Disclaimer: I don't own Bones. Please stop rubbing it in my face.
AN: I understand that there are many of you waiting for the ending, and I realize this has been going at an excruciatingly slow pace. For that I apologize. I've only got a few more chapters to go.
AN2: And a special thanks to goldpiece for the tip on Disneyland security.
Without You – Chapter 16
As Booth listened to Brennan, he wondered where all this was coming from. For the first time in a while, it seemed that Brennan actually knew what she was trying to say.
"…and I've just had this overwhelming feeling that I'm in the way between you and Parker. And I know that I don't have any right being there," Brennan continued. "Parker deserves all of your attention, everything you have. I can't allow myself to take what's rightfully his."
Booth was silent.
"Booth? Are you still there?"
"Yeah, I'm here." He sighed. "Thanks. It's good to know."
"I just thought that maybe it would help you to know."
"Yeah. Thanks."
This was getting redundant. Luckily, Brennan brought up something else. "Well, if there's anything you'd like my help on, feel free to ask."
"Sure."
"Okay, well…talk to you later."
"Yeah."
Both hung up without a real goodbye.
-
Well, that sure didn't work, Brennan thought as she set the phone down on the bedside table and proceeded to flop down onto her bed. She had tried to explain her actions as best she could, but it was obviously going to take a little more.
So that was it? Of course that was it. What else was she expecting? Forgiveness? Of course not. Brennan wasn't that stupid. But…if she wasn't expecting, or even hoping for some kind of indicator that they might be okay, then why did not receiving it make her feel empty inside?
She'd wait. It was really all she could do to avoid screwing up again.
Temperance drifted off to sleep, different versions of her apology running laps through her mind.
-
Thank God for the stupid tourist attraction of pictures taken on the roller coasters for sale. Booth spent his entire morning watching the gates to Disneyland, and after there was no sighting there, he was put in a very small, dark room with a whole bunch on monitors.
Booth watched closely for his son's face in any of the thousands of pictures he looked though, but was unsuccessful. It was very unfortunate that there weren't any rides that could be excluded because of Parker's height. Booth could have easily missed it, or he could have been hidden behind someone else.
Booth knew full well that Disneyland had an advanced system of finding lost children, but couldn't just let himself sit around and wait. Although it was a bit more difficult when the clothing was unknown, Parker's description had been sent out over the radio again that morning, and the Anaheim police had been called in when they were told it was a kidnapping and possible child molestation case. Disneyland wanted Mattia out of there as much as Booth did.
A sudden knock on the door made booth jump just the slightest bit. "Come in," he said.
When the door opened, a blond woman in her twenties with a nametag that read "Cindi" stood there with a smile on her face. "Agent Booth?" she asked.
"Yes, that's me."
"We've found your son."
-
To say that when Booth saw Parker in Lost Children, he gave him a hug and was happy to see him would be the understatement of the year. Words can not describe the joy both father and son felt.
Parker was told that his dad was coming for him, and was waiting by the entrance. Although he wasn't sure how long it had been, to a child his age, it seemed like forever.
When his dad came in sight, Parker ran towards him, not caring that all the nice people around him were telling him to stay inside. His dad was running to, and when he reached him, his dad picked him up and swung him around.
"Hey, Bub," Booth whispered into his ear.
"Hi Daddy. I've missed you. You and Mommy."
Booth put Parker down, but never let go of him. He kneeled in front of his son. "Mommy's waiting for you back home. Are you ready to go."
Parker nodded emphatically.
Questioning his own son would come around eventually, but not now. He was too excited to see him unharmed. Picking Parker up, Booth thanked Cindi and all the workers that were standing there, watching the reunion. Cindi leaned over to Booth as he was about to turn around, whispering in his ear that the Anaheim police had arrested Jonathan Mattia. Booth thanked her again, and turned to leave.
"Are you crying, Daddy?" Parker asked, looking into his dad's eyes.
Booth cleared his throat. "No Parker, I'm just glad to have you back."
"Me too," Parker said, wrapping his arms tighter around Booth's neck as they reached the exit.
Once they had cleared the gates and reached the parking lot, they walked passed the police car that Mattia was being loaded into. Booth watched, but kept walking, thankful that Parker's back was in that direction. Mattia looked straight at the two of them, a dirty look aimed at Booth.
But nothing more. It seemed as if Mattia knew that he had been defeated. And he looked almost peaceful about it. Accepting. Rotten son of a bitch.
Booth turned away and loaded Parker into his car.
-
Brennan sat on the couch in her office, having Zack give her all the details of the newest body that Agent Terrence brought in. Because of a pounding migraine headache, she had taken all the drugs she had and turned off all the lights in her office.
As if Agent Terrence was not annoying enough already, the frequency at which he spoke resonated in Brennan's head just the wrong way that made her cringe. To her chagrin, the yellow-toothed, cocky agent barged into her office, loudly asking what the news was on the case.
Temperance desperately wanted Booth back.
Thankfully, though, Brennan was given an out of talking to him when her cell phone rang on her desk. She asked Zack to give Agent Terrence the details of the case outside the office as she walked over to her phone.
Her heart skipped a beat when she saw that it was Booth.
"Hey Booth."
"Hey. I'm on my way to LAX. I should be back in DC by this evening."
"You found Parker?" Brennan said, excited for him.
"Yeah," he answered, and Brennan could tell that he was smiling.
"Did you get Mattia?"
"The Anaheim police arrested him, and they're going to fly him back to DC. We'll get to interrogate him by tomorrow."
"We?" Brennan couldn't help but be hopeful.
"Yes, we," he said, and Brennan could hear Parker saying something, but couldn't quite make out exactly what he was saying. "Parker says hi," Booth relayed. Parker spoke again, and Booth answered him out of the mouthpiece, but Brennan could still hear him. "Sure, Bub. We'll visit Dr. Brennan when we get home."
With a smile, Brennan knew that Booth needed to spend time talking to his son. "Hey Booth, I'm glad to hear it, and I'll see you when you get bck. I have a case to tend to."
"Of course."
When Brennan hung up, she felt her headache somewhat relieved. Zack came in when he saw she was done on the phone.
"Is your head feeling better, Dr. Brennan?" he asked.
"Yeah, it really does."
Brennan was ready to go back to the new set of bones, and was even prepared for Agent Terrence. She felt as if the weight had lifted off her shoulders now that she knew Parker was safe and both Mattias were in custody. She took a deep breath and let it out as a sigh.
And compared to the way see felt receiving Booth's news, she could only imagine the euphoria her partner felt.
-
AN: I was in a giving mood. Care to give a little back?