Sorry for the long wait in between updates again. No great excuses here except for my ever busy schedule. I'm being forced to take a break now since I am home recovering from surgery today. I have four whole days off without either job or training and it will be a little while until I am able to get back into active training. So since I was kindly loaned a laptop (my wrapped and bandaged leg won't fit under my desk in my office) I am going to try and get a handful of chapters written while I'm off. I'm not going to post them all at once so that updates will be a little more frequent for a while.

Anyways, thanks for all the reviews! I'm glad everyone still seems to be enjoying the story. Get ready, I'm about to drop a major bomb on you guys here!

Chapter Eleven

5 Days Later...

Seeley Booth was at a loss for what to do. He found himself staring into the fountain in the park that he had brought Temperance to on the night they had first made love. He had left work in the middle of the day after Rebecca had announced to him that she had been transferred to Los Angeles for her job. She had to leave D.C and move there with his son. It infuriated him beyond belief that this was happening. He barely got to see his son now. What would happen if he moved all the way across the country? Rebecca had told him that if he really loved his son as much as he said he did, he would move with them.

Work would be no problem. He could easily be transferred to the field office in L.A. Just as long as he wouldn't have to be partnered up with Agent Finn. He wondered if she had ever gone on to write her screenplay or if she was still with the Bureau. He didn't really care, just as long as he wouldn't have to work with her again.

His relationship with Bones was the only thing keeping him from going with his son. They had only officially been together for a short time, but he had been in love with her practically from the moment he had met her. Practically a moment went by when she wasn't on his mind in one way or another. He loved everything about her-her shy smile that would appear every now and then, her incredible intelligence (that almost always made him feel inferior and yet was still a turn on) and the way she opened herself up to him. They had faced incredible odds and challenges and had made it past them all so far. After he had almost lost her in South Carolina, he knew he would never be able to give her up and live without her.

But could he give up his son? Parker was a very perceptive child and was now at an age where he was questioning why his dad wasn't around as much as the other kids' fathers. With almost the entire country between them, how could he still be an active participant in his life? Even though he didn't get to spend a lot of time with his son, he knew Parker loved him and enjoyed the time they did spend together. But, he was still young enough that if another man were to become a permanent fixture in Rebecca's life that he could be replaced. In his heart, he knew could never choose one over the other. He loved them both too much.

After spending an hour at the park looking at the fountain while trying to figure out what to do in this impossible situation, he decided that he would ask her to come with him to California. She could get a job anywhere in the country. Any institution would be thrilled to have a scientist like her on their staff. But, he knew how much she valued her work at the Jeffersonian and her team.

Brennan had been alone for the most part after the disappearance of her parents and her brother's abandonment. The squints had become her family after she had put them together all those years ago after starting at the Jeffersonian. He knew that he had become a part of her extended family as well. But, he hadn't known her for as long as she had known Angela or the others. Would she be able to give it all up and come with him for a life he wasn't sure that she wanted? Only one way to find out he thought as he turned from the fountain and began to walk in the direction of the SUV.

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Traffic had been a bitch getting back to Temperance's apartment that day. He pulled into the parking spot next to hers and made his way to her apartment. He felt his heart in his chest beat out of control as he stood in front of 2B. He took a deep breath and unlocked the door.

The front door swung open and Booth stepped into the foyer. He glanced around the spacious apartment before his eyes finally settled on her form in the kitchen. He had to laugh silently at the image that was before him. Brennan was on her hands and knees with a bucket filled with soapy water next to her on the floor. Long yellow rubber gloves covered her hands and her arms. Her hair was pulled back into a sloppy pony tail. Half of her work outfit had been abandoned to perform her task and she was left wearing just a tank top and jeans. She had been busily scrubbing at the already immaculate floor for who knows how long. As he stepped into the kitchen she looked up from what she was doing and smiled at him.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself. Just what do you think that you're doing Bones?"

"This floor was just a mess. I'm going to have to say something to the cleaning service. They did come this week, right?"

"They were here two days ago."

"Oh, I must have just forgotten."

"You don't just forget things Bones. You have one of the best memories of anyone I have ever met. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Booth. I just have a lot going on at work. And my publisher is pushing hard for my next book. Maybe I just need to manage my time a little more efficiently."

"You've got to be kidding me. You do not need to improve your time management skills. Maybe you're just tired. Take it easy a little, huh?" He took one of her hands and helped her up off the floor. "Come with me."

She held onto his hand and followed him into the living room. He removed both of the rubber gloves and took her hands into his, pulling them into his lap. He ran his thumb along her finger and over the ring that she continued to wear. He looked deep into her eyes and he tried to prepare himself for what he was about to say.

"Bones, I have something to tell you and I'm not quite sure how to say it, so I'm just going to go for it." She looked into his warm brown eyes and saw the raw emotion behind them. He gave her a pathetic attempt at a charm smile and took a deep breath. "Rebecca came to see me today."

She tried not to let it show how much that bothered her. Why was his ex coming to visit him in the middle of the day?

"Okay, go on."

"She's being transferred to Los Angeles and she's taking Parker."

"Booth, I'm so sorry. That's got to be so difficult for you. I mean you hardly ever see him now, what will it be like if he moves that far away?" He grimaced on the inside as her sometimes inept social skills bubbled to the surface.

"I'm hoping I'll never have to find out."

"You don't think she's going to go?"

"No."

"What exactly are you saying Booth?"

"Rebecca offered me a proposition."

"She did?" Brennan tried not to let the fear creep into her voice.

"She said that if I move to California with them that I could spend more time with Parker and be involved more in his life."

"So, you're moving to California?" Tears threatened to fall from her eyes and she took a deep breath desperately trying not to cry in front of him. Not that she had never cried in front of him before, but this could be a very good thing for him. For Parker and him. Now was not the time for her to think of herself, she had to think about what was right for Booth and his little boy.

"If it was just me, I would go in a heartbeat. But, I can't imagine not having you in my life. I love you far too much to ever leave you." He took another deep breath in as he saw they tears she had been trying so hard not to let fall slowly slide down her cheek. A warm sense of relief filled her body until she heard what he had to say next.

"Will you go with me?"

I am so sorry for leaving it this way, but don't worry. I am planning on working on the next chapter tonight and tomorrow and I am going to try my hardest to have the next chapter posted either tomorrow or Saturday night. Seeing as I am not allowed to drive for another day or so, I don't think it should be too much of a problem. I'll really be persuaded if I get some reviews.

Thanks!

GG