Brennan's feelings for Booth?

Booth pulled into her parking lot, parked the car and regarded her closely, seeing Brennan deeply engulfed in her mind.

'Hey, we're home,' he whispered after a minute, and she looked at him, a second of confusion passing her eyes. 'Yeah. Ok.'

As they approached her door, he put a hand in the small of her back. 'Hey, don't worry about the whole thing with Cam, ok? This, what we have, it's ours. It's none of her business.'

She nodded. 'Ok.' And even though she knew it was stupid, she was grateful for his hand on her back, his continuous support with nothing more than just a touch, because otherwise she had a strong feeling she would break.

Once inside, she turned to lock the door.

She was too preoccupied to notice his presence right behind her, and when she turned, he caught her wrists expertly and pushed her back into the door.

'Listen to me,' he whispered in a soft but insistent voice.

'You listen to me. What Cam thinks, it doesn't matter. It's what we think that's important. I'll tell you what I think.'

She felt trapped, but she realized with a pang she liked it. His body was close to hers, touching, but only just. She was trapped with her wrists to her sides, his mouth close to hers, almost close enough to kiss, but he kept just enough, or too much, distance.

'What?' she whispered, playing his game.

'I love that we're together like this. I love that you're pregnant, and I love that you're letting me in your life. That's what I think,' he stated bluntly, a little bit afraid of going too far but pushing that aside for now. She wanted facts, she'd get facts.

And then she stayed still.

And he kissed her, just to break the silence, just because he frankly couldn't stand being so close to her without having his hands to touch her. He kissed her deeply, feeling her react instantly, a gasp coming from deep inside of her, her insides warming immediately at his touch.

Her brain went foggy. All she knew were his words, his lips and his presence, his big, overwhelming presence that was there for her to share her burdens, to carry them all if she wanted him to, to comfort her, to keep her safe and most importantly, to love her, her mind, but also her body and soul and the tiny little child growing inside of her.

Her heart opened herself for him anew, as her hands came free from his grasp and started touching him everywhere they could.

Soon, they were both undressing the other, Brennan busy with the buttons on his shirt, kissing him without losing concentration, while Booth had his hands up her blouse to cup her breasts, just loving her, wanting her.

'Bedroom,' he whispered in her ear when his lips had found their way to her neck, but her hands stopped him. 'No,' she whispered back, and she placed his hands back on her body as she undid his pants.

Another wave of intense arousal coursed through him and he didn't care about where they were. He only cared about her, about the fire inside of her that needed controlling. The fire that was her insecurity, like a candle usually tamed but once unleashed very dangerous.

He loved that part of her, the vulnerabilities she showed him, the need that just flew to him when she encountered a rough spot.

She felt him respond to her, and she couldn't stop her own need from spiraling out of control. Pulling at his clothes she managed to get his pants and underwear off, he stepped out of it and helped her out of her clothes before pushing her back into the door.

'Booth,' she panted. Nothing more.

He pushed his body to hers, then pulled back a little and lifted her, supporting her with one arm against the door as she locked her legs around his waist.

'I need you,' he whispered to her. 'Take me,' she whispered back, taken aback by her own voice but beyond caring.

He did, sliding home, and a deep moan escaped both their lips. Then she found his lips again, silencing any further sounds as he moved inside of her, her hands on his shoulders, in his hair and all around him encouraging him.

She was doing it again, he realized. She was searching for that side of him he didn't want her to be intimately familiar with. But she did. And she found him again, when she threw her head back and thrust her body towards his, her nails digging into his back, she found his other side again.

And he lost control with her, both of them flying without a safety net, without wings and without anything to ground them, just them, one creature with four legs, four arms and two heads.

Although he wanted it to last, he couldn't make himself slow down. He couldn't make her slow down. She wanted it all from him, and he couldn't do anything but give it to her. Harder and harder, his hands undoubtedly leaving marks on her fair skin, and still she was encouraging him with her hands, her voice, her lips and her muscles encircling him tighter and tighter, until finally she couldn't hold back anymore and a deep moan escaped her lips before she went silent, her head falling to his shoulder, his arms around her, holding her to him as she came, her orgasm as sudden as it was intense, like his own, because again he had no choice but to follow her.

He struggled to keep them from falling, but he succeeded, and as she came down she tightened her hold on him.

'Bedroom?' he whispered again, needing to lay down with her if only for a minute.

'Yeah,' she nodded weakly, and he carried her there, cradling her head to his shoulder.

As he sat with his back to her headboard, the blankets pulled over them, she rested her head on his chest, one of her arms behind him stroking his back, the other on his chest. His arms were around her, one resting on her hip, the other softly caressing her arm.

'You know, Booth.. It's not ugly,' she said suddenly, her voice sweet and soft.

He knew immediately what she meant. 'It is, Bones.'

'No, it's not. It's as beautiful as any other side to you,' she answered solemnly. 'You don't know what I did,' he whispered, sadness clouding his voice.

'I don't care,' she whispered back, feeling his skin shiver with disgust for himself. 'It's not ugly. It may be less pretty but it's still pretty, Booth.'

'Is there any anthropological evidence for that or something?' he asked, sarcasm in his voice.

'No,' she said, not missing the sarcasm but forgiving him, 'But I know you. And I know that side of you better than you know. And there's nothing wrong with it.'

'I just don't want you to see something you don't like,' he said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

It fell back, tickling her nose, stubborn like the rest of her. 'I won't,' she answered.

After a few minutes, as she pulled back to look at him a little, he had closed his eyes. She saw a little frown on his face, evidence of how much he worried about their conversation.

'Booth,' she whispered, making sure he wasn't asleep. He opened one eye to peek at her. She laughed, and he opened them both.

'I have a side like that, too,' she confessed quietly and seriously.

His face grew serious as well. 'No, you don't.'

'I do. I know I lack social skills but I still put myself in situations where I need them. That's got to be awkward for you, especially when I suddenly can't control my emotions.'

He smiled at her. 'It's not. It's you, it's a part of who you are.'

A smile appeared on her face as well, lighting up her entire face. 'Exactly.'

And that was the end of it, she put her head back on his chest, closed her eyes and relaxed into his body. She had been quite surprised to find Booth holding back so much from her, afraid to do what he had been asking from her for years: Be himself around her, just let go.

She had found it very hard in the beginning of this, entering into unknown territory with just him to help her, but she had found herself along the way. She had come to learn things about herself, how she liked to be treated, how much she loved to just have him around, to just be in his arms, how she felt their connection even stronger than before every day they spent together. It had made her more vulnerable, but it had made her stronger. That contradiction was something she still struggled with, but truth be told, she didn't care. As long as she could get him to show her that side he didn't like, the warrior, the fighter she admired so much in him, as long as he wasn't afraid to give her his all, she'd be fine. And they'd be fine.

[A/N: some of you mentioned you'd wait double time for double length, so here you go. Please R&R!]