A/N: Sorry for the delay, my muse had a heart attack at the idea of me writing three fics! Anyway, I hope you enjoy. I really wasn't expecting this to happen! Thank you to all my reviewers and readers, I am glad you are enjoying the story!

The drive was slow and torturous for both parties in the car. Neither had spoken a word since they began their journey nor had they even really looked at each other.

Booth noticed her hugging Russ earlier and was glad that they had made up. He only hoped that their own relationship could be repaired. Yes he was still positive that he didn't want to deal with their romantic relationship right now, but this interminable silence was not what he wanted.

"So…." He started.

She turned her head towards him and he saw tears in her eyes.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah." She replied, rubbing her eyes. "So what's the plan when we get there?"

"To be honest, I'm hoping Hodgins comes up with something to narrow our search. Otherwise it's just talking to the locals. I don't know how far that will get us." He stated.

"Booth…" she said hesitantly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"

"It's not your fault." He replied, cutting her off.

"Actually it is." She said. "If you hadn't been helping me with this case, then you would still have Parker."

"Look I don't really want to talk about it, okay?" he said, harsher then he intended to.

"Right." She replied quietly, turning her head to the window again.

Silence reigned in the car once more and he didn't know how they were going to continue to be partners like this.

They finally arrived in Fairfax and began the arduous task of questioning as many people as they could. Nobody had heard much, the motel clerk remembered Max as a quiet man that didn't really bother anyone. After speaking to the rest of the motel staff, they headed back out to the car, both wearing identical grim expressions.

"This doesn't look good." Booth commented.

She nodded in agreement and sighed. They were getting nowhere.

"Why don't we go get some food and check into the hotel?" she asked.

"You want to stop working? Jeez Bones I'm surprised." He teased.

She smiled broadly back at him. He was teasing her as usual. Maybe this meant they could get back to normal.

They were about ten feet from the car when an explosion rocked the vehicle, knocking them to the ground.

Booth's SUV was an inferno with smoke billowing out the windows and flames growing larger and larger. Shouts were heard in the distance as witnesses attempted to make it close to the two people lying on the ground.

She opened her eyes and began coughing violently. Doing a quick self check, she determined that she didn't have any broken bones. She turned her head slightly and saw Booth lying next to her. A feeling of panic arose in her body.

"Booth?!" she said, coughing again and prodding his shoulder.

"What the hell was that?" he mumbled.

"You're okay." She breathed, wincing as she sat up.

"Yeah, you?" he replied. When she nodded, he got up and grabbed her hand. "Come on." They ran as fast as they could away from the car and collapsed on the grass.

"Are you okay?" a woman said, running up to them.

Booth nodded. "Yes we're okay. My car isn't though." He broke into a cough and Brennan tried to push away the feeling of nausea and panic in her stomach. They were both black from the ash of the explosion and their clothes were slightly tattered. She surmised that they both had a few minor first degree burns but other than that, they seemed to be okay.

Brennan took a deep breath and exhaled, trying not to cough. "Well, I guess we are on the right track then."

"Yeah, well it's always a sign when somebody tries to kill us." He replied.

She heard the sirens get closer and leaned back on the grass, shutting her eyes and trying to focus her breathing.

"I think it was more of a warning." She stated. "We were pretty far from the car."

"I should take you back to DC." Booth said resolutely.

"No, what?" she said, sitting up suddenly. This movement caused her back to throb and she knew her bruises were probably already starting to develop from the impact of her fall.

"It's not safe." He said.

"Clearly here is where the answers lie, Booth." She replied stubbornly. "I am not leaving just because someone tried to kill us. That's happened before and we didn't give up."

"Please, Temperance…" he pleaded, running a hand through her hair. "You almost got hurt."

"So did you." she said softly, inching her way closer to him.

"Excuse me?"

They both looked up and saw an EMT standing in front of them.

"I need to check you two out." He said.

"We're fine." She stated, annoyed that they were interrupted. "Just a few bruises."

Despite this, the EMT did a through check on both of them and declared that neither had to go to the hospital. Then they spoke to the cops and gave their statements as they watched the fireman put out the blaze. All of their stuff was gone, their clothes and other belongings. Luckily they both had their wallets with them, so they still had money and their ids.

She watched as Booth stood to the side, explaining the situation to Cullen. She looked back at the car, now a ball of metal and she mentally catalogued the items she had in her bag.

'My red t-shirt, denim skirt, mother's earr…." She stopped as she realized that in the burning wreckage of the car was the one last thing she had of her mother's. Without realizing it, she moved towards the vehicle, first walking and then breaking into a run.

He just got off the phone with Cullen when he saw her head towards the car, frantically pushing people out of the way. The fireman were holding her back and she kept trying to get closer. Running towards her, his heart began to pound madly.

"What's wrong?" he said, coming to a stop in front of her.

"The car…I need to get my things." She replied frantically.

"Bones, listen there is nothing left." He stated. She wasn't listening though and kept trying to push through the people to the car. He grabbed her by the shoulders and moved her in front of him.

"Temperance, look at me." He said. She lifted her eyes and he saw fear and sadness in them. "There's nothing left." He repeated.

She nodded and blinked back the tears as he lead her away from the car.

He was in his hotel room, pacing back and forth. The adrenaline high from the accident was definitely starting to wear off, but he wasn't feeling tired at all. He was worried about her. She had said nothing as they got a lift to the hotel and had barely eaten any dinner. Now she was in the hotel room next to him and he wanted nothing more than to go in there and scoop her into his arms.

He looked at the adjoining door and sighed. He continued to pace, working over the case in his mind, trying to figure out the answers to the truth she so desperately needed. He was lost in thought when he heard a sound. Moving closer to the door, he heard what sounded like a sob, coming from the other side. Without thinking about it, he opened the door to her room and looked around.

She wasn't in the room but another sob alerted him to the fact that she was in the bathroom. He moved quietly towards the door and opened it slightly.

She was sitting on the tile, head leaning back against the wall. She was half undressed and he could see the bruises forming on her back and sides. Her head was in her hands and she was sobbing.

Instantly he moved next to her and pulled her into his arms.

"Sshh…it's gonna be okay." He said as her fingers gripped his t-shirt tightly. He sat with her for a few minutes, rocking her back and forth until the tears subsided.

"What's wrong?" he asked, knowing it was something more than the explosion that had happened earlier.

"My…my mother's earrings." She choked out, tears still streaming down her face. "They were in the car."

"Oh babe." He said under his breath, pulling her closer to him. He knew what those meant to her. "I'm here, okay?"

He felt her nod into his chest and he began to rub her back slowly with his hand, the other softly threading through her hair.

"I'm here."