Wow, Part Ten. I'll try to speed things up. It's just hard, because I want to please you guys and keep it true to the show at the same time. Well, here's the next part:



Booth sat on the couch, staring blankly at the TV in front of him. Brennan had insisted on getting one after Booth agreed to her invitation to stay at her place. He thought of what Brennan had said about them being just partners. We aren't just partners. No way. I've saved her life, I've taken a bullet for her. She saved me, too. She knows how I hate all Rebecca's boyfriends and she knows how stressed I was when Parker found that finger. She knows more about me than anyone. I know how she hated the fact that she loves her father. I know she hates psychology and religion, and countless other things, but she can respect them. She loves dolphins, like her mom and her favorite flower is a daffodil and her favorite planet is Jupiter. We know too much about each other to just be partners. But that dream, what if it came true? What if I could hold her in my arms and not feel like I was breaking rules and crossing lines? What if we could pull off a relationship without anyone finding out? He thought to himself while he lay there, dreaming up instances where Temperance announced her love for him and then fell into his arms. Eventually he dozed off, the beginning of the parallel-universe dream coming into view.

Brennan lay on her bed staring aimlessly at her blank wall. She glanced at the clock (she had an hour before she had to start getting ready). She sighed, thinking of how her relationship with Booth was so complicated. Why can't it be simple? Man likes woman, woman likes man. They 'date', fall in love, live happily for the rest of their lives. Why are there lines we can't cross and people we don't want to betray? I'll have to talk to Angela later. She sat up and walked to the kitchen to start the coffee. She walked over to the armchair next to the couch and sat down, pulling her legs to her chest. She waited for the beep of the coffee machine, and when it sounded she made a cup for her and one for Booth. She set Booth's cup next to him on the coffee table on her way back to her room.

Booth opened his eyes slowly, letting them adjust to the light. He looked at the mug in front of him and smiled. He sat up and picked it up, tasting it's bitterness mixed with creaminess; just the way he liked it. He stretched his back and called out, "Bones? You still here?"

"Yeah, I'm just finishing up." she said, poking her head out from the hall. Her hair was curled today and she had one lip covered in lipstick. He smiled in response and went back to his coffee. A few minutes later she walked into the room, fastening her belt.

"Do you need anything before I leave? I can probably bring some Thai back for lunch." she said, taking a sip of coffee.

"I'm fine. And if it's a problem, I can just find something here. Or call Sid and have him bring something."

"No, it's fine. I'll come by on my lunch break. Alright, I should go. Wendall's probably already there." she leaned toward him, then thought twice and left.

Was she about to kiss me goodbye? Booth wondered as he walked into the kitchen to find something for breakfast.





Brennan leaned over the autopsy table and gazed intently at the body in front her. She sighed and stood back. She thought of the victim and how she died, then lost her train of thought and started to daydream.

"Bren?" Angela said, now standing behind her. Brennan gasped and turned to face her.

"Angela. I didn't see you. Yes?"

Angela smiled, "You were thinking about Booth weren't you? What's it like living with him? Does he walk around in his boxers?"

Brennan sighed, "Angela, this is not the place to talk about this. Besides I have to go, I told Booth I'd bring Thai back for lunch." and she hurried off toward the parking lot.



"Bones! You're back early." Booth said as she walked in and shut the door behind her.

"I didn't know what to get so I got a bunch of different things. I figured we could have whatever was left for dinner or something." She walked into the kitchen and started unloading the bag. Then she walked into the living room, holding about 6 tubs in her arms.

"Jesus! Lemme help." Booth said, standing to take everything out of her hands. He set everything on the coffee table. "Looks great." he added, smiling at her.

They ate in silence for a few minutes, then Brennan started a very animated story about work that day, turning the silence into laughter.

I wonder what he would do if I kissed him, right now. Or what would I do if he kissed me? I didn't talk to Angela earlier, I guess I'll go straight to her office when I get to the lab. He's such a messy eater.

Brennan leaned over and wiped Booth's chin with her napkin, smiling to herself. Booth stopped mid-noodle. He stared at her in awe, she'd never touched him like that. He finished his noodle and set his container down, "Bones?"

"Hm?" she said, taking a bite of chicken.

"When you were writing that story, what were you thinking?"

She stopped eating and put her food down, too. "Well, mostly I thought of what it would be like if what I was writing really did happen. I thought of whether I'd be happier in that life or this life. Why?"

"I just...I've been thinking about it, my dream, your story. What if it was true?"

Brennan furrowed her brow, "It's just a story, Booth. It's not true." She picked up her food and continued to eat.

Booth continued thinking to himself. What if I mixed that dream with reality? I could do it, just one move. All I'd have to do is lean in and kiss her. She's got to feel something, we're more than friends, more than just partners. Booth leaned toward her, but stopped halfway. They both stopped breathing. Brennan dropped her food, letting it spill onto the floor. She leaned in, just barely...