16Disclaimer: Bones isn't mine and neither is the song: "It's Only Love" by the Beatles, but I'm kind of a really big fan of both.
A/N: Thought I'd try my hand at a songfic, hope it turned out okay!
Thanks to redrider6612 for being so amazing and reading over this for me!
Booth's alarm sounded a shrill, piercing bleep! bleep! bleep! He groaned…was it really 8:00 already? He reached out and silenced it with more force than was necessary before rolling back over and burrowing deeper underneath his covers. Maybe if he prayed really hard God would make it Saturday.
Every morning now, he woke with an intense feeling of eager anticipation mixed with overwhelming dread. What was the reason for these bittersweet emotions?
Seeley Booth was in love. With whom? With his partner, the lovely, and on occasion, charming, Dr. Temperance Brennan.
This simple fact had the intrepid ex Army Ranger cowering beneath his blankets. Booth stopped fretting and took a moment to appreciate the absurdity of his situation. Love had reduced him to a quivering mass of pillows and blankets, unable to face a woman, but, in his a defense, a pretty intimidating one.
Unwilling to let Love conquer him so easily, Booth rolled out of bed and stumbled towards the bathroom. Sleep had evaded him the previous night and the prospect of another long day fighting his feelings, not to mention serial killers, was not a happy one.
He gripped the sink and glared at himself in the mirror.
It's only love. You can do this!
Unfortunately, since he had left the army, pep talks had little effect on him.
He had long ago acknowledged that he had feelings for her, but Brennan's vehement opposition to anything that even smelled like romance made him more than a little anxious to keep them a secret. The fact that concealing how he felt could protect him from a number of things, a broken nose and bruised ego being a couple of them, didn't hurt either. He just had to carry on as before. How hard could it be?
It was only love.
It's only love, and that is all.
Why should I feel the way I do?
It's only love, and that is all.
But it's so hard, loving you.
Booth sat the couch in Brennan's office. Five minutes, she'd said. Five minutes to compose himself, to put a smile on his face and remember why exactly it was he had come here. Oh right, the case. Simply greeting her this morning, taking in her loose curls, bright eyes and her unexpectedly cheerful attitude had made him feel high. The woman was like a drug, and he was hooked.
All his best efforts at sufficiently calming himself came to naught when she walked through the door and stripped off her lab coat, revealing a low cut V-neck top and a knee-length skirt that left bare to his wandering gaze the very pair of legs that had kept him awake for many nights now.
He opened his mouth, but no words came out. He suddenly found he couldn't speak and he felt his face heating up. When did Seeley Booth become the shy, bashful type?
"What do we have today?" asked Brennan who was still in a good mood-fresh skeletons tended to do that. She turned around to hang up her coat and Booth allowed himself the brief opportunity to admire her while her back was turned.
Brennan waited for him to respond and when he didn't, she turned and looked at him with concern.
"Are you alright Booth?"
Booth shook his head, trying to physically wipe his mind clean of the forbidden thoughts he had been indulging in.
"Um, yeah, sure," he stuttered, "I'm fine, perfectly okay. Why do you ask?"
His overcompensation confused Brennan; it didn't seem natural for Booth to be so evasive.
"Is something wrong? You seem a little on edge," she said in a voice that bordered on maternal.
Booth would have found it endearing if he hadn't been frantically wracking his brain for some excuse for his flustered state.
"No, no, just a busy morning, and I didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night," he said hastily. Well, it wasn't a complete lie. He wasn't obliged to tell her what had kept him up all night. Nobody who knew anything about people would buy it, but lucky for him, Bones really didn't know anything about reading her fellow human beings.
She simply sighed and shook her head at him. It was a soft sound that left Booth light-headed. He felt his resolve slipping as his arms itched to reach out for her and his brain fought against his resolution to remain silent about the fact that all she had to do was sigh and his heart began jumping in his chest. He wanted to swallow that sound as he held her close and give her something to really sigh about. Every day he saw her, the ache grew worse. Yeah, right, 'it's only love' he though cynically.
His glazed expression drew her attention again.
"Booth, I'm starting to get worried."
He pasted a smile on his face.
"It's nothing Bones, just looks like it's gonna be a tough one," he said, gesturing to the file on her desk.
She picked it up and skimmed its contents, nodding in agreement.
"I see, well then, let's get going."
He jumped up and grabbed her coat. His hands brushed her arms as they slid into the sleeves of the jacket and he wondered when he had become such a glutton for punishment.
He gulped audibly, but Brennan missed it as she was already out the door.
He shook his head as he gazed after her retreating form. Her enthusiasm for her job never ceased to amaze him. Everything she did amazed him, not to mention turned him on, and he really didn't know how long he could keep this up. Being so close to her every day was taking a resolve and strength that he hadn't known he had. He deserved a medal for this; it was certainly harder than any task he had ever performed for his country.
"Booth!" he heard her shout. "Do you think we have all day?"
How she could go from being concerned to irritated so fast was beyond him. He ran to catch up with her.
She pointed a finger at him in accusation.
"You're the one that said this would be a tough one and there you are, just standing around in my office. What were you doing, waiting for the killer to come to you?"
She kept ranting and Booth shook his head. His eyes were inevitably drawn to her lips as they motored on, spouting words that never really registered. This was going to be another long day.
"Booth," said Brennan waving her hand in front of his face. "I don't know why I bother talking at all, you never pay attention. Anyway, as I was saying, we're going to visit my father tonight."
That brought him back to reality like a bucket of cold water.
"What? You sure that's a good idea?" he asked. Her look darkened and he quickly amended his response. "Why do I have to be there? I mean, I don't want to intrude."
She just shrugged. "He said he wanted to thank you in person for everything you did for us at Christmas."
"Oh…alright." How could he get out of this?
"I told him it probably wasn't a good idea, you getting ready to prosecute him in a few weeks and really, it was only a Christmas tree. Well, I guess it was more than the tree….but he doesn't know that." A telltale blush spread across her face as her mind had clearly been drawn back to the kiss they had shared in her office. That pink tinge made her look so sweet and innocent that Booth's hand began to rise of its own accord, drawn like a magnet to her heated flesh. As his hand came to rest on her cheek, her eyes widened.
"Booth," her whispered, "what are you doing?"
He quickly pulled away his hand. "Eyelash," he muttered.
She looked at him warily for a second before nodding and moving again toward the exit.
What had he done to deserve this?
It's only love, he reminded himself.
I get high when I see you go by. My oh my
When you sigh, my my inside just flies. Butterflies
Why am I so shy when I'm beside you?
They made their way out into the cool night air and Booth couldn't help but hope that the chilly weather might cool down his partner's fiery temper. They had just concluded their visit with her father and Booth had to admit that it probably could have gone better.
She whirled on him and glared fiercely.
"How dare he tell me how to do my job!" she fumed, "and you….you… I can't believe you! You actually agreed with him!"
"Whoa, Bones, hold up. He wasn't telling you how to do your job, he was expressing concern. He's a father, they tend to do that, be concerned about their children."
Why was he defending Max Keenan? He was digging his own grave, but couldn't seem to stop. Why didn't she understand that Max Keenan might be a killer, but he was still someone who loved and cared for her? She needed to learn that it was okay that maybe, once in a while, someone might come along who wanted to express concern for her, be there for her.
"He lost that right a long time ago!" she seethed. "Why are you defending him?"
"Bones, all he said was that he didn't like the idea of you working the Gormogon case anymore. He said maybe you should step back from the field work…you did almost get killed, remember?" he said logically, using her own weapon against her.
"I can't believe you're siding with him! Do you want me to stay in the lab? Do you want to leave me behind?" she asked, flustered.
"Okay Bones, you're blowing this way out of proportion." As soon as the words were out of his mouth he realized that they were probably the stupidest ones he could have spoken to try and diffuse the situation.
"You're both telling me that I can't do my job! What am I supposed to do, thank you for it?" She looked ready to haul off and hit him and he rushed to defend his statement.
"No one is saying you can't do your job, Bones! We just don't want you to get hurt again," he said hurriedly before sighing in defeat. "Sorry, I shouldn't have butted into your conversation. You were right."
As much as he hated giving in to her, having her angry with him had become something he just couldn't stomach. It hurt when they weren't speaking, even more than watching her gloat after winning an argument.
She took a moment to scrutinize him.
"Just like that?" asked Brennan, her expression evolving from anger to bewilderment.
"Like what'" he questioned. He was giving in, what didn't she understand?
"You gave up pretty quickly. You usually stick it out a little bit longer."
"Guess I'm just not up to it tonight," he shrugged.
She raised an eyebrow skeptically.
He sighed. "Alright, I do stand by my words." Her temper appeared to be flaring again so he rushed to complete his thought before she could cut him off. "Every time you get hurt in the field it gets harder and harder to convince myself that bringing you along is a good idea. But Bones, I would never say that you can't do your job. You're amazing at what you do. I just can't stand the thought of you getting hurt again."
Whatever she was expecting from him, her shocked expression showed that it obviously wasn't that. Her expression softened.
"Um…well…that's alright, and... I guess I did overreact a little," she admitted, albeit quite reluctantly.
"A little?"
"Don't push it," her voice was somewhere between playful and threatening.
Booth decided to quit while he was ahead.
"Who me?" he grinned playfully.
"Because that would be so unlike you," said Brennan sarcastically, returning his smile. It really was amazing how fast her mood could change. Just minutes ago he was afraid for his life and now, there she was, bestowing on him one of the most breathtaking smiles he had ever seen. Her bright smile and shining eyes caught him off guard for a second and he looked at her, contemplating, before speaking.
"Let me make it up to you," he said.
"Booth," she said with exasperation," you really didn't do anything wrong. You were just being your normal overprotective self."
"I know, but I shouldn't have gotten involved. Let me take you out to dinner…to say sorry," he said. His voice sounded hopeful.
"Booth, you really don't need to. You already pay for most of my meals and like I said, you honestly don't need to make it up to me."
'They let me take you out, not to apologize….but because I want to. Tomorrow night?" He felt apprehension swell in his chest and he prepared himself for rejection. He had put himself out there and now waited with baited breath for her answer.
"Why would you want to do that?" she asked slowly.
Booth groaned. "I don't know, Bones, maybe I think I'll be hungry tomorrow night."
A look of hurt flashed across her face.
"Sorry," he said softly.
"I'm trying to understand, Booth-are you asking me out on a date?"
"Uh…yeah, I am. What do you say? Would you give me a chance?"
The moon cast a glow over the two of them and he couldn't help but feel they were on the set of some sappy romance. She looked so beautiful in the moonlight and Booth couldn't help but wish they were on the set of a romantic comedy; acting out the final scene where the handsome hero pulled his love into his arms and kissed her passionately.
Her expression became thoughtful and Booth was almost certain that she was trying to decide on the best way to tell him that his offer probably wasn't a good idea. Seconds turned into minutes and he found he was holding his breath.
"I think I could do that," she said finally.
"Really?" he asked, shock and excitement evident in his voice.
Her face lit up-his enthusiasm was contagious.
"Yeah," she said. "I think it's time we got rid of your line."
He pulled her into a tight hug. After a few seconds he realized he was probably crushing her and pulled back.
"I'm glad you think so," he said before taking her hand in his and pulling her gently toward his SUV.
She tugged on his hand briefly and he turned to face her. She was smiling softly.
"Thank you," she said almost shyly, "for caring about what happens to me." She leaned up and planted her lips firmly against his cheek.
He pulled back and looked at her, shocked by her bold action. WOW! was the only thought he could process. Coherent thought as well as the ability to speak finally returned and he was able to answer her.
"No problem," he said, turning once again toward his truck.
"But," she said sternly, pulling on his arm a bit more forcefully, "if you ever side with my father against me again….." She left her threat open-ended and Booth could only nod, knowing that whatever would happen, it wouldn't be pretty.
With that she strode toward his truck and got in the passenger side.
He could only shake his head in wonder at how blessed and cursed he was to have fallen for such a stubborn, sassy, confusing woman. But she was also the most caring, compassionate and loyal friend he'd ever had. And it didn't hurt that she was sexy as hell.
Is it right that you and I should fight, every night?
Just the sight of you makes nighttime bright, very bright.
Haven't I the right to make it up girl?
It wasn't only love, it was something he had been waiting a lifetime to find. It might not be easy, but he was gong to enjoy every second of it.
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