A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews. I know these updates aren't as quick as last week but I had a 5 day break. Now I'm starting to get back to my old schedule. If you get bored while waiting might I suggest checking out my other two fics?
27CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
"Booth, you're going too fast." Temperance Brennan called out, falling behind the FBI agent even with her long slender legs. He had driven like a bat out of hell on the highway and was practically running across the parking lot of the local precinct. She didn't blame him, his son had been missing and he had been worried. This was a sort of emotional connection that she couldn't exactly relate to (having never had a son) but the thought of how she felt when the Gravedigger had Seeley had been bad enough and provided her some sort of relation.
"Booth!" She called out again as she came through the doors a frown on her face. Glancing over her slender shoulder as Seeley moved to the front desk she strode behind him. "Sweets had Vincent and was following us. We probably lost them."
"Then they should drive faster." Came Booth's sudden reply as the cop behind the desk started to rustle through papers and click the computer mouse searching for what room Parker was being held in.
"They drove as fast as the law permitted." She went on, Booth gave a bit of a scoff and Temperance felt her head cock to one side and her brow furrowed. "I find it interesting that a man who enforces the law feels that the laws don't apply to him."
"Okay. Okay. Okay Bones I get it." Seeley groaned over his shoulder. He did care for the woman but right now he didn't wish to hear logic. When Parker was involved no matter the situation there was no time for logic or conjecture.
Just then Vincent Nigel-Murray and Lance Sweets came through the front door and toward the desk. Lance in the same suit he had been wearing the past two days (obviously following Booth's fashion trend of worry) while poor, confused Vincent still wore his lab coat after receiving the order from Doctor Brennan in passing that he would have to follow.
"Hullo, hullo." Vincent greeted with nods to Doctor Brennan and Agent Booth, standing upright he rested his hands on the front of the high up desk, lightly squeezing. He was a rather pale bloke with his brown mop top and English features.
"Mister Nigel-Murray." Temperance nodded with acknowledgment, obviously she wasn't nearly as antsy as her partner. "Good to see that you made it."
"Doctor Sweets drove me." Vincent nodded, looking to his boss rather matter of factly and still a bit dazed. "We would have been here sooner but we got caught at a red light."
"Because Agent Booth was driving super fast." Lance frowned, not wanting to be at fault. "I couldn't keep up!"
"Probably because you're nine." Booth shrugged now beginning to hit his hands against the desk in a drum rhythm from his growing impatience, which wasn't helping the cop search any better.
"I'm twenty three, Agent Booth." Lance said in his usual low tone when he was correcting the agent about his age, which was quite often.
"Right. Whatever you say." Seeley waved him off as the cop at the desk stood up and pointed.
"Room 6B. We waited on transporting him to the hospital when he asked to see you." She explained but Seeley barely caught any of it for once he heard the room number and saw where she was pointing he was off with the squints at his heels.
"Last time I left the lab Doctor Brennan yelled at me." Vincent whispered to Sweets as quiet as he could manage as they raced to keep up with the two partners. The intern remembered all too well his first venture out on the field, Doctor Saroyan's orders, they were on the beach with the sex operation victim and Doctor Brennan had been less than thrilled by his appearance there. He didn't want to have a repeat of that fiasco again, even though she had invited him!
"You're here so if there's any evidence on the victim." Doctor Brennan spoke up having heard them, in a very calm tone that made Vincent clam right up. She could see the door numbers out of the corner of her eye. 1B, 2B, 3B...
"Parker. It's Parker, Doctor Brennan. Agent Booth's son." Sweets corrected gently though he found that his own heart was racing. Not only because they'd find Parker but Krys as well? He was trying to look on the bright side and was very surprised that he was actually so hopeful.
"Parker." Temperance corrected, though it felt odd to her. Turning back around to look at Booth she found that he had already disappeared into the room. 6B. There it was in bold print. Holding her breath she found herself looking back to what little of her team had followed her to the precinct: Vincent. "If there's any evidence on Parker you can get samples and bring them to Hodgins back at the lab."
"I can do that?" Vincent asked with wide eyes, blinking. "Fascinating."
Temperance could only stare at the boy for a long few moments before looking to Lance who looked somewhat worried. What did he have to be worried about? She found his behavior lately more and more curious but pushed the thoughts further into her mind to deal with later. Right now all aspects of her brain were needed for science, and to solve this case.
Reaching out with her slender fingers she turned the door handle and entered the room. Upon taking one step in she saw Booth on his black pant leg clad knees hugging his son. Parker had dirt on his face, his hair appeared tangled and he was in need of a bath. His cheeks seemed to be streaked with tears as he cried into his father's shoulder. Temperance felt Lance and Vincent behind her as they stared, too nervous to say anything so she slinked around the side of the wall until she was standing where she could see Booth's face. His eyes shut tight, his brow crinkled. He looked so relieved and yet in so much pain. Hugging his son as close as he was he had to miss him something awful. Temperance knew how worried he had been, and she was happy for him. As happy as she could be.
"God Parker, I was so worried." Booth admitted, hugging his boy tight as he pressed a kiss on the top of his head. Something so tender on his part that the team had never seen, so they could only watch quietly.
"You were worried dad?" Parker asked with his brow raised, in disbelief that his hero could feel anything but bravery.
"Of course I was." Seeley managed to choke out, pulling back with both hands on either side of Parker's shoulders, holding him in place, not wanting to let him go. "Heck, I was downright scared. You're my son and I can't imagine losing you." And without warning he gave him another tight hug which Parker melted into, needing it badly.
"I did exactly what I thought you would do daddy." Parker cried, his little arms shaking. "I just kept running and running. I tried to be brave like you."
"And you were. Parker.. You were." Seeley pulled back again. "You were so brave." He reassured giving the weakest of smiles trying to be helpful.
"Booth..." Temperance had to interupt. Though she was glad for their reunion there was still a hostage out there who might become a victim if they didn't solve it fast. This case needed to be closed.
Seeley looked over his shoulder at Temperance, and then to Lance and Vincent at the door. Poor Sweets looked so upset, so lost and Booth actually felt bad for the kid. Finally he looked back to Temperance and her knowing look. Swallowing he gave her a nod, turning back to look at his son he lightly stroked the boy's cheek with his thumb. "Hey, Park. You did good. You did really good, but now you need to help us one last time."
Parker sniffled, wiping at his face. "To find Krys?"
"Yep. To find her." Booth nodded. God he had such a smart, caring son. He was so damned lucky and he knew it. "Think you can help?" Parker gave a weak little nod and Booth gave another reassuring smile, nudging him lightly. "That's my boy."
"We need to know where he held you." Temperance, lacking tact, spoke up as she approached both of the Booths. Noticably she did not kneel down like Seeley had, instead choosing to talk to the boy like an adult and not like an idiot.
"Bones..." Seeley warned, still protective over his recently found son, but once again Parker insisted on surprising.
"I don't know the name of it." Parker sniffled as he looked to Doctor Brennan, keeping on his brave face, even behind the dirt and tears. He felt a bit guilty for not knowing streets or milage, even if he was just a little boy. The guilt probably stemming from the fact that he caught Doctor Sweets cringing and looking to the floor, looking horribly disappointed.
"It's okay Parker." Booth reassured to which Bones frowned. What about this was okay? They had no leads! "Lets get you to a hospital." Booth moved to stand but once he did Parker grabbed his hand.
"I remember a river." The little boy then turned to look at Bones with wide eyes which caused Lance Sweets to look up. "It was in the woods!"
Seeley blinked, looking from his son to his partner. "There's only one forest close enough and that's the national park.. But it's huge and the river runs through half of it." Parker seemed insistent and looked to his father with pleading eyes. The FBI agent ran a hand through his brown hair with a heavy sigh, before looking back to his partner, exasperated. "We can comb the area but with such a wide space he's bound to catch on or hear about it, and if he does Krys is at risk of.." He suddenly remembered his son was in the room and probably traumatized so he lowered his voice. "You know..."
"But now we have an area." Temperance spoke up, finding it odd that she was actually so hopeful. Usually she was the realistic one. Why was it when Sweets was upset she found the need to be a performing monkey at the circus?
Lance didn't seem to hear and continued looking at the floor as if determined to sink into it. All fell quiet until Vincent, now also looking at the floor with a sad frown about his friend, uttered a quote.
"Anybody who has been seriously engaged in a scientific work of any kind realizes that over the entrance to the gates of the temple of science are written the words: 'Ye must have faith'."
This caused Sweets to blink and lift his head. "What?"
"It's a quote." Vincent looked up matter of factly, though still low and trying to be respectful in the moment. "By Max Planck."
Lance noticably brightened and even smiled before moving toward the door. "You can get a ride with Agent Booth and Doctor Brennan, can't you Vince?"
"I suppose so... Why?" The poor intern squeaked, his voice filled with confusion as he watched Sweets open the door. The two partners also seemed relatively surprised. "Where are you going?"
Lance turned around in the doorway. "That quote sounded like something someone I know might say." And for the first time the psychologist grinned. "And I think he can help us." And with that, he closed the door.