Chapter 3: Behind Her Back

In his desperation and want to help his Bones he did something that she would certainly not forgive him for. If she ever found out! She would be royally pissed at him, he knew it but it was also his last chance to find out what was going on with her as she neither shared her concerns with Angela nor him. And she wasn't fine, on that they had all agreed. She wasn't fine at all!

His mind occupied with thoughts about the consequences this would have, he parked his car in front of the FBI headquarter and entered the big building which wasn't only his work place but also the current resident of a man named Max Keenan. That criminal who was also the father of his partner was his last chance to find out what was going on and why a simple thing as a family tradition had such an impact on her when she was really the strongest person he had ever met.

He didn't file a report on why he was visiting Max Keenan, he didn't want anyone to find out and it wasn't an official interrogation anyways. He knew that if he filed a report it wouldn't take long until his partner would find out. He talked to a few people and had soon gained their word that they would not say a word to anyone. It was good to be a respected agent and there were also a few people that owed him, so he had 30 minutes.

30 minutes to find out what was bothering his Bones!

At the FBI headquarter Booth stared through the glass and observed the interior of the interrogation room where Max Keenan already waited for him. He didn't know why he was brought here from his cell and Booth tried to find a way to explain to him what bothered him and why he really needed answers from the elder man. He needed to know what to say before he entered that room. It wouldn't be easy even though he knew that Max Keenan was a good father and that he cared for his daughter, the woman he was so worried about. Maybe that was just the reason why he wouldn't tell him a thing. But it was worth a try, he had to do it. With a small sigh on his lips and still no clue how to approach the subject he entered the room:

"Hey Max!"

he said the worry was clearly showing on his face and was evident in his voice.

"Special Agent Booth!"

he offered halting.

"First, this isn't an official visit, it's rather personal…"

he grew silent and watched his hands, listening to the uneasy moving of the man cuffed to a chair that was standing in front of a small table.

To Max Keenan it was obvious that this visit had something to do with his daughter and fear settled over his heart.

"Is she alright, what happened?"

he asked his voice mirroring the worry he had heard in the agent's voice.

"She's okay I guess, it's just, she's not herself lately, she takes vacations, she broods and cries without a real reason or at least she tells no one what the reason is. If asked she says it's nothing and that she's fine but it's obvious that something's bothering her. Angela and I think it might have something to do with that silver ring you have given her. She's breaking and we really need your help to help her."

At a loss. Helpless. Needy. He sighed, not sure if this had been the best idea. He looked at the man who was in his late sixties, observed his features for any reaction and there had been one. Sadness, it was clearly sadness that was now visible on the old man's face and guilt.

"Agent Booth I appreciate you worrying for my daughter. There sure is a reason for her behaving like she does and I do think it might be connected to the ring I have given her but I don't think I'm the one who can tell you the whole story. She wouldn't want me to besides she doesn't know that I know. And it's not my fault that this ring saddens her, I am not the reason for her sadness, or at least I am not directly responsible for it. I could have prevented it, I should have…"

Max Keenan was talking in riddles and that answer really didn't help Booth at all. Frustrated he starred at the man:

"You show up, you give her that ring and she's falling apart and you can't tell me why. That's just great! You know she had been just fine when you haven't been in her life maybe you should have left her alone! You fucked up… again!"

He accused him, he spat the words out angrier than he intended to sound. It seemed to work as the guilt in Max's eyes intensified.

"This isn't a good idea, if she knew that I am talking to you about her past, she'd be royally pissed! But you're right. I fucked up, more than just once. You know I didn't want to leave my kids but my wife, she said it would be for the best. She said they would be safer without us, we really thought what we did was best for them. We checked on them regularly. Russ was doing just fine but Joy, Temperance, my little baby wasn't that lucky. She had quit talking to her brother and he hadn't been able to get through to her, no one could. At some point we even thought about kidnapping her and take her back but at that time it had been almost impossible, it would have endangered all of us and then we heard that a family would take her in. We thought that everything was going to be okay after hearing that. I mean it's supposed to be good news when a kid in her age gets adopted. But I've never been so wrong in my life and I won't ever forgive myself that we haven't checked on her earlier, that I didn't have prevented the adoption, that I didn't save her from that bastard!"

he paused looking Booth directly in his eyes. He probably had said to much already, but he didn't think it was such a bad idea. His little girl sure was lucky to have a friend like him. And he was sure that the man in front of him would do anything possible to improve his little girl's mood.

"I can't tell you more than that, try to get her talking, that is the only thing that could help her, be there for her, don't push her too hard…"

he almost whispered the words, too ashamed to speak out loud what had really happened to his little girl and that sent a shiver down Booth's spine. What had happened to Temperance when she had been adopted? She had told him that she didn't like the system, that she didn't trust it and she took every case that had something to do with kids in the foster system very personally. He had even been tempted to find out through his FBI sources but thought that she would eventually come to him and talk about it. He didn't want to poke through her past without her knowing or appreciating. He didn't know if he could do it now. Even though he now knew that her past in the foster system was probably the reason for her current behavior.

For a moment he just sat there, starring at his partner's father. How could he have let that happen? That being whatever this family had done to Temperance who at the time had been a sad and troubled teenager. As he was daily confronted with death and criminals lots of horror scenarios run through his mind and he felt sick. What had this family done to her? Without any other word he got up:

"Thank you for sharing this and please don't mention to her that I've been here. As you said, she'd probably kill us both if she knew!"

With the intention to leave him alone with his guilt he walked over to the door. Max Keenan starred at his back and only started to talk when he had almost left the room.

"You will take care of her, won't you?"

he asked pleading him with his eyes. Booth stopped in his tracks and only slowly turned around to face him once again:

"I promise!"

With that he left and went into his office, debating with himself whether he should check the file he had on his partner. He opened a drawer and extracted a brown envelope with her name written on it. Her father had said it had something to do with the first family she'd been to. It would be easy for him now to find out what was bothering her, but did he want to? If he knew he still wouldn't be able to help her unless he would admit that he had done some digging. She wouldn't be happy and maybe it would make things worse.

Sometimes one was better off not knowing. Or not?

Frustrated he put the envelope back into the drawer, cursing his friend:

"Damn it Bones, why can't you just trust me!"

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Yeah, Tempe, why don't you trust him? Sorry, this chapter again is rather short compared to the first one, sigh... Hope you like it nevertheless!