Brennan sat and watched Parker sleep. She and Booth had agreed to tell Parker together, which would be happening the next day. Brennan felt so unsure about the future and what was going to happen. She tried not to think about losing Parker too much. Logically, she knew Booth was right, that he is the father and should have his child. Emotionally, she so badly wanted to be Parker's mother.

She remembered Parker saying she wished they could both be his parents. She fiddled with her fingers. She did have feelings for Booth. There could be a possibility for them to get together. Then again, that would mean being vulnerable to potential hurt, and she didn't know if she could do it. He was also with Cam anyway.

Where was that letter anyway? She frowned. She had chalked it up to being lost, but what if it hadn't gotten lost? What if someone had found it? Would they have told Booth? Why wouldn't they have brought it back to her? No, it was just lost. Things had been a whirlwind after she was rescued from the buried car.

Parker stirred in his sleep, making Brennan snap her focus onto him. She felt irritated at the person who left their radio on in her neighbor's apartment. They were renovating over there, and Brennan made a note to tell them to remember to turn off their music when they left. The hip hop pounding rhythm was getting to be too much. She knew it was disturbing Parker's sleep too.

She eventually got up and went to try to sleep herself. Tomorrow was a big day.

...

Her phone ringing made her lurch awake. It was early enough.

"Brennan."

"Hey, we got a case."

"Now?"

"Yea. Looks like we're gonna have to hold off on talking to Parker for a bit," Booth said.

"Okay," she agreed. "Where am I meeting you?"

"The jail."

"See you soon."

They hung up, and Brennan got out of bed, got dressed, and went to wake Parker. It was a Saturday, so that meant she needed a babysitter.

"Good morning," she said, seeing Parker had his eyes open. They brightened at the sound of her voice.

"Are we gonna do something fun today?" he asked hopefully.

"I have to go to work, but I'm sure Ashley can take you somewhere."

"I wanna be with you, though," he said, pouting a little. Brennan smiled.

"I know, but we can spend time together when I'm done."

"Okay."

"Get ready. I have to go very soon."

Parker hopped out of bed and rushed to change. Brennan went to call Ashley, who promised to be there soon. Brennan got something for Parker to eat, and he came out dressed a few minutes later. He got up onto the chair and started eating.

"You're gonna see Booth today right?" he asked through mouthfuls.

"Yes."

"Tell him I said hi."

"I will."

Brennan loved how Parker had bonded with Booth. She put away her other thoughts of Booth taking Parker away as she got ready to leave. When Ashley arrived, she gave Parker a kiss on the head and left.

...

Brennan was in her office trying to stay calm. She didn't want this to be happening right now. She still couldn't believe it was happening.

Howard Epps had escaped prison.

That creep was out there, and she knew it was only a matter of time before he targeted her and her team. She had gone with Booth to speak with Howard's ex wife, and she still felt Booth should have been more forceful about putting her into protection. It made her think about Parker, but Ashley had assured her they were having fun and at the apartment. Brennan hadn't mentioned Howard because she didn't want to freak Ashley out. She'd just stay in constant communication. True to her word, she had told Booth that Parker had said hello to him, and Booth had smiled at that. She wondered where he was now.

She got up and went to look for Angela. She stopped at the doorway of her office, having caught sight of Booth and Cam standing together. Cam kissed him, and they rested their foreheads together. Brennan couldn't pretend to not feel the knife in her gut at this. She swallowed. There was no point in thinking about being with Booth when he was with someone else. She knew that. She saw Angela heading towards her then.

"Hey," Angela said. "I've got our victim." She held up the drawing for Brennan to see. They went into Brennan's office to discuss further. Angela looked at the board behind Brennan and sighed.

"Seven victims," she said. "And he's branched out from young, blonde girls."

"He won't stay out there for long," Brennan assured her.

"I'm seriously considering using some sick time," Angela said.

"But we need you here. Hodgins needs you," Brennan argued.

"Low blow, Brennan. Low blow," Angela said, but she was smiling a little. "How do you handle the fear then?"

"Oh, I have this," Brennan said, pulling her gun out of her purse and putting it on the desk.

"Holy shit," Angela said, surprised. "That's like a gun you see in the movies."

"What is that?" Booth asked, making them both turn to see him standing there. Brennan wondered how long he had been standing there.

"My gun," Brennan answered. "I got it in the mall. I believe it's bigger than yours."

"It's how you handle it that counts," Booth retorted.

"I disagree," Brennan said.

"I'm with Brennan. The bigger the gun, the better."

"You're definitely not helping," Booth said, pointing at Angela.

"I think this is a private conversation," Angela said with a smile, leaving. Brennan was left looking at Booth, who was shaking his head.

"You wanna put that away before everyone else goes all 007 on us?" Booth said, finally looking at her.

She made a face at him, but she put it back in her purse as her phone rang. Booth could tell from her face that it was Howard. She signaled him to trace the call, which he did.

When it was over, Brennan relayed to Booth what Howard had said about growing as a human being, that there was always a means to the end, that everything that happened next was Brennan's fault, and how Brennan was to use her head. That was when Booth got the message about where Howard had made the call. When they arrived to the pay phone, Brennan found a glass jar with something white in it.

"What the hell is that?" Booth asked.

Brennan just shook her head.

...

It was bone. Hodgins found spices on it, which meant Howard was giving more clues. Then Angela screamed, making them all rush to her office to find her staring at a box on her desk. Inside was a heart, and underneath the heart was the article about the Jeffersonian where Angela had been called the heart of the operation.

"He's getting to me through my friends," Brennan said. "He told me whatever happened next would be my fault."

Hodgins was raging. He wanted to kill Howard. He went back to his spices, trying to figure it out. Cam promised that nothing would happen, and then she went to check on security and find out how that package even got in there.

"Are you okay?" Brennan asked Angela, who shook her head.

"He's a sicko," she said. "What if he tries to kill me?"

"He won't succeed," Brennan assured her. "He's going to make a mistake, Ange. We will get him."

Angela nodded and went to find Hodgins, and Brennan went back to work. She texted Ashley again, who said they were still doing okay. She met back up with Cam, and they looked at the heart. Booth joined them, explaining how Howard had given the package to a biker to bring to the Jeffersonian.

"Hey," Hodgins said, approaching.

"Is Angela okay?" Cam asked.

"Yea, just really pissed. She helped me figure out that these spices are a recipe."

"For?" Booth asked.

"Curry," Hodgins answered.

"Indian food," Brennan said, realizing with a jolt.

"Howard's ex wife. Her last address was in Little India over a curry shop."

He and Brennan tore out of there, but Brennan already knew what they were going to find, and it made her feel very sick.

...

"I told you we should have forced her into protection," Brennan said to Booth as they watched Cam examine Caroline Epps's head.

"Yea," Booth agreed absently. He wanted to throw up. "Cam, can you speed this along? What if there's something inside the head?"

"I am following protocol," Cam insisted. "I'm not throwing that out the window."

"I just really want him back in his cage," Booth said.

"Oh, God," Cam said then.

"What?" Brennan asked. Then she noticed it too. "Oh."

"What? 'Oh' what? Tell me," Booth demanded.

"Caroline was alive when he cut her head off," Brennan answered. Booth felt everything he'd eaten that day try to surface. He swallowed it down a few times.

"He's upped his game to torture," Brennan noted.

"So let's torture him back," Booth said, getting an idea.

"And how are you going to do that?" she asked.

"I'm gonna bring his mother in. His profile shows he is emotionally attached to her and wrote her every single day. If he thinks he's responsible for putting her in jail, then it will throw him off his game," Booth explained.

"Let's go then," Brennan urged, and the two of them hurried off to bring in Howard's mother.

...

They were driving in the car after speaking with Marion Epps. Booth was still trying to get her smell out of his nose.

"Parker could have ended up with a foster parent like her," Brennan said then. Booth looked at her.

"But he didn't. He got you."

"I know, but there were signs of physical abuse that I can only assume came from his previous foster parents."

"What?!" Booth exclaimed. He stopped himself from slamming on the brakes, but barely. "Why didn't you tell me this?"

"I didn't want anyone making him feel bad about it," Brennan reasoned. "It took a bit for him to trust that I wouldn't hurt him."

"I wouldn't have made him feel bad about it," Booth argued. "Geez, Bones. I can't believe anyone would ever want to hurt him."

"I can't either," she admitted.

"What, uh...what signs were there?" he asked. He didn't know why he wanted to know. It would only make him furious he knew.

"Let's talk about this later," Brennan suggested.

"Okay," he reluctantly agreed.

"Um, are we being followed?" Brennan asked, noticing the car behind them.

"Two agents at all times, yup," Booth nodded. "I don't care how big that gun of yours is." He saw Cam was calling him then, so he answered. "What's up, Cam?"

"There was something inserted in Caroline's ear," she said. "A token for a child's ride at Hillside Park."

Brennan felt her heart leap into her throat at this. She pulled out her phone.

"What? What is it?" Booth asked her, noticing.

"Ashley? Where are you?" she said into her phone, ignoring Booth.

"Parker wanted to go to the park since it was Saturday and it was what you guys did every Saturday," Ashley answered.

"Bones, talk to me," Booth said.

"Parker's at that park right now," Brennan said. "Ashley, where is Parker?" Booth jerked the wheel, making his SUV do a u-turn. He turned his sirens on and raced towards the park.

"He's on the merry go round..."

"Get him off. Now."

"What's going on...?"

"Now, Ashley!" Brennan shouted, hanging up. They arrived at the park to find Ashley wringing her hands and calling Parker's name. Brennan ran towards her.

"Where is he?!" she yelled, panicking.

"I can't find him," Ashley said. "I'm so sorry. Oh, God. I'm sorry!"

"PARKER!" Brennan was shrieking now. She raced around "PARKER!"

"Parker!" Booth shouted, running as well. Ashley was calling for him too. Booth spied the boy by the ice cream vendor then. "Bones! Over there!"

Brennan ran in that direction, coming to a skidding halt next to Parker, who looked up at her, surprised. Booth was there in an instant as well. Ashley stood off to the side, watching.

"You're here," Parker said. "I thought you were work-" He was cut off as Brennan fell to her knees and grabbed him into her arms tightly. Then she pulled back and saw his ice cream cone.

"I need that," she said, taking it from him.

"Why?"

"Who gave this to you?"

"A man."

"I can't let you have it. Parker, you know you can't take things from strangers or talk to them," she said a little too fiercely. Parker looked hurt then.

"He said he was your friend. He was nice."

"He lied to you, Parker," Brennan said. "He isn't my friend. He is trying to hurt me. And I'll get you another ice cream. I promise."

"Parker," Booth said then. "What did the man say to you?"

"He said to make sure I used my napkin," Parker answered, frowning. Booth took it from Brennan then, reading it.

"What does it say?" Brennan asked.

"'Hello, my name is Parker. Ask me how to solve this case,'" Booth read.

"What did the man look like?" Brennan asked Parker.

"I don't know. He was just a man."

"Okay. Ashley, please take Parker home," Brennan said.

"Did he say anything else?" Booth asked.

"No," Parker shook his head. "He didn't."

"These agents are going to go with you," Booth said to Ashley. "They'll stay with you for now."

"Okay," Ashley nodded, looking terrified.

"Bones," Parker said a little tearfully. "Are you gonna be okay?"

"I'm going to be just fine," Brennan promised.

"Booth too?"

"I'll be all right," Booth assured him. He bent to hug Parker then, and he felt so many different emotions when he felt the boy's arms around his neck.

"Take care of Bones," Parker said into his ear. "She needs you."

Booth felt a little startled, but then again, the boy seemed to pick up on how Booth felt about Brennan.

"I will."

Parker let him go and took Ashley's hand then, and they walked with the FBI agents to Ashley's car.

"If something had happened to him, I would have never forgiven myself," Brennan said. "I had no idea they would come here today. Ashley didn't tell me or else I would have told her to stay home."

"It's okay, Bones. He's safe. He's okay. We'll finish this," Booth promised. Brennan nodded. She would finish it because no way was anyone going to be a threat to Parker again on her watch.

...

After the incident with Parker, Brennan had gotten impatient with Cam even though she herself knew about the protocols. Booth had commanded Cam to get a move on. As she stood in the hospital looking at Cam barely hanging onto life, she felt terrible.

"This is my fault," she said when Booth came to stand next to her. He had come from the room and felt very scared about Cam's future.

"I am just as much to blame. I put on the pressure too."

"Hodgins and Zack are trying to figure out the poison."

"Well, he's fine, so it's not a gas," Booth said. "I know that much."

Brennan hoped her team would work fast. She didn't want Cam to die.

...

Of course her team would follow through. They had gone to Parker & Parker Leather Goods, which Zack had figured out. Howard had given Brennan the clue of how the body knows what the head doesn't, so they all knew Caroline's body would be there. It had taken a lot for Brennan to not unleash on Howard when he had called her again. She knew Parker was still safe with Ashley at her apartment with the agents. Zack and Booth, however, suffered some minor injuries when Zack had unknowingly set off a trigger for a bomb. Booth had yanked Zack out of the way of the blast, and they put the fake news out there that Zack had died and that Booth was critically injured for Howard to see. They got the poison, though, and Hodgins was working to figure it out. He came in now, interrupting their talk about heroism and who was brave etc. to tell them he had figured it out.

"Methyl bromide mixed with plaster dust," he said. "Treatment is racemic epinephrine. I already called the hospital, and they started an I.V. drip."

"You should go," Brennan said to Booth.

"Yea, I'm heading over there. You going home to sleep?"

"Yes."

"Parker?"

"I've asked Ashley to keep him at her place tonight," Brennan answered. Something was niggling at her mind, though, from when Hodgins mentioned plaster dust. She was extra grateful she had thought to ask Ashley earlier to take Parker to her place.

"There's a team sitting on your apartment," Booth told her. "Don't worry about Epps."

"I won't," Brennan answered. She had a plan developing in her mind.

...

Booth was with Cam and asking how she was when she mentioned plaster dust. He froze, thinking.

"What?" Cam asked.

"Plaster dust," he answered. "Drywall." Brennan had mentioned the apartment next to hers was getting renovated.

"What about it?"

"I gotta go," he said. "I'll be back."

"I'm not going anywhere," Cam replied as he tore out of there.

...

Booth came into Brennan's apartment carefully and quietly to find Howard standing in front of Brennan, who had her big gun aimed at his face.

"It's over, Howie," he said. "Nowhere to go."

"Please let me shoot him," Brennan said to Booth.

"You knew he was here," Booth said, realizing.

"It made sense," she shrugged.

"How did you find out?" Howard asked.

"Plaster dust and the fact my neighbor's apartment is being renovated," Brennan answered. "You're not really that smart after all."

"Just one minute alone with Dr. Brennan," Howard said, moving slowly towards the balcony. "That's it."

"Bring it," Brennan said.

"Don't poke the dragon," Booth told her. "What are you doing, Howie? Balcony is about fifty feet up. You can't make that jump."

"I refuse to go back to jail," Howard said.

"Are you sure I can't shoot him?" Brennan asked.

"Drop the crowbar," Booth ordered Howard, who threw it at a lamp before running to the balcony. Booth grabbed Howard's hand before he could fall, and he was struggling to bring him back up.

"I can't reach, Booth," Brennan said, trying.

Howard was looking at Booth with such a look that made Booth want to drop him, but he also wanted the man to rot in prison.

"Looks like you're a killer now," Howard said.

"Oh, I'm nothing like you," Booth replied.

"Be honest. You don't want someone like me in society."

"I'm. Not. Like. You," Booth said through gritted teeth.

Howard gave a whimper then as Booth slowly lost his grip. He struggled to hang on, but he lost his hold, and Howard fell to his death. Booth stared down at his body, feeling awful inside.

"Come on," Brennan said, pulling him into the apartment. "You tried. Everyone saw. You were trying to save him."

It didn't make Booth feel any better.

The Next Day

Booth found Brennan at the park with Parker, and he stopped to watch as Parker went around on the merry go round.

"Hey," he said finally, announcing himself. Brennan turned to see him.

"Hi."

"Is he okay?"

"I think I made him afraid of this place, so I'm making sure he gets over that fear as quick as possible."

"He is smiling," Booth pointed out.

"He is," she nodded.

They were quiet for a moment before Booth spoke again.

"I broke up with Cam."

"You did?" Brennan asked, feeling a little hopeful.

"What happened to her was because we had a personal relationship. In our job, we can't cross that line, you know? It only endangers the other person."

"Then by your logic, Hodgins and Angela should break up too," Brennan pointed out.

Booth thought for a moment before realizing she had a point.

"All right. Honestly? We were coming to an end with our relationship anyway," Booth admitted.

"Why?"

"It just didn't feel right, you know?" he said, looking at her. Brennan nodded slowly.

"Are you ready to tell Parker?" she asked as the ride stopped and Parker came towards them.

"Yea," he nodded. "Let's do it."

"Hey, Parker, let's go sit over here and talk for a bit," Brennan said, leading him to a bench. Booth stayed standing. He didn't really know what to do with himself.

"You look serious," Parker said. "Am I in trouble again?"

"You were never in trouble, Parker, and no, it's nothing like that."

"Then what is it?"

"You know you were in foster care because you didn't have any parents, right?" Brennan asked. She knew they would have explained that to him.

"Yes."

"Well, we...we found your father."

"You did?" Parker asked, his eyes widening. He knew his mother was in Heaven. Brennan had the talk about Rebecca not too long ago, and she hadn't argued her logic about religion with him when he said she was in Heaven. He was too young to get into that argument.

"Yes."

"Who is he? Where is he? Can I see him?" Parker asked, growing excited. Brennan looked at Booth then, who looked incredibly nervous and excited himself.

"Right there," Brennan said, gesturing. Parker swung his head to see Booth, and he looked confused at first.

"Booth's my Dad?" he asked, looking back at Brennan.

"Yes. We just found out."

Parker flew off the bench and launched himself at Booth, who grunted from the sudden impact but picked him up all the same.

"My wish came true!" Parker cried. "You're my Daddy! You and Bones can be my parents!"

Brennan felt the tug at her heart. She knew Parker wouldn't quite understand that she and Booth weren't together as a couple or married. She'd explain it to him as best as she could later.

"We're gonna figure it out, Parker," Booth said, looking at Brennan then. "We are going to figure it out."

Brennan smiled, knowing that they would. She tried not to feel crushed inside at the fact she knew she had to cancel the adoption. Seeing how happy Parker was with Booth made her confirm the fact she had to figure something else out, which she knew all along, and they would. They most definitely would.

Even if that meant making the slow transfer of Parker moving in with Booth.