Author's Note: First time author, long time lurker. Be gentle!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones or any of these characters. No copyright infringement intended. For entertainment purposes only.

-ooo-

It wasn't until she closed the door to her own apartment that Temperance Brennan allowed herself to fully exhale. Just for a moment she let her head drop. Then, inhaling, she stood up straight and put her bag, her keys, and her coat all in their proper locations. Moving smoothly through her kitchen she measured ingredients for a simple, nutritious, balanced meal, poured herself a glass of wine from the corked bottle in the fridge, and hit play on the stereo, filling the silence.

Less than twenty minutes later, she sat down at the table. Mac and cheese, she thought. I made him mac and cheese once. But in front of her, the plate was filled with brown rice and mixed vegetables. The chair next to her was empty. And the silence was not quite brushed aside by the twisting, gliding melodies of Thelonious Monk.

I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan. I'm a forensic anthropologist. I work at the Jeffersonian Institute. I identify the dead. I am very good at my job. I work best alo… without… I work best when I'm not tied down. I do not need to be tied to another person. I do not need to rely on someone else for my happiness. I have a fulfilling life. All that is important is the work that I do.

Breath in. Breath out.

Slowly, she allowed herself to think through the evening, careful to control her thoughts. I did ok. I passed. I did not stay longer than was appropriate. My role is supportive partner and friend. Hannah is ok with that. She said Seeley… Booth was lucky to have me. I did a good thing suggesting the phone. I did a good thing offering to help Hannah move in.

She realized that she was comfortable with Hannah. The woman was not afraid to speak plainly, which Brennan appreciated. She had taken Brennan's words of warning about moving in with Booth seriously and had replied appropriately. She had taken appropriate steps to involve herself in the circle of friends and did not seem uncomfortable with how close-knit the group was. Briefly, Brennan wondered how much she knew about Booth's past relationships. It had flashed quickly through her mind, earlier that evening as the four women had sat in his living room, waiting for his entry, that they were linked by their relationships with this man, each in her own way. From what Hannah had said in her office, Brennan believed she had an inkling of the depths of the partners' regard for each other, but she didn't believe that Booth had indicated anything to his new girlfriend about her own rejection of his romantic advances. It would not be a male thing to do. Similarly, she would be very surprised if Hannah knew anything about his romantic past with Dr. Saroyan.

She reviewed her earlier decision to defer any direct questions to Booth. Her role was partner and friend. She had decided that. She had turned down his offer of anything more. Her job now was to stand back and let him pick up the pieces and build a new life. A life without her.

The food in front of her was cold, but she quickly swallowed what was left, followed by another glass of wine, her third that night. It was time to go to bed. The wine would help her sleep. And tomorrow she would see Booth again. Tomorrow.