It was lunchtime and to be perfectly honest I was nervous. Why did Tempe invite me to lunch? What did she want? What did she know? Why am I so paranoid? That last question is completely unnecessary, but sadly true.

The three of us were in Seeley's SUV and we were headed to some diner. Apparently they went there a lot and they had excellent pie, so I was sold. I highly suspect that the love of pie is genetic.

We arrived and found parking. Apparently they went there so much that they had a regular table and so we sat there. A quick look at the menu and we all knew what we wanted and we ordered. There was the usual small talk while waiting for our food and then when it got there that was reduced significantly. The burger I ordered was awesome and the fries supreme. Then Seeley made me get a piece of the apple pie even though I was stuffed and told him I could just have it some other time and that's when the real conversation started.

"So why were you in Military school?" asked Tempe, blunt and to the point. I like her more and more.

"Bones, that's a personal question."

"No it's fine. Well when I was ten I started hanging around some older kids and we did some stuff. Little stuff like vandalizing houses and graffiti on trains, the usual teenager stuff."

"Victoria, you guys burnt down a house and stole cars! You tied up the little neighbor boy and told him you were going to cut him into pieces."

"We never actually did that."

"You had sex and did drugs! You weren't allowed back into the community center because you went in there and got high and blew up a toilet! Jared refused to be in the same room as you because you told him you owned a gun!"

"Yeah, I was gonna leave that out, but thanks for pointing it out," I was crying. When I was younger I promised myself that I would never cry in public and so far that had been going pretty good. I was afraid to look up and see the horror in Tempe's eyes. I was surprised, then, when she reached across the table and took my hand.

I could tell she was glaring at Seeley when she said this, "Booth, maybe you should go."

"Wait, I'm sorry. I just-"

"Go and I'll meet you back at the Jeffersonian."

"Bones, she's my sister. Just let me-"

"No, just go. You don't need to make a scene here."

"I'm sorry, I really am," he whispered this and left.

There was a pause while she waited for him to be gone, "Are you done with your food?"

"Yeah, I'm finished."

"Ok then, I'll pay and then we can go." We walked up to the front counter, she paid, and we left.

Tears were still falling down my face steadily. She took my hand and guided me around the block. We just walked around with no destination and with no talking.

I think I owe her for being so kind so I said, "I've done some bad things in my past. I'm not proud of it, but I have changed."

"I believe you."

"My brother doesn't. I don't blame him. It's kind of a trend with my family to say you've changed, but then you really haven't."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"You really shouldn't be mad at him about this."

"Why not? Clearly he has upset you."

"Lately that is all I ever am. But really it isn't his fault. He grew up in a screwed up family and he is just used to disappointment. You see when I was about nine and Seeley was an adult by that time our mother killed herself. She couldn't deal with my drunken ass father, Seeley leaving for the Rangers, and Jared being a disrespectful ass all at once. Seeley and Jared had been living with Pops for quite some time by then because my dad had abused them. He was hitting her too."

"Why weren't you with Pops? Weren't you abused too?"

"Yes I was, but they wouldn't let Pops take me and he didn't want the cops involved. I tried to leave, but that ended badly."

"Why weren't the cops involved? You could have called them."

"I grew up in an abusive home. I thought that shit was normal. Plus my dad was Pops' only kid so he didn't want to cause him trouble."

"Sorry."

"No it's fine. So then after my mother was dead I went a little crazy and started doing all that stuff. Seeley didn't know about most of it until after the fact. Jared knew more because we were closer in age and he knew some of the people I hung out with because they were only a few years younger then him. They were total freaks by the way. They killed cats and stuff like that. I can honestly say that I have never killed anything, except once I ran over a squirrel while driving a stolen car, but that was a total accident I swear. Then I was too much for my dad to handle alone, but he still didn't want Pops to have me so he sent me to Military school."

"That's awful. I'm sorry."

"It's over with now, I think. I don't really know for sure though because night before last my dad called me."

She turned and gave me a hug.

A/N: What's going to happen with Booth and Bones now? Will she take Tori's advice? Are you all dying to know?