A great big thank you to everyone who reviewed: gatewatcher, pauchacottle, FaithinBones (agree with you there), topaz270, mendenbar (lol!), 554Laura, kareneb, conservativegirl, GalaxieGurl (I know what you mean, and you're most welcome!), ZinaR (I just might), Lauwy, chanevlovesbones, Robin, Nelapl, BonesfanJD (I take your request into consideration when I'm thinking about one-shot ideas), Monique Sampson (it never is lol!), LoveShipper, Brandy, jsboneslover (they sure do). Sorry guys this series of one-shot are all rated T.

I'm hopping in my time machine and we're taking a step back in the B&B timeline for this one-shot. Again I was watching older episodes and thought this was another missing scene that would've been nice to see on TV.

Favor

With each push of his body up, his biceps burned and as he lowered himself back towards the ground his triceps ached. He had lost count of the number of push-ups he had been doing, but it didn't matter. He was working up a sweat that was dripping down his face and onto the floor of his small, dank apartment. It was the nights he hated the most. He was lonely, painfully so.

After work, there were the GA meetings he attended. Nightly he went without fail. He used to hate when she worked late but these days he loved it. Because it gave him reason to be back in his own house. It gave him reason to see his daughter and spend much needed time with her. But on nights like this, when he wasn't needed, and he had dropped by for an all too short ten minute visit to his daughter, and when the GA meetings ended, he was all alone. In the past, he was accustomed to being by himself but the years of being with Brennan had spoiled him. He hated being alone now.

The nights felt long and empty, the apartment he rented wasn't in the best neighbourhood. At first, he thought he wouldn't need to be there long. His angry wife would soon relent and forgive him and he would be allowed back home. But then he realised she meant business and she wasn't about to forgive this whopper of a transgression so easily. So the weeks dragged on. It had been almost three weeks since he had been kicked out of his own house.

The sounds of loud music from downstairs, of the couple upstairs constant fighting and of the hooker who plied her trade next door was getting to him. He wanted to go home. Badly. But he now understood why he couldn't yet.

The thought that his heavily pregnant wife and daughter were alone in their house hurt. He wanted nothing more than to be with them. But this was of his own doing. His inability to keep his gambling sobriety had almost cost him everything he held dear. He couldn't understand how it happened or why he did it. He had been sober for years. And now his one big mistake had also cost him big.

He hated that he was away now. When she was in her final trimester and he wasn't there to rub her aching back, or massage her swollen feet. He tried to cater to her cravings, secretly putting food he knew she craved for in their fridge when he went over. He hated that he was away from his daughter. He has already lost so much time with her. When she was forced into hiding with her mother because of a Pelant and when he was thrown into jail for a crime he did not commit. He did not want to lose any more of her childhood. He hated to be away from his soon to be born son. He had missed the birth of his first son. There was no way in hell he would miss the birth of his second.

He would make amends, he would do everything in his power to prove he was worthy to be her husband and father to her children again. She had initially forbade him from even seeing Christine and it was like a knife to his heart. Then supervised visits were allowed and now he had worked hard enough to earn the right to be over without her. To him that was a big improvement from when this nightmare all started.

But for now, the empty nights would be filled with him trying to fill the time, punishing his body for his slip up. Just like the night before, he would push himself until he collapsed, a tired heap on the floor. Then exhausted, he would crawl into the creaky bed, falling asleep alone until morning came and he hoped for a gruesome murder, just so he could be near the love of his life again. So he could see for himself that she and their unborn child she was carrying were okay.

A loud rapping on his door caused him to stop midway up. He pushed himself onto his feet, grabbing the t-shirt he had discarded earlier and using it to wipe the sweat from his face. It had to be Aubrey. His FBI partner had been a faithful friend. From helping to pay off the bookie to constantly providing him with updates on his wife and child, he sometimes dropped by at night just to make sure Booth hadn't slipped back into his addiction. Without thinking Booth yanked open the door.

"Whaddya' want Aubrey?"

"Do I look like an FBI Agent to you?"

"Max. What are you doing here? How'd you find me? Wait, is Bones okay? Is she having the baby now?"

"Why are you interrogating me?" The older man asked, an amused expression on his face. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah, yeah. Come in." Booth stepped aside, allowing his father-in-law inside before closing the door behind them.

Worried that Brennan was in labor Booth asked again, "Bones is okay right?"

"Yes, relax. She's fine. She's not having the baby yet."

"Christine?"

"Asleep in her bed. I just came from your house. They're all fine."

Relieved Booth could breathe again.

"You know this place is a dump. Your neighbours look like they could be up to no good, you should check before you open the door."

"I can take care of myself Max." Booth balled the t-shirt in his hand up and tossed it to tattered couch. As he did so, it suddenly dawned on him why Max was there. The thought had occurred to him before but he didn't think Max would carry out his threat. Until now.

"Look if you're here to kill me just get it over quickly okay?" Booth held out his hands, palms up, as if in surrender.

"Why would you say that?"

"Cause of what you said on my wedding day."

The old conman laughed. "I'm not here to kill you Booth."

"Right. You're here to teach me a lesson then. Go ahead, take your best shot. I won't fight back." Booth stood facing Max, dropping his arms to his side.

"I think you're doing a pretty good job of doing that to yourself."

"You think?"

"Yeah."

"What you've been keeping tabs on me?"

"Now and then."

Booth nodded. If there was one thing he was grateful for in his father-in-law, it was that he was always looking out for Brennan and Christine.

"So you're not mad at me? Don't wanna kill me for betraying Bones' trust? I know I would if someone hurt Christine."

"Oh believe me I was angry. What you did? Stupid that's what it was."

Booth hung his head. "You're right. More than stupid."

"I know you. You would never intentionally hurt Tempe. She told me you were working hard to fix things."

"She told you that?"

"Yeah. She also said she had faith in your marriage and in you."

Touched, Booth blinked back tears. In the time he had been away, what he missed the most was her touch. Her affection, her company, her support. She was his anchor and now he felt like a ship adrift in the ocean. Lately there was an awkward tension between them and he hated it. He hated that their relationship was now lacking that intimacy and warmth. There was a gaping hole in his heart that only she could fill. She still loved him, he had no doubt, but a marriage could end even though husband and wife still loved each other. To hear that she still had faith in them gave him the much needed light he had been searching for.

"I really needed to hear that."

"I know."

"Bones told you to come check on me?"

"No. I just thought I'd come say hi and see how you're doing."

A little disappointed, Booth gave Max a small nod. "I'm doing the best I can."

"I know how you feel Booth. You remember that she was angry with me for a long time."

"Yeah." Booth offered him a small smile. "But that was a long time ago."

"She took a long time before we could have a relationship. And it took her an even longer time for her to trust me again."

"You're not helping Max. If she takes as long with me, I'm not gonna get to see my son being born."

"She won't. Not with you. Just keep doing what you're doing. Keep showing her. You'll get to go home to them soon." Max patted Booth on the shoulder, then wiping the sticky sweat he had on his palm on his pants with a mild look of disgust.

"Thanks Max. So you're here to make sure I'm still on the straight and narrow?"

"No. I'm pretty sure you are. I told you I just dropped by to see how you're doing."

"And?"

"Like I said, this place is a dump. But I'm glad to see that you're not wallowing in despair or something."

"I won't be. I want to go home to them. More than anything else in the world."

"I believe you. And I'll tell her that. Tell her how hard you're working to make sure this doesn't happen again."

"You will?"

Max smiled and nodded. "When I was in your shoes, you were the one telling her to trust me. To give me a chance. You're a big reason why I have a relationship with my daughter now. Why I get to enjoy being a grandfather to Christine. I just wanted you to know that I intend on returning the favor."

"Wow." Booth grinned. "Thanks Max. And thanks for being there for them when I can't."

"No need. I've been rooting for the two of your ever since I first saw you two together."

Booth laughed.

"I'll go now." He pointed at Booth's naked torso. "Keep working out. I like it that you're in shape. Helps to know Tempe has someone big and strong like you watching out for her."

As Max opened the door he turned to Booth, "Hopefully the next time I see you son, it'll be in your own house."

"I hope so too Max."

Booth closed the door as Max left, making sure he locked it. He leaned back against the door, smiling to himself. It was good to have Max Keenan in his corner.

The Booth-Max relationship. Another under-rated and not well enough-explored possibility. I think Booth loved and respected Max as a father. Max probably loved Booth as a son too. And Max couldn't have found a better man to entrust his daughter with. I also think of all the characters on the show, Max was the biggest B&B shipper of them all.

Work's still busy, I'll be away for a conference the next couple of days so this will probably be the last post I can manage for this week. We'll see.