Bones stormed through the door to her apartment, apparently unaware that it had slammed into her bookshelves and sent several priceless artifacts flying across the room. She tore her jacket off and made a beeline for the beer she knew was tucked away in the back of her refrigerator. "Bastard," she muttered to herself as she opened a bottle. It was his beer. His beer that she hadn't been able to get rid of when she thought he was dead. "Rotten lying son of a bitch," she hissed, draining half the bottle in one go. She grabbed the rest of the six-pack and threw herself down onto the overstuffed sofa in the front room.

Bones didn't stop drinking for the next twenty minutes, draining bottle after bottle. By the time Booth showed up, she was draped across her couch, staring moodily at a picture on her coffee table. He knocked hesitantly on her open front door and braced himself for her reaction when she finally looked over. "Um . . . hey, Bones," he said, his voice laden with uncertainty "You took off from the cemetery kind of fast. I didn't get a chance to talk to you after, you know . . . you decked me." Booth gingerly touched his discolored eye and grimaced, obviously trying for some sympathy.

His partner heaved herself into a sitting position and pointed an accusatory finger at him. "You lied to me," she managed, attempting to stand. "You were supposed to be dead and you lied to me." Booth reached out to steady her but quickly backed off when she glared at him through her disheveled curtain of her hair. "Bones, I'm so sorry. You were supposed to be notified. You were on my list! You have to know I would never put you through something like that!"

Bones went on without even acknowledging him. "Do you have any idea how I felt?" she asked rhetorically. "She was aiming at me and you jumped in front of me like some damn movie hero." She paced back and forth in front of Booth, weaving slightly with each pass, gesturing wildly with her half empty bottle of beer. "I tried so hard to stop the blood." Bones stopped abruptly, her eyes on Booth's chest, and she approached him on slightly unsteady legs. She pressed her hand to his shoulder, her eyes distant. "There was so much blood and I couldn't do anything about it. All I could do was sit there and beg you not to leave me." She shook her head, seemingly unaware of the tears streaming down her face. "You promised you'd never leave me," she almost whispered. Booth reached out a hand, hoping to consoler her, but her sadness abruptly turned to anger. "They told me you left me, Booth!" she raged, slamming her fist against him. "How could you make me think that? How could you let me believe that it was my fault?" Bones began sobbing in earnest, dropping the bottle and covering her face with her hands.

Tears in his own eyes, Booth reached out and gently drew his distraught partner into his arms, her face pressed against his shoulder, her arms wrapping around his waist. Though he was almost positive she couldn't hear him through her own grief, Booth murmured a constant stream of apologies and assurances into her ear. Countless minutes passed and, when Temperance's tears finally slowed, Booth led her back to the couch. Gently easing her into the softness of the cushions, he pulled back and smoothed her hair from her damp face. Her eyes drooped from a combination of alcohol and emotional exhaustion. Booth felt his heart clench. Touching a hand to her flushed cheek, he said, "Temperance, I'm going to explain everything. I want you to understand what happened. But first you need some rest. Alright?" She nodded almost absently and lowered herself to lie on the couch. Booth covered her with a light blanket and sat next to her, his hand clutched in hers. Within minutes she was asleep. Boot sighed as he watched his slumbering partner. The coming morning would be a difficult one, filled with accusations and explanations. But for tonight he could allow himself the almost unknown pleasure of watching his partner – his wonderful, beautiful, infuriating partner – in peace and simply be with her. Settling himself next to his Bones, Booth leaned over and gently pressed his lips to her forehead. "I'm here, Bones," he whispered. "And you'll never be alone again."