I don't own Bones. This story is dedicated to a friend of mine. After a few months of absence I'd just like to say - I'm back baby!
Spoilers - End in the Beginning - Dwarf in the Dirt

Love is a difficult thing to process, but the feeling is undeniable. The thing was fear was eating him alive, eating every single bit that made him who he was. He was scared that she didn't love him in the way he did. The truth was he loved her beyond any description or any emotion that could define just how much he did. Most of the time he wanted to take her in his arms and declare his love to her. His soul and heart cried out for her, but his mind began to withhold that emotion.

'The heart chooses what it chooses.'

He thought of her smile, her laugh, her hand on his, and her silly jokes that didn't make any sense. He loved those things about her, and he knew nobody can take that away from him; not even a level headed shrink. From the moment she ran into his arms after coming home from Guatemala he knew he felt a different vibe about her, it was almost like he knew just how much she missed him.

But there was a different scenario. He knew what love was, but did she know? He knew there was something different about her, but he just couldn't put a finger on it. The way her eyes light up in a simple conversation, and the way she'd shrug and look at him with contentment.

"Booth." She said his name so warmly.

"Yeah?" He asked in the same tone.

"I trust you, you know that right?" She asked with that adorable smile that made his heart want to leap out from his chest.

"Yeah. I know you do." He smiled warmly as if he knew the whole reason she was opening up so quickly. He might have guessed it was because she was trusting him enough to give him her heart.

It wasn't that he didn't trust her enough with his emotions, it was the feeling of confusion on his behalf. He was confused about the insecurities in his life he wanted to fix, or to make better. He wanted to be the man from the dream, and he knew there was a small problem; that problem that hit him harder than being slammed into a brick wall.

They weren't compatible. She's completely rational, very intelligent, and saw the world in a completely different way he did. He was not as rational but tends to go with his emotional components rather his brain. He uses his intelligence in a different way, he is better with people, and she is better with bones and facts. He sees the world in the complete opposite way she did. But, he was aware of his feelings for her but he is now struggling to define them. But his heart knows, he is crazy in love with her.

He doesn't think that they are compatible because he feels threatened by the fact that he believes she doesn't love him. But again, the heart chooses what it chooses.

She didn't believe in love, she didn't want children, she didn't want to take the risks of being hurt again. She is afraid of taking leaps because of her dramatic childhood. She feels threatened by the outside world and is afraid of the outcomes of life. Fate is her dear enemy, and she is trying to over come those intense fears of abandonment.

Booth shook his head a little bit, trying to get ease the intense emotions in his head. It was like he had a demon in his head telling him that those feelings were just false from his coma life.

Bren.

Booth could feel the tears forming in his eyes. He missed the life they had together, the conversations they shared with one another and the glass of wine they shared every night. He smiled when remembering the line he said to her. "Just because you have a glass of wine every night with your husband doesn't mean you're an alcoholic."

But now, now it wasn't the same. She didn't hold him close and kiss him every night. He didn't get to tell her he loved her every day when she asked. They didn't spend every night in each others arms. Not even close. Sure, they'd get a glass of wine almost every night but it wasn't the same. He wasn't the same. She wasn't the same. They weren't the same.

But their love was the same, but more heart warming and tear jerking.

But does he want to take the risk of loosing her? Does he want himself to go through the pain of being rejected again? Will he take that leap of faith and allow hope to take its coarse? The risk of loosing so much happiness is unbearable, but was love worth that much happiness?

The best relationships are those that last, even if there is a possibility of viewing things differently. Taking those risks also provides to the person just how much you really do love them. So, take the risks and let the past be the past. Booth kept telling himself many times that it was impossible that Bones could ever love him.

She was too smart, rich, and too bold to ever be his. She was a world class forensic anthropologist, and he was just her partner.

It was just too obvious, she didn't love him. His thought of love was being with those you love when they need you the most. Sure, that is love, but it also doesn't mean they don't love you if they don't have the time to take care of you.

But…..

What if she did love him, what if she did feel that same way he did. You know, the tingling feeling in your chest, the butterflies in your stomach, and the world being lifted off your shoulders. The burden of love stays with us, unless that risk is being dealt with. Brennan was worth that risk, and so was Booth.

Xx xX

Booth sat at the diner, waiting for Bones to arrive. It was five past four, and he was already getting a little anxious for her to come. He sighed, putting his coffee cup aside while looking out the window.

The clouds were parted from each other beautifully, while the gentle breeze began lifting the leaves from the trees. He smiled as he saw Brennan slowly making her way to the restaurant. For an instant, he could feel his heart tighten in his chest. His mind became lost and solemnly fixed on her beauty.

Just for that moment, he suppressed those ideas of hopeless love, and recaptured it with hope.

He closed his eyes and smiled smugly.

'This is Bones, I know I can win her heart.'

"Booth?" Brennan called, her voice was soft and reassuring. Her voice always seemed to lift him to the heavens.

His smile grew wide as she laughed with contentment.

"What are you smiling at?" She asked now sitting across from him.

"Oh, nothing Bones." He said, opening his eyes slowly.

For a moments glance, there was a man and a woman. Not partners, nor friends, just a man and a woman. They were just two normal people who were deeply in love with each other.

"So, what is it you wanted to talk about Booth?" She asked kindly.

"Well," he thought for a moment and remembered what Gordon-Gordon said, "Patience and Hope. ….. Patience and Hope."

"I wanted your insight on something, is it alright to ask?"

She looked at him blankly. Her blue eyes grew dark with and emotion that he couldn't read at all. He figured it wouldn't be a good idea to discuss anything that had to do with love or anything else at the moment. But, instead, she nodded and said rather proudly.

"Sure, what is on your mind?" she said gratefully.

Booth took a moment and tried to discuss this pain he was experiencing. He knew her, and she would help him with that wouldn't she?

"Well, you know I've been trying to cope with my emotions-" He stopped and studied her for a second. She was quiet and looking at him reassuringly. "Since I awoke from my coma I have been thinking about many things," he started rather confidently, but there was still a sense of ramifications in his words.

"I kind of miss it because everything was so easy, and there was nothing difficult to fight for, you know?" It was like he couldn't finish his sentence because it was being robbed from his lips. He could feel a shiver come over him rather quickly. His throat became dry and his mind was beginning to race.

Brennan nodded, remembering her own choice of words to describe the pair. 'You see two people who belong together, but nothing happens.'

"It's just this life is more difficult, it's more… deliberate then my coma life." He stopped because he wasn't sure if he should continue or not.

"Booth?" Brennan said sensing his quietness at once.

"Yeah," He said trying to hide his smile, but it didn't seem to work.

"Are you okay?"

'She cares about you, isn't that a sign?' He reassured himself. "Yeah, I just feel that maybe I don't know where I stand in this life, it seems like I don't belong in it."

"Seeley," She breathed rather sharply while saying his name aloud. "how could you ever think like that you're-" At the moment she was confused, was he talking about his childhood? Or the coma? Or maybe something else?

"Bones, I'm just confused." He said smiling slightly.

Brennan looked at him with discontentment, and with a sudden rush of sadness come over to her. How could he ever think that he didn't belong in this world? How could he ever think he wasn't good enough? He was a wonderful person, the person who had been her life.

She wanted him to talk about the childhood experiences, and above all, she wanted him to let her in. Booth didn't say anything, just began to stare meaninglessly at his piece of apple pie. He seemed deep in thought, although at the edge of almost loosing his ability to talk about his emotions.

She felt deeply aware that he was hurt by what the coma did to him and she didn't know what to do. She shook her head, almost wanting to let out a few tears to show him just how much she cared about him. She loved him, and she would do anything to help him, above all she would do anything to prove that she did love him.

"Booth, please," Brennan begged. She reached and took his hand, and began rubbing the corner of his knuckles until he would stop staring and his food.

Brennan hesitated for a moment trying to figure out what to do. She wanted to hold him close to her and try to show him it was alright to cry but it didn't feel right at the moment. She never had to hold someone in her arms and comfort them before, but if a person loved another person would they scoop them into their arms?

"Tell me what you're feeling Booth," she asked, still holding onto his hand with care.

He felt lost, and felt defeated, above all he felt like a coward for not telling a woman that he loved her. But, she was right, he had to tell her. He didn't want her to know about his past because it hurt to talk about it, there was too much pain to bear, there was too much at stake.

She watched him with a few tears falling down her cheeks, he was suffering through so much and he said he doesn't belong in this world? He deserved every ounce of happiness god had to offer, he was a wonderful person, he was loyal and brave, above all he was so god damn loving. He had changed her so much that she loved him more than she was capable. She loved him, and she wasn't going to let him say those awful things about himself that weren't true. He was her world, how can he not see that now?

"Booth…"

"Bones, I don't know if I can continue right now." Booth said feeling defeated, but it was the lost in this intense moment.

"But-" Brennan opened her mouth to protest but Booth cut her off.

"Bones, could I just have some time to think things through?" He knew she may have been ready to hear him say more of what he felt, but he wasn't. He wasn't ready to tell her he loved her beyond the stars and beyond the galaxy.

She doesn't love me.

Brennan made a face indicating that she was confused, with that Booth rolled his eyes and threw a tip onto the table.

But maybe…..

She did.

He made one last attempt to watch her burry her face in her hands before heading out the door.

She closed her eyes allowing some of the tears to fall down her face. She didn't understand why he couldn't tell her what he felt. Did he trust her? Did he love her? She loved him, but did he?

Ever since she wrote her book she knew that's how she felt about him. She wanted to be with him more than she ever thought possible. She was a patient woman, but her love for him was growing too fast to overcome that patience. If love was like a flower the sun will allow it to blossom like crazy.

XxxX

Brennan felt herself sink deeper into her sofa, wanting the world to stop spinning so damn fast so she could process what she was thinking at the moment. She ran her fingers through her hair furiously trying to understand why Booth wouldn't tell her how he feels. She knew he's been struggling daily, but doesn't know what to do to help him.

She doesn't like it when someone she loves is in pain, she didn't like it when it was Booth that was in pain. A sob escapes her lips as the tears fall down her face; like a waterfall, she could not seem to stop crying.

She steadied herself against a pillow, while closing her eyes and tried go to sleep. But again she's thinking of Booth the entire time.

There is a knock at her apartment door a few minutes later, she doesn't really want to open it but at the same time she wants to talk to someone. She sniffs quietly and wipes her eyes trying to get rid of the wetness from her crystal blue eyes. She stretches while glancing at her clock above the kitchen counter. 4:40 pm.

She makes her way towards the door, trying to stop herself from crying so she starts to hum, softly, but securely.

When she opens the door she realizes it's Booth with Chinese food.

She smiles and allows him to make himself comfy on the couch. She is somewhat relieved that he hasn't said anything about her red eyes and puffy cheeks.

But she knows he will say something about it sooner or later.

About ten or fifteen minutes go by and he begins watching her cautiously, trying to observe why she was crying earlier. He wasn't oblivious about it he just didn't want to offend her in anyway. But now he's getting a little worried because she is so quiet.

"Are you okay Bones?" He asks gently.

She looks up and nods her head slowly not wanting to talk about what she was feeling at the moment. It seemed far too irrelevant, his feelings were more important than hers. Her eyes meet his for a fracture of a second as he finishes his rice before she does. Maybe because he likes it when she takes her time and makes every bite valuable. Or maybe because she was valuable.

"Bones, I'm sorry about earlier-"

"I understand Booth, the case was about a young child who was beaten to death by his father." she stopped suddenly because she didn't want to start to cry again.

She was avoiding the subject again. And he wasn't talking about the case. "I was talking about our conversation in the diner, not about the case."

She nodded slowly and began to take another bite of rice when he saw some tears falling more freely down her cheeks.

"Bones?" Booth watched her with curiosity, he suddenly felt guilty for bringing the case up again because it always seemed to upset her on many levels. "What's wrong?"

Brennan didn't look at him, nor did she say anything because she didn't want to. She needed to be in his arms, but the time wasn't right yet.

Now he was really concerned because she never was this quiet, especially about a case. Was it about him? Was it about what his father did to him that was making her suffer. Instantly, he felt guilt run among him, he also felt deep love for the woman in front of him.

"Can you talk to me? Please?" He felt tears filling the rims of his eyes along with the guilt that was making his heart break into two. He sat upright, and reached his hand out to touch her cheek. "I need you to tell me Temperance." He said in the softest way possible.

Her eyes fell onto his along with her heart, her mouth became dry and she was unable to form words behind the corner of her lips.

"I don't understand why you think you're not good enough Booth," Brennan started the conversation with a light delicate tone that made him feel like his heart was going to break. She closed her eyes, her nervousness bewildered her senses and her mind was lost along with her patience.

When she opened her eyes, she could see a great amount of hurt on Booth's face. She sighed, while brushing her tears away like an annoying butterfly.

"Bones-" Booth said with confusion, he was feeling guilty because she misunderstood what he said earlier.

"Booth, could I finish please?" She said directly, she wanted him to hear this too much.

The pain that she kept inside was unbearable, it was slowly eating away at her heart. She scooted closer to him, wanting these words to sink directly into his heart.

"I've known you for almost five years Booth, and I always knew you were a man of word. You always showed just how much you value a person just by showing them how important they are in this world. You've given me the chance to blossom into a different person and I'm highly thankful for that." She shrugged for a second and finished what she started.

"Everyday I wanted someone to save me from this unruly world. Until I met you I thought maybe, just maybe this man will understand my actions. And you know what, I'm glad I met a man like you, because you've saved me. I wouldn't want to be without you Booth."

The words even shocked her on some level, the intensity of the room began to bloom but the passion never seemed to die.

Booth brought his arm up and wrapped it around her shoulders. The moment they embraced, she started to cry again. He closed his eyes, and wanted so badly to kiss her. He loved her and now, he was sure by all means she loved him in the same way.

But, he was willing to wait and be patient, like Gordon-Gordon said.

The talk of love and patience were worth waiting for, it could never be rushed. Now, he was happy he didn't have his coma life because he wouldn't have Bones. She was a woman so compassionate about life and others and Bren really didn't seem to care as much as Bones did. In a way he'd rather be Booth than Mr. B. any day.

He kissed her softly on the top of the head allowing her to cry softly in his arms for a moment. A second later they broke apart and just looked into each others eyes for a moment or two.

"Thanks Bones, that is the nicest thing you've ever said about me." He smiled warmly as he could have sworn that she was blushing. He knew this was their moment, a moment that Mr. B. and Bren never had.

"Could I ask you a question?" Brennan asked wiping the tears away from her eyes.

"Sure." He said calmly brushing away a strand of hair that was invading her personal space.

She looked down for a second, trying to hide her eyes from his. "What did you mean earlier?" She smiled almost beaming. "I mean if you weren't talking about the case?"

Booth smiled for a moment and knew exactly how to end this moment. He looked at her, she looked at him, for once they understood; they loved one another.

"I was talking about how much we loved each other," His eyes shinned with a great amount of love. "and how much we mean to one another. I really don't care how long it takes for me to prove it to you, I'll do anything to show it to you. I can tell you that I didn't think you loved me in the coma but now-"

Brennan put her index finger on his lips stopping him from finishing his sentence. She smiled as she always did when he would share something sweet and personal. That's what she loved about him. She loved him for his charm smile, his compassion and loving nature. Her eyes showed an obvious sign of happiness and her smile showed him just how much she truly cared about him. It was her moment now, she had the floor.

"I know it's hard to open up about things, but when you're ready I'll wait. Booth, you're my life and I promise I'll help in every way I can. You just have to trust me." Brennan said as her voice began to get a little shaky.

"Temperance, I do trust you. Sometimes, it's hard for me to," he stopped for a second and saw her hold her head low and began to cry again. He hated seeing her cry, and he wanted it to stop. "but I understand because you know it's best for me. I'm proud of you Bones, but sometimes I just don't like everyone in the world knowing about my personal life. I only share it with those I love."

"Booth…" She said speechlessly. For some time she wanted to kiss him, and it was the right moment to do so. Brennan smiled moving closer to his body for warmth and reassurance.

For a moment their lips met in a tender and elegant manner. The stars seemed to shine with love and the brilliant moonlight seemed to capture a loving moment. She moved her body to touch his in a moment of love that seemed right.

When their tongues met the whole world seemed to only focus on them but in that moment it was their moment to glide. It was their moment to declare their love for one another. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he began to kiss her neck ever so passionately. She laughed but at the same time she smiled like she'd never smiled before.

When they broke away they leaned their foreheads on top of each others, never wanting to ruin this moment.

"And, when I said I don't know where to stand in this life I meant I don't know what person I am. Also, when I said I don't know if I am a part of this world, I meant that I don't know if I am the same person I was before. Am I the same person you've always known as Booth?" He said kissing her forehead softly as she laughed gently.

Brennan smiled softly and wiped a few tears from her eyes, she was happy, more happy than him waking up from the coma.

"You've always been Booth, and I've always been Bones." She stated rather gently.

They both laughed for a sweet gentle moment before looking up into each others eyes again.

"Booth?" She said kissing his lips again.

"Yeah?" He said kissing her forehead.

"I love you."

Booth smiled wider than he thought possible. "I love you too, more than words perhaps." He said mocking her mannerism.

She hit his shoulder playfully and moved her body closer into his arms. "Don't leave me."

"I won't." He promised. "I'll always be here."

Hope & Patience = Booth & Bones

I hope you guys like it, please feel free to review!