Max's point of view about the gambling storyline set just after The Woman in the Whirlpool. FYI, I absolute adore Booth and this is not what I think of him AT ALL, I just think Max would be extremely overprotective of Brennan and I was interested in exploring that. :)

As his car pulls to a stop outside his daughter's and her son of a bitch husband's house, he feels his ire grow. This is where the bastard lived, lying to Tempe through his teeth while gambling all her hard earned money away. "Wait until I get my hands on you Booth…"

He opens his door, gets out and slams it firmly behind him. A warning to Booth. Don't cross an angry Max Keenan. It will not end well. Marching determinedly towards their front door, he stops dead as it's thrown open and a tiny brown haired girl darts from the premises. All his frustrations towards Booth fade away as he catches his granddaughter in his arms and lifts her so she's positioned comfortably on his hip.

"Hey there, beautiful," he says to Christine, dropping a kiss to the top of her head. "How are you?"

"I miss daddy," she pouts. He thinks he sees the beginning of tears forming so he cuddles her close.

Forcing aside his own opinions of Booth, he can accept how difficult it must be for the little girl to be separated from her father. Again. It's not fair. Why couldn't his daughter have married a guy who wasn't a former gambling addict working for the FBI? Life would have been so much easier.

"Christine? Where are you, sweetheart?"

He glances up at Brennan's panicked calling and sees the heavily pregnant body that accompanies the voice appear in the doorway moments later. He lowers Christine to the ground so she can run to her mommy.

"Christine, what did I tell you about opening the door without mommy or daddy?"

"To not do it?"

"That's correct. There could be a nasty person on the other side." Her eyes meet his and he knows she's remembering the threats directed towards her by Booth's bookie – whose name she still will not disclose to him for fear Max would kill the guy. "Do you understand?"

Christine nods and Brennan smiles softly, stroking her fingers through her daughter's hair as Max approaches the two of them.

"Hi, Tempe," he greets, kissing the apple of her cheek. "Nice piece of parenting there. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, dad. Come on in." She places one hand on Christine's back as she guides the four year old back inside the house. Max follows closely behind, shutting the door behind him. "Want a drink?"

"Yeah, coffee, but I'll make it; you're pregnant."

"I'm not sick, dad," she points out, rolling her eyes at his display of overprotectiveness. Even so, she walks over to the couch and sinks into it, watching as he prepares a coffee for him and an herbal tea for her. When both cups are filled, he brings them over to the lounge area and sets the mugs down on the coffee table. "Thank you," Brennan murmurs gratefully.

"You're welcome, sweetheart. It's the least I could do when you've got nobody else here to help you out."

She cocks her head to one side, a disapproving expression on her face due to his not-so-subtle dig at Booth.

He shrugs. "It's not my fault that he's ignoring his responsibilities as a husband and father because he likes making a couple of bets on ponies."

"I was the one to kick him out and you know it," Brennan admonishes.

"Yeah and whose fault was that?" He argues. "Booth's."

"Dad, please," her eyes zoom in on Christine as she plays with her stuffed animals in front of them, "Christine can hear you."

"It wouldn't be a bad thing for her to know her father a-b-a-n-d-o-n-e-d her because he's a g-a-m-b-l-e-r," Max spells out, deflecting Brennan's attempts to defend his son-in-law. In his opinion, there is nothing Booth could have done to betray Brennan more and that upsets him greatly. He'd trusted Booth. He'd trusted the man loved Brennan, that he'd always be there for her when Max couldn't be and now look… Winning a few dollars clearly takes priority over Max's daughter and grandbabies.

"He's an addict, dad, and he's working on it. You should get off your tall steed, you're not so perfect yourself," she hisses so Christine can't hear.

"Do you mean high horse?"

She glares at him until he raises his hands in defeat.

"OK, OK, I'll lay off Booth. But if he hurts you again I swear to God-."

Her glare morphs into a smile as she feels a tiny foot kick her and her hand touches her bump. "He's kicking," she laughs delightedly, loving when she feels her baby move.

"Are they?" Max's own hands come to rest above Brennan's, a grin forming as he, too, feels the sharp kick. He backtracks, his eyes going as wide as saucers. "Did you just say he? It's a boy?"

She briefly shuts her eyes and he knows she's cursing her accidental reveal. The couple had wanted to keep the gender to themselves this time so it would be a total surprise for their friends and family. Only Booth, Brennan and their doctor knew, however that's all out of the window now. A quick glance at Christine confirms she's too focused on her bunnies' tea party to pay attention to the adult conversation. Thank God. Booth would have been pissed if Christine found out without him there. Even though Max doesn't really care what Booth wants anymore.

"Yes, it's a boy," she says in hushed tones, albeit reluctantly. "We're having a baby boy."

Gleefully, he embraces his daughter. "Wow… a grandson. How about that, huh, Tempe? One of each. And that' sit, right?" He raises an eyebrow.

"Booth and I haven't discussed it yet but we're very sexually active… I mean we were before all of this happened… it wouldn't be surprising if we conceived again. We're both extremely fertile."

Max winces at his daughter's candour and tendency to overshare, particularly when it comes to her sex life. He certainly didn't raise a shy child, that's for sure.

Just then the doorbell rings and Brennan eases herself up from the couch. "That will be Booth. Behave," she warns.

"Who me?"

"Yes, you." She shoots him one final warning glare before opening the front door, Christine bouncing excitedly beside her. At least one person here is happy to see Booth, Max thinks as he crosses his arms across his chest, doing his best to look as displeased as possible about Booth's arrival. So far, however, his son-in-law is ignoring him as he showers his precious four year old with kisses. He's also highly disappointed that Brennan doesn't look angrier with him as she watches the father-daughter display with an adoring smile. He lied directly to her face. Multiple times. Because of his idiocy, a stranger came to her house and threatened her and her children. So why doesn't she look more pissed off? He decides he'll have to school her later, after Booth finally disappears.

Max continues to observe the small family, his frustration growing exponentially as the FBI agent has the audacity to lean down and kiss Tempe after everything he's put her through, eight months pregnant and all. His thoughts drift to ways he could possibly exert pain upon Booth; kicking him in the private parts quickly rises to the top of his list, as does punching that stupid gambling face of his. He remembers how sweet it had felt in the past and relishes in the prospect of breaking Booth's jaw with his fist. He's so concentrated on the ways in which he can poison Booth, silently wondering if he has any allergies, the man himself appears in front of him.

"Speak of the devil," Max snarls. "Literally. You are the spawn of the devil in my eyes right now, Seeley Booth."

"Dad!" Brennan chastises, covering Christine's ears with her hands.

"Bones, maybe you and my little monkey should go play in her room for a bit while Max and I have a chat."

"Good idea." She takes Christine's hand and lets her lead Brenan towards the four year old's princess themed bedroom.

Once they've left, Max starts on the offensive. "How much money did ya lose today, traitor?"

"Max, please. I know you hate me bu-."

"You're right, I do hate you."

Booth sighs and his interruption and sinks onto the couch next to Max, who, rather childishly, shifts himself as far away as possible from his son-in-law. "I didn't intend to hurt them, Max."

"But you did anyway, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did." Booth drops his head into his hands and Max feels a stab of guilt. But only a small amount. Booth did still hurt his girl when he promised Max at their wedding that he wouldn't. Max isn't sure he can forgive such betrayal.

"Why?"

"Why?" The man's head pops up and his eyes connect with Max's. "Because I've had a rough year. I was attacked in my own home, nearly died, got sent to prison, nearly died there, too, got separated from my wife and children for three months for a crime I was innocent of, watched my best friend die in my arms when it should have been me, lost my grandfather, the man who basically saved my life when I was a kid. Oh, and I come from a family of addicts who all suffered from some form of military PTSD, so I'm screwed genetically anyway. Need I go on?"

Max diverts his gaze, feeling more than a little guilty now. "I told you at your wedding-."

"That if I hurt Bones, you'll kill me." Booth swallows. "I remember."

"You've hurt my daughter beyond what I ever thought you were capable of," Max says. "I thought you loved her."

"I do! I love her more than anyone else."

"How am I supposed to believe that now? How can I ever trust anything you say again? How can Tempe?" He questions, his temper flaring.

"My marriage is between me and my wife," Booth argues, his tone equally annoyed. "Back the hell off."

"And you don't think it's my right to protect my daughter against somebody who constantly lies to her? Wouldn't you want to do that for Christine?"

"Yes, I would. But the difference is I don't constantly lie to Bones."

"But you have, Booth. Can't you see it? Can't you see how upset both Tempe and Christine are? Or has staring at those poker chips for too long fried your brain?"

"I know how upset my family are," he almost shouts, beyond frustrated. Max can't tell whether his son-in-law is mad at him or at himself. He thinks it's probably a mixture of both. "You don't think it kills me inside when Christine tells me she misses me? You don't think I can't see Bones fighting her tears whenever we talk? You don't think I hate myself with every fibre of my being that I don't get to wake up next to my wife or feel my baby kick when everybody else gets to?"

Max stays silent as he watches Booth recover from his rant, breathless and with tears welling in his eyes.

He looks directly at Max. "I know you can't forgive me and I understand that and respect the hell out of how much you care for Bones. I really do. However, I need you to understand how hard I'm working here to fight this relapse. Because that's just what this is, a relapse. It's common among addicts and yes, some people let the minor setbacks beat them, but not me. My family means everything to me, Max, and I've been separated from them long enough. Over my dead body will I lose Bones. I love her more than anything or anyone. She's the reason I could get out of bed every morning, even during the days when I was so struck with grief all I wanted to do was lie there and cry. I wouldn't be alive right now and I wouldn't have two of my perfect children if it wasn't for her. I'm going to double the amount of meetings strictly necessary. I'm standing up, sharing. I'm getting better, Max, you have to know that."

A little choked up at Booth's confession, all Max can manage to say is: "wow, you really do love her, huh?"

"Yes," Booth replies emotionally. "I really do. And I miss her so much. I know I royally screwed up and she was absolutely right to kick me out because I think it gave me the encouragement I needed, but still. I miss her so damn much."

A tender smile forms on Max's face. This man really does love his daughter and he only lied to protect her. Max has been guilty of doing a similar thing in the past, but Max abandoned her, something he knows Booth would never and could never do. "I'm sorry, son. For doubting how much you care for your family. You clearly adore them. I'm just so protective of Tempe, I saw red. I'm so sorry."

"It's OK, Max," Booth says, patting him on the shoulder. "Fathers are supposed to be protective of their daughters. I know I don't deserve her – especially not after what I've put her through – but your forgiveness means the world."

"You're very lucky to have her, Seeley Booth. How'd you pull that one off?"

Booth chuckles. "Honestly? I have no idea."

Max grins in return. "She misses you too, ya know. It's just difficult for her to trust people – which I know is down to me – and she's struggling with the concept that the only person she had complete faith in betrayed her. I know my daughter and I know she'll come around. In fact, I promise she will. I've never seen her happier than when she's with you and the kids."

"You think?"

"I know, son. Now, come on, put the game on, would you?"

Booth smiles and switches on the TV, settling back and watching the football with his father-in-law. Their relationship isn't perfect, but they're recovering. It will take a while but, Max thinks, soon enough they'll be back to how they used to be.

He determines to give Booth a bit more slack in the future. After all, everybody can see that he and Brennan belong together.

If you have time, please leave a review, I'd really appreciate it. :)