Nora was his daughter. Holy shit. Booth's brain was on fire. The more he thought about it, the more he could see a little bit of Parker in her facial features, but not much. She had taken more after her mother. What was he going to do?! He couldn't just waltz up to her and say, "Guess what? I'm your Daddy!" That would never fly. She'd probably kick him in the nards to boot. He closed Brennan's file and tapped it with his fingers. Obviously he didn't kidnap her, so there was no point in looking into this further. He took the file back inside, and Steve retrieved it from him.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" he asked.

"And then some," Booth answered, turning and walking away. Steve frowned until he looked at the number and decided to cross reference it to the donor. He started laughing. Seeley Booth. The man who was just in here was the father of Brennan's baby. What a small world! No wonder the man looked faint.

...

"Sweets, I gotta talk to you," Booth said. Sweets was distracted.

"Did you get a lead?" he asked, getting excited. Booth winced.

"Well...no. It's more of a psychology question."

"Oh," Sweets said, his hope dying immediately. "About?"

Booth paused. Did he really want to tell Sweets?

"Just how angry is Nora about not having a dad around?"

"Um, I'm not sure," Sweets answered. "I never talked to her directly. Dr. Brennan made the assumption her daughter was craving a male father figure, but she never concluded it for me. I assumed that meant Nora was angry."

"Lots of guesswork, huh?"

"It's not guesswork," Sweets huffed.

"I'm gonna need her file," Booth said hurriedly before Sweets could object any further. "I need to see if there are any other threats."

"I would have noticed them," Sweets said, affronted.

"Yes, yes, just give it to me," Booth ordered. Sweets went into his drawer and pulled out a medium sized file. He handed it to Booth carefully.

"You should know that Dr. Brennan is a brilliant woman," Sweets told him. "But she's also reserved and collected. She thinks differently. The only exception is her two children. She's like a different person with them around."

"Thanks," Booth said, nodding. He turned to leave.

"Do you think they're dead?" Sweets asked, making him stop in the doorway. Booth didn't want to turn around. He didn't want to see the look on Sweets' face.

"I don't make guesses until I have evidence," Booth answered, looking at him finally. Sweets bowed his head.

"I understand."

"Chin up, Sweets. My gut says they'll be all right."

Booth left then, feeling the words from Brennan's file burn in his hand. He wanted to know this woman more. He felt that if he could know her, he would know where to find her.

Nora

She was tapping her foot impatiently when Booth arrived to pick them up. Dominic struggled to his feet and hobbled over to the car. Booth opened the door and helped him in.

"You're late," Nora snapped, standing there with crossed arms.

"I was doing work on finding your mother," he answered. She opened and closed her mouth. She guessed she couldn't harass him if he was trying to help find their mom. She climbed inside without any further comments. Dominic was shaky and made some gasping noises during the drive, but thankfully, he wasn't sick. Nora hated when he threw up. It made her want to as well. Booth was quiet as they went inside.

"No butt kissing today?" she asked him. He glared in return. She cringed inside. She had crossed a line, and she knew it.

"Young lady, if you want to be treated with respect, then you need to treat others with respect," Booth told her.

"Sorry," she muttered.

"Go do your homework," he instructed. She obliged. She set up at the kitchen table where he could observe her working. Dominic went to his room to do his. After a while, Nora looked up to see Booth studying her.

"What?" she asked impatiently.

"Nothing," he answered, looking away. She felt uncomfortable.

"Is my mom dead?" she asked. He had that look on his face, the one that said he had bad news and didn't know how to deliver it.

"I have not heard one way or another, Nora," Booth replied, rubbing his face with his hand. "We are still looking into it."

"Did you find anything today?"

"I've been going through her session notes with Dr. Sweets."

Nora visibly froze. He had read her mother's therapy sessions? Then he would know...

"Can I ask you about your father?" he asked, reading her mind.

"I don't have one," she replied. "Never knew one. Mom said I was her gift when she needed it the most." She decided to be vague. Maybe he didn't really know where she had really come from.

"I see," Booth said quietly. He fidgeted.

"I'm just fine without one," she added. He flinched. She peered at him curiously.

"Did your mom ever talk about being afraid of anyone?"

Nora thought hard. She couldn't think of any until...

"She never said anything, but after Dominic was born, she was extra cautious and always looking over her shoulder," Nora told him. She had only been two, but she remembered the fear.

"Hmm," Booth said. "Dominic said his father was dead."

"Yea. That happened about two years later. She's been fine ever since."

"So you might say she was afraid of Dominic's father," Booth confirmed.

"I dunno. I'm not the FBI," Nora said, huffing.

"What did he die from?" Booth asked.

"I think she said an overdose," Nora replied matter-of-factly. Booth didn't respond, but he took in the information.

"Did she ever say his name?"

"No."

Booth looked annoyed, but he didn't press.

"Thanks, kid," he said, getting up and going over to his laptop to work. Nora watched him. She wondered what it was that he didn't tell her.

The Next Day

Booth was watching Dominic's physio therapist work him hard. The boy was ultra tough. Booth had to give him credit. He didn't think he could endure that kind of movements if he was in Dominic's position. The therapist rubbed some cream on his legs after their walk and get him settled on the floor. Dominic was to keep his chin lowered and hold his leg up for as long as he could. He did this for a while until the therapist moved him to the couch and had him cross his arms behind his back and try to lift his legs. When he couldn't go any higher, the therapist would lift them for him. Dominic was constantly slouching and straightening. He was doing his best to keep his back poker straight.

"You're doing great," Booth encouraged. Dominic smiled weakly. It was after school, and Booth could tell the boy was tired mentally and now physically. No wonder he slept so well. Booth was a tad jealous.

"Okay, that's enough for today," the therapist said, releasing Dominic's leg. "Great job today, bud. I'll see you tomorrow." Booth helped Dominic get his crutches and helped him walk to the door.

"You have a lot of determination," Booth noted just as they exited.

"My Mom paid a lot for the surgery, so it's up to me to make sure it actually works," Dominic replied. "I refuse to let her down." Booth felt that Brennan wouldn't worry about something like that, but he kept his mouth shut.

"So, my son is coming over tonight," Booth said casually. "Parker." Dominic tried not to show his disappointment. Parker had been a witness to some of his bullying. He never joined in, but he didn't jump in to help either. Dominic understood this...sort of.

"The boy who's room I'm staying in?" Dominic asked. He didn't want to show how disappointed he was.

"Yea. He's nine too. Actually, he should be in some of your classes," Booth went on.

"I know of him," Dominic finally said.

"That's great," Booth grinned. "Well, I hope you guys hit it off."

"Yea, me too," Dominic said absently. He was feeling nervous now. Booth didn't notice. He was too busy anxiously thinking about how Parker was going to react to Dominic as well as the conversation he was going to have with Cam in about half an hour.

...

"You're WHAT?!" Cam asked, exploding. Booth had finished telling her that he was Nora's father. He couldn't keep it in any longer. He had to tell someone.

"I don't know what to do," Booth admitted, rubbing his neck. She gaped at him.

"You...you...I..." she started. She blew air out of her lips. "This is unbelievable."

"I know."

"She's going to freak out."

"I know. It's why I'm not saying anything yet."

"When are you going to?"

"I don't even know if I should," Booth said truthfully. "She was quite adamant she did not want a father."

"That's the hurt talking," Cam explained. "She gets jealous when she sees girls with their daddies playing or spending time together. She thinks she can fool me, but I'm not stupid."

"Were you cleared by the social worker?"

"I was, but Seeley, it's hard for me to have them and Michelle. Nora gets her all riled up sometimes for no reason, and it's a lot of work keeping up with Dominic's schedule."

"The odd weekend then?"

"I can do that," Cam nodded. "Michelle is usually with friends."

"Is she ever going to like me?" Booth asked. Cam chuckled.

"That depends."

"On what?"

"On whether or not you find her mom."

Later

Booth picked up Parker from Rebecca's, and they were on their way to his place. Booth felt anxious, and he wasn't sure why. Parker had a million questions about Nora and Dominic. He had a vague recollection of them from school. Booth hoped he wouldn't be rude about Dominic's crutches. Booth had to pick them up from Elsie's house. He knew Dominic would be starving for some male companionship by now. Once they arrived and Dominic was in the car with Nora in the front seat in a stony silence, Booth felt himself draw a breath. Parker had showed recognition and then fear. Booth dreaded finding out what his son had done to Dominic, if anything. At his apartment, Nora stormed to her room without a word, and Parker, Booth, and Dominic made their way to the living room. Booth had arranged the bedroom to suit both boys. He desperately hoped they would get along. An hour later, when everyone was winding down for the night and Booth was sitting at the table, he heard yelling.

"Freak!"

Rushing to the boys' bedroom, he halted in the doorway. Dominic was crying. Parker looked mad. Nora was making it worse...as usual.

"What happened?" Booth asked.

"Dom broke Parker's glass figurine," Nora said, smirking. "He's such a clumsy dopehead."

"I am not!" Dominic shouted.

"Hey, it's all right," Booth said.

"No, it's not," Parker argued. "Grandma gave it to me, and she's not here anymore." Rebecca's mother had been an avid figurine collector. Parker shared this delight.

"I'm sorry, bud," Booth said. "I'll try to find you a new one."

"You won't find it," Parker muttered.

"I'm really sorry," Dominic said. He had his hands in front of him, holding them tightly as though releasing them would cause everything to break and smash.

"Clumsy idiot," Nora growled. "Breaking everything. You're useless, you know that?"

"Hey," Booth said sharply. "That's enough. Go to your room. Parker, grab the dustpan. Dom, stop crying, all right? These things happen." He tried to soothe the boy, but it was futile.

"He h-h-hates me," Dominic stuttered, wiping his eyes. "He doesn't like me."

"Nonsense," Booth scoffed. Parker returned with the dustpan and a broom. "Parker, you like Dominic, right? This was just an accident."

"Yea, whatever," Parker shrugged. He didn't elaborate any further. Booth felt frustrated now. This was not going the way he wanted it to.

"Loser!" Nora called from her room.

"Stop that!" Booth shouted back. He needed to find a better way to shut her down and fast. She was killing Dom's self-esteem faster than poison to a flower.

"Dad, can I go home?" Parker asked. Booth froze. What?

"Um, no, bud. Your mom is busy. You gotta stay here."

"All right," Parker sighed. Booth watched as his son grabbed a pillow and a blanket and went out to the couch.

"I told you," Dominic stated.

"Oh no," Booth started.

"Don't," Dominic stopped him, using his cane. "Let him do what he wants. Don't force him to like me. He has to do it on his own."

"How did you get so wise?" Booth asked, looking down at him.

"I don't know," Dominic shrugged.

"Okay, but if he's not friendly in the morning, we have to figure something out, okay?"

"Okay."

Booth felt anger towards his son then. How could his own flesh and blood be so indifferent and mean to Dominic? They were going to have a chat, and soon.

Brennan

It was dark. She couldn't move or speak. She had no idea where she was or what day they were on. There was a sliver of light, but not enough to see. She thought about the kids. They would be worried by now. She hoped her brother was caring for them. Her father was still estranged to them. Cam was busy but did what she could. She just hoped they were safe. Then she remembered something else.

Daisy.

She craned her neck hard. Daisy was not there with her anymore. She couldn't call out for her either. She was here all alone.

Daisy was gone.

Thanks for reading! It might be a bit before the next update as the next few weeks are hectic for both of us. We will do our best!