And the next chapter is up! If you like Cat and Bones, I hope you'll consider picking up the Night Huntress books! There are some great stories in that fandom as well!

Thanks for reading, and letting me know what you think!

If you're an author interested in looking at a FF reader survey that a few of us are putting together, drop me a PM.

Eric

After a great day and night at a incredibly rustic cabin in Vermont, I realized a couple of things. Max snored, and I hated rustic. But we had fun. It was good man time. We caught a couple of fish, but threw them back because both of us were total softies.

It wasn't until we'd driven about an hour that I finally had cell signal and got Sookie's sleepy, garbled message that she was going to take Ce and go to Pam's. It wasn't until I managed to get a clear radio station a few minutes that it made sense.

I'd been checking the weather for Vermont for the last week, but hadn't bothered with the local weather. The storm in New York sounded awful, rain overnight turning to snow early in the morning. I tried not to be outwardly concerned, for Max's sake, but I pulled over to call Sookie right away. She answered after a couple of rings.

"Are you okay?" I said, not even waiting for her to answer.

She laughed. "We're fine. We're having pancakes for dinner at the Herveaux residence. I've been checking the weather feverishly to make sure you guys weren't stuck in the middle of nowhere in a flood. The basement's fine, by the way. I checked in earlier, but we still don't have power, but it's hovering around freezing so the pipes should be fine. Come over to Pam's. It's like being on vacation."

I chuckled, realizing that it was silly for me to be worried. She more than knew how to take care of herself. "We'll get Max's school stuff and some clothes and head over. Is the cook working?"

"Yes. I called Pam to see if it was okay if we stayed here, and she called him in. I told her it wasn't necessary, but she did it anyway. He makes the most delicious bread. I could get used to this."

"Not on our salaries, at least not if we want to put two kids through college."

"Pfft. College is overrated," she laughed, "said the textbook seller to the professor."

"Exactly. We'll be there in a few hours. I'm almost at your honey spot, so I gotta go." I snickered when I realized how dirty that sounded.

"You're on speaker phone, yea?" She asked, her voice playful.

"Yes."

Her voice was playful. "Okay then. Enjoy the honey place, and I'll see you two in a bit."

Max grinned at the phone. "Bye Mom."

I set it up on the dash, and smiled over at my boy. "We should do this every year."

He nodded, his smile stretching from ear to ear. "Can we?"

"Sure. Maybe we'll try and actually catch the ice next year."

The drive home was fine, until we were about a half hour outside the city, and the pelting snow started. Max was chattering away, and finally, it got so bad that I couldn't focus, and asked him to be quiet, which seemed to really scare him.

"Are we going to be okay? He whispered, after ten minutes or so of silence.

"Yes, we'll be fine. I just need to pay attention." The wipers weren't quite cleaning things properly. I hated driving in the snow.

After a drive that took twice as long as it should have, we finally pulled up in front of our house at about nine. Max had finally fallen asleep in the backseat, and my back and neck were killing me from being so tense from the shitty driving conditions. I leaned back and poked Max.

"We're home, buddy. Let's get some clothes and go to Pam's."

Max sat up and wiped his eyes. "I'm hungry. What time is it?"

"Late. We'll get you some dinner at Pam's. I'm sorry we didn't stop, I just wanted to get home." I was starving too. "Maybe there's a snack inside."

He nodded, and I smiled, looking back at him. He was a good kid, really easy going. I figured that came from Sookie's side of the family. He had a personality a bit like Jason, only far, far smarter. Not that that took much.

We stomped our way through the inches and inches of slush snow, and made our way up the front steps. The house was dark, really dark, and I smiled as Max grabbed onto the back of my jacket. "I'll get the flashlight."

"Dad, I can hear someone," he whispered.

"It's just Cat probably." I glanced around, automatically feeling anxious in the dark.

"No, not in the basement. Up here, Dad," he tugged at my jacket. "I think in the living room, or maybe the bathroom."

I stopped and listened for a minute, and he was right. I swallowed, and glanced at the door to the basement, which was shut. If I'd been on my own, I might have reacted differently, but with Max behind me, my paternal instinct kicked in. I shoved my phone into his hand. "Go shut yourself in the car and call 911 if I'm not out in ten," I whispered.

"I'm not leaving you."

"Max..."

"No," he huffed, and I then realized that it wasn't any safer sending my seven year old out into the New York evening, then keeping him with me.

"Fine, but stay behind me."

The living room was dimly lit from the streetlight outside, and it became clear that there was indeed someone there, and as soon as I saw the build, I knew it wasn't Cat.

I didn't wait and see who it was.

A half a second later, I was tussling on the floor with whomever had busted into my house, and I had him pinned while I landed a couple of nice shots to the face.

"Get him Dad!" Max shouted supportively, and I tried to ignore him as I made sure he didn't have any weapons.

"Fuck, it's Crispin. Jesus mate, fuck off!" a familiar English accented voice spat.

My mind processed his words slowly, as I sat back on my heels, still pinning him to the ground. "What the fuck are you doing in my house?"

"Trying to fix a bloody busted pipe in your house. Get off me." He wiggled a bit, but I didn't move. "Fuck, you're hurting me."

"Why are you in my house?" Had Sookie asked him to check on the pipes? She would have asked Bill before him, I imagined.

"Christ, your kid even got a kick in," he rubbed his shin. "What the hell is wrong with you people?"

"What the hell was I supposed to think," I said, rubbing my hand, which hurt like a motherfucker. "when you're in my house! Why are you here, and how did you get in?"

"I'm visiting your tenant."

I looked down at him. "Shirtless?" What the hell was Cat thinking?

He looked at me snidely. "That's really none of your business."

I looked at him, deadpan. "You're in my bathroom, shirtless."

And then a woman's voice. "Oh my God."

And a blinding flashlight in my face. "Kitten, everything is fine," Bones groaned out. Kitten? "Eric's fists just thought they should get more familiar with my face."

Cat was wearing a pair of huge sweatpants and a hoodie, and she had sex hair. I knew sex hair well. I tried to process what had happened. They'd met when I introduced Bones to Russell, a month or so ago. Had he been in my basement the whole time? Was my douche-dar broken?

I stood up, and glanced at Max, who was watching the scene wide eyed. So much therapy was going to be needed. 'Well, doctor, my dad beat the tar out of my mom's employee. He kissed her once, so it was okay.'

He had an amused grin on his face, as he handed me my cell. "You should probably call Mom."

I stood back, as Bones got up off the ground. "You two are together? Bones, I don't want you in my house. I was very clear about that."

Cat narrowed her eyes at me, and then turned to him. "You didn't tell me that."

He ignored me completely. "I wasn't exactly concerned with his silly rules. I thought you might have needed me."

Cat looked mortified. "You kissed his wife. Of course he didn't want you here."

Max's eyes went wide, before he hauled off and kicked Bones in the shin. "Stay away from my mom," he shouted, before retreating behind me. I wanted to high five him, but since I'd practically ruined Bones' face, I decided I shouldn't. So. Much. Therapy.

"Christ, I'd like to stay away from the lot of you," he groaned, backing out of the bathroom. "I was simply trying to help you avoid a flood. For Cat's sake. I didn't want her things ruined."

Max and I exchanged a look. "You should probably see a doctor," Max said, his tone a lot like mine, completely insincere. "My dad did a lot of damage to your face."

"I'll be fine," he groaned. "I just need some ice."

"There's lots outside," Max said, a Northman smirk on his face. "Why don't you get out of our house and go get some."

Again, I resisted the urge to high five him. "Max, we should go. Your mom will be wondering where we are. Go grab your things from upstairs." I turned the flashlight on on my cell.

He stomped off, and I was left with Cat and Bones, and I locked eyes with him. "I still don't want you in my house. Not when I'm here."

And then Cat surprised me. "Eric, you're being ridiculous. He's here with me. I should have mentioned it, but it's a new development, him being here. Don't tell me you're going to kick him out of your club house." She crossed her arms. "I thought you were more mature than that."

She'd called me out. I was not immature. I just hated him. "Fine. I don't want to know anything about it. No stopping up for dinner, or so much as walking past our windows."

"He has to walk by the living room windows to get to my door," Cat said, furrowing her brow. I appreciated that she wasn't being overly dramatic about this and threatening to move out, because at that moment, I would have told her to go for it, but then regretted it. "But he'll be discreet, if he's over here." She looked at him. "Right?"

I looked at Bones, who was touching his face, which was starting to darken from my well placed blows. "Yea, Kitten, of course. But after my warm welcome today, I think you'd be better to come to my place."

She looked at me, and then at him. "We'll discuss that later. Eric, are we alright here? I'll pay for a plumber if we need one, but I don't see any leaks. Bones is hardly qualified."

She was good. I felt guilty about hitting him, and I never thought that would have been the case after everything that had gone down in the fall. Damn Cat. "Okay. We'll be at Pam's. You have my cell if you need anything, having to do with the plumber."

She nodded, and gave me a bright smile. "I will. Enjoy your evening."

I packed up a bag, and made sure Max had brought his toothbrush, before heading out. We were halfways to Pam's when Max turned and looked at me. "Dad, why did Bones' kiss Mom? He's not supposed to."

I thought for a minute, trying to figure out the best way to explain infidelity to a seven year old. Not that Sookie had cheated. "You're damn right he's not supposed to. Do you remember the year that you found your Christmas presents in the attic and you peeked, even though you weren't supposed to?"

He nodded.

"Your Mom is like Christmas presents. She's exciting, and awesome, and everyone in their right mind wants Christmas presents."

"But she's got your name on the tag."

I smiled. That was my boy. "That's right."

Cat

I looked at Bones' profile. "Shit, your nose is broken."

"Are you certain?I don't think it is."

I shone the flashlight in the mirror. "Well, it's really swollen if it's not. He hit you hard."

I sighed, as the gorgeous man that had inhabited my bed all day took in the damage done to his face. "He got lucky."

I snorted. "No, he pretty much beat the shit out of you. But you kind of deserved it. I wish you'd just let me call the plumber. You're an editor. You don't know anything about plumbing."

We crawled back into bed, after grabbing him an ice pack. Bed was warm, and some interesting things were taking place there today, it seemed. "I could have determined if the crash we heard was a broken pipe."

I smiled. I'd been fairly certain that it was just ice falling off the roof, but Bones had had other ideas. Most of which probably involved getting as far away from the world's most amateur blow job. "Do you want to see a doctor?"

"Pardon me for being crass, but I'd like to continue where we left off." I felt my heart swell as he put his hands on my face and kissed me hard.

"Oh, okay," I whispered, careful to avoid touching his face, which, even the dark looked black and blue. "Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?"

He nodded, and the look he gave me in the candlelight made me clench with need. "Positive. It's kind of pathetic though, me looking like this, and I wasn't even being an asshole, or defending a beautiful woman. I was looking for a leak."

"You can tell people you were defending me, if you want." I shivered, as he put his chilly hands up my sweater.

"Except my boss will know that wasn't true, and she's the one I'd likely have to tell," he chuckled, before wincing. "Ouch."

"I really think your nose might be broken."

He shook his head. "I've broken it before. It's just a bit sore. I used to be quite the brawler in my day. I could have kicked Northman's ass if I'd been prepared and it hadn't been dark."

I found myself wanting to feed his ego, not because he was laying in my bed, and he'd taught me the meaning of the word orgasm earlier that day, but because I liked him.

A lot.

I'd liked him for weeks now, probably since that first sort of chance encounter in the hallway with Eric, ironically enough. I was terrible with men though, and I'd let one rotten apple really ruin the bunch when it came to men. I'd found myself wishing over the years that I could have just been a lesbian, but I could hardly stand to be around women, even in a friendly capacity. They were so petty and bitchy. Sookie, in fact, was the first woman I'd envisioned myself being friends with in the better part of ten years.

Men were confusing though. And it was all because of one encounter years ago that, after researching sexual assault for years, probably qualified as date rape. I'd been weak with Danny, and for a long time, I'd told myself I deserved what happened to me, that I'd led him down the garden path and tried to shut the gate too late, but deep down, I knew that wasn't true. I'd said no, not as firmly as I would have now, knowing how things turned out, but the implied no had been there. It absolutely had been.

There was something about Bones though. Something that made me want to feel all the things I'd locked away to keep myself from being hurt or scarred again. I wanted to let him in. I knew he wasn't Danny. He'd given me the space I'd demanded, and he'd never taken advantage. He'd been an impossible flirt, but he'd never force me or convince me of anything I didn't want.

And he was so handsome, even with a split lip. "I think you could have taken him. You're strong, and very flexible."

He chuckled. "You're an odd bird, Catherine Crawfield."

"I like you," I whispered, finding myself temporarily nervous about his response.

He smiled, this genuine, almost shy smile that I doubted many got to see. "I fancy you as well."

Sookie

When Eric and Max came off the elevator at Pam's, it was evident immediately that they were up to something, and it wasn't good. I turned my cheek as Eric went to kiss me, and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Spill, boys."

Max sighed. "We got in a fight."

I glanced at Eric. "With each other? Because from the looks of your dad's hand, you won."

Eric shook his head, a tired look on his face. "No, I didn't get in a fight with a seven year old. Max needs some dinner. We'll talk about it then."

I followed them into the kitchen. "I'll put something together for you both. I want to hear about this fight."

Eric sighed. "Well, we thought someone broke into the house."

I gasped. "You didn't attack Cat, did you?"

"No, Mom," Max piped up, gulping down the glass of milk that I put in front of him. "Bones."

I felt a bit sick. Where the hell had they found Bones? I knew Eric had a lot on his mind with work, but there was no way he was still dwelling on what had happened. We'd worked through that. "I think your dad better tell this story, buddy."

"Bones was in our house," he glanced at Max. "Visiting Cat."

"With no shirt on," Max chimed in. "So Dad pushed him to the ground and punched him in the face, and I kicked him, and Mom?"

I blinked, trying to process. "What?"

"Why did you let Bones kiss you? You're Dad's."

"I'm my own. And I didn't let Bones kiss me, and I don't know why you even know that." I glared at Eric. "That's not appropriate father-son bonding talk."

"Cat mentioned it. Bones thought he heard a pipe crack, so he came upstairs to check it out, and I thought someone had broken in, and I had Max with me, so I wasn't taking any chances." He glanced at Max. "He was the one that kicked him for kissing you."

"Max, you shouldn't kick people. Eric, I, well, I don't even know what to say." I was glad they were okay, that it wasn't some meth-head, or some robber, but looking at the swelling on Eric's hand, I was guessing Bones looked pretty bad. "Is he okay?"

Eric shrugged. "He seemed fine."

"Seemed fine?"

And then Eric got a bit agitated. "It was dark, and he wasn't my primary concern. He got up, and went downstairs, and was snide and cocky, so I assumed he was fine."

I thought about calling, but I wasn't even sure Cat's cell was charged, and I figured they would call if they needed us.

And I wasn't Bones' keeper. We were off hours.

Max chowed into his grilled cheese, as I continued eying Eric, who hadn't touched his. "Mom, Dad did really good. He was really strong, and he kept me safe."

I sighed. "I know, Max, but it's not okay to hit people."

My son raised a tiny eyebrow at me. "Even if you think they're going to hurt you?"

Yep, this was confusing for everyone. "Eat up, and then get to bed."

He looked to Eric for support. "But..."

Eric simply shook his head. "But your mother and I will discuss this. We can recap tomorrow if there's anything you need to know."

Max glared at both of us, and it was clear that he was overtired. I ruffled his hair. "No school tomorrow, so sleep in a bit. You look tired."

He hopped off the stool and vanished into the room he usually stayed in here. "Goodnight."

And then I was left to try and figure out what the correct response for Eric's actions was. "I'd feel better about things if I knew Bones' wasn't lying in a heap in our bathroom."

"There's probably blood on the floor, but I'm fairly sure he's positioned in a heap under Cat somewhere. Tell me you didn't know about that."

I shook my head. "Of course I didn't."

"Good."

I looked at him incredulously. "Don't you put this back on me."

"I'm not." He rubbed his hand. "I wouldn't have hit him if I knew who he was, and why he was there."

I raised my eyebrows at him. "I would hope not." I peered into the freezer and handed him a bag of peas. "It's more flexible than a steak. Put it on your hand."

"Thank you," he mumbled. "Cat totally called me out when I was..."

"Adding insult to injury and being an ass to the man you'd just beat up for trying to help us?"

"Yea."

"Eric, I don't know what to say." I'd spent all day worrying about him and Max driving home, and I knew why he'd done what he did, even if I was irritated with him. "Let's just go to bed."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Sookie."

"Look, I know how I should feel, and how I do feel, and this has been kind of stressful day, so let's talk about it tomorrow."

"Why don't you tell me how you feel?"

"Because you'll think I'm sympathizing with Bones, and I'm not. I'm upset our son had to see that, and I'm upset that he and I had sorted through our issues and our working relationship was back on track, and now you've jeopardized that. But I know why you did what you did. So I don't know how I feel. I guess I'm tired."

He tightened his jaw. "Okay, we'll go to bed."

As I stripped down, and crawled into bed, it was clear that he had something he wanted to say. "Go ahead, just say it," I whispered, rolling over to face him.

"I really wouldn't have hit him. I hope you know that."

I gave him a weak smile. "I know that, but you still hurt him, and I'm going to have to deal with that."

He sighed. "Hey, I'm now officially Cat's boss, and I beat up her boyfriend. How's that going to look?"

"You're not her boss until next week." I smiled. Eric became acting department chair effective at the first of the month. "And by then, I'm sure she'll be over it."

"I don't care if she's over it. It won't change our professional career. However, if I see too much of Bones' ugly mug around my property, it may change her living arrangements."

I rolled my eyes. We weren't kicking Cat out over this, and it did sound like Bones had really been trying to help. "Oh, Bill left you some steaks in the freezer. He said they're really good."

He wrinkled up his nose. "Did Bill stop by to use Pam's power?"

"That was how I ended up here." I smirked. "He asked for help keeping his meat fresh, and I couldn't refuse him."

Eric looked at me for a second before bursting out laughing. "I wish I'd been here for that. I would have given him hell for using my wife and sister to keep his meat from thawing. I'm sure his wife could have helped him with that."

"Oh, I'd never miss the opportunity to have Bill owe you a favour. I'm sure sharing your sister's ice box goes a long way."

Eric mock gagged. "I think I just threw up in my mouth a little. Good work, Lover."

I snuggled into his arm. "I learned from the master."