September 2007

Temperance Brennan leaned against the wall in frustration trying to pull off the extremely high heeled boot that had been causing her so much pain all day. She had worn them thinking that she wouldn't be going any where; that she'd just be doing lab work all day, but then Booth had dragged her off to the Maryland where she had to examine remains in the middle of a swamp. Not only were her favorite pair of boots covered in mud, but her feet hurt insanely.

With one final yank she pulled the boot off her foot, chucking it across the room in satisfaction, just in time for knocking on her door.

She looked threw the peep hole carefully. Booth always told her to look through it, just in case someone was trying to mug her or attack her. She usually just ignored him when he told her, but she still listened none the less. She always listened to Booth.

Smiling when she saw him holding the bag of warm take out food, she opened the door, grinning widely.

"Hey Bones."

"You brought food?"

"Yeah, hold your horses Bones."

Hold my horses? Horses? It must be one of those sayings, but this one I really don't get because I don't have horses.

Booth smiled at the perplexed look on Brennan's face. She was so cute sometimes. He leaned down, kissing her softly.

"It means hold on a second."

She glared at him, "I knew what it meant."

"Really? You did?"

"No, but it's completely irrational. You couldn't conceivably have horses unless you lived on a ranch."

Booth leaned down kissing her again, this time he closed the door behind him, depositing the food on the table next to them. She wrapped her arms around his neck, happy to have him there, and almost as happy that he had brought food. The delicious aroma of pad Thai noodles was wafting from the bag on the table and she was almost ravenous. She hadn't since breakfast with Booth twelve hours ago, and the state of her refrigerator was discouraging.

They both pulled back, smiling.

"Why don't we just eat?"

She nodded, and grabbed the food and plates to serve it on. Booth watched as she stood on her tip toes to grab glasses from the top shelf. He swiped a hand over his face, the sinking feeling in his stomach returning. He had debated and fought with himself with his decision the whole drive over, but when he had seen her smiling face as he opened the door, when he had kissed her, the whole thing had went out the window.

He knew this was going to hurt her, and it was the last thing he wanted to do. But he needed to. He had to. There was no choice.

He didn't want to do it, especially when things were going so well between them. It had been 2 months already, with them together. And surprisingly, they had hit no road blocks or problems with having a relationship past "partners".

After a particularly grueling case in the hot July sun few states south of DC, they had fallen into bed together. Brennan had woken up freaked, she'd been apprehensive and scared, but he'd told her that he had always felt this way about her and it hadn't been a mistake.

She had still fled his apartment, and after an awkward week at the lab, she had admitted to him that she had strong feelings for him, and it had been easy ever since.

For being so confused socially, Brennan made a great girlfriend. She was a lot sweeter then she gave herself credit for, and he made sure to tell her often, even if she denied it every time.

He wanted it to stay like this forever, but he had a feeling that it was all going to change. He was pulled out of his thoughts by his girlfriend's slightly annoyed voice.

"Booth! Are you even listening?"

He sighed, making his way over to her, and wrapping his arms loosely around her waist from behind. He wanted to savor being near her for as long as he could. Although he could see she was a little irritated that he hadn't been listening to her, he could feel her body relax and lean into him the way she always did.

He leaned his chin on her shoulder, smelling the sweet smell of her shampoo. His bed always smelled like her after she slept there.

"Sorry, what were you saying babe?"

She laughed quietly. She still hadn't gotten used to Booth calling her babe. It was so different then what their relationship had started as, but she liked it. Not that she would tell him that.

"I just asked you whether or not you wanted pad Thai or not."

"Yeah I do."

She spooned the tantalizing noodles into 2 bowls, as he kept his arms wrapped firmly around her waist.

"What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing really important, work."

She had seen the look on his face as he thought. The same look he got during after an emotionally draining case, or when he arrested a murderer. It was intense, hard. As if something really important was happening.

Great, now I'm lying to her. That was not part of the plan.

"Oh, ok."

Even if I can't read people, I can tell he's lying to me.

She pulled out of his hold, handing him a bowl filled with appetizing Thai food. She looked down, her eyes not meeting his.

She can tell I just lied. She's been spending too much time around me.

"Let's eat."

They sat down at the table, the silence overbearing. Brennan finished her food quickly, and sighed looking up at Booth. If this was going to work, he had to be honest with her.

"Booth, why did you just lie to me? We're supposed to be in a relationship, you're not supposed to lie."

Booth looked into her sky blue eyes, and knew he had to tell her. Now, it was important.

"You're right, I lied Bones."

She clanked her fork around in her bowl, trying to distract herself.

"Well, I guess that was honest."

"I wasn't thinking about work, and there's something we need to talk about."

I've heard that before, it's not good.

"Booth, I've heard that before. If you want to break up with me just do it."

He reached over, rubbing her shoulder softly. She looked up, even if she was confused, she felt comforted by his touch.

"No, I don't want to break up with you. But this is important, and I need to tell you."

She smiled, "Ok, tell me."

"You know that Rebecca is pregnant, right?"

She nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"Well she and Drew want to start over with the new baby. They want to move to New York City."

Brennan was puzzled. What did that have to do with them? Unless the baby was Booth's which she was 100 sure it wasn't, she didn't know why this would affect them.

"Does that mean Parker is going to stay with you?"

Booth rubbed his forehead. He knew this wasn't going to be easy, he just didn't predict that it was going to be this hard.

"Rebecca's taking Parker. I can't let Parker grow up without a father Bones."

I can't let Parker grow up without a father Bones. The words sunk in painfully. This couldn't be happening. Booth couldn't…leave. Maybe she was misunderstanding.

"The only way that would work…is if you moved to New York."

Booth nodded, and Brennan sighed loudly. Trying to push back the tears that she could feel already building in her chest.

He could see how upset she was, but she tried to hide it, the tears glossing over her eyes. He reached out, trying to touch her, but she moved away. This was definitely not going well.

"I can't believe that you're doing this," She was having trouble breathing, and she wiped her eyes making sure the tears didn't spill. "That I let this happen again, that another person is leaving."

"Bones I'm not leaving you. It won't be for that long. I can't let Parker go Bones, he's my son."

"Do you honestly think we can preserve a relationship while you're living 200 miles away?"

"I'm not trying to leave you Bones. I need to do this for Parker."

"I trusted you. I let you in. I thought you wouldn't be like everyone else, but I guess I was wrong."

Brennan stood up, wrapping her arms around herself; she shivered even though it was 60 degrees in her apartment, Booth stood, trying to get close to her, but she backed away.

"I thought you of all people would understand!"

He could hear his voice rising, and watched as tears ran down her face. He didn't want her to cry, and he instantly regretted his words, because he knew how they must have sounded.

"Why because I grew up without parents, is that it Booth? And you're worried that Parker might turn out as screwed up as I am."

"That's not what I said Temperance."

"But it's what you meant"

He looked into her eyes, the hurt visible. He didn't want to do this; he wished he could make her understand. Leaving her was the last thing he ever thought he would do. The silence was defining, and the only sound between them was her quiet sobs. He wanted to wrap her in his arms, and tell her that it was going to be ok. But he had to leave, and it wasn't going to be ok.

"Listen Bones, I'm leaving a week from today. You're not going to see me around the lab, because the FBI is processing my transfer to New York."

She looked up, her eyes blood shot from the crying. "You're really leaving."

"I don't want it to end like this Bones. Don't do this."

"I have to."

He understood why she was doing this. People left her, it what they did, and now he was leaving her too. It had probably hurt her the most.

"Bones, I won't ever forget you. Remember that."

She looked up, her eyes threatening the tears again.

"Just go, please. Just go."

Booth looked at her one last time. He had a feeling it would be his last look, and he drew he in, everything. The door closed quietly, and Brennan collapsed against the wall, holding her head in her hands.

He was gone.

He had really left.

She sobbed and sobbed until she fell asleep, her last thought was that she wished that she had hugged him one last time.

March 2011, 3 ½ Years Later

The loud beeping of the alarm clock woke Temperance Brennan, that and the loud rain pounding on the balcony of her apartment. Her dreams had been filled with him lately. She didn't know why. She just wanted it to stop.

Last night hadn't been different. The night he left hadn't been a good one, and it definitely hadn't been even better as a dream.

She reached over, knowing that there was nobody sleeping next to her, but in the back of her head, she wished that maybe by thinking about him, she had somehow conjured him. No luck, the bed was cold.

As much as she had been trying to tell herself for 3 ½ years that she didn't need him. She did. She needed him, and wanted him, and everything in between. The horrible feeling of loss she got whenever she thought of him, hadn't subsided in 3 years, it just got worse.

Closing her eyes, she relished the few moments she had of quiet. She knew in a matter of minute they would be in her room, and all semblance of peace would be gone.

She heard the little footsteps patter through the halls, and then into her room.

"Mommy! Mommy! Are you awake?"

Brennan sat up, looking into the wide awake faces of her 3 ½ year old twins, Chloe and Sam.

They jumped on her bed, wrapping their arms around her, hugging her hard. She smiled, and hugged them back, smoothing out their hair.

"I'm awake, and you both obviously are."

"Good morning mommy!"

"Good morning to you to."

They pulled away, standing on her bed, jumping up and down exuberantly.

"Mommy guesses what?"

"What?"

"Sammy said that you might not be's awake, but I told him that you would so I won!"

Sam frowned at his sister. "I did not!"

"Yes you did. Renember when we was in the kitchen and you said, mommy's probably not awake and I said yes she is!"

It was hard to look at them after such a vivid dream about Booth. They looked exactly like him. Or a hybrid of both of them. Chloe was exactly like her, she always corrected her little brother, and was incredibly stubborn.

Chloe looked like her, but with Booth's smile. She could never say no when the little girl grinned up at her. She had Booth's deep brown eyes, and energy. She never stopped moving no matter where she went, which sometimes could be a problem.

"Mommy are you mad at me now?"

Brennan pulled Sam down into a hug, ruffling his dark brown hair, and kissing his forehead, and nose.

"Of course not."

He wriggled out of her grasp, trying to wipe away where she had kissed him.

"Eww…Mommy that was gross."

"I can't kiss you anymore?"

"No! I'm a big boy now, that's only for little kids."

"Really?"

"Of course Mommy, you're so funny!"

Chloe laughed at her. Another thing they had in common with Booth, a love for making fun of their mother.

"Thanks, I think."

They continued to jump up and down, and Brennan stood up, grabbing both of them around their waist's as they scrambled to get down, laughing.

"Come on you two, we're going to be late for school."

"Mommy! We're never late!"

"Today we might be."

"Oh no!"

"Exactly, oh no."

Brennan ruffled their hair, letting them down, where they ran off as fast as they could into their room to get dressed. Brennan watched as Chloe tripped Sam, and then he ran off chasing her. She smiled, knowing that Sam was too much a sweetheart to ever hurt his sister.

He was just like Booth, with an acute sense of people. He could always tell when Brennan was upset, and he always hugged her when he got home from school. The resemblance with he and Booth was so striking, she almost had to tear he eyes away from him. The only difference was his crystal blue eye's that belonged to her. Other then that, he was all Booth.

She didn't want to think about him, but it was hard not to. Especially when his children looked exactly like him. She couldn't help but think if he knew about them, maybe he wouldn't have left. It was always a daunting thought, but some things you couldn't change. Or could you?