Temperance felt like she was going to either faint, cry, or puke…or a combination of all of them. She had forced this man from her mind years ago, rationalizing him away as if he no longer existed. Yet, there he stood.
She swallowed and winced at the dryness in the back of her throat. Trying to compose herself, she turned to face her daughter. "Capri, why don't you go to sleep now, okay? Mommy just needs to talk to a friend. I will see you in the morning." She said, forcing her tone to be soft and calm.
Capri smiled and nodded, closing her eyes. "Night mommy. I love you!"
Temperance smiled softly and kissed her forehead. "I love you too. Sweet dreams, baby." She kissed her forehead once more and stood, slowly turning to face where Booth had been standing, but froze when he wasn't there. Quickly, she made her way from the bedroom, turning off the light and closing the door almost all the way.
Carefully, she padded down the hall towards the kitchen, hoping he would be in there finding something to drink. She sighed when there was no sign of him. "Booth?" She said into the darkness, turning in a circle. All she could hear was the faint humming of the refrigerator and the faint tick of a clock.
She sighed, shaking her head. "I'm going crazy." She muttered, resting her palms on the kitchen island, looking down at her soft reflection on the smooth stove top.
"No you're not."
She whirled around, only to be steadied by strong hands. She looked up into the same coffee eyes she remembered and tried to slow her breathing.
"I didn't mean to scare you, Bones….I was just petting the puppy."
She blinked, trying to process everything. Angela had bought Capri a Golden Retriever puppy for Valentines Day, much to Temperance's dismay. She had no idea how to care for a dog, let alone how to keep it alive. Raising a daughter had been no easy feat, especially on days when she would ask why she doesn't have a daddy. Her stomach clenched as she realized her mind was racing, her pulse galloping nearly as fast.
"Bones…" He said softly, finally letting go of his gentle grip on her arms. "Are you okay?"
Suddenly, her wits came to her. She stared at the man in front of her as if he had just robbed her of her life. In a moment that flashed by faster than either of them could recognize, her fist collided with his face, knocking him square onto his back.
She stood over him as he stared up at her in shock, blood trickling from his nose. He gently touched it, wincing and looking at the blood on his fingers. The look she saw in his eyes broke her heart, much more than she had anticipated. Tears flooded her eyes.
She hurried to the hand towel drawer and grabbed one, soaking it in fresh cold water. After ringing it out, she kneeled down next to him and gently touched it to his face. "I am so sorry…I just…I am…." She stuttered, choking on her cries.
He reached up and grabbed her trembling hands. "No…I am the one who is sorry." He said softly, looking into her tear filled blue eyes. He faintly acknowledged how much they reminded him of a stormy ocean, especially at that moment.
She shook her head. "I broke your nose." She said quietly.
"How do you know?"
She gave him a peculiar look and he almost laughed. "Right…"
Gently, very gently, she placed her hands on either side of his face and rested her thumbs on both sides of his nose. With a quick tiny movement, his nose realigned with a sickening sound. He shrieked.
"Sorry…" She said through clenched teeth. His nose began to pour again and she let him reapply the towel. He sat straighter, resting his back against the cupboard doors. He watched her as she busied herself, grabbing an ice pack and a clean towel.
She was as beautiful as ever. Her hair rested gracefully around her shoulders, to the middle of her back. His eyes scanned her body, appreciating it shamelessly.
She caught his gaze, but chose not to question him. Kneeling down next to him once more, she looked into his eyes. "Booth...How?" She said, lacking the right words for once in her life. "Why?"
He wanted to touch her. To pull her into his arms. But the blood on his hands made him think twice. He sighed. "Honestly?"
"Yes." She said, not breaking eye contact. She knew he would never be able to divulge details to her about his top secret assignment, but she had to know for sure if it was over.
"The assignment ended yesterday. All I could think about this whole time was you…and wondering if you would ever let me back into your life."
That did it. She looked down at the floor as tears spilled from her eyes like raindrops in a thunderstorm.
His throat tightened as tears formed in his own eyes. What was she thinking? Was she crying from joy or sorrow? "Temperance…" He whispered.
She lifted her head to meet his gaze once more. "Of course I want you back in my life."
His heart felt like it was going to explode. All he could do was smile, and then wince because of the horrendous pain that simple gesture caused.
She smiled and ran her fingertips down the side of his face. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I will be." He said, laughing slightly. "Bones….Your little girl is beautiful."
She grinned, beaming with pride. "Yes she is…And she knows it. She's very intelligent."
Booth laughed, and winced once more. "She'd have to be, with your genes in her." He sat up a little straighter, and then laid the ice pack and towel on the counter behind him, glad that the bleeding had stopped. He slowly stood, and Temperance held onto his arm tightly, making sure he wasn't going to fall. "I'm okay." He said reassuringly.
She looked up at him, realizing without words what it is he wanted. He didn't have to ask. She stepped forward into his arms, and he held her close. "You're finally home." She whispered.
