Temperance Brennan reached the front of the Jeffersonian, to see that her 'grandfather' was waiting for her. She noticed his hair had faded more and his wrinkles had deepened over the past few years. He still stood tall, and his muscular build had not decreased either.
"Abe!" she called he looked up then turned to the security guards.
"See! I told ya she knew me." Abe told the guards as the doctor approached him and hugged him. The security guards stood there in awe; they'd only ever seen Dr. Brennan hug her artist friend, father, and of course Agent Booth. "How ya been, Tempe?" Abe asked.
"Pretty good. What about you?"
"Can't complain."
"Abe, I have a few people I want you to meet."
"Any of them a guy?"
"Yes, three of them, however one isn't here." He let out sigh.
"I meant a boyfriend."
"Oh, no." Brennan and Abe continued to catch up as Brennan led him towards he father's work area. She concerned about how Abe would react to her father. She stopped him outside of the door. "Abe, I want you to meet someone, but I also know you may not be happy with this person. Will you promise me that you won't hurt him?"
"Thought you said you didn't have a man in your life," said with a familiar smile. The smile had lost most of its effect after several years of living with him, though it was still charming.
"It's my father." The smile disappeared.
"You mean to tell me he just appeared working here."
"No, he was tried for murder for killing someone who was threatening Ross and me. He and my mother left to protect us. It is a very long story."
"Are you two on good terms? I don't care about what he's done, only about how you two get along."
"We've had our differences, but my father and I have gotten along since the trial."
"Then I don't have an issue with him unless you do." With that they entered the room, where Max was waiting on his students to arrive.
"Hey, Tempe," her father said with a smile. "Who's your friend?"
"Dad, this is Abe Hartell. He's the one who got me out of the foster system when I was seventeen."
Max looked at the man. Then, as he extended his hand, he said, "Max Keenan. I guess you probably aren't thrilled to be seeing me around."
"Why's that?"
Max was a little shocked, but answered, "Most people can't imagine leaving kids behind."
"Tempe doesn't seem to have any issues with you, so I don't either. Max, in all honesty, I've done it too. Sometimes your kids' life will be better without you, right?" Brennan was slightly shocked. One of the big mysteries of Abe's past was what happened to his children. Brennan realized he had done the same thing her father had, but never reentered their lives. That meant there were people out there who wondered everyday what happened to their dad. She felt sorry for them, and understood their pain.
"That's what I thought for fifteen years. But you miss a lot, and you can't ever get it back."
"Don't think my boys ever want to see my face again. I treated them like crap. Did things I can't ever take back."
"Kids always want a parent."
"I gave 'em a replacement. My dad did a good job with me, so I think he probably did a good job for them. I just got screwed up during the war."
"Vietnam?" Abe nodded. Max continued, "I thought Russ and Tempe would never forgive me, but I think we've worked things out for the most part. Right, Tempe?" This time Brennan nodded. The three talked for a while, but then kids began to show up, so Brennan and Abe bid Max goodbye. Brennan then escorted her legal guardian to her office. She was surprised how well Max and Abe had gotten along, but not nearly as shocked as when she found out one of Abe's secrets.
She could not grasp the fact that the man who saved her from the dreaded foster homes had condemned his own children to a similiar fate as she had. It explained why he was so fixed on helping her. He most likely saw himself helping his children by helping her. Great, now I'm beginning to use psychology. I have been spending too much time around Sweets. Brennan couldn't help but wonder whose father she had been spending time with. Once they arrived in her office, Brennan turned to Abe.
"Do you want to find them?"
"Find who?"
"Your children." She thought it was obvious who she was referring to.
"Sure, but they wouldn't want anything to do with me. I was a monster to them as kids. As far as fathers go, I was as rotten as they come."
"You're being too hard on yourself. You were a great grandfather to me; it's highly unlikely that your parenting style altered that much in a short period of time."
"You found me after I sobered up though. I didn't do anything to them when I was sober. I'd apparently beat 'em to a pulp when I got drunk; can't say I remember anything from when I was drunk though. Why do you think I didn't keep alcohol in the house? I was afraid that I'd drink it and do the same thing to you, and that was the last thing you needed." His statement shocked Brennan. How was it possible that her protector beat his own children? He had been worse than her own father whom she had resented for years. She considered the fact that since Abe was such a kind man, he probably considered a slap harsh abuse. She couldn't imagine him hurting people, and did not really want to. Though she knew she was probably inaccurate, it made her feel better, so she believed her version.
"Maybe if you explain to them that you regret your actions and that you've changed they would at least get to know the current version of you." This made Abe smile. Tempe could rationalize anything. Even matters of the heart.
"Alright, you've convinced me. I'll go up to Philly and look for 'em. After I leave here. Don't worry about it Tempe. You're my family too, so I'm not going to go running off on ya."
Angela entered my office.
"Hey, Sweetie. What are you doing…? Oh, hello. I'm Angela Montenegro."
"Abe Hartell. Pleasure to meet you."
"You two know each other?" Angela asked. She knew Brennan didn't consider age a large factor in dating, but this guy seemed a bit too old for her.
"Abe is the one who pulled me out of the foster system. He was like a grandfather to me until I left to get my doctorate."
"You did a lot for Bren, Mr. Hartell."
"Call me Abe. And she did a lot for me, too. Helped me kick my drinking habit and get my life back on track after my wife died. It took me way too long to get on my feet after she died."
"Well, I'll leave you two alone to catch up. Bren, Cam wants to talk to us later about some Limbo cases."
"Okay, Ange. Thanks." Once Angela left the office (full of questions she'd have to ask Abe when Brennan wasn't around), Abe turned to Brennan.
"So, it's about lunch time. Anywhere you'd like to go?"
"There's a dinner not too far away-" Brennan was interrupted by Sweets this time.
"Dr. Brennan? Can we talk for a moment?"
"Now's not a good time, Sweets." Brennan motioned towards Abe.
"Oh, sorry. Uh… I'm Dr. Lance Sweets."
"Abe Hartell. What type of doc are you?"
"Psychologist." Abe turned to Brennan.
"You need to see a shrink? Did your dad screw you up that badly? Did I help or hurt?"
"Abe, you helped me. I have never brought you up during sessions."
"And how do you play into Dr. Brennan's childhood?" Sweets could never get information out of Brennan, or Booth for that matter, when it came to their childhoods.
"He pulled me out of foster care."
"Ah… So you're her grandfather? You don't seem old enough."
"You don't seem old enough to be practicing. What are you? Twelve?" Sweets just sighed. He hated being judged on his appearance. Why does everyone think I'm twelve?
"Sweets, what is it that you wanted?" Brennan asked.
"Just wanted to make sure you knew that our session was cancelled. You didn't answer any of my text, so I thought I'd come see you… and it's really, really boring at the FBI today. There aren't any suspects to interrogate and all of my appointments are either on vacation or busy in the field."
"Well, Ms. Wick doesn't have any work here, so you may take her."
"Really? Thanks, Dr. Brennan." Sweets ran out of the office to tell Daisy the news. He seemed like a twelve year old who was just told that their idle was in the area.
"Sorry about that, Sweets turns to me and my partner when he is bored. And my partner is away with his son. He'll be back tomorrow."
"You planning on introducing me to your partner? You talk about him a lot."
"I was considering it. You should also meet Cam and Hodgins though." Brennan guided Abe towards Hodgins' office.
"Hey Dr. B…. and friend," Hodgins greeted.
"This is Abe Hartell, he took me out of the foster care system. And this is Dr. Jack Hodgins, the entomologist here."
"Nice to meet you."
"Pleasures all mine. You one of the Cantilever Hodgins?"
"Uh, yeah. Why?" Hodgins who was already a conspiracy theorist was slightly suspicious of people who knew his family name that well.
"Never met someone rich and famous before."
"What about me?" Brennan almost whined.
"Doesn't count. I knew before you were rich and famous." Hodgins let a small smirk show. He didn't know who this guy was, but he could stand up to Dr. B like Booth and she accepted what he said. That was a very rare sight. The guy kinda looked like him too. Hodgins' conspiracy mind began developing time travelling theories.
"Hey, Dr. B, how long before we get another case? It gets kinda dull looking at the same things over and over again."
"Within the next week, most likely. He returns tomorrow." There was no need for Hodgins to ask who he was. If it didn't involve a case or body, it was referring to Booth. "But we shouldn't hope for a murder," Brennan continued.
"I know, I know." With that the touring pair left and went to Cam's office. She was sitting at her desk.
"Hey, Dr. Brennan and… have we met?" Brennan looked between the two confused. How could they possibly know each other?
"I don't think so. I'm Abe Hartell; I was Tempe's legal guardian for a while."
"Oh. I'm Dr. Camille Saroyan, I'm Dr. Brennan's boss and the local pathologist here. Are you sure we haven't met before? You look really familiar."
"Not that I recall. I've been living in Chicago for the past seventeen years and this is the first time I've left there since. Maybe we met there?"
"No, I haven't been to Chicago since I was a kid. Anyway, I want to talk to you and Angela about Limbo cases later, Dr. Brennan."
"Can it wait until tomorrow?"
"I'm afraid if we wait until then, we'll be wrapped up in a case."
"Tomorrow morning would probably be safe. Cases usually appear in the afternoon or evenings."
"Alright, I'll tell Angela. How long will you be staying, Mr. Hartell?"
"Call me Abe, and at least through the end of the week." It was only Monday.
"Okay, well you're welcome to come here. You've done a lot for Dr. Brennan, so it's the least we can do." Cam's phone began to ring. "Sorry, let me get this."
"It's fine. Why don't I take you to the dinner, Abe?" The doctor and Abe left to go to the Royal Dinner with that. Cam watched as her best doctor walked off with a man she was sure she had seen somewhere before; she just couldn't place where. She answered her phone, maybe it would come to her later.