I think this might be the longest one ever. Thanks to the FF word counter, I'll soon know for sure!

This one was in response to a twittery b-day request from BrennanBooth for "protective Booth"

I told her I could do that.

And I could also write about it.

Bada Bing!

-B&B-

"Booth, you're being unreasonable," Brennan insisted.

"Am I?" he practically snarled. "Am I really, Bones?"

She sighed, moving past him to try to open her own door, thank you very much.

"Yes, Booth. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of my own self."

Booth let out a laugh that had nothing to do with fun and games.

When she couldn't quite concentrate on getting her key in the lock, he took advantage.

Moving in close behind, he pressed his hands on her door, effectively blocking her in.

"So, tonight, when I had to grab you and get you out of that room, was that you taking care of yourself?"

His tone was soft but equally predatory. Brennan was annoyed, more with her reaction than his words.

"And, Bones…" he continued, not moving an inch. "When we made it outside juuuuuust before that bomb went off…"

He couldn't help but shudder, just at the memory. Steeling his feet firmly to the ground, he took a deep breath. "Was that it?"

"Was it, Bones? Was that you taking care of yourself? Hmmm?"

"I…" she responded, debating whether to stay put or turn around to face him. "I would have seen it."

Her decision was solved when he grabbed her shoulders and whirled her around to face him.

Eyes blazing, he moved in even closer, then closer still. His nostrils flared and his teeth captured his bottom lip.

Without looking, he took her keys from her hand, inserted the right key into the lock and opened her door.

Brennan maintained enough control to keep her footing as she was backed up inside of her open living room.

Booth swallowed hard and slashed a hand through the air. "Look around, Bones."

His command was low and dark, and it also confused Brennan. But she did as he asked.

"It appears safe to me. There was no reason for you to follow me home for one of your overprotective checks."

Booth shook his head. "Nah, that's not what I'm talking about Bones. You don't like my help? Fine by me."

His casual words were belied by his tone, and Brennan stared at his face, trying to ascertain his meaning.

He shook his head and looked around again. "Okay, Bones. Tell me. Tell me the five most important things in your life."

What? Brennan's mind whirled, and she looked around her apartment again, noticing several artifacts Booth was staring at.

"I don't understand your meaning, Booth."

He pressed his tongue to the inside of his mouth and his hands to his hips, his leather jacket pushed back behind his hands.

"I'm talk about all of these things, here, Bones. All of this stuff. These artifacts. These…masks, or whatever the hell they are."

"All of it, Bones. Out of all of it, which are the five most important in your life? Which would you give your life for?"

Brennan's chin jutted out as she began to comprehend his thought process. "There's only one thing in this apartment I'd give my life for."

"Oh yeah?" Booth barreled on, coming to stand very close to her. "Well, whatever the hell it is, I can assure you that…"

His words trailed off as he grabbed her bare arms, desperate to make her see. "Bones…" his voice was soft and pleading.

"As much as you want to protect all of this stuff, all of your science and all of that…that's how I feel about you."

His eyes bore into hers, practically begging without words for her to understand. "When…when you're in danger, I can't breathe."

Booth pulled in a deep breath, as if his admission had cost him more air than normal speaking.

"And, Bones," his hands gripped her harder. Closer. "When anyone tries to hurt you…YOU, Bones…" he swallowed again, on edge.

"Booth…" Brennan murmured, her mouth growing dry as his moved ever closer.

"No, Bones…you don't understand. When you…I just…yeah, I get irrational, okay? And…" he exhaled through his nose.

"You're just going to have to deal with it, Bones."

Where his words before were confident and sure, his major declaration was more tentative, shy.

Brennan realized that before, he was insisting on his actions, but now he needed her to accept…him. His innate actions and reactions.

"Booth," she stepped back, and he blinked, allowing her arms to fall from his hands. She watched as his eyes narrowed on her arms.

Small pink spots formed from where he grabbed her, but she stepped closer, forcing his eyes to meet hers.

"Booth," Brennan swallowed. "You didn't ask me the one thing."

He blinked and his lips parted. "Bones, I…I don't know what you mean."

She smiled and tentatively placed her hands on his chest. "The one thing. The one thing in this apartment I'd give my life for."

His teeth clenched and his neck twisted a bit. "Okay," he rolled his shoulders back. "What is it?"

Brennan's hands moved up to his shoulders and she traced his lapels. "You, Booth."

Her words were soft, but sure. She felt Booth's chest expand as he inhaled sharply under her hands.

"Bones," he warned. "I'm going to kiss you unless you tell me not to."

Brennan said nothing.

"I'm serious, Bones," he warned again, stepping closer. His hands came up to cup her elbows and then moved around her back and waist.

"I mean it," he insisted when she again said nothing. His lips hovered just over hers and she smiled at his serious eyes.

"Just kiss me already, Booth." Brennan murmured but still gasped when Booth closed the distance and covered her mouth with his.

He groaned and clutched her tighter than ever, sliding his hand over her body in pure possession. With a growl he pulled back and stared at her.

"I'm going to do that again, unless you tell me no."

Brennan's eyebrows rose and she lifted onto her tiptoes, making his job easier.

Booth chuckled darkly, swooping in to take what she was offering.

When he clasped her thighs in his hands, she helped, wrapping her long legs around his trim waist and firm stomach.

"Bones," Booth arched his neck back, pulling in some inconveniently much needed air. "Unless you tell me no, I'm going to take you to bed."

Brennan smiled a mischievous grin, and buried her face in his neck, scraping her teeth where his shirt met his skin.

Booth growled and began walking forward. "I'm serious; don't mess with me, Bones. Once we're in your bedroom, I'm not stopping till we both can't move."

She bit his earlobe in response, and Booth stumbled, but managed to keep them upright when he pressed her back against her hallway wall.

"Bones," he warned, but she just laughed.

"What?" she smiled, stripping his jacket from his shoulders and beginning to work on his tie.

"I'm going to keep taking off your clothes until you tell me to stop, Booth."

His eyebrow cocked up and he regained his footing, turning them both to enter her bedroom. He placed her in the center of her bed, and stood back.

Quickly removing his clothes, Booth watched as Brennan did the same.

When they were both naked, he straddled her waist, laughing when she pushed him to his back.

And much later, like his promise, they were unable to walk, move, do anything except hold each other close and try to breathe.

"Hey, Bones?" Booth murmured into the sweet curve of her neck.

"Yes, Booth?" she skimmed her fingertips down his warm back.

He sighed in complete satisfaction and confidence. "I'm going to protect you for the rest of our lives."

Brennan smiled and lowered her eyes to meet his. "Until I tell you to stop, is that it?"

Booth wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her underneath him. "Not even if you do, baby. Not even if you do."