Here you go, a nice long chapter for you! Thanks again, everyone!
Booth was sitting on the sofa in her office when she walked in. He was leaning over, elbows on his knees, his head in his hands. He had taken off his jacket and thrown it over the arm of the sofa. She could read the tension in his body. She walked over to him. "What did Cullen say?" she asked softly, not wanting to startle him.
"Not much." He had known she was there. Even with everything going on, he could still sense her presence.
"He'll call. He will." She stood behind him, wishing she knew what to say. He sat back, rubbing his face with his hands. "Booth, maybe you should go home."
"Bones..."
"Just for a little while. Change, maybe get something to eat. Rest a little." He looked up at her. "Look, I'll go with you, if you want me to. Hodgins will call when he finds something."
Booth knew she was right. He wasn't doing Parker any good if he was too tired to focus. "Yeah, okay." He stood up.
She could see that he wanted her with him, but he didn't want to ask. "Just let me go tell Hodgins where we'll be."
Booth watched her leave. It was amazing how they knew each other so well, what they each needed. It was one reason they worked so well together. That and the fact that they had totally different styles, which seemed to compliment each other. He didn't know what he would do without her.
BBB
"Ang." Brennan walked up behind her friend.
"Hey, sweetie. Zack and Hodgins are deep in thought, so I didn't want to disturb them."
"Booth and I are going back to his apartment for a while. I'm going to try to get him to rest." She sighed. "I'm not sure I'll be able to, but I'm going to try."
"I wish you luck with that. I'll call as soon as we know anything."
"Thanks. I just..." Brennan stopped.
"What, sweetie?" Angela knew there was something she wasn't telling her.
Brennan knew she couldn't tell her what Epps' really wanted. "Nothing."
Angela knew that there was no use prying. "Just stay with him. Make sure he stays calm."
"The thing is, Ang, if I was in his position, I'd want to kill Epps. And I don't know if I'll be able to stop him. Epps deserved to die for what he's done, but it seems like that day is never going to come. Things keep coming up, appeals, new charges, and then something like this happens."
"I know."
"Who's to say that when we find him, he won't just escape again?"
Angela didn't know what to say. She squeezed Brennan's hand. "We'll call you."
BBB
Booth stepped into the shower, letting the hot water run down his body. He closed his eyes, images playing through his mind. The first time he had held Parker in his arms. His laughter. Taking him to the park. And the way Parker looked at him, so trusting, knowing that his daddy would keep him safe. He had failed this time. Sobs wracked his body, as the tears he shed mixed with the spray of water. Please, God, please. Don't take my son.
Brennan paced the living room, one thought running through her mind. It should have been me. Epps had told her he would have come for her, but it was too risky. It was her fault that he had taken Parker. No, she wasn't going to do this. She had told Booth the truth. It was Epps' fault, but that didn't change the fact that Parker was in danger. She knew what she had to do, she just wasn't sure how yet.
She looked up as Booth emerged from the bedroom. He had changed from his suit to a t-shirt and jeans. His hair was still damp from the shower, and the look in his eyes had changed from haunted to determined, but she could still see the exhaustion evident in his features.
"Have you heard anything yet from Hodgins?"
"Not yet." She walked over to the sofa. "You should try to get some rest."
"I can't." He walked over to the window, looking out into the night. "Why hasn't he called?"
She walked over and reached for him, pulling him to the sofa. "Please, Booth. At least sit down."
He sat, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. "What is he waiting for? What does he want?"
She sat down beside him. He opened his eyes and looked into hers. He could read the concern in them. "He will call. But you're not going to do Parker any good if you don't get some sleep." She reached over and gently rubbed his shoulders, feeling the tension in his muscles.
Booth closed his eyes again, trying to put everything out of his mind except the feel of her hands. She was right. Worrying about Parker wasn't helping. He just had to wait.
BBB
The ringing of his cell phone startled him out of a light doze. Brennan stirred beside him. He grabbed the phone, looking at the clock in the process. Only 45 minutes had passed, but he felt 10 times better.
"Booth"
"Daddy?"
"Parker?! Are you okay?"
"I wanna come home, daddy, but the bad man won't let me!" Booth could hear the fear in his sons voice.
"I'm going to get you out of there, okay, buddy. I promise. I.."
"See Agent Booth. I haven't hurt him."
Booth gripped the phone. "Let him go, Epps, and maybe I won't kill you!"
Brennan took his hand, hoping he wouldn't say something he would regret.
"Now, now, Agent Booth. You should watch that temper of yours. It could get you into trouble."
Booth was fighting for control. He wanted to jump through the phone, and strangle him. "What do you want?!"
"Ask your partner. She's the key."
"What in the hell are you talking about?! The key to what?!"
"The key to getting your son back. We'll talk again soon."
"Epps!" The line was dead. Booth closed the phone, and turned to her.
"What? What did he say?"
"More of his cryptic messages. He said to ask you what he wants. That you're the key."
Brennan winced and looked away.
"Did he say anything when you talked to him?"
What could she say? She couldn't tell him. "I..." The ringing of her cell phone interruppted her. "Brennan"
"I checked throught he samples you sent me." Hodgins' voice was excited. "Based on what I found, we're looking for an abandonded bakery. I have Zack checking now."
Brennan listened, motioning to Booth for a pen and paper. "Zack's getting an address for us." She waited. "Okay, thanks Zack." She hung up the phone and handed the paper with the address to Booth. "It's an abandonded bakery in the city. Hodgins says the trace evidence leads there."
Booth grabbed his jacket and keys. "Okay, let's go."
Brennan followed him out the door. "Booth, you've got to call Cullen. You can't do this alone."
"I know. I'll call him on the way."
Next chapter will be up tonight, I promise!