This felt good. It was almost as if they were back to their old selves. They were sitting at the Founding Fathers, enjoying their usual drinks for a case closed. It was almost as if the past year hadn't happened; it was almost like neither of their gambles had happened, neither rejection had been spoken. It was almost normal again. Until, of course, she spoke.

"I think that I understand why the second and third wives stayed in their marriage," she said. It was so sudden, so out-of-the-blue, that Booth was caught completely off guard.

"What do you mean?" he asked her.

"Well," she began slowly, "I believe when you love someone, it is better to be in their life, even if you are second place, than to not be in their life at all."

"Bones," Booth exclaimed, "that's not how loving someone works!" He sighed, exasperated at her perspective. What the hell? I thought she was smarter than that. "When you love someone and they love you, you are first place. No one should ever settle for second place like these women did. It's just…sick."

"But you said that people can love more than one person," she stated. "I know, from personal experience, that these women were right: it is better to be second place in your love's life than to not be in it at all."

"What do you mean 'personal experience'?" he asked. "You don't even believe in love!" She narrowed her eyes at him but seemed to ignore his last statement.

"Well, I enjoy being with you," she said, "but I realize that I'm not allotted as much time now that you have Hannah and don't love me anymore. You wouldn't even be here tonight if she was not working late. I realize that I'm the consolation prize."

A consolation prize? She thinks she's the consolation prize? That made him angry. What did she know about how he felt?

Didn't you tell her that Hannah wasn't a consolation prize?

He pushed that thought away and focused on his anger. Just because Hannah wasn't a consolation prize, it didn't mean Bones was the consolation.

At his slightly angry look, she continued, "That is as it should be, I'm not complaining; I'm just stating a fact. We don't see each other outside of work—this is the first time since we've been back in D.C., and that's ok. I'll take second place; it's better than the alternative. Besides, logically, I knew I was never first place material."

Booth didn't know what to say. That was really what she thought? She didn't give him the chance to respond.

"Well, it's late," she said. "I'll see you tomorrow," she paused then qualified, "if we have a case. Well, say hello to Hannah from me!" And with that, she walked out of the diner, hailed a cab, and was gone. Booth watched her go, unable to move.

Second place? Never first place material? She really thinks that? I've made her feel that way?

Looking back, he realized that she was right. Tonight had been the first time since they'd returned that they had been out alone together. They were usually with Sweets or Angela or Cam or Hodgins or…Hannah.

How had he been so stupid? Even if he did have to move on romantically, as he'd told her he would, how could he have just left her in the dust thinking that all she was good for was second place? She was his best friend.

She is my best friend, he thought fiercely.

And with that, he hailed a cab and gave the driver Brennan's address. It was time for him to get out of his self-pity party, and reclaim his first place.