A/N: Sorry for the delay, I had a little writer's block! Anyway, I would like to dedicate this chap to Bandbi. On days when I think I suck at this, she is my champion and most importantly my friend!

Okay enough with the sap, on to the chap!

Chapter Eleven

She was at the lab of course. He suspected she had been there since she fled his apartment last night. It was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. It was hardly surprising though, he figured most people wouldn't be here at six-thirty am on a Saturday morning.

He had left Parker with Russ. The two of them seemed to have formed a bond, one he hoped lasted after this mess was over. Parker should have a relationship with his Uncle. 'Uncle.' He thought to himself. 'You aren't even close to marriage yet' Now that would freak Bones out, he knew that for sure.

"Hey." He said softly, causing her to look up from the bones she was examining.

"Look Bones," he said, before she could open her mouth. "I'm sorry. I'm not sure what happened, but I'm sorry."

"I can't do this." She said calmly, turning to face him.

"The case?" he replied. "Because I…"

"No." she interrupted. "Us."

"Wait, what?" he said, totally confused.

"I just don't want to do it anymore." She replied, turning back to the bones on the table.

He bounded up the stairs, swiping his card furiously along the way.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked.

"Booth, just leave me alone." She replied.

"No." he said, striding over to her and pulling her to him. "I won't leave you alone. Ever. Don't you get that?"

"I don't want this." She said firmly.

"Really?" he asked. He grabbed her waist and pulled her into a crushing kiss. His lips were on hers, hard and passionate. His hand was gripping her hair and she couldn't help but respond when his tongue requested entrance into her mouth. Finally they pulled apart panting.

"Don't tell me you don't want this." He said fiercely. "I know you do."

A tear escaped down her cheek and she backed away. She looked into the eyes of the man she knew she loved and she did the one thing that would keep them both unhurt and safe. She lied.

"I don't want this." She repeated, staring him directly in the eyes.

"I don't understand." He said, "What did I do?"

"Nothing." She replied. "You did nothing."

"I won't let you run from this Temperance." He said firmly.

"That's not your decision." She said. "Besides it's for the best."

"For the best?" he asked incredulously. "How is me not being able to hold you, touch you, make love to you the best?"

"Please respect my decision." She replied, holding back a sob.

He was about to reply when his phone rang. "We are not finished." He said pointedly, before picking up the phone.

"Booth." He said sharply.

"Seeley?" Rebecca's angry tone came over the phone. "What the hell is going on?"

"Rebecca, what are you talking about?" he asked, moving towards Brennan's office.

"I came by to get Parker and you weren't there." Rebecca shouted. "He was with some man I didn't know."

"Rebecca it's seven o'clock in the morning. Why are you picking up Parker?' he asked.

"I came to talk to you about your visits with Parker." Rebecca said steely.

"Again, I repeat Rebecca, why at seven o'clock in the morning?"

"Because I had to talk to you." She replied. "But instead I find Parker with a strange man."

"He's not a strange man, his name is Russ. He is Bones' brother." He said, trying to keep his voice in check.

"Parker said he just met him yesterday." She retorted.

"I went out to get breakfast." He replied. "I completely trust Russ, Parker was fine. How could you think that I would put Parker in danger?"

"Your job puts him in danger everyday." Rebecca said angrily. "I am done with this Seeley. I don't think its in Parker's best interest that you see him any more."

"His best interest?" he yelled. "I am his father, Rebecca. You cannot take him away from me!"

"Yes I can and I am going to." Rebecca replied firmly.

"Then I will take you to court." He said. "This is not fair to me or Parker. I thought everything was fine. We were getting along fine, no problems, and then all of a sudden this?"

"Things have been wrong for a long time Seeley." Rebecca said. "You just didn't see. Oh, and having your doctor girlfriend sleep over while Parker is there? Not the best decision."

"She didn't…we didn't…" he replied.

"I don't care." Rebecca interrupted. "This is my decision. I have to go."

"Wait, Rebecca!" he said frantically. "Let me speak to him please. At least let me say goodbye."

"I don't think that is a good idea." Rebecca replied. "He is already upset as it is."

"Doesn't that give you a clue that what you are doing is wrong?" he asked.

"I am sorry Seeley." Rebecca said. "This is the way its going to be."

"Yeah, well I will see you in court." He replied, hanging up the phone.

Flopping down on the couch in her office, he put his head in his hands and sighed. He couldn't believe that Rebecca was doing this. It seemed so out of the blue. He couldn't let her take Parker, he was his father and a damned good one. Parker knew that he loved him, that was what was important. And he couldn't believe that Rebecca was doing this.

He leaned back and shut his eyes. He could hear her out there, setting out another skeleton, examining it for the cause of death. Part of him wondered if this was all a dream. It was not possible that he would have both Temperance and Parker taken away from him on the same day. He wanted to march out there and kiss her again. Hold her and figure out what was bothering her so much that she would give up on something they had both wanted for a long time. It was only a week ago that she had looked into his eyes and said that she wanted to do this with him, have a relationship.

Then last night happened. And yet he still was unsure of what happened. One minute they were in the fort, the next she was out the door. He sighed and tried to will his legs to get up, go out there and confront her. Just as she needed to know the truth about her parents, he needed to know the truth about her. Who she really was, everything about her even the parts that she hid from everyone else.

He heard voices and knew that the squints had come in. Slowly he got up off the couch and headed out to the platform.

"Hi Booth." Angela said wearily as she leaned asked the railing. He just nodded and started to make his way down the stairs, avoiding her gaze at any cost.

"Booth.." she said plaintively.

"Just call me when you have an update." He replied harshly and then walked out of the Jeffersonian feeling like his heart had been stomped on.