Have you recovered from the previous chapter yet? Well, let's continue with the aftermath!

Chapter 14

Elena ran back inside. "Mommy! I talked to that man and he says he's sorry for making you cry," Elena couldn't wait to tell her mother. Brennan was still leaning forward on the couch, Amy's arm around her shoulders. She looked up at her little girl, took her in her arms and kissed her hair. "Good. Do you think he's nice?"

Elena thought about it. "I think so," she told her mother seriously.

Russ returned and went to sit down on the couch. "Princess, you know that you are not allowed to open the door without me or Mommy present and you are definitely not allowed to go outside alone."

"Yes, I know, but I was angry at that man. He made Mommy cry," Elena said defensively as she had her arms wrapped around her mother and gave her kisses.

"You stay inside unless Mommy or I or Grampa or Aunt Amy are with you. Now come on, Elena, why don't you go upstairs and play with Emma and Hayley. I'll take care of Mommy, huh?"

"How can I play when Mommy's sad?" Elena pointed out to her uncle as she didn't let go of her mother.

That made Brennan smile a little and she cuddled her daughter. "You make it all better, honey. It's okay, you can go play. Uncle Russ always says very nice things to me when I'm sad, too, so he can make me feel better. Go play, Elena. I'll be fine in a few moments." Brennan pressed a big kiss to her child's cheek. "I love you."

Elena kissed her back. "I love you, too, Mommy. I'll go play."

Amy got up to make them all a cup of coffee and Russ reached for his sister's hand. "Well, that was certainly a surprise. I didn't think he was ever going to come here. Did you recognise him? Anything?"

"Just his voice," Brennan said, "And then his eyes. They're Elena's." Brennan leaned into her brother and he held her. "I couldn't even think straight. I was really shocked. But - I let him go away again. What if he never comes back?" Tears sprung to her eyes once more.

"He'll be back. He told me. Besides, he already went and talked with Angela, too. She said something about him having moved back here. I don't think we've seen the last of him, Temp." Russ gently rubbed her back as she held onto him.

Brennan sniffed. "The problem is that Elena needs a dad, but I don't know her dad. I don't know if he's a good person, or a good father. But I can't keep him away from her, either. One day she'll want to know."

"I don't think it's a good idea to expose her to him as long as his intentions aren't clear. If it was just you, I'd tell you to have a cup of coffee with him and figure out what you both want, but we have to think about your little girl, too."

She nodded against his chest. "She's all that matters. I can't let her heart be broken. This is just really... the worst possible time. I'm really stressing about finals and now this. If I fail any of them, I won't be able to graduate." The amount of tears coming from her eyes reminded her of being pregnant again.

"Hey, hey, this can go on your pace. He took his sweet time, there is nothing wrong with making him wait a few more weeks." Russ didn't trust him. He could understand that Seeley Booth might have had to take care of his grandfather, but he could've searched for Temperance. He could've called. Anything. His girls were Russ's first priority, but he wasn't so sure they were Booth's first priority as well.

"Do you think he's a bad person? What's your first impression of him?" Brennan asked her brother, grateful that he'd forced her to go inside. At least now she could think things over.

"I asked him why it took him four years to come and find you. He told me that he's been taking care of his sick grandfather and that he was in the police academy, so that he could help provide medication, food and housing. I think he was genuine about that. I don't think he's a bad person, no. But that doesn't change that he hurt you and that you have the right to be upset about it."

Brennan sighed in relief. "Thanks, Russ." She was quiet for a few moments as she slowly calmed down. "I should meet with him, shouldn't I?"

"Only you can answer that, Temp. If you choose to meet him, I will support you. And if you decide you never want to see him again, I will do the same thing."

"Is this something you already know again? Like when I was going to have an abortion and you told me you knew I wouldn't go through with it?"

He gave her a sad smile. "Yes, it is and just like then, I can't tell you now. It has to be your choice, little one. You're in charge of your life and Elena's." Russ kissed her cheek. "After four years of being a single parent, you earned that right."

"Not really single, though," she said, "You were with me the entire time. I didn't feel like I was alone at all."

It was time for a harsh fact. "I was by your side and I will continue to be there, but I'm not Elena's father. And if he is a decent guy and if it's not his fault that he wasn't here, you might be able to work something out with him."

Brennan let his words sink in for a few moments. Hadn't Zorro... Seeley Booth showed up at exactly the right moment? When it would be getting harder for Russ to spend time with Elena and Elena needed someone who was hers? "I'll meet with him," she told her brother.

He gave her a knowing smile. "I know you will."

"I'll have to get it out of the way before finals," she added.

Russ nodded. "I agree. Why don't you go upstairs and play with your daughter? I think you can both use it."

Amy came in with beverages and cookies and Brennan gave her a hug. "I'm okay. I'm going to meet with him. I need to know who my daughter's father is."

Amy nodded. "I think that is very brave. It is best to know. For example, don't you want to know his medical background? She deserves all of that information. It's important. And you know, as far as what I've heard, he hasn't showed aggression. How was he with you when you slept together? Was he kind? Caring? Considerate?"

Brennan nodded. "He was." She didn't think this was something her brother wanted to hear, but she told Amy anyway.

"I'm going to check on the kids," Russ announced and made himself scarce.

Amy handed Brennan a cup of coffee. "Do you miss him? Have you missed him?"

"I've been trying not to think about him, but I dream about him. I think... I missed what I hoped we could have become."

"And what was that, Temperance?" Amy encouraged her.

"I always hoped I would meet someone who could accept me the way I am. At the time, I needed someone safe and strong. Things weren't going well between Max and me. I felt lonely back then, and with Zo - Seeley, I felt a connection. I don't know why I slept with him, I guess he was irresistible." She gave a mirthless chuckle.

Amy nodded understandingly. "Sounds like he was able to give you what you needed. Maybe he can do that again. For both you and Elena. If you don't give him a chance, how will you ever know? And besides that... it's been four years, Temperance, but he came back. That must mean something. Elena said that he was crying. Crying. Not fighting, yelling, screaming, threatening. Crying. I think he missed you and he came here to make it up to you. He just found more than he had probably anticipated."

"Yes, I have a pretty aggressive support system, apparently," Brennan chuckled in earnest this time. "Which I'm very grateful for. It's good that Russ took me out of the situation. Now that I have Elena, I must think things through. I reckon you experience the same feeling towards your girls."

"Yes. I don't think I would ever let their father near them, but that would be based on his past behaviour. What was Seeley's past behaviour? He took you to bed. He was kind and considerate. The only thing you can really hold against him, is that he didn't follow you when you left. And if this story about his grandfather is true... the question is whether or not you can blame him. And if I can give you my opinion... I don't think you should. Not yet anyway."

Brennan sighed. "I know. It's very complicated. There's just one thing I don't understand. He asked me that night about birth control. I told him yes, of course. I remember this exactly. He went into the bathroom, came back, applied something to himself and then we had sex. I keep wondering whether he actually put a condom on or not. If he tricked me into unsafe sex."

"The only one who knows is him. Hey," Amy suddenly got an idea, "Didn't Russ say that he had contacted Angela as well? Maybe she managed to get something out of him. She doesn't seem like the type of woman who wouldn't want a few answers before giving him your name or address."

Brennan frowned. "I hadn't thought of that. I should call her." She grabbed her phone and dialled Angela's number.

"Sweetie!" Angela exclaimed when her cell phone buzzed and she answered. "Is he there? Did he come by? Did he find you?"

"Yes, he came by. Russ was waiting for him, I was in the playground with Elena and Amy and her girls. We returned unexpectedly and, well, he saw Elena. She looks like him."

"Yes, I know. He came by. I'm sorry I gave him your name, but he wouldn't back down. Did you get a chance to talk to him?"

"Not yet, I was too shocked. I had a little meltdown but I've decided I want to meet with him. He doesn't seem like a bad person. What was your impression, Ange?"

"He seemed desperate to find you. He got riled up, but then again, I didn't do anything to prevent that. He told me about the reason why he had been gone for four years. He did react strangely when I asked him why he didn't use birth control."

Brennan's eyes met Amy's. Bingo. "What did he say about that? Did he say he used a condom?"

"No, the opposite. He admitted that he didn't use a condom. He said that he asked you if you were on birth control and that you said yes. He said that since you were a virgin and he had been given a clean bill of health, he didn't use one, on the assumption that you were on birth control. I told him that you weren't and then he mumbled something, but I couldn't understand his reaction."

"Oh my god," Brennan breathed. "That's it. That's where everything went wrong. I mean, not wrong, I love Elena, but - I've always wondered. I thought he was asking me about his birth control, not mine." Brennan sat down with a sigh. "What a mess."

"I agree with you on that. Other than that, he didn't seem like a bad guy. Plus, he spent four years taking care of his sick grandfather. That's dedication and commitment, sweetie. And he had another decent point, too."

"What? What else did he say?" Brennan was pulling the information from her best friend.

"He pointed out that he was aware of the fact that he hadn't come looking for you... but sweetie, you didn't go looking for him, either." Angela told her gently.

"I did, though," Brennan protested. "On campus. I went back to his dorm several times, until someone told me the guy who lived there moved out. Nobody knew where to. I didn't know his name. What else could I have done?"

"I don't know. Maybe you could have done what he did, try and find his friends. We could have gone to the landlord to ask him to give us the name of the previous tenant. We could've maybe tried a bit harder," Angela suggested carefully.

Brennan closed her eyes for a moment. "I was too confused and sick from my pregnancy at the time to really look for him that hard, but you're right; after things settled down I grew used to the idea that he'd disappeared. I never looked for him again." She felt bad. Was it her fault, now, too? It was a little hard to accept, though rationally, Angela did have a point.

"Sweetie, shouldn't you be discussing this with the man himself? Can I just..." Angela hesitated, "Can I give you a bit of advice?"

"Of course," Brennan said. If today hadn't been confusing yet, it certainly was, now.

"If you meet with him, meet somewhere public. Please don't forget that even though you had no intention of sleeping with him, you did. And giving into that again, would only complicate things further."

"Ange. I'm not sleeping with him again. I don't have his number or anything, but I'll look for it when I'm ready to speak with him. Thanks for the clarification, Ange. Can we have lunch tomorrow? Or are you busy?"

"Of course we can have lunch tomorrow. It's a date. Take care of yourself, sweetie. Elena needs you, don't forget that. I'll see you tomorrow at noon at our favourite lunch place, okay? Take care, sweetie."

"I will, you, too. Bye, Ange." Brennan hung up and looked at Amy, perplexed. "He wasn't asking about using a condom. He was asking whether I was on birth control." Brennan covered her forehead with her hand. "Everything that happened... because of a stupid misunderstanding."

Amy watched her end the conversation and wrapped her hand around Temperance's. "At least now you know what happened and how it happened. I still think you should let him explain it to you. Give him a chance. Now, I don't mean to pry, but you are still looking a bit pale. Why don't you get some rest? I'll stay here for a little while, so Emma and Hayley can play with Elena, distract her. Don't worry, they are in good hands."

Brennan squeezed Amy's hand. "My brother really has excellent taste in women. I'm so glad you and your girls are part of our family," she smiled at her. "I'll lie down for a bit. Please reassure Elena that I'm okay. If she wants to come down, I don't mind."

"I know you don't. And we won't keep her from you. I know how busy you are with your finals and this must have been quite the shock." Amy grabbed the blanket that was over the back of the couch and handed it to her sister in law. "You have to take care of yourself. After all, if you don't take care of yourself, how can you take care of your daughter?"

At that moment, Russ came down the stairs. He didn't comment on the scene in front of him, but instead, he gently took the blanket from his sister and kissed her cheek. "Good idea, little one." He waited until she lay down on the couch, then he tucked her in, just like he had done hundreds of times while she had been pregnant years ago. "Don't fight falling asleep, Temp, if you fall asleep, it means you need it." He kissed her temple and whispered the same reassuring mantra into her ear he'd tell her when they were kids. "You're safe, you're loved, you're home. Sweet dreams."

So what are your thoughts on this chapter? Is Russ standing in the way of a reconciliation between Booth and Brennan or is he making sure they avoid a disaster? What about Angela, does she have a valid point? Should Brennan have looked for Booth harder? We'd love to hear from you! Next chapter will deal with how poor Booth's doing - ready to fight or ready to go back to his Pops? Please stay tuned!