Disclaimer: I don't own bones

Seeley Booth entered the familiar office and sighed. He sat down in her chair and looked at the documents that still lay scattered over her desk. These papers were the last things she was working on before she left, without a word, 20 years ago.

He went over and touched her jacket that still hung on the rack beside her desk, just the way she left it. He pressed his nose against the fabric and breathed in her scent. 20 years later and he swore it was still there, so what if the others thought he was crazy.

He collapsed onto the couch that still sat in the office. The same couch that he and Bones had made love on that first night. He pushed those memories from his mind. He pushed those memories from his mind, they were too hard. He lay on his back and looked around her office. He was thankful Cam had agreed to let it remain as it was, after much debate, just in case she'd ever choose to return. Would she return? He had hoped for 20 years that he's walk through this door one day and see her hunched over a case file. After 20 years he figured it was time to give up hope!

He couldn't help but think back to the last time he ever saw her. She was in this very office, looking at the documents that still cover her desk. She was angry- at him? He can't remember that fact. She had to have been mad at him. The way she looked at him, she was upset. He realizes that now, but then…

He shakes his head. No! You can't think about it, it'll just hurt you more. He tried to push those thoughts from his mind, but he couldn't. His thoughts kept returning to the last words she heard her say, "Booth, just leave me alone! I need to be alone!"

Booth walked into her office whistling and tossing his keys in the air. "Hey Bones, wanna grab a bite to eat?" He raised his eyebrows at her and gave her his most charming smile.

She was ignoring him, hunched over her desk looking at their latest case file. She was always distant when working, he didn't make anything of it. He approached her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "We don't have to eat," he whispered softly in her ear, "we can do whatever you want!"

Bones snapped her head up. She looked angry- why would she be angry? They'd been secretly dating now for 3 months. She'd been hesitant at first, but now she was fine, or so he thought.

"Booth, I am not in the mood for sex tonight!" he flinched at her blunt words. "In fact, I just want to be alone tonight!"

He was surprised. She never had not spent the night with him since they began seeing each other. "Bones, are you-"

She lifted her head and glared at him. Her blue eyes pierced him like icy daggers. "Booth, please just leave me alone, I need time to think. Don't push me!"

Booth looked at her calmly. She was just freaking out about being in a relationship. He knew just how to handle her in these situations. "Bones, I know you have your doubts about serious relationships, but I promise I will never push you-"

"Booth, please." She looked as if she was about to cry. "I just need to be left alone right now."

Booth rushed over to her and held her close to him. He felt her body stiffen at his touch. "Temperance," he used her real name in this serious moment, "Is everything all right." Tears started streaming down her face. Oh god, this was serious. If Bones was crying something was terribly wrong. "Baby, you can tell me anything. I'll be here for you, I promise."

She pulled out of his embrace, "Booth, I just need to be alone right now!" her voice began to pick up, she was getting angry. Booth tried to lay a hand on her shoulder to reassure her, but she just shouted, "Booth, just leave me alone! I need to be alone!" She jerked away for him, grabbed her jacket and ran out of the room.

He tried to look for her. When he walked into her office the next morning and she wasn't there, he knew something was wrong. When there was still no sign of her after a few days, he hired a private investigator to track her down. How hard could it be for a professional to find a world renowned anthropologist, not to mention a bestselling author whose latest book was scheduled to be released in 2 days.

They released the book on time, but the author was nowhere to be found. He bought the book and read it over the next few weeks, as he looked for her. After 3½ weeks, he realized she was gone. The clothes in her apartment were gone, as well as her most prized possessions. She was not being held hostage somewhere, she was not kidnapped; she was gone on her own accord. Then, 30 days after the love of his life dropped off the radar, he finished the last sentence in her new novel, "Breaking Bones", and part of him died as he closed that book. She was gone. She wasn't coming back. On the outside he hoped and prayed he was wrong, but on the inside he knew that his Bones was not coming back.

So after all the great reviews I received I decided to keep writing. I'm having fun with this one. I will apologize in advance for not adding on as fast as I'd like to. Unfortunately, Thanksgiving break is over Luckily for you I do have a huge case of senioritis, so maybe I'll write more to this story instead of writing a cause and effect paper on the crisis in Ireland. Keep on reviewing, and feel free to suggest ideas… believe me I will run out soon!