IMPORTANT: This is my first ever Bones fic, and even though I've read almost all of the BoothxBones ones here, I have still only seen the show twice! So, if there are mistakes, tell me so I know what not to do later. Much thanks!

Disclaimer: I own nothing, only the scotch tape holding posters to my wall.

Spoilers: None

Pairing: Booth x Brennan

Chapters: Last chapter/epilogue

Last Words: Ah, the finale. Please review.

Status: Complete

Chapter 7: Water Lily

Thank you to everyone who reviewed this story, it really kept me going through failing math grades, which are now up, and comments helped shaped the story to what it has become. Which brings me to a special thanks to Erkith. Yay!

A/N: This is a fluffier, happy ending to the hanging ending from last chapter. Totally optional to read this if you are more into the angst factor instead of the fluff factor. Ya.

The ride back to Washington was uneventful and spent in comfortable silence. It seemed that the silence was always comfortable between the two, never really awkward. Always perfect. Brennan was asleep on the passenger's side, her head turned towards Booth. Her soft, even breaths were the only sounds in the large SUV. Booth felt his stomach grumble again, reminding him that he had not eaten since breakfast and Brennan probably hadn't eaten for awhile either. On the way to her house, Booth stopped by a restaurant and picked up some Chinese food to-go, planning to eat at her house to keep on eye on Brennan until she went to sleep.

Gravel crunched beneath his tires as Booth pulled into the driveway of her large house. After braking and turning off the ignition, Booth leaned over to Brennan and gently shook her shoulder to wake her. She mumbled something and turned her head away from him, making Booth smile. He stepped out of the car and slowly walked over to her side and opened the door. There was a soft smile on her face as she slept; the face of innocence. He reached up to her face and ran his finger along the curve of her jaw line before gently whispering in her ear.

"Wake up, Bones. You're home." He tried. Her eyes slowly opened as she woke up and yawned. A small, cute yawn, Booth couldn't help but think. She looked at him, still half asleep. A smile crept onto Booth's face as he watched her. Brennan was still such a child, not used to being taken care of by anyone but herself. She yawned again and unbuckled her seatbelt, stepping out of the car without any assistance. She kept her balance as her feet met the ground and Booth took the food out of the back. Brennan removed a key from her purse that she had left in the car that morning, a morning that seemed so far away now. Booth followed her slow steps to the door where she unlocked it and stepped inside. He hesitated at the small stairs that lead up to the door.

"You in the mood for Chinese?" He ventured as Brennan turned to face him. She gave him a smile, her emerald eyes dancing with silent laughter. He just looked so… cute. Standing at the bottom of her stairs, holding the to-go bag like some sort of prize. His soft brown eyes looked hopefully up into hers, and his face held an innocent smile as he waited for her reply. Brennan nodded and moved back. Booth let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding and stepped up the set of steps and into her house.

Booth had always pictured Brennan to be the fastidious type, not a speck of dust and everything organized in her house. But the large hallway and adjoining rooms had just the right amount of clutter, and books were everywhere. He could get used to coming here more often. The hardwood floor was a dark, warm brown and a deep red rug stretched across the entrance hall. Booth followed Brennan through a maze of books to her kitchen where he set the food down on a counter. Brennan held her left arm close to her side and was trying to reach the plates as best she could with her injuries. Booth smiled at her small act of independence.

"Here, Bones. Let me get it." He easily reached over her head and set two plates down as well as two glasses. He expected a glare from Brennan for taking over, so he did not look her way as he asked his next question. "Got any ice?" If Booth had been paying attention, he would have seen not a glare, but a soft smile upon Brennan's delicate features. He found the ice machine without a reply from the anthropologist and quickly filled the glasses with ice and water. Brennan began filling the plates with the food Booth ordered; she was glad he was staying for dinner.

"We can eat in the living room." She told him. Booth took the plates and Brennan held the glasses as she led the way into a comfortable room filled with books, just like everywhere else. They set their dishes down on a low coffee table, conversation still kept to a minimum for fear of scaring the other off. "I'll be right back." Brennan went back to the kitchen, for utensils most likely. Booth remained standing to wait for her, looking around the room at everything.

"What are you doing?" A voice from the doorway said. Booth whipped around to see Brennan leaning against the door frame, her left hand draped across her stomach and the right resting lightly on the wood. Booth smiled sheepishly.

"Just looking around." He replied. Brennan gave a little laugh and shook her head before walking over to join him. The two sat on the couch and began to eat in silence, silence that was beginning to dominate them for the time. Booth watched her nimble fingers neatly handle the chopsticks she had as she popped a piece of chicken into her mouth. She really was amazing.

"So," Booth started, setting his fork down on a near empty plate, "I guess I should have left you to the Jeffersonian today." Though he tried to cover it up with a joking tone, Brennan could sense the guilt in his voice. He had been quiet during dinner, deep in thought.

"I guess so." Brennan smiled at him to reassure him that all was forgiven. "Nothing today was your fault, Booth. I really need you to remember that. And if I had found out that you had gone without me, you would probably end up like I am right now. It was one or the other." Booth smiled at that, but his eyes were still sad. "What's wrong? It's more than guilt, I can tell."

"It's nothing." Booth replied.

"Are you mad about what happened today?" She questioned, thinking back to the shootout and Booth's reaction to Arcult.

"I'll admit, after that bullet grazed you, I was about to run out there and strangle him with my bare hands." There was no smile, no joking tone. Booth was perfectly serious, and Brennan doubted that he wouldn't live up to that given the chance. "But, I couldn't leave you. Too much happened today to risk that again. But I had to do something, I wasn't just going to sit there and watch him drive around with a gun.

"I shot the wheels out, and the car rolled. That broke his leg, apparently." Brennan nodded, though not remembering Booth using his gun earlier. "And then when he came running out, on a broken leg, to the guy in the middle, I hesitated. Probably should have blown him away right then, but something told me not to. Not just yet. So I waited. And when it was his son…"

"That was enough." Brennan finished for him. Booth gave her a rueful smile.

"Yep. And seeing them, hearing what Medder did for his father, I thought about Parker…" Booth's face turned downcast at the mention of his beloved son. Brennan face hardened at this. It always made her angry where Booth's son was concerned. She set her chopsticks down on the plate and scooted closer to him, taking his hands in hers.

"You are a wonderful father, Booth. It is not your fault that you can't show that to Parker or his mother." Her voice was forceful, almost bitter as she thought of how unfair it was for Booth to be shunned from his own son whom he obviously loved so much. "And believe me when I say this; I'm sure he would do the same thing for you, given the chance." Now it was Booth's turn to take her hands, turning his own upwards and intertwining his fingers with hers. He didn't want her angry on his account; she had her own battles to fight.

"I do believe you." He said, sad that he had been able to know and feel love like he had with his son and know how wonderful it felt. Brennan had never had that, but she was still trying to help him. It wasn't fair for someone so beautiful and caring to not know love. "I wish you could meet him, though. He would absolutely love you." Booth sighed. 'Just like his father.' He thought. He sensed Brennan stiffen across from him and jerked his head up, scared of what he might have just said.

"What?" She whispered, her voice full of fear and, hope? Booth squashed the thought, his own heart muddling his perception of emotion.

"Just like his father." Booth replied in an equally hushed voice. He looked away, scared of the inevitable denial, being kicked out of the house, the disappointment that she hated him because of what he said, what he felt. The lecture on work relationships would come, and the bond they had been developing for so long would shatter, leaving Booth with nothing.

"You love me?" Brennan was in denial. Now she was the one waiting for the denial and slamming door as he stormed from her house in an uproar about overanalyzing people who had no life. The disappointment when the door shut, leaving her in the dark. A dark void of any life, emotion, or purpose. But she was surprised when Booth did not move, did not run from her house. He was still there, still holding onto her.

Booth looked up to see Brennan with her eyes wide and a light blush on her cheeks. She had not yet denied it, or kicked him out. But she was probably just in shock, the rest would come soon. But when it did not come, and they remained still with their hands locked, Booth began to regain confidence. Maybe there was hope. But Brennan ruined the moment, scared to accept anything beyond their friendship. She jerked away and, as quickly as her injuries would allow it, she began to clear the plates and rush to the kitchen. Booth sat empty handed and confused. Why was it so hard to understand women? He heard the clatter of plates and then, nothing. Booth stood and walked over to the kitchen.

Brennan was standing over the sink, her hands supporting her as they clutched the marble. She was so confused. Her head was a maelstrom of emotions, and it was overwhelming. After keeping everything locked up for so long, it was hard to distinguish what was what in her heart and her head. Nothing was as it should be. Booth loved her? When did that happen? It wasn't supposed to! He could have any girl that he so much as winked at, so how was it that he chose her? Her breath hitched in her chest as she tried to control the confusing thoughts in her head.

It hurt Booth to sit there and watch Temperance fight her inner self. He wanted to go and help her, but she had to decide for herself whether to accept him or not. After what seemed like hours of just waiting, he walked up behind her. Brennan felt him at her back, touching her lightly with his hand just barely touching her waist.

"Are you okay?" He sounded worried now. Brennan shook her head and began to speak, but she did not turn around.

"Why? Why me, Booth?" Her voice was strained.

"Why not? Why do you doubt your own beauty, Temperance? Why don't you believe in yourself?" He replied, not knowing why she could ever doubt herself. He left her to her thoughts, as much as it pained him to do so, and returned to the living room where he turned on the news to wait for her. For however long it took, he would wait.

Brennan walked quietly to the doorframe, hugging herself tightly. The news was on, depicting a familiar scene. A large truck rolled across the screen, men were diving out of the way as machinery went up in flames around them. The camera shot switched to a man in a dirty black suit, his face determined and angry. From the angle, it was just possible to see a woman in a torn shirt and muddy jeans lying next to him, her face hidden in the shadows of the trees and a hand on her side. Brennan recognized Booth and herself on the news as a reporter commented on how the man in the black suit had pulled the woman to safety just before the man in the truck had made a final shot on her. The man in the black suit looked down at the woman on the ground, his face sick with worry and fear. Brennan watched him pick her up and hug her close to his chest before the camera settled on the now smoking truck.

Booth watched the news without emotion, his face blank and if you looked harder, sad. Brennan sighed quietly. She had made her decision.

"Thank you." She spoke up, causing Booth to jump a bit and look towards her. "For everything." Booth looked back down at his hands where they rested on his knees, toying with the dirty fabric.

"I couldn't let you go." He replied, despair in his voice. "If I had lost you to Arcult, or the river, I would never be able to live with myself knowing I could have down something to save you." His eyes held a far away look as he spoke to her. Neither moved from their positions across the room.

"I know." Brennan spoke not of the actual words Booth had said, but of the meaning in them and the emotion they betrayed. He looked beyond hopeful as they locked eyes across the dark room. Brennan took a deep breath and closed her eyes, preparing herself for what she was about to say and how it would change her life. Nothing would ever be the same now.

Booth waited in apprehension, his heart falling further and further as he watched Brennan in the doorway. Her face held no promises, just confusion. This was it. This was what would change them for good.

"And I you." She whispered. Booth barely heard her, but it didn't matter. He was across the room in an instant, suddenly standing in front of her. Brennan opened her eyes and looked up into his face. She felt a large burden lift from her shoulders with those three words. She couldn't bring herself to say the big three words yet, but Booth could wait. Temperance felt ice begin to climb her spine as she felt herself drowning in his deep brown eyes, the emotion almost overwhelming. He leaned closer to her, his warm breath brushing over her lips. She was trembling. Booth gently brushed his lips across hers and pulled back slightly. She was so scared, yet she felt so safe in his presence. His arms encircled her, pulling her from her anchor that was the doorframe and into open water, a leap of faith. Her arms wrapped themselves tightly around his waist and she buried her face into his chest, feeling better than she had in a long time.

Brennan pulled her head back from him and looked up into his eyes. They showed nothing but the purest emotion of love. For her. A shock of hair fell across her face, and Booth removed one of his arms from around her shoulders to tuck it back behind her ear. His hand paused on her neck, his fingers raising goose bumps on her skin. He tugged a bit on a lock behind her ear and removed a small flower that had managed to cling to her brown tresses throughout the day.

"Water lilies symbolize purity of heart." Brennan said softly, the irony perfect. Booth studied the limp bud in his hand.

"Well, this is certainly a survivor." He tucked it back into her hair, the wonder of how the flower survived the day, not to mention the weather, buzzing through his head. It was meant to be. "Purity of heart in a corrupt world." Before Brennan could reply, she felt his soft lips against hers, gentle and pure. Just what love should feel like.

Finis

Well, it's finished. This ending was just fun for me to write, so excuse all OOC things and such. I hope you enjoyed this story, from beginning to end. Thank you for reading it, and please leave a review on your way out. -Ash