I've drawn a picture to go along with this. You can find it here: http:// shinkonokokoro . deviantart .com/art/Beaten-But-Not-Lost-148272227 (remove the spaces)

"Why'd you do it?" Jared asked.

"He just needs people to stand up to him," Seely explained.

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Jared scoffed.

Seely just shook his head. "It's okay, Jared. I'll be fine."

"You gonna buy him beer tonight?"

The elder Booth boy shook his head. "Nah. And neither are you. In fact, why don't you go over to Kevin's place. I'm gonna take off for a while. I'm taking the money, the keys, and the plastic, and I'm going to let the old man sober up a bit."

"That's dangerous, Seely."

"I'll be fine. Don't worry about it, Jared. Just trust me, yeah?"

Jared looked at his older brother's near unrecognisable face. The evidence was apparent that the senior Booth still clearly held the upper hand over the son. "Riiiiiiiight. If you say so, Seely. I'll go call Kevin."

Seely waved as his kid brother left the room. The easy smile dropped. This couldn't go on. His grandfather wasn't helping, and his father wasn't going to keep beating him. This was the end.

"Cal won't take your money," Seely said, throwing the bills back at his old man.

"What?" His father looked up from his bottle, slumped into the laz-e-boy chair like an added growth. "Whad'you say, boy?" the drunken remains of a man slurred.

"I said Cal's done taking your money," Seely said louder. "He told me to tell you to straighten up."

Mr. Booth stood, swaying like a seaman on land. "You don't lie to me, boy." He shuffled towards his flesh and blood, stopping in front of the crumpled bills on the stained carpet. "You pick these up." The voice was soft and quiet, belying the undertones of imminent violence.

"No." Seely thanked God that his voice didn't quiver. "It's worth more to you right where it is. Sleep off the hangover and then take it to get a haircut at the barber's and then find a job."

"You pick up this goddam money right this minute," his father bellowed, "or else I'm gonna beat the wrath of Hell innta ya."

"Find, but it'll be the last time I do," Seely challenged, staring into his old man's bleary eyes as he knelt to pick up the wadded paper. Stars exploded as his father's fist collided with his face unexpectedly. Stumbling to his feet, he gave a wild yell and charged his father. The fight began.

"Was it worth it, Seely?" Jared asked, twiddling his thumbs, avoiding his gaze.

"Was what worth it?" he avoided.

Jared sat straight, fixing him with a look, blowing the bangs from his eyes. "Don't play a fool, Seely. Was confronting Dad and getting all beat up worth it? 'Cause nothin's gonna change."

The elder Booth boy met his younger brother's gaze. "This wasn't Dad. Dev and I got into a fight," he said glibly, just as he'd practiced.

Jared grunted. "Right." He folded his arms across his chest, shoulders hunched, face screwed up. "Since when could you lie? Normally you suck."

"I'm not lying, Jared." He shrugged. "It's fine. Dev looks like crap. I think I busted his nose." He was glad he paid the kid twenty bucks to skip town for a couple days.

Jared got up off of Seely's bed and left the room, pausing in the door frame. "I still don't believe you. You're never going to change him, you know. There isn't anything you can do. He won't change."

It wasn't until Jared was long out of earshot that Seely murmured to himself, "I know..."