A/N: I was inspired by Kellie Pickler's "I Wonder" but this is NOT a songfic. I just thought the song fit Brennan.
Disclaimer: Psh, do I look like I have the money to own this show? (the answer is no)
"Mommy! Look at me!" Caitlin Booth yelled from her swing set, Temperance Brennan-Booth looked up from her computer and smiled. Booth was standing behind Caitlin pushing her on the swing. Motherhood had been a surprise for Temperance, she hadn't expected she would love it and she definitely hadn't expected to be good at it. Looking at Caitlin smiling, she wouldn't want to do anything else. She closed her eyes and allowed her mind to wander.
Sixteen year old Temperance Brennan sat on the bed in her third foster home in as many months, she pulled off her shoe and took a pen, writing the name Smith on the bottom of it and crossed out Jameson, that was written above it. She laid back on her bed and bit her lip, angry tears were threatening to fall. Prom was in two weeks and she had been asked to go by the very cute choir boy. She was mad that her mother wasn't going to be there when she was getting ready for prom. It had taken all the money Temperance had to buy a dress at the local Goodwill. A tear slid down her face. She was mad that the police hadn't found any leads on her parent's case. It was just simply unfair.
She wasn't in foster care because her parent's had been unable to take care of her, it just looked to be that they had, had enough and left. Then Russ leaves her, the one person who had always understood her, he always took the time to make sure that she was noticed, then days after their parents disappear, he leaves her as well. THIS SUCKED.
She pulled out her school books and emersed herself in her AP Biology homework, science, that was something she understood. She understood concrete facts, the facts never changed, people changed, people left. Facts, written word, lasted forever, it was an unchanging variable. School and books were something she could count on when everyone else in this world seemed to fail her.
"Bones, you alright?" Booth asked as he plopped down next to Temperance on the porch. Temperance looked up and smiled, "I'm fine Booth." She looked out in the yard, Parker was chasing Caitlin with a worm,
"MOMMY!" Caitlin yelled and jumped into Temperance's arms. Temperance wrapped her arms around Caitlin, "Parker was gonna get my with an icky worm." She said and jutted out her lower lip.
"Oh he was, was he? I guess Daddy will just have to get him." Temperance said and the auburn haired pair turned to look at Booth. Booth laughed and got up from his seat and went to chase Parker.
"Mama, love you." Caitlin muttered as she cuddled into her mother's chest, as Temperance stroked her daughter's hair she let another memory wash over her.
Temperance Brennan was packing up her car and leaving her Grandfather's house in South Carolina for Chicago. She was to begin classes at Northwestern University in three days. She was excited to emerse herself in a school so academically oriented. She planned on studying forensic anthropology, she wanted to find answers, she wanted to find her parents. Her Grandfather had brought her to live with him a year prior, Temperance had been grateful to have a stable place to lay her head at night, but was angery that no one had found her parents and they hadn't come home. Russ had landed himself in jail and Temperance hadn't talked to him since he had used his one phone call to reach her. She was an orphan. She had no family. No one other then herself. She had learned that the only person she could count on, could trust was herself.
Temperance slammed the trunk of the car, hugged her grandfather and headed off to Illinois. Maybe someday she'd find her parents, or atleast find some peace of mind.
Temperance smiled as Cailtin played with her hair. She had found her peace, she had found the love of her life, a man who took her for exactly what she was. She had the greatest kids in the world, Parker, her step-son had changed her whole point of view on children and Caitlin, Caitlin had changed her world.
She knew her mother was gone, she had her brother and her father back. The important thing though, she was not going to let her daughter ever utter the phrase, "I wonder"