"Oh, no, ma'am, it's just... when my mom and my stepdad used to get all polite, like the two of you were just then... that meant all hell was gonna break loose."

Mr. Finn's words kept reverberating in her head. Was all hell going to break loose? The very thought sent her heart racing.

The old Temperance would have run away if she was confronted with the very possibility of being hurt. She would have found a dig in Peru or as quickly as she could. She liked to believe she wasn't as emotionally crippled as she once had been.

But still…

Would Booth leave her? She knew he'd never leave Christine, but as he proved with Parker, he didn't need to be in a relationship with his child's mother.

Maybe he was finally tired of her. Maybe he realized she was too inept in relationships, and he should be done with her and find someone that was a heart person like him.

Temperance swallowed down nausea that threatened to overtake her.

She didn't want to lose him, but what could she do?

That night, after the case was solved, she got home and saw Booth was drinking a glass of wine.

Was he giving himself—what was it that Angela called it?—Oh yes. Was he giving himself liquid courage? Was he getting ready to sever their partnership, both professional and personal?

She had never felt such heart-crushing pain. Not even when Booth chose to continue his relationship with Hannah after Temperance admitted to her biggest regret.

Her mind was in so much turmoil, she blurted out her question without even thinking about it. "Are you going to leave me?"

Booth put down his glass and stared at her, not moving from the stool. "Why are you asking me that?"

"Mr. Finn said that when people in romantic relationships are polite after a fight, all hell breaks loose. For me, hell breaking loose is you leaving."

"Oh, Bones," he sighed, finally leaving his stool and coming to her. He pulled her into a fierce hug, and she clutched his shirt, breathing in the scent that was one-hundred percent Booth.

He pulled back, just enough to look at her but still kept his arms around her. "Listen to me. Bones. People in relationships fight. It's a fact of life, and there's no way to avoid it. And considering how independent we both are, we tend to fight a lot. But when two people are truly in love, they don't give up after a fight. They work it out."

Temperance's eyes watered. "Will we work it out?"

"Of course because I love you."

Temperance sniffled. "I love you too."

Booth pressed his nose against hers. "Face it, Bones. You're stuck with me."

"I don't think it's considered being stuck when I want to be with you."

Booth chucked, claiming her lips with his.

And for the first time since Mr. Finn's words, Temperance found herself relaxing.