The leaves had turned, framing the gusty city in various hues of reds and oranges. The cool crisp air held with it the promise of fun and fest ivies. Temperance Brennan liked the way it made her feel, the reprieve from her demons. Demons that seemed to haunt her so much more with every passing day, the demon called moving on.

She could see the look on his face in her mind, every time she closed her eyes it was there. The crumpled look of pain that he gave as he exhaled; it haunted her like a vengeful ghost. She had seen it every night in Mulku, every time she laid her head down, every single moment of darkness. It had been weeks before she could sleep, weeks before she was of any use, hiding it under a careful exterior of indifference and jet lag.

Everyday she promised herself that a year was nothing that she would be standing at the coffee cart waiting, her hair would be perfect, her make up fully intact, there would be silence. The comfortable sort, the way it was with him. The same feeling of peace that she had not felt since that awful night outside the FBI building. She knew that things would be different, the scientist inside her accepted it, even welcomed the evolution of their relationship. Yet at the same time she was so curious why it had hit a stalemate. Why there was no where safe to go. It was a precipice that she had been on the verge of for the longest time. When time came to either leap or fall back she took the safety of the familiar. She made the only choice that she could and she would spend everyday for the rest of her life regretting that.

Of course regret could be overcome, with walks and work and long sleepless nights. When she left eight months ago she was falling apart, the only thing that she could feel was how much she wanted to be there for him, how losing herself in him was no longer an issue, She was already gone. She was drowning then, wanting so badly to take her own words back. Knowing that if she asked he would forgive and forget, and wondering why that was all she could see in the next moment. So she fled, trying to find herself in some remote jungle looking for the literal meaning of life.

She never did find it. And so now she took time everyday to walk, around the square, looking at the changing of the leaves and listening to the thousands of reasons why she made the right choice.

"Bones?" She looked up, feeling that velvet voice surround her. She had made her way back to the one place they would always connect, the damned coffee cart.

"Hello, Booth. I thought you were having lunch with Hannah today." Her voice did not waiver, her eyes were like steel. She let no trace of the major inner battle raging inside her effect the outside. This was all for the best. She could have him in her life always this way, just far enough that she could never hurt him, that she could not cause him any irreparable damage.

"I did, she is just over there talking with a source or someone. I'm not really sure, either way I took the opportunity to get myself an afternoon pick me up. Would you like a cup? "He held the small paper cup toward her; just like he had thousands of times before and for a moment nothing had changed. They would be ok, she sensed that.

"Sure, I can get it though. Thank you." She said as she walked towards the young man serving coffee to the line of men and women in suits and trench coats. Today was chillier than yesterday, a trend that seemed to indicate winter was on the way.

When she turned around there was a beautiful blonde woman looking up at Booth, Her child like eyes were glistening with happiness, her smile radiating warmth. She was the perfect replacement to receive what Brennan was too afraid to accept. The only comfort in that was that Booth was happy to bestow it. He wanted to, he needed to. It was the only way for him to move on, to look forward and see the grass is in fact greener on the other side.

At least over there she could not hurt him, could not destroy the love that she had no right to ask for. The love she did not deserve. He should have it all, the white picket fence, the 2.5 kids, the great American dream.

"Temperance, it's so good to see you." Hannah was like summer sun, always saying the perfect thing, embracing the closeness between Booth and his partner. She was so understanding, seeming to honestly believe that there was place for both her and Brennan in his life. She was never jealous, and always kind. Hannah was the good woman that he needed, she never pushed him, kept him honest, made him look like a small child on Christmas. She was everything Brennan wished she could be.

"Thank you and you as well. I had an acceptable time the other night, thank you for that." Brennan said, putting on her bravest face.

"Thank you again, I was telling Seeley how nice it was for all of you to offer to help me move. That's the sign of a real friend." Hannah smiled even wider taking Booth's hand.

"I don't get that logic, but I'm sure it was meant as a complement, so you are welcome. I, Um, I have to get back to the lab. It was great to see you again." Brennan nodded warmly, smiling at the couple on the square.

"Yeah, I will stop by the lab later. We can wrap up that paperwork." Booth said, pulling Hannah just a little tighter to him.

"I can take care of it. Have an excellent day." Brennan turned then, needing to flee, wanting to escape the pain.