Booth walked in the front door of his house as the sun was disappearing over the horizon. Angela was in the living room, drawing on a sketch pad. She looked up when he entered.

"Brennan's sleeping. I told her you'd wake her up when you got home, but she really needs to rest."

He sat down in one of the arm chairs and rested his head against the back of it. Angela's gaze was studious as he closed his eyes.

"What happened, Booth?"

He sighed. "We were so close, Ange. Two minutes quicker and we would've gotten her back."

Angela began to worry. She set the sketchbook on the coffee table. "What happened?"

"She was dropped off at a daycare. The people there recognized her and called the hotline. They got there as fast as they could, but he got there faster. He took her right as the F.B.I. showed up to get her. So close, Ange. We know who he is now but we still don't have her. How am I supposed to tell Bones?"

"Wait. You know who he is? You know who has Abby?"

Booth pulled himself off of the chair and began to pace back and forth. "Nicholas Graves. I served with him a few years back. We were captured together. They beat him, but we were rescued before they got to me. When he got back the nightmares were terrible. His attitude had changed drastically and he didn't want any help. His wife left him and took his son with her. She wouldn't let him see his kid at all. A year later their son was killed in a car accident. I think he took Abby because he's still angry that I wasn't tortured but he was; he needs someone to blame for his son's death. I'm a piece of his whole problem."

Angela sat in silence. "Do you know where they are now?"

Booth stood in front of the window. "No. They're looking, but…Ange, we have to find her. I can feel Bones pulling away from me. If we lose Abby…" he turned his face towards her. "I can't lose my daughter and my wife. I can't do this without her."

Angela saw the desperate expression on his face. She knew her best friend was beginning to distance herself, as she had a tendency to do. She stood up and walked over to Booth, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Booth, go to her; stay with her. Even if she acts like she doesn't want you around, stay. She needs you, right now more than ever. Show her that no matter what happens you'll still be there for her." She pulled away and walked towards the stairs.

"I'm going to bed. I'll check on Parker for you while I'm up there."

Booth nodded and turned back toward the window. After a minute or two he made his way to his bedroom. Brennan was lying in bed, the covers half pulled down as if she'd kicked them away. He walked over to his dresser and changed. He lay down as gently as he could and sighed in relief when she didn't stir. He was just about to fall asleep when she spoke.

"Where've you been, Booth?"

He looked over to see her facing him, her sad and tired eyes piercing through his.

"I've been looking for her, Temperance. I've been trying to find her."

"But you didn't." Her tone wasn't accusing, but rather resigned.

He brushed some hair from her face. "We were so close, Tempe. So close. But he got to her first." Her gaze fell away from his.

"It's all my fault, Tempe. He took her because of me. He took her for revenge." Her eyes snapped back to his and he told her what he'd told Angela. When he'd finished, she rolled onto her back. The movement was enough to make Booth panic.

"Please, Temperance, stay with me. I need you with me. I can't do this without you. I know you want to run away, to build your walls up again so it won't hurt as bad, but please…" He had to look away to keep himself from crying. He felt the mattress shift and pictured in his mind the sight of her walking out of the bedroom.

His whole body jerked in shock when he felt her hands on his face. He opened his eyes just as her lips met his. The tears he was trying to chase away fell down his cheeks as he closed his eyes again, enjoying what he thought was the last time she would kiss him.

Brennan pulled back. "I'm not going to leave, Booth. I thought about it, I planned for it; I tried. I couldn't stay away. I can't do this without you either Seeley. It hurts more when you're not here. I can't do this if you're not with me. I can't run away."

He looked up to see her still leaning over him, her eyes piercing into his soul. He pulled her to his chest, hugging her as if she would still try to leave even after she had just told him she wouldn't.

--

Graves had pushed the stolen car into the river and hid himself in a wooded area of a park. He didn't know where to go. Everything had been planned out perfectly, until Rita messed it all up. He knew that everyone knew his identity now, and surely Booth had figured out why he took Abby. Now he just needed a new plan.

The baby cried from where she was lying on the ground and he stuck a pacifier in her mouth. He was running out of options. Every person in the capital district would have seen his picture and would be on the lookout for him. If the cops patrolled the park there was a chance they'd find him. Any minute now someone would find the car he'd dumped.

With a sigh Graves knew the only option would be to either kill the baby or get caught. The angry man in him wanted to kill the baby. The grieving father in him couldn't do that. Getting caught would mean death now. Kidnapping, murder; his life was over. The question was, would he end Booth's as well?