A/N: Thanks so much to MiseryMaker for her wicked editing skills! A big thank you to Docsuez for helping me make this more believable. And special thanks to Thnx4theGum & GCatsPjs for their suggestions, their support and for allowing me to torment them with my questions! They all make me want to be a better writer. These ladies rock! I hope you readers like the story.

Temperance walked with a purpose in her stride toward the baggage claim area. Daisy, excited though she was, struggled to keep up. Normally Brennan packed very lightly and didn't have to check any bags, however she'd be gone for a year this time and had to check her large duffel. She was still overwhelmed that she was here. The dig in Maluku was potentially a once in a lifetime opportunity and could change the way the world remembered history. Even she was a little surprised she'd agreed to give up a year of her life though. Ten years ago, she'd never have considered a project this important to be a sacrifice...a year of her life. She'd have jumped at the chance and never thought twice about it. Even five years ago she would have jumped at the chance. Now? That was the $64,000 question on her mind.

She smiled slightly as she walked, thinking of the approval that would have shown on Booth's face at the fact she'd gotten one of his colloquialisms correct. She still had no idea why that particular dollar amount was significant. She found herself wishing Booth were here with her. She enjoyed bickering with him. She was sure she'd have been able to drag him into an argument over some small detail in his answer. She'd never admit it to him, but she often made statements she was sure he'd become indignant about so she could start one of their 'sessions'. He pushed her to consider new ideas, but they also gave her an outlet for pent up frustrations. She had a feeling this year with Daisy would cause her to miss her daily bickering sessions with Booth even more. Theirs was a give and take partnership they both depended upon, yet they'd both given it up for a year. It bothered Temperance that she couldn't just leave for the dig without a second thought; thoughts of what she was leaving behind were all that occupied her mind.

She looked up to see her name along with Daisy's on a sign being held by someone she assumed would be their driver. She introduced herself and the trio walked to the conveyor belt which had just started offering her flight's luggage. She grimaced when she saw Daisy pointing out her suitcases. She had dressed as though she were ready for a safari, but her two large matching cases were black with large hot pink polka dots. Temperance tried to give Daisy the benefit of doubt and reminded herself it was Daisy's first major expedition. Those suitcases were very impractical, but she remembered advice she'd received from Angela and Booth over the years and refrained from saying anything to Daisy.

Temperance saw her large wheeled duffel coming around and grabbed it herself rather than relying on the driver to do it for her. As hers was the last bag to be collected, they headed toward the small SUV parked outside in the loading zone. Temperance walked to the front passenger door, but stopped midway, causing Daisy, who'd been following her closely, to bump into her. She gritted her teeth and turned toward Daisy.

"I'm so sorry Dr. Brennan. I'll be more careful and watch where I'm going," Daisy hastily apologized.

Brennan pursed her lips briefly before replying, "See that you do please. Your concentration will be vitally important in the weeks and months to come."

"Oh! I know! I'm just so..."

"Miss Wick," Temperance allowed the sternness to show. "I'm looking forward to a quiet scenic ride to the dig site. I would like to familiarize myself with our surroundings. I suggest that you do likewise."

"Great idea, Dr. Brennan! I just know I'm going to learn so much more from you this year!" Her eyes were wide with enthusiasm.

They climbed into the vehicle and buckled up for the ride. As they rode along, Daisy started to interject interesting little tidbits of information she'd learned about Maluku.

After five minutes though, Brennan had had enough of her chatter. She turned to glare at Daisy. Daisy took one look at Brennan's face and recognized the need to be quiet. She stopped mid-sentence and turned to look out the window. Temperance turned to face forward and enjoyed the rest of the ride to the site in peace.

As they pulled into the camp, a relatively short man with a dark round face rose from his chair to greet them.

"Ah, Dr. Brennan!" he said as she climbed from the vehicle.

Recognizing him from a picture she'd seen on the internet, she grinned. "Dr. Hasani! It's such a pleasure to finally meet you in person," she said as she moved to shake his hand.

He grasped her hand with both of his as he warmly smiled. "Yes! Yes, it is indeed a pleasure!"

She slightly turned toward Daisy who had climbed out to join them. The driver had moved to the rear of the SUV to retrieve their luggage.

"Let me introduce Miss Daisy Wick, one of my...associates." Brennan stumbled slightly over that last word. It suddenly struck her that Daisy was not her student in this setting. Why had that not crossed her mind before now? For some reason she could not fathom at this moment, the sudden change in Daisy's role was going to make it so much more difficult to tolerate her constant giddiness.

Daisy's eyes were wide with excitement, clearly delighted by Brennan referring to her as her associate rather than student. She grinned even larger as she reached out to grab Dr. Hasani's hands.

"I'm so looking forward to working with you on this project Dr. Hasani. It's going to be absolutely amazing!"

Dr. Hasani chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Yes, Miss Wick, that is what we hope for." He turned to look at Temperance. "Why don't I show you to your quarters?"

"Yes, I'd appreciate that." Brennan stated as she turned to grab her bags.

The driver was already helping Daisy gather her bags, which looked very out of place in this location. Their first stop was a rather large tent structure.

Dr. Hasani stood to the side and indicated with a wave of his hand for Daisy to enter. "This is your tent. I'm afraid we are required to share living quarters at this early point in the expedition. We'll be setting up a series of semi-permanent residences later. However, most will still have to share living areas as we're trying to minimize our impact on the area."

Brennan nodded appreciatively. "That will be fine. Thank you Dr. Hasani." She started to walk toward the tent with Daisy.

"Oh, no, Dr. Brennan, you are not staying in this tent," Dr. Hasani stated.

Brennan paused and glanced around trying to figure out where she would be staying. Daisy looked at her a little uncertainly.

Temperance turned to Daisy. "I'll meet you for dinner later, Miss Wick."

Daisy's grin returned. "Sure, Dr. Brennan!"

Brennan turned to Dr. Hasani with a question in her eye. Dr. Hasani smiled, "Right this way Dr. Brennan."

She returned his smile. "Temperance. It's Temperance Brennan. You may call me Temperance if you wish."

He smiled at her and nodded his head. "Temperance," he stated as though trying it out. She smiled again.

As they continued walking down the path, he turned to her. "Your associate, Miss Wick, is very young and enthusiastic!" He chuckled and shook his head a little.

Brennan's look was one of resignation. "Yes, I have found her...reactions...to be distracting at times." She paused as she considered Daisy. She then nodded her head with a slight downward turn of the corners of her mouth as she added, "However, she has demonstrated a superior level of knowledge considering her lack of practical experience. I think you'll find her addition to this project to be a wise decision. I would not have recommended her otherwise."

Dr. Hasani smiled as he listened, realizing that some of the rumors about Temperance, her directness one of them, were apparently true.

"I'm looking forward to working with both of you." he stated.

She just smiled and gave a nod of her head. She took a couple more steps when she suddenly realized she should return Dr. Hasani's expression of interest in working together. She drew in a breath to begin speaking when Dr. Hasani stopped by another much smaller tent structure.

"Here we are Temperance! It's smaller, but there are only two of you in this tent, while Miss Wick's tent sleeps ten. Dr. Marlena Marshall is the head of the archeology department at the College of Southern Nevada. She is your roommate."

Brennan shook her head. "I've never heard of her." she said matter of factly.

Dr. Hasani smiled. "She has not been in that position very long."

She nodded. "I look forward to meeting her."

Dr. Hasani started to back away. "I'll see you back at the front of the camp in an hour? We can take the grand tour before dinner."

She inclined her head and smiled, "Yes, I'd like that." She watched Dr. Hasani turn and walk down the path. She drew in a breath, picked up her bag and pulled the flap back to enter her new home.

Temperance paused a moment to let her eyes adjust to the decreased light after she stepped into her tent. She glanced around as her view came into focus. As tents went, it was a nice sturdy four walled dwelling. She could stand upright without any problems. Booth would even be able to stand with room left over.

The sudden thought of Booth gave her a pang of sadness and reminded her how lonely she felt missing him and her friends. She'd never before felt sadness when leaving for a dig. Booth had been right about there being more than one kind of family. She'd been fine at the airport when she was saying goodbye to her small unit of friends, although it had been slightly more painful than she'd expected. She knew the ache of an absent family and was feeling that same loneliness and isolation now. The only thing that made it tolerable was the finite nature of the separation. She knew they'd be together again in a year. She'd work with them almost every day of her life...in a year.

One year. That amount of time had seemed so short when she was first presented with this opportunity. Now, having arrived at the beginning of that year, without Booth, it suddenly seemed much longer. She wondered where he was and what he was doing. She'd already found herself thinking of him quite often in the short time they'd been apart. When she'd said goodbye to Booth, he'd held her hand so tightly.

She shook herself from her thoughts not wishing to relive those moments in the airport and looked around. There was definitely a division to the two halves of the tent. Dr. Marshall's side looked lived in with her belongings inhabiting her space. Brennan was left with the right side, which appeared very spartan in comparison. The rear of the tent was cordoned off with a richly decorated folding privacy wall. She left her bags and walked the short distance to the back. There was an ornate pitcher and bowl sitting on a simple cherry wood stand that had a connected mirror. She made a mental note to ask Dr. Hasani where she would be able to get water later. A small French Provincial table and chair were there as well and an open area to change clothes in. She turned back to the rest of the tent and decided to go ahead and unpack her things.

She grabbed her bags and took them to the large mahogany four poster bed where she placed them after pulling the mosquito netting aside. They had supplied a heavy wooden trunk in which to store her belongings. One of the things she always loved about these digs was the lavish nature of the living quarters in what usually were temperate conditions. It wasn't always this way, but she would appreciate these comforts for the next year of her life. It didn't take her long to find a place for everything and she stowed her empty bag out of the way at the front corner of the tent. She almost decided to go ahead and explore the camp on her own before meeting Dr. Hasani. She often did that at the beginning of a dig. She preferred to evaluate the environment alone and without distraction. This time she decided to wait on the official tour so she could take advantage of the solitude. As she pulled the netting back on her bed, she saw a previously unnoticed envelope on her pillow. It had her name written on the front and she opened it with a furrow on her brow, wondering who'd left it.

"Ah," she thought, "my new roommate." She read the letter to herself.

Hello Temperance!

I knew you'd arrive while I was away at a conference for a couple of days. I hope you don't mind that I took the left side of the tent. It's just a thing I have! I like the left! I'm really looking forward to working with you! In fact, you're practically one of my idols! I will be back to camp the day after you arrive and we can really get to know each other then! Welcome to Maluku!

Marlena

(Or you can call me Marly which most people do! I'm cool either way!)

Temperance groaned. Apparently she'd been paired up with Daisy's twin. At least Daisy had the respect to call her Dr. Brennan. She'd offered to allow Dr. Hasani to use her first name, but there was something fatherly about him and she found herself liking him instantly. It was what she felt in her gut.

Thoughts of Booth flooded her mind again. This time she laid back on the bed and gave in to them.

She had just said goodbye to her friends but was holding out until the last moment to leave. Booth had told her he would try to make it to the airport but it was possible he wouldn't. She desperately wanted to see him one more time. The moment she saw a uniform, she knew it was him and he'd been such an impressive sight. She'd always found him physically appealing. Something about that uniform, though, had caused both her heart and respiratory rates to increase. He was a very attractive man.

However, the weight and enormity of that uniform crashed into her as well. Knowing he was going back to the military was one thing. She'd found that actually seeing him standing there...in that uniform...made it more real, more dangerous. Men in uniform often came back in flag draped caskets. She suddenly realized he was going to war. Losing him became a possibility for the first time.

She'd asked him not to be a hero and he'd taken a step even closer to her with such an intense look in his eyes. Her first thought was that he was going to kiss her again. She'd suddenly become so terrified of losing him that she would have welcomed his kiss. Even returned it. To be close to him. To hold on to him. To have that memory if she lost him.

Instead, he'd grabbed her hand and she'd held tight, trying to let him know through her touch how much she cared. How much he meant to her. Thankfully he'd started talking of their future together. She didn't need to waste energy on worry. They'd meet again in one year at their coffee cart. She was so relieved to be reminded of that. She'd gripped his hand with the same intensity that she held on to their future together, the same intensity mirrored in his eyes. Then he was gone.

She'd watched him walk away and had instantly missed him. A glance over his shoulder drew her eyes to the flag hanging against the far wall from the ceiling.

Booth.

In uniform.

The flag.

A casket.

She'd felt the pain of losing him once and felt it again as she watched him walk away. It ripped through her with the same rush as when they told her he had died. She turned to leave.

No. She had to get away from these thoughts. Bury them. They were too painful.

It was Booth. He'd be safe. He had to be.

Coffee cart.

One year.

She couldn't lose him. Not now. She loved him. She loved him? Did she? Her mind raced as she walked away. Yes, she did love him. Her life would never be the same without him. She continued toward her gate.

Uniform.

War.

Caskets.

Booth.

She could lose him. He could die and she'd never see him again. Never see his smile. Never bicker with him. Never feel another one of his guy hugs which she'd come to rely on.

Booth could die.

It hurt so much. Her chest ached with the pain of her thoughts. She struggled to hold the tears in her eyes. She had to see him one more time...just in case. She had to have one memory of what he looked like after she'd realized she loved him.

When she turned, he was already looking at her. She should have known. Booth was the heart of their partnership. If she was in this much pain over leaving him, then he surely was in pain as well.

She drank in the sight of him standing there. She loved him. She couldn't lose him. Not now. He had to be safe. He had to come back. Her heart couldn't take any other outcome.

The pain in her chest from reliving those minutes pulled her from her memories. She reached up to wipe at a tear sliding down toward her temple. She couldn't bear to think about any other scenario than the one they had planned. Coffee cart. One year. She held onto that thought as if it were armor. She looked at Dr. Marshall's letter in her hand and sighed. She almost dreaded meeting her now.