"Get out, Russ. Get out," Booth growled at the older man.

Russ was confused. "Who are you?" he yelled at Booth, "You have no right to talk to me like that. She's my sister and I'll talk to her if I want."

"Russ, can I talk to you out in the hall?" Brennan finally said. The three other people in the room looked surprised but no one stopped her from getting up from her chair and dragging her older brother out into the dorm hallway. They stared at each other for a few minutes, Brennan not believing her older brother was really there and Russ getting a good look at his healthy, happy baby sister.

She hugged him unexpectedly but he returned the hug.

Breaking away, she said, "You can't just show up and expect everything to be okay again."

"I know, Tempe. How are you?"

"I'm fine. You?"

"Same. You…haven't heard from Mom or Dad, have you?" Brennan didn't know how to take that question. Either he had and he didn't want her to know or he hadn't and was hoping she had.

"No, have you?" Brennan asked hopefully.

Russ shook his head.

Brennan thought long and hard about what to say next.

"You can't stay here, Russ."

He nodded. "I know, Tempe. I was driving through Chicago on my way to Cali. I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay."

"How did you find me? Burtonsville is a long way from here. Where have you been, anyway?"

"I've been in Maine. Trying my hand at lobster catching. Not for me. Headin' to Cali. See if I can find some work out in Hollywood or something. But I saw this," he said, taking a newspaper clipping out of his back pocket. It was a photo from Booth's title game. It was of the two of them, hugging and celebrating. "Once I knew what school you went to, I found the student directory and it had which dorm you were in. He seems like a good man. I'm glad you've found someone."

Brennan nodded and kept staring at the clipping. She handed it back to Russ and he stuffed it back into his pocket.

"I gotta go. I'm riding with some guys and they're waiting outside. Take care, okay?"

She nodded again and hugged him.

"Bye, Russ."

"Bye, Tempe."

She watched him walk away and out of her life again. Just like that, he was in and out. Like he was never there in the first place.

She went back into her room, Booth and Angela waiting in silence for her to return.

"Bren, you okay?" Angela broke the silence.

Brennan looked up at her, nodded slowly and ran to Booth. She hugged him, barely getting her small arms around his built frame.

"He left. Again," she whispered.

"I know, babe, I know," Booth said as he pressed a kiss to her head.

She cried as Booth rocked her gently, his consoling moves doing nothing for her broken heart.

XXXXXXXXXXX

The spring semester was almost over and finals week was upon them once again. Booth and Brennan were ready for the long trek back to Philadelphia. She had been invited by all three Booth men to spend the summer there and she was more than grateful.

Brennan was helping Booth study for his elementary statistics course when there was, yet again, a knock on the door.

Angela got up to answer it. She pulled open the door and squealed in delight. Brennan and Booth looked at each other, neither saw who was at the door.

Angela flung her arms around the mysterious guest and pulled him into the room.

"Bren, Studly, I'd like you to meet Jack, he's my…uh…"

"Ex-boyfriend. From UT," Jack finished for her. He stuck his hand out and Booth and Brennan both shook it, introducing themselves.

"You're a Longhorn?" Booth questioned darkly, releasing his hand.

"I'm not all that into sports. So, sure, I guess. You look familiar."

"He should," Angela told him, "He's the Wildcat quarterback!"

"Oh yeah! Damn, that was a good game, man! That was the one game I did watch. Nice job, man!"

Booth smiled his thanks. They all sat and talked for a while before Jack and Angela went out for dinner.

With the room to themselves, Booth gained a mischievous grin.

"You know, Bren, they're gone…" He waited for her to fill in the blanks.

"Yes, Booth, keep studying. You need at least an A- in your stats course to keep that A," she said, not looking up from her notes.

He got off the futon and stood in front of her. She didn't look up at him but instead said, "What are you doing?"

Booth grabbed her hand and pulled her up. She was now standing in front of him and Booth went in for a hungry, manic kiss. She didn't hesitate or think twice about her coming finals the next day. Booth pulled back a few minutes later. Saying nothing, he climbed up to her lofted bed. She followed close behind and as soon as she comfortably up in her bed, Booth said, voice husky and deeper than normal, "Come here. Let me have my way with you." She giggled and lay down. Booth pounced on top of her, ripping the clothes from the both of them as fast as he could. When every article of clothing was on the floor some six feet below them, Booth pulled her sheets over their heads and had his way with her, making her giggle and moan.

XXXXXXXXXXX

After finals were over, Booth and Brennan packed up a move-it-yourself truck and took off for his hometown. They arrived later that night and were welcomed by Hank and Jared. They took what they needed inside after deciding to unpack everything else tomorrow.

The couple lay in Booth's bed, talking the night away, unable to fall asleep.

"I'm glad I'm here, Booth. Thank you for letting me stay."

"You don't need to thank me. I don't know what I'd do if you weren't' here this summer."

Booth rolled over and pulled her close, tucking an arm around her stomach, his chest to her back.

"I love you," she whispered.

He smiled, kissed her shoulder and whispered, "I love you too. Get ready for a fun summer."

A/N: Sorry for such a long lapse in updates. I've had the finale on my mind since it aired and I needed to get those stories out of my system. By the way, the story's about to have a giant time jump so be prepared. Let me know what you think!