A/N I appreciate everyone who's read, followed, or reviewed this story. I was nervous about putting it out there, but you guys have been great. To people who have offered suggestions, I will try to use as many as possible-it just depends whether my brain and writing skills decide to cooperate! (And whether I feel as if I can make it fit in the story.)

There will be gaps in time-I'm obviously not going to go through Booth's WHOLE process of forgiveness day by day.

And, yet again-I don't own Bones or anything associated with it (although wishing never hurts right?)

I was working on a stack of paperwork in my office, when I heard a knock on the door. I looked up, and saw my mom. I had a sudden flashback of the last time she was in my office-then shook that off and stood up.

"Hey, Mom."

"Seeley. Is this a bad time? I should have called…."

"No, it's fine. Just catching up on paperwork, that's all. Kind of a never-ending battle in the FBI. Come on in."

She came in and sat down. I sat back down myself and took a good look at her. She seemed nervous and fidgety.

"Something wrong, Mom?"

"No, I-" she stopped. "Well, actually, yes. I know you talked to Jared."

My eyes narrowed. "Yeah, I did. Wasn't that what you were expecting?"

"I didn't expect him to call you about me, Seeley. I was just upset-"

I cut her off. "So you decided to have him play peacemaker by putting him in the middle. The irony of that-"

"That wasn't what I was trying to do. Really it wasn't. It really was as simple as being upset and I just wanted to know at least one of my children didn't hate me."

"Reggie's kids couldn't give you that?" I regretted the words as soon as they came out of my mouth when I saw Mom look as if she were going to faint. "I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't mean-oh, hell. I don't hate you. I'm angry and disappointed. There's a difference."

"You don't hate me?" Mom responded in a small voice.

"No Mom. But I told you the last time we talked it would take time to get past this. One conversation is not going to do it. I have a lot of stuff to get through. And to be honest, I have a lot of questions that need to be answered. Questions you need to answer."

"I know." She lowered her head and was looking at her hands in her lap. "I know that, Seeley. I just am a little afraid that you will hate me after you hear the answers."

"I doubt that, but frankly, even if that happens, Mom, I deserve to know."

She looked back up at me. "Yes, you do. I do know that."

I leaned back in my chair. "This isn't the place for this conversation. Tell you what, come to the house for dinner tonight. I'll ask Bones and let you know. You can see Christine-and then we can talk more. I don't expect we'll get everything ironed out tonight either, but hopefully it will be progress."

"I-I'd like that. I've missed Christine. I've missed all of you." She got up to leave, but turned around when she reached the door. "I really am sorry if you feel I placed Jared in the middle of this, Seeley. I love you both and would never do that."

I nodded at her. I wasn't sure I wanted to go there. And as she left, I noticed someone had come up behind her.

Sweets.

And the only thing I can think when I see him is, "Damn it."

"Agent Booth," Sweets says in what I privately think of as his 'shrinky' voice as he enters. "Was that-?"

"No."

"It wasn't your mother?"

"Yes it was. No I don't want to talk about it."

"But-"

"No."

"I'd like to help-"

"No."

"Obviously there's a great deal of tension-"

"No."

"But the fact she's here and you obviously have been talking-"

"You can't help yourself, can you?"

Sweets blinked and looked confused for a minute. "Help myself-about what?"

"Sticking your nose in."

Now Sweets seemed hurt. "I was really only trying to help, Booth. I know that the situation with your mother has been tense."

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. "I know you were trying to help, Sweets. Apparently I shouldn't talk to anyone after I talk to my mom-it seems I want to take everyone's head off."

"So you have been talking to her? For how long? Is it going well? I would be more than willing to-"

"Did we not just talk about sticking your nose in, Sweets? You're not going to analyze me and my mom. Partners therapy with Bones was one thing-somehow I doubt the FBI is going to like your handling an agent's issues with his mother by actually analyzing the mother." At Sweets' frown, I relented. "We've really only had one conversation-at least about anything significant."

"And?" Sweets prompted.

"Look, this was hard enough to talk about with her, Sweets."

"But it was important enough to discuss it, Booth. Important that you can find answers to the kind of issues that have affected your life and your relationship with others."

"So I have 'mommy issues' and my life is screwed up?"

"It's hardly that simplistic, Booth. I'm sure you know that. But you have to admit that the dysfunction and trauma of your childhood has affected you in various ways. We've discussed this."

"Yeah, I know." I sighed and started fiddling with a pen on my desk. "She talked to Jared after she talked to me."

"Really." Sweets sits down and leans back. "And you know this because-"

"Jared called me-said mom was upset and I blew my top."

"Why?"

There was the question I knew Sweets was going to ask. Why should it bother me that mom involved Jared? Why had I taken my anger out on someone who hadn't contributed. It was hardly Jared's fault that I resented Mom-that was between the two of us. Although, I have no idea if Jared resents her or not. It didn't sound like it when I talked to him, but it's struck me several times that we don't have a lot of serious heart to heart talks-so how would I know?

"Honestly, Sweets, was still pretty angry about the conversation with Mom. And then it seemed-"

"Like she went crying to her other son behind your back." Now Sweets was obviously in full 'shrink' mode and focused on me.

"Yeah. And that bothered me."

"Why?"

"Is that the first thing they teach you at shrink school-keep asking 'why'?" Sweets glared at me and I relented. "I told Bones once that's what ours is ours-and I felt that this should have kept between us-until we decided when and if we brought anyone else in. Like Jared. I get that Jared probably need to work through his own stuff with Mom, but this first talk-this was sort of our first step towards working through everything and get to a place where it's not awkward or uncomfortable"

"You see it another betrayal of sorts. First the presentation of this unknown second family, then this."

"Yeah, I guess I do."

"Well, for what it's worth, Booth, I think the fact that you're working through these issues at all is very healthy and an excellent step." He hesitated. "And Dr. Brennan? Given her disdain for psychology-?"

"I grinned at him. "She's been fantastic with helping me. And I never refer to any psychology. See, that's your mistake when you talk to her-you know how she feels about that."

"Right," Sweets muttered. "A soft science. You'd think by know she'd appreciate my talents-"

"And maybe you should see a shrink about that. Meantime, " I said glancing at my watch, "gotta go pick Bones up for lunch."

"But, Booth-"

"No."

"I just-

"No.

"If-"

"No."

I go back and forth on Sweets. It took me a very long time after his 'experiment' to warm up to him at all. I was OK with him-then he dated Daisy (UGH) and moved in with B&B (and really-he uses their tub-what guest DOES that?) If you love Sweets-I apologize. That's just opinion of him.

I like to see Booth get frustrated and just cut him off. That's fun for me to watch. (Ok-I may be the tiniest bit evil, heh heh)

Also-I've tweaked this a little-corrected some minor stuff and actually named chapters. Nothing major in terms of plot, characters, etc.