Disclaimer: I own nothing…
Summary: When their daughter is taken from them, Temperance shuts down and Seeley walks away… Only to discover that it may have been the biggest mistake of his life… (AU, Futurefic)
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: So, I just saw "Step Up" for the first time, and it's seriously creepy how much Channing Tatum reminds me of one of my housemates… Who just happens to be dating my best friend. Who just happens to be a dancer… Seriously. Creepy. But anyway…
This is another relatively short one… It wasn't supposed to be. And it wasn't supposed to go this way, either… But it did, and I feel like it's going to work out better this way. It might add on a chapter or two, but I think I like this better than the original… So, yeah, short… But I think it's got a little more feeling this way…
The song this time is "Hero" by Darren Hayes. It was one of those songs that just felt right, and I think, if you really pay attention to the lyrics, especially when listening to the song, that you'll agree that it actually really fits Booth's character in this fic. It's a brilliant song, though one I wasn't planning on using for this fic, but it just fit. Seriously, if you haven't heard Darren's latest release 'The Tension And The Spark', you should really check it out. It's a very powerful album…
And finally, thank you all for the reviews on the last chapter. And to Jazzmaster, in case you happen to see this note, I just wanted to let you know that I definitely understand where you're coming from… My senior class lost one of our best the September after we graduated… A boy I had grown up with from nursery school on… It's been over two years now, and I still can't think of him without crying… It's never easy losing a classmate…
So, now that I've got myself crying, I'm just going to stop and get on with the chapter… Hope it turned out okay… Enjoy!
Hero:
Outside confidence is king
I am all that you're projecting
Inside feel the rising tide
And the revolution's deafening
"Angela. Hey." He was trying to be nonchalant. As though a man, heartbroken over the death of his daughter, should be at work in the first place… It had Angela rolling her eyes as she turned to him, her fist resting again her hip as she waited for him to say whatever it was he needed to say. "Where's Brennan?"
"She's on personal leave… Though, you'd think you'd know that already, her being your wife and all." The sarcasm in her voice was biting as she stared him down, her eyes cold and anger evident in her posture. It only took a moment before he gave in, his eyes dropping to the floor because he couldn't handle the guilt that was building in him under her scrutinizing gaze. When he dropped his eyes, she let out a bitter laugh and turned to walk away as she threw over her shoulder, her voice cold, "And, Brennan? That's good."
As he watched Angela walk away, he let out a sigh and hung his head, fighting back the tears that had been threatening him since the moment he had walked away from Tempe. Angela was pissed. Seriously pissed… Which meant Temperance had gone to her, and that she had told her what had happened… And with Angela as upset as she was, he imagined it wouldn't be an easy feat to fight his way back into Tempe's life… One night without his wife had been far too much, but he wasn't sure what he could do to make things right this time…
I was trying to hide my opposing side
Trying to reconcile my Jekyll and Hyde
Sometimes you put all of your desires in an object of affection
But in time because you idolize there is only disappointment
With another sigh and a slight shake of his head, he turned to leave. Maybe he could catch Tempe at Angela's before Ange had time to warn her that he was coming… Though he imagined his wife would figure it out on her own before answering the door… She had been ignoring her cell phone all day, and he had called more times than he could count. There was little doubt in his mind that she would manage to put two and two together on her own.
And so, when he caught a glimpse of Hodgins walking through the lab, he decided instead to chase the other man down. If Angela wasn't going to give him any answers, maybe Jack would.
"Hodgins!" When the other man ignored him, he tried again, unwilling to let it go so easily. He wasn't sure how easily he could work things out with Tempe, but he wasn't willing to give up on her so quickly. "Hey! Hodgins!"
As Booth caught up to him, Hodgins turned away, busying himself with something at his work station and shaking his head at the FBI agent. "Man, I'm not supposed to be talking to you."
"What?" Booth questioned, confused. "Why the hell not?"
Hodgins laughed at that, finally turning to face the other man, a look of utter disbelief painting his features. "Because your wife is currently asleep on our couch, trying her best to deal with the fact that the man who called himself her husband walked out on her less than a week after her daughter died… And Angela isn't exactly happy with you."
"Look, I need to see her, okay? I need to talk to her. Try and figure things out… What happened, it was bad, but we can get through it…"
"I'd actually prefer it if you stayed the hell away from her." Hodgins informed him, turning back to his work as he tried his best to get Booth to back off. Brennan was already hurting, and she had been through far too much in the past few weeks… And he wasn't sure how much more she could take.
"Excuse me?!" Booth was taken aback by the statement. They had been friends, he and Hodgins, for years and he hadn't expected to be shot down so readily.
Hodgins let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head slowly before turning to look at Booth. "I care about her just as much as Angela does, man. You and me? We're friends, sure… But she's Brennan. She probably doesn't know this, but I'd do anything to keep her safe. She's like a sister to me, man, and you destroyed her when you walked out… Not sure I like the idea of letting you near her right now. You screwed up, man… Big time… And she's the one who's paying the price." With that, he turned to walk away, intent on putting the entire conversation behind him…
Booth, however, seemed to have other ideas.
"Hodgins, man, I know I screwed up, alright?! I know! But I can't do anything to make it right if nobody'll let me near here. I love her, man, and I know you know how that feels… But you know what you don't know?! You don't know how it feels to lose your little girl, and then watch your wife slip farther and farther away from you! You don't know how it feels to come home one day and find her getting ready to give away everything that ever belong to your baby girl without a second thought! You don't know how it feels to watch your entire world falling out from beneath you when you have no idea how to get any of it back!"
Ladies and gentlemen listen up please It's too much pressure
I don't want to be your hero
(No, I am not open, parts of me are broken)
I'll only let you down again
(No, I am not open, parts of me are broken)
The emotion in the other man's voice had Hodgins stopping in his tracks. He closed his eyes tightly in contemplation before letting out a defeated sigh and turning back to the man who was still standing exactly where he had been, desperately trying to hold back the tears that were threatening.
Hodgins watched him for a moment, before sighing again in resignation and tossing him his keys. "Just don't hurt her again, alright, man?"
Booth nodded his thanks, a little smile touching his lips before he turned and sprinted out of the lab, determined to make things right with the woman he loved.
I was flying so high in your perfect sky
But I needed to fall, cannot have it all
No, I am not open, parts of me are broken...