Thank you all for your encouraging words! As promised, some more B&B is in this chapter. I know some of you want me to move it along and get them fully involved, but I like building it slowly. I like having them get to know one another first. Anyhow, happy reading!


Booth paced his office. He had been given a sample of blood from Max Keenan's towel from a past offence at a Piggly Wiggly, and he was about to make the connection to Matthew Brennan. He was procrastinating this simple task because he was feeling guilty. He flashed back to the look on Brennan's face when she told him they were her parents. He knew if he was involved with arresting her father, she might never forgive herself and hate him in the process. He hadn't known her long, but he knew he didn't want to mess up his shot at dating her and falling in love with her. Hell, he was already feeling strongly for her after their first date. It was surprising to him, but he didn't want to fight it.

"Booth?" Agent Williams said, coming in.

"Yea?"

"What's the hold up? Sanders is breathing down my neck."

"I'm not doing it," Booth said.

"What?"

"You heard me. I am passing this case off to someone else."

"Why? You're one of the best, Booth, you can't pass this one off," Williams argued.

"You take it," Booth said. "I don't want it."

"I'm not..."

"You're more than capable," Booth cut him off. "This case is now officially yours." He handed over the file to Williams, who stared at it, shocked.

"Are you sure?"

"This is your break. It's all you," Booth said. Williams stuttered his thanks and walked out, leaving Booth standing there rubbing his head with his hands. He hoped he knew what he was doing.

...

Brennan had gone through another whole day of work while feeling worried about her father. He seemed on edge. Angela had tried to say it was because she had almost been killed, but Angela didn't know the whole story. Not yet.

"Ms. Brennan?" Parker asked while he was packing up his desk.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay? You seem sad."

"I'm okay, Parker. Thanks for asking."

"Do you still like my Dad?" he asked. Brennan waited a moment before answering. She felt unsure of what to say. She didn't even know if Parker's father still liked her after finding out her parents were notorious criminals.

"I still like him, of course," Brennan answered finally. "I know he's been busy."

"Yea. I haven't really seen him much in the last few days either," Parker lamented. "I think I get to see him tomorrow though."

"That's good."

"Have a good night, Ms. Brennan," Parker said, pulling on his backpack and walking out. Brennan smiled. He was so courteous, just like his father. Her phone rang then.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me," Booth said. "Are you free for dinner tonight?"

"I am. Aren't you working on that big case though?"

"No. I'll explain at dinner. Pick you up at six?"

"Sounds great."

"Okay. I'll see you then."

"See you."

They hung up, and Brennan smiled wider. Maybe he still liked her too after all.

...

Angela went home and found that Matthew had taken Ripley for a walk. Brennan was already on her date. She set down her purse and keys and went to the fridge to get something to drink. Popping the top off her beer, she took a swig and walked to the island in her kitchen, noticing there was a piece of paper on it.

"Hey, I was here earlier. I came to say goodbye. I can't live knowing that my father was such a horrible person and hurt so many people. It's my fault your friend almost got killed. I told him I knew her in a passing conversation, and I didn't notice his keen interest until it was almost too late. I don't deserve to be here, let alone have your love. You'll be better off without me. Gary."

"Oh my God!" Angela shrieked.

...

Brennan felt so good around Booth. She didn't want to try and understand why she was letting her guard down and toying with the idea that she could really love this man. She just wanted to have a good time.

"You mentioned earlier that you would explain something about the big case," she said after their dinner had arrived.

"Yes," Booth nodded, picking up his fork. "I gave the case to another agent." He swirled his spaghetti onto his fork and popped it into his mouth. Brennan stared at him, fork frozen in the air inches from her food.

"You what?" she asked, not having heard him correctly. Booth nodded while he chewed and swallowed.

"I gave it to another agent. I don't want to be working on a case that could put your father in jail," he said.

"Booth," Brennan said. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. I only did it so that we could still see each other. It's not wise for an investigating agent to be dating a suspect's daughter, you know? I didn't want to lose this opportunity to get to know you," he smiled.

"I'm flattered that you chose me over your job," she said, blushing.

"Well, I'll always get another case," he said. "I will never have a chance with someone like you again." Brennan felt her heart beating rapidly. Parker had no idea just how much she liked his father right now in this moment.

"Well, it means a lot-" Brennan started when her phone rang. She saw it was Angela. "I'm sorry," she said, putting it to voicemail.

"It's all right," Booth said. "You were saying?"

"I was saying that it means a lot that you would do something like that for me," she started. Her phone rang again. Angela.

"You wanna get that?" Booth asked. "Seems persistent."

"I'm so sorry," she apologized. He waved it off. She answered her phone. "Ange, I'm in the middle of a date. What's wrong?" Booth watched as her face grew concerned. He felt worried suddenly.

"Okay. All right. Stay calm. I'll be right there," she said, hanging up. She looked at Booth. "I'm so sorry."

"What's wrong?"

"Gary left Angela a suicide note," Brennan answered, looking at him. She was upset too.

"Check!" Booth called to the passing waiter.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm coming with you."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm FBI, Temperance. It's kind of what I do," he said. He paid for their meal, and they stood up quickly. Brennan sighed in frustration a little. She just wanted a normal date with this man. Why was everything getting in the way?

...

Angela was hysterical by the time Brennan and Booth arrived.

"Let me see it," Booth said. Angela handed him the note, and he read it quickly.

"It'll be all right," Brennan soothed, pulling Angela close.

"He left this hours ago," Angela sobbed. "He could already be dead."

"Do you know of any of his favorite places?" Booth asked. He was still examining the note.

"Not really. My bedroom?" Angela asked, choking. "I'm sorry I don't know why I said that. We didn't spend a lot of time outside. Or talking."

"I'll check anyway," Booth said, going to look. Angela turned to Brennan.

"Why would he do this?" she asked. "I don't understand."

"I don't know how to answer that, Ange," Brennan said truthfully. She really didn't.

"What if we're too late?"

"What's going on?" Matthew asked, returning with Ripley, who bounded over to Brennan happily.

"Gary left me a suicide note," Angela said, showing him. Matthew read it carefully.

"That is frightening," he said. Booth came back into the kitchen then. Matthew regarded him warily.

"Matthew," Booth said.

"Booth."

"How are you?"

"I'm fine. You here to arrest me?"

"Nope. I'm not on that case anymore," Booth answered. "Okay, Angela, think. Is there anywhere Gary talked about that was special to him."

"No," she answered tearfully. "Not that I know of."

"What if he went back to the scene where his father was found?" Matthew suggested. "He mentions in here that his father is a horrible person, so dying where he was found might be an option."

"You know, that's not a bad idea," Booth said. He pointed to Angela and Brennan. "You two stay here while I go look."

"I called the police already," Angela said.

"When they get here, tell them to join me there," Booth said. She nodded. She buried her face into Brennan's shoulder again, and Brennan looked over at her father, wondering if perhaps Gary really was planning on committing suicide.

...

Booth couldn't believe this was how his second date with Brennan was ending. Was it just bad timing? Rotten luck? Or was the universe trying to tell them to give it up already? He dismissed that thought. God wouldn't be that interested in keeping them apart. He had bigger things to worry about. Booth raced up to the top of the building where he'd been twice already, and lo and behold, there was Gary sitting at the edge of the roof, legs dangling over. Booth slowed his pace down. He didn't want to scare him.

"Hey, Gary, buddy," Booth said, making Gary whip his head around. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Why do you care?" Gary asked. His voice had no emotion in it.

"Cos I just do," Booth answered. "Come on, let's talk about it."

"There's nothing to say. My father was a corrupted pig. He used me..." Gary said, his voice choking.

"Used you to what?" Booth pressed. He had to keep him talking.

"He used me to find out about Brennan. It was so casual though that I didn't realize it until she was almost killed. My father dragged me into his disgusting game, and since he's dead, I should be too."

"Oh, now Gary," Booth said. "I don't think that's true. You didn't pull the trigger."

"I may as well have! When I heard, I suspected he had something to do with it, so that's why I left in such a hurry that night," Gary explained. "I found him two blocks down, and it was like he was possessed. He put a gun to my head and made me tell him where she was, so I answered. I should have died rather than allow him to continue his murderous rampage," Gary sobbed. Booth waited until he calmed down a little. "Anyway, I ran away like a coward. The next thing I know, he's dead. I don't know how it happened. I've spent the last couple of days hating myself and knowing that I deserve to be in a coffin as well."

"Gary," Booth started. "That's not true. You were forced into it, and like I said, you didn't actually pull the trigger. Why don't we come down from here and talk some more?"

"What's the point? There is no point," Gary mumbled. He shifted a little closer to the edge.

"What about Angela?" Booth asked hurriedly, sensing it wasn't going to end well. "Huh? What about her? She's devastated right now thinking you're dead."

"She'll move on," Gary shrugged. "I don't deserve such a woman as her anyway."

"You don't have to do this," Booth urged. "She loves you." Sirens sounded in the distance, and Booth knew that Gary heard them.

"What kind of man am I?" he asked.

"One who's very mixed up right now and emotional," Booth answered. "Let's get down and talk."

"I'm good here," Gary said. The wind picked up a little. Booth felt anxious then. This was not going the way he planned. The sirens got louder.

"Do you hear that?" Booth said. "Angela called them for you. She wants you to be safe."

"I know what you're doing, and it's not working," Gary said. Booth inched closer to him while Gary had his head the other way.

"What would work then?" Booth asked, keeping him talking.

"Nothing. I told you. I'm a loser, one who aided and abetted my father to attempted murder."

"Not consciously," Booth argued.

"Doesn't matter. Still happened," Gary said. Booth could see the lights flashing from below now.

"Gary," Booth started.

"Goodbye, Booth," Gary said, sliding forward. Booth lunged and grabbed the back of Gary's shirt as Gary went over. Booth grunted in the effort to keep him from falling. He wrapped his one leg around a pipe for help, his other hand bracing against the cement barrier. Gary was dangling in the air, and he was freaking out.

"Let go!" he shouted. "LET GO!"

"NO!" Booth yelled back. He hoped to God someone would come help him and soon. He felt Gary twisting in his grasp, trying to wriggle out of the shirt. Booth struggled to hang on, and then he felt something stab into his wrist. Booth gasped in pain, and felt his hand release Gary.

"GARY!" Booth screamed, leaning over the edge. It was almost dark, so Booth couldn't see. He heard a commotion on the ground. Booth leaped to his feet and hurried down all those stairs. His wrist was bleeding profusely, but he didn't care. When he got to the bottom, he burst out the doors and into the sea of flashing lights and uniforms.

"Where is he? Where's Gary?!" Booth shouted, pushing through.

"He's here, sir," a paramedic said. "Firefighters put out their life net." Booth cranked his head around to see Gary wrapped in a blanket in the ambulance.

"He's all right?" Booth asked, feeling incredibly relieved.

"Yea. Shaken and upset, but alive. We're taking him to the hospital to be admitted," the paramedic answered. Then he saw Booth's wrist. "You should get that looked at." Booth looked down, seeing the large cut there. Gary had cut him with a knife. That bastard. He looked up and met Gary's eyes, and he saw apology there, so he just nodded. The man was going to get some professional help. This was good.

...

Brennan was pacing the house. Angela had left for the hospital when Booth called, but Booth wanted her to wait there for him. She was anxious to see him. Then suddenly, he was there.

"Hey," he said. She rushed into his arms.

"I'm glad you're okay," she said, muffled by his chest. She pulled back. "What happened?"

"I couldn't talk him down, but EMS showed up and had their life net out to save him," Booth explained. Brennan saw his wrist then.

"What happened to you?"

"Gary cut me to make me let go," Booth answered. She touched it carefully with her hands.

"Was it deep?"

"Not enough to make me bleed out," Booth replied. "I'm sorry about our date."

"Me too. You're welcome to stay," she said.

"I'd like that," he smiled.

"Angela has some good movies," she said, leading him to the couch. She had offered her father her bed for the night, and he had accepted.

"The Whole Nine Yards," Booth said, holding it up. "Oh, we gotta watch that."

"Is it good?"

"Good? It's hilarious!" Booth laughed.

"I'll trust your judgment," she smiled. He put it in while she got comfortable on the couch. He sat beside her and put his arm around her, grinning to himself. Perhaps this evening wasn't a total loss.

...

"Gary?" Angela whispered, touching his face. He opened his eyes. "Hi."

"Hey," he croaked.

"What were you thinking?" she asked, getting upset.

"I wasn't. Angela, I'm a wreck."

"I see that. I'm going to help you through this," she promised.

"No," he cut her off. "No, you're not. Look, I have big issues, and I'm getting sent away for a little while. I don't want you to wait for me."

"Gary..."

"No, I won't hear of it. You need to find someone who can give you what you're looking for," Gary said. "It's not me. I'm sorry."

"I won't..."

"You will. Please, do this for me," he begged. He looked at her imploringly.

"Gary, I don't want to leave you," she whispered.

"You're not. I'm leaving you. I know you deserve so much more than I can offer. It will make me feel better to know that you will find happiness with someone else," he said.

"You're wrong!"

"Angela, please. Don't fight me on this. I beg you," he said. "Find someone else." They stared at each other for a moment before Angela started to cry.

"Okay," she choked. He gripped her hand in his.

"This is for the best," he promised. "You have to believe me."

"Will you be all right?" she asked.

"I will. Tonight scared me. I realized I can't take the easy way out. I'm going to get help and then fix up my life. Ange, I will always miss you, but you've got to trust me that this is the right decision for us. Do you trust me?"

"Yes," she sniffed.

"Good." He kissed her hand.

"Can I stay here tonight? One last time?" she asked.

"All right," he agreed. She crawled in behind him on the bed, knowing she'd get kicked out soon enough, but she wanted to be near him. Gary closed his eyes, feeling her presence. He hated leaving her, but he knew he had to.

...

It was two a.m. when the pounding started. Booth jolted awake, and he felt Brennan stir beside him. He looked around, confused, before remembering he was at Angela's with Brennan. The TV was on the menu screen, and he figured they must have fallen asleep at some point in their movie marathon. The pounding continued, making Booth get up. Brennan was right behind him.

"Yes?" he asked, opening the door.

"We're here for Matthew Brennan," the officer said. Brennan felt herself lose all her air in her lungs.

"I'm here," Matthew said calmly, pushing past them. The officer wrenched him around and put handcuffs on him.

"Wait! What are you doing?!" Brennan cried.

"Matthew Brennan, you are under arrest for the murder of Robert Kirby," the officer said, ignoring Brennan. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in court."

"It's okay, honey," Matthew said, seeing his daughter so distraught. He met Booth's eyes. "Take care of her."

"I will," Booth promised.

"Dad!"

"I'll see you later," Matthew said as they hauled him away. They shoved him inside the back of the cruiser, and as they sped along the streets, Matthew couldn't help but feel a small bit of relief. His father in law was right. Getting caught wasn't the end of the world.


I know it was a bit of an intense chapter, but I didn't want to leave the storyline of Gary just hanging so I wanted to give him a conclusion. I also wasn't entirely sure if I should let Matthew get caught, but I figured out how to resolve the whole thing for later chapters, so I went with him getting arrested. I hope you enjoyed!