Welcome back everyone! We hope you understand that in the previous chapters, people reacted harshly towards Booth because they didn't have all the information and all they know is how Brennan has struggled in the past years. We also hope you know, though, that they're all good people and they're coming around. This chapter will show you an example of that. Plus: progress between Booth and Brennan. Enjoy!

Chapter 15

Booth was left standing in front of that door for a really long time. He just couldn't move. He knew that standing there wouldn't solve anything, but he couldn't stop thinking about that little girl. A beautiful, fiery, protective little four-year-old, wise beyond her years. Clearly Temperance - God, it was a weird privilige to finally call her by her name, even if it was just in his thoughts - had done a wonderful job. Temperance loved their daughter very much. Another tear rolled down his cheek and he finally found the strength to turn around. Because even though he finally knew his Captain's name, now he didn't know the name of his little girl. Slowly Booth walked over to his SUV, doubt starting to eat away at him. Why would Temperance need him? She'd been doing this for four years. She'd looked shell-shocked, confused as to why he would show up. She'd moved in with her brother - or he had moved in with her - that didn't matter. The fact of the matter was, that his daughter did have a father figure, a male rolemodel in her life. And from the looks of things, Russ wouldn't be willing to step aside to give him a chance to be a father and Temperance simply didn't seem interested. Not in him as a father or as a partner. Booth opened the door of his SUV, sat down and put the key in the ignition. Starting the engine, he placed his hands on the wheel as his daughter's word echoed in his ears. 'You're wrong! You made Mommy cry! You're bad! You're bad! You're bad! You're bad!' Her words were on a loop in his mind and he had to force himself to steer the car out of the parking space and back into town. He stopped in front of the first bar he came across and got out of his car. Tomorrow, he would leave and go back to live with his Pops... and then it hit him, he couldn't go back. His job was here, now, and he would have to stay, at least for the time being. He slammed his hand down on the steering wheel and got out of the car, as his daughter's words continued to haunt him. He walked into the bar and ordered a double whiskey. When the bartender gave him his glass, Booth told him to leave the bottle.

Angela had had weird dreams that night, about her best friend and this gorgeous stranger, who had actually turned out to be Elena's father. No wonder the little girl was so beautiful. She had to be, with parents like that. Angela did feel sorry for this Seeley Booth. He was clearly desperate. She filled a huge cup of coffee and started to walk across campus to her first class of the day. She didn't really need the lecture; she'd read a couple of books on the subject already, but she decided she could use the distraction. She walked past a homeless guy on a bench. Oh, wait, he wasn't homeless. He was on the phone. Which homeless guy had a phone, right? She was walking past him when she caught a few words of his conversation. 'Temperance.' She clearly heard him say her friend's name. She studied the back of his head and when he turned it slightly, she saw it was him. She waited until he finished his conversation, then sat down next to him. "Bad night?" Angela asked sympathetically.

Booth sighed deeply and looked up at the sky as if asking for divine help. "I don't think it's any of your business, Miss Montenegro," he snapped at her, wiping away his tears in embarrassment.

"Look, I may have reacted a little aggressively yesterday, but I was only looking out for my friend. Let's start over. I think you're a good guy, in the end. Brennan called me last night. She now knows she got pregnant over a simple misunderstanding. If you'll talk to me, I have a surprise for you. Of the good kind. Can we talk?"

Booth eyed her for a moment, but eventually nodded. She may be the only one willing to stand in his corner from the look of things. "Yeah, sure, we can talk."

"You saw her yesterday. What was that like? What went through your mind?" Angela was really, really curious.

"I missed her. It felt so good to see her again and her little girl - our little girl - she's such a fiery, loving soul, isn't she?" Booth's voice softened and he stared out in front of him for a little while. "I don't think it matters though," he continued. "We barely spoke and Russ told her to get inside, which she seemed all too happy to comply with. I told her I'd be back, but I'm not so sure anymore that's such a good idea, to force my way back into their lives. They," he had to force tears down again, "they seem happy." 'Without me,' he added bitterly in his mind. He hadn't been happy without her. And now that he knew he had a daughter, he wouldn't be able to be happy without both of them.

"You know what?" Angela felt for him. "I think it did matter. I admire that you came to look for her. And I know it matters to Brennan. Actually, you've come at the right time. Yes, Russ has been like a father to that little girl, but he met someone, and this someone has two little girls of her own. He won't be able to be in two places at the same time. That will be devastating to his niece. Who knows, perhaps you could soften the blow."

"So that's what role I will be assigned? The understudy of her uncle? Damn it, Angela! I am her father! I should have been the one, tucking her into bed, rocking her to sleep, catching her as she took her first steps. But I wasn't. He was! Do you really think that little Angel is going to accept me if I just become Russ's replacement?"

"That will depend on you, my friend," Angela told him. "I know it's hard, but if you do your best, and Bren does her best, that little girl will come running to you one day instead of to her uncle."

"I don't think so, Angela. She was there when I met her mother. Apparently, Temperance was crying, because she snuck back out of the house to tell me exactly what she thinks about me. And it wasn't good. Of course, it wasn't good, can you blame her? I made her mommy cry." Booth ran his hand over his face and shook his head.

"In the end, her mommy's all she has. She's a child, Seeley. Children adapt. Better than adults," Angela told him in a soft voice. "Brennan's been studying at home to be there for her, she's been home-schooling her. Did you know she can read?" Angela smiled. "If Brennan lets you meet her officially, I have a hint for you. Her favourite book's called Moby Dick. It's by Herman Melville."

"Do you know how hard it is to be in that situation, Angela? 'If Brennan lets you meet her officially.' She is my daughter, too! And she can be upset with me all she wants that I didn't try to find her, but she didn't try to find me, either. And it seems that - unlike me - she had important information to pass along."

"I know it's not fair, but life hasn't been all that fair to Bren, either. You both will have to leave that behind. She's someone who likes to move forward. We've all been more angry with you than she has. She was angry in the beginning, when she found out she was pregnant. Once she'd chosen to keep her baby, she accepted everything for what it was. Her dad was an asshole, but he came around. Russ was very, very angry. I couldn't believe you. But then, we were assuming you were aware she might get pregnant at the time, which we now know you weren't. Just know that Brennan hasn't been all that mad at you. She's thought about you often. And here's the surprise - she wants to meet with you to talk."

"She said that? You talked to her?" Well, that was a silly question, they were best friends, of course they had talked. "When?"

"Yesterday evening."

He nodded eagerly. "When can I meet her?"

"Not right now in any case. You look like hell," Angela remarked with her trademark subtlety. You'll have to come with me, first. Get you cleaned up. I'm meeting her for lunch at noon. I'll call her to see if she wants to meet with you instead. What do you say? Come with me?"

"I can just go home and freshen up," Booth suggested.

"No you can't, because noon is 45 minutes away and you don't live on campus," Angela smiled.

She had him there. "Okay," he agreed and got up. "I'll come with you, then." Didn't seem like he had much of a choice, but Booth realised it would be better if he simply got used to that. At least for a little while.

They walked to Angela's dorm and she ordered him to drink the coffee she hadn't touched yet. Inside, she ushered him into the shower and sprayed his clothes with freshener. "One more thing; Bren doesn't like alcoholics," she called into the bathroom.

Booth was busy drying his hair, a towel wrapped around his waist. He stepped out of the bathroom - it would be easier to talk if they were in the same room - and replied. "I'm not an alcoholic. That was just me, drinking my sorrows away. It's been years since I've had a hangover like this. Do you have any Tylenol or something like that?"

"Yes, but I also have something better. I'm a self-proclaimed expert in hangover treatment, so if you'll allow me, I can get you something. Won't be five minutes."

"Sure, I'm going to get dressed." Booth grabbed his clothes and walked back into the bathroom. He shut the door and quickly got dressed. He opened the door and called out to her, "Do you have a spare toothbrush?"

"Use your finger!" she replied before dialling Brennan's number to see if today was too soon. Her friend surprised her by greedily accepting. Angela told her to look nice but not too nice and hung up. "You've got a date, son," she told him. "Fifteen minutes. Here's your antidote," she said as she handed him the glass.

He emerged from the bathroom and eyed the concoction she handed him. He pinched his nose and drank it all at once. "Oh God," he coughed a few times, "That was vile, Angela."

She chuckled. "You'll thank me later. Here's a mint for your breath. Speaking about vile..."

"Yeah, yeah," he brushed her off and accepted the breath mint from her. "So, what did she say?"

"I might say she was eager to accept. She has important finals coming up and she can't afford to be an emotional wreck." Angela looked him over and adjusted his clothes. "There. It'll have to do. You ready?"

"Yes." He was less than enthusiastic though. "Uhm, these finals, how long before she has to take them? I mean, I can wait. I don't want this to be something to cross off of her list in a hurry."

Angela rolled her eyes. "She has them in two weeks. And you're not on any list to cross off. Don't act like that with her. This is your chance, make the most of it. Her first priority is her daughter, she needs to pass those finals for her. So she can graduate and get a job to provide, you know." They walked out of Angela's dorm, she locked the door behind them and they were on their way.

When they stopped in front of the diner, Booth put his hand over Angela's arm. "Thank you for helping me. There is just one thing I want to make clear – I am here to be myself. I'm not here to bully her into anything, but I'm not going to bend over backwards here, either. I have rights, too, as that little girl's father. That said, I'm just happy she agreed to meet me."

"Just be careful with her. She doesn't trust easily and she has reason not to. You're on her side, make that clear." With that last bit of advice, Angela pushed him inside.

You probably thought that chapter 13 was the one you've been waiting for, but we think it's actually chapter 16, because there's a difference between seeing each other and actually talking to each other. We'd love to hear from you!