A/N: I'm finally back. Sorry for the long wait. Hope you like this chapter!

"Bones?!" Booth said as he opened the door to his friend's apartment.

No answer.

"Temperance?!" Jacob tried.

Still nothing.

Booth turned to his former partner's friend and frowned. Jacob stepped further into the apartment, searched each room before coming back in the kitchen empty-handed.

"She's not here?" Booth asked, surprised.

Jacob shook his head.

"She probably just went out with Gavin and Seelia. At least, that's what I hope for."

Booth closed the door behind him and took off his shoes.

"Well I guess that gives us a bit of spare time." Booth said as he walked in the living room.

"Are you sure it's really going to work?" Jacob asked as he watched Booth sitting down on his friend's couch.

"I'm hoping it will. I just won't tell her it's a date."

"I'm sure she'll figure it out sooner or later, Booth. That woman is pretty smart."

Booth looked up at Jacob and grinned.

"But when she will, it will be too late to turn back."

Jacob chuckled.

"So that's how you work!"

"Of course. It's more fun that way."

Jacob chuckled once more. Booth looked at the clock. It was nearly two-thirty. He lazily grabbed the remote control and switched the TV on.

"Any good channels in this city?" He asked in a tired voice.

"Channel 38."

Booth simply nodded and flicked the TV to 38, not bothering to ask his friend what type of channel it was.

The sound of keys in the hallway startled them. Switching off the TV, the two men stood up. Seconds later, the door pushed open and the tiny voice of an eight-year-old boy could be heard, followed by an irritated smile. Booth felt his heart start beating rapidly and he took a deep breath.

"We don't have time for this, Gavin. Your mother is going to be here in less than twenty minutes. We have to pack your stuff. I don't want to have to make her wait."

"I know, Tempe." Gavin replied, sadly.

Jacob cleared his throat. Gavin looked up, a large smile spreading across his face as his eyes fell on the pathologist.

"Jake!" The child cried as he ran towards the man and threw himself in his arms.

Catching the child, Jacob lifted him up in the air.

"Hey Buddy. How are you?"

"Tempe brought me to the park again and we had ice cream."

Setting the boy back onto the ground, Jacob walked up to his friend and kissed her sweetly on the cheek.

"Had fun?"

Temperance nodded.

"Booth's here." Jacob said before taking Seelia in his arms. "Come on Gavin. We'll go put Seelia to bed and then I'll help you pack."

The young boy nodded before following the man down the hallway, leaving Booth standing alone in the middle of the living room.

Booth smiled shyly at his friend before walking up to her.

"If I kiss you on the cheek like Jacob did, are you going to kick my ass?"

Temperance laughed softly before shaking her head. Booth slowly leaned forward and kissed her tenderly. Temperance closed her eyes at the contact of his lips on her cheek.

"Get dressed." Booth whispered in ear before pulling away.

"What?" Temperance asked, confused.

"Get dressed."

"I am dressed."

"I mean, change. Go get changed."

"And why would I do that?"

"I'm taking you out."

Temperance shook her head.

"Booth, I can't. I can't leave Seelia alone."

"Jacob will take care of her."

"Gavin is leaving in twenty minutes."

"We'll wait for his mother and then we'll leave."

Temperance sighed. She was running out of excuses.

"I don't know, Booth. I'm really tired."

"I won't take no for an answer."

Temperance sighed.

"Fine."

Booth beamed proudly, making Temperance chuckle.

A noise made her turn around.

"Did you know about this?" Temperance asked her best friend as he stepped in the living room.

Jacob shot her a sheepish look. Temperance simply rolled her eyes.

"You guys are unbelievable."

As she passed him on her way to Gavin's bedroom, Jacob was pretty sure he had seen a smile tugging at her lips.

"Gavin! Hurry up! Your mother's here!" Temperance yelled from the kitchen.

A muffled "okay" reached her ears.

"I'm so sorry." Temperance apologized for the tenth time since Eva had walked in her apartment.

"It's okay. I pretty much expected it. Gavin is just like his father, always late."

Temperance chuckled. How many times had Thomas arrived late at a meeting, always excusing himself with the lamest excuses Temperance had ever heard in her entire life?

"How are you holding up?" Eva asked her, her tone softened by the memory of her ex-husband.

"Better." Temperance replied, sighing. "I mean, it's tough. Seelia doesn't sleep, Gavin doesn't sleep. I don't sleep."

"Well, if it can make you feel any better, I really appreciate what you're doing. I don't know what I would have done without you."

Temperance nodded, touched by her friend's words.

"Well you certainly look better."

"I do, don't I? The support group really helps. I met some nice people who went through the same thing I did. You should have joined, Tempe. It would have helped you."

Temperance shook her head.

"I don't believe in psychology, anyway."

"There's nothing psychological about the support group. We just talk, say how we are feeling. Nobody judges, nobody laughs. Last night, the "moderator" of the group made us remember all the good memories we had of our loved ones. It was nice to remember Thomas as my husband and not as the man who died."

Temperance nodded, hoping Eva would soon change the conversation. She didn't want to remember. To remember the good times was to make the pain and the sorrow come back. Booth, somehow, in a day, had succeeded at numbing the pain she had been feeling for the past couple of months. She simply wanted to forget, to forget their conversation, to drown out the noise of the accident and the voice of the doctor telling her Thomas had passed away. Tears formed at the back of her eyes but she forced them back.

"Gavin!" Temperance yelled once more.

"I'M COMING!" A voice replied from the hallway.

Seconds later, Gavin was emerging from the hallway, pulling his heavy suitcase behind him. He smiled as his mother.

Gavin looks so much like his father. Eva thought to herself.

"What have you got there, son?" Eva asked, trying to sound cheerful.

"I'm bringing back all my stuffed animals."

"Why are you doing that? You're coming here in two weeks."

"I know but I'll miss them all if I leave them here."

Temperance smiled.

"You bring back as many toys as you want, Gav." Temperance told the boy, ruffling her hair.

Kissing him quickly on top of his head, she wished the boy didn't have to go. She had gotten used to having him around the house that now the apartment would almost seem empty. She looked up at Booth and Jacob to find them pretending not to be looking. At least, she wouldn't be entirely alone.

Gavin looked up at her and smiled sadly.

"I'll miss you, Tempe."

Temperance pulled the boy to him.

"Two weeks isn't a long time."

"I know." Gavin replied.

Ruffling his hair once more, Temperance pushed the boy towards his mother. Eva smiled one last time at Temperance before opening the door.

"Thanks again, Tempe."

"You're welcome."

Waving one last time at the boy in the hallway, Temperance slowly closed the door.

She turned around to find Booth and Jacob staring at her. She forced a smile.

"Are you ready to go?" She asked Booth, taking the same tone Eva had taken with her son only minutes ago.

Booth swallowed.

"Hey..." He started but Temperance cut him off.

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine." Jacob replied.

Booth stepped up to his friend and put a hand on her shoulder. In an instant, Temperance was wrapping her arms around his waist. Surprised, Booth wrapped his own around her and pulled her to him. He gently rubbed as she tightened her hold on him.

She pulled away as quickly as she had claimed him to her. Stepping back, she tucked her hair behind both ears before forcing yet another smile.

"I'll be ready in fifteen minutes." She told Booth before walking off towards her room.

Booth sighed as he turned towards Jacob.

"She's always been like that." Booth explained, seeing Jacob's quizzical look. "She tells you she's fine then out of nowhere she simply grabs you and pulls you to her."

"I've never noticed."

"Really?" Booth asked, surprised. "Aren't you like her best friend or something?"

"Yes. But I think she only does that with you. I've never seen her do this before, not even to Thomas and they were close."

A smile tugged at Booth's lips.

Interesting.

It was late by the time Booth and Temperance stepped out of the movie theatre. Somewhere in the city, a grandfather clock struck midnight. Temperance yawned.

"Are you tired? Do you want to go home?" Booth asked.

Temperance shook her head.

"Let's just walk around a bit. I don't feel like going home right now."

The feeling of emptiness she had feared was slowly coming back to her. Just the thought of going back to an empty apartment, devoid of Gavin and Thomas, scared her. She didn't want to have to deal with loneliness again. It was simply too hard. She knew Booth would be there too, that she wouldn't be completely alone but there was still a part of her who wanted Gavin to be home when she arrived.

Booth simply nodded. Crossing the road, they walked further and further from where Booth's car was parked.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, at least until they reached a small park not far from the theatre. The night was fresh, even for L.A. and a soft breeze was blowing. Temperance shivered.

"Do you want my coat?" Booth asked, concerned.

"No. I'm fine."

"Okay."

A short silence followed but was quickly broken by Booth. Million of questions had been burning his lips ever since he had spoken to Jacob but Booth had preferred waiting until the end of the evening to ask them. He hadn't wanted to risk her being mad at her and cut their date short.

"Bones, why didn't you tell me about Thomas?"

Temperance stopped dead in her tracks. Booth, quickly noticing she wasn't beside him anymore, stopped as well and turned around to face her.

"I didn't think it mattered." Temperance replied, avoiding his gaze.

"Bones, it does matter. He was your partner for two years, he's Seelia's father."

Temperance sighed.

"Who told you?"

"Oh come on, Bones. Give me a little credit here. Nobody told me, I figured that out on my own."

Temperance resumed walking. Booth followed.

"I don't know why I didn't tell you. I guess I thought that if I did, it would make the whole situation more real."

Booth nodded.

"Thomas and I were partners." Temperance continued, sliding her hand into his.

Surprised, Booth made no move to pull away. Instead, he linked their fingers together.

"We never dated but we did sleep together once in a moment of weakness, I guess."

"What had happened?"

Temperance glanced at Booth.

"I had seen my brother and my father."

"What?"

"It was the first time since the day they abandoned me in Washington. I was surprised. Dad and Russ tried to talk to me but I didn't want to. I pushed them away. Russ said something about me always pushing people out of my life, I got angry and left. I was a wreck and Thomas comforted me. In a moment of weakness, I kissed him and he didn't push me away. One thing lead to another and we slept together."

"He took advantage of you?" Booth asked, both angry and disgusted by her former partner.

"No." Temperance replied, coldly. "He didn't take advantage of me. He told me multiple times that we should stop but I didn't want to."

"Too much information, Bones." Booth replied, a weird edge to his voice.

A smile tugged at Temperance's lips. Booth was jealous of Thomas.

"Anyway I got pregnant, told Thomas, he stepped up. We moved in together since he didn't want me to go through the pregnancy alone. I gave birth to Seelia the day..."

"He died."

Temperance shot him questioning look.

"Jacob told me. I went to see him this morning."

Temperance simply nodded. Booth frowned.

"You're not mad?"

"For what?"

"I invaded your privacy. I went to ask questions to Jacob to find out what had happened to you."

"You had questions, you wanted answers. You simply did the logical thing. You went to get them."

Booth chuckled.

"Same old Bones."

"Actually, not really."

"I know."

Silence fell once again upon them. They continued walking, hand-in-hand. Somewhere in the park, a dog barked making Booth wonder who could possibly be walking their dog at that time of night.

"Did you love him?" Booth asked after a few minutes of silence.

Temperance didn't answer.

"You can be honest with me, Bones. I won't get mad."

"Yes." Temperance replied in a small voice. "Yes. I did love him."

Booth's heart broke.

"Did he love you?"

"I don't know."

Booth nodded.

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing? You made it quite clear in your letter that we were to go on with our respective lives and shouldn't live with what-could-have-been's."

"Did you find someone else while we were apart?"

Booth shook his head. Stopping in his tracks, he pulled her to a stop. She turned around and looked into his eyes, their hands never separating.

"I didn't try. For two years, all I wanted was to see you again. I waited weeks for you to come back. I thought I was going to go crazy. Ask anybody, they'll tell you."

Temperance forced a smile.

"I'm not mad at you for moving on. Maybe if I hadn't been in love with you, I would have done the same thing."

Temperance's heart skipped a beat. She continued to stare in his eyes, even as a weird look passed over them. Sadness soon turned to passion and Temperance could feel the air being knocked out of her.

"Why are you looking at me that way for?" She asked, her voice sounding different to her ears.

"Are you going to beat the crap out of me if I try to kiss you?"

A smile spread across Temperance's face.

"You keep asking me this? Are you that afraid of me?"

"Yes."

"Aww, come here."

Standing slowly on the tip of her toes, she placed a quick kiss on his lips.

"See? There's nothing to be afraid of."

Booth smiled before kissing her again, this time a little longer.

"Stop talking to me like I'm eight years old."

She kissed him again, quickly.

"Stop acting like one."

Booth gaped. Temperance slowly backed away from her friend.

"You're so going to pay for this Temperance Brennan." Booth said before launching for her.

Letting out a squeal, Temperance ran in the opposite direction.

Laughter could be heard throughout the park as Booth chased his friend all around the field. When he finally caught up with her, he grabbed her by the waist. Imprisoned in his arms, Temperance was unable to move away. She caught sight of the fountain ahead and before she even had the chance to voice her threat, Booth had scooped her up and was quickly walking towards the water.

"Don't you dare, Seeley Booth."

"I can't help it." Booth replied, laughing evilly. "I'm an eight-year-old boy who just loves to play pranks."

Booth held her above the water.

"Anything you would like to say before I drop you in the cold water?"

"I'm sorry." Temperance said in a small voice.

"I'm sorry but I can't accept that apology." Booth said.

Seconds later, Temperance was making a big splash as she hit the water.

"You're lucky I don't care much about my clothes." Temperance said as she stood up and climbed out of the water.

"That was fun."

Temperance glared at him and took a step towards him.

"Get away from me. You're all wet."

"By who's fault?"

Booth chuckled.

"Come on, let's walk back to the car and get you warm before you catch a cold." Booth said, his protective side rushing back to him.

"Stop it." Temperance warned.

She began walking towards the movie theatre.

"What?"

"Fussing over me. If I get a cold, it will be my fault."

"And why is that?"

Temperance stopped him and placed a kiss on his lips.

"Because I agreed to go out on a date with an eight-year-old boy."

Chuckling, Booth pulled her to him. And it's with his arm wrapped protectively around her waist that they walked back to the car.

Tell me what you think-- was it too OOC for Temperance?