Chapter 2 – Monday –

Two weeks earlier….

If she would have known what was going to happen in two weeks time, maybe, she wouldn't have knocked on that door. If only she would have known that she was going to take two kids hostage and hold Booth at gun point, maybe then, she would have called in 'sick'. Maybe, she would have told Booth to hand over the case to someone else because it would be too painful for her emotions to handle, but she did none of these things because she couldn't see the future and neither could her partner. So when she knocked on that door - on that unusually cold and rainy day – Temperance Brennan had no idea that she was heading straight for hell.

"Let me do the talking. kay, Bones?"

Booth's voice actually startled her. She hadn't been where he thought she was. She might have physically been standing next to him, but mentally she had been floating, hovering in her brain, watching her past of the poor, sad, broken girl who she once was. She turned to look at him, and she silently wondered if he could see the dilemma processing behind her blue eyes. They were rich, glossy, and almost crystal clear – Just waiting to be shattered so her past could be spelled out in an agonizing river of tears.

"Bones," she heard his rich, monotone voice come again. "You okay?"

She hadn't really heard him, but somehow she found herself replying, "I'm fine, Booth." It was a lie and she could tell that Booth knew this. She could feel the weight of his worry pressing down on her. Who knew that the words you never got around to saying could settle so heavy?

"Hello, may I help you?"

Brennan looked up, a woman no more than thirty was peeking her blond head out the door. Her eyes darted frantically from her to Booth, and then the woman let out a gasp as she processed the information in her head.

Booth flashed his badge. "We would like to ask you a few question, Mrs. Stone."

--

--

"Danni, was only here a week."

"Why?" came Brennan's harsh tone, and though it nearly broke his heart to see her like this, he sent her a glare that kept her mouth shut.

"She was such a good child, but I couldn't afford another one. You know how expensive kids can be."

Booth nodded, but he couldn't get past the woman's uncanny make-up. If this woman couldn't afford another child, then where did she get the money to afford those false eyelashes, that glittery blush? It wasn't just the make-up that was ticking him off – it was everything. From the plasma high-definition television to the intricate vase sitting on the coffee table or even to the two story house itself. How could this woman afford all of this, but not another child? He processed this over and over again in his head until he was almost positive that his thoughts were being spoken out loud – and they were, but it wasn't him who had spoken them.

"Mrs. Stone, you obviously have the money. I'm sure you could have afforded one more child. Don't you?" He mentally smacked himself as his partner's rudeness rung throughout the room, building their unwelcoming to an even higher degree.

"Dr. Brennan," Mrs. Stone replied calmly. "Do you have any children?" When Brennan didn't answer an exultant grin tugged at the corner's of Mrs. Stone's crimson lips. "That's what I thought."

Feeling the tension in the room beginning to shatter, he quickly jumped in, saving all of them from the outcome. "Mrs. Stone. How many foster children live with you at the moment?"

"Two. Kate and Abby."

"Are they here now? We will need to question them." Booth ignored Brennan's glare.

"Agent Booth, Abby is only four, a perfect angel," Mrs. Stone smiled a full hearted smile. "She wouldn't hurt a fly."

"And Kate?"

Mrs. Stone's smile vanished, immediately replaced with a frown and a gleaming look in her eye. "Let's just say Kate's more… complicated. If it wasn't for her being Abby's older sister, I would have giving Kate up months ago."

--

--

I have known that I was going to die since age five. The doctors predicted that I was going to die within five years. I defied the odds and it's been nine. I'm still breathing. Danni is not.

Why do I feel like this is my fault?

--

--

"Did you even look at her Booth?" Brennan asked, enraged that he would even begin to take Mrs. stone's side when he really should be on hers. He had told her he understood. He had told her he knew how hard this case would be for her, and yet look whose side he was taking. She scoffed angrily as she pushed the food around on her plate with her fork. He didn't understand her. He said he did, but how could he understand the feeling of being thrown away, unwanted from the world like a piece of garage? How could he understand the feeling of losing both parents, and knowing that they were not dead, but had willingly left you? From the moment she was put into the foster care system she didn't talk, eat, or sleep for days. Every night she would wake up in a cold sweat screaming for her parents who would never come. Every day she would walk down the halls of her high school facing false rumors and cruel hatred from the other students. She had been known as the girl whose parents left her. And as she grew older she had learned from life experience that there were no such thing as a happy ending. How could Booth even remotely understand what she had gone through?

"Bones, I'm always on your side. You should know that," he told her softly, gently caressing her hand with his.

It was a simple gesture, but unspoken words could only go so far and she sharply pulled her hand away from his. As soon as she did it, she saw the hurt in his chocolate eyes. "I just don't understand why you need to question, Kate." It was a lie. She knew exactly why he needed to question her, but it didn't make her any less thrilled about it.

"I have to, Bones."

"She didn't do it."

He raised an eyebrow as he brought a fork to his mouth and tasted the apple pie he had been dying for. "How do you know? You haven't even met her yet."

Because I can relate, she wanted to say, but instead she went with,"I just do." She could feel the painful stabs of Booth's questioning gaze on her, but she refused to meet his eyes. It amazed her how easily she would unravel when she was with Booth – she hated him for that. Stubbornly, she dropped her eyes.

"Bones," he reached out from across the diner table and placed his hand on hers again. "You can tell me anything. You know that, right?"

She turned to look out the window, losing herself in a thousand thoughts. She hesitated, but clamped her mouth shut and locked herself away from the world – away from him.

"Bones, I know something is bothering you." he tried again.

"And how would you know that?" She pushed the food around on her plate some more. She silently wondered why she had ordered it in the first place – she wasn't even hungry.

"Unspoken words can tell you a lot about a person."

"And where did you learn that?" She smirked, "Sweets?"

"No. You."

Brennan bit her lip as she fought the urge to bicker with him. She had never taught him that. She finally looked up, but she refused to say anything. They stayed frozen in that position for a dreadfully amount of time, and she knew that if she stared into his eyes any longer she would simply break, telling him everything. So, Brennan was thankful when she heard her name being called, breaking them from their spell.

"Dr. Brennan?"

She had never seen this child before in her life, she was sure of that, and yet this child looked at her like she had known her forever. "Yes?"

A false smile lit her face, but Brennan could see the fear flash within the child's entrancing green eyes. The girl fidgeted as she played with the tattered edges of the sweat-shirt that was two sizes to big, and for a brief moment Brennan wondered if she stared long enough this girl would disappear.

"My name's Kate," she said it simply, as if she knew they were looking for her.

"Kate?" Booth asked shocked. "Please sit down."

Kate hesitated as she adjusted the green beanie on her head. It completely covered her hair, but this girl didn't seem to mind the cold napping down her bare neck. Slowly, Brennan locked eyes with this child, and in that moment, Brennan knew something was wrong. She had never been good at reading people, but it was as if the freckles on Kate's checks spelled out her lifetime story, screaming for help. However, instead of the plea she was expecting, this girl, no more than thirteen, raised her wrist out to Booth and with a quivering lip she spoke, "It was my fault. I killed Danni Caldwell."

--

Present day

Booth stared at the barrel of gun, which was currently being occupied by his deranged partner. He could see the anxiety spreading across her face, the fear in her eyes, and he silently noted the way her hands shook. Never in his life had he seen her so confused, insane. This wasn't the Temperance Brennan he knew. This wasn't his Bones.

His eyes wandered over to the hospital bed, which was currently being occupied by two sleeping girls. In that moment, he realized that he would have done the same thing if it was Parker lying in that bed, but he also knew that he never would have gotten himself into this situation to begin with.

"Bones, put the gun down. We both know that you're not going to shoot me." She eyed him, suspiciously, and for a moment, he wondered if she was actually considering it, just to prove him wrong.

She glared at him, knowing full well that he was right. "You're right, Booth." He relaxed at those words. "I'm not going to shoot you."

To his horror she pulled the gun away from him and placed it firmly against her temple. It was just a threat, he could tell, but nevertheless he quickly told her, "There are no bullets in that gun. We both know that, Bones."

"Want to bet on it?"

He didn't.

Okay, so you're probably thinking that Brennan would never do that, but I have my reasons! You'll find out later.