Thank you for your very encouraging reviews. They are all very inspiring and keep me writing.

I definitely don't own Bones.

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Booth awoke to find Brennan sitting on the bed next to him. "Booth, I called your therapist early this morning and he'll be here in an hour. You need to get up."

Yawning mightily, he nodded his head and sat up. "Why is he coming so early?"

Amused, Brennan stood and watched Booth swing his legs to the side of the bed and sit on the edge. "It's ten, Booth. It's not so early."

Surprised, Booth looked around and spied a clock on the wall over the dresser. "Why'd you let me sleep so late?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Brennan walked over to the dresser and pulled out a pair of sweat pants, a t-shirt, boxers and socks and placed them on the bed. "It's not like you had to be anywhere this morning and you need the rest. Resting will help you heal. Would you like me help you to take a shower?"

His mind racing to places he didn't want to go, Booth coughed and shook his head. "Uh . . . no . . . no, I can do that by myself, thank you."

Though they were in a relationship, Brennan realized that they hadn't actually moved into a physical relationship yet and Booth might feel uncomfortable letting her see him naked. He can be such a prude. "I need to put some water proof bandages over your wounds before you take a shower. Just sit on the bed and I'll go get them."

His thoughts causing a reaction he wasn't prepared to explain, Booth pulled the blanket over his lap and waited for Brennan to come back. Since they hadn't done more than kiss yet, Booth didn't want to move their relationship faster than Brennan was prepared to go. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her off.

Carrying medical supplies back into the room, Brennan sat down on the bed next to him and pulled off the old bandages. Cleaning the wound sites and then replacing the bandages on his back and chest with water repellent ones, she stood up and smiled. "They're healing very nicely Booth. I can remove the stitches now if you'd like me to or you can wait until tomorrow when you see your physician and have him do it."

Booth reached out and took Brennan's hand in his. "Thank you. I know you'd do a great job, but since I'm seeing him tomorrow anyway I guess I can wait."

Squeezing Booth's hand, Brennan glanced at the bathroom door then back at her boyfriend. "Are you sure you don't need help with your shower?"

Certain that it would be better for him, Booth released her hand and licked his bottom lip. "Yeah, no . . . I'm fine. A shower will be nice. Harris has been helping me with spit baths so a shower will be nice."

Confused, Brennan let her face show how disgusting that sounded. "What is a spit bath? It doesn't sound very hygienic."

Chuckling, Booth shook his head. "It just means that I used a hot wet wash cloth and washed the important parts."

Shrugging her shoulders, Brennan frowned. "I just call that a quick wash."

Amused, Booth pulled his change of clothes towards him. "Spit bath does sound disgusting."

Walking to the bedroom entrance, Brennan called back to Booth. "Leave the bathroom door open. If you need my help then call me."

After she left the room, Booth muttered, "Believe me, I'd love you to help me . . . Shit, calm down boy. I couldn't do anything if I wanted to."

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The next afternoon, after coming back from a visit to his surgeon, Booth was relegated to the couch. "I itch like hell where he took those stitches out."

Lifting his shirt, Brennan studied the scar on his chest and then his back. "I have some vitamin E oil. You can use that to help your skin heal faster and it should help with the itching although it's not a miracle and it does take time. Just don't scratch, it will make it worse."

Booth sighed and clenched his hands. "Yeah, I wouldn't dream of it."

Lowering his shirt, Brennan walked into her bedroom and came back out with the bottle of oil. Helping him remove his shirt, she applied the oil to his scars.

Suddenly nervous, Booth found the hands of his partner to be warm and stimulating. Embarrassed, he placed his hand on her arm. "That's good. Thanks."

Amused at the expression on Booth's face, Brennan leaned over and kissed him. "After your shower tonight, I'll apply more. If I apply it every day, it will lighten the scar and keep the skin moist."

Licking his lips, Booth shook his head. "I've had dreams where you . . . uh . . . never mind. That's good."

Concerned, Brennan asked him, "Are you having nightmares? It's natural to have them after being traumatized. Would you like me to lie with you tonight? I could wake you if you have another one."

Shaking his head, Booth smiled at her thoughtfulness. "No, that's okay. They really haven't been nightmares . . . I'm good."

Brennan placed the cap back on the bottle and stood up. Placing it on the table. She looked over at her lap top. "I'm going to work on my story for awhile."

Nodding his head, Booth watched as she moved away from him. Placing his hand on his chest, he felt the ridge where his scar was located. Rubbing it he closed his eyes and remembered how her hands felt touching it.

"Booth, I told you not to scratch that." Staring at him, Brennan shook her head. "You're inviting infection if you scratch it."

Not aware she was looking at him, Booth lowered his hand. "I wasn't scratching it. I was rubbing it. There is a difference you know."

Glancing at the ceiling, Brennan sighed and continued to the table where her lap top rested.

"Sorry." Booth watched Brennan settle on her chair. "I didn't mean to snap."

Shrugging her shoulders, Brennan powered on her laptop. "You're just irritated because you itch."

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Using the television remote, Booth was channel surfing when he finally found something of interest. Glancing over at the dining room table, he observed Brennan busily typing on her laptop. Turning back to the TV, he yawned and realized that he was getting sleepy. Frustrated, he glared at the sports announcer as he gave the scores for the previous day's sporting events. Unable to sit still, he finally stood up and walked over to where Brennan was sitting.

"So, Bones, can I read your story?" As he sat down next to her, he used his best charm smile.

Not looking up from her monitor, Brennan continued to type. "No, Booth. You may not."

Sighing, Booth picked up a pen and pulled a blank sheet of paper out of a stack she had behind her PC and started to doodle. As he drew, he became aware that Brennan had stopped typing and was staring at his drawing. "What?"

"I was watching you draw." Peeking over his arm, she picked up the drawing and stared at the surprising image. "Is this me?"

Booth leaned back against his chair and stared at the picture. "Yeah, at least I hope it looks a little like you."

Staring at the picture, Brennan slowly shook her head and felt a tear slide down her cheek.

Horrified, Booth tried to take the picture from her hand. "God Bones, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. It's just a doodle, I'm not as good as I thought I was, I . . . "

Raising her hand away from Booth to keep the picture out of his hands, she interrupted him. "Booth, it's beautiful. Do you really see me like that?"

Her tear touching him, he placed his hand along her face and used his thumb to wipe the tear from her face. "I drew what I see, Bones. Of course I really see you like that. You're beautiful."

Placing the picture down carefully on the other side of the laptop, Brennan reached up and placed her hand on his. "Booth, I . . ." Leaning forward, she kissed him.

Surprised, Booth returned her kiss at first softly and then more urgently. Finally separating, Booth removed his hand from her face and placed his arm around her shoulder, ignoring the pain it caused him. "Bones, I love you. I have for a long time. I want you to know that you are what I dream of at night . . . You're the face I want to see when I wake up in the morning and when I go to sleep at night . . . I'm willing to wait as long as it takes to make that happen. That thing outside the Hoover is past history . . . We both made mistakes and I just want us to get past that and . . . I think we can . . ."

Leaning forward and kissing him again, Brennan felt more tears fall down her cheeks. "Booth, I want us to be in an intimate relationship and we will be. I just have to find the strength that you have. I don't want to make a mistake. I don't want to do something wrong and then . . ."

He knew she was worried about how to have a relationship with him and it made him sad. "Bones, you're putting too much pressure on yourself. Most relationships are just a natural progression. They aren't something you plan out like your story . . . We're going to make mistakes. It's going to happen, but I'm not going to leave you just because of a mistake . . . You can trust me. Look I'm your boyfriend . . . okay? Look how long it took us to get this far. I can be patient Bones. Believe me."

Controlling her emotions, Brennan cleared her throat. "Even though the word seems wrong for someone our ages, you are my boyfriend, Booth. I . . . I just need to . . ."

His forehead now against hers, Booth sighed. "Bones, you're strong. You're probably the strongest person I know but if you need it, I'm here for you . . . Let me help you, just tell me what to do and I'll do it."

Smiling sadly, Brennan swallowed. "You are already doing it Booth. Just be yourself, that's all I need. Just be you."

Kissing her tenderly, Booth pulled her closer towards him. "It's easy to do when I'm around you, Bones."

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