(After season 5)

I posted chapter 3 last week, but Fanfiction didn't notify anyone, so you will need to read that one before you read chapter 4. Since notifications didn't work, I want you to know I did reply to reviews as I saw them. You will probably have to log into your account and go to private messaging to see them.

A/N: remember that this story is AU.

I don't own Bones.

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Another quiet weekend at home, Booth heard someone knocking on his door and wondered who was bugging him on his day off. Irritated, he opened the door and found Max Keenan standing in the hallway. "What do you want?"

Max noticed the dark smudges under Booth's eyes, the thin cheeks and wondered if the man was eating properly. "Are you sick? You look like hell."

Annoyed, Booth crossed his arms against his chest. "Thanks . . . I'm not sick. What do you want?"

Aware that Booth didn't really want to talk to him, Max decided to be careful how he spoke to the man for the next few minutes. "Have you heard from Tempe? It's been three months and she hasn't called me or even written to me. I'm worried about her."

Sighing, Booth shook his head. "She hasn't called me or written to me either. I guess she's too busy . . . Angela says Bones hasn't contacted her either." Booth stood back and lowered his arms by his side. "Do you want to come in? I was watching a game . . . I got beer." He was feeling a little lonely and the company might make him feel better.

Surprised at the invitation, Max moved into the apartment and closed the door behind him. "Thanks. It's been awhile since I've seen a ball game." He followed Booth into the living room and sat down on the couch.

Entering the kitchen, Booth removed two bottles of beer from the fridge, grabbed a bag of cheddar popcorn from the counter and walked back into the living room. "It's the third ending . . . no score so far." After he handed Max one of the bottles of beer, he sat down. "You know if anything was wrong, the manager of the dig would contact you or Cam . . . Bones is fine. She's just doing her job and . . . well, she's just being Bones."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Max opened the beer and sipped some of the brew. "When she works on something she's all in. You probably know that more than anyone. She's been like that since she was a child."

"Yeah." Booth admired Brennan's work ethic and her ability to concentrate on her work. "Still, a phone call or a letter wouldn't take that long . . . I don't know . . . She took that job to get away from me. I mean, she tried to make it sound like it was the find of the century and she had to be there and it probably is important, but I know her . . . I scared her with my shit and . . ." He wasn't sure if he wanted to say anything else.

Curious, Max turned to stare at the Agent. "You scared her? What do you mean you scared her?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Booth thought about it for a moment then answered. "I asked her to take a chance on us . . . to have a personal relationship with me and . . . She couldn't do it. She said she didn't have my heart but I know that's wrong. She has too much heart and she's afraid any relationship with me would be a disaster . . . I have a bad track record when it comes to love . . . She knows it and . . . Anyway, she said no . . . I scared her and I damaged my friendship with her. She may not want to be my friend anymore . . . or my partner. I think the dig was a way to get away from me."

It surprised Max that Booth was being so open about what had happened between him and Tempe. "She really likes you, Booth. Even I know that and I've only been back in her life for a few months . . . What me and my wife did . . . we left Tempe behind when we ran from McVicar and even though we thought we were right to do it at the time, now I know we were wrong . . . She doesn't trust me anymore and I think she protects herself from everyone because of what Christine and I did . . . She thinks everyone will leave her eventually . . . She told me that. I've tried to explain to her several times why we did what we did, but . . . she just doesn't trust me and probably that's why she doesn't trust you either . . . not when it comes to love. I'm sorry. I did that to her and you're paying the price . . . she's paying the price. I can't undo what I did. Believe me, if I could, I would."

He knew that Max wasn't saying anything he didn't already know. Booth sighed and sipped some of his beer. Staring at his television, he noticed that the bases were now loaded. "When she's finished with the dig, she'll be back . . . I guess, I'll find out what will happen to my partnership then."

Max wasn't sure what else to say. "The Phillies' bats are starting to come alive." He didn't really care who won the game, but he planned to stay for the entire game and keep Booth company. The man needed a friend right now and why not him?

Ooooooooooooo

While he was investigating a crime in Fairfax County, Virginia, he met Sheriff's Deputy Martha Compton. He wasn't really looking for anyone at the time, but she seemed to have found him. They'd talked and feeling lonely, Booth had asked her out on a date. She'd agreed and he'd actually enjoyed himself. He hadn't expected that and he appreciated that Martha helped him find a little peace in his life, a little happiness. He was lonely and he needed some companionship.

They'd had several dates and Booth felt that his relationship might be getting serious. He wasn't sure if he wanted that to happen, but he enjoyed being around Martha and found her to be a lot of fun.

"You know Seeley, it's been fun dating you, but I need to be honest with you. I'm divorced. The man I was married to tried to abuse me and that didn't work out too well for him. We'd been married for five months and one day he came home angry about something and he hit me. He gave me a black eye . . . I smashed a lamp against his shoulder and broke his clavicle. I filed for divorce the next day." Martha waited to see how her friend would react.

"Sounds like you handled it. No one deserves to be a punching bag. Believe me. I know that." His mother had been abused by his father and he knew that her life had been miserable until she'd found the courage to run away.

Pleased that her boyfriend was taking that so well, she kissed him. "Usually that story scares the guys I'm dating and I never hear from them again.

Returning her kiss, Booth smiled. "Well, I actually think that women that can take care of themselves are pretty hot. If you scared off some guys with that story then I'd say they're losers and good riddance."

"I'm hot huh?" Martha appreciated that Booth wasn't threatened by her ability to take care of herself. "Good to know."

Amused, Booth laughed. "My partner can take care of herself too . . . She's in Indonesia right now, but when she's working with me, she's my backup. She knows self-defense and can shoot a gun. She doesn't take shit from anyone. I've seen her flip someone bigger than she is on their ass."

"Your partner is a woman?" Martha found that interesting. "Why would an FBI agent be in Indonesia?"

"She's a forensic anthropologist and she's on some really important dig right now." Booth sighed. "It's supposed to be a big deal and she could end up in history books . . . She's going to be gone for a year."

She heard the sadness in his voice and wondered why. "Is she your girlfriend as well as your partner?"

"No, we're just friends." He wasn't sure why he was talking to Martha about her. "She doesn't believe in marriage or commitment so I guess we'll always just be friends."

"A kindred spirit. I like her." Martha nodded her head. "I'm never going to get married again either. Once was enough for me. From now on, I'm just dating and having fun."

Surprised, Booth stared at his date and wondered why he couldn't find anyone that was serious about relationships. "You'd never consider marrying anyone? I mean, if the right guy came along, wouldn't you reconsider that? If you found the right guy, a marriage could work. It doesn't have to be like your first marriage."

Slowly shaking her head, Martha knew that her news wasn't welcome to her date. "I can't do it, Seeley. I'm being honest with you. I want to be able to leave a relationship if it doesn't work out and I don't want to have my finances tied up while I get another divorce. It's just not worth the aggravation."

"I see." Although Martha was a great person and he loved her sense of humor and sense of play, he knew that it would be a mistake to get too serious with her. "I need more, Martha. I want more with my life than dates and a good time. I want someone to commit to me. I want to know that I matter to someone enough to stay with me. Maybe forever."

Sad that her relationship was about to end, Martha placed her hand on his arm. "And if that is what you want, then that's what you need, but I don't. I'm sorry, Seeley. I really am."

"No, don't be sorry." Booth leaned over and kissed her cheek. "It's been fun Martha. Maybe we can still be friends."

"Sure, I'd like that." This night hadn't gone like she'd thought it would, but at least they had both been honest with each other. "Whenever you're feeling lonely, call me and we'll hook up."

Booth wasn't sure that would happen, but he did appreciate that Martha still wanted to be friends. "Thanks."

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