(Season 12)
A/N: Mel1592 had a suggestion for a sequel for chapter 40. I hope this is what you wanted.
I don't own Bones.
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Just for laughs, Peter St. James, a former lover of Temperance Brennan decided to go to a book signing at the book store down the street. He hadn't seen Brennan in ten years and he thought it might be fun to buy a book and get her to sign it. He invited his girlfriend to go with him since she was a fan of the Kathy Reichs mystery books, so that might make it even more amusing.
Over the years, he had kept tabs of his former girlfriend just out of curiosity. He still thought she had been a bit of a bitch for breaking up with him. Still he supposed he wasn't perfect either and you can't live in the past, can you? At least that was what Beth used to tell him.
When he had failed to get back together with Brennan a year after they broke up, he had developed an active hate for her. He had written scathing reviews about her books on social media, but he got more flak from that than it was worth. He saw occasional stories in the paper about cases she had solved with her FBI partner and the occasional interview on television and found it amazing that someone so socially inept could be worth millions writing trashy novels.
As time moved on, so did he. Peter got married and he was so happy until his wife Beth died of breast cancer four years later. He had mourned her death for three years before he had finally found someone that made the pain a little lighter to bear. While he was trying to live his life like Beth wanted him to, he watched from a distance as Brennan's life unfolded in a dismaying fashion.
Much to his disbelief, he had read that Brennan had been suspected of murdering a man named Ethan Sawyer. No matter how much he disliked his former lover, he knew with certainty that this was wrong. He knew that Brennan valued life and was all about justice for those that were wronged. There was no way that she had murdered anyone and his outrage grew during the next few months as the FBI and local law enforcement agencies tried to track her down. Then a miracle happened and she was proven innocent and Peter was relieved. He had considered writing her a letter telling her that he was glad she was alright but decided that it wouldn't be appropriate. After all, they had parted ways a long time ago and to send her letter now might make it seem like he was gloating over her misfortune when he wasn't.
Eventually, it was proven that a serial killer named Christopher Pelant was behind the murder of Ethan Sawyer as well as numerous other victims. Peter had read everything he could about Pelant and was relieved that Brennan's partner had killed the man. Pelant was clearly dangerous and it might have been difficult to keep him imprisoned once he was captured. Peter didn't really believe in the death penalty and the thought of being on a jury and condemning someone to die made him very uncomfortable, but clearly some people were too dangerous to live.
Months came and went and Peter had seen little in the papers about Brennan except that she had married the man who had fathered her child. Agent Seeley Booth had been her partner for a long time and Peter had finally come to the conclusion that Temperance Brennan was better off with her FBI agent than him. They'd been good in bed together, but they hadn't really got on as well as they should. He had tried to show her that her trust issues were the fault of her parents abandoning her, but she had detested his use of psychology. If they had stayed together, they would have been unhappy. He had learned what a loving relationship was when he had been married to his late wife Beth. Beth had taught him that compromise wasn't a sign of weakness, that you had to have more than great sex in your relationship to be happy. You had to have love and clearly Brennan had found her true love like he had found his.
The book store was busy and he had arrived late enough that he and Mary were at the end of the line. Peter had considered going home, but Mary wanted to stay and get an autographed book from Brennan. Mary's excitement was almost palpable and Peter knew it would be worth the wait to make her happy.
While he and Mary slowly made their way up to the table where Brennan sat, Peter noticed a man sitting on a chair near the table with a young girl leaning on his knees while he held a young boy on his lap. The man occasionally talked to the girl in a quiet tone and held open a book for the young girl to read from while the toddler slept in the man's embrace.
After a while, they were finally face to face with Brennan and Mary pushed her book across the table. "I'm so happy to meet you, Dr. Brennan. My boyfriend Peter told me so much about you and how you really are a great forensic anthropologist and not just a writer. He's read all of your books and he says that they are as accurate as a mystery novel can be."
Curious, Brennan looked over at the man standing next to her fan and frowned. "Peter St. James?"
"One and the same, Temperance." Pleased that he hadn't changed so much that he was unrecognizable, Peter smiled at his former lover. "I'm glad that you're doing alright. I was worried when you were accused of murdering that man, but I knew that you were innocent and I told everyone I knew that you couldn't murder anyone."
Surprised, Temperance smiled at her former boyfriend. "Thank you. Christopher Pelant was a computer genius and he managed to frame me in a rather convincing way. It took a lot of effort on the part of my partner and my friends to prove I was innocent." She'd had a hand in helping exonerate herself, but she didn't feel compelled to mention that.
"Pelant was just evil." Peter glanced at the man with the children and assumed that he was FBI Agent Seeley Booth. His attention back on Brennan, he lowered his voice. 'I'm sorry that your husband was framed as a murderer, but I knew that he didn't do it. You'd never marry someone that could do such a thing and when it came out that you and he had uncovered a treasonous plot against out country . . . well, I was so proud of you. Thank you for what you did . . . you and your husband . . . your children are beautiful."
"Thank you." Brennan had never expected to have a conversation with Peter like this one. She had assumed that she would never meet him again and if she did, it be similar to the last time they had met. "I'm glad you came by to see me." Brennan turned her attention upon Mary. "Thank you for buying my book. It was nice meeting you."
Holding the book against her chest, Mary thought she might faint. "Oh, the pleasure was mine, Dr. Brennan. Really. And, I agree with Peter, your children are beautiful." Pulling on Peter's arm, Mary pulled him towards the front of the store. She wanted to get home and begin reading her new book. Amused, Peter waved at his former lover as he walked away. "Good-bye Temperance, I wish you and your family well."
The signing over, Booth handed the book he had been holding to his daughter and stood up. "It's time to go, Sweetheart." Careful not to wake his son, Booth moved over to where his wife was now standing. "That was what's his name. The guy you were living with before we became partners . . . He's changed."
"Yes, he has." Brennan took her son into her arms and hugged the child against her breasts. "He seems to be calmer and . . . and nicer."
"Well, good. If he'd tried anything, I'd have kicked his ass . . . butt." Aware that Christine was listening, he tried to police his language and not use curse words. "The woman with him, was that his girlfriend?"
Brennan placed her hand on Christine's shoulder and smiled at the way Christine was holding up her book for her to see. "I think we can buy that book on the way out of the store, Honey." Turning her attention back to Booth, Brennan knew that she was lucky to have such a fine family. "Yes, she called Peter her boyfriend."
"That's probably why he's changed.' Booth took Christine's hand and started to walk to the cash register. "He found someone that completed him . . . Like me and you."
"You're so romantic, Booth." Brennan loved that Booth still found ways to make her feel special. "The book signing was a success. I'll be glad when we get home. My hand is tried from writing my name over and over."
Booth slowed down and placed his arm around Brennan's shoulders. "Well, you made a lot of your fans happy. We can go home, put some warm water and Epsom salt in a bowl and you can soak your hand. You'll be good as new tomorrow."
'Yes, I will."
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