So this is only my second AU fic, it's not meant to be taken serioulsy, just a bit of fun for anyon who wants it. Enjoy.

A tall, handsome, broad-shouldered man walked through the swinging doors of the Jefferson saloon at nearly closing time. His dusty attire and haggard expression, indicative of days on the trail, caught the curious glances and outright stares from the handful of people inside the place.

Near the bar, a pretty woman with softly curled dark hair and an extravagant gown lazily played the piano.

Removing his hat, he took a seat at the empty bar and waited for the bartender.

"You're not from around here, are you?"

Looking over to from where the question had come, he saw the pretty woman had left the piano, her purple and black lace gown falling lazily off her shoulder, and was coming to sit beside him.

"No, just passing through."

She nodded and smiled knowingly. "You with the law or running from it?"

The stranger narrowed his eyes in slight amusement and, with a lopsided half grin, he pulled back his vest to reveal a shiny brass badge.

"Wow, Federal Marshall. You any good?" She asked, one eyebrow raised, that same I-know-your-secret smile on her face.

The stranger didn't answer, merely continued to study her with his kind brown eyes in a way that made her feel like he could read her thoughts.

Wishing to escape his intense gaze, she stuck out her hand. "I'm Angela by the way."

The man shook it. "Name's Seeley Booth, most folks call me Booth, suits me just fine."

"Well, Booth, what brings you to this little one-horse town?"

Booth pulled a wrinkled paper from his vest pocket. "You seen this man before?"

Angela took a second to study the drawing and then nodded. "Yeah, he came through here about, mmm three days ago. He do something wrong?"

Booth nodded and looked at the drawing himself. "Killed two people, man and woman, then he stole their horse and all their money. Left their eight-year-old daughter orphaned."

Angela gasped. "How horrible."

"Yeah…three days you say?" The woman nodded and he smiled again. "Then, yeah, I'm pretty good. The last town I stopped in said he passed through six days before."

"Sounds like you're making good time." Both Angela and Booth turned to find a tall, striking looking woman approaching from behind the bar. In her brown top buttoned all the way up to her neck and sleeves covering all the way down to her wrists, she was the picture of modesty. A few reddish hairs fell free from her messy bun as she approached.

"I am." Booth answered, his brown eyes locked with her icy blues.

A moment of silence passed as the two assessed one another and Angela sat amused on the sidelines. After a moment, she couldn't resist and teased, "Is it just me or did it just get hotter in here?"

The woman behind the bar shot her a look before turning her eyes back on Booth. "Can I get you something?"

"A beer would be fine Mrs…"

"A beer it is." The woman turned to retrieve a glass from the shelf behind her and ignored the man's attempt to get her name.

Booth raised his eyebrows when the drink was set in front of him and the woman raised hers in return.

"What?"

"It's cold." He responded, slightly astonished.

"Yes, well, would you prefer it warm?"

"No, but it has been a while since I've had the cold stuff, how do you manage that way out here?"

A look of slight amusement crossed the woman's face for a moment before it was gone and she turned to tend to the other end of the bar, left dirty by previous patrons.

Angela smiled and patted Booth's arm. "Sorry Marshall, you won't be getting any answers out of Bren until she's good and ready to give them."

And with that, she left him to return to her piano.