A/N Based on reviews on the last chapter, a lot of people liked seeing "protective Brennan" come out and take on Booth's mom. Glad to know I'm not the only one who enjoyed that. (Can I just say I really liked venting out my frustrations with the episode in that last chapter?)

This is a continuation of the conversation from the last chapter. It's a long one-you're warned. Sorry, but it's a pretty heavy conversation-takes longer than fluff.

Thanks for the fantastic reviews on the last chapter. They're very encouraging.

And, yet again, I don't own Bones, characters-any of it (unfortunately-sigh)

Mom sat there at stared at both of us.

"What is it you want me to say to all of that, Seeley? Temperance?"

"The truth, Mom. That's what I want. Not what you think I want to hear."

Mom swallowed. "All right. But I have to know, do you agree with everything Temperance said?"

I looked at Mom, then Bones. "Yeah I do. Because she's right. You don't really know me , Mom. You didn't know about the gambling, you don't know many men I've killed as a sniper-hell when you showed up you didn't even know I had two kids. These aren't small details, Mom. All those things combined with the hell that was my childhood affected who I am now. There's no way it couldn't. I hope you never have to deal with those things, but even someone who never has should understand how much of a toll that takes. Bones and I have been partners and friends for a long time-way before we ever became romantically involved. We know things about each other that we've never told anyone else. She knows me Mom. Better than anyone else ever has-including my own parents."

Mom flinched at that. "And where do we go from here?"

Bones took a sip of wine and then leaned forward. "Perhaps you can begin by explaining why you did not feel the need to inform Booth about your impending marriage and your future stepchildren. I believe that has been foremost on Booth's mind as you have never given an adequate explanation for it. We could begin with that."

Mom looked at her. "And I'm assuming you will be asking questions as well?"

"Hey!" I glared at Mom. "Bones and I are involved. We share a life and child. Anything that affects one affects the other. I told her when I mentioned inviting you for dinner that I wanted her here. She said she may have questions-I told her to ask them. Besides," I shrugged and grinned at Bones. "I doubt either of us could stop her anyway."

"Perhaps," Bones replied, smiling a little. "I admit that I can be persistent when required."

Mom sighed. "All right. We'll start with that ."

I leaned back, and Bones leaned back as well and shifted closer to me. I put my arm around her. "Okay, here goes. You told me about Reggie-hell, Mom you told me in this house. There were no details-other than the piano player part. No mention of his kids, no mention of a marriage. I'm assuming you'd agreed to his proposal and were planning on the wedding when you came here."

"Yes." Mom's voice was quiet, almost a whisper. "Yes we were planning on the wedding then."

"And you returned in order to include Booth." Bones' voice was in full 'squint' mode-gathering and processing facts-the facts she would need to make a decision.

"Yes. I had hoped my sons would want to be included. It-it was something good for me, and I wanted my sons to know I was finally happy. I should be faulted for that?"

"I don't fault you for the remarrying part, Mom. But his kids? You did tell me you told his kids about me and Jared, right?"

"Yes. I did. I didn't go into a lot of detail about why I couldn't go back, at least when they were younger. I could hardly announce to kids that my husband beat the crap out of me. They would never have understood that. I simply told them they were with their father but I still loved them very much."

"And yet you failed to mention your future stepchildren to Booth. I admit I don't see any sort of logic in that. Why was Reggies's family entitled to know about Jared and Booth, but Jared and Booth were not apparently deserving of the same consideration?" Now Bones' entire focus was on my mom-and she was looking at my mom like she looked at her bones in the lab. It's a little intimidating to have that look aimed in your direction-and apparently Mom thought so too, because she looked like she wanted to start squirming.

"I-," Mom paused, drank some wine and then started again. "You're right. I should have mentioned the whole situation earlier. I –I'm not proud of it. I've spent most of my life with things being so difficult. And I admit that now that things were easier-with Reggie, with his kids-I didn't want to rock the boat. Seeley." Now she looked directly at me. "Both of you are right. I didn't give you or your brother the same respect I gave Reggie's kids. I didn't handle it all the way I should have. I was a mess for a long time. Apparently in some ways I still am. I tend to want to avoid conflict-and I suppose I was scared that you wouldn't want to have anything to do with me. So I put off telling you-and made it worse."

Bones was frowning. "Did you consider at all that Booth would not be happy about this instant family you had established? He does place great importance on family, but this was a very different situation. It appears your announcement was based on your own happiness, rather than taking your sons' feelings into account. Perhaps it is because I have a daughter of my own now, but I do not believe it reasonable to sacrifice one child's happiness and well-being for selfish reasons."

"I don't consider escaping an abusive husband as selfish, Temperance." Mom's eyes narrowed at Bones, but Bones appeared oblivious.

"No, that is not the action I referred to. I meant getting involved in another family and not telling Booth."

"I wasn't entitled to be in another family?" Mom's voice started rising in anger, and I frankly was starting to feel as if I was at a tennis match. Back and forth-back and forth.

"I never said that. However, Booth had left his father's house many years ago-so had Jared. Neither even lived as the same state as their father. In fact Booth's father passed away some time ago. There was no reason for you not to have made contact with either of your sons before the time you actually did. You yourself have just said the only reason you came back was because you were getting married. That is the selfish act. You had chances to reintroduce yourself into your sons' lives-and introduce them into your new life. You did not."

Mom's eyes had started to fill with tears. "I assumed-"

I jumped in. "You assumed, Mom, that this would be a Disney movie. You introduce your two families and everything would be fine. And there's another question-why wait until you were getting married to contact me or Jared? Bones is right. You waited 24 years. 24 years, Mom. Nothing-no phone calls, letters-nothing. This situation would have been a lot different if you had maintained some contact. Maybe I could have met Reggie, and his kids, at some time other than actually at the wedding. At the wedding. It's like-here meet your new brother, meet your new sister. It's wrong, Mom. That's no way to be introduced to a new family. I knew nothing about them. And frankly after our argument at the park and the conversation in my office you didn't bother to try to tell me anything about them. So quite honestly, the way it feels to me is you're still treating Jared and me as if we're second best."

"I wanted you to give me away, Seeley. That's not second best."

"No, that's you wanting to say it's OK to me that you have this new life and you can move on. And the problem is I feel like Jared and I are who you're moving on from. Those are the kids you raised, Mom. So what are me and Jared? Rejects? People not worth meeting your new family? What?"

Mom looked shocked-I couldn't tell whether it was because of words or my tone. "Of course not, Seeley. You both are very important to me. I meant when I said I thought about you every day."

"As what, Mom?" The bitterness in my voice was obvious at this point, and I felt Bones slip her hand in mine. "As your husband's punching bag? As the kids you could walk away from and not contact again for over two decades? As reminders of how awful your life was? As kids who didn't deserve their mom to be in their lives? I'd really like to know how you thought of us every day, Mom. Because I have to tell you, based on the fact you found a new family and didn't contact your old one, it doesn't feel like you thought of us for more than a minute."

Mom buried her face in her hands and let out a long breath. When she looked up again, her face was white and her hands were shaking. "Every day, Seeley. I thought and cried about the both of you every damn day. I wondered whether I had done the right thing in leaving. But I couldn't protect the two of you, Seeley. I tried, God knows, but the beatings just got worse. I knew he'd kill me eventually. I knew it. And I couldn't protect myself, let alone my kids. And if he killed me? What would have happened to both of you then? I guess I hoped that the frustrations he felt with me wouldn't be passed on to you. I know it's not reasonable, but I think I was beyond reason at that point. And I tried to keep tabs on you. I contacted some of my old friends in the neighborhood to ask about you. They lost track of you at some point-I assume that's when you went to live with Hank. They said your father disappeared-that's the last I heard."

Next to me, Bones shifted slightly. "Booth's father disappeared because Hank told him to leave."

I turned my head sharply in her direction. "What?"

She sighed. "Hank told me-the case where I first met him-remember?" At my nod, she continued. "He walked in and saw your father beating you. Hank told him to get out and not come back. That's when he took you in. Hank said he didn't know what else to do." She bit her lip. "He said that when the time was right I would tell you. Perhaps I should have brought the subject up before, but I-the time never seemed quite right I suppose. But as we appear to be bringing up topics related to your father, I believe that now is appropriate. Are you angry that I did not mention this before?"

I thought for a minute. I suppose I should be angry-God knows I have enough anger swirling around in me right now to go around. But really the only thing I'm thinking that two of the people I care about the most wanted to protect me. I've spent so many years protecting others, it's somewhat reassuring to know I don't have to carry every load by myself.

I shook my head. "I would have liked to know this before, but I'm not mad, Bones. And you're right, given what we're discussing right now, it is appropriate." I gave a small smile, and at first Bones smiled back, then she frowned.

"You're very tense, Booth. Perhaps it would be best to continue this discussion at another time. It will give each of you to consider what was said tonight."

My mom and I looked at each other. We both looked frazzled and worn out. "Yeah," I nodded in agreement. "I think that's probably best."

"There is one question I would like Marianne to consider. I do not expect an immediate answer, but I believe it deserves some serious thought and a considered response."

Mom and I looked at Bones warily. I knew that tone-it generally meant a real humdinger of a question-usually if she asked me something in that tone it took me several days to get around to answering it.

"Yes?" Mom's voice was cautious.

"I believe Booth deserves an explanation of precisely why you left him in that house with his father. Why not take them with you? Call the police? Call Hank-or even take the children to Hank's?"

OK-cliffhanger. Don't hate me. I figure that last question is a topic that needs a chapter of its own (Plus I'm still figuring exactly how I'm going to approach and write that one.). It's the main question I asked myself that I never got an answer to from the episode. Did that drive anyone else nuts? If Mom was alive, why were Booth and Jared living with Pops?

Jules (guest) offered the prompt about Brennan telling Booth about what Pops told her.

And yes, Pops will appear soon. For those of you looking out for him.