Disclaimer- I don't own Booth or Bones, or the FBI.

I was inspired one night when talking to my best friend, who just got home from Iraq. We were watching the show, and we just started talking about something like this. I might continue it, something like expanding the memories, or maybe a plot twist here or there. I was thinking about bringing Brennan into the next chapter. Please, if you enjoyed it or even shed a tear, give me your feedback. I would love to hear ideas about this story. I will share the credit. Anyways, I changed things around. There is no Rebecca, but there is Parker. I gave Booth a family, a reason why he had joined the FBI, and some ties. Just my playground, but…I think it works. Booth is so great with Parker, I think it could be more, yanno

Pittsburgh, Winter 1988

Anden McKay was just sixteen years old when she met her life's mate. It was winter of nineteen eighty eight, and Pittsburgh was colder than a witch's teat. The snow was piled high up in the parking lots, the sidewalks, the lawns and especially the roads, and so that forced people into the bar she worked full time in. Bussing tables, serving drinks and brushing drunken hands from places where they didn't belong kept the pixie-like redhead busy. Her parent's bar was off the beaten track for Pittsburgh commuters, but kept busy enough. It served food, and her immigrant parents called it a pub and her family had been publicans for centuries on. As it was, American's called it a bar but her parents were stubborn in the fact that they would name it McKay's Pub. Course, McKay's pub was a replica of the original which held a prominent position on the only paved street in Ayr Scotland, down to the tatted lace curtains which Anden's mother had tatted herself. The atmosphere was relaxed, playful even; full of families and laughter and music. To Anden, there was no where she would rather be.

This night however, was different because he was there. Anden's big round eyes got impossibly bigger as she stared out from behind the bar. HE was here. Seeley Booth, THAT guy. The IT guy at their high school had just walked in and plopped himself into a chair. She had no idea why he would come here, to her place of all places. They had talked once or twice, but she had her own friends, friends which never talked to his friends unless they were being bothered. Her mother bounced her way by with a handful of mugs, each filled to the top with foamy amber beer. Caralien nudged her daughter, trying to push her out from behind the bar.

"Get on then Anden, the tables aren't just going to serve themselves!" Caralien urged her daughter before moving on again. Anden reluctantly moved, grabbing the notepad from her apron and pulling the pen from out of her bun. She moved with ease, ducking in and out of the crowd until she stood before Seeley. Passing him a menu, she looked down at him and held her notepad.

"Something to drink, Seeley?" She said, just barely loud enough to be heard over the crowd.

Seeley started, staring at the tiny girl in front of him. She wore a skirt that brushed her knees, a white extremely low cut shirt with a bodice that pushed her ample breasts up, and boots. Her curly red hair was up in a messy bun, a few curls escaping to caress her cheekbones and down to her chin, framing the sweet little heart shaped face. Big doe eyes stared at him, and as he stared, her head slowly tilted. And her voice lifted again, a sweet little lilt that made him think of leprechauns and kilts.

"I asked ya if you're ready for something to drink Seeley." Anden only reminded him, and he jumped again, cloudy recognition filling his brown eyes. He straightened.

"Hey, you're… Andrea. You go to my school." Seeley started off. He sat back in his chair and smiled a winning smile, one that attempted to cover the pout he had come in with.

"Anden, and yeah, I go to school with you." Anden raised an eyebrow at him and then turned slightly, waving off another customer.

"Oh yeah, Anden. So I'll take a beer." Seeley began to look through the menu, looking back up as she laughed.

"Well Seeley, seein' as you're no older than I, I'll have to decline and get ya a soda." Anden jotted it down on her pad and started off.

"Anden, I said I wanted a beer. Come on Anden, can't you bend the rules for me just a little?" Seeley stood and grabbed Anden by the arm. Anden lifted her head a little, shaking it.

"No, not even for Mr. Popularity. Sorry ducks, but you're stuck on soft drinks at my pub." Anden shook her arm away, surprising Seeley with how easily she shook him off. Anden scooted off, passing other tables and taking other orders as she made her way through the crowded restaurant. Seeley sat then.

"Looks like pixie has some muscles." He said as he watched the crowded pub. Especially the Anden girl who intrigued him. Girls were always falling all over him, and he was quite lucky with them. Normally his charm would have gotten him more than a beer. He decided he would try again when she was back. It only took another moment for Anden to come swinging back through the crowd, depositing the drink at his elbow. He looked up at her.

"So Anden, what time do you get off?" Seeley stood and loomed over her, ducking his head in until his face was inches from hers. His hand came up and stroked along her arm, teasing her inner elbow gently. Anden once more lifted a brow, thinking he was mad as a hatter. She didn't pull away though, and lifted her face up to his, looking through her lashes at him.

"Far past your bedtime, my love." She purred up at him and spun away, wading back into the crowd as if she controlled it. Seeley stood shocked as if someone had touched a live wire to him, stunned that that little slip of a girl had just called him a child. Tossing money down onto the table, he turned and stormed out of the bar.

Anden noticed exactly when he left, pouting like a petulant child. Her mother sidled up as Anden built a frou frou drink for a customer, leaning against the bar and staring at her only daughter.

"Now you looked so cozy to that lad, why'd he storm out?" Caralien grinned to Anden, a full grin splitting her lips. Anden's mother was just as pretty as she, full of life and young looking. Just as short, a little curvier, and a lot more flirtatious than her daughter had yet to be, Caralien was happily married to Loren, the man who was just now coming from the kitchen with a heavy tray. Her father was tall, over six feet with curly blue black hair than came past his shoulders. Anden's attention turned from her father over to her mother once more, and released the lip that was clasped between her teeth.

"That Seeley would flirt with the dog if she came close enough Mam." Anden grinned over to her mother before popping an umbrella into the drink and taking it along to the customer.

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The next day at school came, and when Anden opened her locker she found a vase of red roses there. A note was attached, and as she read it, she couldn't help but laugh. Seeley had simply wrote, 'To extending my bedtime.' Anden lifted the roses and took them across the hallway to where Seeley lounged against another bank of lockers.

"Come to thank me, Anden?" Seeley asked cockily. Anden merely grinned and pushed the roses into his hands.

"I don't like roses Seeley, they're so unoriginal. But I do appreciate the gesture." And with that she swung off to class, leaving Seeley staring open mouthed after her.

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After school, Anden slipped into her tennis shoes and began the four mile run to the pub. Jogging along steadily, she had zoned out when a red camaro pulled up in front of her. Snapping out of her haze, she tried to slow herself, but she slid on a patch of ice and slammed into the side of the camaro. The door opened, and the driver got out, moving behind her and gripping her elbow to help her up. She looked up, still stunned from her crash.

"Jesus Anden, wouldja watch where you're going? I've been calling your name for five minutes now!" Seeley growled as he deposited her on her feet. Patting the snow from her pants and jacket, he looked her over. She hadn't pulled away yet, but she didn't quite look all there.

"I'm alright, I'm supposing. Nothing hurts terribly." Anden flushed as she turned to get out of his way.

"I can give you a ride if you want." Seeley offered. Anden tried to think of something to say to put him off further, but couldn't so she just nodded, allowing him to usher her over to the passenger seat, opening the door for her, closing it when she was in. He raced around to the driver's seat and pulled back into traffic, driving along.

"I'm going to the pub." She merely said.

"So why didn't you want the roses?" Seeley asked a moment later. He looked at her as he drove, watching her fidgeting with the straps on the backpack.

"I don't know why you're showing interest in me, Seeley." Anden admitted honestly. She lifted a hand and pointed across him to the entrance to the pub. "Ya can drop me off there if you want." She directed. He nodded and pulled in.

"You're a little bit different from other girls. I know I've got a bit of a rep, but I just…. Everyone needs a friend, Anden." Seeley too admitted. He figured it Anden could let down her guard, show him just a little bit of what was behind her mask, he could show her a bit behind his as well. Anden nodded, a sweet little smile crossing her face. She offered her hand to him as soon as he stopped in the parking lot, and he took it.

"Then we're friends, Seeley." Anden said. Tugging her hand away, she grabbed for the roses in the backseat and scampered along to disappear inside the bar, leaving Seeley blinking in her wake. That girl could move, he thought to himself.

Once inside, Anden tossed her book bag onto the stairs leading up to the family apartments, then strolled into the kitchen, depositing the roses on the worktable where her father and her brother were chopping vegetables for some dish. She reached out and snagged on a carrot, munching on it as her father and her brother stared at the roses, then each other, then finally at her.

"So you've got another admirer." Loren put down his knife and regarded his youngest, his only daughter.

"Another stalker? Glory Anden, can't you stop your flirting?" demanded Liam, her eighteen year old brother. His hair was black, and almost the splitting image of their father. He only looked at her for another moment before going back to chopping vegetables.

"Nay, it's just a friend."Anden silently added 'I hope' before scooping up her flowers and moving on her way. She danced along to the rhythm her two middle brothers were playing on their drums in the musician's pit. She waved to the twins Jeremiah and Jonathan, who nodded back without breaking their rhythm, then set her roses on the bar in front of her mother, who was folding paper napkins into the metal dispensers. A few customers were scattered about, and her brother Tom was waiting on them. He was the eldest at twenty six, and he would never let his siblings forget it. He was tall like their father, with curly red hair tied into a ponytail at the base of his neck. Whenever possible, he wore a big leather cowboy hat, he swore it was an Australian shepherder's hat, but Anden usually sniggered at him behind his back. Anden leaned against the bar for a moment, helping her mother stuff the dispensers before she nodded towards upstairs.

"I'm going to go change, alright Mam?" Anden tilted her head, and at her mothers nod she ducked back into the kitchen and towards the stairs. Taking the stairs two at a time, she raced upstairs to change into the wench's bodice and skirt which was kind of her uniform here. She took extra time with her hair, leaving it down and only putting the front bit back, like a half ponytail. Curls cascaded around her face, once more framing her pretty features. She brushed on gold and green eye shadow, the colors bringing out the emerald of her eyes and turning it slightly smoky. She painted her mouth a tawny red, then looked at the time. She was almost late for work. She looked back at herself in the mirror, then winked at herself. Once more she slipped the mask back on, ready to flirt and ready to tempt. She turned and made her way back downstairs, back out to the pub.

Once out, she worked for a few hours and then sat back to her brothers playing. They only worked a few nights a week at the pub, just for spending money to get them by through college. They were brilliant musicians however, and Anden truly loved to listen to them. They finished the song they were playing, and Jeremiah lifted his head to look at her.

"Come, sing with us." He instructed, holding his hand out to her. Anden began to refuse. The pub had definitely begun to pick up; nearly all the tables were full now. She looked to her father who was manning the bar, and he merely nudged her out of the way with his hip.

"Go and sing girl. Lord knows, those boys need all the help they can get." Loren drawled without looking up. Anden hugged her father then hopped over the bar, landing on a stool on the other side. She slid off and went up to the small stage, whispering with her brothers. Picking up the microphone, listening to the music as it began to pick up. Miah had lifted his violin up, and Jon had picked up a wooden flute. The bittersweet strains of the old song filled the suddenly quiet bar, and after a moment, Anden's voice lifted. Sweet, and yet her voice tugged the heartstrings as she sang about selling all of her possessions to buy her love a sword, only to have the lover die.

And that's where Seeley found her as he came into the pub. She was singing her heart out, one second strong and full, and the next her voice sliding down to seem as if full of tears. Seeley looked around to see more than one set of eyes full of tears as she ended her song, and even he, who had missed most of the song, had to blink tears from his own eyes. His hands lifted to join in the applause as she put the microphone away, and the men began to play quietly once more. More than one person called for an encore, but she merely waved and promised for later. Seeley grinned as she came towards him, sweeping her hands as if ushering him to a table.

"And what brings ya here again, Seeley?" She asked as she showed him to a table. He sat and smiled up to her.

"Got hungry. Isn't that usually what brings a man to a pub?" He teased her.

"Oh aye, there's that. There's also thirst, a yen to hear some good music, or just to see people." She ticked off on her fingers. Anden reached across him to grab a menu which ran her cleavage into his face. His eyes goggled out as he smelled her. She smelled wonderfully spicy, like danger and fun, and yet something…incredibly arousing. He shifted both his body and his gaze about, ducking behind the menu as soon as it was offered.

"Another soda for my love?" She asked. Of course, she had only used the term as in just luv, like mate, but to Seeley, his eyes goggled out. She didn't know what she was doing. Hell, Seeley didn't know what she was doing.

"So when do you get off?" Seeley asked, pointing out his choices to her. She nodded and jotted it down.

"Past your bedtime ducks." Anden answered once more and again disappeared through the crowd.

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It took another week before Anden agreed to see a movie with Seeley. A year down the road found Seeley and Anden dating as seniors in high school. Seeley was once again the quarterback, and Anden was still working at the pub. Seeley had taken the time to look at Anden, really look at her. His girl was brilliant. Then again, he wouldn't have a dumb girl again, would he? The first time he had gone into her bedroom, he was a bit shocked. Anden lived in the attic loft, most of the room covered with dress dolls and two large desks. Bolts of fabric covered one desk, spilling out to form piles around the room, while the other was covered with pieces of material being cut out. Old books were propped against the wall in the corner of the desk, and it seemed she was copying these dresses from the ancient books. Her bed was under a south facing window, but he could barely see it through the layers of filmy fabric hanging from the ceiling and around her bed. Anden shyly turned to Seeley and hitched a shoulder.

"What can I say, I'm a nerd." She shrugged and scuffed the toes of one boot against the wooden floor.

"I've known that for a while. But Jeez Andy, this place is so fricken awesome!" Seeley rushed to the window, looking out, then dashed to the bed to peer inside. Her bed was covered with a velvet comforter, plush and warm looking, while her sheets were golden satin. He blinked at his girlfriend, mouth hanging open. "So awesome." He repeated as he dove onto the bed.

"Seel, I want to go to college to be an anthropologist. I think I would like… bodies and stuff." Anden shrugged as she slid onto the other side of the bed, laying on her back and cupping her hands behind her head.

"Yeah? You're really good at anatomy and stuff." Seeley nodded as he lay next to her, stretching out identically to her, his own hands cupped behind his head. They stared at the fabric swathed ceiling as if it were a cloudy sky. Anden rolled to her stomach and crawled until her face hovered over his. Leaning down, she kissed him softly, then propped herself up on his elbow, studying him for a moment.

"Four months till graduation, Seeley." Anden said quietly, almost grimly. She paused for a moment, stealing another kiss from him before continuing on. "What happens with us then?" Anden wanted to know. Seeley's brow creased, as if he had never considered the possibility that some day they would separate.

"You and I got accepted to a bunch of colleges together, pretty Andy. We'll just pick one together, and that'll be that." Seeley decided. He leaned up and bit at Anden's bottom lip, tugging on it before flopping back to her bed.

"And what are you to be studying then, Seeley my dear?" Anden asked a bit. Seeley had lost all of his prospective scholarships when he wrenched his knee at the third game of this year, and had to leave the football team. He was back to full health, but unfortunately the chance had passed.

"You." Seeley grinned and rolled onto Anden, peppering her face in kisses.

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PRESENT DAY

Thirty five year old Anden Booth shut her old journal carefully, blinking away the memories that haunted her. Setting aside the journal, she listened carefully to hear if that really was the front door she had heard, or if the house was quiet. She listened for a few minutes, but the sound didn't repeat itself. Anden had just been hearing things. Anden rolled over in the bed and reached out to where Seeley had slept, imagining for just a moment that she could still feel the warmth from him. As she moved, she saw the picture they had taken on graduation day. Her eyes filled with tears as another memory hit her square in the face.

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Pittsburgh, May 1990

Seeley stared at himself in the mirror on the morning of graduation. His birthday had been a mere week before, making him newly eighteen. He was a man now, a man who was deciding a very important part of his life today. He looked down at the box in his hand, flipping it open and staring at the ring inside. The stone was small, but he had worked and sweated along Anden in honest labor for it. He hadn't asked his grandparents for the money like he had for most everything else he owned. He had worked for the engagement ring. Snapping the ring box closed, he tucked it into his pocket and tightened his tie up. Looking at the clock, he saw it was nearly noon. Time to go get Anden. He grabbed his hat and graduation robe and strode downstairs, telling his mother goodbye and driving to the pub. He went up the back stairs to the family apartments, letting himself in. Anden stood on a chair while Caralien was assisting Anden in pinning up the gown she had created for her graduation. The dress was deep green satin, a scoop neck that curved around her arms in the illusion of sleeves, hugged her breasts and lid down her curves to fall to the floor. The right side was slit nearly to her hip on the right, and just above the knee parted and fell away. When Anden stepped down from the stool, Seeley's mouth fell open as he discovered the slit to her hip. And then Anden turned, and he found the back simply wasn't there. The dress scooped down to nestle at the small of her back.

"So I'm assuming you like the dress?" Anden grinned at Seeley over her shoulder. Seeley swallowed hard, bringing moisture to his suddenly dry mouth, shifting where his suit pants suddenly became very, very tight.

"I'm beginning to think you're trying to off me in some way, Anden." Seeley croaked. Caralien came by and patted his shoulder, gave him a hug.

"Now take care of my baby." Caralien lifted a fist to tap Seeley on the jaw. "Or I'll be lettin' ya feel my fist for real lad." She grinned and went out the door towards the stairs. Seeley gulped once more, feeling as skittish as a colt. He looked to Anden, then dropped to one knee, tugging out the ring box. Snapping it open, he proffered it to her.

Anden looked down, tilting her head as Seeley dropped to his knee. She was terribly curious, as the pub didn't get many proposals, and she didn't think one kneed proposals happened anywhere but movies.

"What are you doing Seeley?" She asked, stepping forward to him. She took the ring box he pushed towards her.

"Anden, I wanted to ask you to be my wife." Seeley stated seriously. Anden thought for a few seconds.

"I would love to say yes, Seeley. In fact, if you give me a moment, I will say yes." She said as she tugged him up, squirmed his arms around her and nestled into his arms. Leaning her chin on his chest, she thought for a moment. "This is a big step, Seel. We're not even in college yet. Jobs are… well we've always got a job, but… It's a bit thing lover." Anden bit her bottom lip for a moment. "Love isn't all we need… But love makes a lot of things better, so I'd be happy to have you for a husband." She grinned and leaned up to kiss him. She was extremely lucky Seeley had been patient. Opening the ring box once more, she slid the ring onto her finger.

"Well I'm glad you made up your mind" Seeley said dryly before pulling back.

That night they had made Parker, Anden recalled, in the bed in Atlantic City where Seeley had taken her out. He had a fake ID to gamble, and as she recalled, he was quite good at it. To Seeley's dismay, they weren't able to get married that night, as Anden was just a little ways away from being eighteen. But Anden also recalled when she had turned eighteen; Seeley had taken them back to that same city to be married away from all the fuss her parents and his mother were making.

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Washington DC, Present Day once more.

Anden couldn't sleep any longer. Pushing up, she stood and pulled herself into her bathrobe, tying the belt as she padded out into the hallway. She trailed her hand along the edges of picture frames. Biting her lip to keep from crying as she stroked her fingers along the edge of one picture. Seeley in his Army uniform. Seeley was twenty one when he had enlisted into the army. He hadn't even asked her, just came home one day and looked her square in the face, told her he had joined the army and was heading into boot camp next week. She didn't exactly react well. Seeley's face had held the imprint of her palm for nearly the whole day. Parker hadn't been that happy with him either, refusing to even look at his father. Even at two, the little punk had been intense, Anden remembered. So Seeley had gone off to war with his family being barely civil to him. Anden smiled and moved to the next picture. Seeley was triumphantly displaying their second child, little Lieney. His chin was lifted, his eyes narrowed, and the overall effect was something that had Anden grinning once more. She called it the 'Look what I did' look. Seeley was in his dress uniform, his hat tilted back on his head. A framed letter was next. Seeley had written the letter to Parker and Anden, apologizing for joining up without talking to either of them. It had been a humbling experience for him, to admit that he was no longer by himself. He had to remind himself of this often though.

Anden moved along again. Seeley had framed his FBI acceptance letter. Anden sighed, this time letting the tears fall.

"This was supposed to be the safe assignment Seeley." She whispered. Swallowing the lump in her throat that the tears brought, she moved to the stairs and went down to the first floor. Everything reminded her of Seeley, everywhere through their home was a memory, but that's all that she had anymore. Memories of Seeley, memories of her life, memories of her husband and raising her children. She paused by another picture of Seeley and pressed her finger to her lip, and then to the picture.

"I still love you, Seeley Booth. Wait for me, will ya?"