Being Left Behind

I took a deep breath as I listened to his voice on my cell phone again.

"Hey Bones…uh…damn I don't want to do. They're sending me back to Iraq. I already explained everything to Rebeca and Parker but I wanted you to know. I don't know how long I'll be gone but I promise you that I will do everything in my power to come back. So…bye Bones."

I listened to his phone discontent as I held my tears in. I turned and looked at the clock on my new DVD player that he helped me pick out along with my new TV it was nearing 6:PM.

"Why now? Why does he have to leave now?"

I looked around my apartment and all I could see was him…Sully and I were in a relationship but everywhere I looked I could only see Booth. I hate that he made me feel like this but I don't want to give it up. I took a deep breath as I stood and grabbed my jacket and keys as I left my apartment…I need to get out of here before I do something completely irrational like call Booth and tell him to not go.

I climbed out of a cab and walked into the train station…for some reason just watching people move about here helps me to calm down. I got a cup of coffee and just sat down at a near by table as I watched a young woman and man dressed in a uniform walk near me. As I take I sip I could hear him telling her that maybe they should say goodbye here. I glanced up to see her looking at him a little sad but nods in understanding as he puts his bag down by his feet as she watches with interest.

The young woman appears to be about 5'4" with strawberry blond hair, very beautiful and "curvy" to me she just appears to be what many cultures appease to be the ideal woman unlike our own. The man she is with has a similar structured to Booth's. He has the same brown hair color and warm brown eyes. I watch as she just looks at him as she tries to fight against her tears as his fingers lightly stroke her cheek as he smiles at her.

"I'll write to you…promise to write back."

She just nods…I assume because if she would speak she might cry.

"It's not going to be that bad. I'll be there for a year and come back. We'll be together; I wouldn't be leaving if I could help it.

She looks up at him and asks.

"But why? Why do you have to go? There are so many other people that can take your place. Why do they need you?"

"Because I want to go…I need to know that I'm protecting you."

"I can protect myself you just want to be a hero…well you won't be. You'll just die and I'll never see you again."

I watch as she tightens her grip on his jacket as he holds her close as she cries into his arms. I sigh as I watch him run his fingers through her hair as he holds her against his chest while whispering comforting words to her as someone walks up to them. I turned away from them to give them some privacy when I recognize the person standing off to the side just watching…its Booth.

"I love you…please don't go, I can't lose you not after Seeley leaves me."

The man looked down at her as he holds her chin in his hands.

"You won't lose me because no matter what happens I will always love you."

She just nods to him as she wraps her arms around his neck for a hug as he pulls her even closer. I watch as he whispers something into her ear before pulling away from her. She removes something from around her neck and places it in his hand.

"For luck…please come back to me."

He kisses her as she holds onto him before they pull away from each other. I take a deep breath as I watch him bend down and pick up his bag before turning to look at Booth as they shake hands and with one more smile to her he turns and walks away as Booth walks up over to her and wraps his arm around her shoulders as she gives him a teary smile.

I turn to go back to my coffee not wanting to interrupt them when I have the sudden feeling that I was beign watched a few minutes later. I looked up to see Booth standing in front of my table with the young woman beside him doing her best to be brave.

"Hey Bones…I guess you got my message."

I just nod afraid to speak as the young woman looks at me confused before looking at Booth annoyed.

"Why do you call her that Seel?"

He turned to look at her with his charm smile.

"Cause that's her name."

"I doubt her parents named her Bones. It seems like you're the reason behind giving her that horrible nickname."

I just smile as I watch them together…they're interactiong reminded me of Russ and I while we were going up. I must have been lost in thought when I heard Booth talk to me.

"You alright there Bones?"

I looked up to find him looking at me concerned for some reason.

"Just remembering…Russ and me when we were younger."

Booth nodded as I looked at the young woman standing behind him growing more concerned by the moment.

"I miss Luc."

Booth rolled his eyes at her as he gave me understanding smile.

"He's been gone for ten minutes."

I smiled as she glared at him before answering him as if I would.

"He's going to fight in this awful war and your going to join him to cause they told you that you have to go and I don't know what to do if something happens to you two…how do I explain it to Parker?"

I watched as he pulled her close as she snuggled into his chest as he held her.

"I have no intention to leave you neither does Luc. Understand."

She just nod as she held onto him…I don't want to see this...why am I jealous all of sudden…she just said goodbye to her boyfriend and I want to hurt her because she's hanging onto Booth like that.

"So what are you doing here Bones…it's Saturday. I thought you would be in the lab or something?"

I shrugged as I took a sip of my coffee as I continued to look at him as I did my best to not cry because he was leaving me just like everyone else in my life.

"I need to get out of my apartment for a few minutes and I come here to watch people sometimes."

He smiled at me with his charm smile as I tried to fight the blush that I knew was about to cross my cheeks.

"Why are you here?"

He shrugged as he nodded toward the young woman at his side as she dried her eyes.

"I promised Danielle that I would bring her and Luc to the train station so she can say goodbye like in the movies but they don't let anyone near the trains nowadays so…"

I smiled as I nodded.

"I understand…it was very nice of you to bring your friend and his girlfriend here to say goodbye."

Booth just started to chuckle as I looked at him confused for a moment before Danielle hit him in the chest forcing him to stop.

"What did I say?"

I looked at them confused.

"I'm his baby sister…he did it to make sure Luc and I didn't have sex in the bathroom or anything before he left."

"I don't want to hear about it."

I smiled as she crossed her arms over her chest as she smirked at him.

"You know just because you can't talk about sex doesn't mean I can't Seel besides mom and I talk about it all the time."

He closed his eyes and groaned out loud as I laughed.

"Thank you so much for telling me that."

"You're welcome. I'm Danielle but you can call me Danni."

"How about pain in the ass?"

She turned and stuck her tongue out at him as he smiled to himself.

"I'll tell mom."

"I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan, your brother's partner."

She nodded as we shook hands when she stopped suddenly.

"Oh…know I get the whole Bones name thing. I would have kicked him if he didn't stop calling me that."

"I've grown us to it. I'm sorry about you having to say goodbye to your boyfriend."

She gave me a small smile.

"Thank you…Luc and I have been dating since our senior year…this is our sophomore year of college. I hate that he has to go and I'm stuck here just waiting for him to come back."

I nodded as I glanced briefly at Booth only to look away suddenly.

"Well know that you've meet my sister…how about we get something to eat before we get Parker."

Danielle just nodded as they both turned to look at me…it was like being faced to face with two matching pair of deep brown eyes that wanted me to do something that I wasn't ready yet.

"You go ahead…I have to look over my writing before I send it to my publishers."

Booth just nodded as Danielle smiled at me.

"It was nice to meet you Temperance. If he gives you any trouble just call me and I'll straighten him out."

I nodded as walked away leaving me to my cold cup of coffee.

A few hours later I found myself standing outside his door wanting to knock but afraid to. Why am I afraid? I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan I have stood up against armed men and I'm afraid to knock on my partner's door…yes. I sighed and moved to leave when the door opened to reveal an unkempt Booth.

"Bones…what are you doing here?"

"Uh…I wanted to see if Danielle was alright."

He just shrugged as he moved aside letting me inside. I walked in as he closed the door behind me to find Danielle sleeping on the couch as an old war movie played on his TV…she had tear streaks on her cheeks and a pint of ice cream within her reach.

"That bad."

"Yeah…guess I never knew how much she really cared for the kid until today. Sad it takes a war for people to get their heads on straight."

I just nodded as I slowly walked over to the young woman. I brushed her hair away from her face as I moaned in her sleep as Booth covered her with a blanket.

I turned and looked at him as he gave me a small soft smile…I don't want him to leave. I don't know why but I launched myself into his arms as I started to cry.

"Why? Why are you leaving me like everyone else?"

I felt his arms tighten around me as I buried my head in his chest as I tried to control my tears.

"I don't want to leave but I have to. It's like when Zack left. He just knew he had to go…that's what I feel like. Do you understand?"

I pulled away from him to find that he was holding back tears.

"I do…Booth about the kiss…I…"

He placed his finger on my lips as I tried to explain.

"I know and I want you to know that I feel the same way. I will do what I can to come back to you Temperance. You can hold me to that."

I smiled at him as I wrapped my arms around him as he held me close.

"Just come back to me…that's all I want."

He nodded against my neck as we held each other.

A week later I found myself at the airport with Danielle and Parker as we said goodbye to Booth. I stood back a bit as I watched him say goodbye to his son and his sister. We spent that night just talking about anything to each other. I knew that Danielle and Booth were every close, she was appointed Parker's Godmother and that she went to school here in DC to be closer to her nephew. He pulled away from them with a soft smile as all three of them did they're best to not cry.

"I love you Daddy."

"I love you to Bud. Can you promise me something?"

"Yea."

"Make sure Bones and Danni don't spend too much time working alright."

I watched as the little boy nodded with a smile as Danielle rolled her eyes with me.

"Deal."

Booth smiled and looked at me. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he pulled me close.

"I love you, I know you don't believe in love but I love you Bones."

I held him tighter as I turned my head toward his ear.

"I love you Seeley…come home soon."

I kissed his cheek and stepped away with a teary smile.

"Nothing can keep me away too long."

With a final wave he walked away from us as he boarded his plane. I sighed as I watched him go when something pulled on my pant leg. I turned to see Parker looking up at me.

"Bones…do you think Daddy will come back?"

I bent down so I was eye level with him and smiled at Parker.

"Yes Parker. I think he will."

He wrapped his arms around my neck as I returned his hug.

"Is anyone hungry…I don't want to be here anymore. On offense to the airport and all but I really want to go."

I smiled at her as she took Parker's hand in hers with a smile that reminded me of Booth.

"Yeah…let's go."

I took Parker's other hand as the three of us left the airport as we waited for him to return.

The End