Authors Note – Because I love you all so much I'm giving you an update less than 24 hours since the last one. Like I said yesterday I can't stop writing.

Still a T rating for this chapter. And I think it's been getting a little fluffy. Time for the angst to raise it's ugly head.

The song is by Dido. It's called Slide. Unless you have her No Angel album you probably won't of heard it. I do try and avoid album tracks unless necessary, but when needs must. (this applies to the next chapter too) Now I'm rambling. It's probably to disguise the fact this is a shorter chapter than my recent offerings.

Thanks to Moonlight Gardenias for approving and speculating (he he), and those who had chance to read and review the last chapter.

Finally, please spare a thought for those of us not USA based who will NOT get to watch B&B's adventures in London this week. I suppose, as a Brit, that three weeks on Thursday will not kill me. May leave me severely peeved though as you will all be raving about how good it was. Anyway. On with the story.

Disclaimer – Must I? It makes me sad to know I have no control over the characters depicted below.

Enjoy

This was proving to feel like an extraordinarily long day. After the best part of a twelve hour shift Temperance was physically exhausted. Long days she was used to, but the manual work coupled with being under staffed and maintaining her false persona were all leaving their mark. Plus her manager Julie had been pissed at her until mid afternoon for being late this morning. She sighed out loud. After spending half the night consummating her relationship with Booth all she needed right now was sleep.

"Hey sweet-cheeks, my order not interesting enough for you?" an older man retorted sarcastically, tapping the counter with his fingers.

"Sorry, what did you order again?" she mumbled apologetically. This was the third customer she had offended in the last hour. She was not as good at the undercover work as she had hoped. Her mind kept drifting to the questions she had posed herself this morning. Not really a problem when you're cleaning out the restrooms, but considerably more distracting when you're trying to take orders.

Even on a day like this when you're crawling on the floor
Reaching for the phone to ring anyone who knows you anymore

Angela would know what to say to help her make sense of the situation. She couldn't talk to Booth. Not until she knew her own mind. Her father? He had loved her mother devoutly. Would he be able to explain the way she felt? Would he even want to know? Booth had been his arresting officer. There was probably still some animosity there. She knew they tolerated each other for her sake. How would he react if he knew how intimate they had become last night? Talking to her father was probably not a good idea. She would have to work this out on her own.

It's all right to make mistakes
you're only human

She had given one drunk a lecture on liver damage. Another customer on the health dangers of being obese. Had there not been a queue forming she would easily have challenged a young mother on her use of formula milk.

Inside everybody's hiding something

It had surprised her just how busy the diner had been today. A constant stream of customers, many coming in for takeout, others lingering for hours who had nowhere better to be had run down the menu availability. A small piece of cherry pie remained, sat in a box in the kitchen, waiting for it's intended owner to arrive. It was now after seven. There really wasn't any reason to be concerned. She had only expected him to come in at least six hours ago. Temperance pushed the horrific images that were developing from her head. He was fine. Something important had cropped up. Obviously.

Staring at the same four walls, have you tried to help yourself

The door opened once more and she looked up in trepidation. Never in her life had she looked more disappointed to see her father.

"Good evening there Roxy. How's my favorite waitress?"

"A little anxious actually. Tony was supposed to come in for lunch." The concern on her face was evident.

"He's fine," Max responded between gritted teeth. "Can I get a coffee and a burger? I'll be sitting over there."

The rings around your eyes they don't hide,

that you need to get some rest

She watched him turn and walk over to a table in the corner. He looked tired. Worn. And bothered. Temperance knew she wasn't the best at reading people, but this was her father, and she knew he was holding something back.

The diner was quieter now and Max's order was ready quickly. She took it over and sat down opposite him.

"Are you sure you have time to keep an old man company." It was more of a statement than a question.

"I'm overdue a break."

it's all right to make mistakes
you're only human
Inside everybody's hiding something
Take time to catch your breathe and choose your moment

Max tucked into the meal in front of him. He was not about to offer up any information to her. Not when he knew what it would do to her.

Not when he knew it was his fault.

"I need to know what happened today." she pleaded. "I am supposed to feed it back to the FBI. You have to tell me!" Her voice was getting louder as panic began to set in.

He placed his hand over hers to sedate her. "Look. He'll be back soon. It will sound better from him than me."

"So he's OK?"

"Sure." Max lied. "There's...something he has to do for Jase. He might be unavailable for a few days. That's all I know."

A young couple had entered and were waiting patiently to be served. "I'd better get back behind the counter. Bye."

"Bye, sweetheart." Max rubbed his temples and pushed his half eaten meal away. If he left now then maybe he could resolve the situation before it got too out of hand. He looked around. Temperance had gone into the kitchen. It would be best if she didn't see him leave.

--oo000oo--

Julie popped her head around the door. "Can I have a word out back before you go?"

"Um...sure." Temperance responded anxiously. She knew she had been off her game today. Was Julie going to fire her? She really wouldn't blame her if she did. Had one of her interns behaved the way she had today they would be out on their ankle, or some other body part. She would have to check that saying with Booth when she saw him later.

If she saw him later. A tear welled in the corner of her eye that she fought back defiantly.

Even at a time like this when the morning seems so far
Think that pain belongs to you but it's happened to us all

Finishing up her work she made her way to her locker to collect her purse and coat before finding Julie in the office, figuring if she was about to be fired then it made sense that she had already collected her belongings. As she pulled everything out a brown envelope fell out at her feet. It was sealed, simply stating Roxy in bold handwritten letters on the front. Assuming it was work related she shoved it in her purse for later. Her mind was much too preoccupied right now. If it was important then surely Julie would mention it.

Knocking gently on the door Julie looked up from her work and indicated for her to come and sit in the empty chair opposite.

"Roxy." she began. "Look, when you're here you need to leave your personal life at home. I realize you probably had a great day yesterday. Trust me you're not alone. I was able to catch up with a nephew I haven't seen in a long time. And I'm not too old to recognize how crazy everything gets when a relationship begins. The needing to be with them twenty-four-seven..."

Temperance could stand it no longer. "Are you going to fire me?"

"What?"

"My behavior today was totally unacceptable. And if I were you I would be firing me." She bit her lip nervously.

"No."

"Why not?"

"You're conscientious, hard working, caring, popular with the customers. Do I need to go on?"

"That doesn't overlook how many people I've upset today."

"Would it make you feel better if I gave you a verbal warning?"

She thought for a moment. "I believe it would."

"I'm concerned Roxy, that too much good sex is affecting your judgment."

"Oh, we didn't have sex. We made love. There's a difference."

"Right..." Julie dragged the word out disbelievingly.

"How did you know?" Temperance asked suspiciously.

"You have this -" Julie waved her arms randomly, "- post-coital glow about you today. And you don't strike me as the type to be late under many circumstances."

She couldn't stop herself and the words came tumbling out. "I think I'm in love. The way I feel about him. I have never felt this way before in my life."

"No. You're not." Her words surprised Temperance. "You've only just met the guy. Love doesn't happen overnight. It takes time. A long time. You don't know love until you know them better than you know yourself, when you are willing to sacrifice everything for them. When you can't imagine growing old without them. You don't get that in three days. Maybe three years when it's someone really special. A soul mate. But for most of us mere mortals, true love takes a lifetime."

You brought this on yourself
and it's high time you left it there
Lie here and rest your head
and dream of something else instead

The words echoed through her as she walked back home alone. Julie had been so sure of her own definition of love. And it had rung true, especially where her and Booth were concerned.

Soulmates.

That was not one of questions she had posed herself. Now it seemed overtly relevant. What if they were soulmates? It was a word that seemed to get thrown around a lot.

Crap, what if Sweets' eccentric ex-girlfriend was right. Do fish have souls? She was even more confused now than this morning. And she felt incredibly alone.

She liked things to be black and white. The real world was distinctly gray.

Arriving at her front door she noticed that it was ajar.

There was somebody inside her apartment. What she would give for a gun right now.

Authors Note – I love cliffhangers. Please feel free to speculate away. Just click this button. Right. Down. Here.