Spoilers: Um, not that I recall...

Disclaimer: Not mine, yadda, yadda, yadda. If it was mine, I'd put it back on TV, already!

Author's Note: Oh, longest thing I've ever written! By 'thing' I mean chapter, by the bye. I'd love feedback on it, because, again, I've not seen an episode of Bones in like...three months, no exaggeration. So feel free to chop my head off if it's awful.

Bring on the guillotine.

 Brennan let out a huge sigh, tipping her head back over the back of her chair. She closed her eyes, focusing on keeping alert enough to finish the chapter she was working on before Booth came to 'collect' her. She hated the fact that he'd used the word 'collect' out of the multitude of words he could have chosen.

He really knew how to annoy her.    

But what was just as weird was that he'd actually called to warn her of his imminent arrival. Usually, he'd just strut through her office door at any ungodly hour and drag her out by the elbows, cocky as ever. But tonight he'd called.

Shrugging off the thoughts, she brought her eyes back to the screen in front of her. Deciding she was getting nowhere, she spun her chair to face the wall of Post-Its behind her desk. She folded her arms over her chest as she studied them in the half-light. She nodded, then spun her chair back around.

Booth watched her somewhat violent actions from the doorway. He chuckled to get her attention without startling her. It didn't work.

"Bit jumpy, are we, Bones?" he teased, pushing off the doorjamb smoothly. Brennan rolled her eyes just long enough to inconspicuously recover.

"You're early," she replied in an obvious evasion attempt. Booth grinned, but let it go.

"So, you ready?" he asked, taking a glance around her office as if to check. She looked somewhat desperately at the computer screen, then back to Booth. It was Booth's turn to roll his eyes. He took a deep breath to show his pretend exasperation.

"You promised, Bones," he pouted, moving closer and resting against her desk. She sighed in real exasperation.

"I did not promise you anything, Booth," she said sounding more bored than mad. "Even I'm more socially adept than that."

Booth put a hand to his heart as Brennan smiled at her own joke. "Ah, your words wound me, Temperance," he choked out as if he'd been physically winded. Brennan smiled both at his childishness and at the use of her first name. She glanced again at her computer, then at Booth who was now faking death on the floor.

She laughed automatically at his writhing and made up her mind. The book could wait. Real life beckoned.

"Get off the floor, Booth," she said with a smile as she moved to grab her jacket off the coat rack next to the door. "You'll make it dirty," she added with a quirked eyebrow as she moved out the door.

"But I'm not finished dying, yet, Bones!" he complained half-heartedly as he got up to follow her, a huge grin on his face.

Brennan smiled as Booth's hand came to her back, ushering her through the door in front of him. She wasn't sure why, but Booth wasn't annoying her quite as much as usual. They'd spent the entire car ride in perfect silence; she staring out the window at the passing lights, mentally planning the rest of the chapter she'd shirked in lieu of spending the evening with Booth.

Booth had kept his eyes on the road, sliding the occasional glance at his partner, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth the whole time. Brennan hadn't noticed either action.

They sat down opposite each other as was automatic at the diner. The night-shift waitress simply walked over to them casually.

"Hey, Sugars; the usual?" Brennan found the pet name a little irritating but said nothing for fear that the waitress who'd introduced herself as 'Mama Lu' in a very strong Southern accent perhaps a year ago would refuse to serve her. And, since Booth had come into her life, she had the feeling she'd wither away and die without at least one full meal a day.

Damn him, she thought.

But Brennan simply smiled and nodded before Booth made a strange noise. Brennan looked up, eyebrows raised.

"I think I'll have a cheese burger," he stated as if he were testing for land mines. "No! Wait, I'll have pancakes."

The waitress stared at him, as unbelieving as Brennan that her so organized partner would change something as menial as this. He looked at them doubtfully.

"Nah, the usual," he said with a defeated shrug and a wave of his hand. As 'Mama Lu' left, Brennan stared at Booth until he caved.

"What? I'm being adventurous, Bones!" he tried to defend. Brennan smiled.

"No, Booth. Adventurous is trekking the Himalayas, or sky-diving," she pointed out. "Both of which are quite enjoyable..." she added, trailing off as if deep in thought. Booth's eyes widened.

"You've done those? Bones; trekking the Himalayas..."

"Don't sound so stunned, Booth. Everyone needs a release. Mine just happens to be a little less..."

"Sexual?" Booth supplied with a smirk. Brennan shot him a look.

"Typical than most people's," she stressed, frowning. "Besides, we've already had that conversation, Booth. And, if you don't mind, I'd rather not go through it again." Booth's reaction surprised her.

"Ha!" he shouted, pointing a finger at her and startling some other customers. He lowered his voice. "I wasn't the only one who found that conversation uncomfortable."

Brennan, realizing her mistake, tried desperately to cover herself with what little dignity she had left. "I never said I found it uncomfortable, Booth," she said, keeping her voice tersely even. "I simply said that I would rather not repeat it."

Booth didn't miss a beat. "Which means that it made you uncomfortable," he stressed. Brennan was about to retaliate when Mama Lu brought over their food with a grin.

"Here, Sugars. Enjoy." Both muttered a thanks before Brennan started eating, not realizing how hungry she really was until then. She looked up when Booth laughed, raising her eyebrows in question.

"What would you do without me?" he said teasingly. Instead of replying, Brennan leaned over and stole one of his fries, smirking. Booth nodded sadly.

"Yes, it's true. You'd wither away and die, wouldn't you?" he teased, shocking Brennan by using the exact words she had been thinking earlier.

"For your information, Booth, I'd be perfectly fine without you," she said, annoyance in her voice. Her words didn't hurt him, however, as she was struggling not to smile. "I was fine before you came; and I'd be fine if you left."

Now that hurt, Booth thought, wincing. "Would you?" he challenged. Brennan looked at him, wondering whether he was serious or just teasing her. She couldn't tell. She settled for an either-way answer.

"Why wouldn't I be?" she asked with a shrug. Booth narrowed his eyes, frowning. She was acting oblivious, but he detected a thinly-veiled challenge in her voice. He played along: half-joking, half-serious. This way, if it went too far out of control, he could just put it down to a joke. But if it didn't...

He shook his head; he couldn't let his thoughts go there with Brennan sitting right in front of him.

"Why?" he dared. "Because you need me, Bones. Face it," he said in a playful tone, leaning closer. She was obviously confused by this comment, but played along. She couldn't let him win this one.

"Need you?" she scoffed. "I do not need you, Booth." Booth thought for a second, before deciding he could work that to his advantage. He grinned.

"Well, in that case," he said impishly, "You must want me." He took her stunned silence and kept going. "Because if you don't need me, then there's obviously some other reason you always keep me around, Bones."

Brennan was shocked. This was definitely not her game. But neither was it his. This game was hardly even a game anymore. She defended herself with the only thing she could think of.

"You're being obtuse, Booth," she said simply. Booth smiled.

"Oh, come on, you're not even going to deny it, are you?" he pressed.

"No, because this is a stupid conversation and I'm not listening to you anymore." She leaned back in her seat and pouted. Booth smiled; she probably didn't even realize she was doing it.

They stared at each other for a few seconds before Booth made up his mind. He got up and walked around to her side of the booth, sliding in next to her, trapping her in place. Brennan frowned at him. He turned so he was facing her, their knees touching.

"You want me," he said with a cocked eyebrow; a smug expression plastered on his face. Her face hardened, but only just. She seemed to be almost enjoying herself.

"I do want you, Booth," she said, leaning closer. Booth's eyes widened; that was not the answer he expected. At the very least, he'd expected threats of violence. "I want you to stop annoying me and let me eat," she said icily, a flicker of amusement in her eyes.

Booth simply looked at her. He had nothing left to say. He hadn't missed the accidental sincerity in her voice. Instead of moving, however, he just dragged his plate across the bench and turned to Brennan grinning before starting to eat.

Again, it amazed her how easily Booth could recover from something she was still struggling to comprehend. She tried to ignore the image of Booth's eyes when she'd said that. She hadn't meant it to be provocative. Well, she had, but she'd meant to use it to get him to stop hassling her with questions and implications that were too dangerous to be floated around like that.

She hadn't missed the shock and want on his face, no matter how briefly it had been there. Instead, she followed suit, resuming her meal silently.

After about twenty minutes of silence, he leaned back into the seat. "I'm so full!" he breathed. She looked at him with a sympathetic smile and put both hands to her stomach in acceptance.

They sat like that for maybe five seconds. "So, you want pie?" Booth asked casually. Brennan looked at him, disbelieving. If there was one thing the man could do, it was eat. Instead of objecting, however, she simply smiled and nodded.

"As long as it comes with a coffee," she stated. "I still have to write that chapter..."

"That's what you were doing when I came to the lab?" he asked, sounding oddly interested. Mama Lu came over, clearing their plates and shooting them a questioning look. Booth nodded at her, holding up two fingers. She smiled then left silently.

"Yeah. But I didn't get to finish," she said, poking Booth's shoulder in blame. Booth just smiled.

"What's happening?" Booth tried.

"Huh? Where?" Brennan asked, totally confused.

"In your book," he encouraged. Realization dawned on her face.

"Oh. Actually, I'm just at a scene where Kathy has to choose whether or not to confront - hey! That's not fair! I'm not telling you anything, Booth. You can wait until it's published, like everyone else." She sat back, annoyed at herself for being so easily swayed. Booth pouted.

"Not even a tidbit?" he asked pathetically. Brennan smiled in a warped sense of accomplishment.

"Nope. You're not getting anything." Booth looked as if he was about to plead. "Stop being so impatient, Booth!" she laughed, amazed. Booth's face fell.

"Fine," he said as a piece of pie appeared in front of them both. "Hey, pie!" he exclaimed, feigning astonishment. Brennan rolled her eyes.

"Just eat, Booth."

"I think I'll die of dehydration if I have another coffee," Booth moaned as he set down the remnants of his third coffee that night; sixth that day. Brennan nodded. If she was honest with herself, they'd only had three coffees because neither of them really wanted to leave; to reenter the real world of responsibility and deafeningly silent apartments.

But she wasn't honest with herself. She lied to herself and told herself that it was because of her real world responsibilities that she'd been sitting in the same place with Booth for over two hours. She hardly even believed her own lie.

But hardly was generally enough.

"Bones?" Brennan's head snapped up to meet the eyes of a very concerned looking Booth. "Y'okay, Bones? You kinda zoned out on me, there."

She pulled her eyes away from his. "Yeah, I'm fine." She took a glance around the deserted diner. "You ready to go?"

A look of something Brennan didn't quite catch passed Booth's face, but he was up almost instantly, holding out her coat for her before moving to the counter to pay. Brennan tried not to enjoy the chivalrous act she'd normally despise.

If that was anyone but Booth... she thought to herself. She didn't even bother protesting anymore, but she scolded herself for implying that she had different criteria for Booth than she did for other men.

As they moved to the door and his hand moved to her back automatically, she realized implicitly, shockingly, that she most definitely did.

"Really? Never?" Booth asked, amazed. Brennan laughed and he mentally patted himself on the back.

"No, Booth, never. Why on Earth is that so hard to believe?" She really didn't know why he'd even brought it up.

"Because, Bones. Everyone has done that," he stated. "Everyone. It's two of the best things in life put together!" Brennan rolled her eyes, biting back a comment.

"You know, Bones, I distinctly remember you having them in your apartment..." he said suggestively. Brennan groaned.

"Booth, I have to work!" she tried feebly. Booth was not going to give up; and honestly, she wasn't completely adverse to the idea.

"Bones, it's one AM. You're not working either way," he scolded as he stopped the car outside her apartment building. Both stayed firmly in their seats.

"Oh, aren't I?" she challenged, leaning closer. He raised his eyebrows in an expression of superiority.

"No, you aren't."

They stared at each other for minutes, neither failing, neither triumphing. Brennan decided that either way, she was never going to get any work done, and it was much more comfortable in her apartment than in Booth's car.

"Fine," she said, getting out of the car swiftly and walking away without looking back. Booth grinned and followed her as quickly as he could.

Brennan jumped at the loud noise coming from her kitchen as she finished taking her hair down. Deciding Booth was going to kill himself if she didn't help him soon, she moved into the kitchen to join him, thanking whatever deity for the invention of jeans.

"Booth?" she called as she turned the corner into the kitchen. When she didn't see him, she moved into the lounge room, smiling when she spotted Booth's messed-up hair sticking up in all directions from behind the couch. What on Earth had he done to himself?

Booth turned when he heard her approaching, looking her up and down quickly, appreciatively, before patting the floor next to him.

"Um, Booth, why aren't we sitting on the couch?" she asked curiously. Booth smiled.

"Because, Bones. Just play along," he said, patting the floor again. "Now sit." Brennan made a display of rolling her eyes and sighing before joining him. He reached behind him and produced a jar of peanut butter and a packet of Oreos.

Brennan looked from the food to him and couldn't help but laugh at his ridiculously childish expression and mussed hair.  He could have been his son. 

"Try some, Bones, I dare you," he whispered. Brennan studied him and the food.

"Why are you whispering, Booth?" she asked with a small smile. Booth thought for a second.

"Force of habit, I suppose. My brother and I used to sneak out of our room in the middle of the night when we were little and eat this," he said, a slight wistfulness to his tone. "My parents could never figure out why how we went through so much peanut butter," he laughed.

Brennan couldn't help but smile at the thought of a child Booth sneaking about his house in the dead of night. Figured he'd be eating, though. He smiled at her.

"You never did that with Russ?" he asked quietly. Brennan smiled.

"Well, yeah, of course, but we got up to watch TV, mostly," she said with a grin. "Russ made the best hot chocolates I've ever had," she said with an appreciative nod. Booth grinned, and she smiled at him, before holding up the food again.

Brennan pulled a face as Booth handed her a cookie absolutely smothered in thick peanut butter. "Oh, come on, Bones. You've used Peyote before; this can't possibly taste any worse!" he laughed. Brennan considered it for a second, and then decided he had a point.

"So?" he asked as she ate it. Brennan pulled a face as she tried to swallow. Booth grinned and handed her a glass of milk. "Rangers; always prepared for the inevitable," he said with a salute. Brennan laughed, nearly choking on the milk.

"You know, I hate to admit it, Booth, but for once, I think you may be right," she said, nodding, picking the food up off the coffee table.

"What do you mean 'for once'?" Booth asked, not having missed the dig. She only laughed and continued eating. Booth snatched the half-eaten cookie out of her hand and shoved it in his mouth, grinning. He was teasing her; and she found that she was seriously enjoying it.

"Hey! I was eating that!" she pouted. Booth grinned again and shrugged. Maybe sitting on the floor had, as he had wanted, brought out a less professional side of Brennan. Or maybe it was the chocolate. Not that he cared; it made no difference to him. All that mattered was that she was smiling; even better was that it was partially because of him.

"Sorry, Bones, I didn't realize," he said, feigning innocence when he'd finished eating.

"Like Hell, Booth," she laughed. Booth laughed and offered her another cookie. She looked at it for a second, then back to Booth. She cocked her head to the side, as if considering something.

"Thank you, Booth," she said sincerely. Booth frowned a little, but smiled back.

"You're welcome, Bones," he said quietly, his tone matching in sincerity. They studied each other for a few seconds before the tension became too much. "Everyone should try it at least once," he joked, shrugging. Brennan smiled, leaning her head back onto the seat of the couch, and closing her eyes with a sigh.

Booth studied her for a few seconds before turning her head with the tips of his fingers on her jaw, so she was facing him . She opened her eyes, an unreadable expression on her face.

He leaned over slowly, confidently and covered her lips with his. Her eyes closed as the fleeting kiss passed too quickly. He pulled back and grinned at her; not playfully, but happily.

This time when he spoke, it wasn't a question in the least.

"You want me."