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"Tempe?" Max prompted. He cocked his head at his daughter's facial expression. It was difficult to read. The boy holding her hand was now trying to hide behind her legs.

"What are you doing here?" Brennan asked instead. Her mind was spinning. She wasn't ready for anyone to know about Louis yet. She didn't want all the questions and all the teasing about how she wasn't mother material. She had wanted Louis to be hers for just a little while longer from her friends and her dad, but now it was blown wide open.

"Answer mine first," Max said back. He wasn't going to let her change the subject.

"Um..." Brennan paused. She felt Louis hiding behind her. She wondered what he was thinking.

"You know I can see the boy, right?" Max asked, trying to bring some humor into the situation. He took a step closer to them.

"Yes, Dad, I'm well aware that you aren't blind and that the child hiding behind me isn't invisible," Brennan said crossly.

"I'm Louis," Louis finally piped up. He didn't know why adults took so long to get to these things. He peeked around her one leg to look at Max properly.

"Nice to meet you, Louis," Max said, kneeling down so they could see eye to eye. "I'm Max." He held out his hand, hoping Louis would come out of hiding.

"Hi, Max," Louis said shyly. He let go of Brennan's hand and cautiously went over to where Max was kneeling. He hesitated before reaching out and shaking Max's hand.

"Nice strong grip you got there," Max complimented, smiling. Louis giggled.

"Now you need to answer my question," Brennan said.

"I'm here to visit my lovely daughter because I haven't see her in a while," Max answered without looking at her. He was examining Louis. The boy appeared to be European.

"You could have called," Brennan said curtly. She moved around them and put down her purse with a loud thump on the counter.

"That spoils the fun of the surprise," Max commented. Louis ran to the living room and jumped onto the couch, grabbing one of his Hot Wheels cars and driving it over the cushions. Brennan watched with a smile on her face.

"So, who is he?" Max asked, bringing her focus back to him.

"He's Louis," Brennan answered. "Is your hearing declining? Perhaps you should have a test done..."

"My hearing is just fine," Max cut her off, waving his hand. "I mean, where did he come from? Or did I miss a time warp where you had a son and now he's what, five years old?"

"Six," Brennan corrected.

"Six then," Max went on. "So? Did I?"

"Did you what?"

"Miss six years?!"

"No, Dad," Brennan laughed finally. "I found him on Maluku Islands and brought him home."

"Do his parents know?"

"Dad!"

"Sorry. It's just strange to bring a child home with you after a trip without his parents," Max finished.

"His parents were murdered," Brennan said quietly. "He had no family left, and I couldn't bear to leave him behind alone and frightened." Like you did to me, she thought.

"You're the kindest woman in the world," Max told her, smiling. "That makes me very proud."

"Thank you," Brennan nodded.

"So, you adopted him?" Max asked, confirming.

"I did."

"So...I have a grandson then?" Max beamed.

"I...yes, I suppose that's correct," Brennan agreed. Louis approached them then.

"Is Max staying here too?" he asked.

"No, he's just visiting," Brennan answered.

"I'm Temperance's father," Max explained.

"Really?!" Louis exclaimed. He never had a grandpa, not one he remembered anyway. He was hesitant to call Max his Grandpa since he wasn't ready to call Temperance his Mama yet. He didn't want to hurt her feelings. He believed he would be ready soon, just not yet.

"Yea! Come, tell me about yourself," Max said, taking Louis' hand and walking with him back to the couch. Brennan watched their interaction, and she felt her heart swell with love at the scene. Maybe her fears of people teasing her were unfounded. There was only one way to find out.

"So what did you think?" Booth asked.

"Hm?" Hannah said, looking up from unpacking her bags.

"Of the team," he prompted. Hannah had briefly interacted with them the day before, but tonight they spent more time together.

"Oh! They were lovely!" Hannah gushed. "I think we'll be great friends." She beamed at Booth then. He smiled back. She had just moved in with him, and the team had left about ten minutes ago. The only person he was missing was Brennan. He couldn't figure out her need for space. She basically told him to move on, so he did. She couldn't be mad about that, right? His mind was whirling. Was she upset about it? Should he have waited to see if she had changed her mind after being on that island for seven months? Had he jumped the gun? He pictured her face when he told her about Hannah. Had there been hurt there? Disappointment?

"Seeley?"

"Huh?"

"Do you like your gift?" Hannah asked again. Booth looked down at the old timey phone on the table.

"Yea! It's great," he smiled.

"I can't take all the credit. Angela told me that Brennan told her you always wanted one," Hannah said, wincing a little. "Is that okay that I asked?"

"It's fine," he laughed. She beamed at him.

"So when do I get to meet the famous Dr. Brennan?" Hannah questioned. Booth froze.

"Well...when she talks to me again," he answered carefully.

"She still hasn't contacted you?" she asked, surprised.

"Not really," Booth shook his head. He didn't add that he had gone to her apartment and gotten a door slammed into his face. He wasn't sure why he wasn't telling her that.

"I'm sure she will when she feels better," Hannah reassured him. Booth certainly hoped so. He stood there looking at Hannah wondering if she was the reason Brennan was avoiding him altogether.

"I like Max," Louis said as Brennan tucked him in for the night. Max had left an hour before, but Louis couldn't stop talking about him.

"That's good," Brennan smiled. "I'm glad."

"I mean I really, REALLY like him," Louis went on. "He's so funny! And he made a quarter come from behind my ear!" Louis showed her again. Brennan chuckled.

"Get some sleep, Louis," she said. "You had a big day today."

"I'm not tired," Louis said as he yawned hugely.

"Right," Brennan smiled. She knew he was exhausted. She started humming a song to him, and he started to get drowsy. Eventually, he fell asleep. Brennan sat there watching him breathe in and out, wondering how she was going to ask him about the truth of how his leg got broken.

He had gotten himself a hotel room in Las Vegas. He didn't know where to start looking, but this big city seemed like a good place to start since he heard a lot about people getting lucky here. He would search this entire country for them, and he would find them. That he was certain of.

Three Days Later

"School tomorrow, school tomorrow!" Louis sang as he hopped up and down. Brennan laughed at his enthusiasm. A piece of her felt worried that he would get picked on for his limp. She still hadn't asked him about it, and she wished she could just do it and get it over with. She wasn't sure what was holding her back.

"I'm glad you're so excited about it," Brennan smiled. He grinned at her. Then he went back to drawing. Her buzzer went off then, and Brennan felt her heart jump. This was it. Louis watched as she went to answer the door.

"Hi, Ange," Brennan said, moving aside to let her in. She had decided Angela should be the next one to know about Louis, so she invited her over so they could meet.

"So what's the big surpri-oh, hello," Angela said, stopping short when she saw Louis. She looked at Brennan, confused.

"This is Louis," Brennan said, gesturing. She smiled at Angela.

"Wait, I'm confused," Angela responded. Louis smiled and waved at her. She waved back slowly.

"I adopted him. From the Maluku Islands," Brennan explained.

"Oh. Oh!" Angela exclaimed. "Oh wow! Sweetie! Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"

"I wanted to get to know him a little first," Brennan admitted.

"Hi!" Angela said, going over to Louis. "I'm Angela."

"That's a pretty name," Louis said. It melted Angela's heart a little.

"Are you drawing?" Angela asked.

"Yup! It's my favorite," Louis answered. He showed her the picture.

"Wow! You're really good!" Angela praised. "I'm an artist too." Louis looked at her quickly then.

"You are?!" he asked, excited.

"I am! Would you like to see my work sometime?"

"Yes! Can I?" Louis asked Brennan.

"Of course," Brennan laughed. She loved that Angela had immediately found a connection with Louis. She felt so happy for bringing her over. Angela spent the next couple of hours interacting with Louis and showing him different techniques for drawing. Louis picked it up very quickly, and Angela was very impressed.

"He's amazing, sweetie," Angela said to Brennan. They sat at the counter and watched Louis color. "Are you coming back to work soon? Booth is freaking out."

"Yes, tomorrow," Brennan answered. "Why is he freaking out?"

"Because you haven't been there for a while," Angela laughed. "It's comical actually."

"How are things with Hannah and him?" Brennan interrupted.

"Oh, good I guess. She moved in with him. She asked me what to get him as a gift, and I told her about the old phone. I'm sorry," Angela said apologetically.

"It's okay. Booth does love old phones. I'm glad she makes him happy," Brennan said. Inside she felt a little bitter. Trust Hannah to worm her way into her friends' circles and get info about Booth.

"I'm not a huge fan of her," Angela confessed. "I think he's being an idiot for thinking he can move on from you."

"If he's happy, then I'm happy," Brennan told her. Angela scrutinized her a little.

"Somehow I think you're lying," Angela said.

"I'm not," Brennan replied quickly. "So, I'll see you tomorrow?" She was eager for Angela to leave before any more interrogation went on.

"Yes! I'll see you then," Angela smiled. She got the hint. She left without another word.

"I love her," Louis said. "Is she your friend?"

"My best friend," Brennan told him.

"I wish I had a best friend," Louis said wistfully.

"Well, maybe you will at school," Brennan pointed out. His face brightened.

"Yes! Maybe," he said. Brennan really hoped he would make a friend. It would break her heart if nobody could see what a wonderful person Louis was. She breathed out long and slow. It made her anxious to see Booth again tomorrow. She had no idea what she was even going to say to him.

Will Brennan be able to ask Louis about his leg? And who is that mystery man? You'll have to keep reading to find out ;)