I had a difficult time writing this chapter. It is hard trying to piece together the story of Ruth and Max Keenan, not to mention make sense of it! I never got why Max was only arrested for the second murder and not for the first or for the previous robberies he committed. A part of me hesitates in posting this chapter as I already know some may comment on all the things that are wrong from canon, so please don't. I already know it's different or "wrong," but I'm making it work with my story. I have altered some things because it is an AU story after all. Yes, it was Max who wanted to keep the kids with them and Ruth didn't, but I've changed it to the other way around-partly because I had already written that whole paragraph before remembering it was her idea to leave them behind. I left it this way as it fits better into my story. Also, Brennan mentioned her grandfather took her in on season 1, so that's why I wrote what I wrote. You'll read it. Anyway, I could justify why this chapter is written the way it is all day, but I will stop now. Please enjoy!


Matthew watched as the man burned in front of him. This was his third victim in his entire life, and he wasn't proud of it. He only did it because it came down to drastic measures, and they were indeed drastic measures. McVicar had tried to kill his family, so he made sure he was prepared for the next time they crossed paths. It was one night he and Christine went to go see The Fugitive, and his chance was waiting for him at their car. Christine had screamed when Matthew beat that horrible man's head in. Matthew had originally wanted to use the pig's gun since that was McVicar's M.O., but he had no time to get a hold of one. Then Garrett had been stalking Russ and had taken an attempt, not that Russ noticed thanks to Matthew being on top of it. Matthew knew it was going to come down to this when Augustus Harper's case was reopened in the FBI. Matthew still had those documents. He debated on what to do with them. Then Director Kirby had taken shots at his daughter, and Matthew took care of him before he could get to Angela's place. Matthew was still leery of Gary, but Gary seemed oblivious to his father's murderous side. Matthew was still keeping an eye on him, though. He checked his phone. Five messages from Temperance. He knew he had to call her back eventually. He just wasn't ready for her questions.

"Oh, Ruthie," Matthew sighed. "I wish you were here." He turned away from the corpse and went home.


Flashback

"We are NOT leaving them behind, and that's final!" Christine shouted. Her hands were balled into fists, and tears were threatening to fall. Her husband was daring to suggest that they take off and leave Russ and Temperance behind to keep them safe. They had sighted Vince McVicar while out shopping, and now they were arguing about what to do next.

"What do you want me to say?" Matthew asked roughly. "They can't come with us. Honey, they don't know about our past..."

"How could you even propose such a thing?!" Christine cried. "Do you have any idea what that would do to them?!"

"They would survive," Matthew argued.

"And what if they didn't? What if Russ abandoned Tempe and left her to the system, huh? What if that scars her for life so that she can't even have a proper relationship for fear of abandonment?!"

"You are blowing this way out of proportion," Matthew said. Christine glared at him.

"Am I? These things do happen, and I will not let them happen to our children!" she snapped.

"So what do we do then, huh? How do we explain to them what's going on?"

"They're adults, Matthew. They will understand. We can talk to them," Christine urged. "We made mistakes, yes, but we're done with that life now. They deserve to know who their parents are."

"Thieves," Matthew muttered. "That's a good role model."

"My father," Christine interrupted. She looked at him with big eyes.

"No," he said immediately.

"Please, Matthew..."

"Absolutely not! I am not going to take shelter under your father's wing," he growled.

"He would protect us," Christine argued.

"At what cost? Being constantly lectured about poor life choices and turning ourselves in?"

"My father did his time," Christine said simply. It was true. Her mother had had no idea that her father was out robbing banks with his friends at night. It was one time that Christine caught him sneaking home that he confessed what he was doing. She had been more curious than anything, so, much to her father's delight, she asked to learn the "trade." Her first attempt at robbing someone at an ATM had gone badly, but luckily, it was Max Keenan she had tried to rob, and he was thrilled to join her team. Then they fell in love. Then her father turned himself in after learning he couldn't hide anymore. He had done 15 years in prison and came home a changed man. However, he knew Christine was still doing it, and he urged her to either give it up or turn herself in. She knew he would keep them all safe. Her mother had passed away a year after he had rejoined society, and Christine knew he was lonely up there in that big house all by himself.

"Good for him," Matthew snapped. "I don't wish to do time. I am fine with retiring. We were getting too deep anyhow."

"Clearly cos now we have hitmen after us," Christine scoffed. They stared out the car window. Christine held her breath, waiting for Matthew's response.

"Okay," he finally said, giving in. "We'll take them with us. Here's the plan, though. You get a message to them somehow to meet us at a random location..."
"No," Christine cut him off. "We are going to pick them up right now."

"But he's seen us! He knows our car now," Matthew argued.

"Just do it and do it fast," Christine said. "Better yet, you go out and lure him away, and I'll go get the kids. Think you can handle that?"

"I guess," Matthew agreed. She got out of the car. "What are you doing?"

"Taking a cab," she answered. "He'll follow you. Shake him off your tail and meet us at my father's."

"All right," Matthew nodded. He did as he was told. Sure enough, as soon as he entered a public street, McVicar's car was on his tail. He had a job to do.

...

Christine found Russ and Temperance at home waiting.

"Mom!" Temperance cried, rushing into her arms. "I thought you and Dad weren't coming back!"

"I'm sorry we were so long," Christine apologized. "Now, don't ask questions. I need you to pack light and hurry. We're going to your grandfather's."

"We have a grandfather?" Russ asked, confused.

"Yes. Now scoot!" Christine urged. Both teenagers rushed to do her bidding. Christine herself ran around the house and stuffed precious things into a bag that she wanted to take. She made sure she had Gus Harper's journal, since that was the thing that was getting them targeted. She was pretty certain of it. Max had wanted to hand it in to the FBI, and Christine said no, they would be killed. All of them. He hadn't argued. Within half an hour, she was ready.

"Come on, guys!" Christine called. Russ appeared at the stairs and came down, pulling a duffel bag with him. "Tempe! Let's go!"

"Coming!" Temperance yelled. She took one last look around her room. How did one decide what to leave behind forever? Reluctantly, she closed her door and went down to join her mother and Russ.

"Okay, let's get going," Christine said. The cab was still out front, waiting. They all climbed in, and suddenly they were off to meet their grandfather.


Present

"Brennan?" Angela's voice sounded far away. "Sweetie? Hello!"

"What?" Brennan asked, finally looking at her. She had been day dreaming.

"Are you all right? You look terrible," Angela repeated.

"I'm fine. Just tired," Brennan answered. She had nightmares about getting shot. Then she couldn't fall back asleep, and for some reason, she kept thinking about when her mother had come to take them to her grandfather's house. Brennan remembered feeling hurt that she had no idea they even existed, let alone the fact she didn't even get to meet her grandmother before she died.

"Well, Gary just called. His father is missing," Angela told her. "He's really upset."

"Oh no," Brennan said, her heart sinking. "You don't suppose he really was a dirty agent...?"

"I can't even go there," Angela said, putting up her hand. "First Garrett now this. Man oh man." She left the room, shaking her head. Brennan sat there feeling sick. She tried calling her father again. No answer.

"Dad where are you?" she muttered to herself. Then her phone rang, and it was Booth.

"Hey," she said, smiling.

"Hey yourself," he answered. "How are you?"

"Tired, but alive, thanks to you," she replied.

"No problem," Booth laughed. "Um, so there's been a development, and I need you at the office."

"Really?" she asked, feeling frightened. An FBI office was so not where she ever wanted to be. She knew she hadn't done the bank robbing, but she still knew about it. That made her an accessory so to speak. Or at least, that's what she thought. These things confused her.

"Yea. Want me to pick you up?"

"It's okay. I'll get a ride from Angela."

"You sure?"

"Yes. I'll see you soon," Brennan promised. They hung up.

"Was that Mr. Handsome?" Angela asked, making Brennan jump.

"How long have you been there?" she demanded.

"Not long. I did hear you need a ride?"

"Yes. To the FBI office. Is that okay?"

"Absolutely. Come on," Angela said, gesturing.

...

Booth was pacing. The director was dead. Gutted and burned just like Garrett. There was a message in all this. He knew it. Even more disturbing than Kirby's death was the fact that he was the one who took shots at Brennan. Booth couldn't figure this out. Then he got handed a file that began to make Booth question everything. He had spent all night flipping through and reading about a band of bank robbers who robbed a bank where Augustus's information had been stored. It had gone missing with everything else. None of the robbers had a last name of Brennan, however, but Booth knew that people changed their names all the time. He wasn't happy about asking Brennan these questions, but it was part of the case now, and it would put the piece of the puzzle together as to why Kirby would put a hit on her.

"Hi," Brennan said, knocking on his door and making him turn to face her. His face broke out into a smile. He couldn't help it.

"Hey," he said back. "Come in." He gestured at the chair in front of his desk.

"So what's going on? Did they find out who was trying to kill me?" Brennan asked, sitting down. She felt very nervous. She didn't like Booth's expression behind the smile.

"Yes," he nodded. He leaned on the shelf behind his desk, folding his arms.

"And?"

"He's now dead. Same way as Garrett," Booth answered.

"Oh no," Brennan said. Her heart was really sinking now.

"I have to ask you a question, Temperance, and I need your honest answer," Booth said, moving toward her. He pulled out a photo of the bank robbers and slid it across the desk to her. "Do you recognize any of these people?" Brennan stared at her parents, and felt like she was going to throw up. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't blink. Booth watched her carefully, and he noticed her initial expression at seeing the photo. He knew she knew something.

"Temperance?" he prompted.

"I..." she started but failed. This was exactly what she had been afraid of. She cursed her father for not calling her back. She wished she had just high tailed it out of this city. How could she ever think she'd live a normal life after what they had done?

"It's okay," he said softly. "You're not in trouble here." She met his gaze, knowing somehow that she could trust him. It almost scared her.

"These two," she whispered, pointing. Her father was going to kill her, but she couldn't lie directly to an FBI agent, especially when she was very much in like with the FBI agent. Booth leaned in to look.

"Who are they?"

"Max and Ruth Keenan," she answered quietly.

"How do you know them?"

"They're..." she paused. She could lie. She could say they were friends of her parents, but she knew that wouldn't fly very far.

"Temperance?"

"They're my parents," she said, exhaling deeply. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see his expression. In that moment, she hated her parents' past. It was ruining her future.

"Temperance," Booth said again, touching her hand. She opened her eyes and met his.

"I'm sorry," she blurted out. To her surprise, he laughed out loud. "Wha-?"

"You don't have to apologize. Temperance, I'm more concerned about an item they took from this bank. I think it's what almost got you killed."

"Like what?"

"Documents proving that a man was innocent of murder. Without them, he went to jail, falsely accused," Booth explained. "That and information on a corrupted FBI."

"Gary told Angela he thought his father was corrupted," Brennan spit out without thinking. Booth's eyebrows raised up high.

"Is that so," he said. "Well, it looks like we'll be chatting with him next." Booth was looking forward to grilling Gary Kirby. The man had tried repeatedly to join the FBI, and when his father turned him down, Gary would get rather snotty. Now Booth was wondering if Robert had kept his son out to keep the fact that he was dirty from him, but it looked like it hadn't mattered after all.

"Are you angry with me?" Brennan asked, breaking into his thoughts.

"For what?"

"For not telling you about my parents?"

"I haven't told you about mine. We only went out once," Booth laughed. "Don't worry about it. I do need to know, though, where your parents are currently. I will need to speak with them."

"I don't know where my father is," Brennan confessed. "He's not answering my calls."

"Hmm," Booth mused. That didn't look good. "And your mother?"

"She's in a cemetery. Has been for the last two years," Brennan answered. Her gaze was unwavering.

"I'm sorry," he said, sensing she was still hurting from it.

"It's fine. Do you need me here still?"

"No. You've helped a lot," Booth answered. She really had. She stood to leave, but he caught her hand.

"Yes?"

"Are you mad at me?" he asked, putting her question onto herself.

"No. You're just doing your job," Brennan replied. It was true. She just hoped her father would forgive her.

...

Matthew was waiting outside the FBI building for her, and she spotted him right away.

"Dad!" she cried, running to him and hugging him tightly. "Where have you been?! I've been so worried!"

"I had to take care of some things," Matthew answered vaguely.

"I'm so sorry," Brennan said to him. "They showed me an old photograph, and I just couldn't lie..."

"I never asked you to lie, honey," Matthew interrupted. "It's okay."

"Booth wants to speak with you," Brennan explained.

"I figured as much," Matthew nodded. "I'll take it from here. Go be with Angela. I'll catch up with you later." Matthew stared up at the building after Brennan walked away. His father-in-law's words echoing in his mind.

"It was liberating, coming clean. I got a fresh start...a new life. I got so tired of running and hiding. I could finally walk around with no weight on my shoulders. My one regret: not doing it sooner."

"Here goes nothing," Matthew sighed, stepping inside.


The Next Day

Brennan waited all night for her father to come, but he didn't. Now, she was standing in her classroom, trying to focus.

"I can't believe you came to work today," Angela said, entering. It was recess, and Brennan was working on an experiment the kids were going to do afterwards.

"I had to. I would have gone crazy at home doing nothing," Brennan replied. Her home was supposed to be cleared in the next couple of days, so she was still staying with Angela.

"Have you talked to Booth lately?"

"No. I have a bad feeling about everything," Brennan sighed.

"I'm sure he just talked to your Dad and everything was fine," Angela reassured her. Brennan just looked at her. She hadn't told Angela everything, and she didn't want to right now either. She was saved from answering by her phone ringing.

"Hello?" she said, moving away from Angela.

"Hi, honey," Matthew said back. "I'm just calling to let you know I'm still hung up here at the FBI."
"They kept you overnight?" Brennan asked, surprised. "Why?"

"I'll explain later. I think they didn't find what they were looking for, so I should be out of here soon," Matthew promised.

"Okay, well, I'll see you later," Brennan said. They hung up.

"Everything okay?" Angela asked.

"I hope so," Brennan answered.

...

"That is Matthew Brennan," Caroline said to Booth, who was staring through the window at Matthew Brennan a.k.a. Max Keenan. "High school science teacher from Chicago, Illinois."

"Are you kidding me?" Booth asked.

"I don't kid, cherie," Caroline snorted. "Unless you can prove he's Max Keenan, you have to release him."

"Damn it," Booth muttered.

"What bothers me is he's wiped from the system," Caroline mused.

"Maybe Kirby did it. You know, make your target invisible so when you murder them, they can't pin it back to you type of thing?" Booth suggested.

"Ironic, since you're trying to arrest the man for the murder of Kirby," Caroline commented.

...

"Is everything okay now?" Brennan asked her father that night. Angela was letting him stay on the couch.

"For now," Matthew answered. He knew the FBI agent would be looking into it more closely, and he knew it was only a matter of time before it all came out.

"I'm sorry..." Brennan started.

"Stop. You did the right thing. That's what I raised you to do, despite my influence," Matthew chuckled. He hugged her tightly before she went to bed. He didn't sleep very well that night.


I know, not enough B&B, but that's coming, I promise. Anyhow, please be kind!