Chapter 9

Friday night

He slept straight through until dinner, waking to find himself ravenous; he'd been so intent on seeing Bones, and then Parker, that he'd skipped lunch.

Towards the end of the meal, he brought up the subject that had been on his mind since that afternoon.

"Angela, what happened with Parker and Rebecca? I went to see them today, but they'd moved too. Do you know where?"

Angela and Jack shared a look that Booth couldn't interpret before Angela answered him. Carefully.

"We haven't heard from Rebecca since about three months after we got the news you weren't coming home," she said. "As far as I know, she moved somewhere out on the west coast.

Booth's spirits fell. He had been looking forward to seeing his son just as much as he had Bones, and now it looked like he wouldn't be able to do that without getting on a plane and flying across the country. And without a job, he didn't have the cash for a plane ticket.

Maybe he could track them down and call?

"She didn't leave a number or anything? A way to get in touch with them?"

Angela shook her head. "Not really. It seemed like they just picked up everything and left… like Rebecca couldn't stand to be in the area anymore."

Booth shook his head sadly. "She'd always wanted to go out West. Said the weather agreed with her more than here. We fought about it sometimes, and finally agreed that she'd stay until Parker turned 18, so he could decide where he wanted to live. I guess with me gone, she didn't have to wait anymore."

She reached out and gave his arm a sympathetic pat. "I'm sure he's okay, Booth… he's a good kid. And you'll see him soon. It will work out, I promise."

"I guess," he said, doubtful.

"Are you going back over to Bren's tomorrow? Do some more recon on our favorite anthropologist/ crazy mom?"

"Do I need to?" he asked honestly.

"I… it couldn't hurt," she said diplomatically. "A lot has happened in ten years."

Booth sighed deeply. "That's what I'm afraid of."