A/N: Here is the next chap! Wow, I didn't think this story would be so long and get so involved, chapter 19 already. For those of you waiting for an update for my other fic, Accommodations, I hope to have something up this weekend. This fic is winding down so I wanted to concentrate on this. Thanks to my readers and reviewers, you always brighten my day with your thoughts!
The door jingled as they walked into Frankie's diner and Brennan was immediately glad that their diner at least kept things clean. This one looked like it hadn't been cleaned for a month. Not the usual place you would think to meet the Deputy Director of the FBI, but then these were unusual circumstances.
It was fairly dark, only a few overhead lights and the glow from the corner jukebox lit their way towards Cullen, who was sitting in a booth by the corner. Beside her Booth was glancing around and she wondered if he was thinking the same thing.
"Sir." Booth said, as he sat down, Brennan next to him.
"Booth, Dr. Brennan." Cullen replied, taking a sip of coffee.
Booth quickly flagged down the waitress.
"Yeah, I'll have a cup of coffee and some apple pie." He said.
Brennan smiled. It was good to know that some things were a constant in the world and Booth's love of pie was one of them.
"Just coffee for me thanks." She said, noting Booth's raised eyebrows. "What?" she asked.
"You really should get your own pie. I know you are going to eat mine."
"No, I won't." she replied.
"Fine." He sighed, turning his attention back to the waitress. "Two coffees and a slice of pie."
As the waitress moved away, neither of them noticed the small smirk on Cullen's face.
"So." Booth said. "You've found something."
"Pete Norris, your body with the supposed FBI past?" Cullen stated. "His real name is Peter Whitfield. He was an FBI agent back in the 60's. He was fired from the FBI and arrested after he killed a suspect in a case who turned about to be innocent. There was a lot of division in the FBI over this; some thought he should be charged, others though that since the suspect was a drug dealer, what Whitfield did was right. And then there were those who thought that Whitfield was in on the whole drug situation and that he killed the dealer because he was competition.
Eventually what happened was he was arrested and charged with manslaughter. He sent to prison to await his trial but mysteriously escaped a few weeks later and basically dropped off the face of the earth."
"He lays low for a while, probably doing whatever he can to get by when he hears about this gang and their connections with the FBI. Maybe Pete thinks this is a way that he can get a pardon from the FBI; if he provides proof that they are all as crooked as he is." Booth continues.
Then Pete hears about your dad and how he's an expert at safety deposit boxes and convinces your dad to join the gang. He thinks this way he will have an upper hand from the others, because he has befriended your dad. But Max gets away with the evidence, the stuff that both the FBI and the gang want.
Pete lays low for a while, remaining in contact with your dad, hoping to get a hold of the evidence. He also probably realizes that the gang doesn't know he's former FBI and if they find out, he's dead.
Time rolls by and nothing happens. Until McVicar. I just don't know why all of the sudden McVicar would be hired to take out your parents."
"I do." Cullen said. "In the early nineties, several protests groups were lobbying for the release of Marvin Beckett. It was becoming a major issue for the FBI."
"So corrupt FBI guy tells Pete to take care of it." Booth stated. "Pete in turn, takes McVicar into confidence and contracts the hit out to him. We know the rest."
"My dad somehow finds out recently that it was Pete all along and kills him." Brennan commented, speaking for the first time.
"I would be angry if I found that out." Booth noted.
Cullen nodded in agreement.
"Considering the explosion, you two must be pretty close to the answers." Cullen said. "I will have agents posted at your apartment, Booth. Dr. Brennan, I recommend you stay with Agent Booth right now."
"I'm sure that…" she started.
"Yes, sir." Booth interrupted, nudging Brennan.
"So where do we go from here?" she asked.
"We question Pete's jail cell roommate." Booth said decisively. "He was only in there for a few weeks, but perhaps he was a talker. He's the only lead we've got."
"Booth, you need to consider a few things." Cullen said. "First of all, you have no forensic evidence to back this story up and unless your squints can perform miracles, we have no proof to go after this guy, whoever he is."
"My team is still working on the bodies." Brennan replied.
"No offence, Dr. Brennan." Cullen said. "But you are usually quicker than that. It leads me to believe that you can't find anything."
"We will find something." She said assuredly.
"I understand what you are saying sir." Booth replied.
"Good." Cullen said. "Well I should be getting home. Keep me updated Booth, every single step, got it?"
Booth nodded and watched as Cullen got up and exited the diner.
"So…" he started.
"Am I allowed to at least stop by my place to get some clothes?" Brennan asked.
"Absolutely." He replied. "Let's go."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
They arrived at Booth's apartment, only to find Russ sound asleep on the couch, the tv turned down low.
She walked over and started nudging him gently. "Russ.." she said softly.
Russ blinked and opened his eyes. "Hey Tempe. What are you doing here?" he said groggily.
"Long story." She replied. "I'll tell you in the morning, I promise."
Russ nodded, and getting up off the couch, waved at Booth and trudged down the hall to Parker's room.
"So.." Booth said. "Why don't you.."
"Don't even start." She interrupted. "I am going to take the couch, okay?"
"Bones…"
"Please?" she said softly.
Booth nodded and moved towards the bedroom.
"Get some sleep okay?" he replied. "We have a lot to do tomorrow." He turned and headed into his bedroom, leaving his door open so he could listen for any intruders.
Brennan grabbed her pajamas and quickly changed then got a pillow and blanket out of the chest at the end of the couch and snuggled up, hoping to fall quickly asleep.
Unfortunately that was not the case. She tossed and turned for forty-five minutes, each position more uncomfortable than the last until at last she was so aggravated that she almost screamed.
She was exhausted and yet her mind kept whirring with thoughts about the case, Parker and Booth. After seeing Booth and Parker together, she wished she could do something to ensure that she would never have to see either of them that sad ever again. It had been horrible. She recalled Parker's words. 'Please daddy, you can marry Dr. Bones and then we can live in a house with a swing and be a family.'
Her heart had pounded out of her chest when she heard that and more than ever she felt the pain of her mistake. She was tired of being afraid of their relationship, it wasn't like her to be afraid of anything. She only hoped that Booth would be able to forgive her and that they could continue on the same path they were headed.
Because Booth was right. There was more than one kind of family. And while she fought to find answers about her biological family, there was a ready made family waiting for her patiently, sticking by her whenever she needed help.
Zach, Angela, Hodgins, Parker, Russ and most importantly Booth were her family. It didn't matter that it was odd or not uniform, she was happy with what she had.
Whereas once she thought she was alone in the world, Booth had shown her that in fact she was loved. And she couldn't run out on that.
She heard the rustling of sheets from Booth's room and knew that he was having trouble sleeping as well. Getting up off the couch, she made her way down to his bedroom, and without knocking went inside.
"Bones?" Booth asked. "Is everything okay?"
She didn't respond, just went to the side of the bed, lifted up the covers and slipped in. She inched towards him until her head was nestled underneath his arm and her hand around his waist.
"It is now." She whispered, as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.