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Oooooooooooooooooooo

Pacing the living room, Booth kept moving his hand through his hair, "He threatened you, Bones. He wants to kill you and me both if you don't stop helping Clark investigate Taffet's death. I have to do something. I can't let him hurt you."

Worried that Booth planned to take the law into his own hands, Brennan stood up and placed herself in his path. "Booth, you aren't part of the FBI anymore. You can't just hunt for him on your own. You don't have the resources and even if you did catch him and killed him, you'd be a murderer. Is that something you could live with?"

Listening to her, he realized that his agitation was frightening her, "Look Bones, I have to protect you from that guy. I can't let him make threats like that. He'll follow through and kill you. He wasn't kidding, he'll kill you. I can't let that happen."

Afraid for her husband, Brennan placed her hand on arm, "Booth, if you plan to murder Brodsky then you can't do it alone. . . . I'll help you. We'll kill him together."

Not surprised with her offer, Booth pulled her into his arms, "No, I can't let you do that. I'll find a way to track him down. Maybe I can get Angela to use her computer skills. She can help me find him and then I'll take care of this. You have to stay out of it."

Her arms around his chest, Brennan shook her head, "No, Booth. Either you let me help you or you leave him alone. I won't let you track Brodsky down by yourself. You're good at what you do, but . . . it would have to be a perfect murder so that you didn't end up in jail. We both know just how hard it is to get away with murder. I can't let you kill him and end up in prison for the rest of your life. If you're going to kill Brodsky then you need my help."

Pushing her gently away from him, Booth shook his head, "And if we screwed up and we both ended up in prison, what about our baby? I can't let you help me."

Angry, Brennan pushed his arm, "Then you can't do it, Booth. You don't work for the FBI. If you go after Brodsky by yourself you could be killed by him or you could end up arrested for his murder and jailed. Either way I lose you, Booth. You promised me that you would never leave me and that's exactly what you would be doing."

Not sure what he should do, Booth hesitated, "Look Bones, do you want to live in fear from Brodsky? He could kill you and me anytime he wanted to. I can't let him hurt you. I can't do it. I'd rather die trying then let him hurt you and our child. Please Bones, I have to protect you and our baby. I won't live without you. Don't you get that?"

Her mind made up, Brennan informed him, "I'm going to stop helping Clark work on the case. I can't live without you either, Booth. I'll stop, so you don't have a reason to go after him. Promise me that you'll let the FBI handle Brodsky."

Furious, Booth shook his head, "He threatened to kill you. I can't let him get away with that."

Fearful that Booth was taking a path that would ultimately leave her without him, Brennan rushed into his arms, "Please Booth, please listen to me. Don't go after him. I won't work on the Taffet case. It's obvious that he has a spy at the Jeffersonian or the FBI. He will see I'm off the case and you and I will be safe. I don't normally give into blackmailers but this time I will. I have too much to lose. I can't lose you Booth. I can't. Please, stay out of this and let the FBI do their job. Clark is quite capable. He will be able to the help the FBI find Brodsky."

Suddenly calm, Booth held her tightly and sighed, "I'll stay out of it Bones. I don't want to hurt you and . . . I don't want you to give into Brodsky but you're right, we have so much to lose, we have to think of our baby and . . . you're right . . . when you're right you're right. I . . . I hate for us to take the cowards way out, but I don't work for the FBI and I can't legally go after him. . . . I won't do anything stupid, I promise."

Kissing him, Brennan held him closely and tried to show him that she needed him. Soon their lips parted, "I need you. I love you. I've never loved anyone like I love you. You're all I have."

His mouth in pain when she pressed his lips against his, he tried to ignore it and returned her kisses. Soon they parted again and he assured her, "I need you too. Damn Brodsky . . . I hate to do it, but I'll let the FBI handle it, Bones. I promise, but If Brodsky comes around either you or me, I'll kill him. I won't let him come near you and that's a promise too."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

A knock on the front door, Brennan walked from the kitchen into the living room and over to the front door. Flipping the curtain aside next to the door, Brennan saw a reassuring sight. Schooling her face, Brennan opened the door and was immediately enveloped in loving arms, "Sweetie, how is he? Are you alright?"

Her breath almost squeezed out of her, Brennan returned the hug and pulled away, "He's upstairs in bed. He just has deep bruises on the side of his mouth and around his chin. When the barrel hit his mouth, his teeth caused the inside of his cheek to be lacerated."

Grateful that Brennan had dumbed down the explanation for her, Angela shook her head, "Jack is at home watching Michael Vincent, but I told him I had to come and make sure that he was alright. . . . I can't believe that Booth was attacked here. He doesn't even belong to the FBI, why go after him?"

Unsure if she should explain, Brennan closed the door and watched Angela walk over to the couch and place her purse down. Deciding that the truth was the best course of action, she explained, "Brodsky heard that I'm helping Clark with the Taffett murder and he wanted to warn me off. Booth said that Brodsky is worried that my involvement in the case will lead to his arrest."

Glancing at the staircase, Angela lowered her voice, "What does Booth plan to do about this?"

Worried about her husband, Brennan walked over to the kitchen doorway, "I'm making Booth some soup." Trying to put her thoughts in order, Brennan walked over to the stove and stirred the contents of the pot, "Booth is angry of course. He doesn't work for the FBI so he never thought that he would be dragged into something like this again. He's worried about me and what Brodsky might do to me, the baby and you and everyone else I work with."

Sitting down at the kitchen table, Angel asked, "Does he want you to stop helping Clark?"

The soup simmering nicely, Brennan replaced the lid and walked over to the table, "No, not really. He knows intimidation usually doesn't work on me. Having said that, I am going to stop helping Clark. I'm afraid that Booth will try to go after Brodsky and either get killed or succeed and will be arrested for Brodsky's murder. I can't let either situation happen. Booth is a good man and I will not let anything happen to him because of me."

Curious, Angela leaned towards Brennan, "Do you think he was lying to you and he'll go after Brodsky behind your back?"

Her faith in Booth firmly in place, Brennan assured her, "He doesn't work for the FBI anymore Angela. He'll let them take care of it. He promised me and he keeps his promises."

Certain that Brennan might be putting too much faith in Booth's promises, Angela smiled, "Of course, he works for the Jeffersonian now. It makes sense for the FBI to handle it."

Relieved that Angela agreed with her, Brennan smiled, "Yes, it does doesn't it? I mean he has a breathing problem when the weather is very cold or if he over exerts himself and his right knee isn't completely reliable, so, yes it makes perfect sense."

Oooooooooooooooooo

Two days later, Angela and Lester walked into Booth's office and closed the door behind them. Surprised, Booth looked up from his PC and warily asked them, "What do you two want? Don't you have work to do?"

Sitting on the chair across from Booth, Angela crossed her legs and waited for Lester to sit on the chair next to her. Once they were both facing Booth, Angela nodded her head, "Okay, what's the plan?"

Puzzled about their behavior, Booth leaned back on his chair, "What are you talking about Angela?"

A smirk appearing on her beautiful face, Angela replied, "Yeah that may work with Brennan, but not me. I know you Booth. Lester and I both know who you are and what you're capable of. Everyone seems to think you're a cripple and you're health is bad, but we know better. We know that your health isn't that bad and we know that you're a very dangerous man when you need to be. We want to help you do whatever you plan to do. Between the three of us, we should be able to take care of Brodsky once and for all."

Holding up his hands, Booth smiled and regretted it when pain shot up from his chin to his scalp. Grimacing, he lowered his hands and placed them on the desk, "I'm not going to do anything to Brodsky. The FBI can handle him."

A snort escaping him, Lester leaned forward and placed his right hand on Booth's desk. "I'm not buying that bullshit and neither is Angela. I'm not so sure Temperance believes it either for that matter, but she's giving you the benefit of the doubt. Now stop the bullshit, Brodsky is a killer. Life is not sacred to that guy and we're all in danger. Not just Temperance and you, we all are. Now whatever you have planned we can help. Angela has those crazy computer skills and she can help us find that asshole. Once we can find him, we need a way to get rid of him and do it in a way that doesn't come back to haunt us."

Trying to lighten the moment, Angela chuckled, "That means we can't bury him in the Rose Garden."

Unamused, Booth leaned forward, "I'm not a cop anymore. I'm not going to do anything about Brodsky. That's the FBI's job . . . Unless Brodsky comes back and threatens Bones then I will kill him, but as long as he leaves us alone I'll leave him alone."

Her ire starting to rise, Angela crossed her arms, "I don't believe you. You're going after him and we want to help you, Booth. Alone, you may be able to take care of him and maybe not, but with all three of us he will be taken care of. Lester is a former Ranger just like you and like he said, I've got a lot of skills that can help you. We need to get rid of Brodsky before he kills you and Brennan. Once he's done that, what's to stop him from going after Clark and me and Hodgins? Nothing. The FBI is great, but they have to work within a framework of the law and by the time they've caught him someone could be dead and I don't want that someone to be Brennan or you. I love Brennan and I can't let Brodsky murder her and I can't let him murder you because Brennan would be devastated. Please let us help you, Booth. I'm begging you."

"You're advocating murder." Baldly stating that fact, Booth carefully observed the faces of his visitors.

Unemotional, Lester replied, "We're not advocating anything, Booth. We're just talking about a very dangerous man and how that very dangerous man has told you that he's going to kill Temperance and you. Yes, Temperance says she's not going to help Clark anymore, but maybe that isn't good enough. Maybe he'll think about it and kill you two anyway to get Clark and the rest of the squints to stop helping the FBI. The guy is dangerous. . . Look, we know you have to have thought of that. You're smart, smarter than the squints give you credit for. Angela and I are trying to make you understand that we want to help you do whatever you plan to do and we know you plan to do something. . . . Accept our help, you need us."

Shaking his head slowly, Booth coldly replied, "I don't need you or Angela because I'm not going to do anything that needs your help."

Her frustration growing, Angela stood up, "Okay, you're not going to do anything. Great . . . fine . . . whatever." Her hands clenched in fists, she marched across the room, paused and turned to glare at Booth, "I have work to do. I'm going to . . . I'm going to do . . ." Turning she opened the door and left the room.

Watching her leave, Lester rose from his chair, walked across the room, closed the door and returned back to his chair, "Okay, I get that you didn't want to involve Angela and that's okay. She's a civilian and you don't want to risk her, but I'm like you Booth in more ways than one. If you don't go after Brodsky I will. Now let's get down to it, how do you want to handle that murdering son-of-a-bitch?"

His gaze moving from the door to Lester, Booth sighed, "Lester, I want you to listen to me, I'm not going to do anything about Brodsky and you aren't either. If you kill him, you'll go down for murder. Neither of us work for the FBI anymore. If we kill him we'll be considered murderers. Now go away, I'm busy."

Ooooooooooooooooo

That evening, Brennan found Booth in the backyard, sitting on a chaise lounge near the pool. Sitting on the chair next to him, Brennan reached over and placed her hand on his arm, "It's chilly tonight."

His thoughts interrupted, Booth turned to look at Brennan, "Yeah, I think we may get some more snow after all . . . Bones, I . . . you know I love you. I have for a long time and I . . . I don't want you to ever forget that."

Frightened of Booth's mood, Brennan felt her hands start to tremble, "Booth, let the FBI take care of it. If we're careful we should be okay. I love you and I don't want you to take unnecessary risks. You promised me that you're going to let them handle it. We'll be fine."

Realizing that Brennan was afraid for him, Booth tried to reassure her, "Hey, you're right, Harris will find Brodsky and you'll be safe . . . we'll be safe. I was just . . . I was just letting the situation get to me that's all. We'll be fine."

Sure that Booth was just trying to reassure her, Brennan responded, "I've already informed Cam and Clark that I'm not going to help with the Taffet case. They were disappointed of course, but they understand my reasons."

Taking her hand in his, Booth smiled, "Don't stop being who you are because of Brodsky, Bones. I'm going to make sure you're safe, I promise you."

Standing, Brennan moved over to the lounge and sat on Booth's lap, "I'm not afraid for me, Booth. If this was just about me, I'd ignore Brodsky and his threats, but, this isn't just about me. . . I don't want you to risk your life for me or anyone else. I . . . I can quit. We can move away."

Placing his arms around her hips, Booth leaned up and kissed her, "Bones, I appreciate what you're saying and I know you're trying to protect me, but that isn't necessary. You're very brave. Hell, you're the bravest person I know, but I think you forget who I am sometimes. We're not moving away and you aren't quitting your job because of me. That isn't going to happen. I'm on the job and I'll protect us while the FBI looks for Brodsky. If that bastard comes around here again I'll kill him. You don't have anything to worry about." Kissing her again, Booth thought about how much he had to lose if Brodsky made good on his threat. "You do your job and let Clark do his job. You let me worry about security, okay? I'm not going to die and neither are you, do you understand what I'm saying? I'm up for the job, Bones. I can handle this." Grimly, Booth remarked, "Brodsky made a big mistake threatening us. He just doesn't really know it yet. He thinks I'm weak and he doesn't have to worry about me, well he's wrong. I'm still a damn fine shot and he may learn that the hard way if he comes around you or me again."

Assured that Booth wasn't going to go after Brodsky, Brennan nodded her head, "Yes, you're a strong Alpha male and these small health issues you have aren't an impediment for you. He made a huge mistake trying to intimidate you."

Kissing her again, Booth muttered, "You bet your sweet ass he did."

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

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