Brennan Will Be Loved, a bones fanfic

This is a song fic but I promise that every other line will not be a lyric. I was on the train listening to my Ipod and the song "She Will Be Loved" by Maroon 5 came on and inspired me to write something. It's not perfect, but I'm trying to get back into that writing mode. The plot of the story kind of follows the song. I was trying to mirror the lyrics without having to put the lyrics right next to the text, so that will probably explain any sudden jumps in actions. It didn't come out quite as I had hoped but alas. Also please check out the link in my profile and vote for me so I could maybe win a role on Bones. I'm so close. They extended the contest a week until Feb 23rd. You can vote everyday til then!

So necessary stuff here: Song belongs to Maroon 5. Bones belongs to the writers, producers, creators of all kinds etc who make it. No copyright infringement meant, and I do not profit from this. I'm just a fan playing around in Booth's head.

Beauty queen of only 18

She has some trouble with herself

He was always there to help her

She always belonged to someone else

I drove for miles and miles and wound up at your door

I've had you so many times

But somehow I want more

I don't mind spending every day

Out on your corner in the pouring rain

Look for the girl with the broken smile

Ask if she wants to stay a while

And she will be loved

Temperance Brennan will be loved. She is loved - she just doesn't know it yet. For a brilliant forensic anthropologist she is blind to one of the most basic human connections. I tend to sound like a rambling fool when I talk about her. Luckily, the only one who hears these inane ramblings is me.

I watch her. Not in a creepy stalker way like Neil, but I keep an eye on her and out for her. I know she can defend herself. She's strong and has brought down men twice her size, but it's not just physical attacks I'm worried about. Martial arts can' stop a heart from being broken and I know she has had more than her fair share of that pain. She's always had trouble in that department and maybe it's because she just doesn't realize how valuable she is. Not valuable like some commodity to be traded and owned – she would castrate me if she heard anything like that said regarding her. Valuable as a person, precious, someone to be cherished. Those losers she let into her life, they never cherished her. If they did, perhaps one would have had staying power.

Bones, she talks about monogamy not being natural, how one person cannot possibly satisfy all our needs. I don't know if it's some psychological defense (she would deny that what with her innate disdain for all things psychology) or if she honest to God believes it. She's a scientist, a rational empiricist. All evidence she has ever experienced would lead her to believe that. Perhaps that's my fault. I know I give her all I can… all I can without crossing that line though. I hate to say that Sweets might be right about the surrogate relationship thing… even if he does look like he's 12, he knows his shit… most of the time. Anyway, Bones, she has her "biological urges" but I can't give her that. I can't for so many reasons. I created that professional line because it was the easiest and one she would accept with little to no questioning. I want her. All of her. But I can't cross into the physical side of a relationship with her until she is ready to open up and realize what we have is much more than "just partners" and if we had sex, it would be much more than "just sex." There is nothing "just" about sex, not with Seeley Booth and definitely not if it's with Temperance Brennan.

Her smile could cause cardiac arrest. I'm not talking about her forced smile for the media, or that goofy little smile she'll make like when Sweets and I made that bet and she was the bank. Her full-fledged, Temperance without the weight of the world on her shoulders, smile. That smile that makes her eyes shine. I remember when she shared that with me… singing that Poco song, Keep on Tryin'. Her smile, it's rare but I swear I've seen it more than anyone else on this planet and I plan to keep it that way. In fact, I plan on increasing the number. The broken smile will be no more. I'm here for her and always will be. When we were ice skating, I meant it when I said I would never let her fall. Physically, or emotionally, no more face first collisions with the hard ground.

I know she isn't perfect. No one is. Bones is stubborn as hell. She pisses me off to no end sometimes and she knows just how to push my buttons. Busting in to my bathroom while I'm in the tub, talking about sex at the most inappropriate times, you name it. But it's not all that bad. She used to be all science all the time. No room for psychology or gut instincts. I used to think squints were damn near useless and only good in a lab. She would push, I'd pull. Our back and forth banter created something. I can't describe it but we found this amazing middle ground. I always thought compromise meant losing out on something you wanted. Not with Bones. With Bones, compromise is beautiful, like her. I get just as much as I give, sometimes I even get more when I'm least expecting it. She's starting to open up more. I think she's finally taken my support to heart. I hope she knows I'd never leave. My door is always open, and not just because she knows where I hide the key. Speaking of which, I really should get a new hiding place. Stupid stone.

Despite this improvement, there are times she goes into survival mode. She hides, buries herself in her work. Nothing can harm Temperance Brennan when she's in the Jeffersonian, or so she likes to believe. I hate it when I find her there, hunched over that table, or at her desk and I hear she hasn't left it all day. It's usually a bad sign. Family life is on the upturn so usually it's something else. Maybe another one of those losers messed with her heart. She doubts herself too much. Bones thinks she can't read people. That's bullshit. She can, but she just has difficulty interpreting. She seems to have no problem reading me, which is unbelievably frustrating. She's getting into my space now, my territory. I've had to increase the flashiness of my tie to make sure I don't shoot anything.

Anyway, when she goes into this decomposition phase (that's basically what's she doing. She'd work herself dead if no one intervened) I know what to do. There is a process. Bones cannot be rushed. I need to pretend as if nothing is wrong. If she realizes I know, she'll close off more. If I push, I might as well forget about getting her out of that building. Recently, I've been able to use my back pains as an excuse to distract her. She loves to help and when I let her, she lights up a bit. One back breaking later, she's distracted enough to leave and eat food. Take out and a movie. I'm slowly socializing her and she's getting better with her pop culture references. We don't always talk. Sometimes she'll talk about the work she was doing before I "interrupted," as she'll phrase it, but the smile that accompanies her words shows she doesn't mind. When she feels up to it she'll mention in passing what is really bothering her. Usually it's barely audible but she knows I'll hear. Guy hugs are becoming more frequent and I'm always the initiator. I'm flirting with that line. It's dangerous and maybe that gambling side is coming out. I might as well be walking that high wire Bones did when we were undercover. Best not to think of that case. Bones, cramped trailer, fishnets, a corset and ample cleava---- whoa. Ok, stop buddy.

We had one of those nights last night – the food, movie, guy hug nights. It wasn't about a guy, thank God. Well, not a specific guy but more a lack of male company in her life and her bad track record. She feared she might be defective. Something with her must be wrong. If every type of guy doesn't work, and she's the only constant then it must be her. I didn't know how to tell her just how flawed her "logic" was so I just hugged her. It was the longest hug we ever shared. Even she realized something was different about it.

"This isn't a guy hug, Booth." She mumbled into my shoulder.

"No. No it's not." I pulled her a bit closer and rubbed soothing circles on her back. "But you need it and I want to give it to you." I gave her a light kiss on the top of her head and continued to hold her. She nodded against me and let out a small sigh.

"You want to stay a while? We could watch another movie?"

She glanced at the digital clock on the table.

"It's getting late and I need you to give me a ride home. You drove me to the lab this morning and then here, remember?"

"Oh, yeah." I had completely forgot. Something about having her that close made my brain short circuit a little. "All right." I stood up and yanked her to her feet. "Let's boogey Bones."

The ride was mostly silent. The sound of the rain formed the background soundtrack until Bones decided to fiddle with the radio. When we arrived at her apartment, she turned to me and said thank you.

"It was no trouble Bones. You know how much I like driving."

"No, Booth. Thank you." She smiled that Temperance smile. "For everything." She leaned in and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and rain inside to avoid getting soaked. I watched her make her way inside and waited until I saw the light go on in her apartment. Call me paranoid but with her track record for getting kidnapped and attacked, it seems like a necessity to do this… and maybe I'm not ready to drive back home just yet. I don't know how long I sat there, idling in her parking lot but the alert of a text message got my attention.

Go home, Booth. I'm fine. And I already have more than enough stalkers.

A joke. Definitely a good sign.

I wonder if I should call her today? Just to make sure things are all right, you know? I'm not sure what excuse I could use for my visit but I'll think of something. But I guess that'll have to wait because someone is knocking on the door. Great. Great timing there pal.

I open the door without bothering to check the peep hole so I'm surprised by who I find standing there.

"Bones – hey. What's up? Is something wrong?" Immediately, I begin to worry. She never just shows up unless there's something going on.

"No. No, nothing's wrong, well… not what you're thinking." I must have looked confused. "I just – this is going to sound weird." She smiled. Not a grimace, not the twinkling eyes smile, but one that is possibly even more rare. Her nervous smile. Temperance Brennan was nervous. "I missed you which doesn't make much sense because I just saw you last night but I realized I did want to spend more time with you. So can we have that 'while' now? I mean, if you're not busy?"

"No, I'm not busy. Come in."

She throws a smile my way as she walks in and heads toward the couch.

There's my Bones. Who knows? Maybe I'll be able to get rid of that line sooner than I thought and she will be loved. She will be loved like she deserves.

Tap on my window

Knock on my door

I want to make you feel beautiful

I know I tend to get so insecure

Doesn't matter anymore

It's not always rainbows and butterflies

It's compromise

It moves us along

My heart if full and my door is always open

You come any time you want

I know where you hide

Alone in your car

Know all of the things that make you who you are

I know that goodbye means nothing at all

Comes back and makes me catch her every time she falls.