Note: I'm (relatively) spoiler free, so please keep that in mind if you are kind enough to review.
Disclaimer: I don't own them.
I looked at my reflection in the full-length mirror and decided that I didn't like the outfit I was wearing. It wasn't any more appropriate for coffee by the reflecting pool than the previous three had been.
I turned back to the pile of clothes strewn across the bed, then looked at the open closet. Surely I must own something that would be appropriate.
Deep down, I knew I was being silly. Ridiculous, really. Booth wouldn't care what I wore. He'd seen me knee-deep in human remains. Nothing in the pile of clothes could possibly make me more unattractive than that had.
Besides, it shouldn't matter if Booth found me attractive. We were partners, not lovers.
It did matter, though. I had known for years that Booth was as attracted to me as I was to him, but I was afraid that our year apart would have changed things. He had told me he was going to move on. Maybe he had.
Of course, that assumed he was actually going to show up. I told myself that Booth keeps his promises, but perhaps the time apart had changed him. After all, the last man who told me he loved me and then left for a year never came back. Afghanistan is a far more volatile place than the Caribbean, and although I'm sure I would have been informed if Booth had been injured or killed, it is also possible that he would forget our plans or be delayed or simply have other people he needed to see.
I would be quite hurt if he didn't show up, but of course I understand that I am not his top priority.
I pulled on the fifth outfit in the past twenty minutes and decided that it would have to do. I brushed my hair, wondering if Booth would like the new style.
It took another five minutes to find some shoes. I ended up choosing a pair that I had forgotten I even owned. They weren't perfect, but a look at the clock told me that if I'd be late if I didn't hurry.
I drove – I had left it too late to take public transportation – so I spent some time finding a parking spot. I was a few minutes late, and I walked quickly, my heels clacking on the concrete sidewalk. When I finally was close enough to see the bench, I stopped dead in my tracks.
It was empty.
Despite what I had told myself, I had believed he would be there. I walked slowly towards the empty bench and sat down, staring vacantly in front of me, trying to keep the tears from falling.
That's when I heard the voice from behind me. "Bones?"