I know I should be working on both SOTH and TMTOTOF yet this little one-shot wouldn't leave my mind.
Since I'm leaving for a week-long holiday next week I thought I should get this out now
Enjoy!
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Booth sighed as he looked into one of the conference rooms in the Jeffersonian building. He loved his job, but this part he really could do without. Telling people that one of their loved ones were gone forever was not exactly something he wanted to do. Yet, it provided him with extra incentive. These families deserved to know what happened, to get closure. It was the least he could do.
Chantelle Morley was their latest case. A 27 year old single mother who had been murdered at her workplace. Her daughter was only 5 years of age and couldn't understand when people told her that mummy wasn't coming back. He looked at Caleb Treaty through the glass. Caleb had been a suspect at first, but had quickly been removed from the list. They had been working all week and it was only today that the truth had finally been discovered.
Chantelle Morley had been murdered by Jeanette Landy after being misidentified as the person having an affair with their boss, the person that ultimately decided on who got the top jobs. Chantelle was a journalist at one of the leading papers. She had made her way up the scale the right way. She took care of her little girl and she worked in a job she loved. It had all been a complete mistake - a mistake that had cost a little girl her mother. Chantelle wasn't in fact having an affair with the boss, like Jeanette had thought. It was later found out that the boss was in fact Chantelle's friend and confidante. Nothing had been going on between the two, they had been anything but lovers.
Her boss was named Caleb Treaty.
As Booth made his way into the room to deliver the news he saw Brennan come up the stairs, holding the hand of Delilah, Chantelle's daughter. He smiled and said hello to Delilah as he made his way into the conference room. Brennan stayed outside, sitting down nearby with the child.
"Did you find out who did it?" Caleb asked, rising to his feet as Booth closed the door.
"Yes, we know who killed Chantelle" Caleb visibly sighed and a small smile graced his face and he sat back down.
"Who was it?"
"Jeanette Landy" Booth answered back.
"Jeanette? Why would she kill Chantelle?" He asked, obviously dumbfounded by the information.
"Jeanette thought that you and Chantelle were having an affair, she couldn't let that happen, not with a promotion on the way."
Caleb laughed, a reaction which Booth wasn't expecting.
"You know how ironic that is? She killed Chantelle for a promotion that I was giving to her!" The laughing stopped and it was replaced with tears falling down his face.
"I'm very sorry for your loss, Mr Treaty"
"You know, Agent Booth, Chantelle was a pretty special girl. I loved her with all my heart, I saw her with her little daughter" he managed through tears "she was the best mother any child could hope for. She loved her job, she really did, but if all she could have in life was Delilah she would have been happy." He shook his head and hastily wiped away some of the tears from his eyes.
"Sounds like a perfect mother" Booth agreed
"Why couldn't I do it?" Caleb asked himself "Why couldn't I just do it!"
"Do what?" Booth asked confused.
"Tell her I loved her" Caleb said quietly "I waited three years because I was scared she didn't want to be anymore than just friends. Three years. Do you know how stupid that feels right now?"
Booth coughed awkwardly "Yeah. Yeah I do" he said with honestly "Mr Treaty, while investigating Chantelle's murder, we found that she had a will in her house"
"What's happening to Delilah?" he asked with genuine concern.
"She'll be taken care of very well. I believe that Chantelle loved you very much, Mr Treaty. Very much indeed."
"I hope so. I just wish I had told her. Life really is too short" Booth cleared his throat and took a piece of paper out of his pocket and started reading.
"If anything should happen to me, I want my daughter to be placed in the hands of someone who will take care of her, love her and treat her like I always planned to. I want my daughter to go to Caleb Treaty. If Caleb ever gets to read this I want him to know that I always loved him and I always will. I want you to be the father to my little girl, Caleb. Take care of her, tell her I love her every single day. I don't have any doubt that she'll be just fine in your care"
"Chantelle wrote that?" Caleb mumbled, grabbing a tissue from the table and trying to wipe the tears away.
"She did. Would you like to see your new daughter?" Caleb could only nod as Booth got up and told Brennan to bring her in.
Delilah walked in front of Brennan and grinned when she saw Caleb.
"Caleb!!" she screamed and ran into his arms.
"Hey, baby girl. I'm going to take good care of you" he whispered into her ear.
Caleb looked to Booth and Brennan and mouthed a thankyou and held onto his new daughter as hard as he could.
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Booth and Bones had both decided, as usual, to go and celebrate after their most recent case. They walked to their usual booth in the diner and sat down. They both ordered the same meals they always did, but tonight was going to be much different.
"When I was in there telling Caleb about Chantelle, he regretted one thing" Booth said to Bones as they both looked out the window.
"What's that?" she questioned
"Not telling her he loved her before it was too late. I'm not going to make the same mistake, Bones"
Bones looked to him in confusion and Booth smiled at her. She was always confused when it came to this kind of thing.
"I love you, Bones" he whispered and grabbed her hand that was resting on the table.
Bones freezed and stared at him and then to their connected hands.
"You... uh... love me?" she stuttered and Booth grinned.
"Caught you off guard didn't I?" he asked and she could only nod.
"I know that you have all these reasons as to why we can't be together, Bones. I know I said that we shouldn't go past that stupid imaginary line, but I'm not going to be at your funeral saying I love you for the first time."
"My funeral? Do you know something I don't, Booth? Am I dying soon?"
"You're missing the point, Bones." he sighed and tried to rethink what he was going to say "Caleb waited three years because he was worried what Chantelle would say and then she dies and he can't believe he waited so long. You're not dying, Bones, okay? Just, I want to be with you, Bones. I want what Caleb and Chantelle never got"
He looked at her willing her to understand what he was saying. He had dreamt of this moment for so long now, that he had imagined what she would do and say. Not saying or doing anything had never been in his dreams. Yet, it was so like her. To be in complete shock, when another human being professed his love to her. It was what made her so special to him, it was the reason that he loved her so much. He would wait until she could comprehend what he had said. He would wait until he took his last dying breath, but he couldn't not say it. Not anymore. He tilted his head and looked at Brennan.
"You still here, Bones?" he asked, laughing quietly
"Yeah, I'm obviously still here Booth" he laughed at her obvious misunderstanding of his comment and let it go. "I'm going to go home now" she stated and started gathering her things. She pulled her hand out of his and started to walk away.
"Uh, Bones?" he asked. This ending had definitely not happened in any of his dreams.
"Are you coming?" she asked, now grinning, reaching her hand out towards him.
THAT one certainly had though.
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The weather was bright and shiny, not obviously recognising the day was full of gloom as Chantelle was to be laid to rest. Brennan and Booth stood just away from the ceremony, with Booth's arm comfortably draped over Brennan's shoulders.
"You know, you should probably thank Caleb" Brennan commented. Booth grinned pulling her more towards him
"I suppose I should" his grin disappeared as he saw Delilah and Caleb come into view and watched as Delilah reached up and placed a pink rose onto the coffin.
"You think they're going to be alright, Booth?" Booth let the question go unanswered as he continued watching. Caleb led Delilah away, lifting her up into his arms in the process. He kised her cheek, whispering something to her that made her grin and run towards Booth and Brennan.
Booth let his arm fall to his side as he leant down to be at Delilah's height. Brennan followed his actions.
"Hello" Delilah said in a cheerful tone, obviously the reason for the ceremony still wasn't fully understood in the young girls mind.
"Hello there Delilah, how are you?" Booth asked.
"I'm very good thankyou" she answered very politely. She then leant in to Booth's ear.
"Daddy says to tell you that he's glad you didn't wait"
"You tell him thank you for me, Goodbye Delilah"
"Bye" she smiled and ran back to Caleb who picked her up again. Both Booth and Brennan stood up again. He gave Booth a wave and a nod and the two disappeared towards a waiting car.
"What did she say?" asked Brennan
"It's a secret" Booth answered as he slipped his arm around her waist and turned them around.
Brennan let her lead them away and they walked to their car. As Booth opened the passenger side door Brennan turned in his grasp and stood in front of him.
"I love you too, Booth" she whispered just loud enough for him to hear. Booth grinned and tucked a stray hair behind her ear, pushing her into the side of the car in the process. He ducked his head and leant in to kiss her.
When he pulled away they were both grinning
"I think we'll all be okay Bones, including Delilah and Caleb"
"I think so too" she whispered back and she pulled him back towards her.
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Hope you like it!! Amelibum xx