Thanks for your comments again! Now without further ado: Booth's back in town...

AN 2

First of all, we would like to apologize for the hacked up version of this chapter that has been available up until now.

And secondly, a major shout out to tazm1956, who made us realize that there was something dreadfully wrong with the content of the uploaded chapter. As you may notice, this chapter is longer and complete.

Enjoy the new and improved read and know that any and all of your thoughts are most welcome.

PS: Any grammar mistakes are my own, since my writing buddy who normally does this went to bed already and it is the middle of the night for me! Anyway, enjoy!

AN 3

Grammar has been fixed!

Chapter 12

Angela was walking back home from class. She'd just finished her best painting to date. It was inspired by Brennan's pregnant body and Elena as a newborn and a one-year-old. It had helped her pass her class and she wanted to give it to her best friends. Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice called out her name. Her full name, first and last. Angela turned around and watched an attractive man, approximately her age, walk towards her. "Oh, hello," Angela said, a bit confused. "You know my name. What's yours?"

"Hi." Booth held out his hand. "My name is Seeley Booth. I have a few questions for you. Is there some place we can talk quietly?" He had described both his Captain and her best friend to a few of the senior students and even though very few people had recognised his Captain based on her description, he'd had more luck with her friend, Angela Montenegro. They had pointed him to the east side of the building and he had seen her when she exited said building.

Angela shook his hand but became a bit suspicious. "Talk about what? Am I in trouble? Are you CIA or something?"

"No, well, I am a cop, but you're not in trouble. Please, it's important." He had to convince her to talk to him. She was the only link to his Captain. He needed to talk to her.

"I don't know. Why can't you just ask me here? Do you have a badge or something?"

"I'm not here on official police business. See," he gestured to himself. "I'm not wearing a uniform." When she crossed her ams and raised an eyebrow, he sighed. "Look, it's about a party. Four years ago. A masked ball? You were there with a friend. I need to find her."

Angela's heart started beating fast and her palms turned sweaty. "What? Who are you? Who were you dressed as?"

"I already told you my name and profession, Angela. I was dressed as Zorro."

Angela nearly fainted. "Oh my god," she gasped and just caught her painting as it fell to the ground. The painting! He couldn't see it. "Follow me," she said curtly and stalked into the building. She took him up to her dorm room and put away her painting. "So, let's get a few things straight. You went to the masked ball four years ago?" When he opened his mouth to answer, she pointed to the bed so he'd sit down. "I just need yes or no."

He was taken aback by her curt demeanour and did as she wanted. He sat down on the bed. "Yes."

"You were dressed as Zorro."

"Yes. I already told you that. Why..."

"Shush! The girl you're looking for, what was she dressed as?"

"A captain. Or a pirate. I don't know what she was supposed to be. She had on a black skirt, a red top and a black and red mask. Do you know where she is? Or not?"

Angela clasped a hand over her mouth and shook her head. "You took her to your room and took her virginity, didn't you?" she asked, ignoring his questions.

Booth stood, having had enough of the accusations. "You weren't there. I didn't 'take' her virginity, we slept together, yes, but she didn't do anything she didn't want to. Where is she?"

"Sit down!" Angela ordered him threateningly. "Yes, I know where she is and no, I'm not going to take you there right now. You've done enough damage. Why did you disappear after sleeping with her? Why did you choose to hurt her like that?"

"Damage? What happened to her?" he demanded to know, refusing to sit back down.

Angela roughly pushed him back on her bed. "You asshole!" she shouted at him, angry and nervous tears threatening to spill. "You know what you did," she spoke angrily.

"No. I don't. I have no clue what you're talking about. I didn't rape her and I didn't hurt her. Furthermore, Angela," he practically hissed at her, "I did not choose to hurt her. The next morning she woke up before me and left, okay? She left me."

"What? That's your excuse? How do you think she felt after what she did? Proud that she let a guy she didn't even know, not even his name, take her virginity? Do you have any idea what her dad's like? He did exactly what she was afraid he would. You got her into so much trouble, you don't have any idea. You're such a selfish bastard for not even using any protection. And then you just disappear and leave her to take care of your problems. I can't believe where you got the nerve to come back now, after four years. I just -" She couldn't find any more words. "You have no clue, have you?"

"Will you listen to yourself? No, I have no clue, damn it! Like you said, I didn't know her. She's a big girl, Angela. She made the decision to sleep with me herself. And as far as not using protection goes, that is none of your business. I had my reasons."

"Oh, like how it feels so much better without a condom?" she retorted sarcastically.

"No," Booth snapped at her. "This is none of your business, Angela. I need her name."

"You don't get to ask questions here, Seeley Booth. If you ever want to find out anything about her, you'll answer mine. Why didn't you use protection?"

Realising he was trapped, he gave in. Maybe if he would just tell her, she'd give the name. "I asked her if she was on birth control. She said yes. She was a virgin and I had just been tested for STDs. We were both safe. So no, I didn't use a condom. Happy now?"

"You're lying. She wasn't on birth control. She told me you asked her if she wanted to use birth control and she said 'yes, of course'. You should have used a condom. She expected you to."

Reality grinded to a squeeky halt at her words. "What? No! I said... Oh my god..." The pieces of the puzzle clicked and his eyes widened. "She was pregnant?"

"No, no questions for you. Why are you here? Why? Why come back?"

"God damn it! That is none of your business! I want to talk to her! Not you. If you won't help me, I'll find her some other way!" Booth got up. "Maybe they will let me see the year books, if I ask nicely."

"No," Angela said stubbornly. "I have to protect my friend. Why are you here? What do you want from her?"

"I want a chance, that is all that I want." Booth approached her. "I still remember every single minute of that night." He took slow, determined steps, towering over her. "Every touch, every sigh and every moan. I had every intention of asking her out on a date with me. But she ran. Now, are you going to help me?" He took one more step towards her, bringing them toe to toe. "Or not?"

"Not yet. Why did you never come back? Why wait four years?" Angela wasn't intimidated. She would stand up for her friend.

"Okay, you know what? I've had enough of this. I've told you far more than you have any need to know and those reasons are really off limits. I'll find her, though. I moved back here. I don't care how long it takes. I will see her again. And if she has the same questions, I will answer to her. And her alone."

"Okay, fine, I won't tell you a thing. I don't trust you and you haven't given me any reason to. If you go to her, you'll hurt her. Not just her. And you won't get past the man she's living with right now, anyway, so... Goodbye, Seeley Booth." Angela walked over to the door and held it open, wanting him to leave.

He scrutinised her for a few moments and when she merely cocked her eyebrow and put out her hip, he walked over to her and slammed the door shut. He placed his hand against the plywood and looked her in the eye. "Fine, miss nosy-wants-to-know-it-all, as I was hurrying to get dressed - to give chase - I got a call from my brother. Our grandfather had had a stroke. The last four years were spent taking care of him. Is your sickening curiosity satisfied? Good. Now, give me her name."

His words got through to Angela, forcing her to see him differently. "I - can you give me some time to talk to her? To find out what she wants?"

"No. I will do that myself. Now, I have a few questions of my own. Was she pregnant?"

"I'm sorry, I really can't answer that. It's up to her if she wants you to know," Angela said, more softly this time.

"Fine. So, give me her name and address and I will find out for myself." Finally, he was getting somewhere.

"She's living with someone, now," Angela told him.

"God damn it!" He lost his temper and slammed his hand down on the door. This woman had forced him to show his hand, give intimate details about his life and still she refused to give him anything to go on. "I know you think I'm a selfish jerk, but if she had a baby - my baby - I have a right to talk to her. If I am a father, I have rights. So give me her name!"

Angela hesitated. "Temperance. Her name is Temperance."

"You're kidding me, right? Her full name, Angela Montenegro. I need her full name."

Angela closed her eyes for a few moments. There'd be enough time to call Russ before this man found out where she lived. Angela opened her eyes. "Temperance Brennan."

"Now was that so hard?" Booth asked her. He reached for the doorknob and gave her a smile. "I drive a black SUV." At her confused face, he added. "When you call her? You can tell her, so she can run from me again, or hide behind the man she's living with. I may not have been perfect, but tell me one last thing? Did she ever come looking for me, huh?" Her silence was enough of an answer for him. "I didn't think so. So, don't stand there and blame me for this whole mess. I wasn't the only creator of it."

As soon as the door closed, Angela grabbed her phone. "Russ? It's Elena's father. He's on his way."

Russ ended the phone call, slight panic rising in his stomach. He quickly thought of a plan and went into his sister's office, where she was focussed on graduating. "Temp? Amy just called, she invited you over for a playdate at the playground a block away. She'll be there in a few minutes. I said you and Elena would come. I'll go get her ready."

"Oh." Brennan was studying. She didn't feel she had time to go out to play after already having built a dollhouse with her daughter today, but if Amy and her girls were coming... she couldn't deny Elena her friends. She could sleep less tonight and study some more. Her daughter was more important. "Okay. Thanks," she smiled at her brother. She was tired, dead-tired sometimes, but she only had a few months to go. It would be fine. She delivered a baby; everything else should be like a walk in the park.

"Great, thanks. I'll help her get ready." Russ dialled Amy's phone and told her the same thing he had told his sister, namely that Amy and her girls had been invited by Temperance for a playdate. Luckily, Amy accepted and told him that she would be leaving right away. Russ stepped into Elena's room and told her the good news. Russ helped his niece get ready and by the time Elena had her shoes and jacket on, Temperance was ready as well.

"You're not coming?" Brennan asked her brother as Elena was jumping up and down next to her, holding her hand.

"Nope," Russ gave his girls a wide smile, "Someone has to make dinner, right? Go. Have fun, bond with Amy and you," he knelt in front of Elena, "my beautiful princess, can play with Emma and Hayley. Don't make Hayley run, though. Her lungs get tired quickly, remember?"

Elena nodded. "I'll look after her," she smiled wisely. "Come on, Mommy. I want to run and run and run!"

Brennan quickly hugged her brother goodbye and broke into a run with her daughter. This was still the best thing in the world, even after four years.

Now that they were gone, Russ could wait for his arrival. Elena's father. The bastard sure had nothing waiting for him here. And Russ was planning on making that clear to him.

So, Booth's back! And he's determined to find his Captain. On the other hand, Russ is determined to put a stop to Booth's plans. Who's going to win with Brennan and Elena sent away? Any guesses on how this is going to go down? We won't keep you waiting much longer!