-Chapter Nine-

The night of the funeral Parker cried himself to sleep. Seeley lay awake, Temperance in his arms, also awake.

"I'm gonna miss her." He whispered into his partner's hair. As a response, Temperance laced her fingers through his and kissed them softly.

"Thanks Bones." He whispered through the darkness.

"For what?" She whispered back.

"For being here for me. For Parker."

"You were there for me."

He snuggled his face deeper into her hair. "I love you Tempe."

"I love you too, Seel."

That night was the first night that Temperance Brennan had said those words to anyone.

--

A day later Temperance was making lunch for Parker and Emma. She had volunteered to stay home with Parker, after Booth decided that working would be best for him. She had just finished making the mac and cheese and was about to add the nutmeg when the door was kicked down. She spun around and came face to face with Antonio Mena. She spun back around and reached for a knife she had lying on the counter when she heard the cock of a gun.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you doctor Brennan."

"Aunt Bones?" Parker asked as he made his way into the kitchen. "What was that noise?" He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw what was happening.

"Parker! Take Emma and hide!" She yelled and the boy ran from the room. "You son of a bitch." Brennan hissed, as she narrowly missed getting hit with the bullet that Mena had just fired from his gun.

"To some." He aimed the gun again, but Brennan lunged for it, making Mena drop the gun on the floor. She kneed him in the groin and he fell to the ground, pulling her down with him. He pinned her to the floor and she rolled over on top of him, her hand wrapped around his throat, her other hand reaching for the gun. Mena head butted Brennan and rolled over, picking up the gun and hitting her across the head with it. She moaned and felt the side of her head start to bleed. She shakily stood up and held her hands up in a fighting stance. Mena aimed the gun at her again but she once again dodged the bullet.

"Why won't you just die?!" He yelled at her.

She didn't respond, instead she kicked the gun out of his hands, sending it flying across the room. He growled as he watched it fall to the floor a few feet away. Brennan took advantage of his temporary distraction and lunged forward, pushing him against the wall and punching him in the face. He fell to the floor, once again pulling her with him. He punched her, once, twice, again and again. She forced her palm at his nose and felt a rush of satisfaction when she felt it shatter. He yelped and shoved her off of him, covering his nose with his hands.

"Bitch!" He screamed as he ran after her into the kitchen, the gun temporarily forgotten.

Brennan grabbed the knife and spun around. Mena glared at her and lunged forward. She reacted and stabbed him once in the chest, realizing in horror what she had just done. Antonio stumbled backwards, clutching his chest. He fell to the floor and let out a final ragged breath.

Temperance Brennan looked down at the man in her kitchen in horror. She took a few shaky deep breaths before running into the bedroom.

"Parker!" She yelled.

The door to the closet flew open and a shaking Parker, holding a crying Emma appeared.

"Aunt Bones, what just happened?"

"We got to get out of here." She replied as she took Emma from his arms and grabbed a suitcase out of the closet.

"What? Why?" He asked, clearly in shock.

"The man who killed your mother came here, he found us." Parker's face went pale white and she quickly added, "He's dead, I just killed him." This seemed to comfort Parker some because some of the color returned to his face. "Go grab a suitcase and anything you want to take with you, but hurry. We have to get out of here."

Parker ran from the room and Brennan threw some clothes and personal effects into her suitcase.

"Em, Em, shhh." She rocked the baby slightly, trying to get her to calm down. She sighed as she set her daughter down on the bed and started folding up the playpen. She moved quickly as she packed some of Emma's things into another, smaller bag. Once she was finished she quickly grabbed her suitcase, the folded up playpen, Emma's bag and Emma and ran out of the room.

Parker was in the kitchen staring down at the body, his suitcase in one hand.

"Parker." Brennan rushed over to him and turned him around. She then set her bags down and looked the little boy in the eyes. "Everything will be alright. We're going to leave for a while, and once we come back, we'll be safe. Ok?"

The little boy nodded slightly. "Ok."

"Ok. You hold Emma for a moment while I leave a note for your dad." She quickly found a piece of paper and a pen and scribbled a note to Booth on it. She looked around her apartment one last time and made her way back to the two kids. She picked up Emma, grabbed her bags and left the apartment. Parker close behind her.