A/N: Here is the next chapter which is dedicated to a2b. I hope you enjoy! Also in case anyone is interested, I posted a songfic today called Unsaid. Thanks to everyone for the reviews, now that the alerts are working, I should be able to respond to people!

She stared at the report on her computer screen, the cursor blinking, waiting for her to complete her thought. Unfortunately her thoughts were not with the report, but with a certain Special Agent who had been occupying her mind far to often lately.

'Focus.' She thought to herself. 'Stop thinking about Booth.' She nodded her head firmly and proceeded to write. Just as she had pushed him from the last vestiges of her mind, her phone rang.

"Brennan." She answered.

"Hey it's me." Booth replied.

She sighed. "Hi Booth."

"What? Don't want to talk to me?" he joked.

"I do, it's just, I am trying to finish this report and I have an identification to finish." She said wearily. "Please don't tell me we have another case."

"We don't." he replied. "Well we do. It's your parent's case."

She immediately sat up straighter. "What did you find out?"

"Actually I am going to wait to tell you because…I think we should involve the squints." He said.

"What?" she said. "Look Booth, I don't think that is a good idea."

"Temperance, the squints are the only ones who don't work for the FBI who can give us what we need. I am sure that I am being watched very carefully. In fact, I sent some guys over to both my apartment and yours to see if it was bugged." He replied.

"Wait, you think the apartments are being bugged?" she asked. "You sound like Hodgins."

"It's a possibility." He replied. "Besides, I am just checking. It's probably nothing."

She shivered at the thought of someone being able to listen in on their conversations, their lovemaking.

"You know I am right." He said. "We need the squints to help us. Especially if we decide to look at the bodies again."

"I guess so." She stated. "Come to the lab and we will talk."

"There's something else." He said. "I found Russ."

"What? Where?" she asked.

"In a bar on Elm Street." He replied.

"Where is he?" she questioned.

"Sitting right next to me." He said. "We are in the car driving around."

"Did you arrest him?" she said.

"No. Listen Temperance let me fill you in when we get there, okay" He replied. "Now I can't just stroll into the Jeffersonian with him, but we can't go back to the apartments right now either so we are going to go to the diner and get some food."

She knew this was his way of asking whether she wanted to come.

"Uh, I have things to do." She replied, panicking. "Call me when you come to the Jeffersonian. Most people are out of here by seven."

"Okay. And Temperance?" He said.

"Yeah?" She replied.

"It'll be okay." He said softly.

She hung up the phone and stared at her computer screen. Russ was here. She knew that Booth would find him, she didn't think it would be so soon. She wasn't ready for this, not by a long shot. She wasn't ready to see him, or solve the case or deal with this in any way. She wanted the truth, but it felt like the further she dug, the more questions came up. Doubts arose within her as to whether she would ever find the truth.

Her thoughts turned to Booth. He was risking everything for her. By not arresting Russ, he could be considered an accessory. She felt guilty. He was doing all of this for her, what if she wasn't good enough for him? She didn't want to disappoint him.

She stood up and made her way out to Angela's office. After knocking on the door lightly, she went in.

"Hey Bren." Angela said, fiddling with the Angelator.

"Hey Angela." She replied. "Listen I need you to do me a favour."

"Okay." Angela said.

"I need you to stay tonight until after seven." She said. "I am actually going to ask everyone. It's a personal favour but you can't tell anyone."

"Bren, what's going on?" Angela asked. "You have been acting weird all week."

"I can't tell you right now." She replied, not wanting to talk about Booth or her brother. "You will find out tonight, I promise."

"Does Booth know?" Angela asked.

"Yes he does." She said.

"Okay then." Angela replied, seeming satisfied that at least Booth knew what was going on.

She made her way to Hodgins and Zach and both agreed to stay. She found herself standing outside Cam's office, unsure about whether to go in. They hadn't had the best relationship and she was a little uneasy about the fact that Cam had slept with Booth. She knew however, that the team wouldn't be able to keep anything hidden from her for too long.

She knocked and opened the door.

"Cam?" she asked. "Can I speak with you?"

"Of course, Dr. Brennan." Cam said, gesturing for her to come inside.

"I was wondering if you could do me a favour?" She asked.

"Okay." Cam said hesitantly.

"I have a personal situation that I need the team's help on. It can't be discussed openly. The others and I are meeting Booth here after seven and I was wondering if you would stay." She stated.

"Of course." Cam replied instantly.

She nodded and turned to head out the door. She turned back and looked at Cam.

"Cam?" she said.

"Yes, Dr. Brennan?" Cam replied.

"Thank you." she said.

Cam nodded and she turned and headed back to her office.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was after seven and Booth hadn't called yet. The team were milling around, trying to look active. Suddenly her cellphone rang.

"Brennan." She answered.

"Hey we are here." He replied.

She felt nervousness in the pit of her stomach.

"Okay then. We will be in Angela's office." She said. She headed out to the platform, where Hodgins and Zach were. "Let's meet in Angela's office, shall we?" she said.

They nodded and moved towards Angela's office. Soon everyone was there except for Booth and Russ.

"What's going on sweetie?" Angela asked. "You are as white as a ghost."

"White as a ghost?" she asked, puzzled. "There are no such things as ghosts. And if there were, there is no proof that they are white. Either way, I don't understand the meaning of how I am like that."

"She means you look pale." Hodgins piped up.

Angela's office door opened and Booth walked in with a man, his face obscured by a baseball cap.

"So, what's going on Booth?" Cam asked.

Russ lifted his head and took the baseball cap off.

"Oh my god, Russ." Angela said, lifting her hand to cover her mouth. The others looked equally shocked.

Booth moved forward, gesturing Russ to do the same.

"Hi Tempe." Russ said softly.

She didn't reply, just stared straight ahead. She didn't want to talk to him yet. The anger that had been simmering as a result of him leaving her again was now bubbling to the surface.

"So," Booth said. "Let me explain. I am back working on the Keenan case. I am trying to find out who killed Max. We have a couple of theories but basically it involves the FBI."

"You mean a dirty FBI agent?" Cam asked.

"Possibly more than one." He replied. "That being said, I have to be careful around the FBI. They know I am working the case, but it is supposed to be my lowest priority. That's where you guys come in. I want to use you as much as possible if you are willing. I trust you whereas there are people in the FBI who could be bribed to do illegal things."

"We will have to keep the case quiet though." She said, speaking up for the first time.

"We can do that Dr. Brennan." Zach piped up.

She smiled. "You…you don't have to do this if you don't want to."

"Of course we are going to do it." Hodgins replied. "I for one, smell a gigantic conspiracy theory."

"I agree." Cam said. "Not about the conspiracy theory although that is possible. But about doing the case."

"Thank you." she replied softly.

"Good." Booth replied. They proceeded to fill the team in on all the details, including Booth's theory about Willie Franklin and the FBI agent.

"Dude, that's intense." Hodgins said, once the story was finished.

"All we have right now is the information from my father's interrogation. And that's not really getting us far." She said.

"That's why Russ is here." Booth replied. "Hopefully he will provide us with some answers."

"I'll try." Russ said.

"There's something else." Booth said, turning to her.

"What?" she asked.

"Your dad… he wrote Russ a letter before he left." He replied.

"Let me see it." She said insistently.

Russ pulled the letter out of his pocket.

"Tempe…I…" he started.

"Just let me see the letter Russ." She said sharply.

He handed her the letter and she unfolded it and started to read.

'Dear Russ,

When you read this I will be gone. The time has come for me to deal with everything that has happened in my life. I want you to know that whatever I did, I loved you and your sister very much. Your mother did as well.

I tried to protect the both of you and even as I write this I know I have failed. It is not over, but hopefully I have kept you safe as possible.

It is most likely that you will hear of my imprisonment or possibly my death. When this happens you need to go to Washington and be with your sister. You need each other.

I have no doubt that you will both take care of each other. She already has Agent Booth, but she needs you as well.

Understand something. Agent Booth may be FBI but I believe he will keep your sister safe. She trusts him implicitly and that is good enough for me.

Hopefully one day both of you will see that I was doing this for you.

Dad.'

Without realizing it, a tear slipped down her cheek. She brushed it away and handed it back to Russ.

"That doesn't provide us with any new evidence." She said stiffly.

"Right." Russ replied.

The room was filled with awkward tension.

"Well now that everyone is up to speed, I think we can all go home." Booth spoke up. "I will drive you two to your apartment."

"What you two aren't living together?" Russ piped up.

"What?" Hodgins and Zach said in unison.

"Sorry what?" Cam said looking stunned.

"Yeah, I am ready to…wait, WHAT???" Angela shouted.