A Pain That I'm Used To—Chapter 35
Disclaimer: While my fervent hope is that I'll find Booth sitting under my Christmas tree on Christmas morning, I still don't own any of these wonderful characters.
Author's notes: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter—it's nice to know that you're all still out there enjoying this story. I know that the last couple of chapters have been heavy with angst…I've attempted to infuse bits of humor throughout the chapters to alleviate some of that. I hope it's helped. I wish I could say that this chapter isn't as angst driven but unfortunately it is. After all, Brennan still hasn't let go of her anger and grief just yet.
Anyway, if I don't have a chance to update again before Christmas, I wish each and every one of you a safe and happy holiday.
Please read, enjoy and be sure to let me know what you think.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Booth sat quietly at the table in the interrogation room watching Max Keenan study the handcuffs on his wrists. The fugitive had not spoken since Booth had arrested him at the cemetery. Max had mournfully watched his daughter turn her back on him and walk away before he had simply given up.
"You wanna tell me whose body we found in that warehouse Max?"
Max's eyes remained on his handcuffs as he rotated his wrists inside the constricting shackles. "I didn't kill him if that's what you're asking," he replied softly. "Regardless of what Temperance thinks of me…"
"You didn't kill him?"
"No," he said as he shook his head. "He was an unfortunate homeless man whose body I came across in an alley. I found him and then I concocted my plan to disappear…"
"By faking your own death," Booth finished for him. "It was a good plan except for the fact that one of the leading forensic anthropologists in the world was reconstructing the remains."
"Yeah, except for that I was golden." His smiled slightly as he lifted his eyes to meet the agent's gaze.
"Do you realize what your plan has put your children through? Did you even think about what it would be like for them to watch you go into that warehouse and see it explode?" Booth's voice was low as he thought of the hell that Temperance and Russ had been through in the last twenty four hours.
"They weren't supposed to be there!" he stated, his voicing rising slightly. "You were supposed to come alone. You were supposed to be the only witness…seeing Tempe startled me…"
The two men stared at each other for a moment. Booth eventually broke eye contact and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "I could've helped you Max. I could've put you in protective custody."
Max laughed at him. "Wow, my daughter found a real Boy Scout. You still don't get it do you Agent Booth? This goes beyond the syndicate, Piazza, corrupt agents or even money. What Ruth and I naively became involved in all those years ago…there is no such thing as protective custody for me. For all your good intentions, agent, you can't protect me."
Booth opened a folder sitting in front of him and removed several photographs that had been taken of Vince McVicar's body. He narrowed his eyes as he leaned forward, pushing the photos across the table for Max to see. "So I can't protect you from whoever is after you…just like McVicar couldn't be protected from you?"
"That bastard got what he deserved," Max hissed. "He killed Ruth. However, I had nothing to do with his…untimely death."
"And Special Agent Charles Andrews and his 'informant'? You didn't have anything to do with their murders either, huh?"
The older man snorted and moved his restraints around on his wrists. "Andrews worked for Piazza, Sr. and then Junior. He commissioned his little 'informant' as you called him to kill Temperance."
"I know. Try giving me something I don't know Max." Booth leaned back in his chair, awaiting an answer that he knew would never come. Max Keenan hadn't survived all those years on the run by telling everything he knew. He sighed as he thought of Temperance and Russ in the other room watching the interrogation. He knew Max's answers weren't satisfying them or helping them to understand their father and his motivation.
Max leaned back, tilting his head to look up at the ceiling. "Do you have any idea what it felt like to hear about the bomb that had been placed in my daughter's car? How close I came to losing her? Andrews and Piazza's boy pushed their luck that time."
Before Booth had a chance to question him about his last comment, a short, slender young man entered the room. "That's enough Agent Booth," he announced as he slid a piece of paper across the table. "I'm Special Agent Jake Roth from the Chicago Field Office and that piece of paper gives me the authority to take Mr. Keenan here back to Chicago with me."
Max watched as Booth picked up the paper and carefully read through it. He turned his attention to Agent Roth and smiled. "How old are you? Twelve?"
Agent Roth stared at the prisoner as he straightened his stance and buttoned his dress jacket. "I'm twenty-six, as if that matters, and I'm the agent that inherited your case."
For the second time that day, Max laughed. "My daughter could beat the hell out of you, you little pip squeak. The only reason you're here and were given any part in this investigation is that you've not been bought yet…"
"I'm an FBI agent, Mr. Keenan. I can't be bought."
"Oh, another Boy Scout," he scoffed.
"Look, Agent Booth, I'm prepared to take custody of my prisoner now and transport him back to Chicago…"
"I'm not going anywhere until I've had a chance to talk to my children." Booth suddenly realized where Temperance's stubborn streak came from.
He stood and handed the paper back to the young agent. "Give him the opportunity to speak to his children and then I'll hand him over."
"Fine," Agent Roth said as he checked his watch. "I'll give him thirty minutes."
"Let me go talk to Russ and Temperance," Booth said softly as he looked over at Max. "I'll be right back."
"Agent Booth," Max said as he stood and held out his hands. Booth reached out and shook the older man's hand. "Thank you for taking care of my daughter," he whispered.
Booth nodded curtly, released Max's hand and left the room. He entered the adjacent room to find Temperance staring into the interrogation room through the two way mirror while Russ paced behind her. Hodgins and Angela were seated side by side on a couch on the other side of the room, their hands entwined.
Russ stopped pacing when he saw Booth. "You can't let them take him to Chicago. If the syndicate knows he's being brought back, they'll kill him. Can't you put him into protective custody like you were talking about?"
"I could talk to my boss but Agent Roth has all of the proper paperwork to take custody of him," he admitted, hating the crestfallen expression that appeared on Russ' face. "You two can go talk to him now…"
Russ walked toward the door and glanced back to find that Temperance had not moved. He looked around the room, exchanging concerned glances with Hodgins, Angela and Booth. He slowly approached his sister until he was standing beside her, staring at their father in the other room.
"Tempe," he said softly, "come on, let's go talk to Dad."
"I have nothing left to say to him." Her voice was tight with emotion as she continued to watch the man who had inspired the scientist in her. Brennan was finding it very difficult to reconcile the man who had taught her about the skeletal system, leading her down the path to her chosen profession, her passion, with the fugitive sitting in the other room who was possibly involved in the deaths of three people in the last two weeks.
Russ sighed and lowered his head, wishing that his sister would stop shutting him out. "Marco…" he whispered. After a few moments and no acknowledgment of his attempt to connect with her, Russ turned and left the room.
"Sweetie," Angela said as she stood, "are you sure that you don't want to talk to your father before…"
Brennan turned her gaze toward Booth. Her tired eyes were bloodshot as she stared at him. "I want to go home," she said softly.
He nodded as she walked past him and exited the room. "Okay Bones…"
"Booth, we've got to do something." Angela crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the agent. "She cannot go on like this!"
"Ange," Hodgins said as he stood up, placing his hand on her back.
"No, Jack. I know what you said about letting her set the pace but goddammit I'm losing my best friend here! That woman out there is not the Brennan we all know and love and you know it. She's pushing us further and further away Booth…and if we don't do something now, we may never get her back. She won't even talk to her brother for god's sake! He's going through the same traumatic event she is and she won't acknowledge him." Her voice broke as she began to cry.
Hodgins pulled her into his arms and caressed her back. "It's gonna be okay," he whispered as he peered over Angela's shoulder at Booth.
As he turned to walk out the door to find Brennan, Booth hoped that Hodgins was right.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Russ nervously entered the interrogation room and stared at his father.
"I don't have that long son. You gonna sit down and talk to me or just stand there and gawk?"
"Still the hard ass I remember," he said as he took a seat across from Max. "I would've thought being dead would help you lighten up a little."
"I always had to be harder with you…it was supposed to keep you out of trouble."
"And from following in yours and Mom's criminal footsteps?" Russ' sarcasm caused Max to narrow his eyes at his son.
"That's not fair…"
"The truth hurts, huh Dad?"
Max slapped his shackled hands on the table causing Russ to jump. "You and your sister can think whatever you want of me but the truth is that your mother and I loved you both very much. The day that we left you two…that was the hardest thing we ever had to do but it was to keep you both safe. McVicar would have killed all of us…"
"We waited for you," Russ said softly as he studied the aged version of his father, taking in his grey hair and weathered face. The man sitting before him was familiar yet different. "Tempe refused to open her presents until you two returned."
Max sighed and shook his head. "I wish things had been different Russ, I really do. Your mother and I tried very hard to lead a normal life, to make sure that you and Temperance never knew about our past. It just got so messed up…"
"I believe that's what called an understatement Dad."
"Still the smartass I remember," Max said as he smiled slightly. "I thought your parole officer would've taken care of that attitude." He glanced over at the door before turning back to his son. "Is your sister outside?"
Russ' gaze dropped to the table as he shook his head. "She didn't want to speak to you."
"Oh," he replied, disappointment evident in his voice. "Well, I didn't expect a happy reunion…"
Agent Roth entered the room, interrupting them. "Okay, wrap it up. We've got a plane to catch."
"Russ, whatever happens…" Max paused as he closed his eyes and lowered his head. "Whatever happens, just know that I never forgot about you or Tempe…that I love you both very much. Remember that and make sure she knows that okay?"
"Dad…"
"I've got to go with Agent Roth now," he said as he stood. Russ felt the now all too familiar sense of loss as he watched the young agent grab his father's arm and escort him from the room.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
She tossed her keys on the kitchen counter as Booth closed the door to her apartment. Brennan bypassed the kitchen and wandered into the living room staring out the windows at the waning light of the late afternoon.
He followed her, concern etched on his features. Brennan hadn't said a word since they left the Hoover building. He knew that Angela was right—if he didn't push her to talk to him, Brennan would continue to close herself off from him and everyone else.
"Why didn't you tell me that you had figured out that your father was still alive instead of taking off to find him by yourself?" He studied her as she crossed her arms, refusing to look at him. Please talk to me…say something, anything…
"I don't know," she answered. Her voice was flat and devoid of any emotion.
"Yes you do," he countered. It was now or never—she would either push him further away or she would finally break and succumb to the emotions she had kept at bay. "You were only thinking about yourself again," he added quietly.
Brennan slowly turned to face him, anger blazing in her blue eyes. "What did you say?"
"You heard me. You never even thought about how Russ has felt throughout this whole thing…it's been all about you. Just like it was fifteen years ago, huh?" He saw her anger grow as she took a step toward him.
"You don't know what you're talking about…"
"I know that you blamed him, pushed him away and then shut him out of your life and you're doing it again!" he yelled, giving in to his frustration with her. "I know this time you're not only pushing your brother away but everyone else who loves you too!"
"Get out." Her tone was stern and laced with anger.
"No. I'm not going to give you what you want—I'm not going to leave you so you can go back to thinking you're all alone in this world."
"Fine, I'll leave," she huffed as she moved to walk past him.
"Self centered and cold." He grabbed her arm and turned her to look at him. "That's not the woman I fell in love with."
Brennan pushed him hard with her free arm causing Booth to stumble backwards and to release his hold on her. "Go to hell Booth."
"What? Is the truth too much to bear? Can't stand hearing what a cold unfeeling selfish person you are?"
He had been witness to Brennan slapping people before, including Russ. As her hand connected with the side of his face, Booth realized that he had not been wrong to underestimate Brennan's strength. His face began to sting upon contact and he instinctively brought his hand to his cheek.
"I am not cold or unfeeling," she yelled as she raised her hand to slap him again. This time he stopped her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her toward him.
"Then talk to me!! For god's sake, Temperance, talk to me," he pleaded.
"What do you want me to say Seeley? I hate my father? I wish that I hadn't identified my mother's remains? I wish I didn't know what happened to my parents…who they really were?!" She pulled her wrist from his grasp and pushed him away from her. Tears fell freely from her eyes as she stared him.
The sense of devastation and loss emanated from her, filling the room. He felt his heart break for her as he stood there, watching the tears cascade over her cheekbones. The cracks in the dam were beginning to show and splinter at a rapid pace.
"That's a start," he whispered as he moved toward her.
"Don't," she said as she wiped at the tears that continued to fall. Booth ignored her request as he pulled her to him, encircling her small frame with his arms. As she wrapped her arms around him and began to sob, Booth knew that her exhaustion and grief had finally caught up with her.
"I've lost them again," she sobbed, "I've lost my family again Seeley."
Author's notes: So, Brennan finally hit a wall and Booth was able to get out some of his frustration with her. I wrote and rewrote the argument between them dozens of times. I'm not entirely satisfied with my final draft but if I had stared at the screen any longer I was going to scream. Anyway, let me know what you think…and I promise I will attempt to have some humor in the next chapter!
And I haven't forgotten about my other less "angsty" fic. I'll try to finish the next chapter for "Moments" and hopefully post it before I go to work tomorrow night.