Author: Adgie

No copyright infringement intended. Don't sue me.

A.N. This story is about self harm if this is no good for you back away now. It was just in very long paragraph style but I broke it up hoping it will be easier to read that way. Enjoi.

Of What We Don't Know

He realized now there were probably a lot of things he didn't know about Temperance Brennan. He hadn't expected the copious amount of self inflicted scars between her legs. He hadn't even seen them the night before. Maybe he was too caught up in the throes of passion. It had been their first time. He hadn't even felt the slightly raised skin when he repeatedly ran his hand along her inner thigh. It may have ruined the mood if he had noticed them; he still felt a pang when he thinks of how he hadn't noticed them. Now that he had he couldn't stop staring. Hopefully she wouldn't notice, he didn't want to make her self conscious.

Thinking about it now she had more than enough reason. She had been alone and traumatized. At least he had his grandfather and his brother. Who did she have? Abusive foster parents that locked her in the trunk of a car. He couldn't help but wonder when it had started and the event that triggered it. Maybe it was an event at all just a build up of emotions or an accident that started a pattern. When she moved her legs effectively covering her scars he knew she had noticed his staring. She probably hadn't realized he was awake before now. But now she was looking at him with an unreadable expression seated upon her beautiful face.

She moved to stand up to put on her pants, he assumed. His hand shot out, stopping her, before he could think otherwise. He pulled her back to her previous sitting position on the edge of the bed and moved to stand in front of her. Temperance Brennan never lowered her head, but right now standing in front of her only seeing the top of it, he knew she was ashamed.

Seeley knew the need to acquiesce to something that ultimately you are in control of all too well. He hooked his finger under her chin dropping down to her level as he lifted her face to his, nothing but understanding and acceptance in his eyes. She shut her eyes against his, the tears that had welled up slipping out. He leaned forward catching a tear on his lips then moving to her mouth. It was gentle; to reassure her he was still there. He rested his forehead on hers, eyes closed, and wiped away her tears with his fingers. He opened his eyes and sat back, examining her scars. There were probably a hundred of them. Thin, obviously done with a razor. Some were long, some were short, straight, crooked, deep, and shallow. Some still looked to be healing, suggesting they happened recently. Most over-lapping creating extra scar tissue. How had he not felt them? That didn't matter now.

He leaned forward and pressed a feather light kiss on the longest, deepest one. Temperance gasped and her eyes opened and she looked down at him, Shocked? He didn't know. He saw tears well up in her eyes again and he reached a hand up and caressed her cheek. Looking up at her through his eye lashes he went back to were he was before and pressed another feather light kiss to her scars, trying to give each one attention. He watched her until she closed her eyes on a strangled sob and refused to open them again even after he turned his attentions to her other leg. He felt her moving above him but focused on the task at hand, even when he felt her lean over and hug him as best she could, her head resting on his, her arms on his shoulders. He felt her press a kiss to his head and felt her tears drop and run along his scalp through his hair. He stopped kissing her scars then and just tried to burn the moment into his memory.

It was a beautiful moment. They sat this way for a length of time not capable of being measured in this realm until they both sat up and gazed upon each other. Booth didn't know what to do in this moment, how could you? So he simply said what he was thinking. "You are beautiful, Temperance, inside and out." He wanted to tell her that he loved her, but that could wait for now. "All of you, including your scars." He hoped the emphasis on the word "scars" would register in her brain that new wounds would not be tolerated. But just in case there would be a discussion about it later, but this moment, the smile in her shining eyes that tugged slightly at her lips, this moment was perfect and beautiful.

Well aren't you darling? Thank you for reading. Review if you please, don't if you do not. But I must warn you I get very down in the dumps when you don't. Yes YOU! =)