Years ago

"Is it acceptable for your mother to sit with you?"Bones asked her daughter from a distance. Morgan was at the hospital getting stitches in her arm from the grazing bullet. Booth and Parker returned to work to fill out paperwork while Bones came to the hospital to be with Morgan.

"Yes mom. Come in." Bones squeezed in the small cubicle next to a nurse who was cleaning Morgan's wound.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine. It's just a flesh wound." Bones looked intently at her daughter and watched as tears filled her eyes. "It actually hurts a lot more than I thought it would." She sniffed in an attempt to hold her tears in check.

"It's okay to cry Morgan. It won't make anyone think any less of you as an agent." At her mother's words tears spilled onto her cheeks. Bones moved next to Morgan and wrapped an arm around her. Morgan leaned onto her mother's shoulder and cried softly.

"I was so scared mom. I've had a gun pointed at me before but he was a loose cannon and for a second, I thought that I was going to die."

"Due to the career you have chosen, the situation that you encountered tonight is one that you will probably continue to encounter for the rest of your career. That is probably something that you should consider." Morgan shook her head.

"I want to be a F.B.I. agent. I want to be a field agent mom. I have wanted to do this for as long as I can remember. Today won't change that. It's the first time so of course I am a little freaked out but I will get over it and be the best agent I can be."

"I know you will." Bones leaned over and kissed the top of her daughter's head.

"I shot and killed him mom. I killed a man." Morgan cried and Bones tightened her grip around her daughter. "I killed a human being."

"You didn't have a choice." Bones had read Morgan's statement. "You gave him a warning but he fired at you anyway. If you wouldn't have shot him then he would have killed you."

"I know that but it doesn't make me feel any better. "

"Maybe you should talk to your father about that. He has more experience with dealing with the guilt of taking a human life than I do. The few times that I have had to kill someone, I didn't feel guilt over it because if I didn't do it then I or your father would have died. I did what I had to do."

"Thanks mom. I just might." The nurse finished cleaning the wound and the doctor came in to stitch it up. "I think Parker is mad at me." Morgan whispered softly.

"Can you blame him?"

"I guess not. "

"Morgan your partnership is critical to your job. You have to be able to count on Parker and he has to be able to count on you. You put your lives in each other's hands and if there is any trust issues then one or both of you may die and that is not an option."

"Maybe I should go talk to him."

"Maybe you should."

"Thanks mom for being here. I really appreciate you being here."

"Where else would I be Morgan?"

After Morgan was done at the hospital, she went to the lab where she knew she would find her brother. By the time she got to the lab, everyone had heard about had happened so on her way to Parker's office she had to answer questions and well wishes. When she got to his office he wasn't in there but she knew he was still in the building because his laptop was open on his desk and he never went anywhere without his computer so she made herself comfortable until he returned.

"What are you doing here?" Parker asked walking over to his desk twenty minutes later.

"I just thought that you may need some help with paperwork."

"Bullshit Morgan." He snapped. "You hate paperwork and never willingly help out with it. I usually have to force you to do your portion of the paperwork."

"All right fine. I came here to apologize." Parker just stared at her and waited. Morgan bit back sigh. "I'm sorry Parker."

"Yeah Morgs, you really sound it."

"Parker, I really am sorry. I am sorry that I ran off without you."

"It's not the fact that you ran off without me. It's the fact that you went to suspect's house without me. Not only are you my sister but my partner Morgan. We are partners. We work every stage of an investigation together; from beginning to end. I am supposed t o protect you."

"I don't need your protection Parker." She shouted. "I can protect myself."

"You almost died Morgan." He shouted back.

"But I didn't."

"But you could have." He yelled back and the two Booth children stood and stared at each other until Morgan finally relented.

"I know I shouldn't have gone to see Becker without you. You are right, you are my partner and everything done in a case should be done together. I know I worried and scared you and for that I am truly sorry." Parker nodded. "I know that I probably messed up the trust that we had and I will do whatever it takes to build it again."

"The first major step would be letting me get a few things off of my chest." Morgan nodded. She owed at least that to her partner. "Without interrupting me at all. You have to keep your mouth shut."

"I can do that." Parker rolled his eyes. Morgan keeping her mouth shut would be a miracle.

"I am so mad at you right now. What you did today Morgan was irresponsible and stupid. You could have been killed."

"I know that. I…" Parker held up his hand.

"You are supposed to keep your mouth shut." He snapped and Morgan didn't even attempt to apologize. She knew it would just make Parker angrier. "I wish I knew what in the hell you think you have to prove. Do you think that you have to be like dad? News flash Morgs, you are not dad and you never will be. If you keep trying then you will more likely end up dead." Parker shook his head. "You are a phenomenal agent. You have incredible investigative skills that can only get better with time and experience as long as you aren't flying by the seat of your pants. You have to follow the rules and even though you don't believe this, you need to be protected and I as your partner and brother have to do the protecting. Morgan I swear, if you ever do something like this again, I will ask for another partner." Tears filled Morgan's eyes but she didn't speak. "Now you can speak."

"I'm so sorry." She whispered. "I'll never do it again. I promise that I will follow the rules."

"Good. I'm going to hold you too that." Parker came around behind his desk to stand in front of his sister. "Now your partner is gone and your brother is here." He wrapped his arms around his sister. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Parker pulled away and looked intently at her.

"Are you sure?"

"My arm is fine. Four stitches. No big deal." Morgan knew he wasn't referring to her arm.

"Well if the pain gets too bad, you know I am here."

"I know." Parker saw their mother coming out in Morgan right now; she was holding back her feelings. Suddenly Morgan's phone beeped altering her to a text message. She pulled it out and saw it was from her dad. It read "My office. Now."

"I gotta run. Dad wants me at his office."

"You know I love you right Morgs?"

"I know. I love you too squint." With a grin Morgan left her brother and arrived at her father's office fifteen minutes later. Knowing this was an official meeting; she knocked on the closed door and entered when her father gave her permission.

"Shut the door behind you." Morgan did as asked. "Sit." She took a seat in front of the desk.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine sir."

"Your arm?"

"It's fine."

"Good. Do you know Agent Booker?"

"Yes. I do."

"He is here as a witness. Do you understand?" Booth had to take extra precautions were Morgan was concerned so he wouldn't be accused of favoritism towards his daughter and one of those precautions was having another agent witnessing any major meetings between and his daughter.

"Yes sir."

"Now I need a more detailed statement from you so I want you to tell me exactly what happened from the time you arrived at the suspect's house until backup arrived."

Morgan began a minute by minute account of what had happened. She gave every detail that she could remember. She spoke clearly, without hesitation or emotion. She knew that being emotional about what had happened would not help anything and an F.B.I. agent does not cry in the boss's office.

"Thank you for the information. Because a life was lost and there are no witnesses to what happened since you were alone in the house there will be an investigation." Morgan nodded. She expected that. "So far, according to your statement and to the preliminarily ballistics and forensics you acted appropriately so the investigation is just a matter of formality. Do you have any questions Agent Booth?" Booth asked her.

"No sir."

"Good. Now that we are done with that we need to talk about the consequences of your actions."

"Are you kidding me?" She snapped before she could stop herself.

"Do I look like I am kidding Agent?"

"I know that I shouldn't have gone by myself. I know that I should have taken Parker but…"

"But what Morgan? If you would have taken your partner, as protocol states then the situation could have been resolved peacefully."

"You don't know that."

"Yes I do. No one can hold a gun at two people at the same time. If you both would have been there maybe his gun never would have been drawn and if it would have been drawn it would only have been pointed at one of you during which time, the other one could have subdued the assailant without resulting in his death."

"I had no choice. I had to shoot him."

"But you would have had a choice if your partner would have been with you." Booth tapped the paperwork. "Sign it. "

"A week? Really? Isn't that a little extreme?"

"Would you like to make it two weeks agent Booth?"

"No sir."

"Then sign the damn paper and turn in your badge and gun." Before signing the paper she read over it.

"A psych evaluation? Really?"

"A requirement for any on the job shooting. Prior to returning from your suspension you have to meet with Dr. Sweets. You will only be reinstated after here clears you for duty. If I were you I would use this week wisely and get the evaluation done during that time."

Morgan angrily signed her name and slid the paper back across the desk. She then pulled her gun from its holster, popped the magazine out and laid them on the desk followed by her badge.

"Are we done here?" She asked.

"We are." Without another word, Morgan stood up and walked out of her father's office. Booth had to force himself to remain seated and not follow after her. It was against everything in him but when he became Morgan's supervisor at work, they decided to keep work at work and home at home. "Thank you Agent Booker for sitting in during this meeting."

"No problem sir."

"I will have Denise type up the report of the meeting and if you could sign it and feel free to add anything to it."

"I will sir."

"Hey Seeley." David greeted, opening the door of the apartment he shared with Morgan.

"Good evening David. I was in the neighborhood and thought that I would swing by and say hi." Booth told him and David just laughed.

"She's not here." David knew what had happened to his fiancé at work and wasn't surprised that her father had stopped over to check on her.

"Oh. Okay. So how are you? How is work going?"

"Good. Really good. I've got a really great class." David was an elementary school teacher in Virginia. This year he was teaching third grade and he loved it. "Yesterday we did this great science experiment. The kids…"David couldn't torment his future father-in law anymore. "Go. She's at the rink working out her frustrations." Whenever Morgan had something on her mind or had a bad day she went to the ice rink and hit some hockey pucks around.

"I'm sorry. I really do want to hear about school."

"I know but I know that you are worried about Morgan."

"Check your schedule and pick a night. Bones and I would love to have you guys over for dinner."

"I will do that."

"Thanks." Booth shook David's hand.

"You do know that you are welcome anytime without an invitation."

"Yes sir. I know."

"I hope to see you soon."

After leaving Morgan's apartment he called Bones with an update on his way to the rink. Once he arrived he grabbed his skates from the back of his SUV. He always kept his skates in the back of his SUV because whenever he had some free time he liked to skate and he tried to do it with Morgan as often as he could. The local rink where they skate houses four rinks and two of those four rinks were devoted to hockey and usually, one of them was free for hockey players who felt like hitting pucks around.

"Hey Seeley." The rink owner greeted. Booth and Morgan had been there so many times that they were on a first name basis with the owner.

"Evening Travis. Is she here?"

"Rink three. She is in rare form tonight."

"I figured. Thanks." Booth went into rink three without Morgan seeing him. He replaced his shoes with skates, grabbed a stick and then skated smoothly over to his daughter. "Room for one more?"

"Yeah. On the other side of the rink, preferably in front of the net."

"Very funny."

"Not trying to be."

"Okay fine. Show me what you got little girl." Booth skated to the opposite end of the rink and just as he turned around a hockey puck came flying with incredible force directly at his feet. He tried to maneuver around them but it didn't work and he ended up on his butt. "What are you twelve Morgan? Play fair."

"Fine." Morgan sent him a glare that Booth saw from across the ice.

Father and daughter spent the next hour hitting a hockey puck across the ice. Morgan was attempting to work out her anger and frustration with herself while Booth was trying to work out his frustration with his daughter's stubbornness on the puck. Finally out of exhaustion the two quit. "Feel better?" Booth asked, skating over to her.

"No."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"I can't believe you suspended me for a week." She shouted.

"Keep it down." There were a few other people on the ice with them.

"Fine." She dropped her voice to a loud whisper. "I think that you are being over protective and overly harsh simply because I am your daughter. You felt like you lost control of me so you are punishing me for what you feel like is a failure."

"Get over it Morgan. You screwed up and not because you are my daughter. You screwed up because you are so damn stubborn."

"Hmm. I wonder where I got that from?"

"Your mother."

"You are just as stubborn as she is."

"I treated you exactly like any other agent. I wasn't harder on you because you are my daughter and I wasn't easier on you because you are my daughter. Today you were simply another one of my agents and I acted accordingly." Morgan knew he was right. She just wasn't ready to admit it so she simply skated off the ice. Booth followed her and silently they put their shoes on. "Coffee?"

"Hot chocolate." She said with a small smile. Booth always got a coffee and Morgan always had a hot chocolate after they got off the ice ever since she was a child.

"I'll be right back Angel." Booth went out to the lobby and returned with their beverages.

"Thanks." Morgan took a sip. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

"For what?"

"For being stupid at work. For snapping at you. For acting like a brat. Name it."

"Agent Booth has left the building. Dad is here and I want to talk to you like your dad and I would like to talk to my daughter, not my stubborn ass agent."

"Okay." Booth wrapped an arm around his daughter pulled her to his chest.

"I have been scared a few times in my life. Usually your mom was involved in something that could have gotten her hurt but there have only been three times in my life when I have absolutely been terrified beyond anything that I have ever felt. The first time was when Parker was kidnapped by his mom's husband. The second time was when Brett, Rebecca's husband kidnapped your mom and brother." Growing up, Morgan had heard those stories. "And the third time was this afternoon and do you know why I was so scared?" It was a rhetorical question. "I was terrified for two reasons. One being that you and Parker were involved and the final reason was that I had no control over anything about any of those situations. I felt so helpless and the thought of something happening to you or your brother terrifies me and today, knowing you were trapped in a house with a crazy man with a gun and there wasn't a damn thing I could do." Tears filled Booth's eyes. "Morgan, I couldn't stop thinking about what happen to you and I was so scared."

"I'm sorry dad."

"Don't let it happen again. I'm not as young as I used to be and my heart may not be able to handle it."

"Yes sir." Booth kissed the top of her head and for the next few minutes, they sat in silence, drinking their coffee and hot chocolate until Booth felt her small body shaking in his arms.

"Sweetheart?"

"I…I…killed a man." She began to sob.

"Oh my sweet baby girl." Booth soothed. Booth knew his daughter well and he had been waiting for this admission. As any good father would do, he held his precious girl until her sobs began to subside.

"I didn't want to do it. I warned him daddy. I begged him not to shot but he did it anyway. I had the perfect shot at his shoulder but at the last second, he moved and I…"

"You had no choice. It was him or you and you did what any good agent would do. You didn't shot to kill but he moved and there was nothing you could do."

"Oh God. His mother. His poor mother. I killed her son, her child." Throughout the course of her investigation, Morgan learned that the man she killed had a very close relationship with his mother.

"Angel, I know it's hard but you can't think about that."

"How can I not?"

"Think about what he did. He killed two people that had mothers, fathers, siblings, wives and children. Think of what he took from them."

"So does that make it okay to kill him?"

"No sweetheart. It doesn't but I learned that it sometimes help with the guilt."

"Will I always feel guilty?"

"Probably yes but over time it will ease."

"I hate this part of my job."

"We all do baby girl. Look, if you are anything like me, which you are then you will probably have nightmares. When you get them, let David hold you and then talk about them. Don't hold them in. I am speaking from experience. It doesn't do any good to hold your feelings in. Promise me honey. Promise me that you will talk to me, David, your mom, Parker or even Sweets."

"I promise."

"That's my girl. Morgan Christine, do you have any idea how much I love you?"

"Yeah daddy. I think I do and I love you too."

"Morgan's wedding dress was delivered today. You, under no circumstances are to show it to David." Bones informed her husband about a month later.

"I thought that you didn't believe in and I quote "all of that superficial nonsense." Booth grabbed and helped Bones into her coat and then he put his own on.

"I don't but Morgan does so that's why we have to keep the identity of her dress a secret." Booth laughed as they made their way to the elevator.

"You make it sound like her dress is a big undercover op."

"To Morgan it is and we are going to do everything the way that she wants it even if I don't agree with it."

"Yes ma'am." Even though Bones claimed only to Booth that she disagreed with most of the traditional stuff regarding the wedding she put everything she had; money and time into planning this wedding with her daughter and Booth was convinced that she was loved every minute of it. She wanted Morgan's wedding to be everything that Morgan wants it to be.

The two of them chatted about Morgan's upcoming wedding and the plans that had been made on their way to Carolyn Julian's office. They had an upcoming trial that would be the last one Carolyn prosecuted before she retired and of course this was a must win for her so she called an emergency pre-trial meeting with her two main witnesses.

"What do you think? I have all day? Get in here." Carolyn announced from her office door. She will never change. They had been waiting for the last fifteen minutes but of course, they were the ones holding her up. Carolyn turned and walked into her office with Booth and Bones following her. "Change of plans." Carolyn said as soon as the office door was shut.

"Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan. Nice to see you." The partners turned towards the voice and saw the current deputy of the F.B.I. sitting in Carolyn's office along with two other people they did not know.

"Deputy Director Carroll."

"We have a serious issue." They were told. "This is Agent Rice and he is going to fill you in."

"Dr. Brennan, Agent Booth I've heard a lot about you and you're exceptional work. It's a pleasure to meet you but I wish it could have been under better circumstances."

"Please tell us what is going on." Bones demanded.

"There has been a threat on your lives. A contract has been taken out on both of you."

"So what? Someone is always threatening us." Booth told them.

"Who? Who is threatening us?"

"Liam O'Brian." Liam O'Brian was a major player in the D.C. Irish mob. A year ago, their popular burial ground was discovered and in it was eight bodies and through a lot of hard work the best F.B.I. team were able to forensically link those eight lost lives to Liam O'Brian.

"Why am I not surprised? Any time one of those bastards think that they are going down they do what every well bred mobster does. They attempt to silence the star witnesses." Booth wasn't really worried. This wasn't the first time he and Bones had been threatened not to talk and he was sure that it wouldn't be the last.

"It's different this time Agent Booth." Director Carroll informed them.

"How so?"

"For a couple of reasons. You got very lucky as far as contracts are concerned. The guy they hired to kill you is one of my paid informants. As soon as he was given the contract he came to me." Agent Rice told them.

"That doesn't sound bad." Bones observed.

"That's not. That's a good thing. The bad thing is that if he doesn't go through with your deaths then Liam has ordered the death of your children and grandchildren." Upon hearing that, Booth and Bones tried not to panic.

"Put them into protective custody. Put us all into protective custody."

"It's not that easy Dr. Brennan."

"Why the hell not?" She snapped.

"Liam O'Brian has men everywhere. No one can be trusted. According to my informant and it has been proven, Liam has as many as ten agents at the bureau on his payroll. Whatever we do Liam can and will find you and kill your entire family."

"Then we just won't testify." Bones has never backed down from testifying before but now her children and grandchildren are at risk.

"I wish it was that easy. He wants you dead before the trial." Which was months away. "You pissed him off. Sure he hopes that with you being dead than the trial won't happen or at least if it does happen then it can only help him since you won't be able to testify then he will be acquitted."

"Which is a big possibility." Carolyn chimed in.

"The simple fact is he wants you dead and if that doesn't happen then he wants your family dead and what Liam wants Liam O'Brian usually gets. I need you to watch this."

There was a television and DVD player already set up in the office so all Agent Rice had to do was hit play. Booth and Bones sat in horror and watched video surveillance of Morgan, David, Parker, Emily, Rebecca and Lauren. Cameras had been installed in their homes and office and it terrified them how close these hired assassins could get to their family.

"Okay fine. Put us all in protective custody." Bones said, wiping away her tears.

"They can't Bones. O'Brien has eyes and ears everywhere. We all go into protective custody or witness protection he will find and kill us all." Booth told her.

"I think it is time for me to introduce myself." The second man finally spoke. "I am Agent Kellar with the Marshall's office. We have a major leak in our office that we haven't been able to locate. Every witness that is associated with O'Brian that has been placed in the program have been located and killed."

"How can we trust you? How do we know that you aren't the leak?" Bones asked.

"That's a valid concern Dr. Brennan." Director Carroll agreed. "And we considered that. Agent Kellar is the director of internal affairs."

"And?"

"And he isn't one of the leaks Bones." Booth explained.

"I don't understand. If we can't go into protective custody then why are you here?"

"We want to offer you and your husband protective custody." Agent Kellar explained.

"Why just us? Why not our children and grandchildren?"

"With you and your husband "dead" then your children and grandchildren will be safe."

"Why not all of us? If you are the director of internal affairs then our whereabouts will be protected." Bones' voice was full of panic. Booth reached over and grabbed her hand.

"If eight of you disappear at once then we just might as well tell O'Brian what we have planned and then he will do whatever he has to do to find you including killing all of your friends to learn of your location. If they don't know he will kill them, their children and grandchildren just for the hell of it and then he will find your family and kill all of you. He will kill your children and grandchildren first and make you watch and then he will kill you." Agent Rice explained as tears fell from the eyes of the couple in front of him.

"No. I will not leave. No. I would rather die than leave my family. No." Bones empathically said.

"You stay. You die and most likely so will everyone you love."

"When does this need to happen?" Booth asked.

"Why are you asking that Booth?"

"You know why."

"How can you be considering this?" Booth didn't answer her. He just waited for an answer to his question.

"Within the next couple of days. We have a John and Jane Doe in the morgue that matches your body type."

"What are you planning?" Booth asked and Bones just shook her head. She couldn't believe that he was actually considering this.

"A kidnapping and fire."

"That won't work. Parker will know, from the bones that it isn't us."

"He won't get near them." Agent Rice said. "F.B.I. protocol won't allow him near the remains of a family member."

"No." Bones was adamant.

"I know you two need to discuss this…"

"No we don't. We are not agreeing to this." Bones interrupted.

"Please continue."

"I know that we have given you a lot of information to digest and I know that you need to discuss it but unfortunately I need an answer within the next couple of hours so I can get the ball rolling." Agent Kellar explained.

"There is nothing that I trust right now. Obviously, Parker and Morgan's home and offices' are bugged with microphones and cameras. It's a safe assumption that your home, office and possibly cars are bugged as well which is why we brought you here under the pretense of discussing a trial. This place is bug free so this is the only safe place to discuss this. We will leave you alone for two hours in here to discuss the situation."

"We don't need two hours. We are not doing this." Bones told them.

"Bones stop it." Booth snapped. "Just stop it."

"We will leave you alone." Agent Rice said. The Director, Carolyn, Agent Rice and Agent Kellar stood. Carolyn began to speak loudly as she opened the door so everyone could hear.

"We go to trial tomorrow. Do not leave this office until you two have fixed this mess you created." If they weren't in the middle of the hardest decision of their life, Booth would have smiled at Carolyn giving the hell. "This is my last case and you two better not screw this up for me. You would think a genius and an agent with years of experience wouldn't screw up things up so royally. Come on guys. We're taking a long lunch and hopefully salvage this mess." For emphasis Carolyn slammed the door behind her with such force that Booth and Bones both jumped.

"Temperance, we need to talk." Booth sad softly after a minute of silence.