Don't Be a Hero

by 8belles

Bones gave him advice before he left for Afghanistan. He didn't listen to it. (set in the year after B&B part.)

" Don't Be A Hero"

Beige comes in so many shades. There is the warmer sandy beige, and the paler sun baked beige, but in the end it was still beige. Even his camo pattern and the color of the vehicles was beige. The only counter point to the monotony of heat mirages, the mind numbing beige of the land were the poppies.

He could see patches of riotous colors scattered about in the far hills which he was getting closer to and ultimately into the Hindu Kush mountains, where he was supposed to train this small, elite group of Army Ranger snipers. Don't be a hero… don't be yourself. The whisper of her voice was in the parched wind as they whipped down the dusty, tedious beige road every bump and jostle translating directly into his body in the choppy humvee. Aren't you getting too old to play soldier?, the road seemed to be reminding him sorely.

The fresh faces the new guys were solemn as he observed them behind his dark shades. They had lost the exuberance of new recruits as the desert sun had slowly hardened their soft metal into hard steel. This was not their first foray into the field and many had physical scars and probably deeper ones under their skin. Seeley sucked in a breath, looked out the tiny bullet proof glass window and remembered her hand in his; the energy of their love flowing between them in that touch like lightening.

That is when the IED blew up.

Booth remembered very little after that. Later, when he got stateside, he would speak of deafening noise and the screams of the men as their HUMVEE was catapulted through the air, flipping several times. He likened it to being tumbled inside a giant washing machine where bodies, gear and the vehicle were in some perverted spin cycle.

Darkness came to him after a tire jack, which had come loose, thwacked him hard enough that even his helmet couldn't protect him.

The odor of acrid smoke woke him as it curled its sharp smell upward into his nostrils. Seeley suddenly became alert and remembered the mission, spasming like an criminal in an electrocution chair . Pain arced across his head like a javelin though his skull. Booth immediately stopped trying to move as he attempted to piece his brain back together. Think soldier, he calmed himself and taking inventory of his body.

There was not enough light to see accurately so left his eyes closed, which also helped his headache. He felt no blood trickling out of himself, and all his limbs were attached so he thought that was good. The bad was he could felt cord binding his ankles and wrists, tightly and painfully. His arms were behind him, Booth realized, and he was laying on his left side. Seeley's ribs ached terribly like a deep bruise or ,at worst, broken ribs lay under skin. The rest of him just felt old and battered.

The smell of dust, farm animals and smoke were heavy in his nose and when he did crack an eye, he was looking at a packed dirt floor and the mud spackled wall of a building in the gloom.

Where am I?, he pondered now realizing he was alive and relatively unhurt. He heard a shuffle of feet on the floor and froze. The light came up in the room as he could hear behind him someone making a noise like the fanning of flames. Crackles and pops of wood and burning manure became louder as the light increased. Now he could see better as he continued to listen as well.

Seeley found himself in a rural Afghan home, simple and austere, but clean looking. There were no windows on this wall he faced but I could see some dim sunlight making its way down from the smoke hole in the roof of the building and illuminating the upper part of the wall. It must be dawn or dusk, he reasoned, how long have I been unconscious? Outside he could hear herdsmen yelling at their flocks and the bleating of cashmere goats and the lowing of a few cattle. His mind tried to pull up a map of his route and to guess how far away they were from the road. No use soldier, he scolded himself. They probably moved you far away from the area of attack by now. In frustration he made a quiet Hmph! sound and the person behind him jumped. Seeley froze, cursing mentally at his stupidity.

The footsteps approached and Seeley tensed. He could feel old sweat prickling his scalp and the dust floor cool against his cheek. This could be the beginning of a beating. Tempe crossed his mind like a phantom.

A girl's face, more accurately her eyes, appeared in his field of view. Booth stared in surprise and the girl looked away quickly. He kicked himself again for being so culturally stupid, now he was sure to get a beating. She didn't leave however, but stood carefully far enough away so that he could not touch her and she raised her eyes to his again.

He, more respectfully, met hers and noticed they looked just like Bone's eyes, a swirling, ever changing blue.

Seeley tried to gauge her mood, looking for crinkle lines at the corner of her eyes for a smile, or her eyebrows for a frown but he could discern nothing because of her veil. She looked at him calmly, almost serene and surprised him again, " American soldier, are you well?", she said with an exotically inflected voice. Her elocution was formal, and he wondered where she learned to speak English in what he considered a rural outpost.

Booth struggled to find his tongue because he suddenly discovered his throat was very dry, " Yes. Thirsty.", was all he could choke out.

" I will return.", she replied curtly and left. Seeley wanted to yell out to stop and tell him where he was but she was gone, her black robes flowing about her like dark water.

Booth rested for a moment, his head still spinning. He felt the cords around his wrists chafing the skin and wondered if his squad was in this village too. The sickening voice of experience told him probably not. Seeley closed his eyes in a quiet moment of respect with a glimmer of hope.

Footsteps came back into the room behind him. There were two sets of feet this time but they still stayed out of reach of Booth. A quiet exchange in Pashto went on quickly then he heard the girls voice, " American soldier, I have brought you water."

Booth was suddenly very grateful. "Tashakkur", he attempted in Pashto. A derisive snort was to be heard from the girls' company.

Rough hands grabbed his shoulders and lifted him upright into a sitting position. Pain in his chest shred itself across his consciousness and he tried not to cry out but a thin hiss escaped him. When he opened his scrunched eyes and relaxed his gritted teeth, Seeley faced the wall with the girl and a middle aged man, who wore a deep scowl across his suntanned face.

" Here is your water. If you move, my uncle Farrin, will kill you.", the girl said neutrally and produced a bucket and ladle. Booth looked at her for any expression but nodded in understanding and then opened his mouth to receive the cool refreshing liquid.

Once she had given Booth his fill, he nodded in thanks to both of them. The man's expression did not change but Seeley did get the feeling that Farrin didn't hate him, but found him more of an annoyance.

Farrin said something in Pashto to the girl and she translated, " My uncle says that you will remain here until we think it necessary to release you."

" What of my convoy?", Seeley said with concern rich in his voice, now that it was hydrated. The girl blinked as if in surprise at how worried he was about his men instead of himself. Even Farrin softened his expression slightly, weather he understood what was said or not.

She looked at Seeley, her eyes troubled, then at her uncle. It was almost imperceptible the emotion that crinkled at the corner of her eyes. Farrin nodded at her to speak, " All other men were found dead of injuries." Booth's heart sank into the pit of his stomach as he rested his chin on his chest. Of all the people to survive, he was the one. Don't be a hero, don't be yourself, the ghost voice of Brennan echoed.

Farrin spoke at length to the girl with many gestures and pointing at Booth. Seeley barely listened, not because he didn't understand Pashto, but because his heart was carving the names of the soldiers into his mind. More parents to bear bad news to, he still hung his head, ignoring the pain of his ribs and the loss of circulation in his hands behind him.

He eventually realized that someone was speaking to him, " American soldier?", the young woman asked trying to get his attention.

" Booth, my name is Seeley Booth.", he said dully as the loss still etching his soul, like the score marks Tempe would document on bones.

" Seeley Booth,", his name sounded foreign as she pronounced it, " I am allowed to stay with you by will of my uncle, so that if you need attention I can provide it."

Seeley raised his eyes to meet hers, while Farrin looked on, and wondered what kind of Afghans these were. Women were never allowed to be with another man, unsupervised. His soldier senses perked up some, " Why is your Uncle being so nice?" Seeley tried to hide the edge in his tone.

The young woman looked down at him from behind the veil, " Because he is a wise man."

" Please tell him my thanks.", Seeley looked at Farrin and inclined his head, " And can you untie my hands?"

The girl relayed the request, and Farrin's expression didn't alter much. He barked some gruff response and strode out of the tent. " He said he will under one condition.", she informed and moved to the other side of the room, still behind Seeley.

Booth thought for a moment how many questions he'd like to ask her and her potential willingness to reply, " Do you have a name?"

There was silence for a while and Booth was wondering if she had heard him, or if she was still there because she moved so quietly but then came a response, " Uzuri"

More questions popped up in his mind but he decided to take the circuitous route, " Pleased to meet you. What else did your uncle say about me?"

Again, there was a pause but he could hear Uzuri adjusting her robes as if she was uncomfortable, " He said you must have a good heart because your concern was with your fellow soldiers, not yourself."

Seeley smirked ruefully and was glad she could not see his face because Sweets many proclamations of his 'character' surged forward in his memory. What a hero archetype he was, how he was such a protective person; the list went on. Don't be a hero, don't be yourself, the murmur returned.

" Maybe it's a curse.", he whispered to himself and was glad Uzuri did not ask what he said.

Farrin returned three other men, two carried a heavy block of concrete where a chain erupted from the center that split into four smaller chains, each with a shackle at the end. Farrin barked at the three others where to put the block and to fasten the shackles to Seeley's wrists and ankles before cutting the coarse twine that held him bound.

With a few quick snips, Booth felt blood surge into his hands and feet sending throbbing heat and pain. He rubbed his wrists carefully and rotated his shoulders as best he could because he could only separate his hands by about a foot. His feet were similarly close so that if he stood, he could only shuffle.

Farrin supervised the transfer and then checked each shackle personally, leaning down close to Booths face. Seeley said nothing but followed his movements coolly with his deep brown eyes. " You… you not normal American.", Farrin said in halting English," I see… I see your heart. It sad. I help you… not American government."

Seeley wondered what help he was alluding to being that he was still shackled. Farrin straightened and looked at Uzuri. More conversation in Pashto mostly from him to her but Uzuri interjected a few times. Then it was just him and her, alone.

Seeley was still sitting and leg cramps began to manifest themselves. Deliberately and carefully he decided to stand as the rattle of his chains chimed out his movements. He didn't want to scare Uzuri and he didn't know how well his legs would hold him either. Using the block he was attached to, he heaved himself to one knee, while all his muscles complained bitterly. Uzuri watched, impassively now that Seeley could pivot to face her. Her hands were hidden under her robes like she was some ephemeral ghost in black.

Booth now straightened his back and tried to stretch upward but his ribs popped and grated, a very unnatural movement. Seeley retracted into a crouch, growling in pain. Broken ribs, he knew it. Well there goes any hope of marathoning this year, he thought sarcastically. Uzuri did not move or make a sound. He raised his face to hers, " I think this is where I sit down again." He tried a half hearted charm smile. Uzuri remained motionless and enigmatic behind her veil.

Booth eased himself back down but in a more comfortable sitting position taking notice of his breathing in case he shifted any broken ribs. No leaking fluids, he assured himself sounding like Marlin from " Finding Nemo". Suddenly his thoughts flew to Parker when they would watch that movie. Homesickness, more specifically love for his son clouded his brain.

When the heartache passed, he assessed his surroundings better since it was apparent Uzuri was not going to be conversational for now. He could tell now that the time was morning and she had been starting the morning fire because the light overhead through the smoke hole in the ceiling was now moving higher in the sky. The room he was in looked more like a storage area with old wood crates piled up, barrels, sacks of wool neatly arranged around the perimeter. The floor was entirely packed dirt and he was secured far out of reach of anything useful to him. Next to Uzuri was a thin basket, a few bowls and a tea pot. She still sat, facing him, her Temperance- blue eyes regarding him neutrally.

" What day is it?", he asked her gently.

" It is two days after your road accident.", Uzuri replied and he found the words 'road accident' ironic. " Do you Ameri- uh, Seeley Booth, want some break—fast?", her mouth had difficulty with 'breakfast'.

Suddenly Seeley's belly let out a protesting growl loud enough for her to hear. Booth smile mutely, and he thought he could see a crinkle at the corner of Uzuri's eye, as if she smiled too. She carefully warmed some flat bread by the fire and produced a series of smaller bowls of dates and other dried fruits and two tea cups. The tea pot was set to the fire for heating.

Uzuri did this all in silence and Booth felt the silence almost deafening. He ventured a conversational question, " If you don't mind, how old are you?"

She didn't reply right away again until steam began puffing from the tea pot. Only after she had measured out leaves and poured scalding water into the chipped tea cups did she answer, " I have lived about 25 years." Seeley was surprised because of her stature, she seemed younger.

" You have a husband?", he probed farther wondering how much she'd tell him.

" I did.", she replied curtly, her eyes flashing angrily for a moment to his and then she turned on him, " Do you have a wife?"

Booth didn't expect the apparently dispassionate Uzuri to display that much emotion with what little he knew of Afghan custom. He noticed that she was grilling him with her eyes, waiting for a reply. He cleared his throat which was suddenly tight, " Umm… no. I have a son though."

She took this in with a long appraising look. Seeley suddenly felt like she was his mother and not approving of his life choices.

Feeling the heat come up in his face, almost ashamedly, he averted his eyes and ground with his heel the floor. With the feeling that he may not see Bones ever again he almost blurted out at Uzuri, " There is a woman I love very much. We work… worked together for many years and I have loved her almost from the moment I met her. She's so smart, clever, and has a strong sense of justice." He looked up from the floor to Uzuri's sapphire gaze, which has softened appreciably and she was sitting comfortably suddenly interested.

It was Booths' turn to blaze emotion through his expression as he delved into the complicated story that was he and Temperance. Uzuri soaked up every word. " And then we separated. She went to Indonesia, and I am here.", he finished but his ribs ached with talking, his eyes were verging on wet, and he felt as if he just had the greatest confessional ever.

Uzuri was not speechless for once after listening to the entire tale, " It is obvious what you must do, Seeley Booth."

Seeley regarded her wondering what wisdom this young, unusually independent, bi-lingual Afghan woman would give him.

" You must return to your son and raise him.", Uzuri proclaimed with authority. Seeley blinked at her, not quite believing his ears. He clearly expected what he could consider a "typical" feminine response, which he actually wanted to hear, to hunt Temperance down with all his powers and to show her how to love him.

"Excuse me?", he managed to say after sipping some tea to clear his stunned thoughts.

" Yes, your son needs you.", she returned looking at him with all the certainty in the world.

"Why do you say that?", Booth queried taking a bite of some dried dates. His shackles clinked softly.

" He is all that is real to you and who love you unconditionally. Your… Bones. She is no good. She sees with her eyes only and misses the true nature of the world. She is blind to so much.", Uzuri seemed again like a voice from behind a curtain with only her eyes betraying any emotions that may be on her face.

" No, she is nothing like that!", Booth became suddenly irritated and the food in his mouth tasted like cardboard.

" No, you listen to me, Seeley Booth.", her eyes were sharp but not unkind, " When choices are few and life is short, we must look for the joy wherever and whenever it happens."

Seeley's gaze smoldered for a moment as he chewed his food but as he really thought about it, this poor woman, who was so young, was already a widow. Even before the Americans showed up, life was no welcome mat for her and so she was right to seek out the small pleasures and true feelings in life. A faint memory tickled his mind of his own childhood, where he would get away from the pain of his family and later in the Army, how the guys would do anything to avoid the reality of their situation.

Was Bones blind to the blessings in her life? Would she ever wake up to them?, he wondered now in his mind. He continued to chew as if that would make his brain function better to make sense of all that was going on.

They continued to eat, but now in silence, Uzuri acting almost if he was not there at all. The only disturbance was the quiet clucking of chickens outside, the small laughter of a few children and the intermittent braying of a donkey.

Seeley let his mind wander some to how he was going to get home. Was the Army looking for him? Did they presume he was MIA? Or POW? What was he, anyway? A pseudo-civilian/soldier doing training, but newly found in combat again, he thought more and more until the barking of angry male voices came from a distance to the building he was in.

Uzuri's eyes shot up, wide in horror, as she quickly leaped to her feet, dowsing the fire with a kick of sand. She shoved the dishes, tea pot and food under a piece of burlap, apparently not concerned if things broke or spilled. She looked around wildly for something and Seeley was trying to understand her panic. The voices sounded no different than earlier when her uncle, Farrin, came in to see Seeley.

" Seeley Booth, for the love of Allah, get down!", she hissed at him loudly from under her face veil, as she grabbed a bundle of loosely woven cloth and threw it over him. Booth crouched down closely to the hunk of concrete, which his chains were attached to. There were a few pots and boxes near his tethering block, but not much.

" What is the deal?", he said after he hunkered down under the blanket and vaguely felt like he was playing 'fort' as a child.

" Taliban!", she hissed again and nervously smoothed her robes, glancing around to see if everything was placed back as normal as it could look, " Sit still, and say nothing!" Booth's adrenaline surged when he heard that word and he knew it would be life or death for him and Uzuri if he was discovered. Booth felt helpless, and he despised the sensation. " Don't be a hero.", Brennan's voice floated through his head again. Seeley welcomed it as a reassuring memory.

Protests could be heard as the Taliban searched building to building, men complaining loudly, some women crying out loud and the sounds of livestock scattering made Booth feel trapped even more, as if he were waiting for the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse to arrive. He noticed he could see through the loosely woven cloth fairly well, which did not inspire confidence that the Taliban couldn't also see him except his fatigues he wore were that same uninspiring beige. Well, if today is my day, I will go down fighting, Seeley resolved, although chained and wounded he was not sure how that was going to happen.

Booth didn't look at Uzuri, but he sensed she was trying to act as casual as possible to arouse no suspicion. She was on the farther side of the room pretending to sort boxes and supplies. There was a deadly silence then Farrin was shoved through the door roughly, the door practically exploding by the force. He hit the ground hard and Seeley could see he gritted his teeth in pain, but said nothing. Uzuri whirled, her skirts pirouetting around her ankles as she faced the intruders. She bent quickly to aide her uncle, glaring upward at the four representatives of the Taliban.

Seeley held his breath both in rage and excitement. He wanted so badly to jump up and defend himself but his soldier's reality reigned him and reminded him he was chained and unarmed. There was an exchange between Farrin and the Taliban and by body language he could gauge that Farrin was denying having an American soldier in his household.

The Taliban pushed forward, the men encircling Farrin and Uzuri on the floor. Uzuri's eyes blazed fiercely but she never looked toward Seeley. She spat some angry words towards the men and the one closest her back handed her across the mouth. Booth nearly jumped out of his skin to defend her but held still, biding his time. She recovered her posture gingerly touching her cheek under the veil but Seeley never saw tears. Booth admired her tenacity greatly.

Farrin glanced at the lump which was Seeley, and Booth could read his expression of soldier to soldier- something must be done now because there was no way the Taliban were going to let anyone live. Farrin stood, picking Uzuri up with him and as they clung to each other looking very much the part of frail uncle and caregiver niece. He softened his eyes and sighed as if resigned to revealing a great burden. Saying a few words he encouraged the men to come closer to Seeley's position.

Booth tensed, feeling his broken ribs on his left side bow unnaturally and he prayed any swings he took would go to the right. Farrin had backed two of the Taliban within a foot of Seeley and he gripped his loose chain in his right hand as tightly as he could preparing for a swing.

Uzuri shouted something, which distracted the soldiers long enough that Booth partially stood up dropping the blanket, whipping his loose chain like a nunchuck at their knees. The man closest dropped howling as the chain nearly broke his kneecaps and the second was tripped by the first man going down. Farrin attacked the man closest to him and Uzuri scurried out of the way looking for a weapon to use.

The last man went to run but Booth produced a small knife from the inside of his boot that the villagers had missed, expertly throwing it at the back of the soldiers' head. Seeley had not lost his knack, and a flash of a circus memory floated by with Bones on a target. But this was not the time to reminisce as the two men at his feet were now trying to aim their guns at him.

Booth kicked out at one, making the rifle fly upwards, spraying the ceiling with bullets. Mud brick, mortar and dust rained down on all of them and a large crack began to form over Farrin and the soldier he was grappling with. Uzuri was smacking the Taliban with an iron skillet and it looked like he was about to check out of consciousness.

Dust swirled around Booth as the sunlight poured in over all of them from the new skylight temporarily blinding him as he coughed, making his ribs hurt more. A fist came flying out of the dust into his face knocking him back as he tangled in his ankle shackles. The iron taste of blood filled his mouth as the arms, face and rest of the attacker lunged through the ceiling fall out. Booth reached upward to meet his enemy and tried to use his leg to force the man off of him. The chain that tripped Booth caught his leg short so only his knee met the chest of the Taliban but it was enough as they locked arms to shove him directly on top of the concrete block . A dull crack was heard as the Taliban landed spine down on top of the irregular shaped block. The man screamed as he flailed around, paralyzed from the break.

His friend lunged upward past his now paraplegic friend to finish what was started, producing a large serrated knife. Aiming for Seeley's throat, the Taliban uttered a battle cry and thrust. Seeley deflected the knife with a martial-arts like move with the back of his wrist and threw a punch towards his attackers face. The man stumbled side ways with the blow, but recovered the knife for another arcing attack.

Booth was still held tight by the chains around his ankles and could not backpedal for defense. The knife came and all he could do was catch the man's wrists mid-air and struggle as the point of the blade tried to split his skull. The Taliban had the advantage of his full weight pressing down on Seeley from above and Booth could feel his muscles pressing on his broken ribs shooting pains across his torso, almost sucking his breath away.

The roof above, weakened from the bullet blast, began to crack ominously. Farrin and Uzuri had dispatched their assailant and turned towards the sound of the ceiling starting to collapse. " Seeley Booth! Watch out!", Uzuri screamed but it was too late. A massive portion of the roof caved in on top of both Booth and the Taliban soldier. A cloud of dust and mud obscured the two men beneath the rubble as Uzuri called out again for Booth.

Farrin coughed and began to dig, calling out in Pashto for help. A few villagers straggled in to see what the commotion was about but mostly just to ogle the scene, still afraid of the Taliban who could still be lurking about. Brick by brick, chunk by chunk, Farrin and Uzuri dug with the help of a few others.

" Seeley? Seeley?", Uzuri called out from time to time, hoping for a reply, but why she cared she didn't understand quite, except on a basic human level.

Finally, a hand was visible, in a dull beige camouflage sleeve. " Seeley Booth!", Uzuri cried out and began to concentrate on the rubble around the arm. Shortly she found his head and turned his face skyward.

"Bones?", a whisper of a question as Seeley's eyes fluttered in the bright light. A trail of blood leaked its way from the corner of his mouth and scrapes about his face oozed scarlet.

" Hold on.", Uzuri replied and kept digging.

The scene was not optimistic for Booth as she soon discovered. The Taliban soldier had been crushed by a large piece of rubble, which shielded Seeley from the worst blow, but the knife's final trajectory had cut him badly partially across his chest and down his left side. The shackles and chains surrounded him like an octopus anchoring him to the bottom of the ocean.

Thinking quickly, Farrin produced the keys to unlock the shackles and he and Uzuri conversed quickly. A family friend who was helping dig through the rubble was ordered to so something and quickly ran off. Two other men helped pick Booth up and deposit him outside the building, in case the roof further collapsed. A large red slash was visible through his camouflage jacket, just like the poppies make the unremarkable beige plains sparkle with color.

Most of the villagers still hung about, never seeing an American so up and close before. The children tilted their heads and pointed, giggling while the adults looked more weary and uninspired. Uzuri asked for another man to come help and a child ran off to get them. When they returned, the man was the village doctor. He had looked Seeley over when the town had originally pulled him from the wreckage that was their HUMVEE. The sun had worn lines into his face but also the sadness and melancholy brought on by years of war in his homeland. He looked at Uzuri and said in Pashto," Why do you want me for him now? Hasn't he done enough?"

" Please, help him. As an act of mercy, help.", Uzuri replied, her eyes filled with concern.

" An act of mercy would be to let him die. Mercy for our people.", the physician responded bitterly.

" He is one man, not the ridiculous policy of a government.", Uzuri said quickly, her grey blue eyes growing flinty.

The doctor sighed, Uzuri had always been a fiery girl, and she would not stop hounding him until he helped her. Casting his eyes skyward, he muttered a prayer of questioning to the heavens and then looked at her, " I will help him only because despite all the evils in the world, he is a part of the greatness of Allah. That is the only reason, not because you cajoled me."

" Thank you brother.", Uzuri replied and her smile was hidden behind her face veil.

With the extremely limited supplies he had at hand, he set to work. The women were all cleared away, even Uzuri, because for all her forwardness, it was unseemly for a woman to see a man half naked, unless it was her husband. She looked back over her shoulder as an aunt guided her away wondering what would become of him.

Farrin had a few other men helping him to remove the corpses of the other Taliban. No doubt that when these men did not return, there would be a retaliation. The bodies were quickly buried with a very cursory Muslim ceremony, even if Farrin didn't believe they should take part in the joys of Heaven for all the pain they caused his country. The family relative said that his errand was complete and to expect company soon. Farrin thanked him and prayed that the help would arrive before the Taliban did.

Uzuri went back to her uncle's house and tended small chores, waiting. She had heard they moved Seeley to her brother's house, but she would not be able to see him yet. In her mind, she knew they had crossed so many traditional lines by taking him in; religious custom, political ideology and more.

Her memory recalled the day they found the smoking HUMVEE after the IED exploded. She was bringing the mid day meal to her younger brother, who was moving some small herds of goats to the watering hole. The smell of burning flesh, the stinging smoke all seared themselves into her brain. Uzuri had never been so close to fresh death and the blood appalled her. Until she heard that agonized voice, " Temperance… Parker. ".

She and her younger brother approached with caution because you never know who may shoot you in a war zone, or if there were other landmines around. Finding no other threats, she looked down on Seeley, who was now unconscious, a contusion where the tire iron had struck him. Peering down at him, she saw he looked so sad, the corners of his mouth were pulled downward and there was a furrow between his brows as if some eternal worry was plaguing him, even when he was asleep. Her curiosity was aroused and so she sent her brother running home to get help.

The Afghans buried the American soldiers in rocky cairns at the HUMVEE site. The mood towards the United States was not one of rejoicing but they did not despise them either. They were just people trying to get by like everyone else in the world. Uzuri watched as the bodies were laid out and each rock placed carefully, in respect of another human being.

Her memories were cut short by a deep, trembling roar that she had heard before. The United States Army were coming.

Farrin walked out towards the American commanders vehicle on the edge of his village, his hands clearly up and empty. In the distance, Apache helicopters hovered like wasps but the deep rumble of their turbo props echoed in his ears. Goats wandered by with a few chickens who were being harassed by a dog. He was acutely aware that every rifle was pointed with laser like precision on his chest. The officer exited his HUMVEE and approached with two soldier escorts, his hands also empty.

When they met a handshake was exchanged. Farrin explained his situation in his broken English. He gestured towards the distance to where the original IED had exploded and the lonely lumps of stone where the slain soldiers lay. He mentioned the Taliban that morning and Seeley. Farrin said he wanted help for his village, fearing the revenge of the Taliban for the death of their four men, not to mention they were aiding the enemy.

The officer took this into consideration behind his mirrored sunglasses, where Farrin could see his every expression and how old he looked. Certainly taking care of his niece, Uzuri, had put some of those grey hairs on his head.

With the help of a translator, the officer said he would take custody of Seeley and the other troops' bodies immediately. Then, he would leave a small cadre of troops here for the time being while trucks would be brought to pack up the village and all their possessions and relocate them as a thank you for their consideration of the service men.

Farrin nodded his head and shook hands again. He didn't want to leave his lands, but there was no other choice. They had killed Taliban. Before, they had tolerated them, barely, but now there was no turning back. With a heavy conscience, he went to tell his friends and relatives what must be undertaken, as a medical helicopter whizzed low over head, swirling dust and scattering livestock with its amazing sound.

Seeley woke up at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany. It was as if a horrible nightmare had just loosened its grip on him and he sat bolt upright in bed, sweat glistening on his forehead, eyes wide and wild.

A nurse saw him and went to his bed immediately, " Easy, Sergeant. You're safe." He looked at her, his expression of confusion, " You're in Germany, Sgt Booth. We're putting you back together." She smiled warmly and squeezed his hand. Seeley blinked as the dream, which was real, put itself back together in his head. The mission, the IED, the village, the Taliban and …. What was her name?

" Uzuri. There was an Afghan woman named Uzuri who helped me. Do you know what happened to her and her uncle?", he said quickly, all reality firmly anchored in his brain.

The nurse looked at him for a moment and consulted his file briefly for any mention of a friendly. " No sir, I do not. Would you like me to ask the commanding officer of your rescue party?", she offered.

He looked very worried, " Yes, please. Any news would be appreciated."

" Yes, sir.", the nurse smiled reassuringly at him, " I think the doctor will probably see you now that you're awake."

Seeley nodded at her and tried to relax back onto his pillow but his gut was a knot of worry for Uzuri, since he knew what the Taliban were capable, particularly to their own kin for treason.

His mind wandered to Bones. What was she doing? How was she doing? Did she wonder how he was or if he was safe? Booth's imagination built an image of her in her blue Jeffersonian jumpsuit, sweating in the tropical heat bent over a pit of old, craggy bones. Her hair wisped in front of her eyes but her hands were caked in dirt and holding a trowel. She was looking down at something, as he daydreamed, and when she looked up, it was Uzuri's face. Booth shook his head and actually touched his temple as if he could physically pluck his anxiety for Uzuri and her family.

What he noticed was a bandage around his head and a tender spot under it. He vaguely remembered a cave-in of some sort, but not much else. Booth's body reminded him that he was getting older as slowly he became aware of aches and pains he didn't recall when he was a younger soldier getting banged up. A soft knock drew his attention up to the door frame. A doctor stood there, a woman, her black hair pulled in a pony tail, Captains rank on her white coat lapel, stethoscope around her neck, " Sergeant Booth?"

Seeley looked at her, his stomach still not calm, " Yes ma'am."

" We're glad you're awake. May I take a look?", she inquired, stepping into the room and standing at the foot of his bed.

" I guess. Just going to see an old guy tumbled in the desert, ma'am.", he replied a bit despondently but still respectful.

" Old guy, hmm? Your previous records don't tell that tale.", she pulled her stethoscope from her neck and before she put the ear pieces in said to him , " I am Dr. Pelham."

" Yes ma'am .", Booth replied, uninspired as he sat up straight and breathed deeply, wincing at the pull he felt across his ribs.

Dr. Pelham said nothing else as she performed a basic check up on Seeley. She jotted some numbers, consulted the monitors and then held her clipboard in both hands, folded them in front of her, and looked down at Seeley. He looked upward at her, with the expression of waiting for her to speak. Booth noticed that she was older than he first thought with fine lines at the corners of her eyes and mouth and a few strands of grey in her hair. Overall, she looked at weary as he felt, and he resolved to try to be nicer.

" Well, Sergeant, you had an interesting experience.", she began, " You started off with a concussion from your blast and roll in the HUMVEE. You no doubt felt your ribs, but all in all, they were not broken too badly. You got lucky.", she paused to smile slightly, " And your hand to hand resulted in some knife wounds, again, lucky you were not eviscerated and your skull crushed from the ceiling collapse." She paused for effect ," You make your guardian angel work very hard, or maybe it was the help of a friendly."

Seeley saw some black cloth swirl just past Dr. Pelham, and Uzuri peaked out from behind her, her uncle in the door way, grumpy looking as ever. Booth broke into a huge smile, not caring that he was very silly looking in his hospital gown. He would like to think that Uzuri was smiling behind her face veil too.

" Seeley Booth, you live.", she said approaching the bedside and looking down at him.

" I am like a cat. I have nine lives.", he replied with a kind look.

" I am not familiar with that phrase.", Uzuri replied, a small frown between her eyebrows. Booth suddenly was reminded of Bones—I don't understand what that means comments and his heart felt lonely.

" Never mind, how did you get here?", he said incredulously.

" Sergeant, I'll let you catch up with your friends. I'll be back to check you later. If you need anything, buzz the nurses.", Dr. Pelham said and took her leave. Seeley wasn't sure if he was supposed to salute her or not.

" Yes ma'am. Thank you ma'am.", Booth replied sheepishly. She nodded in his direction with a smile as she left, walking a wide circle around the scowling Farrin.

Farrin stepped in to the room and said a few words gruffly to Uzuri in Pashto and she almost waved a casual dismissing hand at him, but instead replied to his request but her annoyance was palpable.

" My uncle wants me to tell you our amazing journey after you left us.", she said turning back to Seeley's bed.

" I am all ears.", he said eagerly and again, Uzuri looked puzzled but let it slide.

Farrin found a chair and sat down, arms still crossed over his chest, and a flinty look in his eye. Uzuri acted as if he wasn't there and began, " After your army came to you, my uncle had to explain to the village that we had to leave.", she paused, her eyes darkening slightly, " That did not sound like a good plan to our people." Seeley was astounded that was the solution that the commander came up with, but it was their only choice particularly when one objective was to grow cooperation with the Afghans.

Uzuri continued, " The people did not like their plan and blamed us for helping you." Seeley began to feel guilty for what he had unleashed on this simple group of people, " But my uncle spoke up for you and defended our actions. It was a very good speech, you should have heard it."

Booth blushed, embarrassed, " I am sure it was." He couldn't bring himself to look in Farrin's direction.

Uzuri tilted her head slightly and again Booth was wondering what the rest of her expression was, " So my kin folk decide that they will get rid of us and explain what happened to the Taliban and beg for mercy from them. I do not think that was wise." Her voice turned sad and Booth could only guess what and who she had to leave behind.

" Your army offered us …asylum… here.", she said 'asylum' slowly, " And so we brought my uncle, my aunt and younger brother."

Booth almost asked her what she had to leave after their exodus.

Suddenly, her eyes brightened, " But we are here now, and I am very excited to be here. Especially because you are going to be alright."

When he got home and after clearing military release, Seeley made a beeline for Arlington Cemetery. Some of the men who were in the HUMVEE were laid to rest there and he had some thinking to do before he saw Bones.

The neat white stones were comforting in their habitual pattern, immaculate grounds and if you didn't think too deeply about why they were there, it was soothing in its "regular-ness". No chaos here, no bombs, no screams, no bullets; just peace. Seeley exited his SUV and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. Adjusting his tie, because he would never go visit a grave looking less than business-like out of respect, he stepped onto the verdant carpet towards the youngest of his charges.

Not all the men were here. Some families had chosen to bury their sons closer to home and so maybe some day Seeley would make it to those places too but not right now. He approached a low, curved white marble headstone. The ground was still a bit soft because the grave was relatively new. These men had been honored and buried while he was still in Germany, and of course, once patched up he headed back to Afghanistan to complete his tour. Seeley moved back a step, as if subconsciously from the abyss of guilt he felt.

He didn't read the name but closed his eyes and saw the man's face. This "kid" hadn't been shaving for very long. Booth smiled at those jokes he used to poke at the boy, and how he'd give it back to Seeley just as bad for being the "old man". It was a great way to try to forget where they were. A few more memories passed through his mind before the IED explosion.

Booth bowed his head and said a few words to himself and then walked away moving towards the next man who was in his patrol, listening to the bird song, feeling the sun shine on his face and wondering why he was the one to survive.

The next morning, Booth looked into Brennan's eyes as the sun rose over the Reflecting pond. The Washington Monument was a wash of pinks, oranges and lavenders as the sun ascended through the sky. He knew on his face, he looked that year older. He felt it too. In his mind he pondered if she felt the same, but it was always so hard most times to gauge what she was feeling. Booth swallowed the bitterness of the last time they spoke where she made her intent crystal clear. Perhaps he was best left in the shadows of her thoughts. The laser light of her emotions was too bright for him

Bones studied him in the intensifying morning sun. The crowning rays carved shadows into Booth's face, whether she imagined them or not, he looked worn and fragile. She had heard from Angela that Booth was involved with some incident, although how Angela found that out was a mystery. Was she wrong to leave him? Regret began to loom behind her like a grim reaper.

Besides a hug and a cup of coffee from a street vendor, they sat in silence on the park bench watching the sun come up, just like they had agreed to do one year ago. Both were afraid to speak first and break the tension that hung like a heavy curtain between them.

Finally, then the shadows began to lengthen, Booth decided that he could not take the quiet, so he asked about Indonesia, while he leaned forward, sipping his coffee and sending puffs of steam out from the cup. A few morning joggers kicked up dust from their shoes, ear buds firmly in place.

Brennan startled at the sound of his voice, so weary! She chalked it up to sleep deprivation from time zones. That was a safe excuse to her. " It was very interesting.", she put on the academic, " I catalogued so many new pieces of human evolutionary history; it was fascinating. There is an academic paper I am co-authoring with Daisy, which will be published in Nature next month." Booth wondered silently if she had discovered why people start wars somewhere in that 'evolutionary history'.

" Hmm.. sounds like a great time. Nice to hear you're going to get some credit.", he replied quietly. His heart leaped for joy when he had first saw her, standing near the bench, just like she said she would be waiting for him, but then his emotions cooled considerably as the hand of guilt wrapped itself around his heart and squeezed. Why was he here? Those other soldiers had so much more going for them.

Bones opened her mouth for a retort, thinking he should be more excited for her! This was the opportunity of a lifetime! But the insights she had learned over the last 5 years from Seeley stopped her short. It was obvious that he needed something from her, instead of the other way around. It was her turn to give.

" Booth, tell me about the incident.", she said, not sure how to phrase it.

Booth turned and looked at her over his shoulder, still leaning his elbows on his knees, " What incident?"

" Angela told me something happened to you.", Brennan replied as openly as she could. When Ange had told her that, a few weeks before returning to the U.S., Tempe was terrified that he was disabled, maimed or worse. She was so ecstatic to see him walking up to her in his trade-mark black suit and tie this morning, whole and intact. She almost threw herself into his arms but she remembered what havoc she had created a year ago, and so held back into a polite ' I missed you, friend' hug instead.

Booth sat up and stretched some, still sore in the ribs as they were newly knitted together, and turned to look at Bones full on. His brow was heavy and his eyes serious. Brennan frowned in sympathetic pantomime of him, and waited for him to speak.

" Temperance,", when he spoke her name, she flinched slightly at the unusual sound, " I saw ten men – young men – die in that 'incident'. And here I am, almost mid life with nothing to show for it. Why am I here?"

Tempe let that soak in for a moment, shocked that he thought so little of himself, " But Seeley, you have so much. You have Parker, you have helped so many people reach justice and you have…. ", she trailed off because she could not say " you have me."

Booth's expression did not alter much from his darkness.

Bones thought more deeply, " You are a hero to so many."

Seeley laughed a bitter laugh, " To who? You told me not to be one, remember?" It was hard to keep the bile down in his words but their year apart had not done much to sooth his bruised feelings.

" Booth, that's not fair.", she replied sternly, but not angrily. Deep down, Tempe knew this day, the one she dreaded and awaited so eagerly, would be difficult.

He looked at the ground, his shiny shoes, his goofy socks and a caravan of industrious ants moving to and from a small chunk of bread dropped there by someone. Looking away, he took in a calming breath. He would tell her about Uzuri and maybe, just maybe, that would make him see some good out of all this.

" Uzuri came to the U.S. shortly after we talked in Germany. She actually got a job with the Red Cross as an interpreter community liaison type role. I think she is very happy.", Booth's mouth turned up and a small sparkle lightened his eye. He remembered Uzuri telling him the good news, using her new found asylum to help others in this corner of the world. He remembered telling her how happy he was for her, and that he thought she would be an excellent advocate for people in need. Booth paused in his story telling and fell silent.

Then he got to the part he might not want to remember, " Seeley Booth.", she addressed him and stood up from the chair she had been sitting in during her almost-daily visits to his bedside in Germany, " I have been thinking.", she declared.

Booth could feel his eyes starting to role as he took in a deep breath, " You know, Uzuri, in America, usually when a woman says ' I've been thinking' it's not good for the man in the conversation." He saw a twinkle of mischief in her eye and relaxed his own expression into an impish smile.

" Yes, Seeley Booth, I have been thinking about …. You.", she said and he became cautious, " This woman you have spoken so much about… Bones?"

" Yes.", he said still wary because try as the amazing doctors might, that was one part of him they would never be able to fix.

" I have thought much and consulted my uncle, whom I consider very wise, and I would like to change my mind.", she said affirmatively. Seeley waited for this pearl of advice, " And I do think that you, Seeley Booth, should forgive her for wronging your heart."

Booth could feel his mouth fall open slightly in surprise. It was not the advice that she had given him just a few months ago, where she counseled him to run home and forget Bones and all that she was in his life.

" Forgiveness is the ultimate gift.", Uzuri said, not waiting for Booth to form a coherent retort to her proclamation. " Sola, (peace) Seeley Booth.", she moved from standing and actually leaned in to plant a small peck on his forehead. Seeley could smell the exotic fragrances on her head scarf and it was adding to his surprise.

His memory passed and he felt Bones regarding him steadily, waiting for him to continue. Seeley was touched by her patience and it made some of the gall in his heart recede. " Her uncle and younger brother have found a new home in Pakistan, with the help of the government. Farrin never wanted to live here in the U.S. It still bothers him that we are there. He's been through so much, yet was able to show me kindness in his own grouchy way."

Brennan let that though pause for a moment, " Yes, he understands that people make mistakes."

Booth looked at her slightly suspicious. The now bright sunlight accented the auburn glints of her hair and cast interesting shadows across her face. Tempe's eyes reflected unusually blue, but they were not cold.

" Mistakes happen. Even highly intelligent, greatly educated people like me, make them.", Brennan said softly. A little ice melted from Booth's face.

" I think you said to me once, as you explained an idiosyncratic expression to me that there is never another time to make a first impression.", she said as carefully as she could, wrapping her heart and soul into the words like a fine gift, " And I have done great wrongs to you over the years, Seeley.", she cleared her throat, surprised that it had become choked with the beginning of tears, " But I would ask of you, your forgiveness and for a second first impression. You have always been a hero to me."

Her gift hung there in the air. Don't be a hero, don't be yourself, the whisper from a year ago came back.

Seeley never too his eyes off her while she admitted her apology. It was rather dignified, he thought, no sniveling, no complaints, no hyperboles of grief or tears. And it was just want he wanted to hear.

The coffee in his cup was cold now, and he set it on the ground below the bench. Booth carefully took her cup as well, which she never touched, and placed it below too. Brennan watched him quizzically as he took her hands and pulled her to standing. The sun was now radiantly shining on the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial was blazing white. The reflecting pool were dancing diamonds and blue sky sapphires while the smell of freshly cut plaza grass wafted on the early breeze and the sounds of birds and lawn mowers were just ambient noise.

Tempe and Booth would both remember each one of these seconds because he looked down slightly at her, brown eyes deep and liquid with such a swirl of emotions that Tempe was overtaken by them and he kissed her so tenderly that she wondered if their lips met at all.

" Consider that your first new impression.", Booth spoke, but not smiled. She nodded, slightly dizzy from that contact. They had a long road ahead and they would both need to be each other's hero.

The End.