Pause. Disclaimer. I don't own any of these characters. Well, I own one but you just keep on reading it's fine you'll meet her later. Okay, so un-pause and let's get into it. Enjoy!
CHAPTER ONE
Choices
Temperance Brennan walked down the aisle of the quiet library making sure every book was in its rightful place. Brennan was a young, beautiful, and brilliant student at Northwestern University. She was only 19 years old and already a junior working towards getting her doctorate. She had the drive, the passion, and currently no money. Last week she had just used the last of her financial aid to purchase the rest of the school supplies she needed. Unfortunately, she had gone a little crazy in the store. There had been so many choices and she wasn't used to having those... or any for that matter. Choices. In the system, you're given the bare minimum. Sometimes, most times you aren't really given that. Every time she picked up a new item she had asked herself if she really needed it and the answer was always yes in her mind. Why else would she pick it up? Towards the end of her shopping trip, she had decided that she would just skip a few meals a week in order to pay for the supplies she needed and that she would start looking a job tomorrow. A week ago she had bought a 10 pack of cup'o soup. She could survive on that for a bit. The next day rolled around and she had been walking across the courtyard past the bulletin board when she saw a flyer stating the library at her college was looking to hire a library assistant part-time she had rushed back to her dorm to start on a resume and to look for an appropriate outfit to wear to when she went to turn it. For some reason, she didn't think the dark navy blue sweatpants and grey sweater she was already wearing would say "hire me because I could do this job better than anyone else even if they have a more qualified background". No, she didn't think that was the outfit. Instead, she settled on a pair of black skinny jeans and a dark forest green knitted sweater and a pair of black flats. She brushed her long auburn hair grabbed her back and freshly made resume and headed for the library. She had walked in head held high and had been hired on the spot. She had actually been a little surprised that she had gotten the job but she hadn't let it show. She was a little worried she had only gotten the job because the librarian, Annabelle, had felt a little sad for her, which Temperance had no idea why. She was happy at least she was pretty sure she was at the least she was content. It had been so long since she was actually happy she really hadn't remembered if what it felt like.
Annable, who had been deemed Anne was a short feisty middle-aged woman who to most it looked as if she forgot that the seventies had come and gone. Anne seemed to know everything how she paid attention to detail so well but everytime Temperance seemed to look up from her book when she was studying in the library Anne was always stocking the shelves in the library or reading quietly to herself. Anne was a free spirit and would go around telling people "You know this is my third reincarnation but hey what do I know? Don't listen to me." after giving them unwanted, but unusually needed, advice and would just get up and almost float away. She had beautiful long smokey grey hair, almond-shaped bright green eyes, time-worn skin with the friendliest smile that reminded Temperance of her mother that usually made her want to cry and pour her heart out so of course when Temperance had first met her she had tried to stay clear of her. It didn't last long. Anne who ran the library and went to the school part-time just because she had a habit of collecting degrees and had a lot of free time. All the students knew her and all the students loved her. She remembered the day she had been hired. Temperance had decided she would study for an hour before heading back to her dorm. She was sitting in the library at a four chair table with a beautiful view of the courtyard to her to her left.
"Temperance are you ever not in the library?" Anne asked as she walked by with a stack of books in her hand.
Temperance looked up startled and a bit annoyed at the fact someone had spoken to her while she was reading her anthropology book and taking notes. "I'm sorry? I don't understand." She said as she tilted her head to the left.
Anne rolled her eyes and sat down in the chair opposite of the young sophomore. "Hunny every day you're here studying don't you ever take a break?" She said with a tiny smile.
Temperance shook her head and said "From studying? Besides sleeping and my different classes. No. No, I don't. I cant afford to take a break if I'm going to shorten the time it will take for me to get my doctorate "
Anne signed and looked at the young girl as she started back in on her text said,"Hunny you're already 19 and a junior you're doing amazing trust me. Tempe don't you have any hobbies or friends?"
Temperance looked up from her book again with a straight face and said: "I... have you. You're my friend. And I like to perform autopsies on dead creatures I find in the woods." Temperance frowned and started to tap the pencil that was in her hand against her notebook that currently held her notes. "Although my roommates don't usually appreciate it when I bring them into the dorm. My new roommate this semester, I think her name is Angela, she was a lot nicer than the last three though and just asked me to wait till she was gone to begin. So that's good I guess." Temperance looked back down trying to focus on the book in front of her.
The corner of Anne's mouth twisted up and said: "Temperance I wouldn't tell that to too many people if I were you." Anne paused and sighed. "Hun, you need to get out more. You need to live life and experience new things enjoy your time here on earth or else one-day you're going to wake up and realize everything has passed you by and you've just been sleepwalking this entire time." Anne reached across the table to grab Temperances hand that was currently tapping the pencil causing her to stop and look up blue eyes met green as Anne continued "I've watched you come in here every day for the last two and a half years I've never met someone as dedicated, determined, or as intelligent as you but I have this... I don't know gut feeling there is so much more to you than that big ole brain of yours. And I know that it's a beautiful brain but don't let it hold you back from living your life. You never know whats out there or who you'll run into. Open your heart up just a bit."
"You don't even really know me." Temperance cringed at how harsh she had sounded. She didn't mean to sound well... mean but sometimes more often than not she did. She was just so blunt most of the time she hadn't even known she was being rude that was until she saw the person she was speaking to face turn into an expression of either hurt or anger. She waited silently for whichever expression Anne's elderly sweet face decided to show.
Instead, Anne just smiled at her with a twinkle in her eye and said "Maybe not, maybe I don't know you at all and I'm just getting old and senile. Or maybe I see more love in you than you see in yourself. You know this is my third reincarnation but hey what do I know? Don't listen to me I'm just a senile old woman." And with that Anne patted her hand and started to walk away.
Temperance turned in her seat and said "You're hardly old. But thank you, Anne, for the advice. I think I will try and get out more to have somewhat of a more normalized college experience. My roommate Angela had invited me to go to a football game with her and her boyfriend. Maybe I will take her up on the offer." Anne smiled and walked back and wrapped her arms around Temperance startling the girl making her stiffen from the contact. As Temperance started to relax into the older woman's arms Anne spoke.
"Good luck sweetie. When you create all these new friends don't forget about your job or me here at the library okay?" She asked as she tightened her grip on the young girl. "Okay don't work too hard go home soon. Okay?" Temperance nodded eyes closed enjoying the warmth of another human. It had been so long since she had something as simple as a hug. She almost forgot what it was like. It felt... Nice. As if someone had cared. Anne let gave one last squeeze and let go of the girl. "Okay, I'm going to be at the front desk if you need me don't forget to say goodbye before you go." And almost as she always does float away. Temperance nodded again and went back to reading her book and her note-taking.
It had been two and a half weeks since that day and she had really tried to open up and be more friendly towards others although it didn't always go as planned. She had tried talking to her classmates in her biology lab but they usually looked at her weird every time she said something, well everyone except Jack who actually happened to be Angela's boyfriend. Temperance started to "hang out" more with Angela and Jack and if she was being honest it felt really nice to have friends. And she really didn't feel like she was the third tire as some people would say. She felt like she belonged. It was nice. Tempe shook her head as she tried to focus and finish putting away the books. She pushed the cart and started walking towards the front desk. "Okay Anne I'm done I'm gonna go."
Anne was sitting behind the desk reading with her circular glasses when Temperance approached her. She looked up and smiled. "Okay, Tempe thank you for your work today. You doing anything fun tonight?" Temperance pushed the cart off to the side in the corner and turned to face Anne.
Temperance shrugged and reached for her backpack that was sitting in the chair next to Anne and said " Ange and I are gonna have a movie night and as she put it 'have some BFF bonding time.' Whatever that means."
Anne smiled and said, "Oh that sounds lovely. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time sweetheart."
Temperance nodded as she threw her backpack over her shoulder "I have noticed I do seem to enjoy the time I spend with Angela a great deal. And while I do not find the act of having a BFF to be a need I do emotionally understand the want of it so yes I do concur that we will have a nice evening. Thank you." Brennan nodded. "Very well I will be off and I will see you soon."
Anne chuckled and nodded as she watched as the younger girl walked off towards the open French door to the library. Anne had felt a strong bond to the young girl the moment she had seen her sitting in the library two and a half years ago, Anne was convinced they knew each other in another life although she would never tell the younger girl that. Science ruled her brain and heart. Everything else was simply unimportant. For now. Anne thought. She tried to remember the first time she saw the girl. She had looked so young and skinny. She still does but she had felt as if this girl had been through so much and she just wanted to help her. That day she had decided to take Temperance under her wing which proved to be a little harder than she had originally thought. The girl hard straight up avoided her the first few months it seemed like actually, she had almost seemed a bit scared. Eventually, Temperance warmed up to her and they quickly became friends. They had somewhat of a mother-daughter relationship they both secretly craved. Temperance having lost her mother and Anne never being able to have children. Anne sign she really just wanted Temperance to be happy and not make the same mistakes she had made. She shook her head to clear away any unnerving thoughts and continued to read.
As Temperance pulled out her phone to send a quick text to Angela to inform her she was on her way. She turned the corner phone in both hands held in front of her chest and collided with something solid. She let out a soft grunt from the collision and felt herself start to fall backward. She squeezed her eyes tight and brought her arms tightly to her chest to try to protect her phone from breaking in the fall because there was no way in hell was she going to be able to afford a new one. She waited for the impact but it didn't come, she opened her eyes and saw beautiful brown with golden specks starting at her with a cocky smirk on his smug attractive face. Alpha males.
"Woah there. You should slow down and try not to text and walk at the same time." He said staring into her eyes still holding onto her. "Whats your name blue eyes?"
Temperance rolled her eyes and tried to break free from his grasp. He felt her wiggling and let go. He quickly decided he didn't like the feeling of not having her in his arms. Once she was free she stepped around him made three steps. Stopped whipped around and said "You should make a noise. And try a tic tac." And with that, she turned around and headed through the doors to the courtyard and set off on her way home.
The young man smiled and shook his head and headed inside the library and went to the front desk. "Hi, I'm looking to sign up for tutoring."
Anne looked up and smiled and said: "Of course sweets, I'm just gonna need the course subject and number and your name."
"Uhh... subject principles of Anthropology course number 1110. And my name is Seeley Booth. But everyone just calls me Booth." Seeley Booth said with the most charming smile he could muster up.
Wow, I can't believe I did it. I wrote the first chapter. I haven't written in years since like 2013 it says and that was four years ago. Well unless it was for school. And if I'm going, to be honest, it feels so fucking nice to accomplish something. I hope you guys enjoyed it. So please. You know the deal. Like. Comment. Let me know if you enjoyed it. If I should continue with it? But I hope you all have a wonderful night and I'm gonna go do some biology homework until next time. Peace&Love&Happy Holidaze.
