~~~

Brennan remained quiet as Adam drove. Staring out the window he began to think what it would be like to see Emma again after all this time. He knew that, like him, she had had a rough four years and if she was anything like the Emma of old she was still mourning. He had been away from the team for six months when she showed up at his apartment in hysterics

***

"He's gone" she cried over and over as she rocked back and forth on the couch

"Emma who is gone?" he asked placing his hands on her shoulders to stop her from rocking

She stopped rocking but at the same time refused to meet his gaze when she replied "Jesse"

"What do you mean gone? Did he leave?" thinking Jesse had finally had enough, like he had, and left

"No" she said between sobs "he got a message from his father asking him to meet him in an abandoned warehouse" she paused to take a breathe "we don't know what happened but he managed to get back to sanctuary and………oh god Brennan he is dead" finally she said before completely breaking down

***

They later found out that the whole thing was a trap. Jesse had gone without telling anyone, as per his father's request, and before he had time to react he was in the clutches of his father's employer. It was only later, after Emma had calmed down that she was able to tell him that the only reason Jesse had gotten away was because of his father. She also told him that Jesse said he was sorry for all he had said to him the day he left and that he considered him a brother for life

After Jesse's funeral Adam had tried once again to convince him to come back but he adamantly refused. That was the last time he had heard from Adam before today. And he had only heard from Emma one other time and that was to tell him that she was leaving. "Going to live the quiet life" she told him in their last conversation. In some ways he was proud her; she had come out of a shell and blossomed into a woman that had his utmost respect, in other ways he felt sorry for her.

Part of him wanted to tell her stay on the team but the other half understood why she had to leave. Being able to sense to everyone's emotions, whether you want to or not while at the same time having to deal with your own must be hell; especially with all the death they had had to deal with in such a short time.

"How is she?" he asked finally breaking the silence

"Honestly? She is the same old Emma, except more grown up" Adam replied never taking his eyes off the road but Brennan saw the smile that crept across the older man's face

"Good" he muttered before returning his attention the moving objects outside his window and once again letting silence reign.

~~~

When they finally pulled into the garage at sanctuary he was reluctant to get out of the car. He wasn't afraid of what he would find, it was more the fact that he was afraid of what he would feel. The past four years had been hell and now he was about to enter, in his mind, the seventh circle of it all.

As he lagged behind Adam he noted that nothing had changed, the décor, the smell everything was same; and yet it wasn't. His breathe caught in his throat as they past the lab. It was the last place he had talked her and the place they had shared their last kiss and the last place and time his heart felt whole. In the months that followed, before his departure from the team, he never once entered the lab. He found that odd since it was the last place she was alive and felt he would want to be there but instead he found that solace in the other rooms that made up sanctuary. He laughed to himself; "sanctuary." This place had become anything but to him after her death.

Reaching the dojo area, Brennan came face to face with four faces he had never seen before and one he had. "Brennan" yelped Emma as she hopped off her stool and ran to him

Hugging her tightly it seemed for a moment that nothing had changed and the last four years were all a nightmare he had only just woken from. But after letting go and seeing the sadness in her eyes he knew that wasn't true "so how's the quiet life been?"

"Quiet but good" she replied noticing for the first time that the other occupants in the room were staring at them "come on, come meet the team" she muttered before dragging him towards the others

~~~

TBC…….I know I am being evil again…….but hey why stop something I am obviously so talented at?!! Please R&R before you hit that pesky back button!!