Booth drove back towards the cars to start the navigation of their victim's jogging route, his eyes periodically looking into the back seat at Brennan, who kept her eyes on the baby. He knew that she was listening to every word that was being spoken, and she was well aware of the brown eyes that were willing her to look up at him. She could feel her resolve softening after their argument, and was touched by his concern for the safety of she and Hodgins, but there was another part of her that was irritated that he acted as if he didn't trust her to take care of herself. So instead of confronting him outright, she decided to talk to Michael.

"It was so nice of you boys to come and keep Hodgins and I safe." She said sweetly to the baby. "Even though we are a big boy and girl, and we can take care of ourselves."

"Bones." Booth mumbled.

"It's okay, Michael. You were just hanging around with an alpha male who can be very bossy. Such a bossy, bossy man, he is. You're just a little guy, and you just go where you're brought, don't you?" She said, giving the baby a little tickle. "Don't you, silly boy?"

"Bones, stop it."

"I'm not talking to you." She replied, looking up at Booth. "I'm talking to Michael, aren't I? Aren't I, sweet little baby boy?" She said to the little boy.

"Dude, she's totally baby blocking you." Hodgins said, holding his hands up in defense when Booth directed his glare and growl in the other man's direction. "Hey, hey..." He said in defense, as he tried not to laugh. "Why don't you just tell us where the jogging route was, and we'll be um... on our way." He smiled innocently and glanced out of the window, hoping to deflect the irritated glare from the agent beside him.

Booth made a growling sound under his breath and reached the house of the victim. "This is the victim's house." He said, pointing toward the same one that Brennan had identified earlier. He then decided to describe her route as he drove, taking a right, and then traveling down the suburban road. There was home after home, rarely a break in the pattern, he took another road and continued. "She apparently would go pretty far on these runs."

"Jogging is very good for the cardiovascular system as long as it is done often, and within the parameters of ones health." Brennan said from the back seat, still paying attention to the baby, her tone was high and sweet.

Booth took another turn, and there was nearly a gasp from Hodgins. "That there, right over there, a pocket park." He said, pointing to a small area with trees and a bench, with a small pathway that stretched through the trees.

"Cherry trees." Brennan said, reaching for the car door handle as Booth started to pull over. "Don't park on the shoulder." She said as she hardly waited for him to stop the car before she swung the door open and climbed out. She could hear Booth's disapproval of her exit, and ignored his shout to her. Hodgins was next out of the car, careful not to put his feet on the grass. The two of them walked the perimeter of the small park, observing what they could from the asphalt. "Earring." Brennan said, snapping on a glove as she crouched down near the shoulder, noticing a distinct impression of a car tire. She picked up the earring and gratefully took an evidence bag that Hodgins was offering. "We have tire impressions." She said, watching Hodgins step over toward her. She then saw Booth climb from the car and look in her direction. "Booth, we have tire impressions here. It could have been the suspect's car." She called.

"Could have been." He said a bit noncommittally. She sent him a glare, and he smiled slightly at her, indicating that he was simply picking on her. "I'll call in a tech team." He said.

"Call in the Jeffersonian, please." She said. "Do not roll your eyes at me." She said, hearing him laugh a little as he turned toward the open door of the SUV.

"He's just messing with you, Doctor B. He knows by now to call the lab." Hodgins whispered.

"He should also know by now not to mess with me." She said softly enough for Hodgins to hear. "I'm assuming these are the correct species of flowering cherry trees?" She asked him.

"I have some samples. They look like yoshino cherry trees, which is what we found evidence of. You might find some DNA on that earring." He said, leaning down to pull a few other samples.

She stood up, snapped off her gloves and looked around, noticing that there were homes across the street facing the small park. She left Hodgins to his evidence gathering and walked toward Booth. He had just called in to the Jeffersonian and leaned back out of the truck. There was just a hint of a smile on his lips as she approached him. "Don't even try to charm your way out of the argument we're currently in the middle of, Agent Booth." She said, glancing toward the dark glass of the back seat. She couldn't see the baby, but could hear him starting to fuss. "The neighbors across the street have a doorbell camera." She said, sighing. "We should see if it captured the assault or kidnapping."

"I can do that." He nodded. "I called in a couple of agents to do some canvassing."

"We can do it together." She replied, watching his mouth open slightly, as if he were choosing his words carefully. She knew exactly what he was going to say, and was extremely curious if he would say it. She could see that he was very cautious about how he approached it, and then his eyes darted across to a neighbor who was across the street, watching the three strangers as they stood loitering.

"I should go talk to the neighbor." He said. "You should stay with Michael, please." He said, watching the stubbornness in her eyes. "Please, Bones."

"That's fine." She said, a bit shortly, but with an understanding nod. She held his eyes for several moments. "It's fine, Booth. Go talk to the neighbor. I'll wait for the lab, and watch over Michael." She said. "His safety is just as important as finding justice for his mother." She said sincerely. He watched her for one more moment, and he nodded, turning to walk across the street.

It didn't take long for the cavalry to appear. The Jeffersonian team, and a team of agents arrived not long after Brennan had climbed into the back seat to soothe the crying baby. A cast was made of the tire track, and the team took photos of the area as well as collected evidence. After a half hour or so, Booth drove Brennan to her car to load Michael into it, so that she could bring him with her to the lab. Hodgins agreed to ride back to the lab with the techs after the evidence was gathered.

Booth pulled up to where her car was parked and she climbed from the back seat and unlocked her car. Booth lifted the baby and his seat from the car. She opened the door and Booth very carefully placed the seat into the base in Brennan's car. She walked around him and reached for the diaper bag, standing up to find Booth behind her. She turned to face him, and his eyes were full of apology and concern. "You're going back to the lab?"

"Yes." She replied, letting out a small sigh. The anger that she had been feeling had turned into a strange mush of insecurity and sadness, mixed with a bit of neediness. She didn't like the feeling at all, and almost wished that she had the foundation of anger to hold everything together.

"How long are you staying there?" He asked.

"I don't know." She said softly.

"Are you coming to my place tonight, or are you staying at yours?" He asked.

"I haven't decided." She sighed, her eyes straying from his.

His hand lifted, and he gently placed it at her jawline, watching the stubborn eyes that he loved so much looking up at him. "I love you, Bones. I should have never have suggested that Michael wasn't safe with you. That was a cheap shot, it was unfair, and it was..."

"Mean." She replied, swallowing hard. "It was mean, Booth." She said, sighing heavily. "I love you, but you're right. I have some things to think about." She said, glancing toward the car, where Michael was starting to fuss. "I should go, get him settled in my office so I can get some work done. You're going to be here for a couple more hours." She said, looking into his eyes. "Come by the lab when you're finished here." She said, leaning forward to drop a kiss on his lips. "I love you." She said, watching him for another moment before she climbed into her car and waved to Booth as she left to head toward the lab.