Disclaimer: No, Bones is miiiiiiinne!! Flips everyone the bird Ok, the last thing I need is legal trouble….Bones isn't mine. God, that never ceases to piss me off!!

A/N: This is- say it with me- RATED M. What can I say, I like making my characters have sex. Bottom line, if you don't want any (fictional) nookie in your world, you need to scoot cuz it's about to get steamy! And since I'm putting out (oh pun intended baby), please please PLEASE REVIEW!! And also, I detest Cam and refuse to acknowledge her existence so in my little world of fiction, good ol' Goodman is still in charge. Hey, is he ever coming back to the show?

"B-Brennan."

"Bones? Where are you? I've been at the lab for an hour, are you okay?"

There was rustling and a loud sneeze before she responded, sounding exhausted and hoarse.

"I'm-" harsh, pained coughing "I'm sick Booth, I can't come in today."

Booth was instantly worried. Brennan didn't stay home. Ever.

"Bones, you don't sound so good. You want me to come over? Do you need anything?"

"No I'm fine, thanks. Do you mind-" more deep coughing "-telling Goodman I need the day off?"

"Sure thing. Are you positive you're okay?"

Sneeze. Nose blowing.

"Yeah, don't worry. Thanks Booth."

Booth snapped his phone shut. He imagined his partner, walking around in a robe, miserable, not eating and working on her novel.

'She's gonna get worse if she doesn't take care of herself. She needs me' He reasoned with himself. He took his keys from his pocket and headed out of the lab, poking his head into Goodman's office and updating him on the way.

45 minutes later, Booth was at Brennan's door, knocking awkwardly with his elbow. After a prolonged wait, Brennan opened the door in socks and a robe, clutching a crumpled tissue.

"Booth, what are you doing here?"

He shrugged with his twin stuffed grocery bags.

"I'm gonna make you chicken noodle soup, what else?" He chanced a smile, hoping she wasn't too miserable. She winced one back at him.

"You don't have to do that."

His smile broadened.

"Whatever, Bones. Now step aside and prepare for some TLC."

She slowly opened the door and followed him as he made his way to the kitchen. As Booth began making the soup, Brennan sat at the counter and watched. After a moment, she asked,

"Hey Booth, what's TLC?"

'Crap. Shoulda known she'd ask that' He mentally cursed.

"Uh, ha ha, it stands for um…" he kept his hands busy preparing the food, thanking God he had his back to her. "'Tender Loving Care'."

"Oh" Brennan murmured.

"So, I figured you were just going to mope around, working on your book, not eating, not taking any medicine." He shot her a proud smile over his shoulder. "I knew you needed me to come take care of you."

"I was doing fine." Brennan muttered, casting a guilty glance at the coffee table covered in manuscripts and notes. Booth just smiled to himself, thinking what an adorably bad liar she was.

"Anyway, I got you juice and medicine, but my chicken noodle soup is what does the trick."

Booth quickly finished preparing the soup and set it on the stove, then walked around the counter to Brennan. Standing beside her, he inspected her closely.

Her eyes were glassy and brilliant, cheeks flushed, lips pouting and slightly parted…

'How can she be so sexy when she's sick?' Booth's mind queried. He felt her forehead with the back of his hand, letting it linger so he could secretly revel in the intimate contact.

"Fever. I thought so, come here."

He took her hands, pulled her from her stool and led her to the sofa, a supporting arm around her shoulders. He sat down next to her and snuggled close. Her glowing eyes shining up at him, Brennan said softly,

"Booth, you're gonna get sick."

"Don't worry about it Bones, just tell me exactly how you feel." Booth asked, studying her intensely.

Brennan shrugged, looking slightly confused.

"Like I have a terrible cold."

Booth gave her a look.

"Specifics, please?"

"My throat hurts, I'm congested, I'm achy, I'm cold and I can't breathe."

He looked her up and down, appearing to think for a second.

"Well I've got something for you then." He whispered, mesmerized by her lips.

Booth leaned forward with both arms around Brennan, his face an inch away. He cautiously looked into her eyes, checking her reaction, and very slowly dropped his mouth to hers. Their warm lips brushed against each other and he felt her rushed intake of breath. Her lips parted slightly and their tongues teased out and intensified the kiss. After a few seconds tasting and exploring each other in fascination, they gradually broke apart.

Afraid Brennan might freak out, Booth was endlessly relieved when all she did was quirk a smile and reaffirm,

"You're gonna get sick, I'm telling you."

Booth laughed, kissed the tip of her nose, and stood.

"I'm fine, but you need medicine."

He disappeared into the kitchen and came back with two boxes, a plastic bag and a blue jar.

"Okay Bones, got some cherry cough drops, some pills you can take after you eat, and…" He tossed the blue tub in the air and caught it. "Vicks Vapor Rub. Works every time."

Brennan eyed the various remedies and replied,

"I don't know about smearing on the vapor rub right now, but I actually like those cherry cough drops, they're pretty good."

Booth broke open the package and handed her a plastic wrapped lozenge, then reassumed his spot on the couch.

"You know," Booth said, slowly bringing his arm back around Brennan. "I think I like you even better when you're sick."

"Why do you say that?"

He moved his head closer to her, his deep sexy voice resonating in Brennan's ears.

"Because you let me kiss you better."

Brennan's eyes darkened and grew smoky as Booth's lips hovered over hers.

"Is this kissing a friend thing or a partner thing?"

"Aww Bones," Booth weaved one hand around her neck and the other through her hair. "We're more than either of those. We mean more."

He closed the remaining centimeter of distance between them and kissed her deeply as the energy crackled. When Booth finally pulled back, all he saw was Brennan's diamond blue eyes and her glistening, just-thoroughly-kissed lips. He got the final push he needed when Brennan put her arms around his neck and hugged him. Burying his face in her hair, Booth inhaled her scent and confessed softly in her ear,

"The kisses are an 'I love you' thing."

In lieu of a response, Brennan nuzzled her head into Booth's shoulder and tightened her arms around his neck. When several seconds had passed, Booth's relief that Brennan hadn't pulled away shifted into uneasiness with her silence.

"Bones?"

Brennan drew back and wiped away the water on her cheeks. Looking at him as though scrutinizing over an ancient text, her quiet but steady voice questioned,

"What kind of love?"

Booth couldn't help but release a muted laugh despite the cold fear threatening to seep into his gut.

"I'm not saying 'you're a great friend', I'm saying 'I love you'. As in, I am in love with you."

Brennan's eyes went perfectly round and for a moment she just stared at him, fresh tears pooling in her aqua eyes. After what seemed like an eternity, she blinked and cleared her throat.

"Booth, I-" She drew a shuddering breath. "I love you too."

Booth was beaming now.

"You mean as a friend?" he teased as he brushed away the tear trails on her face with the pads of his fingers.

Brennan grinned and punched Booth's arm.

"Oww!" Booth whined, clutching his bicep and feigning hurt.

Aw, I'm sorry" Brennan cooed, bending to tenderly kiss the spot. At Booth's pleasantly surprised expression, Brennan shrugged and showed an affectionate grin.

"I kissed it better" she stated simply, delicately teasing an area of the back of Booth's neck that sent shivers down his spine (manly shivers, of course). Instantly, his bottomless eyes were shining and a sexy grin spread out on his face.

"You know something Bones," Booth's low, seductive voice rumbled in his chest. "I like the way you think."

Brennan gave Booth a supremely innocent look and took her hands from around his neck, then started unwrapping the cherry lozenge she'd dropped in her lap minutes before and popped it in her mouth.

"How do you know what I'm thinking?"

Booth chuckled and moved over her until his face was inches from hers.

"Cause I can read your mind, duh. And you know what else I can do?"

He swooped down and invaded Brennan's mouth, his smooth tongue gliding over her lips and meeting her tongue in a passionate duel. Suddenly, Booth snatched her cough drop from the corner of her mouth and leaned back, wearing an asshole grin.

"Hey, these are good."

Brennan just laughed and shook her head.

"Come and get it, Bones." Booth taunted in a sing-song voice, the cough drop clacking against his teeth.

Brennan just crossed her arms, her smile widening.

"Oh I see, 'hard to get', huh? Well I'll just have to give it to you then."

He claimed her mouth once more, his body shifting over hers in the process.

"So, we're….in love?" Brennan questioned, blinking from underneath him as though slightly confused by the phrase.

Booth made a show of inspecting their current Booth-on-top position.

"Looks like. So whadya say we cut through the red tape here?"

Brennan arched her eyebrows, intrigued.

"How so?"

"Just agree to be my girlfriend and love me forever, and then I've got the all clear to sex you back to health." He flashed a charming white smile, a bit more afraid than he let on.

Brennan didn't even try to restrain her peel of laughter.

"Okay, agreed. But that means when you get sick, I get to sex you back to health, right?"

Booth traced a warm finger between the folds of her robe, silently thanking God she wasn't wearing a shirt underneath.

"Exactly." He placed a kiss on her jaw.

"So, you ready for some of that TLC I promised you?"

Brennan sighed contentedly, reveling in the sensation of Booth's fingers dancing on her chest.

"I think so."