"I'm an adult, Seeley! I don't know if you're doing it just because I'm blond or so, but I'm tired of being so coddled by you!" Hanna shrieked, and slapped angrily at the hand he had naturally extended to aid her, as she heavily struggled to heave her belongings through the door into the hallway being able to use only one hand, for she still leaned on crutches with the other, due to the issues with her knee. She had gotten released from the hospital only four days earlier. It wasn't that Seeley hadn't showed off his unnatural need to save everyone earlier on in their relationship. She just had hoped to be able to show him in time that she really could take care of herself without aid, too. Unfortunately the shot and ending up in hospital hadn't been for the better. Seeley's behavior had gotten even more suffocating if possible. She, being someone who was rather independent, just couldn't deal with it all anymore. She wanted to be free, and not feel suffocated. Sometimes in life and relationships, you had to see reason as well.

"What's amiss, Booth?" Temperance questioned, watching how he continually rapped his fingers on the dashboard on the way to the scene of crime – something he usually only did when annoyed or angry. He usually did this when something was the matter that he wasn't really keen on sharing; when he was bottling something up inside. Temperance being no fan of psychology in any way, was intelligent enough to see that keeping something bottled up couldn't be good.

"Hanna's left me," Booth said, and huffed, pushing in the gas as the red jumped to green, and finally he could resume the drive.

"Slow down! You're being dangerous!" Temperance shrieked.

Booth momentarily eyed her sideways with annoyance, but did slow down. "She said that I don't give her enough credit, and that I becoddle her too much. Other women would be happy to be becoddled that way. I have done my best to be the ideal guy, but…"

"Well, I wouldn't," Temperance interrupted. "I wouldn't really like anyone to becoddle me. I kind of like my independence."

"Yeah, Bones, but you have showed on more than just one occasion that you really can take care of yourself."

"Maybe Hanna just wanted to be given the chance to show the same, but you didn't give her that. Maybe she never wanted the ideal guy, but just…you."

Their eyes momentarily connected, then Seeley's turned to the road ahead again. No word was being said the rest of the ride anymore.

After some convincing from both Temperance, and Sweets' side as soon he had heard about Booth and Hanna's break-up, Booth finally had given in to accept Temperance's invitation for dinner at hers to relax him somewhat. Sweets' continuous talking had annoyed Booth even more than had been the case that morning. It hadn't made him kinder toward Temperance either, for she had been the one who had pseudo accidentally slipped the news to everyone that had been at the lab that morning, after Ange, who had been walking about with a pot of chocolate ice cream due to her new hormonal cravings, had noticed Booth's bad mood, and asked her discretely why. Temperance, as often, hadn't gotten the discretion bit.

"Are you trying to call her again?" Temperance asked, setting the pot of macaroni down in the middle of the table. Booth didn't reply; he just shut his phone, and stuffed it into the pocket of his blazer, that hung over the chair he occupied. He had tried to contact her multiple times unsuccessfully, even though she had told him never to call her again, for he would never see or hear her anymore. He should have given her the space she had wanted, and needed, but which he hadn't really given. She would go and live again; feel alive… which she only felt when free, and travelling.

Temperance sat down across from him, and watched him carefully as suddenly he appeared to stiffen, then immediately reached for his phone again. He then shot upright, and walked into the little living room. Temperance intuitively followed him with her eyes, curiously. She couldn't do anything but listen along as Booth seemingly unsuccessfully tried to call her to reason, multiple times uttering her name, and then, "Hanna. I love you! I don't love her the way I love you! Come on, you cannot do this…"

At that, Hanna appeared to have ended the phone call, for Booth sighed loud, running one hand backward through his hair, and pushing the buttons necessary to dial her number with the other. He sighed when she didn't accept his phone call, and stuffed his phone in his chest pocket, then returned to the table, sitting down in his seat rather heavily.

"Hanna?" Temperance rhetorically asked. Booth huffed, then reached for the glass of wine he had filled himself earlier, and downed it entirely at once. He then reached for his fork, and pulled some hot macaroni on it, pushing it into his mouth, and swallowing it. Temperance just hadn't had time to tell him that it still was rather hot to eat. He reached for the bottle of wine, coming to conclude the same, and gulped some cold liquid after the burning hot food, then set it down again.

Temperance eyed him worriedly. "I'm sorry. What… did she say?" She began.

"Something about me not giving her the space she requires, and then some crap about how you usually look at me, and me back at you."

Temperance frowned, and silence fell between both of them, until she suddenly uttered, "But… That's not true. It doesn't make any sense at all. It… I mean… You have passed on with your life. You're over me, aren't you?"

"Yeah! I actually told her the same, but she seemingly doesn't get that you don't love me either way."

"Of course I do!" Temperance interrupted, seemingly offended.

Another silence fell then, after which Booth suddenly uttered. "Wh-What?"

"Of course I love you," Temperance repeated. "I have saved your life. You have saved mine in return often enough. It would be odd if we didn't really care for each other, but that doesn't have to mean that… You're over me!" She exclaimed.

At that, Booth's fork clattered down onto the table. "No, Bones. I'm not. She's right. Do you really believe that what I felt… feel for you could be over like that?"

Temperance swallowed. "Booth, I…"

"You did, didn't you?" He said, then suddenly righted himself. "It'll never be over, Bones," he said. "For one reason or another. I just… know. However, it doesn't do to continue pondering about the reasons why I'm not good enough for you," he said, releasing all the stress, the kept in heartache, as he angrily seized his blazer off the chair.

"I never said that!" Temperance said, getting upright as well. "I just… You were… are good enough. I just am not the sort of person meant to live happily ever after. You are, and I could never give you what you need, and are worthy of." At that, Temperance heavily panted with the effort it had taken to share her deepest feelings with him just in that one breath.

Booth suddenly was just a few inches away anymore, taking hold of her wrists. Both just eyed the other in tears, momentarily motionless, until Booth suddenly leaned in to slam their lips together in a rather fierce embrace of tongues, and pinned Temperance up against her own wall between dining and living room. Unlike last, she didn't move away, and when air became a necessity, she just broke down. The weight upon her heart had been lifted, even though she felt more worries coming over her at that realization, and settling into her mind. She had said too much, even though not knowing where it would lead them. Upon capturing his chocolate brown eyes with her soulful blue ones, she knew that all would be alright, and as long as Booth was by her side, she didn't actually care.