Okay y'all, heeerrreeee'ssss Daddy!! Haha, thanks to Hart, I was able to post again tonight. You rock!
Disclaimer: Guess what? That's right, still don't own 'em!
They arrived at the holding cells at eleven o'clock sharp and waited for Max to be brought to the interview room. Booth had little problem getting access to Max, his FBI status helped tremendously. Brennan was visibly nervous she was bouncing her leg up and down, making the bench that they were sitting on shake. Booth reached over and put his hand on her knee squeezing it gently.
"Hey it's okay." He offered. "Don't be nervous, he'll help us, okay? He will."
"How can you always be so sure Booth?" She covered his hand with hers and squeezed.
He looked directly into her eyes. "It's called 'faith' Bones. You have it in me and I have it in your Dad."
"Faith is an irrational belief Booth, but I am glad you have it."
"It isn't irrational Bones, it just...-isn't." He raised his voice a little but continued to keep his hand on her knee and smiled sweetly.
The door to the interview room opened and Max was led in by a jail guard.
"Here he is agent Booth, I will be right outside the room if you need anything. I have to leave the cuffs on, it's protocol." The guard said putting Max on the opposite side of the table. He undid the ankle shackles, and nodded at Booth as he left the room.
"Hi Dad. We are just wanting to ask you a few questions that have nothing to do with your case. I hope you will help me." Brennan got straight to the point. "What are my aunts names? I am going to go and find them."
"Honey, I don't know if that is a wise idea." He warned.
"Don't worry Max, I will be with her the entire time. I will look after her, I gave you my word." Booth reassured him.
Max just shook his head. "No you don't understand, I don't think that is a wise idea. I have a feeling that the old gang is watching your aunts and until I get confirmation otherwise I don't think you should go."
Brennan stood up angrily. "Why, why do you do this? You walk back into my life after how long, and you give me a video tape of my mom...-"
"He gave you a video?"
"Booth not now, I will show you later." Brennan stressed. Booth looked away and nodded slightly to himself.
"Anyway, you waltz back into my life and you give me this ring to prove who I am to this family I have never met and now you tell me it isn't a wise idea. You finally tell me I have family and then you tell me NOT to find them. You have to stop this, I can't do this anymore. I feel like a puppy on a tether, and it's bone is just out of reach. Every time I get close the leash tightens around my neck and I realize it isn't mine." She grabbed Booth's hand and pulled him to get up. "Booth, I can't do this anymore, let's just find out what we can on our own."
Booth got up and went to the door to call the guard back to gather Max. "Okay Bones, whatever you say, I have the archive room all set up for us, we'll figure it out. Your Dad has been erased from the system by Kirby, but I am hopeful your Mom hasn't been."
"Don't, don't do this, don't leave." Max begged. "I am sorry Honey, I just don't think it is wise for you to do this right now. I know you want answers but until I know it is safe, then I think you should stick close.
Brennan snapped. "What makes you think I can't take care of myself? I have been doing it since I was 15. She turned and advanced toward him slowly. Where were you when I was being shuffled from foster home to foster home? Where were you when I graduated high school or University? Where were you when I was in a hole in El Salvador for a week? I have been taking care of myself for longer than you ever cared for me. I spend almost all my time with a sniper trained FBI agent, who like you, thinks I can't take care of myself. I choose to be partners with Booth, we are good at what we do, he has never let me get hurt before, why wouldn't he protect me now? He got blown up for pete's sake. Blown up twice actually and both times to protect me! How dare you tell me I am not safe!" The tears she had been fighting came to rest in her eyes, but she wouldn't let them fall.
Booth puffed his chest out a little as his ego grew exponentially. "Hey, Bones, hey." He put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her close not quite hugging. "We can do this, we will do this." He looked straight into her eyes so she could see his was telling the truth.
Max sat back and watched the whole scene unfold. He just shook his head. He knew Booth was a good man, and he knew that he would take care of her. After watching him reassure her, he knew they would be alright. "You're aunts are in the northwest. One is in Cody, Wyoming and the other one is in Leavenworth, Washington. Their names are Charlotte but your mom always called her Charlie and Cathy Daniels. I am not sure if they got married or not, but that is their maiden name. Charlie is in Cody, she works on a dude ranch, and your aunt Cathy runs a campground in Leavenworth." Max almost whispered the information as the guard returned to the room to gather him.
Brennan came around the table and pulled her Father into an awkward hug. "Thank you Dad, please just have confidence in Booth, and me. We'll be fine." She whispered into his ear.
Max looked directly at Booth. "Keep her safe, I'm trusting you."
"No worries Max, have I ever let you down before? I've got her." Booth nodded and gathered Brennan into his arms.
"Thanks dad, thanks." The tears started to fall but she wiped them away quickly so he wouldn't see her cry.
Booth gave her a little extra squeeze and released her. He followed her out into the hallway, rambling on about how they would proceed. "Okay so, Charlotte and Cathy Daniels. Hey all the girls start with a 'C'. How convenient. Let's head over to headquarters and look them up. Hopefully the names Max gave us are real and we can do this quickly. I may need to take vacation sooner than I thought. Booth was basically talking to himself, Brennan was too excited to finally have names to actually listen.
"Hey Bones, were you serious about letting me see the video?"
"Yes Booth, I am. I don't know if I can watch it again, but I want you to see it." She let her head down and whispered to the floor. "I need you to watch it Booth, I want you to know where I come from."
With that Booth took her hand gently and entwined their fingers. They got in his SUV and headed over to the Hoover Building in search of more answers. "Well hey, if nothing else, we enjoyed the northwest the last time we went." Booth offered with a strained smile. All Brennan could do was nod in agreement, her shoulders heavy with worry and doubt.
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