AN: This is just a short one-shot between our favourite couple, more fluffy than anything else, so enjoy and please review.

Equilibrium

"The bones can never tell the whole story, Temperance, and I think you know that" Seeley Booth attempted to explain to his partner and friend. It was a conversation they'd had before, Temperance Brennan, or 'Bones' as his partner usually referred to her insisted that a person's bones could tell you everything you needed to know about them. She wasn't cold exactly, but the anthropologist had difficulty connecting with and expressing emotions and instead relied on science and logic to make her decisions. As far as Temperance Brennan was concerned emotions were illogical and intangible and therefore had no place in her life. Booth sought to prove otherwise.

"But Booth, bones gives us identity, cause of death, full medical history. They indicate age, race, sex and lifestyle choices. What more do you need to know?"

"Bones, don't you understand, there are some things that are intangible and just because they are intangible doesn't make them any less important. A person's bones can't tell you what was important to them, they can't tell you who cared about them, who they loved and who loved them, bones can't tell you someone's thoughts or their accomplishments"

Temperance considered her partner's words for a moment before answering "Bones tell you the important stuff Booth, the stuff that matters" Booth groaned, how could he make her understand, she could be so stubborn sometimes.

It was time for a different tactic "Okay Doctor, what would your bones say about you?" He asked smugly, sure that his question would prove his point.

Temperance considered his question for a moment, it was something she had thought about at length in the past "The would be evidence of a hairline fracture on my right wrist from New Orleans, a healed break in my left big toe from when I was a child. You could probably see evidence on my skull that I hit my head when I was young, maybe a couple of other tiny head injuries, the bones would be strong and they'd show that I am a healthy fit woman in my thirties, who doesn't and has never drunk excessively, smoked or taken illicit drugs"

"Geez Bones, you're boring" Booth joked.

"Thanks" She replied sarcastically.

Booth contemplated his next move "What would a stranger think if they saw your bones, Bones?"

"I don't understand" She replied bluntly.

"Anthropologically speaking if your bones were brought in what would you see, apart from the cause of death, what would they tell you about the person they belonged to?" Booth attempted to explain.

"Like I said before, I'd see a woman in her thirties with no obvious addictions, a few childhood injuries and some recent injuries that would indicate she'd either been abused or worked in a dangerous field." Her voice remained even as she answered her partner, something that few people would be able to do in her situation, but it was Bones after all and Booth wasn't surprised. She was as detached as ever, and Booth knew that there was one more question he needed to ask before he could fully make his point into a rational argument that she would understand.

"How would describe yourself, right now, the living breathing Temperance Brennan?"

"I hate psychology" she replied dryly before turning away from him.

"This has nothing to do with psychology Bones, just answer the question"

"No, you answer it" She replied defiantly "What do you see when you look at me?" Booth was sure he wasn't ready for this conversation, but he couldn't back out now and if answering the question would help his partner he would do it with barely a moment's hesitation.

"You are a beautiful woman, intelligent, focussed, slightly lacking in social skills" he joked receiving a slap on the arm. "You're strong physically a fact you use to cover up your emotional vulnerability. You don't trust easily because you've been hurt too many times before, you put everything you can into everything you do and you stand for truth, speaking for those who can't speak anymore." He knew he sounded corny but he didn't care "And finally you have people who love you, your brother and father, everyone at the Jeffersonian and me" he'd wondered if he could say that without her pulling a gun on him but it seemed he could, as she sat silently next to him a few tears sliding down her pale cheeks.

"I guess you can't get all of that from bones" she agreed quietly, her voice cracking a little before Booth gathered her into his arms.

"It's all about equilibrium Bones, you remember chemistry. Everything needs to be balanced, in this case between bones and people. And Bones one day you'll find someone who balances you out perfectly, and you'll never want to let go" Bones looked up at him, her wet eyes looking bluer than usual as she searched his brown ones.

"You know, I think I already have" Booth smiled, she was right, they'd found equilibrium in each other.