I am so unbelievably sorry it's taken me so long to update this! I completely forgot for a while, then I had issues getting it to the point where I wanted it. I know you probably don't care about the excuses though, so I'll just let you have a longer chapter instead!

The end isn't as good as I wanted it to be, I guess I eventually kind of lost my train of thought. But I hope you enjoy the last and have enjoyed the whole story!

--

The game of Twister continued for about three more minutes. It ended when Booth's foot slid on the mat, making him land on his back. His other foot conveniently shot out to hit Brennan's, causing her to lose her balance and fall on top of him.

"Thanks for catching me," she teased, leaning her face over his and grinning triumphantly. "Oh, and I win." She untangled herself from him and stood up, offering him a hand.

"That was fun!" Angela said, jumping off her stool.

Brennan quirked an eyebrow. "Fun? You didn't do anything but spin the wheel."

Angela grinned. "It was fun to watch."

Booth swept a look throughout the area at all the other groups that were still having fun with Twister. "So can we take a game break and go get drinks?"

"Sure," Angela said. "But make sure to come right back."

Booth gave her a salute and gestured to Brennan to go with him. "Want a drink?"

"If there are more games to come, then yes please."

Booth laughed as they headed over to the bar. He noticed Brennan kept looking over at the dance floor. He couldn't blame her; the sight was rather mesmerizing with all the colors flashing and people dancing to the music. It looked like a scene from a movie, or a Bacardi commercial.

"Same as before?" the bartender asked Booth who pulled out a stool for Brennan before sitting down.

"What? Oh, yes please," Booth said, looking somewhat surprised.

The bartender chuckled as he prepared a mojito. "I've been doing this job for a while, sir. I have a think for remember faces and the drink that goes with it."

"Ah," Booth smiled. "That makes sense."

"What about you, ma'am?" the bartender asked Brennan.

"I'm not sure yet," she said.

Booth took his mojito from the man and handed him money. "Thank you," he said. "Bones, you can share this with me if you'd like. If I drink it all myself I'll have a hell of a hangover tomorrow."

"You sure?"

"Seriously? Look at this thing," Booth held up the very tall glass.

"Alright then, thanks," Brennan smiled.

"Could I get another straw, please?" Booth asked the bartender.

"Not a problem, here," he handed Booth the straw and he put it in the drink. "Cheers, Bones."

"Cheers," Brennan smiled.

They sipped their drink quietly, observing the club and, in Booth's case, each other. He was still debating about midnight. Should he go for it? It is a tradition after all; he could just blame it on that. Whoa, wait, "just blame it on that?" There's a different motive? Use New Years as the excuse? Since when? Well now that could raise some problems. Maybe it was just the alcohol in his system… well he hadn't had all that much to drink. A part of him, he guessed, had been contemplating this since he found out about the party. Yep, no blaming the booze this time…

"Dance with me later, Bones?" well that was subtle, good one.

Brennan turned back to face him, she didn't look appalled, good sign. "Yes, okay."

"Really?" Booth asked before he could stop himself.

Brennan laughed. "Yes, really. I've danced with you before, remember?"

Booth nodded. "Yeah, but that was ages ago, and quite different kind of dancing."

She shrugged. "I suppose. But I want to dance anyway. It was fun earlier."

"Well I'll make sure it's fun again," he inwardly cringed at how corny that sounded, but she didn't seem to notice. "Angela's waving us over, we probably should go."

They headed back over to where Angela and the rest were.

"Aren't you too cute, sharing a drink," Angela coddled them.

"Yeah yeah," Booth waved off her comment. "Next game."

Angela clapped her hands together. "Right, for this next activity, everyone is going to need to partner up again, preferably opposite genders, or whatever floats your boat."

Again, Booth and Brennan moved instinctively closer to each other.

"Every pair is going to get one of these plastic balls," Angela held up a small colorful plastic ball in her hand. "You're going to go out on the dance floor, but stay close to this area. The ball is going to be placed between the pair's stomachs. The goal is to keep the ball from falling to the ground while dancing."

Booth glanced at Brennan with a sideways grin. "Looks like we'll get to dance now after all."

Brennan looked warily at the small plastic ball that Angela handed to her with a wink.

"Oh yeah!" Angela called. "No touching the ball with your hands!"

Brennan closed her eyes for a moment and allowed Booth to take her by the arm and lead her out on the dance floor.

"Where do we put it?" Brennan asked.

Booth looked at the other pairs. "Well everyone else seems to be putting it low on their stomach."

Brennan stepped towards Booth as a song with a quick rhythm started. She put the ball between hers and Booth's stomach, and pressed against him to keep the ball from falling. With their bodies pressed together, Brennan put her hands on his shoulders loosely. Well defined muscles, she thought to herself, relaxing a bit.

Booth snaked his arm around her waist and to her lower back where he rested his hands, alarmed for a second to find her bare skin making contact with his fingers, then remembering there was no back to her top. Brennan flashed a grin at him which he returned, leaving a trail of warmth running up her back from where they touched as they moved with the fast rhythm, the ball still placed firmly between their stomachs.

A song and a half later, Booth noticed that some pairs were out and standing off to the side watching. Angela and Hodgins were a few feet away still dancing.

"Want to annoy some people?" Booth muttered in Brennan's ear.

"Sure," she said.

"Hold on tightly around my neck," he told her. She obeyed. He carefully placed one of his legs between her own, the ball barely moving. Then, with their two bodies still molded together, he dipped her back gracefully. The ball stayed in its place between them.

"Show offs!" Angela said loudly from her spot with Hodgins.

"If you got it, flaunt it!" Booth responded with a laugh while Brennan grinned upside down at Angela.

The music transitioned into a slow tune. Booth pulled Brennan back up, her hands still clutched behind his neck, loosening her grip slightly. She rested her head between his shoulder and neck as they swayed to the refreshing slow song.

"Thank you for not dropping me on my head," she said quietly, breath tickling his neck.

Booth smiled into her hair. "I'd never drop you."

"I know you wouldn't," she responded. "Thank you."

Touched by her trust, Booth wrapped his arms more tightly around Brennan's thin form, hugging her closer to him and breathing in the fruity smell of her hair.

"Anytime, Bones," he muttered. "Anytime."

--

Booth was not enjoying himself. The content happiness he had felt when he and Brennan tied the game with another couple had worn off in the fifteen minutes since it had ended. He now found he was thoroughly annoyed for two reasons: one, because Brennan was out on the dance floor dancing with some guy who was looking a little too far south, and two, the fact that he was annoyed. Sure, he had every right to be protective of his partner and not to like this guy staring at her like that, but he was ticked off the moment he asked her to dance, before the inappropriate staring started. The hole Booth had started digging himself into with the thong fiasco was now so deep that he wished someone would either throw him a rope or fill it back up with him in it.

His eyes narrowed as staring-dude pressed himself closer to Brennan. Booth snapped his eyes away and reached for his drink, only to find it being snatched out of his grasp by Angela. "That's my drink," he said, lamely.

"No kidding, Einstein," Angela put his drink behind her on the table where Booth couldn't get it. "What are you doing?"

"Well," Booth began, "I was drinking, but then you came over here and took my glass and now I'm talking with you."

"Alright," Angela sighed, "that was apparently more of a rhetorical question. I meant why are you drowning yourself in alcohol because Brennan's dancing with some other man?"

Booth blanched. "Wha-? I…" he cleared his throat in attempt to gain some recovery time, "technically it's rum, not alcohol."

"Please," Angela scoffed, "don't avoid the question with technicalities."

"Fine," Booth sulked and glanced briefly over at his partner and the man, "but you basically answered your own question, didn't you? 'Because she's dancing with some other man.'" Angela looked very proud of herself as soon as Booth said that. "What?"'

"What what?"

"Why do you look so… triumphant?"

Angela grinned. "Do you have any idea how satisfying it is to finally get you to admit that you have the hots for Brennan?"

"First of all," Booth said, defensively, "I never admitted anything. Second of all, 'the hots'? What are you, sixteen?"

"How cute," Angela sniggered, "now you're getting all defensive-"

"- I'm not getting defensive!"

Angela laughed and Booth glowered at his feet. "You're hopeless, Booth," she said. "Look, I think she'd much rather be dancing with you than with 'Staring Stan' over there." Booth looked wearily back at his partner. "Go ask her to dance with you."

Booth didn't look convinced. "You think she'd rather dance with me?"

Angela rolled her eyes. "It's a strong hunch, okay? The equivalent of my 'think' is very close to 'know.'" She smiled at him. "Go."

Booth hesitated for a moment and then stood up, returning the smile. "Thanks, Angela."

"Booth!" Angela called after him. He turned around expectantly. "Be forewarned, she's a hell of a dancer."

He grinned. "I'm sure I can handle it." And with that he went off.

Angela smiled smugly as he disappeared onto the dance floor. "Match maker match maker make me a match…" she sang quietly.

Booth walked quickly over to Brennan and her dance partner. He tapped the man a little harder than he perhaps should have on the shoulder. The man let go of Brennan to turn around to face Booth.

"Mind if I cut in?" Booth asked as politely as he could.

"Not at all," Brennan answered before the man could answer, (much to Booth's pleasure.) The man shrugged and walked off to the bar, leaving Brennan and Booth to stand looking at each other.

"So Angela tells me you're a hell of a dancer?" Booth question with a smile, holding out his hand to her as a fast rhythm started up.

"I've taken a few classes," Brennan responded, taking his hand and spinning in to him so her back was against his front, "watched a few movies."

Booth laughed. "You watched movies? Like what?"

"Don't seem so surprised," Brennan said as Booth spun her out and then back in, putting a hand around her back as the other held on to hers. "Angela brought over a few. We watched Center Stage, Step Up, and Take the Lead."

"And that helps you with your dancing?" Booth asked skeptically.

Brennan smiled slightly at him and did some maneuver that ended with one of her legs bent up by his hip, now leaning flush against him for balance. "I'm a fast learner."

Booth felt his pulse start to speed up slightly. "That you are," he agreed. He lifted her barely off the floor and set her back down to twirl her once under his arm and press her up against him again, grinning. "However you're not the only one who's taken a ballroom dance class."

Brennan laughed. "When did you take a dance class?"

Booth gave her a playful glare for laughing at him. "I was in high school. My girlfriend at the time talked me into it."

"You're pretty good," Brennan complimented him.

"Thanks," he flashed a grin. "So are you."

"Thank you."

"However," Booth said, giving her a daring look as the music changed to a more club-like song than the previous tango-rhythm, "how are your dance moves when it's not formed and more free, like those club scenes in your movies."

Brennan met his daring look with one of her own. "I think I'm fairly good… not to brag."

Booth chuckled. "We'll see," he startled her when he dropped her hand from their 'ballroom stance' and stepped towards her, so close she could just smell the mint from the mojito he had been drinking. He tilted his head in a puppy-like manner.

She quickly regained her composure, looking for an opportunity to be in control again. The loud hip-hop music mounded in her ears and she caught a few words:

I'm telling you loosen up my buttons baby…

Brennan instantaneously hooked her index fingers in the two front belt loops of Booth's jeans and pulled him right against her, grinning deviously. He looked at her in surprise, wondering if he was stupid to challenge her. That though quickly evaporated, however, as she started to rock to the music… against his hips.

--

"Did you see that move?" Hodgins asked Angela. They were seated at the bar, watching Booth and Brennan dance. "The belt loop one? That was hot!"

"That's my girl!" Angela said proudly. "I know she had it in there somewhere. I always bring out the best in people."

Hodgins snorted. "That's a matter of opinion." Angela raised an eyebrow. "It depends on what you'd consider 'the best' in a person."

Angela laughed. "Good point. Maybe I should say the best for certain situations."

"I'd say that's more accurate."

Angela glanced back over at the two dancing. "Yes, I definitely believe this is a good thing; a very, very good thing."

--

Booth was finding it extremely difficult to think straight when all he could feel was the soft bare skin of her back under his fingertips. He had long since giving up trying to focus on the lyrics of the songs that played, concluding that if anything doing so made it worse. The provocative and not at all subtle lyrics were anything but soothing to his over sensitive senses.

That wasn't to say he wasn't enjoying himself. No, Seeley Booth was definitely enjoying himself. If he was to lose most of his self control this way was fine with him.

Again, he found running through his head the thought that Angela was not lying when she said Brennan was a good dancer. Since her little 'belt-grabbing' stunt she did not fail to impress. As a song he vaguely recognized from the radio sounded through the room she surprised him yet again but turning in a flash so her back was pressed against his front. Oh dear God, he thought, looking at her bare back against his thin dress shirt.

"Trying to kill me, Bones?" he mused jokingly, placing his hands on the front of her hips.

Brennan tilted her head to the side and back to look at him. "Wasn't on the agenda, no."

He let out a short laugh. "Good to know."

Apple Bottom Jeans Jeans

Boots with the fur With the fur

The whole club was lookin at her

She hit the flo She hit the flo

Next thing you know

Shawty got low low low low low low low low

"The lyrics are quite strange," Brennan pointed out, nevertheless provocatively inching down his front and back up as the last word repeated at the end.

"Mmm hmm," Booth agreed, not trusting his voice to let out anything else until she stopped moving… well, stopped moving that way. "I'm surprised you can even understand what they're saying."

She shrugged slightly. "I get the chorus and a few words here and there in the verses. But who's Shawty?"

Booth opened his mouth to answer, and then paused. "I don't have a clue."

"That makes two of us."

"That makes a first."

Brennan grinned back over her shoulder at him; quick as lightening she turned around again, his left leg sliding between hers. She ran her hands slowly up his chest, suddenly freezing as she reached his shoulders. "Sorry," she muttered, a little flustered, as if she only just realized how they were acting. "That was somewhat… forward."

Booth couldn't help but chuckle. "No more than your belt-loop stunt," he reasoned. "It's a party, we're good friends, I think we can handle it. Besides," he lowered his face so his breath pleasantly tickled her ear, "I like seeing this looser side of you, it's kinda different."

"The side that's brought out by alcohol?"

"Actually rum," Booth corrected like he had done to Angela earlier.

Brennan smiled smugly at him. "You just corrected me on a technicality."

Booth snorted. "Great, so when you drink you loosen up, but when I drink I become attentive to detail."

"Maybe you should start drinking mojitos when we get cases."

"Maybe you should start dancing on the lab tables when we get cases."

Brennan quirked an eyebrow. "I don't see your connection."

"Leave me alone, I've been drinking."

To his surprise, she laughed and buried her head in his shoulder as the tempo slowed down. Booth smiled as she turned her head in towards his neck and her arms wrapped up around. He could feel her even breathing on his skin. His arms wound their way comfortably around her lower back, hugging her close to him, letting the music gently rock them.

Thank you for this moment

I've gotta say how beautiful you are

Of all the hopes and dreams I could have prayed for

Here you are

If I could have one dance forever

I would take you by the hand

Tonight it's you and I together

I'm so glad I'm your man

He sighed into her hair, it was like some clichéd movie where right song comes on and the happy couple dances into the end credits. Of course, yet as clichéd as it all could have been, it felt… perfect.

And if I lived a thousand years

You know I never could explain

The way I lost my heart to you that day

but if destiny decided I should look the other way

then the world would never know

the greatest story ever told

and did I tell you that I love you

tonight

Booth looked at the clock glowing on the wall. 11: 51. Nine minutes until midnight, nine minutes to make either the best or worst decision of his life.

I don't hear the music

When I'm looking in your eyes

But I feel the rhythm of your body close to mine

It's the way we touch, it soothes me

It's the way we'll always be

Your kiss your pretty smile

you know I'd die for

Oh baby you're all I need

He was going to do it. That was it. Gut and logic pointed him that way; he didn't need any more reassurance than that. Gut was the obvious part: he felt it was right, or at least worth a shot. Logic was the hazier part, but he figured he was correct in the assumption that they were closer friends than she'd ever been with any other man, also she definitely wouldn't be dancing with him this closely if she didn't in some way… somehow… feel what he was at the precise moment…

And if I lived a thousand years

You know I never could explain

The way I lost my heart to you that day

but if destiny decided I should look the other way

then the world would never know

the greatest story ever told

and did I tell you that I love you

just how much I really need you…

did I tell you that I love you tonight

Destiny, Booth though, is definitely with me on this one… I think.

The song ended and Brennan lifted her head from Booth's shoulder, but her proximity and arms did not loosen. She smiled shyly at him, which he returned.

"Ten!"

Both pairs of eyes snapped to the clock. Oh holly hell, Booth found himself thinking. Yes, destiny is telling me to hurry up already, apparently. No need to gather your thoughts… nope, giving you a countdown makes it all the more fun!

"Eight!"

Brennan seemed oblivious, she watched curiously at what was going on around her, counting down quietly with everyone else.

"Seven!"

He began to count down too.

"Six!"

He saw Angela, standing over by Hodgins, wink slyly at him. He gave her thumbs up behind Brennan's back.

"Five!"

Brennan counted down. Though she would never admit it, she was quite happy Angela had made her come to this party. It had turned out to be a fun experience, spending New Years with her best friends without worrying about work.

"Four!"

She glanced at Booth. If she wasn't mistaken, he appeared the slightest bit nervous. That's odd…

"Three!"

But he met her eyes and she saw the worry behind them fade slowly.

"Two!"

Suddenly, his eyes were extremely close to her own, which widened in realization. Of course... there was that New Years tradition.

"ONE!"

No sooner had the final number been shouted by the crowd than Booth's lips swept lightly across hers.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!!"

The traditional song started up, and there were cheers and various noises erupting from around the club. Booth's lips still lingered lightly on Brennan's, seemingly cautious of pushing her into something she wouldn't want. She got over the initial surprise quickly, or rather when she felt him begin to draw back. Oh no you don't! her mind said. If you're going to go for it, then actually do it.

She tightened her grip on the back of his neck and held his head down, allowing the feather light touch he initially started to increase, and warmth spread up her back. He appeared to take this as a sign she wouldn't kick his ass, and the tension in his body immediately vanished. His hand held the side of her face gently. Her mouth parted with the intension of getting air, but Booth seemed to have other plans... who needed air anyway?

Unfortunately, air defied them both. Booth, extremely reluctantly, pulled back just far enough to take a deep breath. "Naturally," he muttered.

"Huh?" Brennan breathed, confused.

Booth stared into her eyes and smiled. "No matter what you do, you do it best."

She grinned up at him. "Thanks. Although you shouldn't be giving me all the credit."

"Thanks, I think." He looked around nervously, unsure of how he should approach his next question. "So…do you think it would be okay if I- I mean would I be allowed to- would you mind if-?"

Brennan cut him off with amusement. "Booth, do you really need to ask permission?"

"Evidently," Booth replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

She laughed quietly and pulled his hand from the behind his neck and placing it on the warm skin of her back. "Permission granted. Go at it."

Booth chuckled. "Not that there's too much of a distinction, but I think you might mean go for it, rather than at it."

"Do I?" she asked innocently.

Booth stared at her in surprise. "You know what… I like you."

"I'd hope so," Brennan said, "because if you didn't-"

Booth cut her off by pressing his mouth against hers, not bothering with the same light touch he had began with the previous time. She didn't protest as she used her hold around his neck to support herself; her legs seemed to have stopped functioning properly.

"It's rude to cut people off," she murmured when his lips parted briefly. She felt him grin smugly and took the opportunity to slowly move her hands slowly down his chest, teasing him. He teased back by tracing her lower lip, momentarily making her forget what she had planned to do when she hooked each index finger in a belt loop. The sudden tug that pulled his hips even more snuggly against her own reminded him where they were, and regretfully pulled away for the second time.

"Probably shouldn't do that," he pointed out, unhooking her fingers from his belt loop and holding her hands in his instead.

Brennan smiled. "I know." She lightly pressed her lips against the corner of his mouth. "But it's amusing."

"You guys realize it's like… seven minutes past midnight," Angela's voice caused them to jump apart (barely) and turn to face her. Angela, of course, was grinning broadly.

"So?" Brennan asked, her voice a bit higher than usual.

Angela laughed, "no need to be embarrassed, Bren," she said. "We're all very proud and relieved."

"We're all?" Booth repeated.

"Yes," Angela confirmed. "Myself, Jack, Cam, Zack, and a few of those FBI guys." Brennan looked horrified, which only made Angela laugh more. "Don't worry, they didn't watch the whole thing, only I did. It was hot."

"That's really creepy, Ange," Brennan said, frowning. "Next time don't spy on me when I make out with Booth."

Angela was positively howling with laughter.

"What's funny?" asked Brennan.

"You sound sooo unlike yourself and more like a teenager!" Angela giggled. "And I assure you, next time I won't!" And with that she pranced off back to Hodgins, leaving a confused looking Brennan and a very happy looking Booth.

"Next time?" Booth asked hopefully.

Brennan rolled her eyes and a smile threatened the sides of her lips. "Don't push your luck."

She took his hand and the two left the club.

--

Hope you enjoyed!! I love you guys almost as much as I love your reviews… haha, just kidding, but I do love reviews!