When Booth returned to his apartment, he found Brennan sitting on the sofa with Parker's head resting in her lap. He assumed she had bathed him, for the young boy was dressed in his favorite blue dinosaur pajamas and his blond curls were damp. She was reading from one of the books Dr. Lerner had given him earlier that day. She looked up at him and he met her gaze briefly before walking into the kitchen. He ran water over his hands, scrubbing the blood from them, and returned to the living room. Scooping Parker into his arms, Booth held him tightly against his chest. "Promise me you'll tell me if anyone hurts you ever again," he whispered.

"I promise, Daddy." Parker buried his head against his father's neck. Having Parker safe in his arms calmed Booth considerably, and he felt the murderous rage abate somewhat. Looking at Brennan, he reached out and squeezed her hand. "Thank you," he mouthed.

After a couple minutes, Parker stirred. "Can we read some more of the dinosaur book, Daddy?" he questioned. Booth looked down into the eyes so similar to his own and saw that the pain which had earlier plagued them had already disappeared. At four, Parker had an amazing resilience and could forget even the worst horrors within a few hours. Booth wished that he shared this trait.

"Of course, Bub." Aaron began to cry at that moment, and Brennan stood to tend to him, passing the book to Booth. Opening to the page she had marked, Booth began read. His deep, familiar voice soothed Parker who cuddled contentedly against her father's chest.

After putting Parker to bed, Booth joined Brennan on the couch. She had found a notepad and pen in the kitchen and was scribbling names onto a piece of paper. "What are you doing, Bones?"

"I'm writing down the names of all the good lawyers I know, starting with the ones who owe me a favor." Booth looked at her in amazement, thinking about how much he loved her. He looked forward and kissed her passionately, taking her by surprise. It did not take long, however, for her to wrap her arms around his neck and deepen the kiss. As their tongues dueled, Booth began to relax. The fire which had consumed him since he first saw the bruises changed from one of rage to one of desire. Gently, he started to lower her to the couch, but she pushed him away. "Let me take care of you for once, Seeley," she told him, lifting his shirt over his head. When she pushed at his shoulders, he obediently lay back on the couch, allowing her hands and mouth to work their magic.

Awhile later, they lay tangled together on the couch, sated and happy. "So Parker told you then?" Booth questioned as his hand glided over Brennan's naked back, sending chills down her spine.

"I just deduced what had happened. Drew, I'm guessing."

"The bastard," Booth whispered vehemently.

"I'm sorry, Booth."

"I'm sorry, too. I can't believe I didn't notice sooner!"

"It's not your fault, Booth." A year and a half with Booth had taught Brennan many lessons about comforting people. Although she would not have known how to respond to Booth's anguish a year before, she now had a better idea of what to do.

"That doesn't stop it from hurting." Booth was silent for a minute or two. "I'm going to file for full custody," he finally said.

"It's only logical. That's why I was looking for lawyers."

"You're always one step ahead of me, Bones."

"Not always. On occasion, you-"

"I was exaggerating, Bones." His hand moved a little bit lower, and he pulled her closer. "You know, they're going to drag us and our relationship through the muck," Booth said. "Custody battles always get ugly."

"I can handle it."

"Right. I forgot. You're superwoman."

"Who?"

"Don't worry about it, Bones. I just want to warn you."

"Booth, Parker is very important to you, so he's important to me, too. I love him. So we're going to do this regardless of what happens."

"I can't help but wonder what will happen if we lose."

"I understand your concerns. Statistically, the court is much more likely to rule in the mother's favor during a custody case."

"You're not helping, Bones."

"Sorry. But there's one thing about statistics, Booth. Very few are 100%. So they don't always hold true."

About thirty minutes after Booth and Brennan went to bed, the soft sound of footsteps woke Booth from his sleep. His hand instinctively reached for his gun as his muscles tensed. Before his hand closed on the cool metal, however, he saw the door open, revealing a figure less than four feet tall. Booth relaxed and turned to his son. "Parker, what are you doing out of bed?" he questioned.

"I had a nightmare." Parker was clutching his faded blue blanket, and his thumb was almost completely inside his mouth. Though he had stopped sucking his thumb habitually, Parker still reverted to this action when frightened.

"Do you want to sleep in here?" Booth asked. Parker nodded, and Booth pulled back the covers on his left side, expecting Parker to crawl into bed there. Instead, Parker crawled between Booth and Brennan, snuggling against Brennan's side. Booth smiled at the sight and pulled the blanket around the two people he loved most in the world. He wrapped an arm around both of them and fell quickly asleep.

At Booth's urging, Brennan went to church with him and Parker the following morning. After lunch, they all sat down to play a game of "racecars" in the living room. Basically, the game consisted of the three of them pushing small, plastic cars around the carpet. Brennan did not understand how the game could be so entertaining, but Parker seemed to enjoy it, so she played. Hearing a knock at the door, Booth stood, lifting Aaron from his lap and into his arms. He looked through the peephole and saw Rebecca standing there with her hands in her coat pockets. "Bones." Booth turned, and their eyes met. An understanding passed between them, and Brennan quickly rose to her feet and took Aaron from him. "Come on, Parker, let's go into your bedroom," she suggested.

"Why?"

"I think your bed would make a good track."

Parker thought for a minute. "Okay," he finally agreed. As soon as the door closed behind him, booth opened the front door.

"I want to see Parker," Rebecca said.

"Are you still dating Drew?"

"Of course."

"Then you can't see Parker."

"He's my son, too, Seeley."

"You made a choice. You chose Drew over him."

"That's ridiculous. Drew is not a bad man."

"Good men don't hurt children."

"Just let me see him."

"I'm filing for full custody. You should have the paperwork sometime this week. In the meantime, I would suggest looking for a good lawyer."

"Seeley, don't do this."

"I didn't do this. You did the minute you let that bastard into our son's life. Now, I would suggest leaving before I call security." Booth shut the door, locking it and sliding the chain into place. Closing his eyes, he leaned his head back against the door and took a deep breath. It was time to face the music. He needed to tell Parker that he would not be seeing his mother for awhile. But he could not think of what to say.

After a few seconds, Booth straightened and walked back to Parker's room. "Hey, Bub. Can we talk for a few minutes?"

"Sure, Daddy. Why?"

"Come here." Booth sat on the edge of the bed and patted his knees. Parker walked over and perched himself in his father's lap. "Mommy's not going to come pick you up today," Booth explained.

"Why?" Parker asked again. Booth sighed. Parker was at the stage in his life where that word was his response to everything.

"Your mom has some things she needs to work out. I think you'll be safer here with us for awhile."

"Is Drew still at our house?"

"That's one of the things your mom has to work out."

"I don't wanna see him again. He scares me."

"Don't worry, Bub. You won't ever see him again."

"What about Mommy? I wanna see her."

"You will, Bub. Just not right now. Wait until she works things out." Booth paused, picking the best words for his next question. "What do you think of staying with me all the time, Bub?"

"Would Dr. Bones be here, too?"

"Uh-huh. And Aaron. We were thinking of moving into that big house we looked at yesterday. Would you like that?"

"Yeah! I could have a big room and a playroom and a swingset." He stopped, thinking. "Does this mean I don't have to move far away?"

"Nope. You'll stay right here with us."

"Okay!" He frowned suddenly. "Will Mommy move far away?"

"I don't know what Mommy will do."

"But I'll see her still?"

"Sometime."

"And no Drew?"

"No Drew."

"Okay. Let's play cars!" Booth smiled and knelt beside him on the floor.

From cars, they progressed to basketball, a game Brenan only reluctantly joined after Booth threw the ball to her and refused to take it back. Drawing followed basketball, then a review of the bones of the body, a game of hide and seek, three puzzles, and building a tower from blocks. Brennan offered to cook that night, so Booth helped Parker pick up his toys as she prepared the food. Once they had eaten, Parker finally settled down somewhat, and Booth put in The Land Before Time III. Parker claimed Brennan's lap, so Booth took Aaron from her arms and settled beside her.

After both boys were in bed, Booth and Brennan sat down together on the couch. "I'm exhausted," Brennan said, rubbing her eyes.

Booth smiled. "Welcome to the wonderful world of raising a four-year-old."

"I don't know if I can do this all the time."

"Honestly, I don't either. But I know I will."

"You can't know that."

"Sure I can. I love Parker. And I have faith that love makes everything possible." Booth turned so their eyes met.

"I can't have that faith."

"I know that Bones. That's why we work well together."

"Oh. I meant to tell you. I finished that list of lawyers." Brennan leaned forward and pulled a sheet of paper from beneath the TV Guide on the table. "The numbers are all on the right. I can start calling some of them tomorrow during lunch."

"I love you, Bones," Booth said, scanning the list which contained more than twenty names.

"I love you, too, Booth," Brennan told him. Setting the list aside, he leaned forward and kissed her. The pressure of his lips forced her backward, and her back ended up pressed against the seat of the couch. He lifted her legs and placed them on the cushion of the couch between his own legs. Using his muscular arms to support himself, he positioned his body directly above hers, lowering himself so that their bodies touched slightly. Once of his hands moved to the collar of her blouse, easily unbuttoning it. She arched her back slightly to allow him to discard it and her bra, simultaneously pressing her body closer to his. She heard his breath catch in his throat at this unexpected increase in contact. He pulled away and looked at her, his lips still parted slightly.

"You're beautiful," he breathed. Brennan met his gaze with equal intensity, unable to respond to his matter-of-fact statement. Many of her previous lovers had said the exact same words, but they never said them in quite the same way as Booth did. He said the two words like Brennan would say the name of a bone—as if her beauty was an irrefutable fact. Brennan knew this was not true, but she certainly felt no desire to argue.

Booth's hands had soon removed her bra and shirt, and his hands and lips explored her upper body eagerly. When he reached the waistband of her pants, he quickly removed them, too. Sitting up, he moved his hands to her calves and feet, massaging them, his lips following leisurely. By the time his tickling fingers reached the upper part of her thigh, Brennan was clutching the fabric of the sofa tightly, trying to retain control. Booth was a master of slow build-ups; he could bring Brennan to the edge without ever removing her underwear. Although Brennan's impatience and desire to be in control likely would have taken over by this time in her previous relationships, she trusted Booth enough to allow him to continue at his own pace.

Booth's hand reached her underwear, and he could feel the heat of desire. He rubbed her clit lightly though her underwear, teasing her, and her hips involuntarily jerked upward. With a slow smile, Booth placed a kiss on her underwear before pulling it off. Standing, he stripped off all his clothing and returned to his previous position directly above Brennan. His hand caressed her face, pushing a few stray hairs out of her eyes which were tightly shut. "Look at me, Temperance," he instructed in a voice just above a whisper. Her eyelids slid open, and their eyes locked together as he slowly slid himself inside of her.

Brennan woke later than usual the next morning. She carefully rolled out from under Booth's arm, trying not wake him. As her weight shifted in the bed, he stirred, and his eyes opened slightly. "Bones, what are you doing up at," his sleep-ridden eyes found the clock beside the bed, "6:00 in the morning."

"I'm going for a run."

"A run?" Booth pushed himself up into a semi-sitting position. "Why?"

"Running is a great way to stay healthy. Your heart is like any other muscle; it needs to be used to stay strong. Also, it keeps your arteries from becoming clogged which will lower your blood pressure and reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke."

Booth groaned. "It's too early for squint speak."

"You can just go back to sleep, Booth."

"No, I'm up now. I'll come with you. I just don't understand why you can't run at night like a normal person."

"Running is a great way to wake up in the morning," Brennan explained. "It releases endorphins which-"

"Squint speak, Bones," Booth reminded her. He looked at the crib in the corner of the room. "What about the boys?"

"We put Aaron's stroller in your car when we stopped at my apartment after church yesterday," Brennan reminded him. "I assume you also have a stroller for Parker."

"Yeah. I hope it's still big enough." Booth stood and stretched. He opened a drawer and dug through it for a moment before pulling out a faded gray t-shirt. He pulled this on over the black sweatpants he already wore. After also adding a green sweatshirt, he left to wake Parker. As Booth expected, Parker complained about the early hour but still allowed his father to dress him in warm clothing and carry him into the living room where Brennan already waited with Aaron.

They jogged to a nearby park. Because of the early hour, they passed no one else on the sidewalks, and only the occasional car drove past. Parker insisted on running by himself for the first fifteen minutes, so their pace was no faster than a brisk walk. After a short time, Parker began to complain that his legs were growing tired, so Booth pushed him in the stroller for the remainder of the trip. When they returned to the apartment, Booth was drenched with perspiration despite the chilly weather. He considered himself to be in excellent shape, but he still had found it difficult to keep up with Brennan at times.

By the time they had all showered, dressed, and eaten breakfast, it was just after 7:30. Brennan had found a daycare center near the Jeffersonian for Aaron, and Booth had decided to move Parker there from his old preschool, hoping to avoid Rebecca. Parker had pouted a bit about having to leave his friends but had still accepted the change better than Booth had anticipated. After filling out the required paperwork at the daycare center, Booth pulled Parker's teacher aside. "I just wanted to make sure that you know not to release him to anyone except for Dr. Brennan or I," he said.

"Of course, Agent Booth. We have very strict regulations on who is allowed to pick up the children."

"Yes, but you can't release him to anyone else. Not even his mother. If she shows up, call me or Dr. Brennan."

The woman appeared slightly puzzled but said only, "Yes, Agent Booth."

"Good. Thank you. I'll see you this afternoon."

Booth actually arrived at the Hoover Building earlier than usual, and he decided to use the extra time to speak to Cullen about his and Brennan's evolving relationship, a conversation he had been avoiding. When he reached Cullen's office, he raised a fist to knock and stopped. Once he told Cullen, he had no idea what would happen. Cullen could split them up; in fact, he probably would. Booth did not know if he could continue working without Brennan. Nothing would be the same.

Of course, Booth could stand outside his boss's office and continue to speculate all day. He would not know anything for sure until he actually told Cullen. Steeling himself, Booth rapped his knuckles on the door. A gruff voice from inside told him to come in. Booth pushed the door open, and Cullen looked up from an open file folder on his desk. "Agent Booth. What can I do for you?"

"There's something I need to tell you, sir."

"No good conversation started with those words."

"You see sir, Dr. Brennan and I, well. . . we've decided to pursue a relationship." Booth stared straight ahead, refusing to meet Cullen's eyes. He was waiting for the wave of fury he knew he had released.

"I expected this would happen eventually," Cullen said in a voice considerably calmer than Booth had expected.

"So it's okay then?" Booth asked, hardly daring to hope.

"It most certainly isn't. I should split you two up."

"You can't, sir."

Cullen's eyes narrowed. "I am your superior, Agent Booth. I can do whatever the hell I want."

"Sorry. It's just. . . I don't want to work anywhere else. I don't think I could. And Bones. . . well, she gets used to her routine. She's not very receptive to change."

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't assign a different agent to the Jeffersonian," Cullen said.

"Because Bones and I work well together. We have one of the highest success rates at the Bureau."

"The success rate might be just as high if I assigned another agent to work with Dr. Brennan."

"Sir, please."

"I'll consider it, Agent Booth. On two conditions."

"Anything."

"One, you remain strict professionals at work. What you do on your own time is none of my concern, but if I suspect that your personal life is intruding on your work at all, you will be doing nothing but desk work for a long time."

"Of course, sir."

"And two, you'll both have to see a psychiatrist to insure that this will not affect your work."

"A psychiatrist? Sir, I don't know."

"That's my offer, Agent Booth. Take it or leave it."

"I'll take it."

"Good. An FBI psychiatrist should be in touch."

Because Booth had a good deal of paperwork to finish, he called Brennan to tell her he would meet her for lunch. While he had her on the phone, he also informed her of Cullen's ultimatum. She protested the psychiatrist for a bit but eventually relented when Booth reminded her of their other option. "Try to schedule the appointment during lunch," she told him. "I have a lot to catch up on."

"I'll see what I can do, Bones."

Brennan always kept a few protein bars and some fruit in her office, so she grabbed an apple and a Cliff bar from lunch. As she started calling the lawyers on her list, Angela walked in halfway through the second call and waited in the doorway until Brennan replaced the phone in its cradle. "Who was that?" Angela questioned.

"Just a lawyer I know."

"A lawyer? For what?"

"Booth's going to try to get fully custody of Parker."

"What?"

Brennan sighed, massaging her temple. It had been a long weekend, and she had a feeling her life was merely going to become more stressful in the coming months. "Rebecca's new boyfriend was abusing him. Booth found out so he won't let her see Parker anymore."

"She won't break up with him?"

"No. I don't understand it. Her maternal instinct should force her to do whatever is necessary to protect her child. But she didn't."

"Sounds like you two had a busy weekend."

"We did. I didn't even have a chance to finish the next chapter of my book."

"How did house hunting turn out?"

"We found one that we both like. And Parker likes it, too."

"I'm excited for you, Sweetie."

"I can't help but wonder what will happen if Booth leaves."

"Bren, that man is so in love with you, you'd have to be blind not to see it. Trust me, he isn't going anywhere."

"But-" Before Brennan could finish, the door opened and Zach's head appeared.

"Dr. Brennan, I have a couple questions on that Crusader," he said.

"Okay, Zach, I'll be right there." Brennan took a final bite of her apple and tossed the core in the trash. She stood and slipped her arms into her lab coat, turning to the door.

"We'll talk later, Bren," Angela promised.