A/N: My longest Bones fic yet! I hope they continue to get longer, as they have been. This is, of course, post-1x21, because that episode was just begging for a post-ep fic. :) So I hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: Not mine. I keep asking, but they just won't hand it over.

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Booth tensed slightly at the welcomed, yet unexpected, weight of her hand on his forearm. Relaxing, he looked down at her hand for a moment before sighing and covering it with his own.

"We all die a little bit, Bones… With each shot, we all die a little bit."

After swallowing, he looked up and met her equally teary gaze. She gave a slight nod, and he knew that she understood. He lowered his eyes again and looked at their hands. As he ran his thumb gently over the top of her hand, he couldn't help but think how… right things felt. How right it felt to be telling Brennan all of this. How right it felt to be so close to tears in her presence. How right it felt to have his hand resting atop hers.

He removed his hand to wipe a tear that was threatening to escape the confines of his eyes. Brennan was slightly taken aback by the sudden rush of cold air that blew across her skin in the absence of his body heat. But she left her hand in its place.

Booth glanced away for a moment before looking back at her, his eyes slightly less cloudy. "I'm sorry for laying all this on you like that."

Brennan shook her head. "It's fine. You… needed to get it off your chest."

He nodded. "I did. I really… really did. Thanks."

She furrowed her brow. "For what?"

"For listening, Bones." He began to stand, and she finally lifted her hand from his arm. Booth began to walk away, but with a second thought, turned back. "You're, uh, making progress, you know." In response to her confused look, he added. "On being more sociable."

Brennan smiled, cocking her head slightly. "Good to know."

He extended a hand to her, she took it, and Booth pulled her to her feet. But neither let go as they began to walk, and their hands stayed connected as they made their way towards the car. Booth opened the passenger side door for Brennan, and for once she made no protest to his chivalry. He walked around the car and got in, pausing for a moment to rest his head in his hands.

She looked over at him, concerned. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I'm fine, Bones."

"You really are a bad liar." A shadow of a smile passed across his face as he recalled their earlier conversation. Brennan continued, her voice softer. "I'm glad you told me, Booth." She found it difficult to express in words how much it meant to her that he felt that he could share something that intimate with her. She may have to write him a note after all.

"Me too." After taking a deep breath, Booth put the car in drive and set about driving Brennan home.

Halfway to their destination, Brennan broke through the amicable silence that had settled over them. Keeping her gaze straightforward, she asked, "Why did you tell me?"

"It was, uh, Hank's suggestion."

"Oh." She couldn't help but feel that she'd gotten her hopes up.

He could hear the disappointment in her voice, despite her attempts to cover it. "Well, he said I should tell my 'girlfriend'."

Brennan turned to him, eyebrow raised. "He meant me?"

Booth nodded. "He seemed to."

"You didn't…"

"No. He just assumed."

She gave a short laugh. "We seem to get that a lot." Her mind traveled back to New Orleans, and Detective Harding's disbelief of them being simply 'partners'.

"Yeah." He didn't mention the feeling of joy he got every time someone mistook them for a couple. And – when Brennan wasn't around, at least – he would often go along with it, enjoying simply pretending to be more than just her partner. "We do."

They lapsed into silence once more, and remained that way until Booth pulled into her driveway. He exited quickly to again open Brennan's door for her. She smiled and allowed him to do so, for the second time in one day not harping on him for being what she considered over-polite. He helped her out of the car, and led her to the door, his hand sending shivers up her spine as it rested ever so lightly on the small of her back.

After reaching the doorstep, she removed her keys from her purse and moved to unlock her door. She hesitated, though, and turned back to her partner. "Thank you, Booth. For… everything."

"You helped me more than I helped you, Bones. You deserve the thanks."

"I didn't mean just today." She paused, not sure how to continue.

"What did you mean?"

"I meant… for everything, Booth. Everything you've done for me. I don't think I've thanked you enough." She took a deep breath. "You were right, back in Louisiana. I should be nicer to you."

Booth smiled. "And I should be nicer to you. I'm sorry for being an ass these past few days."

"And I'm sorry for not taking the time to understand why."

He extended a hand to her. "Friends?"

She returned his smile and placed her hand in his. "Friends."

Booth shook her hand before pulling her into a comforting embrace.

Brennan tilted her head and whispered into his ear. "I forgive you, Booth."

Though she couldn't see it, he was grinning. He turned and replied softly, "I forgive you, too, Bones. I forgive you, too."

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End

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