A/N – As always, sorry for the delay!! I'm trying to get this up as quick as possible, but its proving difficult! I hope you enjoy this chapter! I know it's a shorter one, but its been SO long since I updated, I wanted to put up what I had, to keep this story going. Hopefully I'll have more chapters up soon!

Chapter 26

Booth came over to where the two were.

"I think we're ready to go." He said. Max stood up.

"Look Booth. I'm not just going to let her disappear from my life again. I'm going to make things right with her. I need you to understand that, so when she's better, you can help her understand that..." Booth nodded, but interjected.

"Max – come with us. What you did was a long time ago. We don't even need to let people know who you are... She needs her father. I might not have been happy with everything you've chosen to do, but I know that in the long term, her life will be better with you in it, with you not abandoning her again." Max, visibly touched by Booth's words kept the saddened look on his face, resting his hand on the younger man's arm.

"You have no idea what it means to hear you say that. I need my daughter too. But I can't come. I love my daughter too much to come." He looked away. Booth, however, wasn't ready to let Max go that easily, staring the man down, his eyes questioning, demanding an explanation. "Booth – it's too dangerous if some people find where I am, or even know I'm alive. I've made a lot of enemies over my lifetime. There are many people out there who would be happy to see me dead, or make my children suffer for my mistakes, to get what they want out of me." The older man sighed.

Booth knew that arguing would be pointless. Max had a point.

"I'll have my phone with me at all times – call me if you need anything, and I'll call you with updates as often as I can." Max nodded, patting the younger man on the shoulder.

"You're a good man Booth. Take care of our girl." Booth made his way over to the couch, lifting his partner gently into his arms. Max helped him with the door, as he made his way out towards his SUV, gently buckling Temperance into the front seat, then covering her with blankets. He moved aside, letting her father say his goodbyes.

"Drive safe Booth." Max called out before he jumped into the driver's seat. Booth just nodded.

"I'll be in touch."

Max moved back to stand on the porch, as Booth started the ignition. The SUV backed up and started down the lane, leaving nothing but dust and a worried father in its wake.

---

Using his police lights, Booth sped down the highway towards DC, his sick passenger cuddled in the seat beside him, unawares of their journey back home. They arrived at the hospital in record time. Booth pulled Temperance out of the passenger seat and into his arms, carrying her towards the emergency room.

Fortunately for the two, the waiting room was near empty. Doctors and nurses flocked towards Booth and Temperance upon their entry, bring a gurney over and overwhelming Booth with questions. He gave them a quick summary of what had happened, also requesting that Doctor Jules, the psychiatrist who had cared for her at her last admission, be notified. They then began to quickly wheel Bones away. Booth moved to follow, but a nurse stopped him.

"I'm sorry sir, but you'll have to wait here while the doctors examine your partner. I'm sure she'll be fine. The doctor will be out as soon as possible with any news." Booth nodded, and reluctantly moved towards the unfriendly, uncomfortable plastic chair he had spent so much of his time in lately.