A/N: My apologies for so much time between updates. I've been busy preparing for a household move for the end of October (and working). And unfortunately, unlike Booth and Brennan, I don't have anybody to help me pick out a place, meet with movers, etc. I still have more story to tell, but it may take awhile to get it told.

A/N: If anyone has any questions, or would like to discuss the story beyond what is available in the reviews, I have created a forum area on here for this story within the Forums section. Amazingly, it's titled, "The Long Road Home Discussion Page" Please feel free to use it. I will answer any and all posts. Navigating to it is somewhat clunky, go to Forums / TV / Bones. It should be somewhere in the listing.


Temperance awoke.

For a moment, she wasn't sure exactly where she was. Looking around at the small, wood-paneled room, barely big enough for the queen-sized bed she lay in, she remembered, 'Jon's boat.' It wasn't the larger of the two staterooms, but the bed was comfortable. Looking at the empty bed, she felt a tinge of aloneness. She knew he hadn't gone far; but this feeling of incompleteness was new to her. She wondered, 'Is this what an addict feels like when he's beginning to feel the need for a fix?' The room was warm; she could still smell his musky scent lingering in the air. She stood, and quietly put her bathing suit on. She noted the tan lines beginning to set off the shape of suit on her skin. Temperance had gotten more sun these past couple of days than she had the previous two months. She slid the door open and the cool, morning, sea air immediately chilled her. Goosebumps erupted upon her skin. She shivered and pulled the blanket off the bed, wrapping herself in its folds like a cocoon. She stepped into the main cabin.

Temperance saw a blond tousle of Cricket's hair peeking out from under a multi-colored blanket on one of the deck chairs. Looking around, she didn't see any of the others. 'Now where is everybody?' she thought as moved through the cabin to the open glass doors. As she approached the threshold, she could smell the coffee brewing from the coffeemaker sitting on the table on the aft deck. Evidently, Cricket had moved it out here so it would be within easy reach. Temperance heard splashing over to her right. She turned and saw Zack and Naomi playfully bobbing next to one another. 'Almost like a mating ritual,' she thought. They looked up and saw her standing on the deck, wrapped in a blanket.

Naomi smiled and waved, "Good morning, Doctor Brennan!" she called out. Zack turned and saw Temperance and shouted the greeting as well.

"Good morning," Temperance voiced back. "Isn't it too cold to be swimming this morning?"

Zack replied, "I thought so, as well, Doctor Brennan. But once you're actually in the water, it feels very nice."

"Are you going to join us?" Naomi said.

Temperance smiled and said, "Perhaps in a bit," she turned and saw Cricket poke her head, smilingly, fully out of the folds of the blanket. Temperance turned back to Naomi and Zack, "I think I'll get some coffee, first."

"Good morning, Temperance," Cricket said.

"Good morning, Cricket," Temperance returned. She motioned towards the coffee machine, "Is this just for you? Or can anybody grab a cup?"

"Be my guest," Cricket said. "The cups are clean. If you want sugar or milk, you'll have to get it from the galley."

Temperance shook her head as she reached for an empty cup. Balancing the blanket on her shoulders, her other hand grabbed for the coffeepot. "This will be fine." She waved the coffeepot in Cricket's direction. "Do you already have a cup, or…"

Cricket brought out a cup from beneath the folds of the blanket and offered it out to Temperance. Temperance smiled and refilled her cup. "Thank you," Cricket said as she brought the steaming cup closer to her.

"No problem," Temperance said. After pouring her own cup and placing the coffeepot back on the burner, Temperance raised her own cup. Looking around, she said, "Where are the others?"

"Jack and Angela are on the foredeck. The boys are doing laps around the boat." Cricket said.

"Laps around the boat?" Temperance said. Moving towards the starboard gunwale, she leaned out and saw the two men swimming side by side towards the rear of Calliope. She turned back to Cricket, "How long have they been at it?"

"About fifteen minutes…you'd think they would take a day off here and there," Cricket said.

"Well," Temperance said. "They probably feel like they didn't do enough swimming yesterday." Cricket nodded and took a sip of coffee. Temperance looked around. Towards the east, she could see pink-tinged clouds dusting the horizon. Scanning around, there were only blue skies and waters all around. "I didn't think it possible," she said. "But even with eight people on board, if someone wants privacy they can find it." She motioned at the other chair; wordlessly asking to join Cricket in her, for now, private area.

Cricket smiled, "Of course…please join me."

"Thanks," Temperance smiled as she joined her newest friend. They sat in silence for a few moments, listening to the splashing water from the four in the water and the soft pop play list from the sound system.

After a few moments, Cricket asked, "How did you sleep?"

Temperance nodded her head, "Well, thank you. It seemed to get a bit warm…"

"I noticed that too, the first time I slept in there," Cricket agreed. "I thought it got a little stuffy as well. Like there's little air circulation."

"I agree." Temperance smiled. "Although it was a pretty nice night, so it wasn't a bother."

Cricket smiled and turned to look at Temperance, "Who knew those two could be so romantic?"

Temperance's smile grew broader at the memory, "It's certainly something I'll remember for the rest of my life."


Seeley, Jon, Cricket and Temperance were sitting on the aft deck in the moonlit darkness. The game had long been over and Naomi and Zack had gone to bed on the cots below deck. Angela and Jack cuddled up together in a double-sized sleeping bag on the fore deck. Light music played through the sound system. They could hear the waves lapping softly against Calliope's hull.

Temperance leaned back on the chaise, resting against Seeley's chest. Her head rested upon his left shoulder. She sat between his legs, his inner thighs caressing her outer legs. Not nearly often enough, he would move his legs up and stroke her lower legs with his feet, before placing his feet back on the deck. His arms encircled her waist, and occasionally his fingers and hands would stroke her sides. She looked over and saw Cricket and Jon in almost the same position. Cricket had taken one of Jon's hands and placed it upon her upper sternum, just below her throat. Her hands worked, stroking his fingers. Occasionally she moved them up so she could kiss them, before returning them to her "sweet spot" as she called it.

Conversation had been light, inconsequential, with nuggets of information that at times were surprising.

"The one thing I hated about traveling by air," Booth said. "Was getting off the plane and seeing all of these people waiting for their loved ones. And then that inevitable reunion scene with all of these people hugging and kissing and so happy to see one another."

"I know what you mean," Cricket said. "That would throw me into a depression for days. Even when it was a flight back home where I was living at the time."

"You hated to see families happy?" Temperance said incredulously.

"No…no…" Booth said, echoed by Cricket. "I guess it was kind of like being…" Booth searched for the word. "Almost jealous, but not really."

Cricket finished it, "More envious, I think." Temperance could feel Seeley nodding in agreement. "I didn't begrudge them their happiness. It just seemed kind of painful that somebody could have a welcoming reception like that…and I had nobody."

Seeley said, "There was no one to share my return with." He continued, "I mean, when you think about it, here you are…hurtling through the air at over 200 miles per hour at the height of over 30,000 feet in basically bits of metal and plastic and foam. Then, when you finally get to where you're going, there's no one to share in your great accomplishment. There's no one to rejoice in your safe return." Temperance understood now. She had been alone for so long, and she had been able to compartmentalize so many aspects of her life, she hadn't realized there were so many supposedly small feelings that make up the social animal called humans.

"It used to be worse," Jon said. "Before 9/11 and all the increased security measures, those reunions used to occur every time you stepped off the plane. Even if you were just changing planes to go somewhere else, there would always be a couple of people where that was their final destination. They would always have family waiting right there at the gate. Nowadays, those things happen outside of security. So if you're changing planes, you never see those until you get to the final destination."

Temperance could see Cricket nodding, "I used to almost run to get past them as fast as I could."

Seeley squeezed Temperance gently, "Didn't you go through these kinds of feelings? With all the traveling you do?"

Temperance shook her head, "Until recently, as you know, I've pretty much closed myself off from things like that. I always filled up my time thinking about work, or something else." She paused, "I'm glad I didn't have those depressing thoughts, but sometimes I wonder how much I've missed by being so focused on my work. It's almost like I've been living in a different world from the rest of the human race."

Cricket said, "You seem to have done pretty well, though. I mean, you know what those emotions are. You write about them very well in your books. It's not like they're completely foreign to you."

"You've read my books?" Temperance asked, surprised.

"Of course," Cricket laughed. "Don't you think your friends would care about something you're so proud of?"

"I never thought about it…" Temperance started.

Jon said, "It's what friends do. We share. We share in the joys and sadnesses. The triumphs and the tragedies. The laughter and the tears." He paused a moment, "Although I honestly think that if you're basing Andy on Seel here, you've been way off base." Temperance picked up the mocking tone immediately. "Seel being fluent in six languages? Maybe if you count curse words only." He laughed.

"Yeah…yeah…yeah," Seeley said. "In her next book will be a case of a man whose vocal cords are attached to his sphincter. He's constantly talking out of his butt." Cricket started giggling. "I hear she based the character on you."

"That's enough boys," Temperance said sternly. Although, she couldn't help but smile. They lay back, looking at the stars in comfortable silence.

After a few moments Cricket asked, "You guys picked out your song yet?"

Temperance asked, "Our song?" Her tone let everyone know that she had no idea what Cricket was talking about.

Cricket nodded her head, "Yeah, you know. A song that as soon as you hear it, reminds you of each other and the special times you have together?"

Temperance shook her head, raised up, turned and looked at Seeley. "Have we?" she asked.

Seeley said, "Well, I've got some ideas. But for it to be 'Our Song' would require both of us to hear it and know it."

"You've really thought about it?" she asked, astonished. Seeley looked uncomfortable in the moonlight. "So, what did you pick out?"

"I haven't picked anything out," he said. Temperance looked at him. "Honest," he said.

Temperance leaned back into his chest. "What about you two?" she asked. "Do you have a song yet?"

"Doesn't this sound like we're all in high school?" Jon asked.

"Of course," Cricket said. "Isn't that part of what being in Love is all about? Making you feel young again?"

"I suppose…" Jon started. Cricket sat up, still clutching Jon's hand, "Oww…yes…yes! I feel young again!" Temperance smiled, guessing that Cricket's hand was doing a lot more than just holding onto Jon's.

Cricket sat back, nestling into Jon's chest once again, "One of the songs playing during one of our big moments was, 'Love Is' by Vanessa Williams and Brian McKnight…".

"Does a couple's song usually play during a 'big moment'?" Temperance asked. She could see Cricket's head nod. "Well, our biggest moment so far had Maroon 5's 'Secret' playing in the background." She could feel Seeley move underneath her. "But that doesn't feel like it would be an 'Our Song' kind of song."

"Maybe you just haven't heard it yet," Seeley suggested. That was it for Temperance. She knew that Seeley had already picked out what he thought should be their song. She was just going to have to get it out of him one way or the other.

A couple minutes passed. Jon said, "Do you guys want to split a bottle or two of champagne?"

Cricket turned and looked at him, "Really?"

Seeley said, "You sure?"

"Yeah," Jon said. "I feel like celebrating."

"Anything in particular?" Temperance asked.

"Yeah…us." Jon said. "All of us…together." He extricated himself from Cricket and the chair. "Come on, Seel," he said motioning to Seeley. "I've got a job for you." Temperance looked from Cricket to Seeley as he joined Jon in the cabin. The cabin lights flooded the aft deck, momentarily blinding the two women.

"What's this all about?" Temperance asked Cricket.

She shook her head, smiling, "I don't know. I'm sure it will be pleasant, whatever it is."

The two women heard the music stop and then after a few more moments, start again. This time, a bit louder. "Home" by Michael Buble' flowed from the speakers. They heard the clinking of glass, the dull chattering of unseen objects jostling together and of the sink water running. After a few moments, the cabin lights went out. Jon appeared at the threshold with a champagne bucket full of ice and two, presumably, champagne bottles. Seeley carried four champagne flutes and a large bowl. It didn't take long for the gentle breeze to telegraph what it contained. The sweet odor of fresh, capped strawberries tickled their noses. Jon unwrapped the foil and cage from the top of the bottle. He grasped the cork with one hand and expertly twisted the bottle with his other. The cork separated from the bottle easily with a soft 'whoof,' not spilling a drop.

"Now that's the way to open a champagne bottle," Cricket said.

He looked at her, "It's not my first time," he said. "Yeah," Jon said as he poured the champagne into the flutes. "Those guys that just let the cork fly and the champagne fizz out aren't really serious about enjoying the experience." After two of the glasses were filled, Seeley took them and handed them to Temperance and Cricket. By the time he turned back, Jon had completed the initial pouring of the other two flutes.

Cricket and Temperance stood next to the two men. "What should we drink to?" Temperance asked.

Jon raised his glass, "To Husbands and Wives…To Brothers and Sisters…To the Family we get to choose…To us."

"Here…here," Seeley said. The four clinked glasses together and then downed the contents. Seeley held the bowl of strawberries for everyone to partake. The taste of the juicy sweetmeats exploded in their mouths. "I've got one," Seeley said as Jon refilled the glasses. Seeley held a strawberry in his hand as he raised his glass to the others, "Security, Happiness and Love. Everybody strives for them. Very few actually attain all of them. Here's hoping you have all the Security you need, all the Happiness you can find, and…" he looked directly into Temperance's eyes, "All the Love you could hope for." He moved and entwined his arm with the glass with Temperance's, and she with his. They drank the sparkling wine, and, when finished, Seeley put the strawberry between his teeth and leaned in to her. She bit the berry in half and pressed her lips firmly against his. The sweet nectar seemed lost in the taste of their kiss.

Temperance wasn't sure if it was the champagne or the gentle rocking of the boat, but her legs felt a bit unsteady. Seeley's strong arms kept her upright, though. She imagined it would always be thus. When they broke their kiss, they stood there a moment in the cool ocean breeze, underneath a panoply of stars. She looked over and saw Jon and Cricket locked in their own embrace. The last strains of the song sounded over the speakers,

'…It'll all be all right

I'll be home tonight

I'm coming back home'

She heard the tinkling of piano keys coming from the speakers. She felt Seeley tense up, ever so slightly. He took her glass and set them both down on the table. He said, "You know with the exception of that one bar in Washington State and that one night in my apartment, we've never danced close."

She nodded, "Are you asking me to dance? Here? Now?"

He reached out his hand searching for hers. "Would you do me honor?"

She smiled, "It would be my pleasure," she said moving into his arms.

He held her hand in his, clutching it close to his chest. His other hand rested in the small of her back. A familiar feeling, that seemed all the more intimate with their closeness. She heard the singer begin,

'Have I told you lately that I love you?

Have I told you there's no one above you?

Fill my heart with gladness.

Take away my sadness.

Ease my troubles, that's what you do…'

She smiled, "Van Morrison…" she murmured.

"Shh…" Seeley said. "Listen to the words."

'Oh, the morning sun in all its glory.

Greets the day with hope and comfort too.

And you fill my life with laughter.

You can make it better.

Ease my troubles, that's what you do…'

There, in his arms. Under the stars. She knew. They had "Their" song.