A/N: I was quite surprised at the lack of reviews I got about my last chapter. I'd like to thank Ronata for her feedback and just wanted to say that there will be plenty of B&B moments coming up, just be patient. Anyway, on with the new chapter (don't tell anyone but Booth is in this one lol).
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A lot of things can change in six months but the FBI building was not one of them. It looked exactly the same as Temperance remembered it before she had left, nearly seven months ago, on maternity leave. Her steps echoed off the quiet walls the same way it had back then and even the smell of disinfectant could still be detected in the air. The walls had been freshly painted but the color hadn't changed. The receptionist, good ole' Melanie, was still sitting at her chair, typing so furiously that Temperance wondered if the young woman ever got finger cramps. Melanie looked up as usual and her face lit up at the sight of the doctor.
"Dr. Brennan, it's so nice to see you." The young woman said as she got up and joined the anthropologist.
Her eyes fell on the stroller in front of her.
"Is this little Seelia?"
Temperance couldn't help but smile proudly at the sound of her baby's name.
"Yes. This is Seelia. She'll be four months next week."
Melanie smiled and bent down to get a closer look at the sleeping baby.
"She's adorable. She looks just like you."
"Actually, she looks more like Thomas."
Melanie looked up, her smile immediately vanishing.
"I am so sorry for you loss, Dr. Brennan. I heard what happened and I just couldn't believe it. You don't expect things like that to happen to such good people."
"If you don't mind, Melanie, I'd rather not talk about it."
Melanie nodded knowingly.
"Of course."
The receptionist took one more look at the infant before straightening up and slowly walking back to her desk.
"Is Jacob around?" Temperance asked, casually.
"Yeah." Melanie replied before checking the schedule. "He's down in autopsy room #2 with Paula. A decapitated body was found, this morning, in a basement of a school."
Melanie's disgust was apparent by her expression but Temperance couldn't care less. She forced a smile before nodding and walking away.
She missed her work. She missed the ambiance of the Bureau. She missed analyzing crime scenes and investigating murders. She looked down at her daughter. If only she could find someone to take care of Seelia, like a nanny, then she could come back to work earlier.
She pressed the down button and waited patiently for the doors to open. She watched as the numbers glowed in turn. The shaft stopped at the third level. She sighed. Third level: Thomas' old office was on that floor. Coincidentally, Booth's office had also been on the third floor. Pushing Booth out of her mind, she focused once again on the shaft's descent to the main floor.
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The basement, just like the rest of the building, hadn't changed at all. It was still the same stuffy and dark place it had been before Temperance had left and the mother found herself beginning to feel guilty about bringing her daughter down there. It probably wasn't the best place to bring a baby but she had promised Angela an afternoon out with Gavin and she was planning on keeping her promise. For this, she needed to see Jacob.
The door to the autopsy room opened and a very overwhelmed-looking pathologist stepped out the door. She stopped when her eyes fell on her colleague then the stroller in front of her. She let out a soft squeal.
"TEMPE!" Paula cried as she threw her latex gloves in the trash can inside the room and jogged to meet her friend. "Tempe, how are you?"
Temperance took a deep breath. Would she have the energy to keep up with over-enthusiastic Paula?
"I'm okay."
"And is this Seelia?!" The pathologist asked, excitedly. "She is adorable."
"Thank you." Temperance replied, forcing a smile. "Careful not to wake her."
It took her forever to fall asleep. Temperance added, mentally.
From the corner of the eye, Temperance detected more movement. She looked past her colleague to see two men stepping out of the autopsy room. Her heart began to beat wildly in her chest as her eyes locked with Booth's. She quickly looked away, unable to maintain the eye contact.
The two men slowly approached the women. Temperance shyly turned her gaze to her former partner. Booth forced a smile but even Temperance saw through it. She quickly analyzed it as being a sad one. She began to feel guilty. Two weeks had passed since Booth had stopped by for a visit and they hadn't spoken or seen each other ever since.
"Tempe, what are you doing here?" Jacob asked, wanting to divert his friend's attention from the awkwardness her reunion with Booth was filled.
Temperance's head snapped in his direction.
"I have a meeting with Samson about my maternity leave."
"When are you coming back?" Paula inquired.
"I was thinking next month but I might change my mind if Samson wants me back sooner."
"It's too bad you can't come back today." Paula replied. "A skeleton came in for us two days ago and we had to send it to San Fransisco to get it analyzed."
"You sent it to Dr. Goodwell?" Temperance asked, a hint of disgust and surprise in her voice.
"We didn't have a choice." Paula answered.
"Are you sure you're... well... enough to come back to work just yet?"
Her gaze shifted back to Jacob. She knew his intentions had been good but she couldn't help the feeling of annoyance that overtook her. She hated when people fussed over her and, ever since she had given birth and Thomas had died, it was all people ever did. They asked her how she was in a tone that made her think they thought she was going to break down at any second. They apologized for her loss, they asked her if there was anything they could for her. She knew they were doing what they thought was best but it had got old pretty quickly.
The look she sent her friend spoke volumes and Jacob immediately apologized. Sensing, once again, that there was more to it than what was being said, Booth frowned.
"What's going on?" He asked.
"Nothing." Temperance immediately replied.
Then, changing the subject, she added:
"Jake, I actually also came here to ask you to do me a favor."
"Whatever it is, Tempe, it's yes." Jacob replied.
"Okay... I want you to take Seelia for the afternoon tomorrow. I'm taking Gavin out."
A smile tugged at Jacob's lips which didn't go unnoticed to Temperance. She forced herself not to roll her eyes.
"Angela asked you to do that?"
"She seems to think it's going to do us some good."
Jacob bit his lip. He knew better than to make a comment.
"I know what you're thinking."
"And what am I thinking exactly?" Jacob asked, teasingly.
"You're thinking she's right."
Jacob smiled.
"Perhaps."
Temperance sighed.
"So, will you?"
"Of course."
"Thanks."
From her stroller, Seelia began to whine.
"I better get going."
The two pathologists nodded.
"It was nice to see you again, Tempe." Paula said before walking to her office.
Jacob stepped up and softly kissed his friend on the cheek.
"See you tomorrow."
With a curt nod to Booth, she turned around and walked to the elevator. She heard Jacob retreat back to the autopsy room and she was surprised when a third pair of steps reached her ears. Without turning around, she could feel him getting closer. She closed her eyes.
"Why didn't you ask me?"
She turned around to face her old friend.
"What?"
"I said, why didn't you ask me? I'll take care of Seelia if you need to."
"Booth, I..."
"You would have asked me before."
Temperance averted his gaze. She couldn't understand why Booth had always had a way of making her feel guilty even when there was nothing to feel guilty about. So she had asked Jacob to babysit her daughter, who cared? After all, he did know her better than Booth. He had been present at the birth and was Seelia's godfather.
"I'm sorry, Booth. But I'm asking Jake."
Her tone told Booth her decision was final and he nodded. Then, taking out a piece of paper and his pen, he quickly scribbled something and handed it to his former partner. Temperance accepted it.
"Call me if you change your mind." Booth said before walking away.
She watched his back for a few seconds before gathering enough courage to say what she was going to say next.
"I'm not going to change my mind."
She watched as Booth stopped in his tracks. Temperance closed her eyes and waited, expecting her old friend to say something. But when he didn't and, instead, resumed his walk back to the autopsy room, Temperance opened her eyes.
The elevator doors opened behind her and Temperance stepped in the shaft.
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"Thank you, Tempe. I had a lot of fun today." Gavin said before yawning.
Temperance smiled tenderly at the boy as he climbed in between the sheets and settled himself comfortably in his bed. He was right. They had had a lot of fun today. Who would have thought that an afternoon with an eight-year-old at the pool, with ice cream, dinner and topped with a movie would have been so much fun? Who would have known that it was possible to forget, even if only for five hours, the accident that had taken your partner? For some reason, all of that had happened and, as much as she hated to admit it, Temperance knew Angela had been right.
"Maybe we'll do the same thing next Saturday." The boy added, hopefully.
Temperance's smile faded.
"Next Saturday, you'll be back home with your mom."
Tears shot to the young boy's eyes.
"Why? I don't want to go back. I want to stay here with you."
"I know." Temperance replied as she bent down and kissed Gavin on the forehead. "But she's your mother and she needs you. Besides, it's only for two weeks and then you'll be back here."
Maybe. She added in her mind.
Gavin nodded, sadly. He knew there was no arguing when it came to going back to his mother's house.
"When am I leaving?"
"Tomorrow night. But I'll come visit you and you can call me any time you want, okay?"
The boy nodded.
"Now come on, go to sleep. We've had a very busy day. You need your rest."
Kissing the boy one more time, she got up and left the room, closing the door behind her.
The apartment immediately fell silent. Seelia was sound asleep in her crib, Gavin would soon follow her in the blissful realm of dreams where Temperance was pretty sure the boy wasn't dreaming about car crashes and sirens. It was barely 9:30 but Temperance felt exhausted. Maybe she could take a bath, relax and go to sleep. Or maybe she would just lay down in bed and read. Deciding on the second option, Temperance walked to her bedroom. But her plans changed radically for as her head touched her pillow, sleep immediately claimed her.
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Music reached his ears and it took Booth a couple of seconds to realize where the sound was coming from. Opening his eyes and groaning quietly, Booth squinted, trying to make out the time on the VCR. 2:03 am. From the depths of his room, the cellphone rang, filling the eerie silence the hotel was plunged into once night came.
Mumbling about who would call at this time of night, Booth dragged himself out of bed and began looking for his phone. He remembered having it in his bag but where was his bag?
Booth cursed loudly as his toe collided with the corner of the dresser and again when he walked into the wall.
Why didn't I turn on the light? He thought, annoyedly, to himself.
Finding his bag at the door, he crouched down. His hand rummaged blindly in his bag in search of his cellphone. When he finally laid hands on it, he snatch it open and put it to his ear.
"Booth." He said, stifling a yawn.
"Booth..."
The voice had been so soft, Booth wasn't sure if he had heard anything.
"Please."
This time, he had heard it and the voice woke him up completely.
"Bones? Are you okay?"
No answer. He listened as what sounded like sobs and another background noise reached his ears.
"Bones?" He demanded, a little louder.
"Please..." He heard his friend beg him over the phone. "Help me, Booth."
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Better times are coming soon, I promise. Don't believe me? Then answer this question: have I ever let you down?
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