This is my first futurefic, I figure if Booth ever did propose to Brennen, she'd have to rationalize it to herself somehow...and maybe this is what she would be thinking...

Temperance Brennen stared at the diamond ring sparkling on her left ring finger. She had hopelessly pushed aside the file on the Incan mummy she was supposed to be working on ages ago.

Her blue eyes studied itas she tried desperatly to mediate the battle within her being.She didn't care that Goodman would kill her for not having her report done the next morning. It had been only four days since Booth proposed to her, there on bended knee in her apartment. She had said 'yes' without a moments hesitation. The next day Angela went through the roof with excitement. Booth couldn't stop smiling and frankly, neither could she.

But it was different now. She was alone in her office, all her team had gone home for the night and Booth would be there any minute to pick her up for dinner.

She sat back in her chair. It wasn't that she regretted her decision. She just needed to think it over a little. She loved Booth, Seeley now, but what did that mean?

"Love is…" Temperance said allowed to her dimly lit office, most of the lights were off out in the lab.

"Love is…" She repeated quietly, taking the ring off her finger and turning it over in her hands. She needed to define this thing. It was too big, too important for her to simply follow her heart. Her brain needed to be involved too, to make sure she didn't lose it completely.

"Passion, hope and trust." She said after a few minutes. The words surprised her, where had they come from? Russ? Angela maybe? She didn't know, but they sounded right so she tried to define her relationship with Seeley Booth based on those three words. Seeley, her partner, turned friend, turned fiancé.

Passion. Oh yes, she and Seeley had passion. It was obvious whenever they were together. Passion for their work was apparent with the long hours they often spent working on cases. Early morning interviews and late night case discussions over Thai food. Passion for their convictions. The way they always bickered and neither was willing to bend. And, she smiled a little at this, the passion with which Seeley kissed her. Oh no, their relationship was not lacking passion.

Hope was next. Temperance got up from her computer chair and settled on her couch, listening to soft saxophone sounds coming from her CD player. She felt a knot in her stomach where she kept her hope. Hope that she wouldn't put her foot in her mouth this time and make those dark clouds come to Seeley's eyes. She hoped he would always save his 'charm smile' for her, and she hoped that he would one day stop being so troubled by his past. Hope that he would catch the bad guy he was after and come home to her. Hope that he would come home at all. She closed her eyes at the thought. The thought that tortured her every night when Seeley stayed late at work, the hope that he would come home safe.

Then came the last qualification that she knew was the one she was avoiding. Trust. Did she trust Seeley? She nodded her head 'yes' to the empty office.

"I trust him with my life." She whispered, sitting back and closing her eyes.

She knew Booth would always be there for her, no matter how far he had to go, how many rules he had to break or how much danger it might put him in. He had proven that so many times. Yes, she trusted Booth with her life. But did she trust him with her love?

Temperance popped her eyes open. The question had come out of nowhere, but she immediately knew it was the one she had been searching for. Being in love meant being vulnerable, something she hated. It meant letting someone else know exactly where your buttons were and knowing in which order to push them to hurt you. It meant trusting that they never would. Temperance looked again at the ring she had replaced on her left ring finger. Yes, she thought, I trust him with my whole heart.

When she thought that, the weight she didn't know she'd been carrying since the moment she said the words 'yes Seeley I'll marry you', suddenly lifted. She'd gone inside herself and found out what she needed to know.

"God," she said aloud, "I'm so lucky."

"I thought you didn't believe in luck." A voice came from the door, and she met Booth's grinning face.

"I don't." She rose from the couch and the two met in the middle of the room. She placed her hands in his and their fingers tangled. Booth liked the feeling of the metal on Brennen's hand next to his skin.

"That's what you said. What were you talking about?" He said softly, turning her away from him so her back was to his chest. She leaned into him, grasping his hands and crossing them over her as they swayed gently to the music.

"I was just thinking...about us." She finished quickly, before Booth had a chance to ask what she had been thinking about.

"What about us?" He took her left hand and twirled her and then brought her back close to him. A smile spread across her face making Booth's heart jump. He loved to see her smile.

"I don't know. Trying to understand." She turned and wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest and they continued their dance. "I was afraid I would mess things up if I didn't sort it all out."

Booth held her tight, never wanting to let go, as he listened to his love's voice.

"I always said I didn't need a piece of paper to show my conviction to someone...but I want that piece of paper with you. And I was worried that I was following my heart instead of my head and it would end up costing me dearly."

"And now?"

"And now what?"

Booth smiled, she was being coy on purpose. "What have you decided about your beliefs on marriage?"

"To hell with them."

Booth's eyes danced as he pulled back from Tempe's head and lifted her chin to meet his gaze. "And is that your heart, or your head talking?"

Temperance smiled. "What's the difference?"

A smile spread across his face. "That's my girl." He took her hand and led her to the door.

"Are you hungry? I've made reservations and…" Booth saw her face go slightly disappointed.

"What's the matter babe?"

Tempe sighed, "I'm kind of tired Seeley, would it be okay if we just went home and watched a movie?" She didn't say her real reason, which was that she missed the warmth on her face where Booth's chest had been and she wanted to go home and snuggle up under a blanket with him. The look of pride and amusement on Booth's face told her that there was no problem in canceling the reservations and going back to the apartment.

"Wouldya look at that? My Bones wants to watch a movie." He shook his head slightly in disbelief. "My choice." He called dibs quickly, knowing Temperance would pick a chick-flick and make him sit through it, then be mad because he'd inevitably fall asleep.

Temperance moved in closer too him, putting a hand on his chest and whispered seductively in his ear. "You're forgetting one thing Seeeelleeey…" She drug out his name knowing it drove him wild. While he was momentarily incopacitated, she moved like lightning to retrieve something from his jacket pocket and then took off running through the lab to the exit. "I've got the keys!"

"What the…?" Booth registered what just happened and sprinted after his bride-to-be. "Bones, so not fair!"

Giggles echoed off the walls of the Jeffersonian forensic lab.

The dead would have to wait until tomorrow, it was a night made for the living.

There is a sequal to this that I plan to post if there is interest...and maybe even if there is not. lol.