A/N: Hello all, sorry about the delay. Real Life interrupts. I bring you part four and the conclusion of this story. I'll just say from the outset that I'm not that happy with this chapter. It does what I want it to do, but I'm not sure if it does it well. If I kept fussing, you'd never have had the opportunity to read it, and that would have just sold everybody short, no?

So without further ado, enjoy. I've had fun writing this and your feedback has been great. Thank you all for your great comments and ideas, you all are awesome. Just to show how awesome you all are, I suggest watching TJ Thyne's short film "Validation" on YouTube. It is really well done.

I own nothing!

There's always the question what's holding me down

Show me an answer cause I haven't found

A way to escape to get out of it all

Somewhere that I am allowed to fall

With no bones to break I can be who I am

Cause you know me better than anyone

When you and I touch hands

When you and I stop

Still in the moment it's you and I

Not running for something that's already gone

When it's just you and I

That's when I'm home.

You and I - Garou

Booth closed the door and leaned against it. His place felt empty. It was empty. Moving towards the living room, he examined everything closely as he tried to organise his thoughts. His eyes came to rest on a photo frame lying face down on a table. He didn't do that. He moved across the room and picked it up, flipping it over to see its contents. Suddenly he understood its position. Smiling up at him was the group photo of him, Bones and the Squints from the Anouk gala. That night. Booth righted its position on the table, proudly displaying the memory and looked around the room again. Wondering what really had been going on for the last six months Booth headed off to have a shower. He needed to think.

The water did nothing to ease his tense muscles as Booth thought back to the next fateful night in front of the Hoover. In the video she had admitted her love for him. She would have known that it would have got back to him. Trying to remember when he had last declared his feelings, Booth realised that he'd never actually told her he loved her, properly. That elephant had followed him around for months. Bones hadn't rejected his love. He had just said the wrong thing. He had messed up. Seriously. And he had reverted to type. A ladies man, with a penchant for long legs and blonde hair. No wonder the squints had been so cool towards him.

Well it was out now, Bones loved him. And it clearly wasn't in "an atta boy kind of way". They had hurt each other badly in the last 14 months. Distance and a relationship had not changed a damn thing about his feelings. And he hadn't really paid attention to Bones since they got back. He was trying so hard to prove that he had moved on and things were a-ok. Was he the only person to have missed the fact that it wasn't?

Pulling a t-shirt over his head, he sighed. It seemed that way. The squints were clear where their loyalties lay. Even Cam. Parker had been nervous about Hannah – Rebecca had told him to think very carefully about "that woman" and their son... and Caroline made no bones about what she had thought of Hannah.

And Bones. She just waited. She had wanted him to be happy. He thought of the paper men he had burnt for her – the wishes he had made. Had she wished the same for him? He pulled out an old tobacco tin from his cupboard and lifted the lid. There were still three paper men there. He took one and pocketed it. Checking his watch, he looked around the room one more time and left.

B&B&B&B&B

Booth closed the door quietly and hung up his jacket, the sounds of Angela in the kitchen took him there first. She had just finished pouring hot water through an infuser and was waiting for the tea to steep. He watched quietly as she finished her task, yet Angela broke the silence first.

"She's not quite awake yet, I was just making her some tea."

"Thanks Ange."

Angela looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "For what? I've invested too much time into this for you guys to fall apart now."

"Ah..." Booth wasn't quite sure how to respond to Angela's frank declaration.

Angela saw him flounder and extrapolated. "Look Booth, I know this dance of yours has been painful for all involved. Just don't screw things up more than you already have."

"Thanks Ange." He felt as defeated as he sounded.

"Bren needs to rest. If you upset her..." Angela didn't need to finish her threat, Booth understood.

"I won't."

"Good." She smiled brightly and moved to pack up her laptop. "My work here is done. Hope you've come to some conclusions, Booth."

"I have."

Angela studied him for a few moments. His short answers worried her slightly, but she could see that he had much to still think about, and somebody very important to talk to. "Okay then Studly, take Bren her tea. I'll see you on Monday." She gave him an encouraging smile, and left.

Booth stared at the front door for a few moments. He thought about the unspoken threat in Angela's warning, and how invested she felt she was in their... whatever he and Bones had. It was beginning to dawn on him just how many people had been involved in this 'dance' Angela had described. It should have simply been just the two of them, but that was never going to be the case, was it? He sighed again, and turned back to the kitchen to get Brennan's tea. Chamomile, he identified the aroma wafting up from the pot. He poured a cup and with a deep breath he walked toward her room.

Booth stood in Brennan's doorway and took in her form before he was able to push himself into action. Brennan was still sleeping, it didn't look like she had moved much since he had last checked on her. He put the teacup on her bedside table and padded across the floor to the reading chair on the other side of her room and settled down to watch her sleep. Booth had missed watching Bones sleep. It was always a highlight of their undercover assignments, she looked so peaceful and relaxed, and Booth found it soothing, especially if he was feeling anxious for any reason.

Booth's contemplations were broken when Brennan stirred slightly and lay still for a moment before looking directly at him. Booth found his stomach knotting slightly again. She gave him a small smile.

"You're still here."

"Yes. Ange was too for a bit, she just left."

She bit her lip and broke eye contact. "You saw it then."

Booth nodded.

"I'm sorry." It was quiet, and Booth was taken aback by her apology.

"What are you sorry for, Bones? You did nothing wrong."

"I tried so hard to be happy for you." The tears in her eyes knocked the wind out of him.

"I know you did. I'm sorry for not seeing the warning signs."

"That is not your fault Booth. You needed to move on." Brennan moved her gaze to the ceiling.

"That's the thing – I haven't been able to." It was out there now. And he still felt like hell.

"Oh." Booth couldn't read her face because she refused to look at him.

"I'm the one who should be apologising for putting you through this."

Brennan sat up and looked hard at him. "You couldn't have known."

"But I should have."

"And what would you have done?" Brennan pressed. "You were in a very involved relationship, I never intended to disrupt your life."

"Bones, you disrupted my life seven years ago, and I would never have changed a thing since. I never thought you a factor in my break-up with Hannah, but after that tape and thinking about it..." he trailed off, trying to find a way to put everything into words.

"It was my fault." Brennan tried to supply him with an answer.

"No Bones, it was mine. I just couldn't process everything fast enough."

Brennan sat and watched Booth examine the floor for a few moments, considering his mea culpa plea. Coming to a conclusion, she spoke quietly. "So now what?"

"I don't know." This time, she picked up the defeat and despair in his voice.

Brennan reached for her tea, and swirled it around. "Take your time Booth, I'm not going anywhere." She knew it was a gamble, but recent events had proved to her that she wasn't just a scientist. She'd bet on him before, why not now?

"What did you say Bones?" Booth felt like his head was spinning, he looked at her with wide eyes.

"You waited for me for years, it's time I repaid the favour. You need time to sort things out." She met his gaze calmly.

Booth wasn't sure what surprised him more, the admission, acknowledgement or level gaze. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"I missed you Booth." Brennan said simply. "More than I anticipated. I would like to revisit a conversation we had before we left... but only when we're both ready."

He nodded slowly. "You sure Bones?"

"Booth, I didn't endure public humiliation on Monday for nothing."

"No, you kicked butt." He offered her a grin.

"I never intended to." Brennan was still feeling defensive.

"Look, I understand. It was a little bit of a shock, but, like the squint squad, I am proud of you." Booth tried to head off all the self-doubt before it cemented itself in Brennan's mind.

"Thanks Booth." It was still bothering her.

"And she was wrong, you know that?" Booth tried to hold Brennan's gaze. "I have never pitied you, and you have never been an obligation."

"That's what I told her."

"I heard. And Bones? I do love you. Nothing is going to change that."

Brennan gave him a small smile and sat back against her pillows. Booth wanted dearly to sit next to her, but he didn't feel the time was right. Also, he couldn't decipher that smile.

"What?"

"That's the first time I've heard you say it without a qualification." Brennan took a sip of her tea.

He blinked, she was right. Then he remembered the video. "You did admit you loved me first."'

"I did."

"So... Time?"

"Yes Booth."

"I think we can do that."

"I know we can." Brennan found herself yawning.

"You still tired?" Booth leaned forward in the chair, concerned at how exhausted she must be.

"Yes, but I believe I've slept an sufficient amount."

He could see she was planning to get up. "No Bones, you're going to rest."

"But Booth..."

"Just humour me Bones. You may have given me time and a lot of think about, but that's not going to stop me from trying to look after you."

"I don't need looking after." He watched her eyes narrow slightly.

"So what have the squints been doing for the past week or more?" He challenged gently.

"Oh."

"Exactly. Now it's my turn." Booth stood and crossed the room. "You just rest up Bones, I'm going to make you breakfast."

He took her empty cup from her hands, but was stopped when Brennan put a hand over his. Meeting her eyes, Booth didn't quite recognise the expression they held. She smiled and the knot in his stomach undid itself.

"Thanks Booth." She still hadn't let go of his hand.

"My pleasure Bones."

Fin

Until next time, happy reading, and bring on Sept 23!

xox ~CF