A/N: It's better to read "My Bones, My Lesson" before reading this one. Also, this story was actually written a few years back, in 2008. After re-reading it on the site today, I decided that I wanted to continue it, but that the current chapters still needed some work. I know it is now 3 years later, but I am not going to change the characters or the storyline to fit what has happened since what I'm pretty sure is season 3. Basically, that means you will see Zach's name and Cullen's name often. But I guess no one will complain about Zach being in the story, huh?

Disclaimer: I own nothin' except the plot!

What is that annoying beeping by my bed?

Groaning loudly, I threw my arm over to the nightstand and hit the off button. Instantly, my alarm went quiet.

It couldn't be morning already; I have just gone to sleep. Memories of the previous night flashed before my eyes: the baseball game, the long and hot shower, the tossing and turning, and finally the moment I had fell asleep. It has been around 2 a.m., putting an end to the numbing pain I have been feeling for the last couple of weeks.

It had just another dreamless sleep, just like every other ones I'd experienced since Bones had died. Mornings were the worst: on my best days, I pretended getting ready to go off to work with my partner, solving crimes, arresting criminals and contributing to make the world a better and safer place; on my worst days, like this morning, I saw my life as it really was: sad and lonely.

I guess I couldn't really complain. I mean, I had gotten off pretty easily. The jury had decided that the accident had been, in fact, an accident. Following that verdict, the judge had decided that losing a friend and a six-month probation during which the slightest driving misconduct would cause me to have my driver's license revoked was a far better punishment than time spent in prison. I considered myself lucky. All I had to do now was to drive like an old lady: making full stop signs, stopping at red lights and absolutely no driving over the speed limit.

Five weeks had gone since the sentence, ten weeks since the accident. I still had five months of probation ahead and didn't know how many more weeks until the pain of losing Bones would be gone. Losing her was the worst thing that could have happened to me. If only I could hear her voice once more, hear her laughter; if only she could look at me with her bright blue eyes. If only… If only I hadn't gone out with Erin that night. Maybe Bones would still have been alive. Every night, I prayed in vain for a second chance. Every night, I prayed for the strength to go on.

I managed to drag myself out of bed. A show and a cup of coffee later, I was ready to start my day. My sleep-fogged brain had cleared and the numbness had returned. This day would be like every other, except today, I had a meeting with Cullen. He had some important news to share with me.

As always, traffic was horrible in this time of day but I did manage to make it to the office in a decent time. As I stepped out of the elevator, I heard a voice behind me.

"Seeley!"

I gulped, recognizing Erin's voice. We hadn't spoken since the accident, passing each other often in the hallway but never uttering a word.

"Hey Erin," I said, slowly turning to face her.

She walked over to me. She held a Styrofoam cup in her hand, filled with coffee. I resisted the urge to tell her that she shouldn't be drinking that if she cared for her health but, instead, said nothing.

She took a sip of her coffee and made a face as she swallowed.

"Urgh! Who makes the coffee here? It's disgusting!"

I let out a low chuckled.

"Yeah, I know."

Deciding that I had had enough of this awkward meeting in front of the elevator, I decided to walk away.

"Booth, I meant to ask you something."

I stopped in my tracks, suddenly feeling a sense of déjà-vu. I turned around to look at her. She squirmed uncomfortably under my glare. I quickly apologized.

"It's okay. It's just that I was already nervous about asking you this, and the way you were looking at me was making it worse. Anyway, listen. I know this will seem to come out of nowhere, especially since we haven't spoken in a while, but, there's this French restaurant that just opened near my place. It's called La Saveur. Since we're Friday, I was wondering if you would like to go with me."

I eyed her suspiciously. What was she talking about? She has already asked me that question. I had already told her yes. We had gone; we had eaten at that restaurant and then I had driven back to her apartment.

"Erin, you've already asked me that question. We already went to that restaurant."

She was now looking at me strangely.

"What do you mean, we already went? It opened last week. Everyone is talking about it. It's supposed to be really fancy and expensive."

"I know, it was all over the news. Erin, we went there ten weeks ago, the night of the accident. How can you not remember?"

I was getting annoyed. Maybe I shouldn't have gone out with her. Maybe she was this strange, crazy woman who pretended to have amnesia or something. Or, maybe, she was schizophrenic. I'd have to ask Sweets.

"What accident?"

She looked genuinely confused. Yet, I couldn't understand how she couldn't remember. She had been in the car with me, had seen the total mess that had been Bones' car, and had answered all of the police's questions. Why was she faking not to know what I was talking about?

I was about to answer her when my cellphone rang. Excusing myself, I grabbed it from my pocket and glanced at the caller ID. My heart stopped. This couldn't be right. My brain was playing tricks on me. It couldn't be…

I stood still, my hand clutched around my ringing cellphone.

"Aren't you going to get that?" Erin asked, pointing at my cellphone.

I looked up at my colleague who was still bearing a worried expression. Gulping, I looked back down at the screen.

It can't be.

With shaking hands, I flipped my phone open and brought it to my ear.

"Booth."