Welcome to the last chapter. There was still one loose end. This story started in Cullen's office and I think it should end there too. ….. and a short Epilogue

The ship docked early Friday morning. Booth and Brennan disembarked the Sapphire Majesty at a leisurely pace and were quickly whisked away to the airport courtesy of an FBI escort charged with meeting them at the port. The flight back was uneventful, and they landed by late afternoon.

The partners weren't expecting to be picked up at Dulles, and were more than surprised to find Booth's colleague, Charlie Burns, waiting for them when they exited the airport to look for a cab. Charlie was leaning against the side of his FBI-issued SUV in the pick-up lane, eagerly scanning the faces of the travelers pouring through the double doors.

Anxious to get home and not think about work until Monday, Booth groaned when he spotted the junior agent.

"What's up, Charlie?" Booth startled the younger man when they approached, unnoticed, from the side. Biting back a smirk when Charlie jumped to attention, he questioned him. "What brings you here?"

Charlie regained his balance quickly and reached for the door handle, his eyes swiveling between Booth and Brennan, then back on Booth. "Cullen wants to see you. He sent me to pick you up!" Without further explanation, he opened the back door for Brennan and, then the front passenger door for Booth and continued trotting around to the driver's side to take his seat.

Booth and Brennan shared a questioning look, wondering wordlessly what could prompt the proverbial welcome-wagon... They stuffed their luggage into the trunk and climbed into the truck, Booth closing the front passenger door and sliding into the backseat beside Brennan, instead.

Charlie turned his head, surprised at his boss's decision, but tried to hide the query in his voice when he attempted to make small-talk. "So… How was the trip?" He cleared his throat somewhat nervously when his eyes flicked to the rearview mirror and he caught a glimpse of Booth jerking his head sharply, cracking his neck - a clear sign of his superior's aggravation.

"Nice!" Brennan's response was short and a little too eager, confused about their situation. She picked up on Booth's apparent instinct that something wasn't right, sensing his unease, so opted to limit her answer.

"It, uh… Looks like you two managed to get some sun while you were working… you've got nice tans!" Charlie tried again.

"Mm-hmm..." Again, it was a stinted reply from Brennan. Booth was staring out of the window, deep in thought, mentally rehearsing what he might say to Cullen if questioned about their status.

Charlie gave up any further attempt to engage the intimidating partners in conversation and silence settled over the remainder of the drive.

§§§§

After arriving at the FBI parking garage, they took the elevator all the way up and went directly to Cullen's office. His secretary was preoccupied on the phone, but motioned them to go right in, indicating that they were expected.

"Hey, Dr. Brennan, Agent Booth, it's nice to have you back!" Cullen greeted them with a smile when they entered his office.

The warm greeting wasn't exactly what they'd been expecting, and it made them feel a bit off-kilter. After shaking hands and exchanging obligatory greetings, they sat down in front of his desk, not even looking at each other.

Cullen settled back in his seat and pointed at them. "You have no idea how grateful the key shareholders of Majestic Cruises are that you solved the case." Cullen's face was transformed by a smile of relief. "Our main contact was so relieved, he reimbursed all costs of the operation and pledged a sponsorship for our next departmental gala."

Booth and Brennan, still wondering why this information couldn't wait until Monday, nodded in acknowledgment, but exchanged an irritated sideways glance.

Cullen folded his hands atop his desk and leaned back further in his chair. "I met with James and Lisa when they returned. They had nothing but praise for how well you had worked together, managed to attract the murderer's attention, and finally, how seamlessly you caught him." Cullen still smiled broadly. "You're still the best team I've ever had!"

Again, the partners didn't understand why Cullen's accolades warranted sending Charlie to collect them from the airport.

What Cullen wasn't telling them was that Lisa and James had, in fact, told quite a bit more about the investigation. Lisa had even showed him a video of the staged wedding ceremony, videoed by a passenger who'd witnessed the event. They didn't disclose specifics, but offered, instead, their observations about the real connection the partners shared. Cullen had listened with interest, not entirely surprised by the revelations.

Keeping his knowledge to himself, he wanted to get down to the real question at hand. "I didn't receive any notifications as I expected, did you file for the annulment from on board the ship?"

Ahh, Booth thought, this was the real reason for their impromptu meeting.

Cullen sat forward and placed his arms on the desk in front of him, his eyes swiveling from one to the other.

Booth eyed Brennan sideways and shifted somewhat uncomfortably in his seat. "Actually," he cleared his throat. "Um, no, Sir..."

Cullen lifted an eyebrow. "You decided to wait until you were back in DC?"

Booth shook his head and rolled his lips as he considered his response. "Sorry, but… No." He smoothed his palms down his pant legs.

Cullen looked towards Brennan, then back to Booth, confusion evident in his expression.

Booth glanced at Brennan again, wishing she would step in. When she didn't, he shifted forward in his seat again. "Sir, we're not filing for an annulment."

Cullen fell back in his seat, looking surprised. "What happened? The documents were clear, any judge would understand the reasoning upon consideration."

Booth took a slow, deep breath, and Cullen noticed how uncomfortable his agent appeared.

Contemplating his explanation, the Special Agent nervously reached up to adjust his tie, suddenly remembering that he wasn't wearing one. He knew he should just come out with the truth, to just rip the metaphorical bandaid off and fess up. He wanted to be discreet, however, and choose his words carefully, so he wouldn't give up too much of their privacy.

"We engaged in intercourse!" Brennan burst out, growing impatient with her partner's delayed response. "Repeatedly."

Booth's head whipped around and he stared at her in shock… Now she speaks up?!

"Bones!" he hissed, his eyes flashing angrily as he dropped one foot hard to the floor.

She ignored him completely, continuing to address Cullen with the same clinical tone of voice she used when stating facts at a crime scene. "We enjoyed coitus multiple times... If you take into account, male ejaculation as a measurement, eight times…" She raised an eyebrow. "Though I would argue that we accomplished nine, but, according to a former president, fellatio is not considered as a sexual relation." She shrugged one shoulder and leaned back in her seat.

"Bones!" Booth growled at her, a deep red flush spreading over his face. He covered his mouth with one hand, to address only her in a poorly executed stage-whisper. "He doesn't need details and specifics!"

Bending forward to respond to him, not even bothering to lower her volume. "You mean details like our venture in the pool?"

Cullen placed his elbows on his desk, his fingertips tenting in front of his face as he tried in vain to hide his laughter. Secretly, he was calculating the amount of money in the betting pool. The agents in the Violent Crimes bullpen had quietly started the pool only weeks after Booth and Brennan became official partners. The gossip, along with the thrill of the illicit bet, spread through the Hoover like wildfire and it had been impossible to keep the somewhat dubious activity from the Director. In fact, Sam was surprised that Booth hadn't gotten wind of the questionable contest, but to his knowledge, his favorite Special Agent was still in the dark about it… Though, he wouldn't be terribly surprised if Booth did know, and chose to ignore it. Ultimately, the first person to learn for sure that the 'just-partners' were sexually involved would win the jackpot… And that, was fortunately him.

"Bones!" He wiped his hand over his face in frustration. "TMI!" He hissed again.

"I don't know what that means." She stubbornly raised her chin.

Booth leaned over to her. "It means that it was enough to just tell him that we made love, he doesn't need any other details!" He turned to Cullen again, feeling like he wanted to vomit but was surprised to find his boss grinning happily.

He squared his shoulders and sat up straight. "Sir, we intend to remain married… We finally admitted that we're in love. Actually, we are planning to have a proper ceremony so that our friends and family can attend." Now the truth was out. "Do you foresee this as being a problem for us?" Booth's expression grew concerned.

Cullen shook his head and smiled. "No, Booth! It'll mandate some additional meetings with Dr. Sweets, but to be honest, we've expected this for years!" He was happy to give his best agent a free pass. "But," he raised his finger and bit back a grin. "There is one condition… Julia and I have to be invited to your wedding. Agreed?"

"Absolutely!" Booth pushed to his feet and shook Cullen's hand with enthusiasm. Brennan smiled and did the same, and they were promptly dismissed.

Cullen glanced at the clock on his office wall, noting that it was shortly after six o'clock. With a nod, he told himself it was time to call it a day - it was, after all, Friday afternoon. He was excited to get home to tell his wife to go ahead and book their long-planned trip to Europe, thanks to the winnings that he would collect from Charlie on Monday. After that, he planned to tell her about the meeting with his best team, and break the news that they would soon be attending a long-awaited wedding.

He stood up and left the office, deep in thought... Nine times in four days!? He chuckled to himself. There must've been record levels of unresolved sexual tension pent up over the past couple years!

Epilogue

Three months later, on a sunny Saturday afternoon, a handsome groom waited before the altar in his favorite church. His eyes scanned the assembly of faces in the crowd, overwhelmed at the number of people who'd come to share in their special day.

Occupying the first pew were Brennan's brother Russ, his wife Amy and their two girls. Sharing the family row were Pops and Parker, who was accompanied by his mother her her fiance, Rebecca and Brent. On the other side of the aisle were their adopted family members from the lab - Hodgins, Cam, Arastoo, Wendell and Fisher each grinned back at him in turn as their eyes met. The next row seated Vincent, Dr. Edison with his girlfriend, and then Sweets and Daisy. Booth nodded in approval to see that sitting next to Sweets was Zack. The institution had granted special permission for him to attend the wedding under the observation of Dr. Sweets. Booth was grateful that their psychologist took the initiative to include the misguided genius, knowing Brennan would be happy to see her former grad student.

Behind the family were his colleagues from the Hoover; Caroline Julian of course, then his boss, Sam Cullen with his wife, Julia. The Director's wife was already brushing away tears. Booth wondered sadly if they were reminded of their own daughter and a wedding they would never attend. He'd been so sorry for their loss, but proud of his partner for her role in not only helping to put away the man responsible for cruelly spreading the disease to unsuspecting patients, but also for her part in easing the blow to Amy Cullen and her family. Whoever said Temperance Brennan was uncompassionate was blind - his partner, his wife, was the most compassionate person he'd ever met.

His gaze fell to James and Lisa. They'd all gotten together several times over the past few months and the couple had become really good friends to Booth and Brennan. Only two weeks previously, when the foursome met for dinner, Lisa shared the exciting news that, after eight years of marriage, they were finally expecting a baby. Upon hearing the expected birth date, Booth counted backwards. It was highly possible that the conception occurred on the cruise, so their undercover trip was a big win for all of them.

The rest of the crowd was made up of people from both of their workplaces, who were there to attend the ceremony, but not the reception afterwards.

His brother, Jared, stood at his side, serving as his Best Man, and Angela would precede Brennan down the aisle in her role as Maid of Honor.

As time ticked on, Booth started to feel nervous, his heart beating faster than normal. Before he could give his accelerated heart rate much consideration, music started and his eyes were instantly drawn to the door at the back of the church. The moving lyrics of John Denver's Annie's Song filled the sanctuary, Angela's friend Avalon Harmonia's rich timbre sending shivers down the spines of countless attendees.

The door of the church slowly opened. People stood and turned to watch the grand entrance. Angela entered first, followed several seconds later by Brennan, her father at her side.

He thought about their ceremony onboard the ship, when her appearance had stolen his breath. He thought he was prepared for it this time, but he was so wrong. She'd been right about the dress, this was definitely her wedding gown. She was radiant, gorgeous… Once again, breathtaking... he didn't have the words to describe her.

The full skirt floated softly around her legs, the long train spread out behind her in picture-perfect form. The strapless bodice was covered in expensive, intricate lace, forming a delicate neckline, revealing just the right amount of tantalizingly soft skin. Her hair was curled softly, framing her beautiful face. She was beaming, but she'd been wrong about one thing - she didn't look like a princess… She looked like a queen.

Actually, she was a queen, he thought… The Queen of my heart.

She approached in slow, measured steps, her eyes fixed on Booth's, a gentle smile lifting her lips.

Booth swallowed hard, unable to stop a single tear from breaking free from the outer corner of his eye.

Come let me love you, Let me give my life to you
Let me drown in your laughter, Let me die in your arms
Let me lay down beside you, Let me always be with you
Come let me love you, Come love me again.

She arrived before him just as the stanza came to a close, the words a perfect reflection of their feelings for each other.

Booth took Brennan's hand, guiding her up the two stairs to stand with him, and pressed a shy, tender kiss against her forehead. Angela carefully gave a final fluff to the bride's lacy train and relieved the anthropologist of her bouquet.

Booth couldn't pull his eyes away, wanting to burn every detail into his memory.

After a brief welcome from the priest, the bride and groom were asked to sit before the start of the ceremony.

The audience sang, prayed, and listened to the carefully chosen words of the service. When the time came for the partners to exchange their wedding vows, they stood facing each other, witnessed by their wide array of friends and family. They had agreed to use parts of their original vows, but not the portions that were added only to support their fake story.

Booth spoke first, taking Brennan's hands in his wide palms.

"Bones, I fell in love with you the first moment I laid eyes on you at American University. We discussed the notion of fate and despite your disbelief, I am still certain that it was meant for us to meet." He couldn't hide a smile, he would never give up trying to convince her that fate is real. "We had a bit of a rough start and a bumpy road to navigate, but we worked hard to gain each other's trust, and we learned over the years that we could rely on one another one hundred percent." He took a deep breath, his eyes growing more serious as they locked on hers. "We saved each other's life more than once and our professional partnership developed into a deep friendship. To the perpetual frustration of our friends, it took us longer to finally figure out that there was more than mere friendship between us. Too afraid to admit our love and destroying the valuable connection we had, we kept our distance, but cherished each moment that allowed us to be more than just partners." He drew her closer, placing her hands against his chest, pressing them over his heart with both of his hands. "I wonder how long it would have taken us to finally admit to our love if we hadn't been inadvertently forced to do so. I'm sure it would have happened eventually, but knowing us, it could have taken months more…" He bit back a knowing smile, his dark eyes filled with love as he studied her expression. "To love you secretly was enough for a long time, but that's over now. I am here today to not only tell you that I love you, but to also show you, and to promise that my love for you will never end!"

Traitorous tears escaped her eyelids and when they ran down her cheeks, he brushed them away with tender care. He'd managed to put their entire story into his vow, from their very shaky beginnings through to the undercover catalyst that forced them to face their fears.

He lowered her hands from his chest, but kept hold of her fingers, sweeping his thumbs over her silky skin. Brennan took a deep breath, looking straight into his dark brown eyes.

"Booth, when I met you, my life was structured and planned. You came and made it messy, and confusing, and wonderful. I thought that love wasn't real, that it was only a cocktail of hormones and physical attraction. You patiently showed me that I was wrong." She turned towards their guests. "And normally I'm never wrong!" The people in the church chuckled, that was the Temperance Brennan they all knew so well. She turned back, her pale gaze sweeping across Booth's handsome face. "You told me that love was eternal and transcendent, and that it's possible to love someone for the rest of your life. You have been very persuasive in proving your point over recent months."

Booth found himself holding his breath, afraid she would accidentally reveal more than appropriate given her penchant for bluntness, but he quickly realized, he need not worry.

"Today I want to admit, not only that I was wrong, but to tell you that I love you and I plan to continue loving you…forever!" She smiled knowingly at him. "And that is a very long time!" She kept her tone light and joyful, for which he was thankful.

They exchanged their rings and were, once again, declared husband and wife. This time, however, it meant more, because their friends and family were witness to their declarations.

Booth took his beautiful wife into his arms and craned his neck, pressing his lips to hers. Like their wedding on the cruise, he intended to keep it gentle and sweet, but this time she took over and left his head spinning with her passionate kiss.

Their friends cheered, pushing to their feet eagerly when the partners kissed. When they turned and walked down the aisle towards the exit, the guests followed close behind. As the newlyweds opened the outer doors, they were stunned to find a large crowd of people outside the church. Their wedding had become public knowledge, prompting fans and journalists alike to gather on the street in an effort to get a glimpse at the local celebrities. Cameras flashed and recorded videos as an excited energy surged - the real-life Kathy and Andy were finally getting married! The public was demanding a kiss and, despite their typical preference to limit their PDA interactions, they happily acquiesced, knowing very well that the photos would be all over social media before they even arrived at the reception.

§§§§

Dinner was served, toasts were made, and the dance floor was finally opened. Everyone was encouraged to dance and join the happy couple in celebrating their newest adventure. Angela helped Brennan bustle the train of her gown so she was able to enjoy her time on the dance floor, and Booth held his wife firmly in his embrace as often as possible, and as close as the dress allowed.

"Have I told you how beautiful you are?" He beamed at her, his fingers slowly sliding along her jawline.

"Not in the last ten minutes!" She laughed happily, secretly enjoying his adoration.

"I love you." He replied quietly, his hand running lazily down her neck and over her shoulder, drawing her close again.

"Something you've also told me several times today," she smiled warmly. "I love you, too." She sank deeper into his arms, holding him close.

"This dress… Wow, it's amazing!" He pressed a kiss to her shoulder and continued up her neck towards her ear. "Do you think our guests would mind if we left them here to enjoy themselves, so we can start our wedding night right now?" His hands moved to her waist, itching to explore more as he pulled her tighter to his body, letting her know just what he had in mind.

"Booth, we cannot leave, yet! We're only on our second dance. That would be not only very inappropriate, but also rude!" Brennan tried to sound outraged but craned her neck to give him better access to her throat. His attentions were sending warm sensations through her body.

His open mouth moved along her throat and he pulled her earlobe into his mouth, inhaling her sweet scent as he tried to entice her further. "But I have to admit, I can't wait to rip this dress from your body as soon as we get to our room!"

She pushed against his shoulders leaning back to look in his eyes.

"Booth, you cannot rip a $5,000 dress!" She shook her head and Booth instantly stopped dancing, looking at her in shock.

"What?! How much was this dress?" He was stunned. They had agreed on sharing the cost of the wedding, but she'd insisted on paying for the dress herself, and now he understood why.

She completely ignored his outburst, a smug smile tugging her lips. "Booth, this dress has buttons down the back, you can open it properly!" She enjoyed teasing him immensely.

"But," his brow wrinkled, "there are so many!" He pouted, but happily dragged her back into his arms to continue their dance.

After several minutes he smiled impishly and leaned back towards her ear, whispering with a husky voice.

"You know what? You bought it... I can rip it!"

THE END

A/N Don't worry, he didn't destroy this beautiful dress and opened all 26 buttons.

Button for button for button.

Author's note

Thanks to all the readers of my story. Thanks for all the reviews and support. I appreciate the new found friendships.

In 2018 when this story was mostly written and published, Jazzy and I both went through terrible losses in our families. For me, writing was a distraction in these hard times and helped me in some ways to get through my grief. For Jazzy, who had to do all the Beta work, it was sometimes hard to deal with me on the one hand and her personal situation on the other. I cannot thank her enough for helping me through this whole story even if it took away so much needed time for herself. I can not express how much I love her for doing this.

I hope now, that she will take her time to be creative again for herself and maybe we can find a new story of hers here on bones fanfiction soon.

Doge

Postscript note from jazzyproz:

I wanted to thank everyone for their continued patience as this piece was polished, though I wish I could have done it at a faster pace. I've loved editing for Doge and watching her grow as an author. My most sincere congratulations to her for writing a rather complicated and detailed case-fic in a language other than her first language - she is much more fluent in English than I am in German!

Thanks for this opportunity to dip my toe back into the Bones fandom, it was a lot of fun, and who knows, I might find it in myself to start writing for the fandom again as well!

peace and love, my friends

~jazzy