Disclaimer: I do not own Bones

Ryan rushed into the waiting room at the hospital in Cheyenne. Last he heard, his mom had been careflighted to the hospital due to the fact that there are no cardio surgeons in Johnsonville. Dalton had told him when they last talked that they were going to do bypass surgery immediately. The doctors said it was lucky Dalton was with her, otherwise she would have died. Ryan did not want to think about that. It was his fault that his mother was in this situation. If he had not gotten so mad, she wouldn't be dying.

In the waiting room, Ryan spots Dalton. He quickly runs over to him, "how is she? What is happening? Can I see her?" All these questions just spilled from him. It wasn't until he calmed down a little that he noticed Dalton was very angry.

Dalton pushed Ryan over to the wall and began yelling at him, "you bastard," Ryan felt like he was punched in the gut; that remark really hit home. Dalton continued, "this is all your fault. You hurt her, and than ran away from her. She couldn't handle it! You might have killed your mother."

Ryan closed his eyes. Dalton was speaking the truth, it was his fault. He tried to block out the next few moments, when Dalton continuously yelled at him and blamed him for his mother's heart attack.

What seemed like an eternity later, a man approached behind the two and softly said, "Stop it."

Ryan recognized the voice as Parker's. He opened his eyes, and to his dismay, he had tears shining in his eyes. Parker said once again, "stop it. Let Ryan go."

Dalton reluctantly let Ryan go, but shoved him out of his way. He went and sat down on the set of chairs on the other side of the room than Ryan and Parker.

After he had told Booth about his mom's heart attack, Booth insisted that he was in no shape to travel alone. He said he wanted to come, but he had a case that required him to stay in town. Instead, he called his son to accompany Ryan back to Wyoming.

Neither one had talked much on the plane ride. Ryan was too scared to think about anything but his mother, and Parker knew to respect him if silence was what he wanted.

Now, sitting in the waiting room, it all seemed so much more real. Ryan had to talk to somebody. "It's my entire fault," Ryan told Parker, choking back his tears.

Parker shook his head, "Ryan, nobody individually can be blamed for this. The doctor's said that this was inevitable. She had a lot of stress built up, and she finally just busted."

"20 years worth," Ryan said quietly.

It was at that moment that Parker realized Ryan knew about his father. He smiled understandingly, and then put his hand on Ryan's knee. "Is that why you ran back to DC?"

"Yes," Ryan simply stated. He looked into his brother's eyes and realized-, "you knew?"

Parker nodded, "I figured it out the day you were excepted into George Washington University. That night, I called your mother and had, well, a very angry conversation her." Parker stopped and choked back his own tears, "It is just as much my fault as it is yours."

"Do you forgive her?" Ryan asked quietly.

"Yes," Parker replied. "I swore I wouldn't, but I have never stopped caring for her. Besides, she obviously has been through enough hell over the past few months. I forgive her; however, I will never forget what she has done to my father and me."

Ryan nodded, then finally asked, "Does he know?"

Parker knew he was referring to his father; their father. "No," Parker replied, "Everyone knew it was not their place to tell him. Your mother has to be the one to tell him."

"But," Ryan exclaimed nervously, "what if she never gets the chance-"

Parker cut him off, "she will. Your mother is strong, she will make it."

At that moment a doctor walked out into the area and asked for the family of Temperance Brennan. Ryan, Parker and Dalton all walked up. "The surgery was a success," the doctor said. "She is in recovery now, and she is awake. She is asking for a Ryan?"

"Figures," Dalton snorted, walking away.

"I'm her son, Ryan," Ryan told the doctor.

The doctor nodded, "I'll take you back." HE turned to Parker, "Only immediate family at this time."

Before he knew it, Ryan was being whisked down a long white corridor. Soon, they entered a room. His mother was laying in the bed with her eyes closed. She was hooked up to a lot of machines, and the heart monitor was beeping in the background.

"I'll leave you two alone," the doctor told Ryan, exiting the room.

Ryan hesitantly walked over towards his mom. He never saw her look so weak. He gently grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Ryan," he heard his mother's raspy voice.

"Mom," Ryan began to cry freely. His mom was alright. "I am so sorry, this is all my fault," Ryan stated.

Temperance was shaking her head, "No Ryan, it was not your fault."

"If not me, who- or what?"

"Dalton told me that Booth," her voice choked. "That Booth said he never loved me, and he wanted me to rot in hell."

Anger burned inside of Ryan. His father would never say that, in fact, just hours earlier, this man was telling him how much he loved her yet. "You believed him?" Ryan asked.

"I have no reason to believe Dalton would lie to me-" but then her voice faltered. "Booth would never say those things. Oh my god." Temperance closed her eyes, realizing that Dalton had lied to her.

"When did you first fall in love with him?" Ryan asked.

Temperance closed her eyes, and smiled at the memory. "He had just saved my life from a kidnapper. He risked his own health to save me. I realized then, he truly cared for me. That was all I ever wanted."

Ryan smiled, "you know, you two have been in love the same amount of time." Temperance looked at her son blankly. "He told me that exact same story. He said it was the first time he realized he loved you."

Temperance shook her head in disbelief. "I have been so stupid." Ryan didn't know if he was referring to leaving the best thing in her life 20 years earlier, or the fact that she had believed Dalton's lie. Oh well, right now it didn't really matter.

"It's all right to be stupid sometimes," Both Ryan and Temperance lifted their heads and saw Parker Booth enter the room.

"Parker?" Temperance asked quietly.

Parker nodded and took a seat on the other side of her. "I thought it was immediate family only?" Ryan asked Parker.

Parker grinned, "All I had to say was I was your brother. Technically, it's not lying. They just jumped to conclusions."

"Will you be ok for a few minutes," Ryan asked his mom, "I have something to take care of."

Temperance nodded, and Ryan walked out the door, stopping to look back and see his mother and Parker talking intently. Smiling, he walked out into the waiting room and approached Dalton. This time it was Ryan who pushed him up against the wall. You son of a bitch," Ryan said to the man he had once looked up to as a father, "you told her those lies! It was you who pushed her over the edge!" Ryan didn't let Dalton have a chance to talk, he continued, "Fortunately, she knows the truth now, and she knows that you are a liar." This time Ryan was not going to let Dalton get the upper hand, "I never want to see you again," He whispered venomously to Dalton. "My mom can't take it, and she doesn't want to." Ryan looked into the man's eyes and gave an evil smile, "and if I ever do see you again, I'll have my father beat you up. He's an FBI agent," Ryan said proudly, "he will kick your ass!" Ryan shoved Dalton into the wall and walked away, turning back just long enough to see Dalton exit the hospital.

Dalton's gone! For now. I probably will bring him back in the sequel and he definitely will be in the prequel. I did not plan on having Parker accompany Ryan to the hospital, but everyone said they wanted Booth to come with Ryan, so I though I'd (kind of) give them what they wanted. I couldn't bring Booth, because I still have plans for him. Also, about the people who said Temperance is too healthy for a heart attack: remember, this is 20 years in the future. She's in her 50's and had a lot of stress. Sometimes, even the healthiest people can get sick! Wow, I just noticed, this is my longest update in a while. I hope you enjoy. Please review, then I will have the inspiration to write another chapter tomorrow. We are rapidly approaching the end!