Okay, so, like I said before, I have no problem with the previous two chapters being the official chapters of this story. If you liked those, and don't mind a little angst with your B+B, with what I considered kind of an optimistic ending, then you are welcome to not read this chapter, you won't hurt my feelings.

This chapter begins the exact minute the other two ended, so it's not a 'one month later' type epilogue, or anything like that. It doesn't solve all of their problems, but they do talk and work a few things out, and the end is mostly happy, I would say.

Hopefully you enjoy it and feel as if it fits the tone and mood of the other chapters. Let me know!

Thanks again to all of the people who have reviewed. I can honestly say that they have been the MOST heartfelt reviews I have ever, ever received. Each and every one of them. I am so pleased that you have identified with this story. I enjoyed writing it.

--b&b--

Booth and Brennan stared at one another as their breath settled. It was a new experience for both of them, and they were processing that.

On Brennan's part, she enjoyed the way Booth's stomach muscles were still working, fluttering against her belly as he began to inhale and exhale naturally. It was quite erotic sexually, and while she had had two very recent orgasms, she could see how it might be very appealing to feel that ripple while striving toward a climax. What surprised Brennan more was that her fingertips were still slipping over Booth's back, hesitant to stop touching him, even though the desired effect, mutual satisfaction, had been achieved.

Booth stared down at his partner and felt a surge of regret at the pinkened skin under her lower lip, along her jawline. He should have shaved that morning. Not that he'd expected to end up in bed like this, of course, but…he'd gotten kind of rough with her at the end there, and although she wasn't complaining, if it really had been a year since she'd done that, she might be a little sore. But he couldn't quite make himself move off of her, not just yet. Because…

Well, because it was amazing. He'd always guessed she'd be hot, but he'd had no idea she'd be so…warm. The sweet welcome of her thighs, the soft light in her gaze, the featherfine brush of her fingertips against his back, all of it combined to make him feel very cozy and sleepy and warm. He didn't want to speak, but he figured if he didn't, and she did first, he wouldn't have any control over the conversation at all.

"Hey…" he moistened his bottom lip with his tongue as he whispered in the dark room and ran the tip of his index finger just under her chin. "You okay?"

She blinked once, and then nodded. "Yes, I'm fine."

Booth inhaled sharply, and his head tilted to the side to see if she was mocking him. But he only saw genuine emotion in her gaze, and for some reason, it made him smile. "Just fine, hmmm...?"

This was all so new and tentative, and Brennan wasn't quite sure how to react to his teasing. She thought back to her word choice, and then caught Booth's meaning. "Ah, I see." And still her fingers touched his back, skating to his sides before one hand slid up his back to rub against the back of his neck. He groaned then, and his brow furrowed, as if he was embarrassed by that reaction. Interested, Brennan looked at his face for a moment before she realized she hadn't really answered his question. "Booth, I would have to catalogue my reactions as more than fine, especially in light of our previous discussion."

She nodded, and her own brow furrowed. "Although, I find I am unable to stop touching you. I am not sure what is causing this, but I suppose I have to admit that you were right, and knowing is worse."

Booth tried to move, he really did, but he just wasn't ready for this to be over. He wondered what would happen if he leaned down to kiss her, just once more. Just as his lips were about to touch hers, she spoke.

"Because I have realized there is still a lot to learn, so it puts me in quite a scientific quandary…"

He froze and couldn't tear his eyes away from hers. They were so close he could only see her eyes; he couldn't read anything else from her except her eyes and the breathy quality of her voice. He wasn't sure what to say to her to ease her mind. Booth knew he should admit that he hadn't been sexually active either lately, that she hadn't been alone in wanting to know, and that he loved her touch. He opened his mouth to tell her those things, to get her to stop talking about quandaries, to just…"I adore you."

At his words, the air was sucked from between them. Her eyes widened, and her lips parted in surprise. She stopped speaking, stopped moving her hands along his skin, and he pulled back enough to see her throat work. Booth realized he'd played all of his cards; he had nothing left. The biggest gamble of his life, tossed out there…no thought whatsoever.

Adore? Brennan's mind whirled with the new information. She'd never considered the word much before at all. It was different from love, wasn't it? This was all very sudden, and she realized it was too dark in the room. Too dark to think.

"Would you please move off of me?" she requested, and Booth's chest clenched.

"Sure…" he rolled to his side and covered his eyes with his arm. He was such an idiot. He searched his mind for where his clothes were, hoping to be able to reach out and at least put on his boxers and then remembered that all of his clothes were lying in an embarrassing pile in the middle of her living room floor. His nostrils flared in mortification and self fury and he moved his hips to slide his feet over the side of the bed. At least it was dark; at least he had that.

The room was flooded with dim light, and he blinked and turned toward her. She was sitting up against her pillows, her arm outstretched toward her bedside lamp.

"I just wanted to turn the light on to see you, Booth."

Brennan watched the light track across the muscles of his back as he sat on the edge of her bed, away from her. Her fingers itched to touch him again, and she wondered at her nearly insatiable need to feel him under her hands. But instead of touching him, she merely rose from her bed, and walked over to her bookshelf.

Booth couldn't take his eyes off of the way her pale skin shone in the soft light of the room. The muted duskiness made him feel as if he were in a dream. Hell, maybe he was in a dream. He'd had enough of those over the years. But no dream he'd ever had included her standing completely naked near a stack of books, sliding her slim and soft fingers against spine after spine, the same way she'd allowed her touch to glide over his back.

When she found what she was looking for, a smile curved up the side of her mouth, and he was helpless to resist staring at her as she carried the dark and worn book back to bed with her.

She was going to read? What was this?

Booth's mind felt muddled as she lay on her stomach, propping the book on her pillow, turning the pages to what she was looking for. There was still a faint blush on her cheeks, but she hadn't even looked at him since she'd gotten up from the bed. So…what the hell? He knew she wasn't interested in declarations of love, but she wasn't even going to say anything about it? At all, except to ask him to get off of her and then read a book?

"What the hell is this, Bones?"

Brennan heard the gruffness in his tone, and felt her cheeks warm further. She wasn't sure how to explain what was happening, so she just continued to the turn the pages until she found what she was looking for. "Adore: to regard with the utmost esteem, love and respect; honor. To pay divine honor to. To like or admire very much." With that, she turned her face and looked at him, a question in her eyes.

"Oh…" Booth's eyes narrowed for a moment and then grew hooded. He was still sitting on the edge of the side of her bed, looking at her from over his shoulder. She could see his back expand as he pulled in breath, and she wondered if she'd gotten it wrong. Maybe he hadn't meant it. She was used to sex talk, after all, and she'd always deflected it.

"So…you needed a book to tell you that?"

His voice was low and hoarse, and Brennan felt foolish. "Booth…I just wanted to know the truth is all," she whispered.

He let out a humorless chuckle, but at least turned to face her, his right knee and hand resting on her bedspread between them. She'd never seen this look on his face before, but he seemed angry and…inadequate?

"But mine wasn't enough?" he asked. "Why did you have to bring books and science into it? Couldn't you have left all of that out of this. This?" he motioned between them, "Just once?"

Brennan felt her throat tighten, and she blinked, looking down to her hands in confusion. "But I love books and science."

Booth's heart stopped at her words. She didn't look at him again, and instead, just idly toyed at the edges of her dictionary with her fingertips. Something about her appeared so young, so innocent, and he closed his eyes. "You love books and science."

"Yes…" Brennan whispered.

"And you used books and science on me?" he asked, opening his eyes to see she was looking at his face.

Brennan couldn't look away. She'd never been good at his metaphors, and maybe she had this one all wrong, but she hoped he understood her meaning. His eyes gave away nothing, but he did turn his entire body back to the bed to face her, stretching out on his side in a long line of sleek muscle. Again, she felt the draw of his skin against her hands.

Booth watched her eyes trail down his body and a flush of warmth settled in his heart. "Have you ever used books and science on another man, like this?"

Her eyes met his and she shook her head. "No. They've always thought it was kind of…weird, but I just thought…"

Seeley Booth, you are one first class idiot. He blinked once, then again, just to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Reaching out with one hand, he closed her dictionary and tossed it to the side of the bed.

"Hey," she complained, "That's my favorite one."

"Your favorite dictionary?" his eyebrow rose as he used both of his hands to tug her over to him. She frowned but followed, and her hands landed on his chest.

"Yes" she said distractedly, even as her fingers skimmed over his skin. Her eyes followed her movements, and Booth just watched for awhile. Yep, first class idiot.

He leaned down and caught her lips in his, and she gasped. When he pulled away, her fingers curled into fists, and she held them a centimeter from his body, unsure if she should continue touching him.

"So let me get this straight, Bones. I'm going to just spell it all out, just so I'm clear. Correct me if I'm wrong, okay?"

"Of course, Booth" she answered seriously, and he almost laughed. Yep, she definitely would correct him if he was wrong.

"Alright. Let me see. You love books and science, and you used them on me, including your all time favorite dictionary, and you can't seem to keep your hands off of my sexy body. AND you've never done that or felt that way with any other man."

She huffed and frowned, and he watched as she tried to rebut him. He chuckled, and she met his eyes, annoyed. "Yes, well you adore me. You regard me with the utmost esteem," she challenged. "And--"

He chuckled again and kissed her, effectively stopping her words. "Yeah, I'd say that's about right."

She settled against him, letting her hands uncurl and press flat against his chest, roaming over his shoulders and back before settling a light rhythmic touch against his spine and lower back. "Now what?"

Booth cleared his throat, knowing she was right. "Well, the way I see it, there is still a lot to know about me, right?"

Brennan nodded. "Yes. I do have more thoughts, I must admit. In fact, that is the nature of scientific inquiry. One result usually produces more questions. I should have realized it before, but now that I did get the result I achieved, it has occurred to me that there are more questions, more to explore. It's basic hypothesis and experimental process, Booth."

"Mmhmm…" he nodded. "Yeah."

Her head tilted to the side, and her hair fell over her shoulder in a soft wave that brushed against his shoulder. "And you don't mind that?"

"Mind?" he scoffed and let his hands settle against her back, pulling her until she was laying completely on top of him. Her hands settled against his chest, and he lifted one hand to brush her hair behind her ear. "I'm just glad you have the best man to help you with your experiment."

One of her eyebrows lifted. "Best is a superlative that is highly unable to be proven."

"Is that so?" Booth murmured and leaned up to brush his lips against the side of her neck he'd exposed. "Then I'm just glad the smartest woman is performing the experiment."

She grew silent and then nodded. "Yes, I suppose that is provable."

Booth laughed and then wrapped his arms around her, rolling them over until she was underneath of him, her eyes bright. "Were you making fun of me, Bones?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "Maybe. I thought I would give it a try."

He smiled and kissed her, "Not bad. You still have a lot to learn, though."

Brennan smirked and wrapped her arms around him, leaning up to kiss him before rolling him back underneath her. "So do you. More than me, actually. A LOT more than me."

Booth loved the challenge in her eyes. His narrowed as she leaned down to kiss him. "Fine," he growled against her lips, tightening his hands over her backside in possession. "We'll just keep doing this until we both know everything."

She laughed and tossed her head back on a moan at the same time, looking down at him, knowing what he was doing, "Neither of us will ever know everything, but I still suppose that is a highly rational plan."

Booth smiled and nodded. "Fine," he repeated.

She pressed her lips right under his right ear, and his hips shot forward, just like she knew they would. "Fine…" she whispered with a smile.

--b&b--

~~The End!~~