I have stuff that needs updates, but I need to get this out first. This was going to be a one shot, but now it looks more like a two shot. More later

Booth and Brennan had been apart for 60 days, they had 305 days to go they could do this after' all they were just partners. Partners they were more than that they both knew it and as soon as he got stateside Booth was going to do something about it, he knew Brennan felt the same way he could tell by her eyes when he went to the airport. Booth dozed in his bunk during a lull, resting but ready to spring into action in a second.

"Mail call!"

Everyone around Booth became more attentive, the mail clerk walked over to Booth "Sarge you got a letter from Indonesia, we got installations over there?"

Booth smiled, "No, it's from my partner she's an anthropologist on a yearlong expedition."

"She's what?"

"An anthropologist, she identifies ancient remains."

"I thought you worked for the FBI?"

"I do, when I get a body that can't be identified through the normal means Bones woks her magic reading bones and tells me all kinds of things about them and who they are."

"Cool . "

"Yeah, Bones is pretty cool." Booth was grinning.

"You love her don't you Sarge?"

"Yup."

"She loves you doesn't she?"

"Yup."

"You two didn't tell each other before you both left did you?"

"Nope."

"Idiots!"

"Swanson, don't you have mail to deliver?"

"Yes Sergeant."

"Get to it then!"

"Baker heads up, you girl sent you a package!" A shoebox sized package went sailing through the air to Baker who caught it with ease.

Once everyone had their mail Booth opened his letter from Brennan:

Booth,

I hope this letter finds you well, I am doing well. The expedition is more fascinating than I anticipated, so many discoveries have been made many of which turn what we've thought to be true in to a fallacy. I won't bore you with the details, but there is going to be a weeklong national geographic special that is filming at various points of the expedition, maybe we can get together with Thai and watch it when it airs. Ms. Wick is no longer on my team; I got tired of her saying how great it was that we were together so I transferred her to Dr. Roberts' team, I think he hates me now. I miss you I miss working with you. Remember don't be the hero, I need you to come back uninjured. I hope you can write back, but if you can't I understand.

Love always,

Brennan

Booth folded the letter, slipping it into the pocket of his t-shirt, and then he grabbed the tablet and pen he kept in his footlocker.

Bones,

I'm well and I'm glad you are well, I need you to come back uninjured also. I am glad the expedition is more than you anticipated. I can't wait to watch the documentary with you, it will be fun. I am surprised you lasted this long with Daisy! I miss you I miss working with you too. There's not a lot going on here today we're in a holding pattern. Don't worry I'm not doing anything overly heroic.

Love you,

Booth

Two weeks later Brennan was packaging remains when a grad student, Laura approached her."Doctor Brennan you have a letter from Afghanistan, is there a dig going on there too?"

Brennan smiled, "No, it's from my partner he's an FBI Agent on a yearlong tour training troops." Brennan smiled.

"You love him don't you?"

"Yes."

"He loves you doesn't he?"

"Yes."

"You two didn't tell each other before you both left did you?"

"Nope."

You should have."

"Laura don't you have remains to catalogue?"

"Yes Dr. Brennan."

"Get to it then!"

Brennan ripped open the envelope and read the grin never left her face, it was nice to have something from Booth. In the months following Booth and Brennan traded letters every two weeks, most of them were short notes like,' I'm okay I miss you I love you'. The length of the notes didn't matter, what matter was they had the notes.

Booth had been on special assignment for two weeks no outside communication, he missed Brennan. He had just got to his bunk when Swanson entered "Sarge, your girl sent you a letter."

"Thanks Swanson."

"Sergeant, can I ask you something?"

"I might not answer, but you can ask."

"Why did you let your girl go to Indonesia, if you loved her like I know you do?"

"Because two years ago Bones was going to China to identify ancient remains and I went along for protection. At the begging of the flight a body was found on the plane. Bones and I had to investigate, it was American jurisdiction. I knew Bones really wanted to be in China with the ancient remains. She said it didn't matter that catching murders was what we did, but Bone is a horrible liar. I convinced her to be a consultant for the FBI, she didn't want to do it but I charmed her into it. After I saw the look on her face when I told her we were refueling and heading back to D.C., I swore I'd never hold her back from her passions again. She heard about the dig and wanted to go on the same day was called up again. We both decide to go do our own thing, I've regretted leaving the second I went AWOL to say goodbye to her at the airport."

Swanson clamped Booth shoulder," six months left Sarge and you'll be with your girl again telling her how you feel."

"Yeah." Swanson left and Booth opened Brennan's letter.

Booth,

I hope you're back and well, I'm not. I miss you more everyday; days like to day make our separation hard. We were excavating and some locals showed up and threatened us, they'd been told we were removing their loved ones remains! It took about an hour to get them settled down, I was scared, and all I could think was I wish you were here. Anyway other than that is the same as it's always been.

Love always

Bones

Booth swallowed his fear and then he grabbed the tablet and pen he kept in his footlocker.

After scribbling a quick letter Booth ran for HQ, "Swanson, has the mail truck left yet?"

"Just did Sarge, why?"

"I need to get a letter to out to Bones ASAP."

"Somethin' wrong with your girl?"

"I don't know Bones was cryptic, something about locals bothering them while they were excavating. I just need to know she's okay."

"The truck has hasn't left the compound, I can get them to come back for it."

"Thanks."

"No problem sarge."