The entire weekend Booth was anxious for Monday to roll around and to see Temperance. He wanted to make sure she was okay. Seeing her social worker made him feel better, but not seeing her safe and sound left his stomach in knots.
However, when Monday came around and he stood at his locker, he noticed Lance walk in alone.
"Yo, Sweets!" He called out to the youngster.
"Hello." Lance responded in a dejected tone.
"Where's Brennan?" He asked and Lance only shrugged.
"The bus didn't pick her up again. I'm starting to worry that it wasn't the flu." He mumbled and Booth furrowed his brow.
"What do you mean?" He asked and Lance looked over his shoulder at kids who were walking by.
"You know how I said I used to be a foster kid?" Booth nodded. "Well, I know some of the kids from that group home and they mentioned that Tempe had some trouble learning the hierarchy." He whispered.
"What?" Booth was confused. Hierarchy?
"Right, you don't get this. So when you go to places like group homes, kids who have seniority like to show they have seniority by well uhm"
"Spit it out, kid." Booth growled and Lance sighed.
"They beat you up." Lance spoke quickly. Booth's breathing hitched and Lance grimaced. "Yea, and then for a while you get the shitty chores. Well, I guess Tempe had dealt with the initial, ya know-"
"Beating." Booth responded and Lance nodded.
"But it sounds like this one kid, Jacob, didn't like how slow she was handling her chores. So she got a lesson." Lance whispered and Booth clenched his fists.
"So let me get this straight, they just let you guys get beat on by the other kids?" Booth asked and Lance shrugged.
"It's not like we have many choices. I was in 4 foster homes and 2 group homes before I was adopted. Sometimes the foster parents hit you, sometimes the social workers throw you around. Sometimes everyone is nice. It's the luck of the draw."
"But this Jacob kid just gets to beat on Temperance whenever he wants? I thought there were social workers."
"They work to find homes for us to be placed in or therapy, plus there's usually only a couple of them for the 30 or 40 kids per home." Lance shrugged again and Booth only got more irritated. How could a kid who suffered through it not be angry that someone else was suffering right now? He wondered. Sweets made his way to his first class, leaving Booth to stew alone in the hallway.
-BB-
After school and practice, Booth found himself back in the parking lot of the group home. He turned off the ignition of his car and made his way to the front door. He had asked Hodgins and Cam to give him worksheets from Calculus and Biology for a proper excuse, but really he wanted to see Temperance. Walking up to the dinky reception desk, a young woman sat there, probably college aged.
"Can I help you?" She asked as she filed her nails. Her blonde hair held up in a ponytail. She usually would've kept Booth's attention, but not anymore.
"I'm here to see Temperance Brennan." He said.
"Sign in on the clipboard." She muttered, popping her gum and pointing toward the board. He bent over and signed his name and time of sign in. She clicked on the keys. "Room 447." She then pointed him in the direction and went back to her nail filing.
Knocking on the door, he heard a small voice from the other side. "Come in, Dr. Goodman." He felt wrong having Temperance assume that he was her social worker, but he wanted to see her, so before she could change her mind, he slipped into her room and closed the door.
"Hiyya, Bones." He murmured, her back was to him, but he saw how it tensed up and how her head snapped up. She slowly turned her face toward him. He wasn't prepared for the sight before him.
Her eye wasn't black and blue anymore, but it was now a greenish-yellow color. Her cheek had gone down in the swelling. Her face was completely devoid of makeup, which only made the bruising stand out more against her alabaster skin. She was wearing a short sleeve shirt, which was the first time Booth could see the various stages of healing for her bruising on her arms, some still purple while others were older and greenish in color. He could see a hand print, as if someone had wrapped it around her bicep too hard. He felt his stomach bottom out and his fists clenched.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, her voice cold and unfeeling.
"I have worksheets from the days you missed." He responded quickly.
"How do you know where I live?" Her eyes narrowed and he kicked himself. He didn't want to throw Lance under the bus. The poor kid worshiped Brennan.
"Uhm, the school."
"The school told you where I lived?" She asked skeptically. He felt his mouth go dry as he nodded numbly. "Booth, why are you lying?" She finally sighed and some feeling came back into her voice.
"I was worried when you stopped showing up to school and for good reason, Bones, look at you!" He exclaimed and raised his hand. "Look what they did to you!" He wanted to cry and scream and punch a wall.
"It's not that bad." She mumbled.
"Not that bad? NOT THAT BAD?!" He felt himself losing his grip on his sanity. "Brennan, someone hit you! That's not okay!"
"You think I don't know that?" She responded, her voice broken. "But it's not like I have a choice." She spoke defiantly. "Thank you for dropping off my worksheets. I will see you in school tomorrow." She looked down and he shook his head.
"No, no, we're talking about this." He responded and she looked back up at him.
"I'm sorry, but you and I barely know each other." She scoffed. "You think you know me because we, what? Our lockers are near each other and we have PE together? We haven't even known each other for a week, Booth." She shook her head. "Just leave." She muttered, turning away from him once more and sitting back at her desk.
"I know what it's like to be beaten." Booth said to her back. "My dad was a drunk." He continued. He didn't really know why he was telling her, but a voice in his head said that this girl was different and he wanted to believe it. "My mom left when I was a kid, she couldn't take me and my brother, she left us with my dad and he just beat us. One day, my Pops came and got us and never looked back. He's been raising us ever since. I haven't seen my mom or dad and I don't care to see them. They're not good people in my book if they can hurt their own children." He continued, feeling his chest constrict. "So I know what it's like to be covered in bruises and feel like you're all alone." He murmured and he saw her shoulders shake with sobs. "I just, I want you to know that you're not alone. That kid from your bus, Sweets, he mentioned he was a foster kid for a while, lived in 2 group homes and 4 foster homes. He mentioned the beatings and that sometimes you get a good family and sometimes you get a bad one. Everyone has a scar or two, Temperance." He walked up and placed a hand on her shoulder, seeing the tears that had hit the desk in front of her.
"My parents disappeared a year ago, just left one day and never came home. My brother tried to make it work taking care of me, but after a week he called child services. I can still remember screaming that I would be good, that I would - I would listen to him if he would let me stay." She whispered. Booth felt his heart breaking, cracking open as she continued. "The first home was nice, they were an older couple, they always wanted a kid, but couldn't have one, but then the wife fell and broke her hip. I was moved a month later. That's when it got bad. Six homes in a year. Each worse than the one before. Some would treat me like a live in maid, or a nanny, which was fine, I didn't mind earning my keep. But it was so different from what I had known. But my last home." She shuddered. "They gave me ample warnings. They always warned me before the beatings." She spoke without emotion and Booth closed his eyes, trying to keep the tears at bay. "They had warned me that if I broke the dish that I would be locked away, but I just -" She turned to face him, her eyes shimmering with tears. He hated that even in this tragic retelling, she looked like an angel. "The water was so hot, and the soap was so slippery. I broke the dish." She whispered. Booth's brow furrowed. It was a dish. Just a dish. What's the worst they could do over a dish? He wondered. "The police found me in the trunk of the car two days later." She mumbled and Booth couldn't stop himself from pulling her out of the chair and into his arms.
The pair stood like that for a few minutes in silence just holding each other. He felt her sobs slow and her breathing calm. He pulled back and wiped the tears away with his thumbs, cupping her cheeks gently in his palms. He noticed her flinch as he touched the still healing bruises on her face. "Sorry." He murmured and she chuckled.
"I've had worse." She replied.
"That doesn't make me feel better." He responded and she laughed a little harder. "So you'll be at school tomorrow?" He asked hopefully, giving her his best puppy dog eyes.
"Yes, but I'm having Dr. Goodman get me out of PE for the semester. I'm going to do human anatomy instead." She replied and Booth slumped.
"What?" He complained as she stepped away from him, grabbing a cardigan to pull over her arms.
"Well, I fractured a couple ribs and Dr. Goodman was able to make a case to Coach Cullen about human anatomy is a good way to learn about the body like physical education." She shrugged.
"Your ribs were fractured?" He asked and she nodded.
"I went to the doctor over the weekend."
"I just don't get it." Booth spat and Brennan tilted her head. "You get beat up and what? The social workers take you to the doctors afterwards but they won't protect you from it happening?" He asked and she shrugged.
"Booth, this place is packed with kids. I can take care of myself." She stuck out her chin and he gave her a once over.
"You had your ribs fractured and you were used as some kid's punching bag." He muttered, he saw her flinch and he wanted to kick himself, but it had to be said. She wanted to believe that she was independent, but she wasn't, she needed protecting. A sudden knock on the door made her jump.
"Temperance, I have your medications." A warm voice rang from the opposite side of the door and she opened the door. Booth recognized Dr. Goodman and smiled shyly at the social worker.
"I was just dropping off work for Temperance." He told the man, who handed Temperance some pills and a bottle of water.
"That's very kind of you, Mr. Booth." Dr. Goodman replied with a smile. He stepped into Temperance's room and looked over her injuries. Booth watched as Temperance turned her head from side to side to show him the bruising and gingerly lifted the hem of her t-shirt to expose a small portion of her stomach. The black and blue bruising made Booth's stomach drop. He had only known Brennan for about a week and yet he felt this fierce need to protect her from everything bad in the world. "Here's the note for your PE coach." He handed over a couple pages to Brennan, who took them and placed them in her bag.
"Thank you, Dr. Goodman." She murmured before he exited her room.
"Uhm, well, Booth, it was nice of you to stop by." She mumbled, clearly feeling uncomfortable with him witnessing the exchange between her and her social worker.
"Yea, hey, if at any point you need to talk-" He started and she shook her head.
"It's okay, Booth. Thanks." She murmured and he nodded, a little dejected. He excused himself from her room and made his way back to his car. Sitting behind the wheel, he took a deep breath before starting up the engine.
-BB-
The week went by quickly as Brennan made her way through class again. Booth tried to give her space, watching from a distance as she interacted with her friends at lunch. He was annoyed that he no longer had gym with her and that Wendall had now ditched his table to sit with them.
The first official football game was on Friday night, and everyone was getting excited. The squints were sitting at their lunch table and Angela was whispering something to Brennan. Booth found himself craning his neck, watching as Brennan's eyes lit up as she listened intently to Angela's story.
"Seeley!" Hannah's whining took him out of his reverie and he looked over at the petite blonde sitting next to him. "Are you going to the party at Heather's after the game tonight?" She asked, her eyes hooded with lust. He looked up to see Temperance watching his interaction with Hannah.
It was cute the way that Temperance would tilt her head when she observed people. Her hair was tied back in a delicate knot at the base of her neck. Her lips slightly parted. Her eyes piercing through to his soul. That auburn hair was dying for his fingers to rake his hands through and her delicate neck was taunting him.
BANG! Both Booth and Temperance jumped as Zack and Hodgins fell backwards off their chairs.
"Hodgins!" Angela exclaimed as she rushed over to the curly haired teen and Temperance tried to contain her laughter. She made eye contact with the jock from across the cafeteria and he winked at her, causing her to blush.
"Seeley?" Hannah asked once more and he shook his head, looking once more at the cheerleader sitting next to him.
"Uhm, I don't think I'm going. I have a lot to get done tomorrow." He responded. He looked up once more, hoping to see Brennan looking back, but she was helping Zack back up, their moment gone.
As the bell rang, he scurried to throw away his garbage and catch up to the blue eyed beauty. "Hey, Bones!" He smiled and she turned to look at Booth. He was wearing his football jersey with a pair of jeans, which made her stomach flutter. "You going to the game tonight?" He asked, his eyes hopeful.
"No, Jack is having a movie night." She replied as she made her way to their lockers. Booth furrowed his brow.
"Movie night? It's the first game of the season!" He exclaimed and Brennan shrugged.
"Something about not giving in to the uhm I think I should keep Jack's statements to myself." She paused and placed her books into her locker.
"So you guys are just going to watch movies?" He asked, a little bothered that she wasn't going to be at the game.
"Well I wouldn't know what was going on if I came to the game anyway, so movies sounded more appealing." She responded as Angela walked up to them.
"Hey, Lieutenant Jock, good luck tonight!" Angela smiled and Booth rolled his eyes.
"I heard you guys aren't going to the game tonight." He replied and Angela chuckled.
"Yea, sorry, we snatched your boo thang. Maybe we'll come to a game this year." She shrugged and Booth balked.
"Maybe you'll come to ONE game?" He asked as they walked into their English class.
"What can I say, we aren't really sports people." Angela responded as she gently placed an arm over Brennan's shoulders and steered her toward their seats on the opposite side of the room. Booth scowled as he now made it his mission to get the squints to bring Brennan to a few of his games.
Booth kept his eyes glued on Brennan and Angela as he tried to pay attention during English, but found it difficult when they kept giggling randomly.
"Girls, is there something you would like to share with the class?" The teacher finally asked, which Booth was happy to hear. He wanted to know what was so goddamn funny, but they just shook their heads and continued giggling. After class, he tried to catch up with them, but got caught by some teammates who wanted to go over the plays for the game. He just had to deal with seeing glimpses of the auburn haired beauty around his locker.
-BB-
At the end of the day, Booth stood at his locker and waited for Brennan to approach. He knew it was silly to wait for her, they both had plans, but he wanted to try one last time to get her to come to his game. The crowded hallways seemed to part like the Red Sea as she approached and she gave him a small smile.
"Hey there, Bones!" He grinned and she shook her head at his nickname, but smiled nonetheless.
"Hi, Booth. How was your day?" She asked and he nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets and leaning against his locker as he watched her enter the combination to hers.
"Not too bad, I do miss my gym buddy." He smirked and she rolled her eyes.
"You sure do have a lot of buddies." She replied and meticulously placed her books into her locker, taking out some textbooks she would need for her homework over the weekend.
"Ah, but I have my favorites." He replied in a husky voice, causing her to blush.
"I'm sure there is no lack of girls willing to be your buddy in gym to take my spot." She tilted her head at him, her eyes shimmering and he felt as though he could get lost in them.
"Is someone jealous?" He asked and she shook her head with a small giggle escaping her lips.
"Of missing gym class? I love human anatomy." She replied.
"Maybe you could show me what you're learning." Booth leaned a little closer, wiggling his eyebrows, causing the blush to once more grace Brennan's cheeks.
"Whatcha two talking about?" Angela's voice broke through and Brennan whipped her head to look over at her artistic friend.
"Uhm, Booth believes he will have issues making girl friends in his gym class with me being gone." Brennan answered and Angela rolled her eyes.
"Hannah is in that class, I have to listen to her talk about how hot you look running around in your little shorts. You will be fine without your little boo thang." She winked at Brennan, who just rolled her eyes and went back to her locker, avoiding eye contact with Booth. "Oh and she's expecting you to ask her to Homecoming, something about the Homecoming king and queen having to go together." Angela continued.
"How would she know who's going to be Homecoming king and queen?" He asked and Angela crossed her arms.
"You're not that dumb, are you, Agent Jock? Every girl in this school knows you're going to be Homecoming king." She retorted. "The queen is just whatever cheerleader you end up taking to the dance." She murmured and looked at Temperance. "You ready to go, sweetie? I'm thinking we can grab some pajamas from your place, you said that Dr. Goodman was fine with you staying at my place tonight, right?"
"Yea, he just needs a sign out from a parent to know that I'm not just wandering the streets." She mumbled. "Oh I need to also finish my chores before I leave, so it will probably be best if I just meet you guys at Hodgins' for movies and then I'll just come with you after." She replied quickly.
"Ugh, they even make you do chores?" Angela giggled. Booth felt his fists clench.
"The kids assign them to each other." Brennan explained and Booth's teeth gritted, he remembered his conversation with Sweets about Jacob.
"Okay, well you finish up your chores and I'll meet you at Hodgins' place, we are going to have so much fun this weekend." Angela gave her a small, gentle hug, careful of her ribs, and walked away.
"Uhm, Bones, is everything okay back at the dorms?" Booth asked in a low voice.
"Booth, I have to catch the bus." Brennan responded, her demeanor had changed and her eyes glazed over. Booth didn't like the way she was rushing out of the conversation. Before he could stop and talk to her some more, she skirted past him.