Here is another chap! For obvious reasons, I am going to call Angela 'Ange' from now on. It just conflicts too much with 'Angel'. Whoops! Did I just tell you that Angela was coming into the story? Read on and find out!

Please review! I shouldn't have to say that, though.

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Booth sat in his math class, staring blankly at the substitute. Where was she? If he wasn't going to get in more trouble, he would have stood up and paced. After a few minutes of listening to the sub drone on, Mr. Keenan burst though the door. Dismissing the sub, he quickly gave the class a worksheet and ushered Booth out into the hallway. Once the door closed, Sly pulled an envelope out of his pocket.

"This is from Tempe. She's on her way back to her family in Seattle. I have to ask you not to go looking for her. The letter explains." Patting him sympathetically on the shoulder, Sly returned to the classroom. Slumping down against the wall, Booth opened the letter and started to read.

Dear Seeley,

Let me start off by saying that this was not my choice. I had to leave – your family would have gotten in big trouble and Social Services were already on to me. I couldn't do that to you after all the kindness you showed me this summer. By the way, I managed to sneak Angel with me, she's in my backpack.

I also want to say thank you. Before I met you, I truly thought that no one cared. You have done so much for me and I will always remember this summer.

Thank you for the Red Sox game, the hugs, the sneaking out to watch the sun set. Oh – and thank you for the AC/DC sweatshirt, which I am still wearing. I forgot to leave it in you room. Sorry! It just . . . reminds me of you.

Please don't look for me. There can't be ANY link between me and you. Please, you dam Alpha Male, go find yourself another girl.

Ok, I'm rambling a bit here. This is going to be our last communication, maybe for ever, and I really don't want it to end. I'm sorry that I never got to help you out in science. I'll make it up to you someday.

Hug snap for me. Say goodbye to Jared and your parents. Tell your mom that that was the best apple pie I have ever eaten. (Moms, as I recall, seem to like it when you say stuff like that)

I miss you already.

Well, the plane is boarding. "I'm leavin' on a jet plane. Don't know when I'll be back again. Oh, babe, I hate to go. . ."

But I must. Kisses from Angel.

With love, and a big hug,

Bones

P.S. Look me up someday when I become that famous anthropologist! I'll try to find YOU, Mr. FBI man, so watch out!

Her signature was scrawled at the bottom with a little drawing of a skull and crossbones.

Folding the letter carefully, Booth leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. There's only one girl, Bones. It's always gonna be you.

At that moment, Seeley Booth made a decision. He would finish school, log a few years of collage and then he was going in the army. He didn't know why or how – maybe the thought of doing something bigger that him just to get away from it all. It was time to move on... she wasn't coming back.

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB Two weeks later

After enduring a horrible two weeks with her foster family, Temperance Brennan boarded a plane as a 'free' woman. Clutching her backpack and a small cat carrier, Brennan made her way down the isle until she found her row and seat. Tucking the carrier under her seat and the backpack in the overhead compartment, she turned to face the window. She didn't look up when another passenger plopped down beside her.

"Hello!" A cheery voice said. Brennan turned her head to get a look at her traveling companion. It was a girl about her age with dark brown long wavy hair, brown eyes and the most whimsical polka dotted shirt that she had ever seen.

"Hello." Brennan replied dully.

"What 'cha got in the carrier? I'm Angela, by the way." The girl said, sticking out her hand for Brennan to shake.

"My dog, and I'm Temperance Brennan."

"A dog? She must be small."

"Yeah, she's still a puppy. Want to see her?" Brennan asked.

"Sure! Can I call you Bren?" Angela asked as Tempe tugged the carrier out from under the seat.

"Really?" Tempe said, looking at Angela strangely. "No one has ever called me that before, but go ahead. The only other nickname I have ever had was-" She paused, biting her lip and holding back tears. She could hear his voice in her head. Bones... "Never mind"

Angela shrugged off Tempe's strange behavior, deciding to ask her later about the other nickname. She awwed when Brennan turned the cage so that the dog was visible inside.

"What a cute little beagle! What's her name?"

"Angel." Bren responded.

"She is adorable, Sweetie. So, where you headed?"

"D.C. I'm hoping to finish high school there, and then go to collage."

"Me too! What are you going to try to major in? For me it is going to be art of some kind." Angela said excitedly.

"Forensic anthropology." At Ange's confused look, Bren continued. "They look at the bones of people and tell what happened to them."

"Ooohh. Cool! I was researching some different art careers last night, and actually came across something called a forensic artist. They draw faces from the skulls of victims so they can be identified."

"Then we could work together!" Brennan replied. Angela's smile and enthusiasm was contagious.

Before either of them knew it, the five hour plane flight was almost over. They had spent the whole time talking, laughing, telling stories and planning for the future.

"Hey Bren, do you have a place to stay in D.C? Because if you don't, I'm renting a small apartment. You could crash with me."

"Really? Thank you so much!" Brennan replied as they got off the plane. They headed over to baggage claim where Angela picked up her two suitcases.

"What does your luggage look like?" Angela asked, her eyes following the conveyor belt around and around.

"Oh, all I have is this." Brennan answered, gesturing to her backpack.

"That's all?! Sweetie, we'll have to go shopping!" She shrieked excitedly, causing a few people to stare.

"But I don't like shopping." Brennan almost whined as they threw their stuff in a waiting cab. Angela paused briefly to tell the cab driver the address, and then continued.

"How can you not like shopping? I love it!"

"I'm just not a 'girl girl'. Booth would say I'm just stubborn." Bren said, trailing off with a sad faraway look on her face at the mention of Booth. Angela picked up on it immediately.

"Sweetie. What's wrong? Who's Booth?" Brennan opened her mouth to speak, but was saved by the cab pulling up to an apartment building. Grabbing her backpack and Angel's cage, she followed Angela up two flights of stairs to a corridor lined with doors. Trailing behind, she watched as Ange counted the numbers.

"Forty three, forty five,. . . ahh! Forty seven! Here we are, home sweet home!" Pulling out a key, Angela unlocked the door. they both gasped when the door opened.

The apartment was, in essence, a loft. Bren could see a small kitchen off to her right, a lounge with a few couches and a TV, and in the back two doors that she assumed was a bathroom and a bedroom.

"Oh daddy, you sure are a funny man." Angela said, chuckling and dumping her bags on the couch. "Look at this place! It's huge!" She laughed, spinning in a circle to take it all in. " When he said small, I was expecting small."

"So what now?" Bren asked.

"Well, I vote for letting Angel out and then crashing on the couch with some popcorn and truth or dare."

Brennan tilted her head and creased her eyebrows in confusion. "Why would you 'crash' on the couch? And what is truth or dare?"

Angela rolled her eyes before jumping into action. "You'll see! Come on!"

Brennan undid the latch on Angel's cage, allowing her to explore the apartment at her own pace. Following Ange to the lounge, she briefly wondered what Booth was up to.

"Sit!" Angela commanded. Brennan sat and Angel jumped up into her lap. "Spill."

"Spill what?"

"Bren, Sweetie, we really need to work on your pop culture." After a short pause, Angela jumped in again. "So, spill, tell me your life's story. I'll tell you mine..."

Brennan sighed. "All of it?"

"Every insignificant detail."

"Well, I guess it started when my parents left. I was 15, and thrown into the system. After another bad, abusive foster family I managed to sneak past security and onto a plane. I was wandering around Boston Commons when Booth found me." Brennan stopped for a short laugh, and shook her head. "I was sitting there, and he came up and asked if I was alright. I was wary of him, but after talking to him a bit I realized he was just being friendly. I was invited to dinner at his family's house, and ended up staying the night."

"You stayed the night with a complete stranger?"

"For some reason, I trusted him. His family took me in, even though they knew I was a foster kid. I spent the summer with Booth, exploring Boston. He was the only one that cared about me after my parents left." A solitary tear made it's way down Tempe's cheek and she swiped at it angrily. "I miss him."

Angela cocked her head to the side. "Then why the hell did you leave what sounds like the perfect guy?"

Brennan sighed. "Social Services found out that I was in Boston. Booth and I thought I would be safe if I could just make it to me 18th birthday – then I would no longer be a ward of the state. One of my teachers helped me to get away, after I realized how much trouble the Booth's would be in if Social Services ever found out that they helped and housed me. I went back to my family in Seattle for two weeks, and then got on the plane to D.C. Here we are."

"Why D.C?" Ange asked.

"My teacher gave me a medallion, and told me to come to D.C to find a man named Dr. Goodman. He said that Goodman would help me out and find me a place to stay. I don't have to stay here once I find a place." Tempe said.

"Are you kidding? You are MORE than welcome to say with me. I'll be all alone otherwise!" Ange protested.

"I'll have to see. . . I don't know where I'll be going to school and everything. . ."

"Well, if you do move, I'm still going to come over at least every other day to check up on you." Ange said stubbornly. Brennan rolled her eyes.

"You don't have to do that! I'll be fine, and besides, I have Angel to look after me." Ange looked at the puppy doubtfully.

"I hate to tell you hun, but until that dog gets a bit of fat on her, she's not going to be much of a guard dog."