I am coming out of hiding – ashamed. Sorry, once again, for taking so long to update. This chapter is the second last one, or third last if you include the epilogue. I've been writing a bit in advance so it won't be as long between updates.

This chapter is for Jess, because she went home sick today. Feel better :)

Enjoy!

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"W-what are you doing here?" Booth asked in confusion.

When he'd woken up that morning, Booth most definitely had not seen this happening. Pops and Jared were out and he's just visualised himself eating some leftovers for dinner, watching a game on TV and maybe getting an early night. Never had he expected to see his girlfriend lunge at him, her hands and lips touching everything they could. He hadn't expected to see his girlfriend at all.

The last couple of weeks he'd only seen her twice, maybe three times. The last time he'd seen her was thirteen days ago; not that he was counting. Going from seeing her every day and constantly seeing her smile, to perhaps seeing her once a week if he was lucky, was a real shock to the system.

She was dressed in her casual jeans and a jumper. Her hair was pulled back loosely and her nose and cheeks were flushed pink from the cold air outside.

"I missed you," she whispered, not answering his question.

"Me too," Booth smiled, pulling Tempe into his arms and hugging her close. "I hate that you live so far away now."

Nodding against his chest, she hugged him back tightly.

If it had not been for the complete silence of the house, Booth would not have heard the almost inaudible muffle of her tears against his shirt.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Shaking her head and wiping her eyes quickly, Tempe smiled weakly, nothing, I'm just glad to see you." Leaning up once more, she pressed her lips to his.

A few hours passed and Booth and Tempe found themselves asleep on the floor next to Booth's bed. Her head rested on his shoulder, her hair splayed across the surrounding carpet.

At the sound of Pops' bedroom door closing, Tempe jerked awake. Leaning up on her elbows and looking around the room, Tempe smiled as she realised where she was and who's arms she lay ing.

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"It's really sad about Tempe and her foster parents," Angela sighed, eating a spoonful of Jack's ice-cream.

Lying on the couch in the living room, Jack and Angela sat eating ice-cream while watching annoying infomercials on the TV.

"What's up with her foster parents? I thought they were really nice?" Jack asked, taking Angela's spoon.

Realising her fault, Angela quickly covered up her fumble. "Oh, nothing really. Just the fact that she's in the foster system, that's all."

Jack seemed to believe her, much to Angela's relief, Tempe had made her promise not to tell anyone.

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"I have to get back to Ange's. Jillian is picking me up just before nine," Tempe whispered.

Groaning, Booth rolled over to face her.

"Do you have to? I hardly get to see you anymore," he complained.

"Yes," Tempe said, pressing a kiss to his lips and standing up.

Booth stared at her as she pt on her jumper and her shoes, her hair ruffled and messy.

"Bye," she smiled, slipping out of his bedroom door and sneaking down the hallway as quietly as she could. It wasn't until she was passing the kitchen that he came up behind her.

"You forgot something," Booth whispered in her ear from behind.

Turning around, Tempe replied, "what?" before being silenced by his lips.

"Now you're ready."

Walking back towards the stairs, Booth almost fainted when Pops appeared out of k=nowhere.

"Have a nice night, Shrimp?" he said, a small smirk on his lips.

"I – uh – I just – um – yeah?" Booth spluttered.

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"You WHAT?" Tempe gasped, getting 'shh-ed' by the librarian in the next aisle.

"I didn't actually say it, but I almost did. I'm sorry," Angela explained apologetically.

Pulling Angela away from the other people in the library, Tempe sat down at a table at the back near Non-Fiction.

"I told you not to tell anyone. Not a soul!"

"I'm sorry, I just wasn't thinking and it slipped out. But I covered it up before Jack even had time to think about it. He completely believed me," Angela explained. "But you do realised that you're going to have to tell people sooner or later. I think they're going to notice when you stop showing up to school."

"Yeah, I know," Tempe sighed.

Only a few nights ago at dinner, Jillian had announced to her that her and Nick were having a baby. Tempe had been overjoyed, thinking about having a little brother or sister, like she'd always wanted. It was when she was thinking about all the adorable baby clothes she'd buy for the baby, when Nick and Jillian dropped the bombshell.

She should have expected it. A new baby is a lot of work and a lot of money. It was understandable. Tempe had just thought that she'd stay with Nick and Jillian until she decided to move out. She didn't think it would be the other way around; that she stayed until they wanted her out.

The baby needed a room. Their house wasn't big enough and they didn't have enough money for the hospital and doctor visits, and all of the new clothes and furniture for the baby. They didn't have enough money because they had to pay for Tempe's school fees and school books.

So, she was going back into the foster system; to be tossed, turned, poked and prodded through the re-homing selection.

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There you go :) I hope you enjoyed it.

Please review and let me know what you thought.

Em xXxXxxx