Author's note: Regarding FBI investigation: Contents of this chapter is purely fictional, any similarity to any case is purely coincidental.

Angela stormed into Temperance's room. "I see you have company," she blurted out.

"He was just leaving." Temp turned to Michael. "I'm fine. Whatever we've had before is over. You didn't have to be here."

"Yes," Angela intervened. "You needn't be here. She's well taken care of. So, if you don't mind, the door is that a way." She pointed towards it.

"Hey, I'm just visiting an old friend. If it wasn't for Goodman, I wouldn't be here."

"So, okay, I'll thank Goodman for filling you in on Temp." Angela stood with her hands on her hips.

Temperance closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, then opened them as if he would had suddenly disappeared. "Yes, please leave. I have other matters to tend to."

He smirked at her. "I'll bet you do. Namely, that cop hovering over you."

"He's not a cop. Look, Stires, Temp was seriously hurt in case you haven't noticed, so just get out of here so she can mend," Angela demanded as she pointed a finger at him.

"All of a sudden the world looks beautiful and you want to be there to snatch it up or it might just be gone in a matter of seconds? And I know that world to you is that blood sucking vampire of an FBI agent."

"Just get out, Michael. I haven't forgiven you or have any plans to forgive you ever. You're no longer a part of my life."

"Your loss, Dr. Brennan, your lost. We would have been great together. You'll regret it one day, when you wake up all alone, old and gray with no one by your side." He turned away and walked off in a huffed.

"Get out!" Angela yelled.

"Ange!"

Angela flung her hair away from her face. "Okay, sweetie, now that we got rid of him, what are you going to do about Booth? He bumped into me as he was leaving, he's really pissed and I might say, jealous. Did what his face interrupt you two in a tender moment? You and Booth, what's up? Anything I should know about? Exploring a new plateau in your relationship?"

Temperance was silent.

Ah, come on, Temp, don't you want to do naughty things with him? You know..."

"Stop it, Ange," (It's not like I haven't thought about it.)

Angela yapped, "...with thigh high boots, whips and chains, a spank here and there or being handcuff to his bedpost at gunpoint? Oh my gosh,Temp, to have him ravish you?"

"Stop it, Angela! You're making me laugh and I hurt." She laid her hand on her wounded area.

"Well, sweetie, you'd better fix things up or none of your fantasies will ever come to life."

Seely arrived home, headed straight to the refrigerator and grabbed himself a bottle of beer. "Son of a bitch!" He took large gulps of his drink and swallowed hard. He took another out when his telephone rang.

"What?" He yelled into the receiver.

He at first said nothing and listened to his telephone caller. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Nothing to keep me here anyway. A week? Two? Fine. I can leave tonight."

Seely was called out of town on an assignment. He could have refused, but, he needed to be away from Bones and that jerk, Michael Stires.

He arrived at his destination, a small town in New England to help in the interrogation of the primary suspect of the mysterious disappearance of a 21 year old university student who was presumed dead. Natalia Marco was five feet five inches tall, weight in at 115 pounds with a slim build. She was last seen several months ago outside of her studio where she had been employed as a part-time piano instructor. The murder suspect was a writer, Mathew Coronel who worked in the same complex building as the studio. It was believed that the suspect had allegedly stalked Miss Marco for the past year before her tragic murder. The only evidence which linked Natalia to Coronel was a blood stained pink scarf that had been stuffed in a duffle bag which belonged to him found outside behind the building. It was believed she had been murdered in the late afternoon and eventually her body had been disposed of somewhere in the ocean. No traces of human remains were ever found. Investigators claimed the entire Coronel clan was in on the cover up of the murder.

Booth could only imagined what the Marco family had gone through. They walked around like zombies as they awaited final closure of Natalia, but, closure never came. After more than several hours of grand jury proceedings and thousands of dollars spent, there were no charges filed.

His assignment was basically a waste of time of the taxpayers' money. It angered him that although Coronel was indeed the one who had been responsible for the young woman's death, there was not enough evidence to have indicted him. The murder of Natalia Marco remained unsolved.

Booth arrived back home at precisely 7:00 o'clock in the evening, unpacked his bag and hit the button to his answering machine. A week and a half of messages, but none were of importance except the one from Angela.

"Thanks, Booth, for just leaving suddenly without a word. Have you forgotten about Temperance? Just to inform you that she's out of the hospital and at home recuperating. So, you know the drill. Cal her! If you even care!"

I don't need this right now, he told himself. He stretched out on his living room sofa. The investigation had taken a toll on him. His heart ached for the Marco family. How the hell could life had gone on for them? They never said their goodbyes. There were so many things that needed to be done and needed to be said. But, it was too late for them. Their faces flashed in front his of the the horror and sadness when told of the outcome of Ms. Marco's case. "I never got to tell her I loved her. I never got to say goodbye," cried out Natalia's teenage sister. "I never told her how much she meant to me. Now it's too late." Booth hung on to her as she nearly crumbled to the ground.

He thought of the girl's words. "I never told her how much she meant to me." He took hold of his sofa pillow and repeatedly threw it up into the air, thoughts of Bones entered his head. He pulled himself up and stared blinkless at the telephone.

Angela quickly grabbed the phone on the second ring. "Hello?"

"What are you doing there?" Booth's voice was low-toned.

"Hello to you, too. So when did you get back?" She replied cockily.

"I aked you what are you doing there?" He had an impatient tone to his voice.

"For your information, Agent Booth, I stop by here every night after work. Although, I have been staying over just to keep her company these last couple of days. Besides, she can't move about freely as of yet. How long have you been back?"

"About an hour ago. Got your friendly message. Look, I'm tired and I have no time to explain why I was away. I'd like to talk to Bones, if you don't mind."

"She's in the shower. Any message?"

"Yeah, for you. When I get there, make yourself scare. I really don't need any interruptions from anyone this time. Okay?"

"Why? What do you have in mind?" She queried inquisitively.

"In life, we do a lot of things before we succeed, that's why we keep trying. So, why don't you be an "Angel" and leave when I get there, alright?"

Booth hadn't even said goodbye when all Angela heard was a dial tone on her end of the receiver.

TBC - Chapter 8