Brennan shifts her weight, turning her head towards the groaning man beginning to sit up on the front porch and then looking at Booth. Her mouth is wide open, her eyes wide. She blinks. "Booth, what was that about?" She takes his right hand and brushes her thumb against his raw, bloody knuckles, examining the damage.
Booth winces and looks down at his hand. He swallows. "I—I have to go." He pulls his hand back and walks away.
Brennan turns to the man just starting to stand up. "You, stay there." She goes after Booth, catching up to him in the kitchen.
He's leaning against the island counter, propping himself up on his forearms, his head bowed.
She steps up beside him and rubs his back, right between his shoulder blades. She moves her hand up to the nape and his neck and gives it a gentle squeeze. "Are you going to tell me what that was all about?"
He lets out long, deep breaths and winces as he balls his injured hand into a fist. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Bones. I—he—I don't know what happened. I saw his face, I saw him smile, and the next thing I know, he's on the ground, you're next to me, and my hand hurts."
"Who is he?"
He lifts his head and looks at her. "Gregory Jenkins."
"Am I supposed to know who that is?"
"He's the—he killed Rebecca and he nearly killed Parker." He can barely utter the words.
She swallows. "Oh, Booth." Her eyes drift to his hand, and she touches his knuckles tenderly with her thumb again.
"I'm sorry you had to see that. I'm not that guy."
"Sure you are."
He coughs and steps back, staring at her.
"When you feel threatened or when you feel like someone you love is threatened, you react strongly—very strongly. It's instinctual." She pauses, flicking her eyes back up to meet his. "For what it's worth, I feel like I want to punch him too."
His face softens, a smile breaking through. He lifts his swollen hand and places it on her cheek. He lowers his head and presses his lips against hers, their foreheads touching. He lets the kiss linger just a little bit longer than usual.
She takes a step into him and kisses him back, her hand finding the back of his neck again.
He pulls away and blinks, closing his eyes for a few seconds. "Why the hell is he here?"
She shrugs. "You punched him before we got a chance to question his motives." She's completely serious, but her small smile convinces him otherwise.
"Is he still out there?" He asks, his anger returning to his voice.
She nods. "Yes."
Christine runs in and looks at her parents, cocking her head to the side. "Mommy, daddy, why are you inside? The party's out there." She points towards the backyard and grabs her mother hand, tugging on it. "Come on."
Brennan's about to answer when there's a knock on the open front door.
"I'll get the door."
Before Brennan can reach out and grab her daughter, the little girl is already on her way to the door. "Christine." She follows the child, leaving Booth in the kitchen.
Christine looks up at the man standing outside and smiles at him. "Hi. Do you know my mommy and daddy?"
Gregory Jenkins shakes his head. "Not exactly."
"Why are you here?"
"I need to apologize."
"For what?" Christine presses her lips together while she waits for his answer.
Gregory swallows and fiddles with his baseball cap. "I did something bad. I did something stupid. I hurt some people."
"Hurting people is bad and very stupid."
Gregory nods. "I know. That's why I'm here to apologize."
"Somebody hurt my brother really bad. His name's Parker. He was sleeping for a while, but he's awake now. He was in a accident."
Gregory blinks. "I'm sorry I hurt your brother. I didn't mean to hurt anybody."
Christine furrows her brows and looks up at the man, her blue eyes tainted with moisture. "You hurt Parky? It was you?"
Gregory nods. "That's why I'm here."
Christine steps closer to him and starts punching him in the stomach. Tears stream down her cheeks and she gives him a swift kick in the shin. "Go away! Go away, you stupid man!" She mutters, her fists moving quicker and quicker.
Brennan reacts, racing over Christine. She pulls her away, scooping her up and wrapping her arms around her trembling little body. She looks at the man, reaching for the door. "I think you should go now."
"I'm sorry. I'm going to jail, but I needed to apologize. I'm really sorry. I hope he's okay. I'm sorry."
Brennan nods and shuts the door, locking it. She holds Christine tight, stroking her back as the little girl cries into the crook of her mother's neck. "Shhh, Honey. It's okay. He's gone. The bad guy's gone."
Christine quiets down, but clings to her mother. She sniffles and wraps her legs around Brennan's waist tighter. "He hurt Parky, mommy."
Brennan sighs. "I know, sweetheart."
Christine lifts her head and rubs her eyes, clearing her throat and swallowing. "I'm sorry I hit and kicked him, mommy. He just made me so, so, so mad."
Brennan nods. "I know. Just don't do it again, okay?"
Christine shakes her head. "I won't." She sighs. "He hurt Parky, mommy," she mumbles into her mother's shirt collar.
Booth emerges from the kitchen, an icepack laid over his swollen knuckles.
Brennan turns around, hearing the footsteps. "He's gone. He came to apologize."
Booth's anger bubbles up to the surface again. "Apologize? He killed someone! He almost killed my son! He has no business coming here and apologizing. He should be rotting in jail. He should be d—." He bites his bottom lip and lets out a puff of air through his nose.
Brennan sets Christine down and nods. "He's gone." She pauses. "How's your hand?"
He shrugs. "I'll live." He pauses. "How did he even know where we live?"
"I don't know, Booth." Brennan walks over to him and hooks her arm around his waist, giving him a sideways hug. She tilts her head and looks at him.
He meets her gaze and sighs, a hint of a smile on his face. "We should, uh, we should get back to the party." He turns his head and all their friends are standing in the hallway, staring at them and sharing glances between them.
Brennan shakes her head. "I'd rather clean up. Perhaps we can watch a movie or play a game of some sort. I'm exhausted, and after what just happened, I—I find that I'm not in the mood to 'hangout' and converse with our friends."
He nods. "Good. Me either." He looks at Christine and smiles at her. "Hey, princess. Are you okay?"
Christine shakes her head, holding onto her mother's leg. "He hurt Parky. I do not like him."
He nods. "I don't either, baby." He squats. "Come here."
Christine separates from Brennan and walks over to her father, taking slow and hesitant steps. She throws herself into him and wraps her arms around his neck. "Is he gone for good, daddy?"
He nods. "Yeah. He's not gonna come here ever again. I promise."
Brennan sighs, looks at Booth for a split second, and then walks towards the group of people gathered a few feet away to inform them of the change of plans.
