By the time Bones turned around to face him, Jim was equal parts ready to face either kind of reaction. Whether it was Bones thanking him or berating him for being a thoughtless and reckless asshole who could've ruined everything, he was prepared for anything Bones could say or do.

And yet the way Bones approached him in quick strides managed to knock any words right out of him. He barely got to open his mouth to speak when he had the doctor's lips pressed to his own, and he only let out a choked sound into the kiss while his hands grabbed at his shirt, fingers curling into the fabric.

"Don't like living on what if's," Jim answered a little breathlessly. He managed to convince Jocelyn, he got to have Joanna here to visit her father, what did it matter what could've happened? Things worked out. He'd rather focus on that than worry about things that never happened and never would.

His hands moved from Bones's shirt to cup both sides of his face, wiping those tears away before Bones got to. He kissed his cheeks, some of the moisture getting on his lips, but he didn't care. Evidently he wasn't the least bit bothered that Bones was crying— if anything he was amazed he'd managed to hold it in until now. "I love you, Bones. I'd go anywhere and do anything just to make you a little happier. Whatever it takes, I don't care. I'll do it."