A/N: Don't get used to this. I won't be updating this often. I know I just made an update schedule but this one pretty much wrote itself. This might not fit completely in with the events that happened in the series, but I don't want everything to be exactly the same. It's going to stick with what we already know from Judas on a Pole but remember, this is an AU story so things aren't going to match up. Just thought I'd add that little reminder :)

"Agent Booth's desk, Agent Parker speaking."

"Teddy? It's Bren. Where's Booth?"

"He's still in the Deputy Director's office. How's it going? Anyone take a shot at you lately?" Teddy joked.

"Very funny, Ted. Why is he with the Deputy Director?"

"Not sure. The Director seemed pissed though. You want me to have him call you?"

"Please. Or you could just tell him that Drew and I made it to Philadelphia. We're staying with his grandfather."

"Alright. I'll let him know. Stay safe, Bren."

"You sound like Booth."

As Teddy laughed and hung up the phone, he saw his best friend walk out of the Deputy Director's office. Booth was pulling at his tie and yelling at anyone who looked at him wrong.

"What's going on, Sarge?"

Booth punched his desk without saying a word. "Was that Bren on the phone?"

"Yeah, she and Drew are in Philly with your granddad. Did you know they were going there?"

He nodded. "I'm headed up there now. I gotta stop at my place and pick a few things up. I gotta go get my gun out of the safe."

"Kirby took your gun?" Teddy couldn't believe it.

"And my badge."

"They fired you?"

"I'm 'suspended without pay.' Said I knew better than to work on cases that involved family or something like that. But…"

"You've been fired."

Booth nodded again. "Shit. They took my wheels too. Call me a cab? Have it pick me up at my house in a half hour."

Teddy shook his head. "Nah, man, take my car. I've got the SUV and Claire's out of town visiting family. She won't need our car. Take it." Teddy tossed him the keys.

"I owe you."

"Hell yeah, you do."

With a couple of smiles, Booth was on his way back to the house before driving the almost three hours to Philly. He was relieved to be out of the restricting suit, but knew it was a bad sign that he was. He had made sure to keep an eye out to anyone who could be potentially following him and when Booth was satisfied that no one was, he pulled up to Pops' house and parked behind Bren's car.

"Shrimp? What are you doing here?" Pops whispered when Booth walked into the house.

"I'll tell you later. Where's Bren?"

"She and the baby are asleep. She looks exhausted. Are the folks that that kooky lab of hers overworking her? Bren wouldn't tell me what was going on."

"I'll tell you in a bit, Pops. I'm gonna go check on them."

He walked into his old room. The old hockey posters still adorned the walls with remnants of a younger Bren still around. Pictures of them from football games and the nights they spent in Philly covered his old nightstand.

"Dad!" Drew wasn't asleep, despite what Pops had said.

"Hey, bud," Booth whispered, "You gotta be quiet. Mom's sleepin'. You okay?"

Drew nodded. Booth led him toward the door. "You go hang out with Pops for a second. I'm gonna tuck Mommy in and I'll come play with you, okay?" Wordlessly, Drew bounced out to the living room. He walked to the bed and sat on the edge. Seeing her alone in his bed from his teenage years brought back all kinds of memories. He watched her for a bit and she stirred.

Brennan opened her eyes a bit. "Booth? What are you doing here?"

"I missed you."

"I thought you were working?"

"I…got some time off."

She sat up. "No. I mean, you wouldn't just take off from work like that. What happened?"

He explained to her what had happened. "I'm going to call Ted soon and see what's going on, see if he has any leads. You go back to sleep. I'm going to go hang out with Pops and Drew."

"I'm sorry, Booth. You're losing your job because of me and my…family."

He smiled at her. "There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, babe. Go back to sleep."

"I love you."

He left her to her nap and he went out to the living room where Pops was turning on a kid's show for Drew.

"She okay?" Hank wanted to know. Booth nodded.

"With the shooting and her dad and her brother…I think it's all just getting to her. She's exhausted."

"Shooting?"

Booth had forgotten that he hadn't told his grandfather about the attempt on his wife's life. After explaining everything to Hank, Booth settled on the couch and watched his son bounce to the music from the TV.

"So whose blood was it in her brother's house?"

Booth shrugged. "I gotta call Teddy later. He promised to update me. I gotta start looking for another job," he sighed.

"Don't say that. They're going to clear you of any wrongdoing and you can go back to that job you love so much."

When Hank started making dinner and Booth had a moment to himself, he called back to D.C. to see if Teddy had made any progress.

"That case you were working with the guy on the roof top has pretty much gone cold. His name came back Garrett Delaney, former agent. Now he works for some big time lobbyist."

"Nothing? That's it?"

"Get this: he's the one who took a shot at Bren."

"So who killed him?"

"Someone who either has it out for you or for Max Keenan."

"I work cold cases, Ted. Most of the people I investigate are either dead already or extremely elderly," he barked into the phone.

"Look, Sarge, I'm sorry. I'm working every angle I can to find something that will connect Delaney to you and Bren."

Booth sighed. "I know, Parks. I'm sorry. Thanks, man. Call me back if you get anything."

He ended the call and went into the kitchen. Brennan, complete with bed rumpled hair, sat at the kitchen table with Hank and Drew while the casserole cooked. Drew was fascinated with something out the window. It was dark, and the backyard was poorly lit. A street lamp lit the alleyway behind Hank's garage down the street and shadows were cast eerily on the old pool in the back. Hank and Brennan were engaged in conversation and Booth took a seat next to Drew.

"What's going on out there, bub?"

The toddler didn't look away from what he was watching in the backyard. Brennan, who had heard the question, looked at drew and followed her son's gaze out into the backyard. A shot rang out and the window shattered. Hank dropped to the floor, Brennan flinched away and Booth shielded Drew from the bullet and broken glass. When she recovered from the shock, Brennan sat up and looked outside. No one was there. She checked on Hank, who was in the process of pulling a small shard of glass from his arm. She looked at Booth, who was pulling a sobbing Drew from his high chair.

"You're bleeding, Booth."

"So are you, Bren."

She hadn't noticed the cuts on her face until he mentioned them, but she was unconcerned.

"She's not joking, Seeley. You were shot."