A/N: Good morning! Awakened this morning courtesy of the muse whispering in my ear. Tried to find a place for this in a story, but it just didn't seem to fit, so ... Here you go!

Definitely M! Not canon; if I had to choose a setting, I would probably say late Season 5. Maybe? Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Bones. Trust me!

Burdened

She heard his light knock at the door, two quick raps against the metal grain to signal his arrival. She turned down the heat on the oven, knowing it would still be a little while before their dinner would be ready.

She opened the door to find him standing there, beleaguered and slightly depressed from the events of the day. Things had been difficult for him lately; there was a lot going on at once and his usual positive demeanor had begun to take a small downturn over the past week. They had even started to argue – more than usual – and even the smallest disagreement would escalate quickly out of control. It was unusual, of course, and it had bothered her greatly, even to the point where she would choose each word carefully before she spoke, lest the conversation take a sudden spiral.

This week had been the worst. They drove an hour outside of Washington to question a suspect. All had gone well until they stopped for dinner on the way back and began discussing the case and the interrogation. She said something that he disagreed with and before she realized what was happening, they were arguing openly in a public restaurant. Their disagreement quickly spiraled into a loud, intense conversation that seemed to draw links and parallels between any and every happenstance they had encountered over the past year. While the suspicious looks of others rarely bothered her, he noticed the uncomfortable looks of the other patrons and stood, threw a few bills on the table and stormed out. She followed quickly, unsure of what exactly he was going to do.

She had never seen him as angry as he was at that moment. They had spent the rest of the week apart; she stayed in the lab working diligently on the case while he went about the investigation with the help of another agent. All week the fight had bothered her until she couldn't stand the distance any longer. She called him the night before and had offered to make dinner so they could get together and talk about whatever it was that was bothering him. He didn't agree immediately, obviously somewhat worried himself by his recent actions. But, eventually, he had agreed to come by her place after work.

She ushered him in and he stepped just inside the doorway as she closed and locked the door. The way he stood there reminded her of a little boy: shoulders hunched, head down, hands in his pockets. While she wasn't an expert at reading people the same way he was, she had grown quite adept at reading him and she could tell that whatever weight he was carrying on his shoulders was definitely beginning to overpower him. She stood beside him, the air between them thick with discomfort.

She offered to take his coat and he shrugged out of it easily. She noticed he wasn't wearing his normal suit and she wondered if he had gone home to change before coming by. As she returned to the entryway, she noticed he still had not moved away from the door, reminding her of a puppy scared to test its boundaries in a new place. She offered him a drink and he nodded, finally lifting his head.

She skipped a breath when she saw the look on his face; his eyes swirled black in the dim light. If she were more intuitive, she would swear she saw a fire burning behind them, his emotions battling fiercely for control. She stepped away to get them both a beer and to check on their dinner, but before she could walk away he reached out, grabbing her arm.

His touch suddenly burned her skin and for a moment she wanted to pull away from him. She didn't, but only took a step closer to him, bewildered yet eager to know find out what was brewing inside of him.

His voice broke the silence, low and even. "This thing between us … I can't do it anymore. I can't go on anymore."

Her breath caught in her throat, unable to form a response to his words. But before she had a chance to respond, he pulled her body against his, holding her so tight she could barely breathe. His mouth crushed hers, a hand moving instinctively into her hair, holding her there as his lips assaulted her own. His tongue swiped once across her lips, begging entrance. She complied, rising to meet his kiss passionately.

Hands moved quickly. Touching, exploring, feeling, grabbing. He pressed her backward, her body hitting the door with a soft thud. He pressed his hips against hers, his desire for her already evident. She grasped at him, a soft moan escaping her throat as he pushed against her again. Somewhere in her mind a voice cried out that they should stop and talk about what was happening, but her want of him quickly squelched the tiny voice.

She pulled at his shirt, the thin cotton sliding easily over his toned skin. When she had him free of his shirt, she reached for the hem of her tank top, pulling it quickly over her head, discarding it with his. Their lips met again, grasping at one another as if life alone depended on their mouths being connected. He broke the kiss, pleased by the whimper she made at the loss of contact. It was fast replaced by another moan as he focused his attentions on her neck, licking, kissing, and biting at her skin. Her fingers wound in his hair, holding him as he rocked his hips into hers with each kiss.

She moaned his name, the sound stopping him. He pulled back slightly, his eyes meeting hers for a moment before he returned for another kiss. The air was charged between them and they silently agreed there was no turning back now. Their movements were desperate, each ridding the other of the garments hindering them from freely feeling one another.

It happened quickly; clothes discarded, hands seeking, tongues dueling until he pressed against her, slipping easily inside her. She lifted her leg around his hips, pulling him deeper. He pressed her into the door, his body holding hers there as they began to rock together. Their mouths parted, a growl filling the room from within him at the feeling of her wrapped around him. She kissed his shoulder, nipping at the tanned, sweaty skin. He dropped his head to her shoulder as he moved against her, the intensity of their union nearly too much for him to bear. She grasped at his back, her nails creating small red scratches there. His breathing quickened, a sign he was close to losing control. She urged him forward, whispering words of pleasure and affirmation at his movements. He slowed for a moment, snaking a hand between them to find her most sensitive spot. She cried out at his touch, the small swirl of his thumb pushing her over the edge unexpectedly.

When he felt her spiral out of control, he pressed into her again and again, seeking his own release as he felt her body pull at his. He pushed into her once more, his climax sweeping over him. He felt more than heard her moan against him, a sign she had found another release. He slipped from inside her, their bodies sliding against one another as he released his grasp on her leg. She stood, shaky, still holding him close to her. When their breathing evened, he lifted his eyes to meet hers. She smiled at him, seeing a smile grace his façade. She kissed him, the passion still there, the intensity scaled back.

"Better?" she asked her voice still no louder than a whisper. He nodded in response, not yet trusting his voice. They kissed again, knowing somehow that things had changed for the better between them.

As they dressed, she could see the metaphorical black cloud dissipate from around him. They would talk, eventually, and things would be right between them again. He knew, deep down, that the mastodon that had stood between them so long was finally gone and they would move forward from here. The thought lightened his heart, the heavy burden suddenly lifted off his broad shoulders.

"A burden that allows us to fly," he whispered as he watched her move through her kitchen. She looked as if nothing had occurred, save for a slight rosy glow to her cheeks. He smiled as he watched, her words echoing inside. He realized, now, that she was right.

His love for her was a burden, one he had carried for so long. A burden which, now, allowed him to fly.

Happy Saturday and thank you for reading! Please take a moment to share your thoughts :)