(The Body in the Bounty)
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I don't own Bones.
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He was steeping a tea bag in a mug of hot water when his phone rang. As he fumbled for the phone, he wondered who was calling him at the ungodly hour of 6 a.m. "Yeah."
Dad . . . good you're home . . . why can't you get a cell phone like everyone else? I've been trying to reach you for the last two days.
As patiently as he could, Max once more tried to explain his paranoia about cell phones. "Russ, I've told you and told you, cell phones have GPS on them. If the telephone company knows where you are then so does the government and it's none of their damn business where I am and what I'm doing."
Look, do you know what's going on with Tempe and that lunkhead cop of hers . . . do you?
His tea finally the right color, Max pulled the tea bag from the cup and tossed it in the trash. "I'm not a hermit, Russ. Of course I know what's going on."
Dad, he's got a girlfriend. That reporter chick from NBC news, Hannah Burley. I can't believe this shit . . . what are we going to do about this?
The tea too hot to drink, Max pulled a small bowl from the kitchen cabinet and set it on the table with a box of cereal, a quart of milk and a spoon. "We aren't going to do anything about it. It's just temporary . . . at least I think it is."
What? Are you kidding me? You told me that when those two came back that they'd realize that they belonged together, but that's not what happened . . . he's got a damn girlfriend and it ain't our Tempe. I want to beat his ass and knock some damn sense into him, but he'd probably kill me. I mean for real too . . . If I knew how to use a gun I'd shoot his ass.
"Russ for God's sake!" Max was starting to lose his temper. "What Booth and Tempe do are not our business. They're . . . They're still running away from each other just in D.C. now. I don't know what caused all this running, but I do know that they have to work it out themselves."
Now how is he supposed to work it out if he's living with someone else? Come on. He's not even trying and Tempe is sad Dad. She's really sad. I told her to quit her job and move . . . that would serve the lunkhead right, but . . ."
"Whoa!" Now Max was angry. "You did what? Are you crazy? If she moves away then she'll never get together with Booth and that needs to happen. Those two are perfect for each other."
Perfect? Perfect? Are you out of your mind, Dad? All they do is fuss at each other. I don't think they're right for each other at all. She could do a lot better than that cop . . . a hell of a lot better."
Wisely, Max knew that wasn't true. "You know Russ, you should use your head for more than a place to rest a cap on. You know Tempe or at least you should. She is special. She's blunt and as honest as they come. She doesn't have a filter between her brain and her mouth. She never has. Most people can't stand that kind of honesty. They don't want someone to tell them the truth. Hell most people want everything sugar coated and you know Tempe can't and won't do that. She doesn't like lying she never has. How many people do you know will tolerate that kind of raw honesty? Not many and you know it. She never had many friends when she was a kid and I guess it got worse as she got older. Besides Angela and Hodgins and Booth . . . well I'm not sure she has any other friends than those three. Three Russ. If she moves away she won't have any . . . You stop telling Tempe she needs to quit her job and move. She needs those friends of hers."
But Dad one of those friends is living with someone. They aren't any closer to getting together than they were when they took off for the ends of the Earth. I don't care how much you want them to be together it ain't going to happen. Not now not ever.
"I hope you're wrong." Max stared glumly at his box of cereal. "Everyone needs someone and I think Booth is perfect for our Tempe. He loves her . . ."
Loves her . . . for God's sake he's living with someone . . .
"Russ!" His tea cooling too fast, Max swallowed some of it and placed the cup back down. "Look, I've seen those together and I know that they love each other. They're just fighting the inevitable. Someday those two are going to get their heads out of their asses and then you'll see some action. We just have to be patient and stay out of it."
But Tempe is sad. I mean she is very sad. I could tell when I talked to a few days ago. All she talked about is Booth this and Booth that and she was sad.
Exhaling deeply, Max tried to be patient with his son. "Russ, I've been around a lot longer than you have and I know how to read people. I knew Booth was made for Tempe when I first met him. He loves her damn it and this thing he's doing with the reporter is just denial. I have no idea why Tempe and Booth can't just accept that they love each other, but they can't, at least not right now . . . I don't know. I'm sure this is my fault some how. We should have found a way to bring her with us when we ran, but . . . well I can't do anything about that now . . . You leave Booth alone, Russ. He could break you like a twig . . . We have to just be patient . . . sooner or later he's going to blow it with this new girlfriend of his and then he'll be forced to do the right thing."
I don't know why you think he's going to blow it. Hannah Burley is pretty cute and Tempe says she's very nice.
Max chuckled. "You don't think I haven't researched Booth? You don't think I made sure of our boy after I found out about him? He has a terrible record with women as far as I can find out. He's never stayed with anyone longer than a year. He's a former gambler, he was abused as a kid and he was a prisoner of war in Iraq. The man has been through the wringer and that is a hell of a lot of baggage to carry around for anyone. It would take someone special to put up with his crap and you can bet Hannah Burley isn't any better that those other women he's had affairs with . . . He needs Tempe, but he's fighting it. Once Hannah is out of the picture those two are going to get together. Mark my words . . . Now stop interfering with Tempe or I'm going to come down there and kick your ass."
Okay Dad . . . I hope you know what you're talking about . . . she's sad Dad.
"I know." Max hated that she was sad, but he thought it would work out in the end. "Our Tempe is strong and if she can't take it, she'll leave. As long as she's willing to put up with what's going on then leave her alone . . . She loves Booth, Russ. She loves their friendship. She needs that friendship. You know I'm right. If she didn't want his friendship she'd have already quit working with Booth . . . I want my baby girl to be happy and she's happy with Booth in her life. Those two are best friends as far as I can tell and she needs that. She needs someone Russ . . . You'll see. Our Tempe just has to wait and then she'll have that lunkhead. They're friends right now and right now that's going to have to do, but I really think she knows all she has to do is wait and she'll get her chance for more. Let's face it, if she knows anyone it's that partner of hers."
Okay, Dad . . . You know I don't really like Booth. He's a cop and . . . but I guess it doesn't matter if I don't like him. I just hope this works out. She's so sad and I really hate that.
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A/N: this came to me while I was watching "The Verdict in the Story". Let me know what you think of it. Thank you.