Even though it's Sunday, I feel compelled to warn you - this is chapter is NOT safe for work. It's also a couple thousand words shorter than usual, but it was a natural place to break, and I don't think you'll mind the shorter chapter at all once you read it. (Really the M rating should be enough of a NSFW warning, but I've been told that maybe I should add an extra one.)

Enjoy!

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Chapter 12

Booth woke before their alarm went off on Tuesday morning, and he adjusted his position cautiously to get a better look at the woman still asleep in his arms. His eyes traced the perfect line of her jaw, the gentle curve of her full lips, and the crescent shape of her dark lashes as they rested against her cheeks. Watching Brennan sleep was something of a habit for him, and no amount of scolding she could do would ever change that.

As he continued to examine her, he wondered idly how many hours-or days or weeks-he'd spent simply watching her. She had fascinated him from the very first time he'd seen her. Booth had watched her stare at bones for hours, always so calm and patient. She had the ability to maintain focus in much the same way he had been trained to do in the military. While he observed details from his environment or the people around him, she observed evidence.

As they'd grown closer and become intimate, he'd watched her in a variety of other ways as well. Crouched near the ground at a crime scene, clicking away at her laptop, dancing in his arms as he held her close, bickering with fire in her eyes, laughing with his son, coming apart in his arms… There were the domestic things too; things he'd never paid attention to with other women he'd dated. Washing her hair in the shower, selecting the jewelry she wore each day, taste-testing their dinner as she cooked.

Booth had memorized the way she looked while she did all of those things, but he found her every bit as captivating while she slept. Her guard came down completely as she slumbered, and the utter peace and serenity in her beautiful features was almost intoxicating to behold. There was no pointed crease between her brows, no anxious lip-biting, no disapproving scrunch of her nose. When she slept, Booth felt he was free to look-really look-at her without having to explain his motives or his observations. He could simply enjoy her.

The feel of her in his arms as she slept was something to which he'd quickly become addicted. He wasn't sure if he would even be able to sleep a full night without her at this point. The sweet weight of her against his chest anchored him as nothing else could.

She was his home.

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Brennan opened her eyes somewhat experimentally, having already sensed that she wasn't the first to wake. She scowled slightly, seeing Booth smiling shamelessly back at her.

"Creep," she joked, unable to keep her lips from curving upward.

"Hypocrite," he countered. Booth had caught her watching him sleep on numerous occasions. She grinned at him a little wider and tilted her chin upward to brush her lip softly across his. What started as a gentle kiss escalated quickly until they were both desperate for oxygen.

"Are we actually awake before the alarm?" she asked, turning her head to check the time.

"We are. I was thinking that you could choose which you'd like to have more: a home-cooked birthday breakfast or…a shared shower." He smirked mischievously as he spoke the last two words, and Brennan pretended to consider it carefully.

"Well… you know I'm not big on breakfast…"

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"Happy Birthday, Sweetie!"

Angela greeted her cheerfully but also a little warily. In Angela's experience, Brennan typically wanted to be left alone on her birthday, and she'd never been one to mince words about it. Angela was pleasantly surprised, however, when Brennan returned her greeting with not only a 'thank you' but a smile as well. Wow, Angela mused. Booth is good.

"Thanks, Ange."

"You're welcome. You're looking very… I don't know, actually. I'd say you're looking well-rested, but that's not really true. You and Studly have a late night last night?"

"And an early morning," Brennan admitted, looking pleased. Angela laughed in amazement at her friend's uncharacteristic openness.

"Well, don't work yourself too hard today, Bren. I have a feeling you're going to need your energy tonight too."

Brennan quirked a brow in her direction, but Angela merely shrugged and headed back to her office. It didn't occur to her that Angela might actually know something Brennan didn't. It was more likely that Angela had simply been making assumptions. Not five seconds after she'd left, Angela was back in her office doorway again.

"I forgot to warn you: I'm taking you out for lunch today. No arguments, no whining, no locking yourself in Limbo."

"Okay."

"Okay?" Angela echoed incredulously. "Seriously, it's that easy?"

"Yes," Brennan replied simply. They stared at each other awkwardly for another moment before Brennan spoke again, "Did you need anything else, or…?"

Angela shook her head and mumbled something incoherent as she walked away. Brennan thought she heard the words 'body snatchers,' but she knew that couldn't have been right…

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Brennan spent the majority of her lunch with Angela dodging the artist's questions about her sex life and listening to her talk about Hodgins. She'd known that the two had grown closer lately, especially since Booth had clarified that their odd social interactions had been flirting. That still confused her a little, but Brennan trusted his judgment.

Angela didn't seem to know what she wanted from the situation with Hodgins. She seemed torn between a genuine affection for the man and a desire to maintain her independence.

"Ange, a relationship will only stifle your independence if you allow it to do so. Hodgins doesn't seem like the overbearing type… Though I could be wrong; I'm not very good at reading people."

"Wow. Well, I guess I agree with you to an extent. I don't really know if Hodgins would be overbearing in a relationship or not, but… Don't you feel that Booth is a little overbearing at times? To be honest, I'm surprised you put up with his overprotectiveness all the time. Don't get me wrong; I think it's sweet and romantic, and you guys are perfect together. I guess I just wouldn't have expected you with someone like that when we first met."

Brennan pursed her lips and considered her answer. She understood what Angela was saying and wasn't offended by the question, but talking about feelings wasn't her forte.

"Booth can be overprotective at times, yes. Though I wouldn't go so far as to call him overbearing. And even though it gets on my nerves now and then, I've learned to let most of it go, because… because I feel the same way about him. I worry about him in the field, I worry if he's in pain from old injuries, I worry if he's upset or stressed about something…" Brennan trailed off, shaking her head a little. "I worry about him all the time. So I would be a hypocrite to pass judgment for being overprotective." Brennan paused only a moment before adding, "He's not overbearing though. He never makes me feel confined or smothered-in the figurative sense."

Angela listened to her friend's speech with a gentle smile playing about her lips, and she wondered if Brennan realized how very much she'd changed since they'd met at that art exhibit more than two years ago. If anyone had asked her at the time, she would have thought Brennan to be the least likely source of good relationship advice.

"Not everyone gets what you and Booth have, Bren." Brennan nodded seriously. She knew how lucky she was.

She only hoped that Angela could open her heart to that kind of love as well.

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Not long after Brennan returned from lunch, her analysis of a Civil War era John Doe was interrupted by the sound of her phone ringing from the pocket of her lab coat. She glanced at the caller ID and took a breath before answering.

"Brennan."

"Glad to see you're taking my calls this year," Russ joked, sounding a little relieved. They had come a long way in their efforts to patch things up, but the occasional awkwardness still lingered.

"Hi, Russ."

"Happy Birthday, Tempe."

"Thank you." Brennan tried not to sound as uncomfortable as she really was and focused on his next words.

"So is Booth taking you out tonight or anything?"

"Well, I don't know all of the details," she said, distractedly studying a fragment of manubrium, "but I believe we're staying in and doing something which requires a special 'birthday suit.'"

"Oh God, Tempe. I did not need to know that," Russ sputtered in disgust.

Brennan hadn't understood what Booth had meant by that comment when she'd left the house that morning. She was atypically wearing a dress, at his suggestion, and he'd assured her that she'd be in her 'birthday suit' before the night was over.

"Why? I didn't know what he meant, but-"

"Just forget it. I'm not talking about this with you. Or anyone. Ever."

"Okay," she replied, bewildered. She changed the subject to ask about Amy and the girls, and they spoke for another few minutes about the most recent round of testing that had been scheduled for Hayley's breathing trouble. He wished her a Happy Birthday once more before they hung up, and Brennan couldn't help but stare at the phone for a moment after the call had ended.

Perhaps I should ask Angela what a 'birthday suit' is…

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Booth had taken the afternoon off to come home and get started on Brennan's birthday dinner. He'd become fairly adept at cooking vegetarian, particularly since they'd moved in together officially, but he hadn't made this particular meal before. He'd wanted to give himself a little extra time in case he made some sort of rookie mistake, like say, catching the kitchen on fire. He had no idea why he felt nervous about the evening, especially since they were just staying in, and there were only so many things that could really go wrong.

He supposed it was the fact that, even after being together over ten months, birthdays were still a new milestone for them. Booth hoped that this was the first of very many birthday dinners he would cook for her, and his mind wandered idly to picture what the rest of her birthdays might look like. Perhaps in a few years they would be sitting down to dinner and celebrating her birthday as a family, with Parker and a child of their own. Perhaps someday he might be able to give her a birthday card specifically addressed to a wife…

Booth shook his head and refocused his attention on dinner. Being Brennan's husband was a wonderful thought, but he knew the score. They were committed to one another already, even without the rings and legal status. He harbored no doubts that they were both in this for keeps, and if the life she wanted with him didn't include marriage, then he was fine with that. He'd told her as much when they decided to move in together-the last thing he would ever ask her to do is change herself for him.

Booth texted Angela to remind her to get Brennan to leave work, whether she had to push, pull, or bribe her, and he was pleased when she responded that his girlfriend had in fact already left of her own free will. Progress, Booth thought, giving himself an imaginary pat on the back.

When Brennan arrived, she was immediately intrigued by the aroma wafting from the kitchen as well as the soft jazz music playing in the living room. She smiled as she hung up her bag and jacket.

"Hey, baby. Happy Birthday." He greeted her with a smile, a kiss, and a glass of wine.

"Thank you. Dinner smells wonderful," she commended him, trying not to sound surprised. She knew that Booth could cook, but he typically preferred his meat.

"Thank you. Mushroom risotto and chickpea salad, and something extra sinful for dessert," he winked, thinking of the five-layer chocolate cake he'd stashed in the refrigerator.

"Mmm," she mused, sipping her wine before placing the glass on the counter and wrapping her arms around his waist. "Are you the dessert? Because while I don't agree with the idea of sin, I do believe you would fit the traditional definition."

Booth grinned and captured her lips in another kiss. It quickly deepened as their lips parted and tongues mated almost lazily. After what seemed like an eternity, Booth lifted his head to smile into her gorgeous blue eyes.

"Did you have a good day?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes. I followed your advice and allowed Angela to take me out for lunch today. And I spoke to Russ." Actually, his advice had been to 'let people be nice to her today.' As a result, she'd spent a good part of it reassuring people that nothing was wrong with her.

"That's great, Bones."

As they sat down to their meal, Brennan answered his questions about her lunch with Angela, and Booth smiled at the insights she had shared with the artist. Though it had never been Booth's intention to change her, there was no doubt that she most certainly had changed. But no matter how much she had evolved, all of the things he loved most about her had remained the same. She was still his Bones.

Almost as though she could hear his thoughts, she confirmed them with her next story about Russ's phone call. Booth inhaled his wine painfully and did his best not to spit it across the table at her.

"You told him about that? Oh, Bones…"

"Well, I had no idea what it meant, Booth. It was the only hint you'd given me about this evening, and he asked about our plans, so…" She shrugged with a hint of a smile.

She'd asked Angela what Booth had meant with his 'birthday suit' comment, and Brennan had known immediately from the salacious grin that had stretched across her friend's face that it was mostly likely not something she should have shared with her brother. However, she'd never been one to be ashamed of her sexuality, and in the end she found the whole thing rather humorous.

"Don't worry, Angela explained it. Rather eagerly, I might add."

Booth cringed and felt his face growing a little hot, reminding himself that he did actually love her social awkwardness and occasional incognizance. He just preferred to be the one to educate her, when possible.

"Alright, well… just remind me to avoid Russ for a while, huh? We shouldn't have to see him at least until the holidays, right?"

"I assume so."

They continued to talk for more than a half hour after they'd finished their meals, both unaware of the passing time. When Booth finally glanced at a clock, he was surprised to see that it was already nearly eight. They had a habit of letting time get away from them when they were alone together, though that was nothing new. Even in the beginning, their talks over takeout or paperwork had had a tendency to last long into the night.

"Hey, why don't I get this cleaned up, and you go wait for me in the living room," he suggested.

"I can help. You cooked; I can help clean."

"Nope, it's your birthday. I'm just gonna tidy up for now anyway. The dishes can wait till tomorrow, so you," he bent to kiss her softly, "go sit in there and wait for your present."

"Booth, the dinner is the present. It was delicious." She followed him into the kitchen in spite of his instructions.

"No, the dinner was part of your present. Now go," he ordered her with a playful slap to her rear. She shot him a mocking glare but left the kitchen.

Booth joined her on the couch after he'd grabbed her gift from its hiding place.

"Okay, so if you don't like this, that's perfectly alright. You're not the easiest person to shop for." She smiled indulgently and simply nodded, accepting the small, rectangular box he handed her and opening it with interest.

Brennan's mouth fell open slightly as she realized exactly what she was looking at.

"Booth," she breathed, a delighted smile transforming her features. "It's perfect. Do you know what this is?" she asked, slightly incredulous.

"I'm told that it's a traditional necklace from Nepal and that the turquoise and coral represent...love, peace, and long life," he recited.

Brennan's crystalline eyes were wide with astonishment, and she nodded in approval before looking down at the necklace again. The silver chain was simple, but the silver pendant was intricately formed into a symmetrical design and set with two small stones. The smaller coral rested above a slightly larger turquoise stone.

Brennan loved it instantly, not only because it was absolutely something she would've chosen for herself, but also because of the symbolism behind it. Booth had obviously researched traditional jewelry before making the selection, and his thoughtfulness made it even more special.

"Thank you, Booth. I love it. It's perfect." Her eyes gleamed slightly, but she blinked the emotion away and removed the necklace from the box. She passed it to him before removing the necklace she was already wearing. "Will you put it on?"

Booth smiled and nodded, relieved that he'd gotten it right, and he listened as she launched into a detailed anthropological history of Nepalese artisans, Tibetan influences, and historical events that had shaped their traditions for jewelry. He'd known that Nepal was one of the places she'd traveled as a student, so when he'd gotten the idea to look into tribal or traditional jewelry, the necklace had seemed like a good choice. It was similar in style to several others that she owned, but she didn't have anything quite like this.

He fastened the delicate catch behind her neck and placed a kiss upon the soft skin there before she let her hair fall back to her shoulders. Her slender fingers touched the pendant carefully for just a moment before she pulled him into a deep kiss. When they began to feel slightly light-headed, they separated reluctantly, and Booth stood abruptly.

"Dance with me?" he asked, extending a hand toward her. Brennan considered reminding him what had happened the last time they'd danced but thought better of it. Now wasn't the time for painful memories.

She took his hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet, following him into the open center of the room. Brennan wrapped one arm around his neck, and he took her other hand in his, pressing it to his lips before holding it against his heart.

They fell silent for a long while as they swayed in slow circles to the smooth jazz emanating from the stereo. Booth pressed the occasional kiss to her temple, forehead, cheek, lips, and fingertips. Brennan found herself feeling more than a little awed at the stark contrast between this birthday and the fourteen others she had experienced since her parents had disappeared.

For starters, she wasn't sure that she had ever felt so loved on any birthday, even before her parents had left. Yes, she'd known her parents loved her, but this was different. Booth cherished her as though she were the most valuable, most important part of his life. He accepted every part of her without asking for more or asking her to change. The strength of his love for her was staggering, and at times like this, she quite literally felt weak in the knees. She was completely overwhelmed by the amount of thought he had put into simply making sure she had a good birthday.

"I love you, Booth," she whispered fervently. He held her tighter and buried his face in her hair, breathing deeply.

"I love you too, Bones. I'm so lucky to have you."

Brennan smiled and shook her head a little at the way his words so often echoed her thoughts, but she didn't argue with him.

In this instance, they were both right.

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"You know, this actually gives me a good idea for your birthday gift," Brennan mused as she leaned back against him in the large bathtub. The jets swirled the water around them soothingly, and Brennan couldn't help but notice the way Booth never removed his feet from in front of them for more than a few seconds at a time.

"Oh really? And what might that be?" he smirked, running his hands seductively over her abdomen and up to cup her breasts. He trailed a line of sweet kisses along her jaw and watched her chest rise up and down at an increasing rate.

"I'm not going to tell you right now, obviously. Waiting another month won't kill you." Brennan continued to recline against his chest with her eyes closed, and she moaned into the steamy air when his fingertips teased her nipples slowly.

"I don't know… it might," he whispered, rolling the rosy tips between his fingers.

What was he talking about? she wondered distractedly. She'd lost all track of the conversation, and her focus was consumed entirely by the feel of his slick skin against hers. Brennan arched her back, pushing her breasts against his hands, and her own hand moved intently between their bodies to grasp his rigid length.

Booth groaned and fastened his mouth to her neck in response, knowing full well that he was leaving a mark just below her ear. He opened his eyes to watch her body writhing deliciously against his own, the hot water splashing slightly around her curves.

God, she's beautiful, he thought, almost weeping at the knowledge that she was his. He lowered one hand to her center and stroked her skillfully beneath the water. Her hips bucked almost violently against his hand as she moaned with longing.

"Booth…"

"Hmmm?"

"I need you. Inside… please."

He smiled and obligingly plunged two fingers into her heat, and although she cried out softly, it hadn't been what she'd meant. Brennan braced her arms against the sides of the tub and raised her body slowly until their cores were aligned. Booth gasped as she reached between her own legs to close her fingers around him and guide him to entrance.

He withdrew his fingers quickly and thrust upward to join his body with hers. Brennan shuddered in his arms, and they began to move in a slow, sensual rhythm that had him gripping her hips tightly in an effort to hold back. The penetration was shallow, but the view from over her shoulder was quite possible the most erotic thing he'd ever seen. He watched as Brennan's hand drifted lower to press against the exact point of their connection, teasing her clit slightly with her palm, and he suddenly recalled the reason he'd been so keen to get her in the tub in the first place.

Booth carefully scooted them toward the foot of the tub, only stopping when he was forced to lift their legs slightly out of the water to rest against the enclosure and side of the tub. Brennan was so lost in her own pleasure that she didn't realize they'd moved until she felt the change in temperature as the air hit her legs.

"What are you-"

"Just trust me," he begged, angling her body carefully so that the strong jet of water struck her clit.

"Oh my God!" she shouted, her voice echoing in the tiled enclosure. The sensation was unexpected, and Brennan was beyond coherent thought in a matter of seconds as the stream of water pounded against her sensitive flesh. Booth had never seen her quite so overtaken, and he thought for a moment she might actually hyperventilate. He pressed his lips to her slick skin once more, hoping to anchor her a little, but he kept her hips firmly in place as he continued to move within her.

"Booth!" she screamed as her orgasm ripped savagely through her, causing her entire body to convulse rhythmically in his arms. Her climax triggered his own release, and he shouted involuntarily as he came hard within her. Booth moved her away from the jet of water and back to their previous position in the tub, slipping out of her carefully. Brennan rolled to her side and curled against his chest, still gasping for air.

It was several minutes before either of them were composed enough to speak, and even then, the words came out between heavy breaths.

"Wow," she panted, still dazed.

"Yeah… That was…"

"Wow."

"Pretty much," he agreed.

Booth punched the button to turn off the jets, and they lounged together until the water began to grow tepid. He nudged Brennan gently, realizing she had nearly dozed off against him, and he resisted the urge to say out loud how adorable she was. He knew full well what her response would be, and he didn't feel like bickering about it at the moment.

Booth helped her out of the tub and into bed, drying their bodies thoroughly but not bothering with pajamas. Brennan draped her long limbs over him, and he arranged her damp hair carefully on her pillow so that it would dry without chilling her.

"Thank you," she murmured, placing a sleepy kiss against his lips.

"You're welcome, Bones. Happy Birthday."

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My face is hot. How 'bout yours? :)

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