I don't own Bones or its characters etc. (even though it would be pretty cool).

Well, this is my second fan fiction and I decided to try something different and do it in first person and present tense, enjoy!

"So, how's it going with Hannah?" I ask Booth as we drink our morning coffee, the aroma fills the café and the smell is quite pleasing.

Booth smiles, "Yeah, I mean things are going great. Yesterday we went to the funfair and Parker had such a great time, I'm really happy things are working out between us."

Booth reaches underneath the table and pulls out a picture from his tattered satchel. He holds it in front of him and smiles at the people in the photograph.

"See?" He shows me the picture of him and Parker, and Hannah in the background. I can't help but feel a strange pain in my chest when I see how much they look like the perfect family. Booth points to his girlfriend, "Hannah looks really pretty there."

I pull the picture closer so I can see and scrutinize over her bone structure.

"Well," I say. "I find that her nasal bridge appears enlarged and her eyes are too close together to be attractive in this picture."

I go back to sipping my coffee but Booth looks offended.

"What's wrong?" I ask him. Booth seems to get upset quite easily escpecially over his religion and Hannah.

"Bones!" Booth turns to looks at me and I wipe away the remains of my drink from the corners of my mouth. "You can't just say stuff like that. You really should choose your words more carefully, it's like when we went to see Father White and you told him his religion was just superstition."

I frown at Booth's small outburst. I have my beliefs and he has his, however I prefer to believe in things that are real based on hard scientific facts. Booth… Booth is different, he has a talent that I could only hope to possess. He has a gut instinct that knows whether or not people are being wholly truthful, I personally think that the gut is only useful for digestion.

I put my coffee cup back down on its plate, "Well it's the truth! Look, right here. If she had nasal surgery to correct the bridge and maybe the tip then she would most definitely be more physically attractive. And how is it any different from you claiming that the Big Bang didn't happen?"

"Physical attraction and science aren't everything, Bones. I love Hannah and her 'imperfections' just make her more real."

"I don't believe in love. The build-up of chemicals and hormones in our brains deceive us into thinking we are in love when really all that's happening is a mere chemical reaction. We origionally evolved and used love as you call it,to help us breed to carry on the production and existence of our species." I watch as the light reflects off Booth's features. The symmetry of his face is quite pleasing to the eye.

Booth scoffs, "Yeah, real romantic there Bones."

Booth stares at I should feel uncomfortable but there is something about the way he looks deep into my eyes that I find quite comforting.

"You know, you will find someone Bones. Who loves you, and you will learn to love them back. Then you'll know what I mean." Booth says softly, rubbing his thumb on the inside of my palm.

I pull away and put my hands on my smartly dressed thighs underneath the table.

"In my past experience with family, men and you, love doesn't last. Anyway, romance is frivolous and I prefer being alone." I lie to Booth and to myself. I like being alone but I always think that perhaps a great conversationalist and an attractive partner would better me as a person.

Booth smiles at me and there is an expression on his face that I cannot read. He says, "I'll always love you, as a friend and a partner but I can't take back what happened between us. You know, all we can do is move on and never look back."

"I find I don't understand what you're saying, Booth," Tears collect in my eyes but I am careful to ignore their will to stream down my face because of Booth's ability to read people. I already upset him in the car on the way home after he saved my life by saying I didn't want any regrets, meaning I fully realised how much I loved him. I knew I was too late and shouldn't have mentioned anything. It seems it only made Booth feel bad about disappointing me.

Booth sighs and looks out of the window of the Founding Fathers, "What I mean is, I loved you then and I love you now but those are two different kinds of love. I've found someone else and she's good to me, so you have to find someone who can love you as much as you deserve."

I smile at Booth fully, I am lucky to have him as a friend, but when he mentions how happy he is with Hannah, the pain in my chest grows stronger and more acute.

Booth and I's phones ring simultaneously and we answer them at precisely the same time. Booth would call it a coincidence but there are no such things as coincidences. Booth shuts his phone first and says, "Come on Bones, we've got a case. That'll take your mind off of things."

I laugh and pick up my bag, following Booth out of the door and into the busy streets masked by the evening sun.