Chapter 2: Truth and Reunions

Author's POV three months later Decemberish

The door to the Booth's house slammed shut, as Tempe stormed into the house. She walked—no stomped—into the kitchen. Emily was standing at the sink, washing dishes. Emily said, "Hi, Tempe. How was school? Where's Seeley?"

"Don't ask. I don't care."

'Obviously, she and Seeley have hade a fight. About what though?' Emily thought as Tempe grabbed a piece of fruit. "Tempe? What's wrong?"

"Wrong?" Tempe shrilled. "Wrong? Your son is a horrible person! He — he — Gah!"

"What did he do?"

"Don't ask."

Emily smiled. Oh yeah. Big fight. "So why are you here?"

"He's a Booth! Everyone at school thinks he's the best thing ever! And what he did today, makes me think he doesn't have a heart!"

Emily's smile turned upside down. "Tempe. What did Seeley do? I need to know."

"He was supposed to give me a ride today, right?" Emily nodded so Tempe continued. "But, no-o-oh! He takes off right after school with Maggie Hudgison!"

"But he told me he'd bring you here for the weekend…" Emily was not happy with her son right now.

"I. Know." And neither was Tempe.

"And he told me you two were going to the movies tonight."

"We were. But now, I don't think I'll even be talking to him this weekend."

Tempe gave Emily a hug and walked upstairs to Jared's room, which had some of her touches added to it. She pulled out her notebook and started on her chemistry homework. An hour later, she finished that and pulled out her Advanced Biology book, and opened it to the section dedicated to bones.

Two hours later while Tempe had been studying, Emily called Tempe down to dinner.

Tempe walked down and sat down in her spot, across from where Seeley would be sitting, Emily on her left, David on her right. Dave said grace and the three of them dug into the home-made lasagna. David asked, "So, Tempe, I saw you walked here. Where's Seeley?"

"Out," was her answer, before she took a bit of salad.

He rolled his eyes. "I can see that. But where?"

"I don't know. Out. Probably out with Maggie Hudgison."

"I thought you two were going out to the movies tonight."

"Me too, Dave. I really did too."

"When he gets home…" David began.

Tempe smiled. "Oh, don't worry. I have a plan…"

Emily sighed and said, "Don't make me have to wash any of his clothes again… I swear, he goes through more clothes than Jared did."

Tempe laughed and finished her dinner, before excusing herself and took her plate out into the kitchen. She walked upstairs and started working out a problem in her biology notebook.

By the time Tempe had finished her school work, and finished her evening practice, it was 1:30 in the morning. An hour and a half after Seeley's curfew. Eh. Maybe she would let David deal with him. He'd be pissed.

She sat down at the desk and pulled her hair off her neck. After a bit, she heard the distinctive growl of Seeley's Mustang. She grinned when she saw the hall light flick on and heard, "SEELEY KEENE BOOTH!!! WHY ARE YOU TWO HOURS LATE?!?!"

Half an hour, Tempe was still grinning when Seeley knocked on her door. "Tempe?"

Her grin faded. "Go away."

"Come on, Tempe… Justin and the guys kidnapped me! I would have given you a ride home. I swear…"

She opened her door and leaned against the door frame, crossing her arms. "Explain, Seeley."

"Justin caught up with me at fifth period. Said I owed him one for saving my ass during our last game, that you missed by the way, and said I could repay him this way."

She nodded. She liked Justin, but he could be a manipulative bastard. "Okay. I'll accept that —"

Seeley gave her a hug, but she pulled back. "— For the moment. Where were you?"

"Eh…Do I have to tell you?"

"Do you want me to explain your Chemistry and Biology homework to you?"

"Okay. Fine, Tempe. The boy's wanted to go out to a club. I went. Boys got drunk. I stayed sober. Dad would kill me."

"So would I."

"True. Anyway, boys wouldn't leave when I told them to. So the boys got hammered and I finally got them home, then drove here."

Tempe nodded and hugged him back. "Okay. I get it. Hope you didn't tell your dad all that."

"No shit. Dad'd kill me for even being near a club. Temp, have you slept at all since last night?"

"No…"

"Aw, Tempe… Get some sleep."

"Fine. I'll go to bed in half an hour. I still have some homework to do. Then I'll be in bed."

"I'll come check."

"Okay. Night." Tempe kissed his cheek, like she had every night. She had done the same thing to Russ, and it only seemed natural that she kiss his cheek too.

As Tempe sat back down, she heard the door to Seeley's room open and close. Not five minutes later, she heard the door to her room open and she swiveled in chair and said, "Who are you?"

"I think the question is, who the hell are you and what the fuck are you doing in my room?!"

"You never answered my question: Who are you?" She stood up and brought her hands up incase he attacked.

"Jared Booth."

She dropped her hands and said, "Well, God… Here. Have your room back. I'll go sleep on the couch."

Jared stopped her. "I don't know your name, but why are you in my room, with your Chemistry book?"

"I've been living here on weekends. I'm in the system. I live with the Murrays. Excuse me, I'll go bug your brother for his extra blankets he scatters all around his room."

Tempe left Jared speechless, and walked next door to Seeley's room. She knocked and Seeley answered the door in just his boxers. Tempe was temped to kiss him right there, and she had no clue why. "Can I steal some blankets, Seel? I—"

He looked behind Tempe and said, "Jared! You're home!"

Tempe snuck in, grabbed a blanket, decided she was too tired, and while the brothers were roughhousing quietly, so as not to wake Emily and David, fell asleep on Seeley's bed.

((A/N: I'd be just evil to end it there, so I won't.))

Jared and Seeley walked down stairs and Jared sat at the kitchen table. Jared was dressed in civvies, seeing as he was off duty and home in Pittsburg. Seeley poured the both of them a glass of orange juice. "Now, Seel, care to explain to me why there was a strange girl sitting at my desk, pouring over a text book, and not in your room? All I could get from her was she lived with the Murrays."

"She was still up? Damn… I told her to go to bed."

"Are you two dating?"

Seeley looked up at his brother and laughed. "HA! Me and Tempe? No. Not at all. I'm a three-sport jock. She'll be voted the "Most likely to succeed and become a scientist."

"Okay. Still doesn't explain why you and she aren't dating. What's her name again?"

"Temperance Brennan. Call her Tempe or get a severe ass kicking."

Jared raised an eyebrow. "Ass kicking? Is it just me or is Seeley Booth scared of this girl?"

"I am not!"

"Uh-huh. I believe you."

Seeley rolled his eyes. "Thanks for the support, Jared. She would…"

Jared thought, 'Seel is so in love. This will be fun!!!' He said casually, "So… You wouldn't mind if I asked her out?"

Seeley flipped out. "No! You haven't even had a decent conversation. The 'what the hell' comment doesn't count! You haven't even met her before just now! You don't know what makes her laugh! What pisses her off! What makes her smile!"

"Do you know all that about Temperance?" Jared asked, seeing a shadowy figure at the bottom of the stairs.

"Yes! She loves bones! She likes stupid comic strips! She hates football and basketball! She loves reading and science! She loves her karate! I love her!"

They heard a gasp from the bottom of the stairs. "Seel…? Do you mean that?"

Jared smirked as Seeley turned bright red. His brother was always one to get embarrassed easily.

"Tempe…"

"I love you too…"

Jared's POV

Um…Okay. With the way she's looking at him, I wouldn't be surprised if she jumped his bones right now. Same with the way he's looking at her.

Let me get this straight. She's Tempe Brennan, officially in love with my brother. She loves science.

He's Seeley Booth, officially in love with Tempe Brennan. He's a jock.

I wonder how well this is going to end.

Next morning Author's POV

Emily got up and got dressed. She tip-toed past Tempe and Seeley's rooms. She had no clue why her youngest son was out so late, but she had a good feeling about the day. She finished making the eggs and bacon. She called up the stairs, "Seeley! Tempe! David! Breakfast!"

To her surprise, Emily heard four sets of feet stomping down the stairs. She hoped to all that was holy Seeley had NOT brought a girl home last night. Then she heard her husband's happy voice yelling, "Jared! You're home! When did you get in?! You should have woken us up!"

Seeley and Tempe walked down the stairs holding hands. 'Obviously,' Emily thought, 'they made up last night.'

Jared and Dave walked down the stairs together, talking. Seeley and Tempe sat next to each other, Jared opposite them, with Dave at the head of the table and Emily at the foot of the table. Emily squealed and gave her son a hug. "Jared, when did you get home?! Oh my goodness!"

Jared saw Seeley looking at him across the table, practically begging for help."

"Seel picked me up last night. I had a red eye flight. I got in about 11. It was supposed to be a surprise."

David looked over at Seeley. "Is that why you were so late?"

Seeley nodded. "Yeah. It was."

"How come you were so late? I would expect an hour, not three," Emily said.

Tempe knew the truth, but she kept her mouth shut. Jared said, "Seeley was late. And I had to pick up my luggage. And it takes an hour to drive up and an hour to drive back. So we got back at about 1:30ish. I had to wait half an hour for you guys to go to bed, so I could sneak in. So, it was my fault Seeley was late last night."

David turned to his youngest son. "Okay, kiddo. You aren't grounded… this time. Next time, let us know, when you go out to pick up your brother."

Seeley grinned at Tempe as she said, "But it wouldn't be a surprise then, would it Dave?"

Dave conceded the point to the girl. "True…"

Em was looking between Seeley and Temperance. "Seeley, Tempe, what aren't you two telling us?"

Seeley's POV

I groaned. 'Damn…' I thought. 'Mom's too observant.' I glanced at Tempe. She nodded slightly. I said, "Mom, Dad, I've asked Tempe to be my girlfriend."

Mom smiled like she had known this was coming.

Truth be told, I was surprised Mom wasn't squealing with joy.

Dad grinned. "That's great! I knew this was going to happen! So, when do your mother and I get grandchildren?"

I think I turned every shade of red there was. I said, "Dad! We're in high school!"

Beside me Tempe was turning the other shades of red. She said, "Seel's right, Dave. I'm not ready for a family. I love Seeley, but no family. Not yet. I mean, I just met Jared. By the way though, were am I going to sleep?"

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