And this is the second part...

They didn't know what to make of the silence coming from both the FBI and the lab as the hours passed and a new day. Booth was tempted to pick up his phone and finally call, but a large part of him was screaming at him not to let go of these rare moments of peace he was sharing with his Bones, though he knew she was sharing his anxiety. The previous night, they had begun their ritual as usual, with a soft kiss, but they had instead turned to their sides of the bed instead of falling asleep in each other's arm. She couldn't fault him for that, because she knew he was trying not to worry her, but she could hear and feel how restless he was, knowing sleep was the last thing from his mind, as he couldn't seem to stand still. She was trying to feign sleep, but after a while, she moved her arm backwards, grabbing his wrist, and bringing it around her middle, so her back was to his front. She could sense the tension he held in his forearm, and she began stroking it softly, none of them daring to break the silence, but she could feel the tension slowly easing from his muscles. She was awed at the fact that a simple touch could unwind him so, and she felt grateful that she could do something for him, even if it was merely a soothing caress to express she was sharing in the worry and helplessness he was feeling. He tightened his hold on her, and she could feel him burying his nose in her hair, inhaling deeply, and smiled weakly. It shouldn't have surprised her, as after their talk during their first night they slept together, he no longer hid his appreciation for her scent. It also brought a dull ache to her chest, thinking of all the time they had wasted hiding behind their friendship, though she liked to think that now she was wise enough to know that perhaps they weren't ready before, that perhaps they had to go through all of the trials and tribulations life had brought them to really appreciate the blessing they had been given, a blessing she had come to appreciate even more after her coma dream. It was ironic that it took near-death situations for them to gather the courage to accept what their hearts already knew: that they were two halves of a whole, and that no other person would be able to fill their hearts with the love they felt for the other.

"I'm sorry. I'm keeping you awake, baby", she didn't even chide his for using the pet name, and she shook her head, continuing her caress on his skin.

"It's ok. I couldn't sleep either. I don't like seeing you so worried, Booth. Is there something I can do?", she asked, and he replied, "Tell me something, Bones. Anything", she could hear a hint of despair in his husky plea, a plea for her to take away his restlessness, and in the dark, with only the half-moon as their witness, blanketed by the darkness, she felt daring enough to open her soul.

"While I was in the hospital, I... I dreamt... of my mom", she said, and she could feel him pressing a soft kiss against her shoulder to encourage her. His heart had turned soft at the vulnerability he could hear in her voice, knowing how difficult it was for her to deal with her mother's absence.

"Was it nice, Bones? Seeing her?", he asked.

"It was... eye-opening. I... I have tried to rationalize it, but... I can't make sense of it all, though, if I gather the facts... I know that what I saw could possibly be. It can be a logical conclusion of the facts", she said.

"What did you see, Bones? Did she talk to you", he asked, and she inched closer to his body, if possible, trying to voice the emotions her dream had brought without being completely overwhelmed or breaking down in front of him, though she was no longer ashamed of showing him her vulnerability, but she knew that if she fell apart, she would lose the nerve she needed to share this with him.

"Yes. In my dream... I don't know how to explain it, but she told me she was sort of a guide my mind had chosen to show me what could be. She told me that my choices could affect my reality, and yours, in a way that I couldn't even imagine. She showed me... what my life would be like without you in it", he must have heard some traces of pain in her voice because his hold on her middle tightened, and his hands caressed her belly, soothing her.

"Oh, Bones", she could see the sorrow he felt for her, and she decided not to hide anything from him. "Was it... You were ok, right? Even if we weren't together, you were ok", he asked, and she knew he was blaming himself for the pain she must have felt from the slight note of despair she could sense in his voice.

"Professionally, I was ok, but I... I wasn't happy or fulfilled. You... you married Hannah, and I decided to leave. Definitely. From the Jeffersonian. Even the country. I... I couldn't stand being so close to you without... you know", he pressed soft kisses against her shoulder, as if trying to ease the pain of her memory, and his own at hearing her, letting her know he understood what she wasn't saying. "You had a son, and you asked me to be his godmother. It was so painful, Booth, and while I know it was only a dream, the emotions it elicited were so strong. We spent the rest of our lives only connected through your eldest son with Hannah, and he... he was so much like you... He had your intuitive nature, and somehow, he had guessed we... we loved each other still, but we had let our moment slip away. He even thanked me for not robbing him of his family, because according to him, only I had the power to break you and Hannah up. And...", her eyes filled with tears as she remembered the grief of standing by his bedside as he died.

"It's ok, Bones. I'm here. Nothing can hurt you anymore", he said, and she inhaled several times, and her voice came out raspy from the tears she was holding back.

"Booth, in my dream, I had to go to your dying bed. It was a tumor again, but this time they could do nothing for you, and... God, Booth, it was so awful, so..."

"Heart-crushing?", she nodded, and he turned her in his arms, seeing her moist eyes, swelling with tears, and the blue turning almost indigo, so achingly beautiful his chest felt tight.

"It's only logical, Bones. I can't imagine how painful a life without the other would be. I mean, living a life full of regret can only crush your soul", he said, and in that moment, they both remembered her tearful confession in his SUV on that rainy night. And he would always kick himself in his metaphorical ass for not treating her better that night, for not seeing past the delusion he had wanted to create to convince himself that everything was fine without her when it was clear it could never be. "I'm so sorry, Bones. That it took me almost losing you to realize living without you would only mean the biggest regret of my life. I could... I could never be truly happy without you in my life, Temperance. I... You're everything to me. Everything", she smiled, and placed her hand against his cheek, and he tilted his head so he could kiss her palm, then leaning to brush his lips softly against her, a kiss filled with healing and devotion.

"I know what you mean. Only when I realized you were building a life with Hannah was I able to accept that my feelings for you went beyond anything I tried to explain by biology or science. You... you are everything to me too, Booth. My life would have never been the same without you", he crushed her to his chest, and she hid her face against his neck, enjoying his warmth and closeness, a feeling she had never had with past lovers.

On his part, now he could understand the tears she had shed while asleep in the hospital. Those tears and that distress he had seen on her face while he thought he was losing her made total sense now and he could now truly comprehend how painful it must have been feeling trapped in a reality where all their bonds were broken, and their love hadn't been given a chance to exist before it had a real chance. And to be honest, knowing how helpless you were to the pull of the feelings those dreams evoked in you, remembering how lost he had been in the reality his own coma dream had created, his poor Bones must have suffered a great deal; at least, his own dream had been a happy one.

"But... when that part was over, my mom... she showed me what our lives could be... if we were together", she said softly, and he met her eyes, surprised at this turn of events.

"Was it good, Bones? What you saw?", she nodded at his question, but also shook her head, confusing him.

"It wasn't good, Booth. It was... perfect. We were together, and we were... a family, and no matter what, we were so happy. Everyone was happy for us, and we were all together. ", his smile was so wide even his eyes were smiling at the idea, "We had a baby boy, so beautiful, so much like you. I guess some of my reality transferred there because.. we weren't together at first. We had made love the night you picked me up at Woodland, but you were trying to salvage your relationship with Hannah, and that's why I hadn't told you. And we had a serial killer after us, he tried harming me and you several times, and... I was pregnant but you didn't know it until that man... I can't remember his name, it was foreign I think, he tried to hurt you... and I tried to save you and got hurt instead", their eyes continued to hold the other's stare, and she continued caressing his cheek, "You found out about the baby, and... we were together, finally", his smiled continued but something about the serial killer struck a chord deep inside him.

"A baby Bones?", he asked, and she shook her head, "A baby Booth", he bent his head to kiss her once again. When they stopped for air, he teased, "For a woman who claimed she didn't like children, both sides of the reality you faced were very consistent", she nodded pensively.

"Well, as I have always known, I couldn't choose a better father for my child, and I have to accept that... a part of me was too scared to admit I want the same things most people do, but I never thought... I could get them", she said weakly, and he shook his head.

"Why, Bones? Why would you think that? There is no one more deserving of happiness than you", he said desperately, and she inched closer to him, finding the comfort she need in his arms, knowing it was ok to let go of all of her fears because he wouldn't let her fall.

"I don't know. Perhaps I'm more scarred by my past than I wanted to admit, and while this might sound like psychology, perhaps the years I spent in foster care made me think I was... unloveable", she finished and lowered her gaze. He instantly placed his hand under her chin, and made her meet his warm, tender gaze.

"Bones, no one is more deserving of being loved and cherished than you, and I would feel so honored, so privileged if you chose me to make you happy", he replied, and she chuckled.

"I think it's clear that I have chosen you, Booth. Long before I could believe happiness was possible for me, it was always you", she said. She hid her face in his chest again, and lying on their sides, the world didn't seem to matter, as they were together, their souls bare to the other.

Something about her dream nagged him, though, and he had to ask.

"Bones, in your dream, who was the serial killer that was after us?"

She looked pensive for a while before a look of recognition entered her face. "Broadsky. I think his name was Jake Broadsky".

I know, bad, very BAD BEBE! LOL! You can assume that little part as you want... I leave it to you to make of it as you wish, perhaps it was a message from above... coincidence? Who knows? Anyway, I am already halfway with my next chappie, and hopefully you'll have it next week. I hope these two chappies earn me your forgiveness, and again, thank you for your loyalty.