"Bren," Angela's excited voice came over the phone. "I'm having a Halloween party tonight and you just HAVE to come!"

"Ange," Brennan sighed. "You know my dad won't let me come. I got a job tonight."

"You've had to go to your job every night for the past month! Take a break and come to my party. Please? Besides aren't you old enough to not have to do what your parents tell you to?"

She sighed knowing her best friend was right. "Alright, I'll try."

"That's the best I can ask of you," Angela said happily.

She hung up and laid back down on her bed. Brennan knew her friend could be ruthless when it came to getting her to go to clubs and parties, but as much as she hated it at first, she had to admit that it became a bit of fun. Angela seemed to enjoy it so how hard could it be to enjoy it herself? Only one problem was holding her back from this Halloween party. Her father.


"Dad! Please?"

"Tempe," Max sighed from the couch behind the counter. "We've been planning this for months. We need you there with us tonight!"

"And Angela needs me with her tonight! I haven't had any time to spend time with her, and she's supposed to be my best friend!"

"Don't you remember the last time you hung out with her?" he glared at her.

"Yeah, Agent Charleston recognized me, I got away and Angela didn't find out my secret!"

"If you do keep getting caught, it is only a matter of time before our faces are plastered all over the news. Then your secret from Angela won't be so secret won't it?"

Brennan's crossed her arms defiantly, "It's a Halloween party, Dad! Everyone will be in costume and no one will be able to recognize me!"

"I'm not taking that chance, Tempe." Max stood and hugged her. "You're my daughter and it's my job to keep you safe. I can't do that if you're going to parties and clubs without a care in the world."

She pushed her father away and turned towards the kitchen. "I made the choice to help you and Mom out so I didn't have to lose you. Now I wonder if I made the right decision."

"We made sure that you knew exactly what you were getting into when we gave you the choice."

"A lot of things have changed over the course of fifteen years, Dad. I didn't realize I couldn't have my own life after robbing safety deposit boxes. Didn't you do that for twelve years? I'm just asking for one night."

"My answer is no Temperance," Max growled. "Now go get ready. We're leaving at midnight!"

She sighed while he walked from the room. Brennan turned to go back to her room meanwhile whispering to herself, "Angela's right. He can't tell me what do to. I'm going to that party whether he likes it or not."


--Seven hours later--

Brennan stood outside Angela's front door, nervous as hell. Other parties she's been to, she could handle. But this was a Halloween party. What if her costume was terrible? Suddenly she laughed. Since when did she care about her looks?

She knocked and within seconds Angela opened the door and after squealing for a quick moment hugged her. "I knew you would make it. And I love the costume by the way," Angela giggled. It was apparent that she was drunk already and the party had barely started.

Angela was dressed as Cleopatra while Brennan was an angel. Angela most definitely spent hours on her costume, but Brennan had gone for the simple yet elegant way. The most important thing that she was sure not to forget was the mask. It was white lace that just covered around her eyes, and along with her long black eyelashes and light blue eye shadow, it made her eyes seem more beautiful than ever before. Her dress went all the way to the floor, shimmering in the dancing light. Meanwhile her wings were long as well but not to large to be bulky and overdone. Next to the contrast of the deep gold and black costume that Angela was wearing, Brennan stood out and it didn't take too long before a certain someone caught sight of her.

A prince came up to the two of them with a large smile on his face. Upon arriving next to Angela and Brennan, he said, "Would such a lovely angel care to dance?"

"Uh…" Brennan glanced at Angela for help.

Obediently, she whispered softly in Brennan's ear, "Go dance with him, and more people will see you and want to dance with you. Hopefully one of them will be a hell of a lot cuter than this one!"

Slowly she nodded. This man that had asked her to dance wasn't exactly who someone would call cute. His blonde hair was shoulder length and messy from taking off his crown and putting it back on way too many times. His blue eyes pierced through her, gazing at her body. While she was fully covered, her dress shaped every curve, leaving very little to the imagination. That was good yet bad, especially bad in this case. As they moved to the beat, his hands slowly came toward her body and glided up her sides, skimming her breasts as they moved to go down her arms. Before he could get any farther, Brennan grabbed his hands and asked sweetly, "Would mind getting me a drink? This dance has made me thirsty."

"Anything for my Lady Angel." He bowed before turning towards the bar.

Finally free from him, she rolled her eyes and moved towards the opposite side of the building. She noticed a few doors were opened and walked through them to be met by the silence of the night, with only soft pounding from the music inside. One other was outside on the balcony with her, but she ignored him to close her eyes and enjoy the night.

"If you stay like that for much longer you might fall asleep."

Brennan opened her eyes again and glanced at the man before chuckling. "Sometimes I wonder why I come to these things, when all I really tend to do is come to the peacefulness of the night and just gaze at the stars."

"Agreed."

Brennan took a seat on the bench behind her and watched as he sat down next to her. He was a knight, armor, sword, and all, with only a helmet switched for a silver mask that covered his entire face except for his lower jaw and his eyes. She found herself caught in his dark eyes, the light of the full moon reflecting through them. Their eyes were bound together, unable to break away, until he spoke.

"I enjoy gazing at the stars as well. They are so simple but elegant and absolutely beautiful as well. Just like you."

She smiled softly, noting several differences with this knight and the prince from before. Not once had this man gazed at her body, but instead at her eyes. He seemed to be reading her, knowing exactly what to do to, and currently, she was about to be driven crazy. The feelings she could see stirring in his eyes, were mirrored inside of her as well. This man didn't seem like so many others, but yet she had only known him for quite literally five minutes. Half of her was begging her to kiss him, begging to get rid of some of the need building up in her, but her other half told her she needed to get to know this man. However he made the decision for her as his lips touched hers softly, barely touching. He moved back slightly waiting to see what she would do, and to his relief, she kissed him back softly. Once their lips met a third time, their thoughts fled and passion flamed up between them. Like moths to a flame, they broke away occasionally for a quick breath of air before immediately returning to the warmth. Her hands moved into his hair, weaving through the dark strands. Upon reaching the string of his mask, she pulled it upward and off of his head. One of his hands, too, was tangled into her hair, while the other held her by her back as close as possible to him, not even leaving an inch between them.

"Oh my god, I am so, so sorry," a voice came from the doorway to the balcony, which was easily recognized as Angela's.

The two broke apart and Brennan glared at her friend. Angela gave Brennan a quick thumbs up before returning back inside. Brennan groaned in exasperation, as she turned back to her companion, but she backed away in immediate fear upon gazing at his uncovered face.

"It's you," Brennan whispered softly, yet fearfully.


--One Year Previously--

Brennan got up from the couch when she heard a knocking on the door. She took a quick peak through the eye hole and backed up in horror as she saw a man in a suit that she recognized as Special Agent Seeley Booth. She backed away and ran back silently into her room where her friend Annie was sleeping.

"Annie! Annie! Wake up!"

A second knock came from the door as Annie began to stir.

"The FBI is here," Brennan whispered. "I need you to answer the door and hold him off so I can hide."

The second she said FBI Annie was awake and immediately jumped out of bed. "Hurry!"

Annie hurried to the door as Booth knocked on the door a third time. Brennan went into the kitchen and got into the trapdoor in the pantry that lead to the basement. She could hear Annie and Booth talking upstairs but didn't understand a single word. Brennan knew Annie could handle Booth. She was safe, but her thoughts lingered to the agent. His eyes. His beautiful, chocolate brown eyes. They were something she would never forget.


--Present Day--

"I have to go!" Brennan backed away from him and went back inside.

"Wait!" Booth called as he dashed after her, moving aside people that got in his way.

His chasing after her was completely futile the second she reached the door to the outside. By the time he reached it, she was gone. Only one person really realized what had happened and his eyes burned angrily.

"Dad, I followed Tempe as you asked. The FBI found her again."

Without another word, Russ hung up and followed his sister once more.