AN: Okay, so I know you're all waiting for the big blow out, and we're gonna get it here. However, it's not quite what you think, but I hope you enjoy it either way. This chapter is a little different, but it moves us along to where we need to get going.
Brennan and Booth held each other's gazes, neither one wanting to give headway to the other. Gavin looked from one to the other as the stare down continued. He could literally feel the tension building between the two.
"We need to talk."
"No. You need to turn around and go back to DC."
"Bones, We. Need. To. Talk. Now."
Booth, just go back to DC. You can move on with your life, but I need time before I can.
"Outside. We need privacy for this." Booth pointed toward the back of the house as he stepped closer to her.
"No. You made it clear earlier that you want nothing to do with me."
"If you're going to behave like a child, then I sure as hell will treat you like one." With that, he approached her quickly and grabbed her arm.
"Booth, leave me alone!" Temperance tried to tug her arm away, but instead found herself being hauled to her feet. Gavin stood and glared at Booth, folding his arms across his chest in an effort to intimidate Booth.
"I'd listen to the lady if I were you." Booth looked at Gavin with one eyebrow raised. Max and Russ looked at the trio, not sure if they needed to jump in or not.
"Listen junior," Booth began, his grip never lessening on the mutinous looking Brennan, "You need to just stay out of this, got that?" Gavin again moved toward Booth. Brennan sighed as she again tried to tug away from Booth.
"Gavin, please sit down. I can take care of myself." Finally she tugged her arm from his grasp and headed to the backyard. Booth followed her, a grim expression on his face while Gavin stood there unsure whether or not to let them go. As the pair went outside, Gavin could feel the whoosh of cold air move through the house before the slam of the door cut it off.
"Let it go. This discussion of theirs is a long time coming." Just as Max finished saying it, from outside the household could hear Brennan yell, 'rat bastard' at Booth. Max glanced over at Amy. "Could you help me with the garlic bread and salad dear?"
"Certainly." She wandered over to the kitchen to help out her future father-in-law.
"I can't believe you people! He has a gun on him." Russ looked over at Gavin with a smirk.
"So do you, but we obviously aren't concerned about you either."
"Temperance is a big girl and can take care of herself." Max glanced out the window and shook his head. Booth had turned from Temperance to head back to the house. Brennan grabbed his arm, turning him to face her.
"Don't you walk away from me." Whatever Booth's response, it was too low to hear.
"You don't think he could hurt her? He seems like a pretty vengeful ex-husband to me." Both Max and Russ snorted in amusement.
"Ex-husband?" Max just shook his head as Gavin stared at the pair.
"You mean they're still married?" Max looked at Gavin as Russ pinched the bridge of his nose. Obviously the guy didn't know Temperance that well.
"Russ, could you let them know that dinner is ready?" Max pulled garlic bread from the oven as Amy put the salad on the table. Russ went to the back door and opened it. He paused at the sight before him, his mouth agape. Booth had Brennan over his knee, his hand poised in the air to smack her backside.
"I've had enough of your childish behavior!" With that, his hand lowered and he spanked her with a resounding slapping noise. Brennan let out an outraged yell before struggling against the agent. His hand came down again as Russ closed the door and turned to his father.
"You might want to set aside some for them, they're going to be a while."
"Gavin, will you be joining us for dinner, or are you heading home?" Max looked over at his daughter's love interest as he set lasagna on the table.
"I really think someone should stop that fight." He looked out the window as Brennan stood a slight distance from Booth, rubbing her bottom and saying something to him while she pointed at his clothes. Booth ripped off his tie, throwing it to the ground, swiftly followed by his jacket and dress shirt.
"If you don't like the way I dress then maybe you shouldn't have left!" He flung the shirt and jacket at her before going for his belt, undoing the plain buckle.
"I've already told you, this confrontation is long overdue. Leave them alone or you'll be in a world of hurt."
"That Booth guy doesn't scare me."
"He wasn't talking about Booth," Russ commented as he sat down with his girls at the table. Gavin was completely at a loss. Surely they couldn't mean Temperance could hurt him. He glanced out in time to see Booth turn away from Brennan, heading back to the house. As he walked away, she threw a snowball at him, hitting the back of his head with a splat. When he turned back to her, his entire body was tense. Brennan widened her eyes in surprise as he raised a hand up. For one long moment, it looked like he was going to hit her. Instead, he bent, grabbed his clothes, then headed back to the house with Temperance hot on his heels.
As Booth came back in the house, Gavin got a better look at him. He knew without a doubt that Booth could probably take him easily in a fight.
"Sure, just run away from me and avoid the subject," Brennan shouted at Booth. After looking heavenward for just a moment, Booth turned around to look at Temperance. There was barely contained rage there.
"I don't avoid things, and I certainly don't run from them. That's your M.O., Bones." With that, he headed for the front door intent on getting away fro a while to calm down. That was until his keys hit him square in the back. "That is it," he growled. No one saw him move, but in the next moment he had Brennan pushed up against the wall, their faces mere inches from each other. They held each other's gazes, their eyes saying much more than they could voice themselves. The moment ended when Gavin interrupted.
"Hey, get your hands off her." He didn't care if he was pushing his luck or not, he wasn't going to stand for this.
"Back off," Booth growled as Gavin's hand landed on his shoulder. Brennan looked at Booth, and for the first time she was a little bit scared of Booth. The look on his face was the same as when he was dealing with Howard Epps.
"No, you back off," Gavin answered back, stepping closer to the pair. Brennan looked around Booth's form at Gavin, trying to hide the fear she had felt a moment before.
"Gavin, please, just stay out of this." He looked at her for a moment and nodded. Brennan turned back to Booth, who had eased his grip on her. He'd seen the flash of fear in her eyes and had his eyes shut, trying to get his thoughts in order.
"Booth…"
"You never let me explain. You left before I could explain…" With that he pushed away from the wall and her and walked out of the house. Brennan reached one hand out toward him, her mouth open to speak, but she couldn't find anything to say. Before the door shut behind Booth, she heard him muttering, "It was never Annie, never Annie…"