A/N I hope I'm not disappointing everyone by not answering the question Brennan asked at the end of the previous chapter. (At least in this chapter.)Brennan said she wanted a considered response, so I'm giving her time. (Plus I'M still figuring out the answers I want to give….) I wanted to bring in Pops first, to get his perspective and some answers from him before tackling why Booth's mom didn't find some other way to handle leaving.

There will be a small wrap-up here about the previous chapter-mostly focusing on Booth's reaction to Brennan's question. Then-enter Hank.

As always- I don't own Bones. Depressing, but true.

Bones and I had shown my mom out, and when the door closed, I leaned against it and exhaled slowly.

Bones stood there looking at me. "Did you get some of the answers you wanted, Booth? I know that you said that this would take multiple conversations and time, but I hope-"

"Yeah, I got some answers, Bones. But honestly, now I feel like I have new questions." I looked at her. "Why did you ask that last question, Bones? About why she didn't take us with her?"

Bones crossed her arms. "You did say I could ask her what I wanted. That was information I wanted to know."

"Bones." I sighed. "I'm just asking, OK?"

She walked over to me. I straightened up, and she put her arms around me and her head on my shoulder. "She left you in that hell, Booth. I have seen how much that has affected both you and Jared. I know that you don't talk about it much-that you don't like to think about it. But now part of your past is here and you are having to deal with it. You need to deal with all of it, Booth. I know that you admired your mother for many years, Booth. But she needs to face up to her own actions, as well as actions she did that affected you. And leaving you with an abusive alcoholic is one of those actions."

I just held Bones for a minute. I knew she was right-but this was something I had stopped thinking about for years. Why would Mom leave us behind? I had shut that behind some big door in my brain for years, but now that door was opening. And I wasn't completely sure I wanted to look behind it. I knew, though, that I needed to. Without facing it, this process was never going to work.

"You know what, Bones? We've got vacation coming up in a couple of weeks. I'm thinking instead of a fancy trip somewhere, we take a shorter trip-and I'd like to visit Pops."

Bones' head came up. "You think he may have some answers for you?"

"I don't know-but I think it's time I found out."

Bones, Christine, and I walked into the home where Pops lived and were promptly greeted by several choruses of "Oh what a sweet little girl", "such a nice family", and "aren't they just adorable" by several ladies in the entryway. Bones looked somewhat amused by the attention, while Christine was waving and smiling at a lady who was waving at her.

"Shrimp!" I turned, smiling, at the sound of Pops' voice.

"Hey, Pops." I hugged him. He smiled at me and then turned to Bones and Christine. 'I swear that little girl of yours get twice as pretty and twice as big every time I see her." He walked over to them, kissed Bones on the cheek and then tickled Christine. She laughed and started waving her arms around.

"Hank," Bones said. "it's very good to see you again."

"It's always nice to see you Temperance. And you look more beautiful, too."

"Ok, Pops. Enough flirting with my girl."

"Booth, that expression is-"

"Just let this one go, Bones."

Pops chuckled at us. "Yeah, some things definitely don't change at all." He turned to the ladies in the hall. "Ladies, this is my grandson Seeley, his girlfriend Temperance, and my great-granddaughter Christine."

Bones whispered to me "You know I dislike the term girlfriend, Booth. It implies an immaturity that does not adequately describe our relationship."

"Bones," I whispered back. "I don't think most of the residents would know exactly how to describe our relationship. The term's just easier. I'm pretty sure we talked about this last time we were here."

Bones nodded with a sigh of resignation. "I suppose it is at least a recognizable label."

"Come on you two. Enough whispering. Let me show you guys off and then we'll grab some lunch."

"Will we meet some of your lady friends Hank?"

"Oh, God." I had visions of Brennan and Pops starting to talk about 'crocheting' and suddenly wanted to make a run for the door.

"You coming, Shrimp?"

I sighed. "Yeah, Pops. I'm coming."

We'd finished the tour and lunch (fortunately no 'crocheting' talk was involved) and were walking outside.

"So what's going on Shrimp? You said when you called that you had some stuff you wanted to know."

"Yeah, Pops. I've been talking to Mom."

Pops stopped walking and stared at me. "She came back." Not a question.

"Yeah. Got remarried a few months ago."

"Did she say where she'd been?"

I shrugged. "Here and there-singing mostly. Married her piano player."

He rolled his eyes. "Sounds like a winner."

"He's a nice enough guy, Pops."

"You've met him?"

I hesitated. "I met him at the wedding, actually."

Pops' mouth dropped open. He stared at me, then at Bones, then at me again. "Let me get this straight. You met your new stepfather at… the… wedding."

I let out a breath. "And his kids."

Pops grabbed my arm with one hand and Bones' with the other. "We need to sit down for this." He found an unused bench, and sat. He pointed to the spot next to him "Sit, Seeley."

"What am I, a golden retriever?" I smirked, but sat down at the glare he gave me. Bones stood and looked uncertain.

"Should I-"

"Please have a seat, Temperance. You've been through a lot with Seeley-I assume you're with him in this too."

I muttered under my breath, "I get told 'sit', she gets a polite invite."

Pops frowned. "She's a lady. You should always be polite to a lady. Now," he said, after Bones sat with Christine in her lap. "Explain. The whole situation. Don't leave anything out."

So I told him. About when she first came back and told me about her wedding, about the new family she'd been a mother to, about my reaction. About going to the wedding in spite of my reservations, and about the conversations we'd been having. Pops just sat and listened-not interrupting or questioning. Just listening. At the end of it, he leaned back and shook his head.

"Marianne was always a little- free-spirited, I guess, but that's pretty unbelievable, even for her. I can't believe-well. I don't blame you for your reaction, Shrimp. That's pretty tough to take. You said the two of you have been talking. Has she explained any of that?"

"Yeah, some."

Pops looked steadily at me. "But you're having trouble taking it in and accepting it."

I just nodded. "I always thought Mom loved me, but now I feel like all of the good stuff I remember is mixed up with all of this, and I don't know what's real and what isn't."

"Listen to me Seeley. Just because your mom didn't handle the situation right-and I don't believe she did-shouldn't taint everything good that did happen between the two of you."

"That is somewhat similar to what I told you after your father passed away, Booth." Bones voice was soft, cautious.

I took Bones' hand, and watched as Christine planted both of her hands on ours. "Right now I'm just so angry at her right now Pops. And I feel like I'm not sure what I can trust from her right now. So I'm hoping you have some answers that might help."

Pops put his hand on my shoulder. "I don't know what I have, but whatever kind of answers, information, anything that I do have, I'll tell you."

OK-splitting this up into another chapter. I didn't want to run everyone off with mammoth chapters every time I post. I just thought I'd get some fluff/humor in, since a majority of this stuff in this story is pretty intense. The next chapter will be Booth's questions and Pops' answers. That will decide what other questions Booth might have for his mom.

I promise I will get to the problem of why Booth's mom didn't take her kids with her. I'm getting a rough idea (yeah!) but I'm thinking about Booth working up to that. I'm not trying to leave people hanging, really I'm not, but I think it's a chapter that's going to take a lot of thought and attention.

For everyone that's followed, reviewed, marked as favorite—thank you once again. You guys have been great.