Dominic was very out of breath when he finally stopped. He looked around him, unsure of what to do or where to go. He hadn't thought it all the way through yet. It was now starting to rain.

"Hey, sport," Cole's voice said, coming up behind him. Dominic twisted to see his face. Cole looked surprised and confused to see him.

"Hi."

"What are you doing out here alone? You could get hurt or worse," Cole chastised.

"I ran away from my sister, and I don't want to go home," Dominic replied.

"Well, you can't avoid her forever. She is your sister," Cole pointed out.

"I can for a while," Dominic argued. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here," Cole said, gesturing to the building in front of them.

"Oh," Dominic said quietly.

"Look, come in from the rain at least," Cole said. "I'll call your guardian and let him know where to pick you up."

"Okay," Dominic agreed. Cole led him inside. Dominic was grateful to see an elevator, which took them up to Cole's apartment. The first thing he saw was piles of books in Cole's living room.

"Wow, you weren't kidding," Dominic said, staring.

"Right? Okay, who am I calling?" Cole asked, reaching for the phone.

"His name is Seeley Booth, but he likes to be called Booth," Dominic replied. He relayed Booth's cell number to Cole, who dialed it. Dominic started to look around the apartment now, not paying attention to the phone call happening. He just wanted to numb out for a bit.

Booth

He was figuring out what to say to Max when his phone rang.

"Booth."

"Oh, hello. My name is Cole Dunlop. I work at the library in town here. I found your son wandering the streets by himself, so I brought him inside to wait for you to come get him."

"Excuse me?!" Booth exclaimed. "You have Parker?!"

"Oh, no. His name is Dominic. Is he not your son?"

"He's my foster son," Booth answered.

"Ah, I see. Well, he said he was running away from his sister and didn't want to go home. I think we can both agree he should return home and try to work things out."

"Most definitely," Booth said. "Where are you?" Cole gave him directions.

"I can assure you that I am a good Samaritan," Cole added. "Dominic talks to me at work sometimes. He's my buddy."

"Uh huh," Booth said, not buying it. "I'll be there soon." He hung up and hurried off to pick up Dominic. He passed one of his coworkers that he trusted and stopped at his desk.

"Can you do me a favor?" Booth asked. Agent Hoy looked up at him.

"What's that?"

"Do a search check on a Cole Dunlop. He works at the library. Here's his address," Booth added, writing it down.

"Any reason why?"

"I just want to check him out. He claims he's friends with my foster son," Booth answered.

"Got it," Hoy nodded. He started entering the data into his computer.

"Text me as soon as you have the details," Booth ordered.

"Sure thing."

Booth hurried out of the building then. He wondered just what Nora had said to Dominic to make him run away. Then he wondered just where Nora was if Dominic was by himself.

Nora

She had never felt so scared in her life. Her brother was missing. This was bad...very bad. Booth would be so furious at her. She wandered up and down the streets, calling his name. He wasn't answering her at all. She whipped her head all around, searching. Where could he have gone? Her mother would be so disappointed with her.

"Hey, cutie," a voice said. Nora froze. She had always been warned about pervs on the street, and here was one now. She turned to see a greasy haired man leering at her. She moved away quickly, but the man started chasing after her. She screamed as she ran, terrified that this was how it was all going to end when a car pulled up beside her.

"Get in!" Max shouted. Nora didn't even question it. She yanked open the passenger door and threw herself inside, slamming it shut behind her. She was gasping for air as they drove away from the shouting man.

"What in God's name are you doing running out around here by yourself?!" Max demanded. He was angry.

"I was looking for Dom."

"Your brother?"

"Yes."

"Where is he?"

"I don't know," she answered, starting to cry. "We got into a fight, and I said something really bad, and he took off."

"Oh boy," Max sighed. He pulled out his phone.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Calling Booth. The guy hates me, but he should at least know what's going on," Max explained. He put the phone to his ear.

"Booth."

"Yea, hey it's Max."

"Are you kidding me?!"

"I've got Nora."

"What?! Why?!"

"She was out looking for her brother. Booth, he's missing."

"I'm on my way to pick him up. He's with some Cole guy. Just bring Nora back to the FBI building. Caroline will watch her."

"All right," Max agreed. He hung up. Nora was watching him carefully.

"Well?" she asked.

"He's on his way to get your brother. Some guy named Cole found him?"

"Figures," Nora muttered.

"You don't like him?"

"It's not that I don't like Cole. Dom has this wild idea that Cole is like a father to him, which is so far fetched. He's just a guy who works at the library. He's no one special, not like Dom's real father..." Nora trailed off then. She couldn't believe she had blabbed this much already.

"And Dom imagining Cole as a father figure makes it seem like his real father didn't exist?" Max finished.

"Yea...and I know it's stupid. Dom never met his father. Only I did."

"Well, honey, then it sounds like a young child's dream, wanting a father figure. Don't you? I know Tempe never got with anyone, so I'm sure that means you don't have a father too."

"No," she shook her head hard. God help her if Max found out that Booth was her biological father.

"Tough and determined, just like your mother," Max sighed. He turned the car around, heading for the FBI building. He wasn't going to just leave Nora there. Booth can be furious all he wants. He has no idea who this Caroline is, and right now, Max didn't trust anybody to care for his grandchildren while his daughter was missing.

Booth

His day was just getting better and better. First Dom, then Nora. They were all going to have a big talk later to find out just what the hell happened. He approached Cole's building with caution. His phone rang, and Booth hoped it wasn't Max again. Seeing that it was Agent Hoy, he answered.

"Yea?"

"Cole checks out. Model citizen. Big volunteer at local charities and helps out with soup kitchens for the homeless. I called some of his listed charities, and they vouched for him. He's clean."

"All right," Booth replied, hanging up. He went up the stairs and knocked on the apartment door.

"Hello!" Cole said, seeing him there. "Come on in."

"Hi, Booth," Dominic said. He looked sheepish. Booth came into the doorway and looked around the apartment. Books everywhere, awards on the walls, and photographs of Cole on various trips and with laughing, happy people that Booth could only assume were his friends and family. There was no bad vibe coming from his surroundings. Booth had to begrudgingly admit that Cole had indeed checked out.

"All right, buddy, let's go," Booth said. "You have some explaining to do."

"I want to stay here," Dominic responded.

"Another time, Dominic," Cole said. "You should get home and make amends with your sister."

"Is that what this is about?" Booth asked. "What has she done now?!"

"She called me a freak," Dominic said quietly. Booth's heart sank.

"Like your bullies do," Cole nodded, getting it. "That must have really hurt."

"What are you, a shrink too? I've got this," Booth said, kneeling down to Dom's level. "Bud, I'm sure she didn't mean it. Let's go find her so we can clear this up."

"I don't want to. She's so mean to me all the time, and she never says sorry."

"Dom..."

"Can't I just stay here for a bit? I need a break from her."

"I can't just leave you here, buddy. I'm sorry."

"I'll see you at the library," Cole promised. "Go with Booth and talk to your sister. It's important that you try to maintain a relationship with her."

"Fine," Dominic caved after a moment. He reluctantly went to the door, waiting for Booth.

"Thanks," Booth said to Cole. "I was running out of ideas."

"Of course," Cole bowed slightly. "Happy to help."

"Bye," Dominic said as they went out the door. Once they got to Booth's SUV, Dominic started to cry a little.

"What's wrong?" Booth asked, concerned.

"I just...Nora and I had a big fight. She said that I was a freak for thinking of Cole like a father, but she's the real freak for knowing who her father is and not wanting a relationship with him!" Dominic burst out. Booth froze.

"What did you say?" he asked. Dominic gulped then, realizing too late what he had just said.

"N-nothing."

"Nora knows who her father is?" Booth demanded. "How did she find out?"

"She didn't say."

"Oh God," Booth groaned. He was wrong. The day could still get worse.

Nora

She looked back and forth between Caroline and Max. Neither adult was speaking to the other, and Caroline looked as though she wanted to have Max's ass hauled back outside. Nora suddenly envisioned Caroline tossing Max out, and she giggled.

"What?" Caroline snapped.

"Nothing," Nora shook her head.

"You're in big trouble, young lady. Losing your brother like that was very irresponsible of you."

"Don't lecture my granddaughter," Max jumped in.

"Oh, don't act all heroic now. You just met her!"

"That wasn't my choice!"

"Who's the one who did bad, criminal things to make it so you weren't given the choice?!" Caroline asked, her voice loud now.

"All right, all right, calm down," Booth interrupted, coming in then. Max and Caroline both gave each other dagger eyes. Nora gulped. She saw the look on Booth's face when he looked at her, and she immediately wondered if Dom had told him that she knew Booth was her father.

"You, out," Booth ordered Max.

"But..."

"Out!"

"Hmph," Caroline smirked.

"You too," Booth growled. She frowned then.

"Oh sure. Thanks for the help, Caroline. I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to babysit, Caroline. You're the best, Caroline," she rambled as she walked away. Max held his ground.

"You need to leave," Booth said aggressively.

"He can stay," Nora cut in.

"I'm not on your side, sweetheart," Max told her. She deflated.

"Look, thanks for picking her up, but we need to have a conversation without you involved."

"Fine. I'll be out in the hall."

"Where's Dom?" Nora asked once Max was gone.

"He's hanging out with Agent Hoy. Why don't you tell me what happened?"

Nora swallowed, wondering what to say. In the end, she said it all. Once she was finished, Booth sat back and sighed.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," he started.

"It's okay. I'm sorry I snooped on your phone."

"Just because I'm your biological father it doesn't mean we have to have that relationship," Booth said. "I know how you feel about it."

"I don't know what to feel anymore to be honest," Nora replied.

"Well, let's just agree to discuss it at a later time," Booth suggested.

"Okay," Nora agreed.

"You gotta apologize to Dom, Nora," Booth said. "He's really hurting."

"I know. It just slipped out," Nora told him, hanging her head with shame.

"Hate to barge in," Hoy said at the door. "But I gotta go on a case." Dominic appeared beside him. He avoided looking at Nora.

"It's all right. We're done here," Booth said. Hoy left, and Dominic stood in the doorway hesitating.

"I'm so sorry," Nora blurted. "Dom, you know I didn't mean it like that!"

"Can we go home?" Dominic asked Booth, ignoring Nora.

"Bud, she's trying here," Booth said.

"I want to go home," Dominic said again more forcefully. Booth gave Nora a sad look. She looked crushed in return. It was going to be a long night.

Two Days Later

"You're still not talking to her?" Cole asked. They were at the library, and Dominic was telling him how he'd been avoiding Nora.

"I just can't. She hurt me so bad...I don't want to talk to her," Dominic replied.

"I see."

"I miss my mom," Dominic said ruefully. "I miss her food. I miss her laugh. I miss everything."

"What did she cook?"

"I liked her pasta dishes the best," Dominic said. "Pizza casserole was my favorite."

"It sounds amazing," Cole said. Booth arrived then to pick Dominic up. Nora was with Cam for the night. They had agreed it was for the best since the siblings were not talking to each other.

"Hey," Booth said.

"Can Cole come for dinner?" Dominic asked.

"Oh, way to put him on the spot," Cole laughed. "It's all right, Booth. I don't want to intrude."

"No, it's all right," Booth said. He wanted to get to know this Cole guy Dominic idolized so much.

"Really?" Dominic exclaimed.

"Yea why not? Here's my address," Booth said, giving it to Cole. "See you at six."

"Deal," Cole grinned. "I'll bring some beer."

"Right on," Booth smiled back.

"You a Flyers fan, Dom?" Cole asked.

"I don't really like sports," Dom shook his head.

"I am," Booth said.

"Excellent! You won't mind if we catch the score at times then?"

"Not at all," Booth grinned. He was beginning to like this guy a little better already. He didn't have a lot of guy friends. Perhaps Cole would be a first.

...

"He's really mad at me, Cam," Nora said tearfully. They were at Cam's place. Michelle was out with her boyfriend.

"He'll come around," Cam said. "You're his sister. He loves you."

"I was so mean."

"We all can be mean at times. Just show him you're changing, and maybe he'll come around faster."

"I miss Mom," Nora cried. Cam pulled her into a hug then.

"I know. We're working really hard to find her," Cam promised. She felt bad that she didn't have any other news for Nora. Since Daisy had returned, they had been working to figure out where Brennan would have escaped to after Maluku. The world was just too damn big to narrow it down.

Brennan

She made it to Australia. She was hanging out at a local bar and trying to get her plan together. She didn't know who was trying to kill her, and she knew going straight home would put her and the kids in danger. She needed a plan. She contemplated contacting Dr. Sweets, but what if he was being watched? She couldn't risk it. She would come up with something. She had to.

Booth

Cole had arrived on time, and he was getting ready to start cooking when his phone rang. Cole and Dominic were chatting about something Dom was learning in school.

"Booth," he said, turning his back to them. He felt his pulse pick up after the person on the other end finished. "I'll be right there."

"What's wrong?" Dom asked, seeing Booth's face.

"I gotta run into work. Cole, I really hate to ask, but can you watch him?"

"I don't mind at all," Cole reassured him.

"I'll be back...soon," Booth said. He had no idea how long he'd be. He'd text Cam and ask her to pick up Dom if he was too late.

"So, how do you make pizza casserole?" Cole asked.

"You'd make that for me?!"

"I'll try," Cole laughed. "It won't be the same, but maybe it'll help you feel closer to your mother."

"It's so easy to make," Dom said eagerly. He told him the ingredients, and they set to work.

...

Booth arrived at the hospital and found Sweets pacing the hall.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"I don't know. Daisy was coming back from shopping, and she got attacked. Thank God someone saw. I think she'd be dead otherwise," Sweets said. His voice was cracking with emotion.

"All right. We'll figure this out," Booth promised. "Is she still in surgery?"

"Yes. They almost severed her main artery. They said it would be a while before she's out."

"Take a seat and relax. I'll get to the bottom of this," Booth said. He turned and left, heading for the crime scene. This just proved that Daisy really hadn't killed Dr. Brennan. Booth wondered if the real bad guys realized this.