Thank you so much to everyone who's reviewed. As always y'all ROCK! I hope the story is still being enjoyed. :) Anywho...you know what to do. -Mel

Chapter 7

"Bones," hurt piercing his voice.

"Don't call me that," she managed, though her voice was cracking.

"Temperance," he started again, "don't do this. Don't shut me out. Let me explain."

Her voice trembled as she spoke, "I think your explanation was very clear when you left two years ago."

"What do you mean by that," he groaned as she leaned harder into the door.

"Let me see…what were Cullen's exact words," she paused remembering the hurtful conservation.

"Oh yes," she said through sobs, "Agent Booth does not want you to be part of his life in any capacity."

"Temperance, I'm so sorry," he soothed.

"Look, Agent Booth."

"Would you stop calling me that!" he demanded.

Taken back by his harsh tone, she loosened her wedge on the door ever so slightly. This didn't go unnoticed by Booth who recognized his opportunity. Giving the door a shove, he managed to gain enough leverage to push his way inside the door just before it slammed shut.

"Get out of my house!" she screamed as a few of the gated tears slipped down her cheek.

"No," his voice stern and low.

As her anxiety grew, she tried to regain control of the situation,

"It wasn't a request, Agent Booth," she hissed. "It was a demand."

"I'm not going anywhere," his voice unchanged.

"Fine," she replied, "I'll leave."

As she turned to open the door, he grabbed her arm and spun her toward him.

"Look Bones!" he yelled, "I owe you an explanation and you are going to listen!"

Temperance's eyes grew wide as his words registered with her.

"I can pretty much guess your explanation," she mocked. "You were reeling over the loss of Parker, hated me for his death, and needed time to detach yourself. Am right, aren't I?"

"No….I mean yes….no," he stumbled over the words.

She gave him an 'I told you so' look and tried to break from his grasp.

"Listen," he began firm but low, "I was reeling from the loss of Parker, but I don't and never did blame you, and I didn't detach myself. I know it appears that way, but please Temperance, I'm begging you, let me explain."

She never could read people very well, but there was no denying the sincerity in his eyes and voice.

"Okay," she replied.

"Okay?" he asked searching her eyes for any doubt.

"Look Booth," she began, "this isn't going to be a magic pill that just sooths away all the pain of the last two years."

"No, that's true," he stated, "but at least it's a start."

Booth released his hold from her arms and somewhat to his surprise she didn't run. He followed her into the sitting area and sat down in the easy chair facing the couch.

He placed his elbows on his knees and stretched his hands out in her direction. She was close enough to touch; just tempting his fingers. She had settled herself against the oversized cushions and pulled her legs to her chest. Giving a huff, he stared down at his feet and finally raised his eyes just enough to seize her gaze.

"I knew I had to do something," were the first words of his story. "I just couldn't let Parker die and not know who and why. I couldn't let them come back for you. I had to protect what I still had, but it looks like that's gone now too."

"Booth," she interrupted, "I'm not gone, but what we had is in the past. We've all changed; you had to know that the minute you left, but I'm willing to listen to your side of this whole crazy mess and that could cause more changes. You're going to have to accept them."

He gave a nod and continued on, "I went to Cullen and demanded that I be assigned to the case. At first he was adamant about keeping me off, but I used my powers of persuasion and went undercover."

"Wait," she interrupted, "Cullen knew where you were? He said…"

"I know," he answered, "but it was for my protection and yours."

Balling her fists into the couch, "He had no right! I…We…I should have been told!"

"Yes, but it was best this way. It kept you safe," he answered. He paused as he searched her eyes, but she wasn't as easy to read anymore or maybe he was just out of practice.

"The first two weeks weren't too hard," he resumed the story; focusing on his clasped hands, "but the third week was absolute hell. I had taken my cell phone with me, but kept it locked away. I shouldn't have taken it; Cullen would have killed me if he'd known. But for some reason it felt like the only link to my life."

Booth looked up only to find Brennan's face buried into one of the pillows. Reaching out, he let his fingers trace along the top of her foot as he soothed, "Sh, Sh, Temperance, please."

"Why?" she questioned; her voice muffled by the pillow.

There were many questions rolled into that one little word. Questions he hoped he could answer.

"I listened to your messages for the first four days of that week, and then…I just couldn't. I couldn't listen to the tears, to the pleas, to your heart breaking. I wanted so much to call you; to tell you everything, but I couldn't. I couldn't deal with it any longer, so the next day I threw the phone in the river," he confessed.

Her head snapped up from the couch at his last words.

"You couldn't deal with it?" her voice trembling with sadness and anger. "You couldn't deal with it? How do you think I felt? I was left here with this overwhelming guilt thinking you blamed me! Do you think it was easy to bare that guilt? But I couldn't just throw it in the river! No, it was there with me every second of every day letting me know that I caused the love of my life to hate me and killed his six year old son."

Booth didn't know what to say. He didn't have an answer. Finally Brennan broke the silence that had settled over the pair.

"You know what?" she began. "I think this was a bad idea. I'm exhausted and I need time to think about what you've told me so far. Maybe we can continue this another day."

"No," he answered, "I need to explain this to you; all of this."

As she stood from her position on the couch, she looked down at Booth with hurtful eyes, "I needed you for two years. Now it's your turn to wait."

As she meandered her way up the stairs, her words drifted down to Booth, "You know where the door is. Just lock it on your way out."

Booth listened as she padded her way to the bedroom, closed the door, and turned the lock.

Her walls were sturdy and reinforced with pain, anger, and abandonment. All the things he said he'd never do.

Okay...whatcha think? I don't have the next chapter started, but with some encouragement I bet my little creative voice would come to life. :) But then again you might not want to read anymore...I don't know...please tell me. :)