When Bones returns with new episodes next month, the action will pick up a few weeks after the events in May's season finale.

Series creator Hart Hanson is on record as saying that Brennan will have just returned from a trip to Guatemala, which begs the question:

Did she really leave Booth at such a critical time, following his brain surgery? No, Hanson emphasizes.

"We've set up a few times that when she's really miserable she goes down there [Guatemala] and identifies victims of the genocide down there and there are so many still remaining unidentified," he said. "So when she's really miserable she just throws herself into that. I promise you, Brennan did not abandon Booth. Watch the season opener; you'll see."

We will. It airs on September 17.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.