"This is who you are Temperance. This is who you'll always be. There's no point hoping for more. This is your level deal with it. Stop all this dreaming!"

That was what Mrs Ryan had said to her when she had told her seventh foster parents that she wanted to be a scientist when she was seventeen. And that was what had driven her for years. The thought of being with them for the rest of her life. That was why she was who she was today. After all those years of hard work she had proved them wrong. But along with that she had come to dislike social outings and such. So the last thing she wanted to be doing on a Friday night was getting ready for this benefit with the F.B.I. but her boss had kindly told her she was obliged to attend. Checking herself in the mirror she grabbed her jacket and locked up the apartment, going down stairs to the limo Goodman had sent.

"Uh yet another of these things." Connors sighed and sipped his drink.

"Well it's your last one in D.C. think of it like that!" Booth smiled.

"I know." He sighed. "I cant believe I'm leaving Washington."

"Ken, it's good for you! For you and for Maggie. Nice steady desk job. You have the girls to think of."

"And you have Parker. Maybe you should think about slowing down to." He laughed.

"Nah. I'm homicide for life. No changing me anymore."

"Any news on a new partner?"

"No nothing yet. I'll probably get stuck with some clueless newbie."

"I know how to make this night a bit more interesting." Ken laughed.

"How?"

"You have to ask the next woman that comes in that door to dance."

"Why don't you?"

"My wife's at the bar."

"True."

"So do you agree."

"Is there an age limit?"

"No." Booth looked at his soon to be ex-partner.

"Ok I will." He downed his drink. The two of them looked over at the door. Less then a minute later the door swung open. A tall African-American man walked in. Booth recognised him from somewhere but he couldn't remember where. A woman came in after him. She was tall and slender with long auburn curl flowing down her back. She was wearing a frame hugging navy with sequins across the bust,that caught the light as she turned along with something silver on her neck. He was immediately captured by her.

"Her?" Connors laughed.

"Definitely…" Booth smiled, handed Connors his empty glass and walked across the room.

"Now Dr Brennan try to smile. Show your face and then you can leave."

"Yes Dr Goodman." She said.

"You'll damage your teeth grinding them like that." He put out his arm for her, she took it.

"I know I just cant stand these things."

"Neither can I." they walked down the stairs.

He stopped and watched as she walked down the stairs with him, wondering for a second if they were together. But it didn't matter he had to talk to her.

"I'll get some drinks." Goodman said. "Try not to leave!" she smiled and looked around the room. She didn't recognise anyone except the deputy director she had met in regards to the Jeffersonian working with the F.B.I. Cussens or Cullens or something. Just then someone coughed behind her. She turned and found her self face to face with a tall tanned well built man, with the deepest brown eyes ever.

"Hi." He said. She looked him up and down. "Would you like to dance?" he smiled. Normally she'd refuse point blank. but for some reason there was something about this complete stranger's smiled that made her nod and say

"Ok." He took her hand and led her out to the dance floor. Placing a hand on her waist putting hers on his shoulder they started waltzing.

"Have I seen you at one of these before?" he asked.

"Not at an F.B.I. one it's my first."

"you new to the beauro?"

"You could say that. I'm part of a lab that's working with you."

"Right.

"So you're an agent."

"Yes. Homicide."

"I hate these fancy benefits!" she said.

"So do I but don't tell my boss!" he laughed.

"My boss knows how I feel."

"Is that who you came in with?"

"Yes." He looked down at her. She was looking at his bow-tie.

"I'm Booth." he stopped dancing and she looked up.

"Brennan…" he stared into her startling blue eyes.

"Good to meet you." neither spoke for a second. And neither noticed that they were still just standing in the middle of the floor.

He leaned down towards her. She moved back a fraction of an inch and he stopped. But then she smiled, and he continued. As he captured her lips in his she felt a spark fly through her. For a second it felt amazing. But then reality hit her. She couldn't do this. She couldn't risk throwing away all her hard work for a guy. So she pulled back sharply. She turned and ran. Booth was stunned for a second. Then he took off after her, but she had gone out the door and disappeared. He walked back in with his head hanging, something glinted in the corner of his eye. He bent down and picked up the offending object. A long fragile chain with a silver dolphin on it. Her necklace.

Connors walked over.

"Wow man what happened there! You go to dance with her, kiss her in the middle of everyone then she runs away!"

"Yeah…"

"What did you do?"

"I have no idea."

"So…"

"I'm going to find her!" he said slipping the necklace into his pocket.

"Not tonight you're not. your going to drink with me and say goodbye" Booth smiled.

"Of course I am Kenneth."

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"Booth Cullen wants to see you." Sydney popped her head in his office door.

"Right thanks Syd!" he said smiling up at her. She nodded and left. He started shutting down the tabs he had up on his computer. It had been a month since the benefit, a month since Ken Connors had left. And he was still partner-less. But he had been trying to find that woman every day since. He had pulled all the female profiles from every Lab connected to the Bureau. He had never realised just how common the first name Brennan was, he thanked God all the files had photos attached so he could just look at them, but it was taking a lot longer then it should have since he wasn't the best with computers. He left his office and went down the hall to his bosses.

"You wanted to see me sir?" he said.

"Yes Booth we've decide that since you still have no partner you are going to be the new liaison with the Jeffersonian."

"What? Me work with squints?!" Booth said.

"Yes. We've acquired a new connection with the forensic anthropologist there and I want you to work with her."

"Her?" he smiled.

"Don't get to excited. She's not known for her interpersonal skills."

"Right."

"Well I want you over there to introduce your self Booth." he said and Booth took that as his dismissal.

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"They're sending over some agent for me to work with, will you bring him in when he arrives?" Brennan sighed.

"No hassle Sweetie. I bet you he'll be hot!" Angela laughed.

"I don't care Ange he'll just be a hindrance."

"Just give him a chance Bren." She smiled.

"He's just going to treat me like a scientist."

"That's what you are Bren"

"I know but I could be an excellent asset out in the field."

"Yes Bren." Angela smiled and Brennan left the office. Ten minutes later there was a knock on the door.

"Hello?"

"Yeah come on in." Booth walked into the room. The artist smiled at him.

"Hi I'm Agent Booth. Are you the forensic anthropologist, I cant read the writing on my file."

"Oh no that's Bren. I'm Angela… Montenegro." She grinned standing up 'he is hot' " Come on I'll take you to her." She led him out and across the lab.

"So what's this doctors name?" he asked.

"Dr Temperance Brennan." he stopped.

"Brennan!" Angela turned to him.

"Yes do you know her?" he smiled. Had he found her?

"No… no I don't." he shook his head.

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"Bren your agents here!" Angela laughed.

"He's not my…" she looked up at him. "You!"

"You…" Booth repeated.

"You do know her!" Angela said.

"Ange will you give us a minute?" she nodded and looked from to the other, then left.

"You." Booth repeated.

"You're the liaison?"

"I cant believe I found you!"

"Found me?" she stood up.

"Yes… I've been looking for you since that night."

"Why you don't even know me!" she said he looked at her. She was even more beautiful then he remembered.

"I… I don't know."

"Well… We should forget that that ever happened. we've colleagues now!" she said he looked at her eyes, and he could see just how serious she was.

"Right well then let's just start again. I'm special Agent Seeley Booth." he thought he felt his heart break a little.

"Dr Temperance Brennan." she nodded.

"Right well I'll be in touch when I have a case that needs your consultation." He said. "Right thank you." She turned thinking he was leaving, he looked at her for a second and placed a small blue box on her desk then left.

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"So Bren who was that?" Angela smiled coming back into the office.

"That was the guy from the benefit." Brennan said biting her lip. Of all people to be sent to work with her it had to be him.

"You mean the guy you… oh! This is great!"

"No it's not it's awful. We've decided to pretend it never happened."

"Sweetie if you connected with this guy like you told me you did there is no way you'll be able to forget about it!"

"Ange…" she stopped when she saw the box on her table. She picked it up and opened it.

"What's that?"

"It's my necklace… the one I lost."

"Your mothers one?"

"Yes."

"The one you lost at the benefit?"

"Yes."

"Who…"

"He kept it…" she smiled at the small dolphin. She could tell theirs was going to be an interesting relationship……..