"I have a court order for your DNA, Mister Martinez," Booth said as he and his partner approached the construction workers at their job site. Brennan put on her gloves and pulled a swab out of her bag as she waited for their suspect to open his mouth.

Martinez parted his mouth to allow Brennan to take the sample. When she was done, he said, "You can have my DNA. But I didn't kill Tom. He was my best friend. Look, my dad left when I was a kid. I wouldn't leave Hadley without her dad. She needed him. You can have my DNA, but I'm telling you, you're looking at the wrong guy."

"We also have a court order for all power drills used by anyone on this construction site," Brennan said, not ignoring his speech. They confiscated all of the drills used by each worker at the site.

"What do you think you're going to find?" The site manager asked.

"Our murderer," she answered, as she finished tagging the last drill, "and some closure for Hadley Kerr."

"You've been looking at the wrong guy," Cam reported.

"You're kidding."

"Sorry, Booth. We found the murder weapon though! The drill bit was made of sharp titanium and it cut into the killer's skin, just like Hodgins said."

Booth took the case file from Cam's hand and read it over, despite the fact that most of the words went right over his head.

"So what now?" she asked.

"I don't know."

"DNA didn't match?" Brennan said into her phone. She leaned back farther into her desk chair and rubbed a hand over her face, "So Martinez is out. If he's clear, who killed Hadley's father?"

She kept her voice down. Hadley and Parker were just in the other room, watching Brennan's new TV. She was sitting at her laptop, attempting to work on both her next book and the case simultaneously. But life was getting in the way. Her thoughts were traveling back to Hadley and her heart broke each time bad news came around.

"I'm not sure, Bones. I'm going to work a few angles with Cam and go from there. If I get something solid, I'll call you. Are you okay there with the kids?"

"Of course. I can handle two teenagers."

"My son is not a teenager."

"Not yet," she corrected.

He hung up his phone and glared at Cam who had been listening to the whole conversation. She had a stupid grin on her face and he knew his old friend wasn't about to drop it.

"What, Camille?"

"You and Doctor Brennan…are you two playing house or something?"

Booth waved her off.

"I'm serious, Seeley. I'm glad Rebecca let you take Parker for a few weeks but don't tell Angela. If she finds out you and Doctor Brennan are playing make-believe family with Parker and Hadley, she'll have a field day."

Booth nodded, taking her advice. "Can we just get to work, please?" he asked, attempting to hide the blush creeping up his cheeks. He liked the idea of a family with Bones.

"Hey, Bones?"

Brennan looked up to see Hadley standing in the doorway.

"Are you okay?"

She shrugged. "Al was a suspect?"

"You heard my conversation with Booth." It was a statement, not a question. Hadley nodded.

"We have to cover all bases, Hadley. It was just a precaution."

"Al would never do it. He was Dad's best friend."

This was the moment Brennan had wanted to prepare herself for, when Hadley completely lost control and broke down, mourning for the loss of her father.

"I believe you. Do you know who might want to hurt your dad?"

She shook her head. "No clue. I just want things to go back to the way they were." Brennan was never good with metaphors but she could see Hadley's metaphorical walls falling around her. Brennan pushed back from her desk quickly and went to her. Hadley, who had never before wanted to show any weaknesses in her new surroundings, let go and fell into Brennan's arms.

Brennan held her foster daughter tightly as Hadley cried.

"I promise we'll find out who did it. And I promise you'll be okay," Brennan whispered.

"You can't know that," Hadley said between sobs, "Your dad came back. Mine won't."

"I promise, Hadley. You'll always have someone. You won't be alone."

"Cher, that girl has no other family!" Caroline said, sauntering into Booth's office.

"Hadley?"

"Dad was all she had left. Poor girl's all alone now."

Booth shrugged. "Nah, she and Bones seem to be getting along."

"Who knows how long the state is gonna let her stay with the good doctor! Look, I think Doctor Brennan is better off with the girl but the state might think otherwise once this case is over. I'll talk to some people over at child services," Caroline said.

"You mean Hadley is better off with Bones, right?"

"I meant what I said, Chéri. That partner of yours is better off with that girl." Caroline left Booth alone to think about what she had said.

Booth leaped up and grabbed his suit jacket before running out the door to Brennan's apartment.

When he arrived, he found Parker sitting by himself on the couch watching TV.

"Hey, Dad!" he smiled at him

"Hiya, Bub. Where's Hadley and Bones?"

Parker's grin disappeared. "Hadley's room. She's crying, Dad. I don't know what to do. Bones won't let me help."

"I'm not sure you can help, Bub."

"Why not?"

"Hadley's going through a rough time right now."

"Why?"

He knew his son wouldn't leave it alone. Parker, always the curious one, was full of questions.

"Parks, Hadley's mom died when she was a little girl and her dad just died. She's still coming to terms with the loss so we need to help her out, okay?"

Parker just nodded.

"You stay here. I'm going to go check on Bones and Hadley, okay?"

"Okay, Dad. Hey, Dad?"

"Yeah, Bub?"

"I'm really glad I'm living with you. Even if it is only for a few weeks."

Booth smiled. "Me too, Parker."

He walked down the hall to the transformed guest room. Brennan was sitting on the edge of the bed, Hadley's head in her lap. Brennan looked up when she noticed movement in the doorway. He was leaning there, watching her absentmindedly smooth out Hadley's hair. She had fallen asleep, but Brennan continued with the calming motion.

"Hey," she whispered.

Booth smiled at her. "You okay?" he asked. She nodded. "Hold on, I'll be right back."

He left and she could hear his heavy footsteps attempting to be light as he padded down the hall. She heard her front door open and Parker and his father conversing for a short minute. The door shut and a few short minutes later, the door opened again. When Booth finally reappeared in Hadley's doorway, he looked hesitant.

"This is exactly what we were saving it for. It's been in my car since we left her house."

Booth placed the picture of a young Hadley and her mother on the nightstand. Brennan was thankful that he remembered. She traded out her lap for a pillow and the two left Hadley to sleep in peace.