Ch. 2

Hannah had text Booth on her way home from her latest story and he hadn't answered which was odd so she called, again she only received his voice mail. She never worried about Booth cheating on her that thought had never crossed her mind he was a loyal man, a man nonetheless but he was raised right and so she shrug it off and continue to drive home tired from a long day.

It was then her cell rang. "Hannah Burley."

"Hey Hannah, it's me I left my lap top at the lab I-"

"I can pick it up for you if you want." He had sounded like he had, had a couple of drinks anyway.

"I don't know who will be there to let you in everyone has gone home."

"Even Temperance?"

"Yeah." Booth held back a sigh.

"I've already turned around Seeley I'm almost there now. I can always just check and see."

"Thanks let me know if I need to meet you there."

"I will Seeley."

Hannah walk up to find the Jeffersonian locked though she noticed an African American woman in the parking garage. She looked like she was getting ready to leave.

"Excuse me miss?" the woman didn't seemed alarmed by Hannah's presence.

"Can I help you with something honey? Are you looking for someone?" Hannah wondered why the woman assumed this but shrugged it off.

"No, actually yes you can help me with something my boyfriend Seeley Booth is the F.B.I agent that works here with Temperance Brennan. He left his laptop in the Jeffersonian and I don't have access to get in the building I was wondering if you were able to help me retrieve it for him?"

"Ahh, I thought you looked familiar. So you are Cherie's new girl friend? You sure are pretty little thing. What the hell you doing running around picking up what the man forgot? Men they are always forgetting something, usually their brain if ya ask me."

Hannah smile intrigued at the southern blunt dialect and honesty the woman spoke to her in. "May I ask how you recognize me?"

"Well none is stopping you honey."

Hannah smile. "Well Miss…?"

"Julian."

"Miss Julian how is it you recognize me? Also are you going to help me retrieve my forgetful boy friends laptop?"

"When Cherie come back from Afghan he was flaunting your picture around like he had won a prize. If I were a man I would too look at ya honey you got the looks and I hear you're nice as well. Though, that don't mean a damn thing to me unless I know you, but I guess I will trust Cherie's judgment this time. As I suppose I will help you honey. You do seem a little lost out here in this cold, better for you to get inside anyway."

"Thanks I guess and I spent five months in Afghanistan I am quite capable to handle the cold myself. It's extremely cold there at night Miss Julian."

Caroline Julian was fiddling with the door to the Jeffersonian. "Did you say something honey?" Hannah opens her mouth but decided it would be best to keep it shut instead.

"No."

"Hhhmm I must be hearin' things." The door open and the two women walk inside.

Hannah promptly made her way to Booth's office and picked up the lap top she smile at the pictures on his desk of Parker, Temperance, and her. Miss Julian walks in the office. "You get that computer yet? I don't got all night honey I got places to be I ain't here for you to lolly gag around."

Hannah look at her a bit caught off guard. "What is it honey? What is that face for?" Miss Julian walks over to where Hannah stood a fake smile now plastered on her face. "Ohhhh her… yes his doctor lady. Don't worry none about a simple picture honey. Besides Cherie said she turned him down once, she is a scared woman. That poor baby is too scared to love or even accept it. I don't understand it myself."

"When you say Temperance turned Seeley down once before…"

"Oh, damn honey I thought you knew."

"No, what happened?" Hannah looked at Caroline Julian a bit perplexed wanting to know more of her boyfriends past with his partner. She was after all a curious journalist.

"Well I'm guessing she pushed him away after he asked for something more, that's just me though. She is a lonely woman, has strong walls built up, but inside those walls is just a scaaared lil baby girl crying frozen in time. Sad thing bout those two is while she acted like she never realized he was what silenced her cries I think she knew..."

Miss Julian nod yes confirming. "…She knew that they were each other's exception deep down, had too. They spent so much damn time together. The woman is suppose to be a genius you think she would have noticed her own feelings for the man."

Caroline Julian shakes her head back and forth in thought. "Hhmm damn shame too, a damn shame." Caroline Julian continues to shake her head back and forth in thought. "A strange woman that doctor Cherie loves. Are you ready now baby?"

Hannah didn't think Miss Julian realized what she had said to her and it was evident to Hannah that in Miss Julian's mind that Temperance was still the one Seeley loved. So being the curious person she was she pushed. "Do you think he still loves her?"

"Oh baby, don't you worry bout that doctor."

"Though, you do believe he still loves her?" Hannah gave Miss Julian a chance to correct her present tense to past.

"Honey, child he loves you don't get all squirmy over a danged picture."

"Miss Julian-"

"I'm done here honey and I'm more than ready to leave, do you have that computer Cherie forgot?"

Hannah re-adjusts her grip on the lap tops case and nod yes to Caroline Julian. He loves a strange woman he loves is what she had said. As, she drove back home to Booth she thought of what Miss Julian had said. She didn't seem like a woman that made mistakes about others relationships or what she said. The only exception?

Loves was present not past tense. She shook the thought off, but the fact that the thought had entered her mind at all tonight. Settling itself comfortably inside not willing to leave easily bothered her. Was her boyfriend in love with his partner? Still.

No, Seeley had moved on completely, it bugged her that she suddenly wondered where he had been tonight. She had never been one to wonder where her boyfriends were in that way trust was the basis of a relationship.

She walks in the apartment finding Seeley already asleep in bed. She change into more comfortable sleep ware and lay awake next to him. All the things Miss Julian had said were running through her head. Her heart beat started to pick up and she shut her eyes forcing herself into a sleep, trying to forget of all the things Miss Julian had said.

Though, she wakes in the middle of the night all the things that had been said tonight running through her head once more. She could try and pretend try and forget what had happened mere hours ago. Though, she wasn't a woman who would fool herself into a relationship that wasn't really there or force someone else into a relationship that didn't really want to be in it one hundred percent.

Saturday morning came inevitably and Booth roll over Hannah was propped up her back against the pillows. She looks down at him as he draps his arm over her stomach snuggling his face into her. "I love you baby." Though, she only sighs quietly in response. "What's wrong?" She runs her fingers through his hair as she wonders aloud.

"I ran into someone last night when I picked up your lap top Seeley. She, she told me about you and Temperance about your past. That you loved her very much and she turned you down."

Booth sat up. "Who did you run into?" Did it matter? She was wrong he had loved her it was in the past Miss Julian was incorrect in what she said.

"A southern woman her name was Miss Julian."

"Oh."

"What is oh? She said Temperance was scared to love, to accept love but that she loved you and you her."

Booth thought a moment, Bones had basically said she loved him Cam told him not to screw it up this time and here he sat with Hannah who had done nothing wrong. He had invited her into his life.

"Seeley?"

"Bones is scared Hannah-"

"I feel a but coming on." Booth sighs. "Seeley if you are still in love with her I don't want to hold you back. I don't want to force someone into something they deep down don't want to be in."

Silence lingers for a moment this was it she knew it and he knew it. "For God's sake you call her Bones Seeley." Hannah chuckle "Really, Bones? It's been a lot of fun Seeley, but I think we both know that-"

"But, Hannah I love you."

Hannah smile wryly. "No, you think you do and you may like me a lot, but you can't expect me to be o.k. with you loving two women at the same time Seeley and you do it's that simple. Besides I was warned you are the type of man that gives all of himself and I just don't feel I have the whole you…

…Not when I have a feeling the rest of the Bones is scared Hannah… fill in the blank sentence could be…except with me."

"I told Bones I love you, she knows I love you."

"Seeley, listen to yourself, your almost making excuses. It's o.k. to love her and not me one can't control who they love, love just is. If you found it then I'm happy for you Seeley. Besides I know she loves you in more than a partner way I always just had a feeling."

"So, you are saying goodbye?"

"I think it would be best for everyone."

"It was fun Hannah, you're a great person and I'm sorry about everything."

"It was and no worries, just promise me you won't mess it up with Temperance this time, don't let Miss Julian tell someone else you two were a damn shame." Booth smile at her as she smiles a sad smile back at him grabbing her hand he squeeze it.

"I promise."

"Good, I heard you were her only exception and she yours, don't let her fear love anymore Seeley." He squeezes her hand again.

"I won't."

"Well, then it looks like this wasn't for nothing if you succeed with Temperance and one other thing call her Temperance just once for me."

Booth laughs "Okay."

"Somehow I don't believe that will happen." Silence lingers. Hannah planned on being out later on that day, right now they laughed about memories and oddly enough she wasn't that sad or even mad. She was a little confused last night as all the things Miss Julian had said ran through her head and she stare at the ceiling sorting them out.

Though now as she and he reminisce she felt nothing but free and glad that Temperance would finally feel what it was like to be loved. Well she hoped she had done the right thing anyway and that Miss Julian was wrong, that, that doctor was indeed someone to worry about. That she would or did have the courage to acknowledge what she was so scared of and embrace it.

First time really writing their breakup...I myself have been fortunate enough to usually end on decent terms w/ ex's while when the heartbreaks all hell can break momentarily break in my house...I have been lucky enough to have a decent breakups with guys. How was Caroline? I will prob. leave this for a bit bc I'm more loyal to A Silent Night than this story. Though, I will continue it, it will just be eventually.