Disclaimer: I don't own Bones
Chapter Twenty-Five
Temperance Brennan smiled proudly to herself. It's been a couple of months since Marcus Jordan was arrested and she and her friends became quite the public case. Despite the case making them pretty popular at school, Brennan and the rest of the gang couldn't care less. They were trying to enjoy the last part of their school year and enjoy the time they had with each other.
Brennan got valedictorian and even went to her senior prom, something she never thought she'd get to do. Imagine her surprise when Booth asked her to prom by standing outside her window with a bouquet of daffodil's and a jukebox, like in that movie Say Anything (which she only admitted to Booth that she really enjoyed). To which, of course, she said yes to. She, Booth, and Cam ended up having a ton of fun together for senior prom and they only had more fun when they went to an after party with Angela and Hodgins. Everything was perfect.
In fact, Brennan could feel everything becoming full circle. Despite that, she couldn't help but feel bittersweet as she sat down in rows of her fellow students getting ready to say her valedictorian speech.
Brennan could see Cam behind her giving her a 'thumbs-up' for good luck and her other friends, who were seated up in the high school's stadium seats, giving her looks of encouragement. Hodgins, Zack, and Angela were there seated beside Pops, Sweets, Jared, Goodman, Goodman's family, Russ, and Russ's new girlfriend, Amy, who he was getting pretty serious with. Not to mention, Amy was someone Brennan adored for her brother.
After the salutatorian said his rather mediocre speech, it was Brennan's turn. She was biting her lip as she waited for their principal to call her up to stage. As she looked around, she locked eyes with Booth who couldn't help but give her a big smile as he mouthed, "Good luck."
"Thanks," Brennan mouthed to him before the principal called her up to the stage to deliver her speech.
She was a bit nervous. However, after having all of her friends read it and practicing it a million times in front of them and Russ, she was surely ready.
"First, I want to say how it is a honor to be standing up here as your valedictorian. My time at Washington High was short, but feels like a lifetime. As most of you know by now, I was in foster care for the longest time and for the longest time I never felt like I would have a home again…Until I moved here. To Washington D.C. It brought me opportunities I never thought I'd ever have- like best friends, a prom, and even better, a family," Brennan said, smiling before briefly pausing.
"A famous paleontologist, Stephen Jay Gould, once said 'We pass through this world but once. Few tragedies can be more extensive than the stunting of life, few injustices deeper than the denial of an opportunity to strive or even to hope, by a limit imposed from without, but falsely identified as lying within.' With truth in that, my fellow graduates, life is very hard, but the universe demands us to keep going. The physics principle of inertia demands us to keep going. So, with that, Class of 1990, life may be hard, but we truthfully only get one…So, on that note, make sure to spend your life doing something you love and make sure to surround yourself with love. Because as irrational and scientifically improbable love sounds sometimes, it's truly an immensely effective and positive force to have in your life."
When Brennan was finished, a roaring applause could be heard from the stands. She grinned, making eye-contact with Booth who was cheering the loudest.
Soon, the graduates received their diplomas. Brennan could hear her friends and family screaming from her all the way over in the stands and when it was time for the class of 1990 to throw their caps in the air, Brennan, Booth, and Cam threw theirs as high as they could before gathering together to celebrate.
"Bren, your speech was amazing," Angela told her friend as they all re-grouped to hug and celebrate. "And so emotional."
"Nice job, Tempe," Russ added, giving her a big hug after Angela. "Mom and Dad would be so proud of you."
"Thanks, guys," Brennan said, feeling immensely proud.
"You did good, Bones," Booth said, chuckling as he threw an arm around her. "I like to think I had a little influence on you…"
"Oh shut up," Brennan said, rolling her eyes jokingly as she playfully nudged Booth in the ribs. Brennan paused though and smiled at her friends and family. "However, to be honest, I couldn't have done it without any of you. So thank you all, for everything."
"Well, this calls for a celebration!" Pops declared, hooking an arm around his eldest grandson. "Which is why, we should head back to the house. I got a couple of pizzas for you all and then I'm sure you all want to go out to graduation parties and such."
"But wait! We need a group picture!" Angela exclaimed, holding up her camera. "Of our friend group!"
"Why?" Zack questioned curiously.
"Because who knows when's the next time we'll all be together like this," Hodgins added.
"We still have the summer, babe," Angela said, rolling her eyes.
"True, but not like this," Hodgins added.
"Here," Russ said, taking the camera from Angela and gesturing for all the kids to get together. "On three say, Graduates!"
"One…Two…Three…GRADUATES!"
Later that night the gang all came together for a huge party that one of their classmates was throwing. As the party ranged on, Brennan couldn't help but hang out in this random house's front yard and take a few moments for herself. To really think about how far she'd come an how lucky she was to have all these people with her, right now.
"Bones!" Booth called out, running towards her with a grin on his face. "Whatcha doing? You're missing the party!"
Brennan smiled bittersweetly at him. "Nothing. Just thinking…"
Booth paused, studying his partner and girlfriend a little more carefully. "What's up?"
"Nothing," Brennan insisted. "Really."
"I think something's up and you are not saying what it is," Booth said, raising his eyebrows. "C'mon, Bones. What's bothering you?"
"It's just…" Brennan paused, biting her lip. "I wish I wasn't graduating early. For the first time since my parents left…I've been so happy….I don't want to loose this, Booth. I love my life here and…I wish I had it longer."
"You don't have to loose this, Bones," Booth told her sincerely. "Look, there will be breaks, letters, and phone calls and all those things in between. And even if we go our separate ways, we'll always have a home with each other. Always."
"Always?" Brennan asked quietly. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, Bones, because nothing beats the friends you've had when you were a teenager," Booth said. "These are the friends that knew you through some of the most important years of your life. Your bond with all of us will always be with you."
"Important years of my life?" Brennan questioned, frowning.
"Maybe not important, but they're important because they're going to shape you thirty years down the line," Booth said. "They make you, you…Besides, there's nothing like old friends…"
"True," Brennan said, smiling up at him.
"Be happy, Bones. You should be," Booth said, cupping his girlfriend's cheek gently. "You have so much to be proud of and how bright your future is…You don't have to go through anything alone, anymore?"
"I know," Brennan said softly.
"And I want you to know, that even if we ourselves go separate ways and we find ourselves on different paths of life," Booth said quietly. "I will always be your partner and I will always be there. I promise."
"You promise?" Brennan asked, smiling up at him.
"Promise," Booth repeated. "Because chasing you has been one of the best things I've ever done..."
"Good," Brennan said before wrapping her arms around Booth and bringing him in for a deep kiss. Booth hugging Brennan tightly once they pulled apart from their kiss and taking everything about the girl he loved in.
"I'm going to miss you when you're in the army," Brennan whispered, trying to hold back her tears. "Please, be safe…"
"I will. Don't worry," Booth told her, hugging Brennan tightly. "And I will write to you as much as I can. Besides, I want to hear about everything is going for you in college and I want to hear about whatever squinty thing you're up to, okay?"
"Okay," Brennan said, chuckling before she buried her face into Booths' chest. "I love you, Booth. You and I, we're bound to one another. You nurture me, you protect me, you are my home…"
"I love you too, Bones," Booth said, pressing his lips to the top of her head. "You are my home as well…"
The two proceeded to share another passionate kiss before more cheers emerged from the party ahead.
"We should probably head back inside," Booth mentioned, looking towards the house.
"Or we could stay out here for a little longer," Brennan mentioned quietly, smirking mischievously up at Booth. "There's a quiet little area around here we could check out…if you wanted to."
Booth smirked at his girlfriend and chuckled, "Temperance Brennan, are you trying to seduce me right now?"
Brennan shrugged jokingly, "Possibly."
"Come here," Booth said, causing Brennan to squeal in laughter as her boyfriend brought her into another kiss. The young couple laughing and grinning as they enjoyed their night together.
The entire friend group went home happy that night. They had no idea of what their future would entail, but at this moment they were happy and they new that they were ready for whatever life would throw at them.
A/N: Hey readers! It has been a long time since I've updated, but I've been revisiting Bones and really wanted to give this story an ending. Sorry it's taken quite a bit, but thank you to all those who have been reading and loving this story! I tried my best with Brennan's speech lol Anyway, it was a joy writing this and a big thank you to everyone who's been reading, reviewing, and just following the story! Thank you!
