Title: Third Time
Author: Caera1996
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine.
W/C: 1,485
Note / Summary: One-shot within TBoPE series. This is the result of weepingnaiad's request: "I'd love to see a marriage proposal. Don't care whether it's Jim asking Bones, or vice versa." I hope you enjoy it!

Jim paced nervously through the apartment. Bones would be home from work soon and Joanna had just left to go to Sam's. It was Janie's birthday weekend, and Janie, Kimmie, Joanna, and a couple of Janie's other friends were going to spend the weekend doing girl things with Aurelan. Apparently, finally having a "teen" in your age was a big enough milestone that it required a whole weekend to celebrate.

Which, really, was perfectly fine with Jim.

Taking a breath, he stopped pacing and ran a hand through his hair. He was so nervous. He didn't think he would still be this nervous. Nobody knew what he was planning to do today. He'd not told anyone to keep the pressure of just in case Bones said….well, just in case.

The only one who this wouldn't be a complete surprise to was Joanna. Not that she knew of Jim's plans for tonight. But he had talked to her about it a couple of months ago, just to gauge her reaction and, well, get her blessing. Because as much of a unit he and Bones were, and the three of them together were, Joanna and her father were a unit, too, and Jim never forgot or did anything to undermine that.

He thought he'd been nervous then – while asking Jo – but she'd surprised him. Jo, who'd grown into a kind-hearted, empathetic, sensitive pre-teen (and who appeared to be sparing them the worst of the usually awful middle years), had simply hugged him.

"I was wondering when this was going to come up. Kinda surprised it hadn't already," she said simply.

And thathad brought up a very good point. Bones had taken the lead in their major relationship steps from the very beginning. Well, after Jim asked him out that first time, that is. Bones was the one who cleared space out for him in his closet, who gave him a key, and who ultimately asked him to move in. And all of that had happened so fast…all within the first six months. Then, a couple of years later, they'd bought a house together...a momentous step in any relationship. They were inextricably linked already, as far as the bank and the tax guy was concerned. Both of their names were on the paperwork. And, of course, they were raising a child together…Bones' child, but still. Jim felt like Joanna was his, and they had passed the point in her life that would mark the milestone of Jim's presence finally being longer than the five years she had without him. They'd been living like a married couple for years now…but after that last step of buying a house together, there hadn't been even any talk of making things official.

Of course, at first, they couldn't. Not legally anyway. But legalities didn't matter as much to Jim as the symbolic nature of the ceremony itself. To be able to stand up in front of friends, family, God, and everyone who might begrudge them this (just to make it clear that their opinion was not the one that mattered), and say, "I love you, I commit myself to you, and I promise to be there, no matter what, 'til death do us part" was what mattered to Jim.

But now, they could make it legal, too. They could be married – in every sense of the word, and though Bones had been the one to take the other steps in their relationship, he hadn't taken this one.

Which is why Jim was so nervous.

Because, what if he hadn't taken this step because he didn't want to?

What if Jim asked, and he didn't want to. Then what?

Then…things could go back to the way they were now. Which is pretty damn perfect, Jim thought. Maybe I shouldn't rock the boat.

Suddenly, he wished he had told Sam what he was planning so that he had someone to talk to about it – so he wouldn't have it on the tip of his tongue…and then swallow the words, as he'd done twice already.

"No – I'm gonna do it tonight," Jim said to the empty room. Mind made up, and determined to keep it that way, Jim went to the kitchen and busied himself with the basic dinner preparation Bones had asked him to do. Over the last few years, Jim had become a better, more comprehensive, cook – mostly thanks to Bones' patient tutelage – but Bones still did most of the cooking.

And tonight was just like any other night. Except, Jim was going to ask Bones to marry him.

Focusing on what he was doing – cause wouldn't it just be perfectif he cut his finger off – Jim distracted himself until he heard the front door open.

"Jim?" Bones called.

"Kitchen!"

A couple moments later, Bones came up behind Jim, wrapping his arms around his waist.

"Hey you," Jim said, turning his head to accept a kiss. "How was your day?"

"Pretty good," Bones said. "I finally got that article done. How 'bout you?"

"Not bad. I ran that anti-bullying workshop today…it went well."

"Good. Let me go change and I'll get this done."

" 'Kay."

Later that night, after dinner was eaten and everything was cleaned up and put away, Jim and Leonard rested together on the couch, catching up on some of the programs they enjoyed but just didn't have time to watch during the week.

Leonard lay with his head in Jim's lap, Jim's feet kicked up on the couch's built-in footrest. Jim gently threaded his fingers through Leonard's hair, massaging his head and neck. Over the last couple of minutes, as the show they were watching drew to a close, Leonard turned his head to look up at Jim.

"You think Jo's gonna call?"

Jim smiled and shrugged. "Probably not. They were planning on getting dressed up and going out to a fancy restaurant for dinner, and then go see a movie afterwards. I'm sure she's not even thinking of us."

"Mm. Good," Leonard said. He reached to catch one of Jim's hands, looking at him carefully. "Everything okay with you?"

Jim nodded and swallowed. "Yeah. I just…I have something I want to ask you."

Leonard's brows furrowed, and he sat up. Glancing at the television, he picked up the remote and switched it off, then turned his full attention to Jim…who actually wasn't looking like everything was okay.

Jim pushed the footrest down and turned on the couch so that he was facing Bones, who was looking at him expectantly. Keeping his eyes down for a second, he took a breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm his racing heart.

"I love you, Bones. So much – more than I thought I would ever love another person."

"I love you too, Jim. I can't imagine my life without you," Leonard replied, puzzled but sincere. Jim smiled nervously and took Bones' hands.

"These last eight years have been the best of my life – you and Joanna are the reason for that. You've…given me so much, shown me that my life could be bigger than what I ever thought of for myself. You've changed me. Made me a better person, made me want to continue to be better – for us, our family – "

Leonard took a breath, his eyes widening. "Jim –"

"Bones," Jim said, not wanting to stop…he needed to get this all out, no matter what the result was. "I love you. And I can't imagine living without you – I feel like we're so much a part of each other now."

"Me too," Leonard said, his voice a little rough under the Southern drawl, still prevalent even after so many years.

" So..." Jim looked down at their clasped hands and tightened his grip, felt Bones do the same. He looked back up, and Leonard's breath caught in his throat at everything he saw in those blue eyes. "Will you marry me?"

"Jim," Leonard breathed. "I never thought…I didn't think…yes!. Yes, of course. Oh, god, I love you so much."

Jim's face lit up in a beautiful, heartfelt smile, and they kissed…Leonard wrapping his arms around Jim and holding him tightly. They parted to breathe, and Jim pulled back, surprised to see Bones' eyes swimming with tears. He let out a laugh that was almost a sob and wiped the back of hand across his eyes.

"Bones?"

"I just…" he shook his head. "I can't live without you, Jim. And I was afraid of what would happen if you…didn't want to."

Jim shook his head with a wry smile, and kissed Bones again, pulling him down on the couch so they were lying down, fitting together as perfectly as they always did.

"I was so afraid of the same thing. Thank God I'm braver than you are," Jim said, a cheeky smile softening the words.

Leonard smirked and rolled his eyes, but wholeheartedly agreed.

"Thank God."