Title: Starts With Goodbye
Fandom: Bones
Summary: We've all got to say goodbye sometime, whether we like it or not…
Rating: K+
Pairings/Characters: General. With small smudges of every pairing. (Non-slash)
Genres: Angst. Major Angst.
A/N: Character Death. Inspired by the song 'Starts With Goodbye' by Carrie Underwood. Thanks to my beta for this fic: The Noble French Fry.
Disclaimer: I just play with them, don't own them.

Starts With Goodbye

The sun shined brightly, the wind gently swayed the leaves around. Temperance Brennan blinked away the tears for what seemed like the millionth time this week. She's hardly gotten any sleep, except those times when she cried herself to sleep. She played the day that part of her world crumbled in her mind over and over again so many times, trying to find something she could've done to keep them here. And she saw everyone pick up a handful of dirt and throw over the casket. She could still barely hear the words the priest was saying as she replayed the day back in her head one more time:

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A week ago…

'Sex: Female.
Age: approximately around 25-30 years old. Cause of death: internal bleeding caused by a blunt object.
3-3 ½ months pregnant.'

The thoughts seemed to echo through Brennan's mind as she focused on a new corpse brought in yesterday, ignoring the world around her. She heard voices in the background, some high heels walking rapidly, but they all seemed out of reach. She heard someone leave, but didn't bother looking up to see who. She was looking at the femurs when she heard screaming. A man's voice yelling for someone to call 911. She looked up seeing Zack, Cam and a few other people running outside. She placed the bones down, quickly removed her gloves, tossing them as she ran after them. She soon saw a crowd of people talking; some whispering that they knew whom it was, saying the name.

Brennan pushed through the crowds after hearing the name. Everything seemed like a blurry haze as she hardly heard people talking anymore, she just wanted to see of it was true. She soon saw Cam, Zack, and Hodgins, and she met their gazes. She looked beyond that and saw the body, its clothes stained with blood, and the puddle of blood surrounding it. They're battered face, they're left leg in an unnatural position.

"No, no, it can't be…" Brennan whispered, the tears forming on her face. Everything was hazy after she saw the paramedics coming towards her…

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Brennan saw people leaving as the casket was still being lowered into the ground. She soon felt hot tears streaming down her face, and a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Zack, his eyes red from crying.

"We were truly cared for," he said knowing that some type of comfort might help Brennan.

"I just wished it didn't have to end the way it did…"

"Are you gonna come Dr. Brennan?"

"No, I'm gonna stay here for a little big longer, I'll meet you at the reception."

With that Zack left. Brennan met Cam's gaze, and she could see that she was trying to think of something to say. She just nodded at Cam and turned her attention elsewhere. She pursed her lips and began walking towards Hodgins. His eyes twinkled as he blinked away more tears that he failed miserably at hiding. They ran down his face one at a time.

"I know this must be hard for you. It's hard for all of us," Brennan said as she stood next to Hodgins.

"It wasn't supposed to end like the way it did." Hodgins fiddled with a small box in his hand, opening it one more time, seeing something that twinkled under the sunlight. He put it back in his pocket and left, a feeling of loneliness washing over him…

Brennan watched him walk away, and then looked at her surroundings again, hoping to find something to distract her mind from what was in front of her…

"Bones?"

Brennan turned her head and saw Booth walking towards her.

"I thought you left already."

"I was about to, but I wanted to make sure you were gonna be okay."

"I don't think I'll ever be okay. Especially with the way it happened."

"You'll be okay, you've just gotta give yourself some time." He said this as he wrapped his arms her and pulled her in close.

"It's never going to be the same," Brennan felt tears coming and let them fall freely; she turned towards Booth, wrapping her arms around him as she cried into his shoulder. He pulled her in closer, and kissed the top of her head, knowing that Brennan was right…

I guess it's gonna have to hurt, I guess I'm gonna have to cry,
And let go of some things I love to get to the other side,
I guess it's gonna break me down, like falling when you're trying to fly,
It's sad but sometimes moving on with the rest of you're life,
Starts With Goodbye

Three weeks later…

Brennan went down the path so familiar to her now, since she'd been here every day. Hodgins, who'd been here almost every day as well, held a small bunch of flowers and something he'd kept with him since the funeral. They soon arrived at the site, now with a carved tombstone along with the grave. Hodgins handed Brennan the flowers and placed them atop the tombstone. Hodgins gently took the small box out of his pocket, opening it, revealing a diamond ring, and placed it beside the flowers. Both he and Brennan stared at the engraving, with that sorrow sweeping over them:

In Loving Memory of
Angela Montenegro.