Hi again! I know I've got another Bones/Sue Thomas story I'm writing and one I'm co-writing with I Love Kol Miakelson right now already, but this idea hit me late last night, and I couldn't get rid of it, so I decided to write it down. I hope you like it!

Temperance Brennan sighed as she sat at her desk. It had been a long day, and she was exhausted. Sometimes it was an effort just to get out of bed every day let alone go to work. She stretched her stiff neck, wincing at the pain. She spent far too much time hunched over. How many times had her father told her that over the years? She glanced at the clock. It was half past four. Everyone else was already gone, and here she was still working as usual. She was supposed to be meeting Russ in an hour. He had some "news" for her. She was curious as to what it was, but she also was nervous. Russ had been known to dabble with the law, and the law was something they had to avoid at all costs. Brennan looked at the photo of her parents that sat on her desk. They had been living a life in hiding, and sometimes, Brennan grew tired of it. She wanted to desperately scream to the world who they were and get it over with, but she had promised. It was one of the deals she had made when they decided to take her and Russ with them the last time they disappeared. It had been a shock to both of them that their parents were involved in robbing banks, but their parents promised that life was over. Now, everyone was trying to stay out of sight. Brennan stood and packed her bag, getting ready to leave. She wound her way around the desks and went out the door, closing and locking it behind her. She walked down the school halls, her heels echoing off the walls. She liked this time of day. There was no chaos and noise. Once in the daylight, she squinted, looking for her car. She had 45 minutes to meet Russ. She fingered the dolphin ring slowly. She hoped nothing had gone wrong.

"Hey," Russ said, sliding into the chair opposite of Brennan's.

"Hi," she replied. "I ordered you some fries."

"Thanks," he smiled. "So, what's new?"

"Don't make this about me. You have something to tell me?" she prodded.

"Oh, that. Yea, I met someone," Russ grinned, picking up a fry and eating it.

"You met someone?" Brennan repeated. This was surprising. Russ had been pretty much a loner most of their lives. Brennan had been the one to date more often, but those relationships never lasted long. She was too afraid they'd figure out who she really was.

"Yea. Her name is Amy. She has two little girls, Emma and Hayley" Russ told her, pulling out a photo to show her. Brennan leaned in to look at it.

"They're beautiful, Russ," she said.

"I know right?" he beamed.

"How did you meet?"

"I was working at a carnival fixing a ride when I overheard the girls crying that they had lost their ice cream, so I swooped in and gave them some money to buy more. Amy was impressed that I cared," Russ shrugged.

"That is impressive," Brennan teased. "I didn't realize you were in the area."

"Yea I know. I wanted to see you, though. It's been forever," Russ said.

"Are you staying the night?" Brennan asked.

"If you'll have me," Russ laughed. "I gotta get back tomorrow, though."

"That's fine," Brennan nodded. "I could use the company."

"Just you and Ripley still huh?" Russ commented.

"He's all I need," Brennan replied. Ripley was the best part of her day. She had bought him when he was a puppy, and his unconditional love was all she ever wanted.

"Heard from Dad at all?" Russ asked.

"Not lately."

"I don't think he's ever going to get over it," Russ sighed.

"Probably not, and neither am I," Brennan said. "It was unfair."

"I know, I know. It was. I'm not denying that," Russ said. "I feel like an asshole for being okay."

"Don't. You're not. It's just harder for us, that's all," Brennan reassured him.

"Let's talk about something cheerier huh?" Russ suggested. Brennan agreed. They spent the rest of dinner chatting about work and her students.

"I forgot the nice place you have here," Russ said as they entered Brennan's apartment. Ripley greeted her ecstatically at the door, tail wagging hard. He sniffed Russ cautiously before deciding he was all right and rubbing against him. Ripley was a shepherd mix with what Brennan assumed was a labrador, but she wasn't sure.

"That's what writing books gets you," Brennan laughed. She was an author as well as a teacher. She wrote damn good murder mysteries, which still amazed her. She used an alias, though, so no one would recognize her. She didn't want that.

"You always were the brilliant one," Russ commented, looking around as she went to find sheets for the guest bed.

"Not brilliant just...average," Brennan corrected.

"Pfft! Average," Russ scoffed. "You're a freakin' genius. Remind me again why you're stuck teaching science to a bunch of little kids?"

"Because I enjoy it, and because Dad did it," Brennan called from the other room.

"Yea but you could be so much more. You could actually solve the murders you write about," Russ said. He flopped down on her couch, Ripley resting his head on his knee and giving him a hopeful look. He scratched the dog's ears absently.

"I'm okay with what I do, Russ," Brennan said as she returned. "I love the kids, and they love me. That's all I want."

"You'd love Emma and Hayley then," Russ told her. She smiled.

"I know I would. You need to bring them to meet me," she added.

"I will," he promised. He caught sight of a drawing that was obviously done by a child. He picked it up. It was of a school chalk board and a stick woman who he assumed was supposed to be Brennan, and the caption read: "Best teacher ever" signed by PB.

"Who's PB?" Russ asked. Brennan snatched it from him. "What?"

"He's a student. Sometimes he draws me a picture. It's nothing," Brennan said, her neck feeling hot.

"You know I know when you're lying, right?" Russ asked.

"Okay, so he's my favorite student, all right? I can't say that out loud," Brennan replied. Russ burst out laughing.

"A teacher who has a favorite? That's not new, Tempe," he teased.

"This boy is very smart! He takes science seriously. His mother is very proud of him, and so am I," Brennan said. She crossed her arms and looked at her brother.

"Don't make him a teacher's pet," Russ warned. "He'll get bullied."

"I'm not!" she said, faking outrage.

"Good. I'd love to chat more, but I'm exhausted. Is it all right if I just hit the hay?" he asked.

"Of course," she nodded. He stood and gave her a big hug.

"Love you, sis," he said.

"Love you too," she responded. He gave her one last grin before retreating into his room. Brennan sat down with Ripley, who immediately tried to wash her ears with his tongue.

"Ah, ah, ah!" she said, pushing him off. "What did I tell you about that?" Ripley whined. She chuckled at him. Best part of her day right there.

Russ was gone in the morning when she woke up. He had left a note, which she read with a smile on her face. He had also drawn a picture for her of a small dog bouncing up and down in front of a stick woman teacher to continue his teasing from last night. She set it down to prepare her breakfast. Then before she knew it, she was back at the school and ready for another day. The streets of D.C. had been busy, but she always got there on time. She got settled and before long, her students came crawling in. Her favorite bounded in with a huge smile on his face.

"Hi, Miss Brennan," he called, waving.

"Hi, Parker," she said back with a smile. He sat down and turned to his friend, chatting animatedly. Miss Brennan. It made her flinch sometimes, like she was a young woman still. Yes, she should have met a man and got married like any other normal person, but she just couldn't. She had not found the right person, and until then, she was content at being alone. She also was only 32, still young enough to be single in her mind.

"Parker!" a man's voice hissed. Brennan's head snapped up, seeing who was there. A man was standing at the door holding a pencil case. A very handsome man. She felt herself flushing.

"Yea, Dad?" Parker asked, going over to him.

"You forgot this in the car," the father whispered loudly.

"Oh. Whoops. Thanks, Dad," Parker said, giving his father a hug before grabbing it.

"Have a good day," the father called after him. Then he met Brennan's eyes, and it felt like the world paused for a moment. He was the one to blink first and disappear out the door. Brennan was at a loss for words. She had never met Parker's father before. It was always Rebecca who picked him up or dropped him off.

"I drew you another picture," Parker said, coming up to her and giving her a piece of paper. Brennan looked at it and smiled.

"Thanks, Parker. Your Dad dropped you off today?" she asked, curious.

"Yea. Mom was on a date, so she let Dad look after me on a week day. That usually doesn't happen," Parker explained.

"I see," Brennan said. Parker skipped back to his desk and started pulling out his pencils. She looked back at the door, checking to see if perhaps the father had come back for something else, but there was no one there. Shaking her head, she started the lesson.

"Have a great weekend!" Brennan shouted over the noise as her students all filed out the door. Seven year olds were so noisy. Brennan laughed to herself.

"Hey," Angela said, coming in. "What a day." She plopped herself down on the chair in front of Brennan's desk.

"What happened to you?" Brennan asked, gesturing. Angela looked down at all the paint on her shirt.

"Oh. That. Well, apparently Gavin and Joey decided to have a paint fight," Angela said. "This is what happens when you intervene."

"Oh dear," Brennan laughed.

"Honestly, I sometimes wonder what the hell I'm still doing here," Angela sighed. "I should be in Paris."

"You keep saying that, but you never go," Brennan pointed out.

"I can't afford it, sweetie," Angela said. "It doesn't matter. Teaching kids about art is just as good, although I'm thinking of moving to a high school where it would be appreciated more."

"I'd miss you," Brennan replied. This was true. Angela Montenegro and her had met by chance at a diner, and Brennan had mentioned there was an opening at her school for an art teacher, which Angela had leaped on. They'd been close ever since.

"You should do it too," Angela urged. "Your talent is wasted on these little kids."

"They're not little. Seven is a good age to start learning," Brennan argued. "Besides, I'm in no mood to sort out hormonal teenage problems before starting a class."

"Fair enough," Angela agreed. She sat in silence for a moment. "Any plans for this weekend?"

"No," Brennan shook her head.

"Oh, come on! How are you supposed to meet someone when you're holed up in your apartment all weekend?"

"I am not 'holed up.' I do go out," Brennan said defensively.

"Walking Ripley does not count," Angela responded, crossing her arms.

"Maybe I'm fine with staying indoors. There's a cannibal out there, you know," Brennan pointed out.

"Ah yes. The Gormogon or whatever they're calling it," Angela laughed. "I don't think you'd be on the list."

"You never know," Brennan shrugged. She started packing her bag.

"Come on. One club. Just one," Angela coaxed.

"Ange, no," Brennan said with finality.

"Ugh you're no fun," Angela sighed. She stood up. "I'll tell you all about it on Monday."

"All right," Brennan laughed. She briefly wondered why she didn't tell Angela about Parker's gorgeous father. It would be her secret for now. Brennan smiled to herself. She was very good at keeping secrets.

So what did you think? Should I continue?