A/N This story begins a few hours after the ending of the episode "Reality Check." Very Bren/Shal piece (as PeTiTeCaT requested). Please review.

Brennan sat in the Rec room staring at he TV but not seeing it. Shailmar was out hunting. Part of him wanted to be out there with her, watching her back, making sure she was OK. Making sure she'd come home, come back to him. Part of him was proud she didn't need anyone to watch her back, that she was such a strong person and skilled fighter. He knew that if he followed her she would sense him and be angry at him, thinking he didn't trust her. He almost thought it would be worth it, since she was beautiful when she got angry, a cliche, but true, in his opinion. The only problem was that he knew she'd also feel hurt, and he'd never purposely hurt her, so he waited. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard her walking out in the hall.

Shalimar sensed Brennan in the Rec room and walked in. She said nothing as she walked to the couch and dropped her coat. She then walked over to him and sat down in his lap, needing the physical contact. In his arms there was a comfort that existed nowhere else, that no one else could ever provide to her. He had sensed her intention and turned off the TV and moved slightly so they could sit comfortably. He quickly tamped down the desire that flared at having her in such an intimate position.

"Honey, I'm home," she announced in a half teasing, half serious tone.

Brennan smiled then leaned forward to kiss he gently on the lips. "Welcome home."

"I didn't hunt. Not really. I kept getting distracted and thinking."

Brennan raised his eyebrows in question.

"About home. Where it is. What it is. *You* are home."

Brennan wanted to reply but was speechless.

Shalimar put a finger to his lips. "Please let me finish. I know you meant Sanctuary when you told me not to forget where home is. And for a long time this has been my home. I found a father here, then a brother, then a sister and you. I'm part of a family. Home is where you feel safe, loved, wanted, and accepted. I lost that, as a child, when I started showing my mutant abilities. I think my parents still may have loved me, but they no longer wanted or accepted me. I didn't have a home anymore, until I found a new one here. But you, you are my hearts home. When I'm in your arms, that's how I feel, like I'm home. I feel safe, like you'll protect me."

Brennan smiled slightly and nodded once in agreement. He would protect her with his own life, if it ever came to that.

"I also know that you accept me. You've never asked me to be someone I'm not, or not to be who I am. I know you don't like me to go out hunting on my own, but you accept that it's something I need to do, that it's part of who I am, so you let me. That means a lot to me. Thank you. You told me not to forget where home is. I couldn't, because to do that I've have to forget you, and that could never happen."

Seeing she was done talking Brennan spoke. "You left off two things. Being wanted and being loved. I hope you do know that I want you, and that I love you. I want you physically, emotionally. permanently, because I love you."

"I. . . felt it, but neither of us has ever said anything. I guess it's only fair to tell you that I love and want you as well. I have for a while now, I just couldn't admit it to myself.." She leaned in to kiss him deeply before pulling back to ask, "So, where do we go from here?"

"Long term, I'm not sure. But for tonight, we could stay here, talk, take things slowly, or we could go to your room or my room."

"I've never been one to take anything slowly. Which room would you rather?"

"To be honest, I like the idea of having you in my bed. But if being in your room would make you more comfortable, that's what I want."

His concern about her feeling comfortable, and putting it above his own desires, reminded her yet again why she loved him so much. "I think I like the idea of being in your bed." Shailmar told him as she stood up. She picked up her coat and tossed it into her room as they walked past it to Brennan's.

Emma was still awake in her room. She sensed the presence of her two friends she knew Shalimar was back. She knew her friend had been out hunting the night lately and had worried. Sensing that Brennan was with her she figured she might not need to worry anymore. She smiled to herself at the intense emotions she felt coming from them. Hearing them walk past Shalimar's room and into Brennan's further down she realized they must have finally admitted to each other how they felt. Thinking that she'd now won the bet she had with Jesse she rolled over and went to sleep with a smile on her lips.

Brennan made sure to lock his door behind them, not wanting to be interrupted, or walked in on in the morning. Shalimar understood his motives and was touched at his thoughtfulness. To reward him she moved back into his arms and gave him an open mouthed kiss. His tongue slipped into her mouth in imitation of the act that they were building to. She moaned in pleasure as they fell back on the bed. She loved feeling the weight of his body on hers. Soon neither was thinking rationally and hours later they feel asleep in each others arms.

The next morning Shalimar was overcome with De ja vue as she woke up in Brennan's arms. She quickly looked around to reassure herself this was his room in Sanctuary not the fake room that Ivanov had been planted in her mind in the Embassy. Her movement woke Brennnan.

"Shal?" "This is real? Right?"

The uncertian note in her voice had Brennan concerned and he wrapped his arms around her. "It sure feels real to me. What's wrong?"

"When that psycho, Ivanov, took me in the Embassy? He thought we were married, remember?"

"Yeah, that was our cover. I loved it, it was a fantasy come to life. What's that have to do with now?" He asked her, confused.

"Well, when I woke up we were in bed together. It was almost like this. But "you" thought we'd been married for two years and then started asking me questions. Now I know that was Ivanov creating your image in my head so he could question me. Anyway, when I woke up just now it was serious de ja vue to be waking up in bed with you. I just needed to know it's real this time."

Curious and not a little scared, Brennan couldn't keep himself from asking, "did . . .anything happen?"

Salimar shook her head, and tried to reassure him. "No. I could . . . feel that something was wrong." She saw the hurt flash through his eyes. "Bren, waking up in your arms isn't what felt wrong. For the first few seconds I thought I was dreaming, or better yet, that it was my dream come true, but the room was one I'd never seen before and I knew we weren't really married; that there was no way I could have forgotten two years of marriage with you. And the idea of being like that with someone who looked like you, but wasn't you. . ."

Reassured Brennan pulled her into a kiss, wanting to reassure her that this was real. Before things could go further they were interrupted by Adam's voice in there COM rings asking everyone to come to the Lab.

"OK. Now I know this is real." Shalimar groaned as she reluctantly stood and started to gather her clothes. "Only Adam could have such lousy timing."

"Why don't you just shower here, with me?" Brennan asked in a HIGHLY suggestive tone.

"Because we're expected in the lab, soon." Shalimar retorted as se pulled on her clothes. With a last kiss she hurried out the door.

The End . . . .For now. I'm planning a sequel as soon as the new season begins and we see what happens with Shailmar's dad. If there's interest I'll write in a chapter what happened during the night and up the rating accordingly. Let me know if anyone is interested.