Sorry its been a while since I've updated. Been busy. So here's something to tide you over...

One Year Later

She was amazed at her ability to keep one eye on Griffin as he played with the other kids in the park and one eye on the stroller next to her as she sat on the bench and enjoyed the sunny warm day.

"Buen giorno," said an elderly man that took a seat beside her.

She could tell by his accent that he was American.

"Hello," she smiled back.

"You're American?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Do you live here or are you on vacation?"

"I live here. Yourself?"

"Visiting my son and his wife, who was born and raised here. Are you married to an Italian?"

"No. He's English. I mean, he's American too, but his name is English in origin."

He smiled. "I'm Irish myself."

Just then Griffin ran up to his mom to show her a worm he found.

"That's an earthworm. You should put him back, sweetheart."

"Why?" he complained

"Well, the earthworm helps keep the soil fertile by converting large pieces of organic matter like dead leaves into rich humus."

"What's humus?"

"It's like soil."

"They why don't you just say soil?" he asked before returning to the play-yard.

Just like your father, she thought to herself. She heard the man next to her chuckle.

"Cute kid. How old is he?"

"He's four."

"And your little one there?" he motioned to the sleeping child.

"She's 4 months."

"She looks just like you."

As if she knew she was being discussed, Tempe watched as Sabine opened her pale blue eyes. The baby started to fuss against her blanket that she was swaddled in. Tempe stood to take her out of the stroller and sat back down. Turning her head, she saw the man was gone. Giving Sabine her bottle, she watched Griffin play for a bit until he came over to tell her he was tired.

"Okay. We'll go, but I need to stop by the market on the way home." She placed Sabine back in the stroller.

"Okay. What's this?" he asked.

"What's what?" She looked over to see what he had picked up.

Sitting in the palm of his hand was a glass dolphin.

It felt as though all the blood in her body left, "where did you find that?"

"On the bench here." He pointed to the empty space beside her.

She nodded and scanned the area looking for the man who had been sitting next to her. He was nowhere to be seen.

"What's wrong?" Griffin asked.

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong." She knew she didn't sound convincing. Taking the dolphin from him, she stuck it in the diaper bag. "Let's go."

The minute Booth walked in the door from work, she grabbed his hand and dragged him into their bedroom, closing the door behind them.

"Whoa. What's wrong?" he asked.

"I talked to my father today."

"What?" he yelled out.

"Shhhh," she motioned to Sabine sleeping in her crib.

"What?" he whispered. "When?"

"Today. At the park. Excepted I didn't know it was him."

"Wait. Start from the beginning." He took her over to the bed and they both sat.

She explained everything and then showed him the dolphin Griffin found.

Booth nodded, "okay."

"Okay? That's all you have to say?" she was flabbergasted.

"Well he obviously wants to talk to you now. He's probably just easing you into the idea."

"Easing me in? He's a ruthless killer."

"Yah…" he replied in doubtful tone.

"What? You don't think he's ruthless? He gutted a man. Killed another in my home."

Booth sighed, "He's never ended anyone's life who didn't have it comin' to 'em."

She was floored, "Are you crazy? He's a sociopath."

"Well, maybe, but at least he aimed in the right direction."

She stood and started pacing around the room.

He continued, "You know, your father never killed any hard working, tax paying citizens or honest cops."

"You think that society should forgive him?"

"Let's just say, as a father I know where he was coming from."

She stopped and stared at him, "so you could do what he did."

"Well not exactly what he did, but if someone killed you and then was after Griffin and Sabine, I wouldn't hesitate to end their life."

Her mind processed what he was telling her. Reaching her conclusion, she replied, "Of course you wouldn't. You were a sniper. You killed without question. But, I…I…"

He stood and took her shoulders, "He'll be back."

"How do you know?"

"Max Keenan does not strike me as the kind of guy who, uh, leaves things undone. And I think, I think maybe you should forgive him."

"You forgive your father?"

"Yes I do."

"You do?" she asked, unbelieving.

"He was a broken man with an addiction problem."

"And my father?"

"He was just trying to protect his family. Plus it's not healthy to hold on to such anger."

"I hate psychology."

"I know." He kissed her forehead.

Later that night, she lay awake on her back, her mind processing all her thoughts and feeling along with Booth's thoughts on the subject of her father as well. She was not going to be getting any sleep.

"Booth?" she whispered.

She was met with silence.

"Booth?" she said a little louder, but still not wanting to wake Sabine.

"Wha? What's wrong? It is 'Abby?" He rolled over to look at her.

"No. I just can't sleep."

"So you decided to wake me up."

"Yah. Sorry," she apologized. "I'm just scared. I used to play out what would happen if I would see him again and now…I don't know what to say."

"Just tell him how you feel. How his leaving affected you. Once you get it all out in the open, the healing can begin."

"I really just want to punch him."

He chuckled. "You could do that too."

They lay there quietly for a moment.

"Booth? You still awake?" she wasn't sure if he had fallen back to sleep. He had a knack for falling asleep without problem. She on the other hand…not so much.

"Yes."

"Make love to me."

He let out a loud frustrated sigh, "if I have to."

She slapped his chest with her hand. He snatched it and pulled her over to him. They were quiet in their love making with Booth eventually laying atop her gently and slowly trusting into her.

"Daddy?"

They both froze.

"Don't move," Booth whispered in her ear.

"Yah buddy?"

"I had a nightmare. Can you come in my room with me?" Griffin asked in a little voice.

"Um. Sure. Go back to your room and I'll be there in a minute."

"I'm too scared. Are you on top of mommy?"

"She was cold. I was warming her up."

"I can keep her warm too."

She heard his feet padding over.

"No, sweetie. I'm fine now. Daddy will tuck you in." She swept her legs along the bottom of the bed until her foot came in contact with his boxers. Pulling them up, Booth rolled off her and slipped them on.

Booth turned to her before getting out of bed, "we gotta remember to lock the door."

She gave him a half grin as she clutched the sheet to her bare chest.

He kissed her and then got up to tend to their son. Sabine whimpered as soon as he left the room.

"You aren't the only one who's frustrated," she quipped to her daughter

Next Morning

She checked herself in full length mirror one more time. She didn't understand why she cared so much. He'd seen her before and who knew if he'd even show up.

Stepping out of the bedroom, she found Booth feeding Sabine her bottle while Griffin played with his building blocks in the living room.

Booth looked up at her and smiled, "you look nice."

She looked down at herself, "I don't know. I look like I'm trying too hard. I'm trying too hard. I'm gonna change."

"You're mom is crazy," Booth told Sabine who was still more interested in her bottle.

"I heard that," she shouted from the bedroom. Stripping off the purple dress, she pulled on her jeans and a white sleeveless blouse.

Walking back out, she picked up her bag. "I'll be back."

She had her hand on the doorknob when she felt Booth's hand on her shoulder, "Hey."

She turned. Booth stood there holding Sabine against his shoulder.

"You sure you don't want us to come with you?"

She shook her head.

"I love you," he told her.

"I love you, too."

He leaned towards her and they kissed.

Moments later she arrived at the same park at the same time as the day before. She found an empty bench and sat and waited.

1st outfit
/2wvwyjp

2nd outfit
/3yy3t27

Please add "tinyurl(dot)com" before each of the "/jumble".