A/N Hello and welcome back! Thank you all for your patience and understanding while waiting for this, the final chapter of this beast of a story... I was not in a good place, emotionally and mentally, for most of 2017, which made it very difficult for me to write with any sort of regularity or steady posting schedule, so the fact that I have any readers left by now is no small miracle and I just want to say thank you from the bottom my my heart. This has been a weird ride, I know. And I know that some of you might think you've missed something but I'll just tell you now, going into it, that no, we do not actually see the final evening Gala… I wrote the dinner scene about five different times, all with different outcomes and all with a different vibe. In the end, however, I wasn't happy with any of them, so I eliminated it altogether and simply did a brief flashback. I just wanted to let you know heading into this chapter, no, you didn't miss anything and I didn't skip a chapter.
Disclaimer: Even after all this time, I still do not collect royalty checks from Bones, so I guess I still don't own anything.
Booth and Brennan practically fell through the door of his room just before one o'clock am. The tipsy, throaty giggles emanating from Brennan brought a happy smirk to Booth's lips. Locking the door, he cupped her waist from behind, leaning close and nuzzling his nose into her hair.
"D'you have fun tonight, Bones?"
"Hmmm," she hummed with a smile and leaned back against his sturdy, strong frame. "I told you at the beginning of the week that I thought we'd do well with the competition, didn't I?"
Chuckling at her competitive streak, Booth turned her to face him, quickly wrapping his arms around her waist to keep her close. "You did..." He tilted his head sideways. "And we did…"
At the closing gala for the convention, the well-known DC partners were announced as the winners of the on-going competition. Third place had actually been tied by two teams, Agents Marcus Gray and Reggie Winters tied with Agents Phil Mahoney and Chuck Williams. Veteran Agents Wagner and McCarthy has squeaked into second place by only a couple points and were quick to congratulate Booth and Brennan on their domination of the week.
With a conspiratorial whisper, she eyed him playfully. "I think Mickey pulled some metaphorical ropes, however… I don't understand how we could possibly have placed first after we completely blew up that last exercise at the aquarium…"
Booth threw his head back quickly and laughed. "First of all, it's strings... You think Mikey pulled some strings to help us win because we blew off the scavenger hunt..." Watching her pale blues light up with comprehension, he fell a little more in love with her. "But there's no way." He shook his head. "Mickey would never fix a contest... Even for me." He leaned in and kissed her softly. "Besides," he said with a shrug. "There's no prize, anyway...just bragging rights."
Brennan laughed as her partner nuzzled against her throat; he was clearly more interested in something besides recapping their evening. Feeling playful, she squirmed in his embrace. "Then how did we win, if the contest wasn't fixed?"
"Because," the agent responded distractedly as he nibbled at her soft skin, his hands busily trying to locate the zipper on her dress. "We are so good at our job, that our lead was huge going big into that final team-building crap…" Booth grinned triumphantly, locating the seam he was so desperate to loosen. "I wouldn't have cared if we came in last place in that lame-ass contest, Bones…" He pulled back and looked at her. "I won my prize already…"
The anthropologist sighed when she felt his thick fingers grasp the tiny tongue that would lower the zipper closure. "That's a very romantic point of view, Agent Booth," she teased him coyly.
"Well, what can I say?" He cocked an eyebrow. "I'm a romantic kinda guy…" Quickly, and with surprising efficiency, Booth opened his partner's dress and proceeded to push it down her body until it pooled at her feet. He extended his hand, stabilizing her as she stepped away from the garment and Brennan led him the few steps required to reach the bed before turning the finish unbuttoning his shirt.
Paying careful attention to her own actions, Brennan grinned when Booth's hands seemed to, as if they had minds of their own, gravitate back to her hips and waist. She glimpsed quickly up at his face before refocusing on his chest and slipping the shirt from his shoulders. With a slight hesitation, she looked up again, waiting until his eyes met hers.
"What is going to happen tomorrow, Booth?" She rolled her bottom lip between her teeth and eyed him curiously.
"We gotta meet Cara for breakfast and then we hit the road…" Booth knew what she was worried about, but he was hoping to interject a sense of normalcy into their new reality.
"That's not what I meant, Booth." The scientist inhaled sharply. "I mean with us… What's going to happen when we leave here…?"
He studied her face, wondering what answer she wanted to hear. "Well," he opted to ask her about her thoughts. "What do you wanna see happen between us?"
Brennan swallowed thickly. "I know what I don't want to happen…" When he nodded, silently encouraging her to open up to him, she continued. "I don't want to go back to how we were before…"
Booth released the breath he was subconsciously holding. "Good," he agreed. "I don't either…"
Glad that they were in sync, Brennan's fingers slowly migrated towards Booth's belt and began unbuckling it while speaking. "Will you take me home and drop me off?"
Not really wanting to think about staying away from her for too long, Booth felt his heart rate increase. "Hmm," he hummed in thought. "I know we're both gonna have to tend to matters at home - you know - laundry, bills, whatever… But," he knuckled her chin until she looked back up at him, pausing her movements by wrapping his other hand around her fingers. "I do know this… I have zero interest in sleeping alone, Bones. No matter what each day brings, no matter how busy we are or how crazy our caseload gets, I know I want to fall into bed with you at night and wake up wrapped around you in the mornings." He waited to see if she would panic, but saw a level of acceptance reflecting back at him that calmed his own anxiety. "And I'm looking forward to spending weekends together, being lazy and watching movies until the wee hours of the morning…" He released the hold he had on her fingers and rested his hand back on her hip, running his other palm down the straight line of her back until it rested on the upper swell of her bottom, where he toyed with the waistband of her panties. "And I can't wait 'til you come to my hockey games scream and cheer, and I'll know you're cheering for me…"
Brennan chuckled and rested her hands on the fronts of his shoulders. "I always cheer for you, Booth… Even though I may cheer for Mr. Bray as well, I mostly cheer for you."
"Yeah," Booth practically preened at her admission and grinned widely. "But now, if any of the guys makes a smart-ass remark in the locker room afterwards, I can kick some ass, 'cause you're my girl…"
"I am not a gir-"
Booth cut off her retort by swooping down and covering her mouth with his, swallowing her words. When she responded in kind, parting her soft, supple lips under his gentle probe, a primal, involuntary growl echoed through his chest. Once he was confident that he'd successfully rendered her speechless, he pulled back slowly, suckling her lips and nipping playfully.
"I'm not a girl," she muttered humorously, not bothering to hide the grin curling her lips.
With a happy chuckle, Booth picked her up and tossed her gently onto the center of the bed. He crawled after her, straddling her legs and covering her nearly naked body with his. When a bright laugh erupted from her chest in response to his playfulness, he sat back on his haunches and admired the pretty flush that painted her pale skin. "You're my girl, Bones."
Knowing she was fighting a losing battle, Brennan decided to let the argument slide, for now. She could tell, however, from the teasing gleam in his dark eyes, that he knew what she was thinking and she simply wrapped her fingers through the belt loops of his pants and smirked. "I suspect this will be an ongoing discussion, won't it…" It was not a question, it was simply an observation.
Booth laughed and dropped down, his elbows pressing into the mattress near her ears. Kissing her quickly, he nodded. "Yeah, it might take some time for you to realize that I'm right… You're not used to being wrong..."
Brennan chuckled darkly and, like an expert wrestler, flipped them, so he was on his back, and she shifted until she was straddling his hips instead. "I know something I was not wrong about, Agent Booth…" Rotating her hips, she could feel his body respond immediately. When he stuttered and flexed his fingers against her thighs, she felt a flush of empowerment at rendering her cocksure partner speechless. "I always said we'd be highly compatible in bed, didn't I?"
The anthropologist watched as her partner nodded mutely, his eyes darkening as they dropped focus from her face to her chest, where the upper swells of her breasts were spilling over the top of her bra. When his right hand shifted, aiming towards the front closure snap that had caught his attention, she grabbed it, weaving her fingers through his, and she grew serious. "But seriously, Booth…" When his eyes swiveled up, she felt her chest tighten with emotion. "We're... I mean, this relationship…" She tilted her head, uncertain of how to verbalize her concerns.
Booth knew instantly that she was scared about losing what they already had, and failing in their new journey. "Hey," he reached up with his empty hand and cupped her neck, pulling her down to his chest. "C'mere, baby." When she collapsed against him, he wrapped one arm around her shoulders and moved just enough so she could snug into his side. Pressing a kiss against her forehead, he stroked her upper arm, feeling the tension radiating from her body. "We're gunna be fine, Bones. Cullen already knows and supports us... You know Cam isn't going to have a problem with it… And hell, babe, all our friends have been pushing us to be together for the better part of a decade…"
Brennan leaned into Booth's embrace, listening to his rationalization and letting his words swirl around in her mind. She couldn't help but worry, though, that they were missing something, that there was an unknown risk that they weren't taking into consideration. "You'll tell me, won't you, if I do something that is unacceptable or if I cross over an imaginary boundary about which I don't know? Or if I say something that may be construed as inconsiderate or..."
"Bones," he cut her off and ran his hand along her back, trying to offer comfort. "I love you, okay? I've loved you for a long time," he shrugged one shoulder. "But that doesn't mean that I'm delusional enough to think that our relationship is going to be easy, and neither should you… You and I are both stubborn… When we feel strong enough about something, neither of us likes to back down…" He felt her cheek lift against his chest, so he knew she was grinning in agreement. "It's what we do, Bones." He kissed the top of her head before shifting, until he hovered above her prone body, holding his weight up on his elbows. "And it's what makes us tick, Babe." One side of his mouth curled upward as he craned his neck and brushed his lips against hers. "And personally," he rubbed his nose against hers, "I wouldn't have it any other way."
Brennan accepted her partner's affections, relishing in the attention he paid to her. Never before, with any other man, would she have enjoyed such intense focus. Nor would she have enjoyed being bracketed between the strong arms and beneath the taut body of such an imposing figure as the man who'd finally broke through her walls. Sighing as he shifted, she parted her thighs, making room for his hips. She ran her fingertips lightly across his back, feeling the play of his defined muscles rippling beneath his masculine skin as she surrendered to his expertise ministrations, trusting that he'd take care of her every desire, just as she would his.
B/B/B/B
Brennan woke early the next morning, unable to sleep and anxious to pack her bag and shower. They had planned to check out of their rooms before breakfast, so they'd be set to leave when they were done eating. Brennan had slipped from their bed quietly and closed the adjoining door so she wouldn't wake Booth as she moved about her room zipping up her suitcase and checking the drawers and closet for any misplaced items.
She was pleasantly surprised however, when, just as she was rinsing the shampoo from her hair, the shower curtain was pulled back and she was joined by her no-longer-sleeping partner. She stepped aside, letting him under the warm spray.
"Good morning," she admired his bare chest, still somewhat taken aback by the comfort level she had with him.
Booth hummed, leaning in for a kiss. "Mornin', baby," he muttered against her lips.
She smiled into the kiss, tasting the minty freshness of his toothpaste. "Why are you awake so early?"
Booth smoothed his hands down her slick back, settling them on her hips and pressing their bodies together. "The bed was cold…" He cocked an eyebrow. "Why were you up so early?" He nuzzled against her neck, turning so her back was beneath the spray, not wanting her to get a chill. "I missed you…"
She blushed at his admission, secretly in love with the way he doted on her, though she would never openly admit that to her partner, she preferred to enjoy it in private. Tilting her head she hummed as he nipped at her skin. "I find that I'm very anxious about our meeting with Cara…"
Booth pulled back and looked down into her pale eyes. "What do you mean?"
"What if she is not receptive to our offer?"
Reaching for the body gel, he shifted again, so her could smooth the sweet scented soap along her spine. "Well," he trailed a single finger across her soft skin. "It's generous of you to refer to it as 'our' offer, but truly, it's yours, Bones."
"You helped me by reassuring my beliefs about Cara…" She smiled when he pressed a kiss her the back of her neck. "I wouldn't be making these suggestions if not for your opinion."
"Well," his voice had dropped half an octave. "Let's see if I can help you again," he crowded against her and wrapped his arm around her waist, spanning his hand across her stomach. Pushing his knee between hers, his other palm came around and cupped her breast. "Maybe we can burn off some of your nervous energy, huh?"
Brennan shivered at predatory sound of his voice and arched her back, pushing her bottom against his growing erection. "Well, coitus has been proven to relieve stress…"
Chuckling at her playfulness, Booth skimmed his fingers lower. "I asked you before, Bones," he growled as he squeezed her. "Stop calling it coitus…"
She swallowed her own giggle when he seamlessly slipped inside, instantly deciding that morning shower sex was definitely among her favorite kinds of sex with Booth…
B/B/B/B
Booth and Brennan sat at the small breakfast table awaiting Cara's arrival. The scientist was antsy, nervous once again about how her suggestions and offers would be received by the young woman.
Booth reached over and patted his partner's hands. "Relax, Bones," he smiled. "You're fidgeting worse than Parker on Halloween night."
Brennan frowned and arched an eyebrow, remembering how hyper Parker had been the previous year on Halloween when he'd eaten too much candy. "That is an extreme exaggeration, Booth."
He chuckled at her petulance. "I'm just saying that you should be calm. I know you're worried, but the conversation is going to go fine."
"You don't know that."
"Yeah I do." He winked and drank his coffee, muttering softly as he saw Cara enter the cafe, looking for them. "All my hard work this morning to help you relax was all for naught…"
Brennan rolled her eyes impishly at Booth as she waved to Cara. "Good morning, Cara," She motioned for their guest to join them.
Booth nodded at the girl and politely pulled her chair out in invitation. "Mornin'," he smiled.
"Thank you for asking me to breakfast," Cara addressed them both and accepted the coffee that Brennan offered.
"You're very welcome," Brennan responded. "I'm glad we could make time to meet before Booth and I left for DC and before you had to depart. Would you like to order something?" She nodded towards the menu as their server approached the table. "You can focus on that before we begin our discussion if you'd like."
"Our… discussion?" Cara responded somewhat nervously, wrinkling her forehead. "Was I supposed to have something prepared to discuss?" Her eyes flicked between the partners, wondering if they were upset about something.
"Nope," Booth responded reassuringly, pointing to the menu. "Go ahead and order." He drank his coffee and winked at Brennan, hoping she would just relax and settle back into her normal confident-self.
Patiently waiting until Cara was through speaking with their server, Brennan then folded her hands in front of herself on the table and studied Cara carefully.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, thank you," she smiled slightly. "I need to make an appointment with the corporate attorney since the incident happened while being on site for a function…" She shrugged. "I'm not really sure why I need to do that. I've already filed a police report and made my statements…"
Booth nodded. "The firm wants to cover their ass to make sure any fault doesn't come back against them. I'd recommend you retain your own lawyer as well, just to make sure your own interests are protected."
Cara nearly scoffed. "Well that'll never happen. I can't afford an attorney…"
"You'll meet with my attorney, Cara," Brennan interjected immediately. "Don't worry about being able to afford one. We'll make sure you are fully represented."
"Oh, I couldn't ask that."
"You didn't ask it. I've offered it." Brennan smiled. "My attorney can practice across state lines, so there won't be an issue. I have a solid professional relationship with him; he has represented me since Booth encouraged me years ago to hire representation after my first book was received so well…"
Booth glanced at his partner is surprise. He remembered telling her to get an accountant when she didn't even know how much money she was about to make after her book ended up bullet-pointed on the New York Times Bestsellers List, but he didn't know she'd also retained an attorney at that time. He saw that Cara was about to decline the offer out of politeness, but he cleared his throat to gain her attention.
"Let Bones help, Cara. She won't steer you wrong."
"But I don't know when or if I'll be able to repay you…"
"I'm not asking for repayment. I just want to help." Brennan licked her lips. "In fact. There are a few other things I wanted to speak with you about…" When she knew she had Cara's full attention, she mentally went over the order in which she wanted to broach the subject. With a quick glance at Booth, which was met with a reassuring curl of his lips, she refocused on Cara.
"Booth and I were talking the other night… After the assault…" She inhaled and continued speaking, choosing her words carefully and speaking slowly, deliberately. "You very much remind me of myself, Cara, when I was young. You are, naturally, much better at social interactions than I was, but your situation is very reflective of my own… You are a strong, independent young woman who survived the State System remarkably well, though your circumstances will undoubtedly affect your immediate plans for further education."
"That is why I had to ensure the security of my employment…" Cara knew she was metaphorically between a rock and a hard place, but she didn't know what else she could do. "I need to have a job with flexible hours that will allow me to continue my studies."
"Yes, I understand." Brennan sipped her coffee. "And that is also what prompted the conversation I initiated with Booth before approaching you. I want to make sure that you know my intention is not to negatively interfere or meddle in your business. I want the best for you, because everyone deserves a chance at success, but not everyone is offered the right exposure to gain that success."
Cara wrinkled her forehead. "I don't understand…"
"Sorry," Brennan exhaled. "I don't always express myself in ways that people understand." She looked quickly at Booth as her partner sat forward.
"Bones wants to try to help you, Cara," he looked at his anthropologist for any signal of annoyance at his interruption, but saw none. "She has some ideas, some suggestions… I think you should hear her out and give her proposal some consideration."
Cara nodded mutely and looked back at Brennan.
"Yes," Brennan smiled nervously. "I would like to offer you an opportunity to come to Washington. I have a colleague at the Jeffersonian who is currently seeking a junior assistant and I think you and she would be professionally compatible."
"But…"
"Please, let me present my complete idea and then if you have questions, which I'm sure you will, we can address them at that time. Is this acceptable?"
Cara glanced at Booth for his reassurance, not fully understanding exactly why she trusted the pair as much as she did, but when she received his silent nod, she knew that it would be wise to simply listen. "Alright."
"Thank you." Brennan smiled brightly. "I made a call to a colleague who has been interviewing for a new Junior Assistant. Her name is Dr. Geena Thorne and she is the Director of American Studies. I wanted to inquire about the status of her search, and I learned that she has not yet found a suitable candidate. I told her about you, and about some of the discussion we had the other evening pertaining to your education aspirations and interests in museum archive and the like. I did not speak of the specific situation that brought us to be sitting together…" Brennan wanted to assure Cara that she was not one to gossip. "That is not my story to tell, and I would never betray another's trust. But I told her of your artistic tendencies, and praised the capacity in which we've witnessed you working this week, and I discussed with her your current plan to complete your core classes at a community college beginning this summer before moving onto your undergraduate classes at University after a couple of semesters, she is very interested in meeting you." Brennan grinned, hoping that Cara was as excited about the possibility of working at the Jeffersonian was she was at the idea of having her join the museum family.
"That is very generous of you to offer to introduce me to your colleague, Dr. Brennan," Cara smiled appreciatively. "But that is up in DC and my apartment is here, as is the community college for the online classes in which I've enrolled…" She shrugged a little sadly. "But it was a very nice offer. Thank you."
Not to be dissuaded, Brennan pressed on. "If, when you meet Dr. Thorne, you do not like her, or do not think you would be professionally compatible with her, I would ensure your employment within the Medico Legal lab until such a position opens up within the museum for which you feel better suited." When Cara started to interject again, Brennan raised her hand. "I know," she smirked. "But, there is more... I would like to help you transfer your school funding to American University. I am still on faculty there and I have never abused my influential position, therefore, I can pretty much guarantee your placement into classes for the next semester if you accept the courses offered for your further education." She paused only long enough to notice Cara's stunned expression and Booth's look of approval at her postulations. "Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I know where there is an affordable apartment conveniently located between the museum and the campus. While they tend to frown upon allowing college students to rent, for fear that they will host disruptive gatherings, I happen to know the building management quite well, and I can assure you that if I were to write a letter of recommendation, they would allow you to move in, even though you are a college student."
Cara was stunned, to say the least. She was overwhelmed and speechless, moving her eyes between Brennan's and Booth's in turn, not sure if she was dreaming or not.
Brennan grinned. "That is an overview of our ideas... You may speak now."
Barely able to construct a coherent sentence, the young woman stuttered. "I…" she swallowed. "I don't understand… Why would you do this? Why would you make these offers? You…" She blinked slowly and opened her eyes again, almost expecting to wake up in her hotel room and find she was running late for her real breakfast date. Finding the partners still sitting at the table, she shook her head. "You don't even know me."
Brennan nodded, imagining that if she had been given such an offer as a recent graduate without family, she too, would have been wary. Squaring her shoulders, she tilted her head.
"No one ever offered to help me when I finished high school and aged out of the System. I had to find my own way, making countless mistakes along the journey. My experiences, unfortunately, caused me to develop trust issues and limited social skills. But my partner is an excellent judge of character, and I trust him without question… My life depends on the trust I instill in him and I've learned that he is only one of two people in this world that I trust completely… And he says you are a good person." She smiled softly when the girl blushed. "Booth and I both liked you immediately upon meeting you, and your faith in us, when you asked for help, showed us that you must have, at the very least, an infinitesimal amount of trust in us." She flicked her eyes to Booth and back to Cara. "If Booth has taught me anything through our years as partners, it's that if we can make a difference in the life of even one person, then our efforts are not in vain. I would very much like to make a difference in your life." She shrugged one shoulder, feeling concerned that the convention worker would not accept her offer. "That is to say, I'd like to make a difference if you would let me… If you think you would be happy at the Jeffersonian Museum, even as a stepping stone towards whatever you decide you really want to do after graduation…"
Cara was, by then, in tears. Tears of appreciation, tears of relief. "I don't know what to say…" She'd never, in her life, been truly speechless; she used to think it was nothing more than a turn of phrase when someone made such a claim, but in the moments immediately following the proposals put forth by the anthropologist, she was rendered incapable of communication.
Booth chuckled. "I'd say the appropriate response would be a simple thank you," he winked playfully. "It's a lot to take in, Cara… Anyone would be overwhelmed. But Bones here wouldn't have made the recommendations if she didn't feel strongly about your potential." He sat back in his chair. "I'd suggest we go ahead and enjoy our breakfasts," he nodded at the waitress as she placed the dishes, "and if you come up with any questions about what Bones just presented, fire away, or you can mull it over and just give her a call." He shrugged one shoulder and looked at his partner, noting that she agreed with his idea. Looking back at Cara, he saw a glimmer of light in her eye. "Sound good?"
Cara nodded and picked up her fork. "Yes." She dove into her omelet, rolling Brennan's words around in her mind. The young woman listened as her dining partners bickered back and forth, Brennan telling Booth that he used too much sugar in his coffee, and Booth retorting with lighthearted insults about the cardboard quality of her selection of hot cereal. She chuckled aloud when the scientist tried spoon-feeding the agent the bland oatmeal in question and he wrinkled his nose playfully, continuing to make fun of her eating habits.
Returning from the cash register after paying the tab, Booth offered his companions coffee cups to go. "Cara, you already have Bones' phone number," he reached into his inside pocket and extracted a business card, "and here's my contact information as well. If I can be of any help to you while you're considering your options, don't hesitate -"
Cara interrupted him with a broad smile. "I've already decided."
Booth's eyes swiveled to Brennan, seeing an equally bright smile gracing his beautiful partner's face. "Wow, I gather from the matching smiles that the decision is one that pleases you both?"
Brennan, in an almost childlike exuberance, bounced a little in her seat. "She wants to do it!"
Booth smirked. "Yeah, I gathered." He raised his coffee cup in a toast. "Welcome to the family," he winked at Cara and sipped the beverage. "Glad to know you'll be heading up our way."
She smiled warmly. "Thank you. I have some things to take care of before I come up. I will tender my resignation this week and pack up my apartment. It won't take me long, because I don't have much, but I want to make sure everything is packed carefully."
"Absolutely," Brennan agreed. "I'll arrange for a moving company to transport your items to DC, when I find the appropriate company I'll provide their contact information to you. And we will keep in contact to schedule your interview at the Jeffersonian and your meeting with the building management."
Cara still couldn't believe her luck, she could only smile and nod. "Yes, you have my cell phone number, and I'll give my email," she reached into her pocket, pulled out a piece of paper and wrote down her details. "And I'll contact the admin office at the community college where I'm registered and see what I need to submit to transfer my financial aid."
Brennan tucked the paper into her messenger bag. "Excellent. Send any transfer forms that need completion to me via email and I will take them to my contact at the university for filing."
After ironing out the final details, the trio left the small cafe with the promise to speak later in the week. Looping her arm through Booth's, Brennan looked up at her partner. "I think that went very well…"
"Yeah, I'd say so," Booth chuckled. "You sure surprised her, that much was blatantly obvious."
The scientist simply agreed, grinning in anticipation as she wondered whether or not Angela would like Cara as much as she did, hoping the girl would fit into their unusual little family. As they approached the SUV, new worried filled her mind and she stopped suddenly, turning to her partner.
When Booth looked down at Brennan's wrinkled brow, her teeth biting her lower lip, he knuckled her jawline. "Hey, what's wrong?"
Brennan searched his eyes, feeling her nerves calming just at his warmth, but her brain was always engaged, even when she wanted it to just stop analyzing. "You know what we were talking about last night…? About us going back to DC today?"
"Yeah," he was trying to get a read on her, but her pale gaze was veiled.
"Everything's different."
He nodded, placing his hand on her back and continuing across the parking lot towards the truck. "True." He looked at her sideways when they reached the truck. "We evolve, right?"
"Evolve and adapt," she responded hesitatingly.
Suddenly he was worried, the agent practically felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickling. "And… how do you feel about that…?"
Imagining her life with Booth versus what it was like without him cemented her feelings about her desires. She could only hope that once they were back in their usual element, that he wouldn't tire of her, and that she wouldn't inadvertently do anything to push him away.
Ignoring his question, she plowed forward with her own question, one that had been niggling at her since the previous evening. "After you drop my off at my building, when you have finished completing the necessary chores at your apartment today… Will you come over? We can order delivery..."
He brushed her nose with his. "Of course, Bones." With a wink, he opened her door, surprised that she let him. "C'mon, let's go home."
Watching him circle in front of the truck, the anthropologist thought about what he'd said. Let's go home. And she smiled at the faint notion of coming home to the same person, to him, every day… Perhaps the future isn't so scary after all, she thought… As long as they were together, the evidence she'd gathered through the years by his side, supporting Booth's upstanding character and his loyalty, told her they'd be fine. She told herself that their friends had been right all along… That everyone deserves a chance at happiness, and most importantly, that she and Booth belonged together.
And once Temperance Brennan set her mind to something, she gave it her all. And Special Agent Seeley Booth deserved nothing less than her all… Not after everything he'd given her, not least of which, was her restored faith in that elusive, ephemeral emotion of Love.
Postscript A/N
Thanks again to all of you who've made it this far, especially to those of you who actually started with me waaaaay back when I started this little trip. Your loyalty and words of encouragement have been indescribably helpful and supportive.
I hope that this final chapter does not disappoint, and that the wrap-up meets your expectations. And I don't think I've left anything blatantly unresolved… I hope not, anyway!
I can't say how grateful I am for the many long distance friendships I've formed since embarking on my journey of writing Bones fan fics… I've seen not only my own work evolve and change, but I've loved witnessing the works of other writers change over the years. Now that this beast is finally complete, I'm planning to get back to reading and reviewing those pieces I'm woefully behind in.
This is truly an amazing fandom filled with even more amazing people. To be frank, I don't know how many more fics I'll write - I know there are still a lot of stories to tell and everyday I think of something, or see a news article and think, 'wow, that could be a cool twist in a story,' or 'oh, B&B could go there for a crime scene,' but I fear that I may be rehashing things that have already been done, or telling tales that have ultimately already been told albeit in different verbiage, and the last thing I want to do is lose readers because you've become bored. You all deserve so much more than boring pieces! I still have a TON of unfinished fics in the one folder I managed to save when I lost much of my research, but I haven't decided yet if they will be resurrected and posted or not.
So, in the event I don't continue to post, I just wanted to take this opportunity to say Thanks and send virtual hugs to you all.
I wish you peace, health, happiness, and everything that is right in the world, my friends.
And remember, everything happens eventually and there is always more than one kind of family.
Love
~jazzyproz