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Chapter 8

Immediately upon seeing his face as he entered, Hank knew his grandson wasn't happy. He'd been doing so well during the past months. Started the police academy, got excellent grades and the best compliments. He was the top of his class, a different experience from university. His confidence had grown acres. Hank knew his grandson was popular among his peers, too. On a few occasions, girls had come at the door asking for him, but his grandson had always instructed Hank to say he wasn't home. Hank knew Seeley was still thinking about his 'Pirate' girl, but maybe it was a more severe case of infatuation than he'd thought. "Hi, Shrimp, did you have fun?" His grandson had been looking forward to this dance party so much.

"It was okay," Booth mumbled as he sat down on the couch. He had been so excited to go. He hadn't had a night out since the night he had shared with her. His Captain. He had been looking forward to it, telling himself that he was over her, but tonight he had realised he was anything but. Several girls had come up to him to dance with him, but there was something wrong with each and every one of them. They were too bold, too tall, too short, too skinny, too curvy, their hair colour was wrong, or the colour of their eyes wasn't quite right. At around midnight he finally realised what he had been doing and he left the party. She wasn't there. He wouldn't find her there.

"You're home early, son. Didn't bring a girl?" Hank asked.

"Why are you so obsessed with the lack of girls I'm bringing home?" Booth snapped. "You'd think you'd be glad that your grandson doesn't sleep around."

Hank ignored his grandson's words, reading his mood. "You still thinking about your Captain, Seeley?" he asked him gently as he invited his grandson to sit with him.

"No! Yes... Maybe. I shouldn't, Pops. It's been months since that night and I shouldn't still feel like this. It was one night. One stupid, perfect night."

"You had sex with her, right?"

Booth sighed. He should've known that his grandfather would figure that out. "Yes, we did. And it was perfect." He chuckled sadly. "It shouldn't have been. I didn't know anything about her and she was still a virgin. It should have been the worst sex of my life, but ... it wasn't."

"Worst sex of your life..." Hank chuckled and punched his grandson in the shoulder. "You bastard," he laughed.

"What?" Booth turned to look at his grandfather, tickled by his response. "I don't see what's so funny about that, Pops!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Hank apologised. "This is a sensitive issue. I get it. You were careful, though, right? Women first like I taught you?"

"Yes, Pops," he responded, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Not that it mattered, 'cause she practically ran the next morning."

"Any idea why?"

"I didn't exactly get a chance to ask her, Pops. She was halfway down the stairs while I was still getting dressed."

"How did you meet her?" Hank inquired.

"At the ball. We spoke, we danced and then we went to my dormroom," Booth confided to his grandfather.

"Wait, wait, wait, you're skipping all the details. This girl's been occupying your thoughts. I want to know everything. Might be good for you to tell someone, too."

"Okay." Booth took a deep breath. "I saw her from the opposite side of the room. She was just standing there all on her own. She seemed distracted and out of place, so I went over to talk to her. It was more than that though, I couldn't see her face properly, but it was as if... her beauty called to me. I walked over to her and handed her a glass of champagne. I was sure she had a boyfriend."

"I take it she didn't?" Hank guessed.

"She didn't even know what I was talking about. I asked her for a dance and she agreed. We danced and even when the songs sped up, we didn't. I suggested that we go back to her dorm, to which she replied she was not going to have sex with me."

"What made her change her mind?" Hank was genuinely curious.

She told me that she preferred to go to my dormroom. She talked to a friend of hers and then we left. Once we got there, she still wasn't sure. She asked me how she could be sure that I wouldn't lock her up, rape her and murder her. I told her that she couldn't know for sure and then I kissed her and she just... didn't protest."

"So you're irresistable, huh?" Hank remarked with a grin, then turned serious again. "So, what's she like? Or didn't you get to see anything of her personality?"

"Of course I got to see some of her personality. She was stubborn and defiant and sweet and passionate and... and none of it matters, Pops, 'cause she ran the next morning."

"At least now I know why she's stuck in your head. She sounds like a rare bird. A precious one."

"Yeah, well, I don't want her to be stuck in my head. I don't want to miss her like we just broke up after a lengthy relationship."

"You have a feeling she might be the one?" Hank asked as he put a compassionate hand on his grandson's shoulder.

"I miss her so much that I get a sick feeling in my stomach, Pops. I wanted to go after her, talk to her, ask her out on a date. Show her that I could be trusted, but she ran. She didn't feel the same way."

"Shrimp, women run for lots of different reasons. You said she insisted on not having sex with you, and then she did. Maybe come morning she realised what she'd done and it scared her, or confused her. Who knows – she may have been looking for you after a few days."

"I'm just going to have to accept that I got one night with her and that's it. And I'm grateful for that, Pops, I really am, but I can't help that I want more."

Hank thought about it for a few moments. "I would never advise you to give up your education, son, so perhaps once you've finished the academy, you can go look for her."

"No. I'm almost 26, Pops. It's time I get a job and get a place for myself. Well, for us, I can't keep living off of you. I have to carry my weight and I will."

"Don't you worry about that right now, Shrimp. Everything will turn out all right. First things first, though. Keep up your grades, you know you have the talent."

"I will." Booth sighed and got up. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight, Pops."

"Goodnight, son. Tomorrow, things will look better. Take it from an old man."

"I hope so, Pops. I hope so." Booth went to his room and stood by the window, looking up at the sky. "Look over her, Lord. Keep her safe. I feel like I should've been by her side, but things are the way they are. Pops is right, though. I'll find her. One day..."

In the living room, Hank heaved a sigh for his grandson. Love was tough, he certainly knew that. He heard Seeley rummage and then not another sound. He had really gone to bed. Of course, Hank wished the best for his grandson, but stability was fragile and Seeley needed a stable life. He couldn't go back to his old ways or to his youth. After stealing a small drink from the forbidden bottle of liquor, Hank went to bed as well.

Booth was in a hospital, standing in the maternity ward. He was standing in front of a glass window and there was only one baby he could see. A beautiful baby girl. He had no proof that it was a girl, and yet he was certain. He stood there for a long time, simply watching the baby girl, as he grew to love her. She was his, he realised suddenly. "My baby girl..." he whispered in awe. He felt somebody snuggling up to him, arms were wrapped around his waist. "She sure is," he heard the somebody mumble. He knew that voice! He turned his head to look and sure enough there she was, his beautiful, fierce, passionate Captain. He leaned down and kissed her lips. They had found each other again, and everything would be okay now...

We've received a number of reviews stating that it's taking too long for Booth and Brennan to get back together. The story will pick up more speed after this chapter, and we've decided to start a countdown to the chapter wherein Booth and Brennan's paths will cross again. Please bear with us, because we need to set it up right. We'd love to hear from you all again! Number of chapters to go until Booth and Brennan meet again: 4. (But the circumstances are still a secret!)