Disclaimer: I don't own Bones
Title: Never Again
Author: ReadingRed
Chapter Two: Avenging Angel
The boys worked for two months to prepare to run away. The picked up every coin they saw on the ground. They took money out of the fountain in front of the Jeffersonian. They saved allowance. They raked leaves for their neighbors. They finally thought they had enough money. After two months of saving and working they had a grand total of $65.32. They knew where they would go. They would hide in plain sight. They'd all been to Hodgins' house and seen the expansive grounds. Hodgins showed them a few of the staff houses that were empty. He told them that they could play in them if they wanted, at the time it hadn't seemed important, but now it was their escape.
"Benny?" Finnian whispered to his brother.
"Yeah Finn?" Benjamin's whisper came back.
"I don't wanna leave mom."
"I know, me neither, but we have to. It the only way to stay safe. Uncle Booth will keep mom safe and we'll write her so she knows we're alright."
"Promise she'll be okay without us here?"
"I promise. Now go to sleep. We'll leave tomorrow after Uncle Booth and Parker get here."
Finnian was comforted by his brother's words and he rolled over and fell asleep.
The next morning started with a bang, or a yank as it were.
Gunter came into the boys room and pulled Finn out of bed by his hair. Finn yelped but it was cut off when Gunter dropped him to the ground. Finn landed on his shoulder and his body crumpled down on top of him. The kicks started. He felt Gunter's foot connect with his side and then his lower back. Finn curled into a ball, trying in vain to avoid the blows. Again and again the kicks came. His back, his legs, his head, nearly every part of his body was hit. When the kicking got old Gunter lifted his foot and started stomping on Finn. The little boy let his mind float away as he often did when Gunter was hurting him. Every once in a while outside sound would make it to Finn's safe place. He heard Benjamin yelling for Gunter to stop. He heard a door slam. Then he heard the best sound in the world, his mom's voice.
"Stop!" She yelled. Gunter stopped. "Get. Away. From. My. Son." Brennan ordered through gritted teeth. Finn opened his eyes and saw his mom holding a gun. She looked like an avenging angel. Her hair was down and splayed around her shoulders. The look on her face was fierce enough to scare any criminal.
"Babe. Come on now. It's not what it looks like." Gunter said as he stepped away from Finn.
"Oh really, cuz it looks like you're beating my son so tell me, if that's not what this is tell what it is." Brennan said keeping the gun locked on Gunter.
"It's his punishment. He did something bad" Gunter said in a condescending voice.
"What?! What could he have possibly done? It's seven in the morning; he hasn't been up long enough to do anything. And there's nothing he could ever do that would warrant you doing this to him." Brennan told Gunter. The man just stood there in silence. Brennan looked to her older son.
"Benjamin, call Uncle Booth. Tell him what happened. Ask him to come here as soon as possible. Call his cell, not his home phone; he might've already left his house. Tell him to use the siren. Use my cell to call Uncle Booth and bring me the home phone. I need to call 911." Benjamin nodded and ran off down the hall.
"Temperance, sweetie. You don't want to do this. I promise I'll never hurt him again. I'm so sorry babe. Please, they'll send me to jail. Please, don't do this to me." Gunter begged. He was slowly walking towards Brennan.
"Stop, don't come any closer. I will shoot you." Brennan promised. Her hands were steady. The gun didn't waver.
"No you won't babe. You love me" Gunter said. Brennan turned the gun to the left and fired. The bullet lodged itself in the doorjamb of the bathroom door.
"Sit down, as far away from Finn as you can get. Over there by that wall" Brennan said motioning to the far wall with the gun.
Gunter finally realized how serious Brennan was. He moved quickly over to the far wall and slumped to the ground. Brennan walked quickly to Finn. She knelt by her son and pulled the small boy onto her lap, keeping an eye on Gunter at the same time.
"Finnian, I'm so sorry I let this happen to you. Uncle Booth's coming and he'll take Gunter away. You're going to be fine" Brennan promised.
"Mommy, my head really hurts."
"I know baby. We're going to get you all fixed up."
"Momma, here's the phone" Benjamin said coming into the room holding the cell phone to his ear and the home phone in his outstretched hand. Brennan took the cordless home phone from her older son and dialed 911.
"911, what is your emergency?" The operator's calm voice came over the phone.
"My husband beat my son. I need an ambulance and a squad car sent over. Please hurry." Brennan begged. Finn was still on her lap, she held a phone in one hand and a gun in the other. She wasn't sure if she would be able to fight Gunter off if he tried something now. Her only hope was that Gunter would not realize that now would be his only chance.
Unfortunately fate was not on her side.