A/N: Only one tiny note for this chapter. You will find the word 'pan' in the chapter. Now I didn't know the english term for it so I had to translate it, in a translator, from french to english. So if the term isn't right (I know the word exists, I just don't know if I've used it in the right context), please tell me and I'll correct it.

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He knew instantly, from the moment she set eyes on him from inside the apartment, that the years spent apart had done something on their relationship. He felt it, from the bottom of his heart, that the happy reunion he had imagined would not happen. The air around them was growing denser by the second until Booth finally found it difficult to breathe. The flowers felt heavy in his hands and he immediately began to regret them. Maybe he had gone overboard with them. After all, he hadn't seen her in two years and for all he could have known, another man could have answered the door. What would he have done then? How would he have explained himself?

She was staring at him, dumbfounded. Booth tried to look in his eyes for a hint of what she was currently but saw nothing but tiredness. Taken by surprise, he began examining her.

She was rounder, like she had put on weight, and looked older somehow. Her brown hair had taken a grayish turn and the blue eyes he had for so long loved and cherished had followed the same path as her hair. The grayish blue staring back at him was nothing like it used to be. She was tired, he could tell. Was she sick?

"Brennan currently has a lot of things going on in her life. She doesn't need you to barge in also."

Angela's words echoed in his mind. Was that what Angela had been talking about? Was Temperance sick?

His gaze dropped to the little boy standing in front of her. Dark blond hair and brown eyes. Tall and skinny. About eight or nine, Booth quickly deduced by the height. Bones' son? No, it was impossible. He didn't look like her and, besides, he had known Temperance for five years, she would have told him she'd have a son. Especially a son his age. Then who was he?

That's when he saw it: the tiny bundle of pink Temperance was holding in her arms. A baby.

"Whatever you learn out there, please don't do anything stupid."

"She's gone on sick leave."

Booth's heart skipped a beat as everything fell into place. His partner hadn't left on sick leave, she had had a baby.

"Tempe?" A small voice asked.

Booth looked down at the child who was now staring at Temperance.

"It's okay. He's just an old friend." Temperance replied, her eyes never leaving her former partner. "What are you doing here, Booth?"

Booth cleared his throat.

"I came to see you." Booth replied. "And I brought you these."

He held the flowers in front of him.

"I can't really take them." Temperance replied, lifting her baby slightly.

"Right..."

Booth sighed. Why was this so hard? Why was it so awkward? It shouldn't be this way. They had been Booth and Brennan, partners, close friends. She had admitted to him, in a letter, that she had been in love with him. He had loved her too. So why was this not easy? Why couldn't he find the words to talk to her?

"Do you want to come in?"

"Yeah."

She stepped aside to let him in.

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From the living room, Booth could hear the little boy playing in his room. Temperance had nicely asked him to give them some time alone, much to Booth's contentment. There were things to talk to about, things to say and he didn't feel up to talking about it in front of an eight-year-old child. But the boy hadn't seem to mind as he had run down the hall to his bedroom, leaving the two partners alone in the living room.

The baby whimpered in her mother's arms.

"She's hungry. Would you mind giving me a minute while I warm up a bottle?"

It felt weird. It felt weird asking him if she could be excused because she needed to take care of her child. But it wasn't just with him. It felt weird with everybody. She had spent most of the last years saying she didn't want children, yet here she was, with a perfect angel in her arms.

"Yeah. Sure." Booth replied. "I'll just put the flowers in a vase. Got any?"

Temperance nodded.

"Yeah. In the cupboard, last shelf."

Booth smiled shyly at her. She smiled back.

The water boiled when Temperance set the plastic bottle into the pan. As she waited for the milk to warm up, she followed Booth's every move as he walked around her kitchen. She was amazed at how quickly he found stuff. She found herself smiling. As much as she wished he hadn't stopped by, she still felt a tiny glint of happiness at seeing him in her apartment after all these years. She knew that, soon enough, he'd want to know about Gavin and her daughter. She wouldn't tell him, at least not right away. She just couldn't. Not yet.

"I'm surprised you don't breastfeed her." Booth said as they sat down in the living room, five minutes later.

"I tried. Didn't like it." Temperance replied, hoping Booth would drop the subject.

Fortunately for him, he didn't ask more questions on the subject.

"How old is she?"

"Three months."

She looked down at her daughter who was hungrily sucking on her bottle. Had it already been three months since...? She couldn't bring herself to finish her thought. Just looking at her daughter brought back so many memories she simply wanted to forget. Every time she looked at her baby, she saw him. How could she not? They had the same brown eyes. She felt herself tearing up but she forced her tears back down. She wouldn't cry. Not in front of Booth anyway. He'd want to know what was wrong and she wasn't ready to tell him. Maybe eventually. But not now.

"What's her name?"

Temperance swallowed and felt herself blushing. She hoped Booth hadn't noticed the reaction his question had caused on her.

"Seelia." She whispered, her voice getting stuck in her throat.

Booth frowned.

"I'm sorry, what? I didn't get that."

Temperance took a deep breath.

"I said her name is Seelia."

Booth raised his eyebrows.

"Really? Wow! That's an... interesting name." He replied, a smile tugging at his lips.

Temperance rolled her eyes. Booth chuckled softly.

"And the boy?"

"That's Gavin. He just lives with me... for now."

"What do you mean for now?"

Temperance blinked back a few tears.

"His father died a couple of months ago. It was really tough on both Gavin and his mother. His mother just cries all the time and she doesn't take care of him. I take him with me, just a couple times a week to give his mother and Gavin a break. He's been doing much better since I've started doing that."

"Were you and Gavin's parents close?"

Temperance swallowed. She couldn't hide it, not from him, but she also couldn't bare to tell him the whole truth. The whole truth hurt too much.

"I worked with Gavin's father. He... he was my partner."

Booth nodded.

"How about you? What have you been up to?" Temperance asked, changing once again the subject.

"I got transferred here. I'll be working for the FBI here now."

"So I've heard."

"Jacob told you?"

Temperance shook her head.

"No, not Jake. Angela. Why Booth? Why did you do that?"

"I needed to see you." He replied, staring straight into your eyes. "I tried living without you but it just wasn't working. I needed to do something. Bones, I still love you."

Temperance momentarily closed her eyes. How long had she waited for him to say these words to her? She had been his partner for three years: three years of flirting and avoiding the subject of 'them'. That time seemed so long ago. What she had wished he had said earlier now had lost all meaning.

She felt more tears coming up. She sighed, angrily.

"Booth, so many things have happened since I moved here. I got a baby, my partner died, I'm helping to raise his son. I'm sorry, Booth, but too many things have changed."

"But in your letter you said..."

Temperance tensed. As if sensing her mother's feelings, Seelia opened her eyes and let out a small whimper. Temperance looked down at her daughter.

"It's okay." She whispered as she gently shook her.

Then, looking back up at her friend, she added:

"I think it would better if you just left."

Booth felt his heart being ripped out of him. Bones was throwing him out? He looked desperately at her, trying to see in her eyes what had once been there. But when she looked up, her eyes showed determination: she wanted him to leave.

Booth slowly got up and made his way to the door. He stopped, one hand on the doorknob.

"The only thing that's changed, Bones, is you." He said before opening the door and walking out.

Temperance closed her eyes at the sound of the door slamming.

"Tempe?"

She opened her eyes to see Gavin peeking shyly in the living room.

"Yes Gavin?"

She watched as the young boy's face contorted in pain. His lower lip began to tremble.

"I miss my dad."

In an instant she was on her feet. Setting her daughter in the playpen that never left the living room, she then gathered the young boy in her arms. She let him cry, knowing that he would soon feel better.

"I miss Daddy. I want him to come back." Gavin whispered.

"I know." Temperance replied, kissing the top of the boy's head. "I know."

I want him to come back too. She thought as she casted a look at Seelia.

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Okay, hopefully this didn't fall into the cliche category. If so, sorry 'bout that. Until next time... :-)