After about five minutes of the duo sitting on the floor of the forensic platform, just holding onto each other, Temperance felt someone touch her shoulder. She lifted her head to see Angela smiling at her, and she managed to smile back at her, eyes still shining with tears.
"Come on, Brennan." Her best friend - and the one human who knew the truth about her - said gently. "Let's go talk in your office."
Temperance nodded as she got to her feet, pulling the strange man along with her.
Before they could even make it halfway to her office, though, Booth stopped them.
"Whoa, Bones!" he protested. "Aren't you going to explain?"
"Explain what, Booth?" she asked, confused as to why her partner had stopped her from proceeding to her office.
"Who this guy is?" Booth asked, as if it was an obvious question.
She could hear Theta next to her, whispering to Angela, "Well, her people skills haven't gotten any better."
Then there was Angela's snort of laughter as she elbowed Theta in the ribs before returning her attention to Booth.
"I don't see how that is any of your concern, Booth." Dr. Brennan responded, pushing past her FBI - and occasionally romantic - partner.
As she walked away, Booth could hear her and Angela talking with her mysterious 'Theta':
"Ok Doc, tell me everything."
"Where did you visit? Which species of flora and fauna did you come across, Theta?"
8888
Brennan's P.O.V.
As soon as my office door was closed, Theta was attacking me in a hug, and I laughed as he lifted me off of my feet.
"Theta Lungbarrow, put me down!" I shrieked, and he dropped me automatically before looking around my office.
"Right. So," he said, pausing, before spinning with a flourish. "What do you think?"
Angela nodded appreciatively, while I outright laughed. "You look ridiculous." I told him.
Honestly, I was glad that the rest of my colleagues - and Booth - didn't see me right now. I was a different person around Theta than I was with anyone else. Angela had traveled with us enough that she knew the difference, and had become very good friends with him in the process.
"Which number are you on now?" I asked quietly. The last time that I had seen him, he was on number Four…..
"Eleven." he answered quietly, and Angela gasped, but I just raised an eyebrow. "Okay." he huffed, before admitting, "Thirteenth."
"So we're finally even then." I stated, and he nodded solemnly. "And Gallifrey?" I said, almost afraid to ask.
"Gone." Theta said sadly, his shoulders drooping as Angela pulled him down to sit in between the two of us on my couch. She wrapped him in a hug as I tried to process that. Gallifrey - while not one of my favourite places - had still been my home. Now it was gone.
Theta wrapped me up in a hug, and that was when I realized I was crying.
We just sat like that for another thirty minutes or so, before managing to compose ourselves even a little.
"So." I said, and my voice was thicker than normal, but I ignored it. "What have you been doing since then?"
That sent him into a story involving a version of him with big ears and a leather jacket, a girl named Rose, and the Nestene Consciousness in London…
several hours later…..
"Wow." I said, exhausted from just listening to - and occasionally watching re-enactments - of his adventures. "Are you sure that's all?"
"Well…" Theta said, giving a secretive little smile, and Angela and I shared a glance.
"Out with it, time boy." Angela said, trying not to laugh.
"What?" he asked, looking entirely too pleased with himself.
"Oh, just tell us already." I said, rolling my eyes. "You are rubbish at keeping secrets."
"Ha!" Theta said, pointing at me with childish glee. "You said 'rubbish'!"
"So?" I asked. "You say it all of the time. In all of your regenerations."
"Yes, but you're American." he responded with exaggerated patience.
"Don't think that this is going to get you off of the hook, young man." I warned, smiling happily as he pouted.
"Fine." he whined, but then jumped up off of my couch. "But I can't tell you about it." he said, as he left my office, heading back into the main lab area where Booth was still sitting.
"And why not?" Angela asked.
"Because you'll never believe me unless I show you!" he responded.
"Fine." I said, too tired to deal with him anymore. "When will you be coming back?" I asked him.
"Uh….. tomorrow…. I think!" He said, and I rolled my eyes before shooing him off.