After The Verdict in the Story...

Booth had food in his hand when he arrived at her apartment. He'd let her go off with her father after the verdict, to give them time to talk and decompress. But he also knew his partner and knew there were things she would say to him that she would never say to Max.

And he had things he wanted to say to her. Needed her to understand.

Exhaustion had given way to anger after leaving the courthouse. He'd been so furious at first, to think Bones would sacrifice herself like that to save her father. He wasn't an innocent man; Max had committed murder. But all Bones saw was a chance, and she took it, trusting he wouldn't do such a thing again.

A different interpretation of the facts, it definitely had been. One he hadn't seen coming. She knew what she'd asked of him, and done it anyway. Asked him to tell the truth, as Bones knew he would.

And that's where the anger came from. On more than one occasion he'd saved her life and at that moment, he felt as if he were taking it. For a brief time, as he'd driven away, he wondered if it was worth it. This partnership that was so successful. Could he continue to risk everything for her, knowing there were moments she'd not only demand everything he had, but more?

Wondering if she'd understood what she'd risked, Booth stopped for a moment before knocking on the door. He could hear voices. Max was approaching the door and as he opened it to leave, Booth slipped inside. Max gave him a funny look, but let him go. Booth knew what he'd assume and while he should have taken the time to correct him, Booth didn't bother. Let the man think what he wanted.

With her back to him, Bones didn't see him enter. Her shoulders were slumped and she didn't appear to know he was there. Placing the food on the counter nearest to him, Booth took several silent steps toward her. His worry on how to gain her attention vanished when she turned without a word and threw herself into his arms.

Only the fact that he was a bigger than she kept them on their feet when she crashed into him. "Bones?" he whispered, her actions scaring him just a little. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her a little closer to him, unsure of what was taking place. Her entire body was shaking and it took a moment for him to realize she was weeping into his shoulder.

She'd known the minute he walked through the door. Whether it was the smell of the food, or the smell that was uniquely Booth, Brennan knew he'd be there to catch her when she fell into his arms. There hadn't been a moment's hesitation in the move, because she knew.

Not since the day she'd learned Temperance wasn't her real name had he seen her like this. And even that day, she could at least speak. Now, it was clear she wouldn't have been able to say her own name between the sobs. Moving his hands soothingly up and down her back, he whispered nonsense to her, much the same way he'd done to Parker when he'd been this hysterical.

Wondering what Max had said to upset her so, Booth waited patiently for the storm to blow itself out.

It was minutes later, minutes that consisted of nothing but holding her while she wept, before he managed to catch two words between her sobs.

"I'm sorry," she said. And continued to repeat when she could get the words out. She'd been so stressed, knowing what she was asking him to do. She wasn't sure he'd speak to her again after he'd disappeared from the courthouse. Brennan thought they were okay when he'd hugged on her on the steps, but the longer she thought about it, the less sure she'd been.

The tears were a product of relief at having her father back, at knowing Booth wasn't going to disappear because she'd taken advantage of him. For once in her life, having people stay, instead of walking away.

Just for a little while, she'd let her heart rule her mind.

"Stop, Bones," he ordered. Even though mere hours ago he'd been so angry he'd wondered if he could ever work with her again. Until he'd caught her when she fell apart and knew he could never walk away.

Her sobs had softened and when she tried to pull away from him, Booth let her go a little. But he moved his hands to grab her arms. She was so tiny, he thought, relaxing his grip slightly.

"Don't run," Booth said, maintaining the soft volume of his voice. "We'll talk about it, but don't run. Do you have any idea what you did?" he asked, shaking her gently before letting her go.

She backed far enough way to put herself out of reach, but didn't leave the room. Instead, she faced him, shifting back and forth while she studied his face. "I know you're mad at me," she said.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Booth considered his answer. "Yes," he agreed finally, "I'm mad at you." His voice took on a desperate tone, as he acknowledged what her choice could cost her. "Caroline could-"

"She won't," Brennan interrupted. The tears quickly drying on her face, she broke Booth's stare and turned away for a moment. "I considered all my options and this was the best I had. The best he had."

"You considered it? For how long?" he demanded. "The hour between our conversation at the diner and returning to court? Is that enough time to decide to make yourself look guilty?"

Brennan turned back to him, lifting her chin. "My mind works very quickly." Looking at his face, she sighed. "I knew exactly what I was risking."

A totem from his pocket appeared in his hand. "Jail. Your freedom. Me," he listed coolly. She followed the object at it flew through the air and back to his hand again. His knuckles white as he gripped it, he waited for her eyes to return to his. "Did your quick thinking mind consider all of that?"

Licking her lips, she eyed him warily. "I knew I could be charged, but I figured the chances were slim. We could simply make my father look guilty and I would be found innocent." Nervous, she watched him. "I wasn't risking your freedom."

"No, you weren't, at least not literally," Booth agreed. "But, Bones, if you are charged, how do you think I'll feel, knowing it was my testimony that did it. Not all jails have bars, you know that."

"It wouldn't have been your fault. I knew exactly what I was asking," she snapped, watching his eyes turn to black. "I didn't ask you to lie, but it was a lie just the same. I used our friendship, the knowledge that you wouldn't lie on the stand, that you value justice above even our friendship, to free my father. Who is a murderer. I knew all that, Booth."

"But you did it anyway," he forced between jaws clenched so tight, he thought they might shatter. Pacing away, he tried to walk off some of the anger, but the room was too small, the walls too close.

His back to her when he stopped, Booth couldn't see the tears pooling in her eyes again. "I didn't want to lose my father, or you," she whispered brokenly. "I made the only choice I could think of that might give me both."

The heart before the mind. No wonder she usually looked at things the opposite way. To care meant to hurt, to regret the decision she'd made.

She didn't regret freeing her father. But she hated the thought being the cause of Booth's pain.

Swiping at her eyes, she waited for some sign, a clue that she made the correct choice. Or a choice that could be forgiven. "Juries are people, the unknown factor, that's what you said. It was a different interpretation of the facts." When he still didn't turn, she took a step toward him, then stopped, unsure what to do. "I am sorry, Booth. Not for the end. But for what it took to get there."

Turning finally, seeing her standing there with those blue eyes and wet cheeks, Booth wondered how much longer he could keep this up. To love her, to want her, with every breath he took, and not have her.

To live with the fear of what her logical mind could come up with, could rationalize. He knew she would do anything for the people she cared about. Could he live knowing that if she had a second chance, she would make the same choices all over again?

And even as he asked all of the questions, Booth was pretty sure the answer was yes. He'd do it forever. Or until that day, in a future he couldn't predict, one of them finally walked away.

"I brought enough food for both of us," he said. To break the partnership and walk away from her would be nothing less than breaking his own heart.

Tilting her head, she pondered his words. "Does that mean you aren't angry anymore?"
"I'm still angry. But I'll work through it," he said, motioning for her to come and grab some of the food.

"I won't do it again," she promised quietly. "I won't put you in a position where you have to hurt me. Either with words or actions. I'll never ask it of you again."

"You don't believe in absolutes," he reminded her. When they both reached for the same container of food, and their hands met, Booth tried to pull back with a laugh. But she gripped his hand in hers and held tight. Surprised, he looked up to see her blue eyes as serious as he'd ever seen them.

"I promise, Booth. I won't do it again." Because she knew what it cost him. To have to implicate her in a murder she had nothing to do with. He'd once flown south to save her from the very same thing. What would he do to save her this time, if Caroline decided to charge her?

He fought the urge to flick his eyes from her lips and back again. She was so close, all he had to do was lean, and their lips would meet. The desire was there, so strong Booth was surprised she couldn't see it in his eyes. Instead, he pulled back just a little. "I know you won't, Bones."

She studied him, before finally nodding and releasing his hand. "Tomorrow, we need to solve our case," she said. It was time to put the mind first. The heart had caused enough trouble for one day.

"Tomorrow, we aren't working," Booth argued. "Spend the day with your father."

"The whole day?" she asked, slightly alarmed. "What would we do together for a whole day?"

Booth chuckled. "I don't know. Talk, have lunch."

"I already have lunch plans," she said.

Swallowing, Booth fought the sudden urge to punch something. "With who?" he asked casually.

She gave him the look he always got when Bones thought he was missing something obvious. "We're working a case. You're having lunch with me." She paused. "Unless, we aren't working together anymore." She laid it out there, in the blunt way she had, but Booth could hear the tension in her words.

Maybe someday he would agree to that. But not today. "We still have a case to solve, Bones. We're okay."

She gave him a relieved smile and motioned to the food in front of him. "Are you going to eat that?"

He handed it over without a word. For the moment, they were okay. Booth would do everything he could to make sure it stayed that way. Even if it meant, that sometimes, he would be forced to save Bones from herself.