I have had this story planned out for a while now. I was waiting to get another installment of the Care Package out, but I just wanted to get part of this posted so I can get some feedback while I write the next part of CP. I know a few people have written stories based on this song, so I wanted to get mine out there before someone else actually wrote the one I wanted to. The song is Tim McGraw's new one "If You're Reading This." Obviously I do not own this song, nor do I own Bones, no matter how much I want to!
I'm Already Home
PG-13/T
Temperance Brennan avoided the news these days. She had never been a fan of television in general, but had kept up with current events through the newspapers and occasionally watching the evening news. Now though, she depended on Angela to keep her updated on what she needed to know. Why? One word. Iraq. Everyday it seemed there was another story about American soldiers wounded or killed over there. Before, it would have made her sad, made her hope for peace for the nation's sake. But now, now it broke her heart. Stories of soliders missing or killed kept her up at night, frantic with worry. Why? Because her husband, and the father of her unborn daughter, was a soldier, a Ranger to be exact.
Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth had been married almost exactly a year when his orders came. He was to be deployed on a two year tour of duty. She had been horrified when he had given her the news, she had refused to believe it, or to even talk to him for the first week, before she had broken down, sobbing in his arms. They had just found out she was pregnant only a month earlier, and she was four months pregnant when he left.
The couple had begun their relationship shortly after the "wedding that wasn't," Angela and Hodgins' to be exact. That couple had eloped, returning from their honeymoon to find their friends involved in a burgeoning romance, much to Angela's delight. They had dated for a year and a half, learning more about each other than they even though possible, and falling in love. When he proposed, around Christmas time (he had wanted to give her a good memory of the season), he had done so prepared for arguments about the "archaic institution". Instead, she had blown him away. When she had discovered the delicate, round cut, diamond engagement ring in her stocking, he had dropped to one knee. Her eyes filled up with tears almost instantly, and she was smiling. He was stunned speechless for a moment. She stunned him again when she said yes, allowing him to slip the ring onto her left hand and kissing him deeply.
They were married a little under a year later, in September of 2009. They had compromised on the church issue, and had a simple ceremony in the rose garden of the Jeffersonian, the priest from Booth's local parish officiating. They had spent three glorious weeks honeymooning in Tahiti before returning to D.C. and settling into married life. They had been happy, the two of them, along with Parker, until his orders came. She had cried as he boarded the plane that October of 2010, leaning heavily on his mother, who had driven with them to say goodbye.
Mary Booth became her lifeline in the months following his departure. They had weekly lunches, and Mary had answered all of her questions as her pregnancy progressed. Mary was the one who accompanied her to her doctor appointments.She sat with Temperance as she had spoken to Booth on the phone, telling him that their baby was a girl. Temperance had reached the six month point, the beginning of her third trimester, and now Mary was accompanying her to her Lamaze classes.
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Temperance and Angela had just returned from a much needed shopping trip. In the hours they had been out, they had finally purchased everything needed to furnish, and finish, the baby's room. They had also updated Brennan's maternity wardrobe, to accomodate her rapidly growing belly. They were busy opening boxes in the room that would become the nursery, when the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it sweetie." Angela told her, beginning to stand from her place on the floor, where she was trying to piece together a mobile for the baby's crib.
"It's okay Ange. I'm already up." Brennan assured her, leaving the nursery and making her way to the front door. As she opened it, Angela heard her whisper. "No."
She followed her friend out into the entranceway. Standing in the doorway were two soldiers, dressed in full uniform. The held their hats under their arms, somber looks on their faces.
"Oh Sweetie." Angela breathed. Brennan was shaking her head, backing away from the pair at the door.
"No, no, no..." She backed into Angela, who quickly encompassed her friend in her arms as her tears began to fall.
"I'm sorry Mrs. Booth." The older soldier began.
Temperance took a breath, tears still streaming down her face. "What- happened?" She asked shakily.
The soldier glanced over at Angela, before returning to meet Temperance's eyes. "His transport was hit by a roadside bomb. There were no survivors."
"I want- I want to see-" She tried to choke out. Angela's arm around her tightened comfortingly.
The soldier looked away, staring down at his hat for a moment, before meeting her eyes once more, the pain in his own now evident. "I'm sorry Mrs. Booth. But, the explosion destroyed the humvee-"
Angela gasped beside her, and Temperance closed her eyes against the sudden flood of emotion. Her hand drifted down to rest over her stomach, where their child was shifting restlessly. The men remained a few minutes longer, offering condolences and the services of the military chaplain. Temperance was in a fog, only aware of Angela's hand grasping her own, and the movement of her daughter.
As the men were leaving however, the younger, quieter, one stopped, turning back to Temperance. She was surprised to see tears in the eyes of the soldier. "Mrs. Booth," he began, clearing his throat. "I, uh- I served with Seeley. He was a good man." She nodded, tears filling her eyes. He took her hand and she felt him place something small and metallic in her palm. "He wanted me to give this to you- should anything-" He cut himself off, the emotion choking him. "He was a good man." He repeated, before following his superior officer down the hall.
She closed the door behind them, exhaling a long shaky breath. The apartment was silent, even Angela was not sure what to say in this moment. Temperance felt the object in her palm and uncurled her fingers. Her knees buckled, and Angela sank to the floor beside her, holding her friend as they cried. In her palm lay Seeley's gold wedding band. He was gone.
A/N: I have one more short chapter after this one, then they will get longer...but before then, I need your help. I know exactly where I am going with this story, but I have a few options as to how to get there. I would love to hear from one or two of you who would like to help me, not necessarily a beta, but someone I could run a few different scenarios past to determine the course of this story. I don't want to ask for opinions here however, because it would give away the story. If you're interested, and don't mind some of the plot being given away, please let me know in a review, PM, or email.
Thanks so much for reading this story...please review and let me know what you thought!
