Disclaimer: Bones does not belong to me

Dr Temperance Brennan collapsed into her office chair after a long day of work. She closed her eyes and let the sounds of her surroundings soak into her mind. Definitely not the sounds of the Jeffersonian Institute, the place she left so suddenly 20 years ago without a word to her colleagues, her friends. She sighed, thinking about that life. She was a new person now, that life was over- done! She thought about the people she left behind: Angela Montenegro, her best friend; Dr. Chamile Saroyan, her boss; Dr. Jack Hodgins, the bug and slime guy on her team; she even found herself thinking about her former intern, Dr. Zach Addy, who had been imprisoned for assisting a cannibalistic serial killer. She sighed at the memories. What did they think of her, leaving the way she did, no contact in over two decades? She let her thoughts drift back to the one other person who made her heart ache, her partner and good friend, Special Agent Seeley Booth. A lump caught in her throat as she was transported back in time, to the reason why she was forced the flee DC and head for a new life out in "the middle of nowhere" Wyoming.

Temperance sighed as Seeley Booth took her head in his hands and gently kissed the top of her head. "What are we going to say when people find out about us?" Seeley asked the incredibly beautiful woman that was in his arms.

Temperance looked up at him with her chilling blue eyes and stated matter-of-factly, "We'll tell them that we mutually decided on bonding over-"

Seeley chuckled and put a finger to her mouth to get her to stop talking. "You know what? It doesn't matter! No one needs to find out about us. It will be our little secret."

"It is inevitable, people will find out eventually," Temperance stated, covering herself with the thick scarlet sheets that occupied her bed.

Seeley kissed her, slipping his body under the covers, "then we just make sure that doesn't happen." He began kissing her neck, and-

"Mother- Mom, are you all right?"

Temperance snapped back to reality, with a pang in her chest at the memories of her past. "Yes Ryan, I'm fine." She began sorting through her files again, but looked up again when she saw her son staring at her with worry in his eyes. "What?"

Ryan Brennan looked worried at his mother's mental lapse. "I said I have some big news." He looked at his mother and saw sadness in her eyes. "Are you ok, do you want me to fetch Dalton-"

"Ryan," Temperance laid her hand on her son's shoulders, "I'm fine. Just was reliving a few difficult memories."

Ryan looked unsure at his mother's explanation, but decided to go with it; she was a grown woman after all, she could take care of herself. "Fine. So you wanna hear my news?"

Temperance smiled, "sure, let's hear your news."

Ryan grinned and pulled out an envelope and handed it to his mother.

The color drained from her face as she saw the familiar seal of the Jeffersonian institute on the envelope. Her eyes darted to Ryan, full of fury. She shook her head and pushed the letter back at Ryan. "I told you-"

"I know what you told me, mom" Ryan interrupted, "It's just-" He saw his mother looking at him intently, the fury draining from her eyes, "it's just, I'm 19. I want to get out in the world, show 'em what I got. I'm smart, really smart. Heck, Harvard came to me! I turned down Harvard because I knew you needed me here with you."

Temperance smiled, touched at how caring he was, "Ryan, I would have been fine without you." Ryan smiled at her and wrapped her into a huge hug. "What exactly did you do?"

Ryan pulled away from his mother and smiled widely. "I applied for an internship."

Temperance raised her eyebrows, knowing perfectly well how hard it was to get into the Jeffersonian institute. "Well, did you get in?"

"I don't know," Ryan replied looking up at his mother with her icy blue eyes, "would you let me go?"

Temperance frowned. A million thoughts raced through her mind. This was the place she left, the place she worked so hard to forget. All her former friends would likely be there, and chances are they'd soon find out about her. She looked at her son giving her a pathetic, puppy dog face. She smiled, "you have to be accepted first!"

Ryan smiled at his mother's approval. He slowly opened the contents of the envelope and scanned the page. He sighed, closing his eyes.

Temperance saw the disappointment in her sons face. "It's ok, Ryan, it takes a lot to get into the Jeffersonian institute, even as an intern" She went over to give her son a comforting hug.

Ryan let out a sigh. "It doesn't surprise me! My mother is The Dr. Temperance Brennan, it's only logical that I get accepted!" He shot her a smile.

Temperance embraced her son, proud that he was about to be part of one of the greatest scientific labs in the world. "I'm proud of you, son."

Ryan saw a tear run down his mother's cheek. He wiped it away gently and, to make her feel better, asked her if she wanted him to read her the letter. When she nodded, he began:

Dear Mr. Benin,

"See mom," Ryan stated, "I didn't use my real name. Nobody will know I'm the progeny of the great Dr. Brennan."

Temperance smiled and gestured him to continue.

I am pleased to inform you that I have chose you Ryan M. Benin to be my intern

In the field of forensic anthropology. Enclosed is a plane ticket, please report to the

Medico-legal section of the Jeffersonian institute promptly at 11:00 A.M. on the first

Of July.

Sincerely,

Dr. Zach Addy

"That's good, isn't it?" Both heads turned to see the newcomer. Dalton Ryder entered the room. Ryan ran over and gave him a big hug. "It is good?"

Temperance smiled, walking over towards her boss, "yes, it is very good."

"Good," Dalton exclaimed, "only the best for Ry." He patted Ryan on the back and then turned towards Temperance, "you up for a body?"

Temperance grinned, "I've told you many times that I am always ready for a case."

Dalton raised his eyebrows, "if I recall, you were the one who thought coming to Wyoming after working in DC would be boring."

Ryan quickly began to exit the room, not wanting to interrupt the romantic encounter that was inevitable between Dalton and his mother. No, they weren't a serious couple, but they both knew who to turn to if they ever felt lonely.

"As I recall Dr. Ryder," Temperance said teasingly, "you were the one who informed me that Wyoming has murders too… probably ten times more gruesome then anything city slickers from DC could do."

It was a new place. She had to leave, she couldn't face her friends, or Booth, especially Booth! She found herself walking in a place she had never seen before- Johnsonville Wyoming. Suddenly she walked right into someone. "Hey" She looked up and saw a very handsome man. "Well excuse me miss" the man said with a bit of a Western twang.

She began talking to the man, she didn't know what possessed her to do such a thing but she felt, after a few minutes that they had known each other forever.

"So where's your husband, young lady?" the man asked looking at her intently.

"What makes you think I have a husband?" she grinned back at him.

"Well, you are extremely beautiful, your definitely old enough to be married," she shot him a look at the mention of being old, "and judging by the way you are walking, you have to be close to 9 weeks along."

Her eyes flashed in alarm. How did he know that? "How did you know that?"

The man chuckled and reached for her hand, "I'm Dr. Dalton Ryder, I'm pretty much the only doctor in Johnson County. I think I know when a woman is pregnant."

She smiled and continued walking. "Aren't you going to tell me your name?" She continued to walk, "I guess not, even though, if I might say, you look very familiar."

She just smiled and walked on.

"Do you mind if I go in here for a second, I have something on hold for me," Dalton asked, motioning to a bookstore.

"Of course not," she responded, "I could use something myself.

After perusing the shelves and deciding on "Anthropology today", she walked up to the counter where Dalton was paying for his book.

"I hear this is her best one yet," the bookkeeper was saying, "not that many people could know, it was just released 20 minutes ago."

She walked up to the counter lay her book down and looked at Dalton's purchase. "Breaking Bones, that's one of my personal favorites."

Both men stared at her. "How the hell did you manage to read Temperance Brennan's new novel before it came out?"

She laughed and turned the book around to the full body portrait that was displayed on the back of the book. The bookkeeper gasped and Dalton looked up at her, "Oh my God!"

The two of them were again walking down the street. "You're the Dr. Temperance Brennan?"

She laughed, "yes, the one and only."

Dalton smiled, "I thought you worked in DC with some sexy FBI agent- just quoting the articles on that- at the Jeffersonian institute?"

"Well", she said, clearly troubled by that statement, "it was time for a change."

The continued to walk, in silence. Dalton stopped suddenly. "How would you like to help us here?" He grinned at her, "The state of Wyoming could use you."

She looked at him with a blank stare. "I just worked in Washington DC, there can't be many mutilated bodies to observe compared to that!".

Dalton Laughed, "Believe me, little lady, Wyoming has murders too… probably ten times more gruesome then anything city slickers from DC could do."

"So, you gonna let him go?" Dalton asked Temperance as he gently stoked her hair out of her face.

"How could I say no?" she responded, smiling as she gently kissed his bare chest. "He is a smart boy, he knows about my past there, and he wouldn't try to force me back into it."

Dalton agreed with her. "Tempe, he's 19, hardly a boy-"

"He's still a boy!" Temperance stated coolly. This was her son, her baby. He would always be a boy to her. She ran her hands down his bare chest in a way that made him shiver. "He'll be safe," she said to ensure herself of that fact, "I already asked dad to take him in while Ry is there."

Dalton laughed, "Max?" He laughed harder when he saw Tempe nod. "Max doesn't seem like the child raising type."

A look flashed through Temperance's eyes. He knew he had hit the nail on the head with that remark, but he didn't want to upset her any further. He quickly regained himself, "Max would only do that for you, Russ, or his grandchildren."

Temperance smiled, "I know that. That's why I asked him. He owes me!" She placed her head on his chest and snuggled into his warmth for a few moments. "Didn't you say something about a body?" she asked looking into his eyes.

"Yeah," Dalton replied, "up in Hoford. Wanna go check it out."

"Yes," she said getting out of bed and putting her clothes on. "Why is it," she began, "that we always seem to get distracted before a big case?"

"Why is it," he answered, "that you always lead me back to your case before a big case?"

That made her chuckle. She picked up her bag and headed out the door, "Come on Dr. Ryder, we have a case!"

So that was chapter 1. Review if you like it, or not like it. After which I will see if it worth wasting my time continuing this storyline.