This chapter is partly Booths POV and some are the flashbacks are his as well.


"Beth?"

She responded to his voice instantly. She had heard it once before but it was forever engraved in her memory. She lifted her head from the air hostess's shoulder and looked around before craning her neck to look behind her. Her mother was asleep leaning against her Dad.

He winced as he slowly, painfully, lifted his left arm still in the sling and put his index finger to his lips. Beth smiled and nodded. She wriggled and the air hostess put her down. Seeley began to whisper. "Do you have any cards?" The airhostess looked at him blankly and moved closer. "Do you have any cards?" he repeated. The airhostess nodded and left.

"Can we play go fish?!" Beth suddenly blurted out before covering her mouth with her hand.

Seeley smiled and she smiled back, "Whatever you want to play," he said.

Beth walked over and sat opposite him in the chair previously occupied by Temperance. She clambered in, twisting and turning until she was comfortable.

Seeley reluctantly slipped his hand out of Temperance's grip so he could play. He could see Beth out of the corner of his eye, staring at him. He looked up at her, "Hey Beth you see just under the window there, if you lift up that flap thingy there'll be a table."

Beth's eyes got wide, "Really?!" she was trying hard to whisper but she was almost yelling. He wasn't surprised Temperance hadn't woken up; he figured she was beyond tired.

"Try it," Seeley motioned to the folded away table.

Beth got out of her seat and stood in front of the window. She was struggling to lift the flap before it popped open suddenly. She jumped backwards suddenly. Booth wanted to protect her and hold her so badly, she looked scared.

"It's OK Beth; you opened it, good job. Now unfold that white bit."

"This?" she pointed at the folded table sitting just under the window.

"Yeah that's it," She pulled it towards her until it had completely unfolded. The small table was close enough for Seeley to easily reach without disturbing Temperance but Beth would have to kneel on the edge of her seat.

Beth ducked under the table and crawled under it to her seat and popped out, smiling a wide, toothy grin. The airhostess returned and handed the cards to Seeley.

"Here, you deal."

"Me?" Beth was kneeling on the edge of her chair just like he thought she would. She reached out and grasped the pack of cards from his out-stretched hand. Her tiny delicate fingers touched his worn and bony fingers.

Booth was content watching her fumble around shuffling the cards, occasionally cards would drop on the floor and she would duck down and get them.

"Hey Beth,"

She looked up at him; she had been totally transfixed at her attempt of shuffling.

"I've forgotten how to play, can you teach me?"

"You forgot how to play Go Fish?!" Beth was incredulous.

Booth was slightly angry at himself for initiating the game of cards. It was true; he had forgotten the object of Go Fish. He had played it hundreds of times before as a kid and then with Parker, but this was different. He had seen packs of cards frequently while in captivity, as illegal poker games amongst his captors helped to pass time. "Yeah, I haven't played in a long time, can you please remind me?"

"OK, well…." Beth immediately launched into an in-depth and confusing interpretation of 'Go Fish'. She contradicted herself but Booth just smiled and nodded. At the end of the explanation when Beth was flustered and Booth was amused she began the long and tedious process of dealing. Booth went to reach for the cards but was interrupted with a, "Dad!" Beth was looking at him, shocked.

"What? Beth, what's up?!" He was on high alert.

"You can't pick up your cards before I finish dealing; Mom says that if you were in ancient China they would chop your hand off!" She leaned forward and whispered the last part, miming the chopping action on her own arm.

Booth laughed, he motioned for her to come closer with his index finger. Beth leaned across the table, placing all her weight on the flimsy fold out table. "How about just this once you let me pick up the cards. It'll be our little secret."

Beth leaned back into her chair to think it over, seriously contemplating. "OK, just this once," Beth said, sternly imitating her mother. She finished dealing the cards and picked up her own. They sat in silence as they sorted their cards, creating pairs. Booth was done at least five minutes before her, so he pretended to be looking carefully at his left over cards.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Ready."


Something was going on. Gunshots echoed through the camp, sending familiar chills down his spine. He was standing to the side of their small, square barred window trying to get a glimpse of the action without getting shot. Instinctively he started to determine what was going on, "Dennis I reckon, 6 to 7 men, with M-107 long-range .50-calibers."

Dennis was chained to the bed in their small room that was locked from the outside. They had just the one barred window to look through. Dennis was hacking at the chain with a rock, a fruitless effort he had been incessantly performing for nights now. "Seeley, you sure M-107s?" he asked, shocked. He abandoned the rock and grabbed his chain, dragging it across the floor to stand on the other side of the window, glancing out of his peripheral vision.

Dennis listened closely to the shots and smelt the gunpowder. "I wouldn't doubt you my man." He smiled and felt happy for the first time in too long.

"How many militants today?" Seeley asked Dennis, already working it out in his head.

Dennis began adding it up in his head. "OK, well it's what-September, October? It's roughly 4 am. I'm thinking half are in town from last night, so probably a couple in the house plus….maybe five or six out in the camp? Maybe one with William," he whispered...

William had been absent from their company for one month and 4 days, according to their makeshift calendar etched in the wall. Dennis opened his mouth to speak when Seeley clamped his hand over his mouth, muffling any noise. "D'you hear that?" Seeley whispered.

The men listened carefully, gunfire had ceased and an eerie silence had descended upon the camp. Suddenly there was a crackle of a radio. Seeley and Dennis looked at each other, shocked. They didn't dare turn and look out the window; they just stole peeks every now and then. But it was always the same, same scenery out the window. It had been the same for about a year since moving from their last location. All they could see was the corner of a white, windowless building. There was most likely a door on the opposite side and the rest was jungle.

The radio crackled again and close the men heard a distinctly American voice say, "How many BOG's we got... Sean damnit, wait for backup!" Seeley and Dennis were in shock.

"BOG, B-O-G its USA military slang for boots on ground, how many soldiers." Seeley was whispering.

This was like an out of body experience. Suddenly he realized what this was and started yelling at the top of his lungs. "HELP! HELP! THIS IS AGENT SEELEY BOOTH AND DENNIS HOSKINS FBI! WE ARE AMERICAN SAVE US!"

Soon Dennis caught on and did the same. The loud thud of footsteps could be heard running towards their room but they kept yelling. The door burst open and their familiar armed militant's pointing AK-47s at their heads, barged in the room yanking the men to their feet and unlocking the padlock connecting Dennis and the bed.

"Baise ! Les obtenir dehors maintenant! Baise!" An armed militant yelled repeatedly.


They continued to play for at least an hour; he easily let her win at least ninety percent of the games. They didn't talk a lot, and Booth put that down to concentration on Beth's part and not wanting to wake the woman sitting next to him.

He was holding one five and two kings, any other player would have immediately put down the two kings as a pair but he didn't because he knew she needed one. He was just waiting for her to ask. He asked himself why he was so blatantly letting her win but he couldn't answer his own question. Every now and then during the game Beth would flick her long hair out of her eyes if she had no spare hands, it reminded him so much of the Temperance he used to know.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Temperance move but didn't think much of it until his daughter was smiling and obviously holding back giggles. "Five?!"

He looked down at Temperance who was holding up five fingers and smiling at Beth.

"I can't believe you are cheating! Temperance, she's impressionable at this age," Booth tried to sound serious but failed miserably and laughed.

Temperance stood up and stretched, her back cracked from sleeping in her uncomfortable position. "Mom started it!" Beth was quick to point the finger.

Booth threw his cards on the table, "No, I will not play with cheaters!" He tried to look serious and staunch. His seriousness was clouded by a hidden smile and his staunchness was hard to achieve with his arm in a sling and a body that was withering away.

"But Daddy, one more," Beth surprised her parents by so quickly taking to him as 'Daddy'. Temperance, eyes wide, flicked her eyes from Beth to Booth and back again. She sat back down in the seat next to Booth and underneath the table sought out his hand, in her peripheral vision she saw him smile.


"Oh, sweetie this is gorgeous! Can I borrow it?" Temperance put her head round the corner to see Angela rifling through her wardrobe.

"No. Stop being nosey. Will you come zip me up now?"

"What's this?" Angela walked in the bathroom holding up thick orange padded envelope with 'Bones' scribbled on the front.

Temperance was shocked, she'd practically forgotten about that. "Ange put that back right now. It's private." She made a grab for it but Angela was already tearing open the seal and pulling out a blank, unlabeled DVD.

"Oh honey you didn't,"

"What, I didn't what?" Temperance felt panicky and her heart rate was rapidly increasing.

"Please tell me you didn't do what so many celebrities have done, Paris, Pammy…"

"Ange I don't know what you're talking about! Please just put it back."

"Oh my God, you made a sex tape didn't you? Sweetie, I have never been more proud!"

"Angela, no! Please just give it back."

"Sweetie, don't be ashamed."

"ANGELA NO, GIVE IT BACK!" She hadn't meant to yell, it just came out.

She softened her voice, Angela looked shocked. "It's a message from Booth." She took a deep breath, "The FBI suggested that before they went they make a tape or write a letter for loved ones…in case something happened."

Angela immediately put the DVD back inside the envelope and placed it on the dresser. She walked behind Temperance and zipped up the dress before pulling her into a hug. "I feel so horrible, I'm so sorry."

"Ange, don't worry about it, I'm fine," Temperance pulled away and held Angela by the shoulders at arms length. "Seriously Ange, its OK, I'm sorry I yelled."

"So, what did he say?" Angela smiled and Temperance frowned. She walked over to the dresser, shoved the package in the top drawer and pulled on a chunky necklace. Touching it she remembered wearing this on their first date. 'No,' she thought, it was special and unclasped it, opting for another.

"I didn't watch it," she said softly.

"You what!" Angela was unconvinced. "Has Beth? Has Parker?"

"No Angela, I haven't watched it, no one has, no one ever will. Parker and Booth's family each had their own tape and this is mine. Angela, I just need to get over the fact that he's gone. If he has something to say he will come back and say it. Please don't mention it again."


Cullen popped his head round the curtain, "Sorry, am I intruding?"

Booth looked at Temperance, who shook her head. Cullen walked in and reached out to shake Booths hand. Booth let go of Temperance and grasped Cullen's with nearly all the energy he had. "As I said before, great to see you back Booth."

"Thank you Sir," Seeley responded, it came out weak and strangled.

"I was just wondering if you could step outside with me for a minute Temperance." Temperance was day-dreaming and looked up when she heard her name.

"Huh? Pardon?"

"Could I please have a word outside?"

"Me?"

"Yes," Cullen was worn-out and close to losing his cool.

Beth had remained fairly quiet and unexpectedly looked a little nervous at being left alone with Seeley. He had the same look of uncertainty. Temperance stood up and leaned over to kiss the top of Beth's hair. "I'll be back in a minute sweetie, why don't you tell Seeley about Harry Potter?"

"Oh, so you like to read?" Booth said, attempting to start a conversation.

"Nooo silly, my hamster!" Beth laughed and Booth couldn't help but smile.

Temperance pulled the curtain closed and walked down the aisle to a seated area where Cullen was waiting. When she sat down Cullen thrust a large envelope in her lap. "Pictures. Some were released to the media, some not, its pretty clear which where and which weren't. I just thought that you should see them first. Temperance, some are….. well upsetting, you don't have to look."

She fingered the envelope cautiously before setting it down in her lap. "Thank you." She got up to leave but Cullen started again.

"We have reserved a room for Booth at a facility for recovering soldiers; it's there if you think he needs it. Also there will be a therapist coming around to your house everyday for… how long?" he shrugged, "It's up to them. We'll send a doctor around who will teach you how to dress his wounds or if you would rather a nurse do it the Bureau can take care of that. Temperance, I want you to know if there is anything Booth or your family needs. We would be more than happy to take care of it."

"Thank you Cullen, but we're going to be fine."

"Oh, before you go Temperance I need to have a word with you and Booth alone, so should I arrange for Beth to go up to the cockpit?"

"Yes, I'm sure she'd enjoy that."

She quickly walked upstairs to their bags and put the photos inside her hand bag before returning to her family. When she walked in Beth was recounting the tale of how Harry Potter became deceased and was forevermore buried in the backyard under the tall oak.

Booth looked pained at the in-depth description and Temperance sought out his hand again when she sat down, placing a bottle of water in front of him. He smiled back thankful.

"Wow, that was quite a story, quite a life really," he said, not quite as overly enthused as Beth.

"Yeah, the whole two weeks of it was bliss." Temperance said sarcastically.

His nimble fingers were trying to unscrew the lid off the bottle, he couldn't do it. It dawned on Temperance the state he was in. She held out her hand and he passed the bottle to her, his face was etched with humility.

Seeley turned to Temperance and quietly asked what Cullen had wanted. Thankfully, Temperance was saved by the man himself.

"Hey Beth, would you like to see the cockpit?"

"The what?" Beth's forehead creased and she looked at her mother for an answer.

"Where the pilots drive the plane," Booth interjected.

"Yes!" Beth hopped out of her seat.

"OK Beth this is Catherine, she will take you up."

The airhostess reappeared and took Beth's hand. Cullen sat down across from the couple and loosened his tie. "So, how's it going?"

Temperance and Seeley looked at each other briefly before their gazes sought out somewhere less familiar. "Good," Temperance answered for both of them.

"OK, good to hear. The plane is touching down at Dulles in approximately forty-five minutes and when we land friends and family will be waiting at the gate. You have a scheduled twenty minutes with them before the whole world is waiting to see you at a press conference." He looked in Booths direction. Booth looked tired and not happy at the thought. Cullen sensed his apprehension. "Booth you don't have to talk but it would be good if you answered a couple of questions."

Booth remained looking out the window and nodded mutely.

Cullen took in a deep breath and sighed, running a hand over his face. "And, of course, there are the legal matters. Don't worry; we'll take care of them all but it could take some time. Bringing you back from the dead is difficult," Cullen joked and let out a laugh.

Seeley turned to him from the window. "I was declared dead!" he exclaimed, livid.

Temperance turned and put her hand on his shoulder. "You were declared dead about a year ago, death in absentia, it's when…"

"I know what it is Temperance!" Booth didn't mean to raise his voice. He would have stood up and punched something if he had the strength but he didn't. He looked at Temperance, "Temperance answer me this, did you believe I was dead?"

She was close to tears, "No, not once," she choked out. She got the impression he was uncertain whether or not to believe her.


Ok that's chapter 7. Please, please review! I love to hear what you think it really gets me writing. Reviews dwindled a bit from the usual last chapter. Anyway I kind of like this chapter, sorry to drag this out but I'm pretty sure they will finally get home next chapter.

A big thank you to my beta 'next', thanks for making things well... beta!