Thanks for the kind reviews.

And now for Brennan being Brennan...

After tossing and turning through a sleepless night, Booth groaned as he reached for his phone. It was 5 AM, and he figured Agent Turner was already getting his agents in place around the pavilion at Rock Creek Park so they'd be lying in wait when Dick Vorstenbach showed up.

Having visited the park many times, Booth had a pretty good idea as to why Turner had chosen that point for Sweets to make the supposed exchange. A narrow paved road encircled the covered structure, with parking lots set up on the north and south side of it. Once Vorstenbach parked, it would be difficult to maneuver the big SUV he was driving out of the area and then around the pavilion and back down the road in a hurry, especially if his escape route was blocked by other government issued vehicles.

He stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, trying to decide his best course of action. He really wanted to be there when Vorstenbach was arrested...but he didn't want to be the one to shoot the guy. Between SWAT, the FBI, and Metro PD, there'd be enough manpower on hand to take down one man, but Turner had specifically requested his attendance that morning…maybe he'd be needed…maybe he should go...if nothing else, he'd know for sure if Vorstenbach had been taken care of…

As he glanced at the woman sleeping next to him, his heart skipped a beat. She was so beautiful, and she was finally his. He couldn't help but chuckle softly at that thought. She'd bristle at the antiquated idea that he owned her, but honestly, that was the way it was, whether she liked it or not. Her heart...her life...all of it was under his care and protection, and he would do literally anything to keep her safe.

And so it was settled in his mind...he was going to the park that morning to make sure the hit man was taken out of action, one way or the other. Nodding to himself, he moved her arm from around his waist and carefully edged himself out of the bed so as not to wake his Bones. Using his phone as a flashlight, he silently dressed and, falling back on his Ranger training, he stealthily moved out of the bedroom area and into the living room section of the suite.

As he waited in the darkness for his coffee to brew, he sighed as he looked back at the bed where his Bones was sleeping. She's gonna be so pissed that I left without her...but there's no way I'm gonna put her in any sort of danger. He nodded as he grabbed his jacket, badge, and gun holster. I guess the worst case scenario is that she might be angry enough to dump me, but that's okay...as long as she's safe, that's all that matters…

After one last lingering look, he cautiously opened the door to the suite and stepped out into the dimly lit hallway. Seeing a large form standing at the end of the hall, he made his way over. "Hey, Miller…"

The agent on duty regarded him in surprise. "Agent Booth, what are you doing out here? My orders were that you're to remain in your suite…is that your sidearm, sir? It looks like you're planning on an outing...and that's not exactly kosher, is it?"

"I know how it looks, but I've got a good reason, okay?" Booth grimaced with a soft sigh. "Look, I know you're just doint your job, but Agent Turner wants me to join in on the action that's going down this morning at Rock Creek Park." He pointed over his shoulder. "The bad news for you is that I'm leaving you with a more difficult job than facing a hit man. You need to make sure that Dr. Brennan does not leave this hotel, understand? I don't care what she says...how much of a hissy fit she has...she is not to leave the grounds of this establishment until you hear from me personally."

"But Agent Booth…"

"That's 'Special Agent in Charge' Booth to you, okay, Agent Miller? And those are my orders...so you'd better figure out how to carry them out." Standing with his hands on his hips, he gave the agent a stern glare. "I'm sorry to put you in this position, but it shouldn't be more than a couple of hours. The drop is at seven this morning, and with any luck, she'll just be getting up about then. If she comes looking for me, tell her I'll call her as soon as I can." He glanced toward the elevator. "Anyway, I've got the elevator key in my pocket, so she can't go far unless you cave in to her anger. I gotta get going...and thanks for the good work you're doing, okay?"

"Yeah...no problem...I'll remember you said so when she's chewin' my ass…" Miller grinned slightly. "I guess there's no chance you slipped her a mickey so she'd sleep late, is there?"

"Nope...but she usually sleeps in if she gets the chance, so maybe she won't even notice I'm gone. Talk to you later." Waving at Miller, Booth activated the elevator. "Good luck…"

"Thanks." As he watched Booth leave, Miller puffed out a sigh, hoping Dr. Brennan would sleep until 8 or so, and then the next guy could take over the watch so he didn't have to deal with an irate scientist. Checking his watch, he muttered under his breath. "Hurry up, Van Dyke...please be on time for a change…"

Oooooooooo

It was 6 AM, and Agent Turner was standing in the middle of the pavilion barking out orders to the agents that were there to arrest the hit man. Using a flashlight, he pointed to a clump of bushes at the edge of the south parking lot. "Let's get a SWAT team member over there...he'll have a clear shot if he needs it. Metro is going to watch the entrance to the park and clear out all the joggers and such…FBI team members have the choke points...once he's in, he can't get out...like any good rat trap..."

He hesitated as his phone rang. "Turner...he is? Good. Yeah, bring him on down."

Within five minutes a black SUV moved slowly down the road with its lights flashing. It pulled up to the structure and parked, allowing its passenger to disembark. Turner walked over to shake hands with him. "Hey, Booth...glad you could make it…"

"Yeah, well, I left Bones asleep back in our hotel room, so I hope there's no slip up with the timeline, or there'll be Hell to pay for both of us."

The two men chuckled softly as Booth looked around the area. "So...I suppose you brought me a sniper rifle to use since I couldn't get my own from my apartment, right? Where do you want me to set up?"

"Um...what?" Scratching the back of his neck, Turner's face scrunched up in confusion. "Oh...I get it, but that's not necessary. We already have a sniper in place...SWAT sent over their staff's ace. Seems like everybody in town is aching to get rid of Dickie…"

"Oh." It was Booth's turn to be confused. "So if I'm not gonna take the shot, why am I here?"

"I dunno...professional courtesy, maybe? I mean, I know your record as a sniper...I read all about it in your file, but I decided that maybe you'd be better off on the sidelines this time...you know, so there's no chance of someone being able to claim a conflict of interest if things go south in a hurry. I hope you don't mind. Besides, the guys up top want us to bring in Vorstenbach alive if we can, but I doubt that's gonna happen. He won't give up without a fight." Relieved that Booth seemed okay with the plan, Turner wore a faint smile as he looked out over the park. "Anyway, if it was me, I'd want to know for sure that a guy like Vorstenbach was safely tucked away, and the only way to do that would be to see it happen with my own two eyes. I guess I just figured that's what you'd want, too." He pointed to a small car parked beside the pavilion. "And I kinda thought Sweets could use the moral support."

Hearing Booth's irritated groan, the younger man nodded. "I know...he probably doesn't deserve any extra consideration, but from what he's told me about his dealings with Hacker, I don't think he was really doing anything malicious...he was just ignorant...basically it's like he's a stupid kid. I think he just got caught up in the whole 'I'm just following orders' bit...you know, he was probably flattered that Hacker appeared to take an interest in him, so he wanted to live up to that...maybe he wanted to keep Hacker's favor in hopes of getting ahead at the Bureau. Unfortunately, that was a dumb thing to do, right? I mean, he never questioned the guy's decisions, even when they clearly went against FBI personnel policies and protocols, so…"

"He also poked his goddamn nose in my business, and Bones' business, too..."

"Which was totally uncalled for...I get that. However…" Turner glanced at Booth. "He's had a real hard time lately. He'll get what's coming to him, okay? Ms. Julian made a deal with him, and in return for making this exchange and giving us some information, he'll do some jail time...and of course, he'll be let go by the Bureau." Shrugging, the younger man sighed. "But he still wants to make things up to you personally somehow, and right now this is the best he can do. Let's just leave it at that for the moment."

Booth nodded slightly, deciding to let Turner take the lead in this situation, even if he wasn't in complete agreement. After all, it wasn't his case...and it wasn't his decision. He gritted his teeth as he responded. "Fine. So what's the plan for this morning?"

"Sweets will wait there in the pavilion for Vorstenbach to show up. He's armed, and he's got a small receiver on his phone so we can both hear and record any conversation they have." Turner gestured toward the greenbelt surrounding the pavilion. "We'll have armed agents and officers stationed around the area, dressed as joggers and other park patrons. All of these cars will be moved out of the way so it'll look like Sweets came alone as they agreed on. You and I will be over there in that stand of trees…" He pointed to a group of pines about fifteen yards away. "We'll be able to keep an eye on things, and we can react quickly if needed. Once the exchange is made, members of the different agencies will pull their cars back into position so he can't escape that way. If he tries to make a run for it, any number of our guys will be able to take him down."

"Sounds good." Booth studied the scene before him. "I assume Sweets is wearing a kevlar vest…"

Turner sighed quietly. "Yeah, but it's still dangerous, facing the guy like that...and Sweets knows that, but he says he's willing to go through with it. He'll have an exact facsimile of the phone, so we hope the exchange will be quick and clean...but, of course, Vorstenbach's the wild card. He's one crazy son of a bitch…"

"Yep." Booth checked his watch. "Well, it seems that now all we can do is wait. It's 6:30...let's go check out those trees and figure out where to be while we wait…"

Oooooooooo

Moaning softly in her sleep, Brennan's eyelashes fluttered slightly as she turned over. Smiling slightly, she reached for Booth, wanting to feel his strong body against hers. What a pleasant way to start the day…having a handsome man available for some early morning intercourse...

However, instead of her lover's strong arms, she was disappointed to find his side of the bed empty, and the sheets were cool to her touch. Where was he?

Now fully awake, she sat up in bed and called out. "Booth? What time is it?" Glancing at the clock, she shook her head. "6:00? Ugh...it's too early to get up. Booth? Come back to bed…I need you next to me..."

Lacking a response, she got out of bed and pulled on her robe. "Booth?" She walked into the living room and looked around, noticing that there was coffee in the carafe. Glancing at the counter, she saw that his jacket, badge, and sidearm were missing. "He left without me!," she fumed. "He knew I wanted to be there when they arrested Vorstenbach…"

Swiftly returning to the bedroom, she quickly dressed and then brushed her hair back into a loose ponytail, grumbling as she did so. "He probably thinks I'll be safe this way, which, I suppose, is true to some extent...but I can't let him do this by himself. He might need me...and besides, when will he learn that I can take care of myself? I don't need protecting..."

After hesitating slightly, she reached into her small travel case and retrieved a large pistol. "Better safe than sorry…"

After putting the gun in her bag, along with her room keycard, she left the suite and walked down to the elevator, only to be stopped by a rather large FBI agent.

"Excuse me, Dr. Brennan, but my orders are that you're not to leave the hotel grounds under any circumstances unless I'm notified otherwise."

"Really? Who gave you those orders?" Standing with her hands on her hips, she glared at him. "Well?"

"It was Special Agent Booth, ma'am...he asked me to make sure you stayed here." Agent Miller was stoic as she began to argue with him. "I'm sorry, but those are my orders…"

Now thoroughly frustrated, Brennan exhaled loudly. "I work with Booth...but I'm not his property. He had no right to give you those orders without consulting me! When did he leave?"

"About a half hour ago. Anyway, I'm sorry, ma'am...but he said it was for your safety...and in consideration of my safety, I'd appreciate it if you'd comply. Special Agent Booth seemed to indicate that he'd be real upset if something happened to you, Dr. Brennan...and I don't want him to blame me…," Agent Miller pleaded. "Please...just go back to your suite. I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything."

She eyed the agent with interest. "You know which park he went to, don't you?"

"Yes ma'am, but…"

Stubbornly setting her jaw, she nodded. "Fine. Let's compromise."

"Compromise? What compromise?" Miller obviously was not impressed with her suggestion. "Seriously, Dr. Brennan...go back to your suite. I want to keep my job…"

"However, if I really wanted to go to a park...perhaps to get some exercise...and you were with me, wouldn't I be just as safe as if I stayed here while you're guarding the hallway?" Seeing the agent's hesitation, she pressed her point. "I know there are a lot of agents guarding this hotel, but if Booth is somewhere, participating in the effort to bring down Dick Vorstenbach, there will be a lot of agents there as well, correct? So I'd be just as safe…"

"Yeah, but around here there's very little likelihood of bullets flying around...not like at Rock Creek..." Realizing that she caught his small slip, he hastily corrected himself. "Or any other park they might be at…"

"They're at Rock Creek Park? Excellent. Let's go." She jogged over to the door that led to the stairs. "Well? Are you coming?"

"Jesus Marie…" Swearing under his breath, Agent Miller ran to catch her. "It'll be quicker if we take the elevator, right?" Seeing her satisfied smirk, he sighed loudly. "Wait 'til I see Van Dyke…I'm gonna kick his ass…"

Oooooooooo

It was nearly seven o'clock that morning, and the sun was just barely peeking over the horizon. Agents Booth and Turner were in the process of getting Sweets ready to hand over the phone to Vorstenbach.

"Okay, remember…," Turner began. "No sudden moves...no stupid small talk. You're going to wait for him here on this bench, okay? Wait for him to get out of the SUV...maybe hold up the phone so he can see it. Booth and I will be standing by those trees...and there are agents all over the place around here. You're gonna hand him this phone and then move away as fast as you can…"

Nodding nervously, Sweets bit his lip. "I understand." He pointed at his chest. "I've already put on the vest, and I have my gun in my holster…"

Booth interrupted. "Listen, don't try anything cute, okay? Vorstenbach would take you down without giving it a thought. We just need a quick, clean exchange…"

"That's right." Turner pulled out his phone to check his messages. "All units have checked in, and it's 6:45. We need to get in position, Booth, in case Dickie decides to be an early bird…"

"Right." Booth stared at Sweets a few seconds before extending his hand. "Good luck."

Shaking Booth's hand, Sweets exhaled slowly. "Booth...I'm so sorry about everything…"

The older man shook his head. "We'll talk later. Right now we gotta move…"

"Okay."

#&'

After shivering in the cool morning air for what seemed like an eternity, Sweets finally saw a large black SUV turn down the narrow road that led to the pavilion. This is it...here we go.

Inhaling deeply to settle his nerves, he jammed his hand in his jacket pocket and wrapped his fingers around the cell phone, hoping that it would be convincing enough to fool Vorstenbach. All we need is a few seconds...long enough to get him out of the car so they can arrest him...God, I hope everything goes smoothly…

Hoping he looked calm despite his roiling fear, Sweets sat on the bench and watched in silence as Dick Vorstenbach parked the car and exited the vehicle.

Finally the hit man broke the ice as he approached. "You got what I need?"

"Yep." Sweets sat up a little straighter and held out his hand. "It's right here. Check it if you want…"

"Oh, I will." Shrugging, Vorstenbach pulled a small handgun out of his pants pocket and pointed it at Sweets. "Don't move…"

Holding his hands up, Sweets' voice was shrill. "Look, I did what you asked...there's no reason for that…"

"Can't be too careful…" Shifting the gun to his left hand, Vorstenbach activated the phone and used his right thumb to scroll through the screens. "It looks right…"

Sweets nodded. "I told you it would be…"

"So you even left the stuff with your name on it on here." Vorstenbach pursed his lips as he considered the notion. "That's surprising…"

"You said you didn't want me to tamper with it in any way…"

Vorstenbach smiled sarcastically. "Yeah, I know...but this is too good to be true, ain't it? If this was the real thing, you would've taken your stuff off…"

As he heard that comment on the receiver, a worried Turner whispered to Booth. "Goddammit! We were too smart for our own fucking good! Are you ready to roll, Buddy?"

"Yeah…"

After quickly sending a text alert to the agents in the area, Turner and Booth edged closer to the pavilion, making sure the hit man was in their line of sight as they crept up on the structure.

Raising an eyebrow at Sweets, Vorstenbach chuckled unpleasantly. "So the feebs picked you up for questioning, and you didn't give them this phone?"

Sweets was adamant. "No, of course not. They didn't know I had it, and I didn't volunteer the information. Why would I incriminate myself like that?"

"Maybe because they cut you a nice deal. Maybe you thought you'd save your own ass that way. Who knows? But I'll tell you what I do know...I hate snitches…"

He cocked the gun, pointing it at Sweets's forehead. "I also hate loose ends, so it looks like it's bye-bye time for you…"

At that moment there was a shout from behind them. "Dick Vorstenbach! I'm Special Agent Joseph Turner. You're under arrest on charges of murder and kidnapping…"

The noise distracted the hit man long enough so that Sweets could slip off the bench and run to safety. At the same time, the SWAT sniper stepped out of the clump of bushes, hitting Vorstenbach in the left hand and knocking the gun free.

Tossing the phone aside, the hit man quickly picked up the gun and raced for his SUV. After starting it, he threw it in gear in an effort to speed away, only to find the road leading away from the pavilion blocked by several large vehicles.

There was nothing to do but make a break for it. Abandoning his car, he ran as fast as he could up the road, dragging his left arm as he dodged the barrage of bullets that rained down on him from the agents pursuing him.

At last there was one car between him and freedom. Desperate to escape, Vorstenbach sprinted up to the car and pointed his gun as he screamed at the passenger. "Get out!"

Without hesitation, Agent Miller drew his service revolver and fired on the assailant. As Vorstenbach attempted to return fire, a loud report from a pistol was heard, and he fell over, dead from a gunshot wound to the chest.

Booth and Turner quickly ran over to the car to check the occupants for injuries. Turner helped a wounded Miller out of the driver's seat. "Easy there...are you hit?"

"Yeah...it's just a graze. How's Dr. Brennan?"

"She's fine…"

Booth helped Brennan out of the car and took her into his arms. "Oh my God, Bones! What are you doing here?"

"I thought you might need some help…," she murmured, allowing herself to collapse into his embrace. "I asked Agent Miller to bring me out here…"

"Well, it looks like you helped, alright…" Booth exhaled quietly as he looked over at Vorstenbach's body. "...but me and you need to have a little talk about listening to directions, don't we?"

Leaning into him, she sighed. "Perhaps...but can't it wait until later? I want to go home…"

Kissing her tenderly, Booth smiled. "Okay...let's go home."

One more chapter to tie up the loose ends...Laura