Authors Note: Hi! This is my first Bones Fic, constructive criticism is welcome! This follows the general storyline of Bones, but Parker is younger, he is only about 8 years old in this fic, please enjoy and don't forget to review.

Temperance Brennan was angry, at none other than Seeley Booth. It was impossible they had a daughter, a life together and yet he had stopped their engagement cold.

He was the one who wanted this… She tried to stop her tears, they hadn't been a family in three months whenever she called he would rarely answer, Christine missed her father and she missed what they have, or used to have seemed more accurate.

Booth barely spoke to her; he was sleeping on the couch disappearing for hours on end. She was beginning to see why fraternization between colleagues was discouraged. After all, it was almost impossible to remain objective, to perform her work with him stood there with the rejected proposal breathing down their necks.

At least this week was better than the last she vainly hoped, he wasn't happy for her.

Not anymore.

The smile plastered over his face was for Rebecca and Parker who were moving back to DC, she couldn't help but feel bitterness towards the blonde. They had Seeley's undying attention he was picking them up from the airport and going tsee them whenever they asked.

She had heard him laughing down the phone with them, yet her and Christine- it seemed as though the love was leaving as though it was never meant to be. For so long she loved him but she was beginning to see just how deep the cracks ran.

There were fundamental differences between them, differences that could not be reconciled by the words 'I love you'.

It was heart breaking she never thought that it would be like this, from the moment he smiled after she had told him about being pregnant she had thought they had finally found their moment. The moment they would catch fire and become something so extraordinary together- but now she theorised some people were just never meant to have that moment, some people weren't destined to be together and all of her cynicism, all of her unbelief had been spot on.

There were no star-crossed lovers, love was an illusion, a coping mechanism, a series of neurotransmitters firing, nothing more and nothing less.

Blinking hard she once again tried to stop the well of tears, but it was useless Booth had made her believe in something bigger than science, bigger than empiricism and it seemed fitting that he would be the one to bring her back to reality.

Coming down the stairs she paused in the hallway of the house she had built with him, she wouldn't leave. Temperance doubted that she could ever walk away, silently she eavesdropped on the phone call Booth was currently having.

~Booth POV~

Seeley knew better than to call Pelant's bluff, he was ruthless, he had murdered a series of people and he couldn't risk anyone else being hurt. It was who he was, he protected the things he loved, he was doing his best to be a good man in a storm.

But he knew how hard it was, and looking at her, so broken was enough to almost break his resolve, almost enough to get him to tell the truth, so he ran. He hid from every tough conversation and from every phone call, it wasn't making anything any better for him but it was saving innocent people's lives.

That he could stand to suffer for, and as hard as it was right now he knew it would get better. It had to, all he hoped was that Bones would give him the chance to make things right. Booth was doing everything to keep busy, to avoid a confrontation he pulled all his effort into talking to Rebecca into planning Parker's birthday and their homecoming after all they were his family too and he didn't want Parker to feel as though he didn't matter. He was his son.

His child, and Rebecca was the first girl he had loved, he hadn't done right by her. That much he knew, back when she first got pregnant he gambled hard, everything they had went onto his latest debt, or game whatever he had worked up that week and she was scared.

He had scared her and so when she rejected his proposal, when she had been hard on him and not let him see Parker he knew why, he got better and so did she at trusting him with their son.

Booth had made a myriad of mistakes and he owed them all, both of his families more. But his hands were tied as of late concerning Pelant and Temperance so he decided to make it up to Rebecca, she was a wonderful mother and he had been hard on her so he was doing his best to help.

They were friends, they were connected and right now she made him feel like a better man. The kind of person who didn't run away, who stood up and fought for what was right so he clung to that feeling and inadvertently clung to his ex in the process.

"Rebecca, you've got everything right?" he asked lightly, knowing how much she hated to be second guessed.

"I told you Seeley, it's all here, Parker is unpacking his room and we'll meet you for lunch. I can handle moving house"

"I know that, I just wanted to make sure"

"I get it, you're micro-managing me via the phone and instead of in person. I appreciate it I do but I really need to get off the phone if I hope to get anything done today"

"I can always help you out after lunch? And it's not micro- whatever it's helping"

"Call it what you like Seeley, and don't you have anything better to do?"

"I'll see you in an hour, drive-" he cut himself off knowing that a simple 'drive safe' was more than likely and insult to her independence.

"We'll see you there" "Love you dad!"

Booth smiled hearing his son's voice, he had missed them both a lot more than he had realised. Things between himself and Rebecca where markedly better now, she was not saint when it came down to it and neither was he.

Booth sighed remembering the arguments they'd had over her move it was only for the year but he had hated the idea with a passion. But slowly like many times he had come to accept that it was what was best.

"I love you too, I'll see you soon"

He ended the call and walked into the kitchen, everything was complicated and he could barely stand to look at his daughter in her high chair knowing that every second he was lying to Bones.

It was too protect her and the lives of other people but that didn't take the pain away. Head down he poured them both some juice running a hand over her short hair.

He'd make this right before it was too late.

He had to.

~Temperance POV~

She had listened to the conversation with vague interest only picking up on the final words uttered 'I love you'.

Had she honestly been that misguided, had he been with Rebecca this whole time?

Her heart felt as though it was about to rip out of her chest, she hadn't heard what Rebecca had said, Booth wasn't that kind of man. She internally cried out, he also wasn't the type to reject proposals, maybe he was only staying for Christine maybe he had never loved her maybe he had but that seemed to be over now.

Rushing up the stairs she pulled on jeans, at-shirt and some shoes. Hearing the door open and closed she followed him outside, getting into her car and following the SUV into the Capitol.

Listening to her baby girl gurgle happily in the car, Temperance couldn't believe how much had changed; she never thought she'd be doing this.

Seeley was honourable and loyal yet she didn't trust him. Everything she knew was changing and all she could feel was pain and anger, How could he do this to her? How could Rebecca be a part of this affair knowing about Christine?

Was this the reason why he had refused because he held out hope that maybe he and Rebecca could…. The thoughts made her hands tighten on the wheel could Parker's mother be that vindictive? Could Booth honestly care that little about her and their child?

Pulling up to the reflecting pool she could see Parker and Rebecca sat on the steps, the blonde was smiling, of course she was after all she had everything she wanted.

Temperance watched as Seeley walked up towards them Parker running down a few steps to meet his father in a hug. She didn't harbour any ill feelings towards him, he didn't know what was happening, how could he?

She watched as Rebecca embraced her Booth, as Booths hands softly held her waist their faces inches apart, smiles adorning both of them. It was true, it was now perfectly clear, was it not? She and Booth were over and the only reason he stayed was for their daughter.

Temperance felt her blood boil, she refused to let Rebecca have him, she was more than ready to hurt her.

To force her to be in the same pain in which she was, she had never been a vengeful person but looking at her child, looking at the tatters of her relationship she wanted nothing more than for Rebecca Stinson to be in undeniable pain.

~Rebecca POV~

Rebecca had just about managed to get them out of the house in time to meet Seeley, she was grateful that he was making the effort, it had been hard for Parker, he had missed his father and she too had doubted the decision to go to England more than once.

They had fun, sure the move was work related but that did not stop her from enjoying time with her little boy. But Seeley was important not only to her son, he was the type of person who cared that you were okay, he was a great friend and she couldn't think of any person in the world she'd rather father her son.

Parker had insisted on bringing a football saying that they could play after lunch, she had no heart to say no. He hadn't been himself lately he got angry and questioned why Christine got to have Booth all the time when he didn't. Which had ended up being the catalyst for their return, her son meant more to her than any promotion, she wasn't a monster- she wasn't trying to keep Parker from his father circumstances changed and so did plans.

In the past she had kept Seeley from their son, not as leverage, not as a plea to keep hurting Seeley-Well at least that is what she tried to tell herself.

Rebecca loved him or at least a part of her did they were linked by a child and nothing could sever that but it had been more to do with her insecurity. The idea that Parker wanted Booth more, that he would rather be with his father the idea seemed almost laughable now.

But that didn't stop it from feeling any less real then, she had made a mistake, she had hurt Seeley and Parker and she would probably never forgive herself for being that selfish, for not compromising and most days she regretted not saying yes. He had changed for the better and so had she but back then it seemed like a bad idea.

Hindsight was always 20/20.

Seeing him again for the first time in a good few months was great, he looked as he always did. Although slightly tired and worn he still held that same smile on his face as he held their son.

As Seeley opened his arms to her she hugged him tightly, smiling at his gentle lips pressing to her cheek. Her heart fluttered at the display of affection and she followed suit.

Unaware of Temperance Brennan's presence.

Authors Note: This will probably be a three shot! Please let me know if you want it to continue! Review pretty please!