195Thank you to everyone who has been following this story. It's been dragged out longer than intended as real life interfered with my posting schedule. But I really appreciate each and every review. Thank yous to: Mrs. Derek Hank Morgan, 554Laura (thank you, I try to write with that in mind too, picturing it as an episode), mendenbar (don't worry, Booth didn't do any permanent damage), topaz270 (yeah she might), Vmf447, Robinangelena, FaithinBones (yes considering how much Booth hates to have to kill someone), Lauwy, MstgSzy, loverofbones, aadams00, regbride12, ZinaR.
Brennan waited anxiously in her office. She tried to distract herself with the article she was reviewing for the Journal of Forensic Sciences but she found herself unable to concentrate. Every now and then she glanced at her phone. Booth had insisted on leading the operation to arrest Jake and there was no talking him out of it. She hoped he wouldn't get more seriously hurt. She sighed knowing that this was something unavoidable given her husband's occupation. It was something she would have to contend with for the rest of their lives. It had been an agonising number of hours since she had spoken to him, and finally her phone rang. She was relieved to see that it was him.
"Booth." She answered her phone quickly.
"Hey Bones."
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah, we got him. We got Jake. I shot him and they're taking him to the hospital, but he'll live."
"And you? You should go get checked too."
"I'm fine Bones."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. You can give me a very detailed check all over tonight." Booth's voice took on a playful tone.
"Seriously guys, you know I can hear this conversation right?" Brennan heard Aubrey in the background.
Brennan laughed, feeling as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
"I'll do that." She replied.
"Look Bones, I love you. I'm sorry you had to worry. I'll see you later okay?"
"Okay. I love you too Booth."
As Brennan hung up she could hear Aubrey complaining in the background.
…
It had been a month since Jake's arrest. After his heroics in the arrest of Jake, his physician had put him on mandatory rest at home for a week. Not that he hated it much, it gave him time alone with his wife by now, too seemed to have recovered from their ordeal. He had dreaded the day but he knew it was something he had to do. And so there he was sitting in the tiny interview room in the prison. There were no windows save for the small one at the door. The cold concrete walls made him feel claustrophobic. Booth still hated prisons. He still remembered what it was like to be an inmate. The ticking of his watch felt louder than usual and he felt as if the walls were closing in on him.
The steel door opened with a loud creaking sound, causing Booth to jump slightly. The prison warden led a handcuffed Logan Lipinski in. Logan looked surprised as he took the seat opposite Booth.
The warden closed the door, leaving Booth and Logan alone. As the locked turned, Booth took a deep calming breath.
"I didn't expect you to be visiting me." Logan said.
"Yeah I just thought you'd like to know that we found your Stepfather Fred."
"You did?"
"He's not the man you remember him to be anymore. All those years of drinking, he's a shell of a man now. He was living alone. Just an angry, old, depressed man."
"Can't say I'm sad to hear that."
Booth nodded. "Just thought you'd like to know that he confessed. Told us everything. Happened just like you told me. It was as if it was a relief to him, getting caught."
Logan looked surprised. "Didn't think he would confess."
"Guilt's been eating at him all these years. Plus his health is failing."
"Guess Becky can rest in peace now."
"Yeah. Thanks to you and Jake."
"How's Jake?"
"Still in jail. Just like you, waiting on a court date. I kept my promise. I didn't tell him about your part in Becky's disappearance."
Logan nodded gravely. "Thanks."
"I've talked to the DA, asked them for a lighter sentence."
"Why'd you do that?"
"Cause Logan, I understand. If things were different growing up for you, maybe we wouldn't be sitting here right now. If it wasn't for my grandfather…" Booth paused, remembering his Pops. "If it wasn't for him, it could be me sitting where you're sitting now. I'm not saying it was okay for you and Jake to kidnap me and Dr Brennan but I understand."
"What about Jake?"
"Jake's different. Might be safer if he never gets a chance to get out and hurt anyone else again."
"I'd be an old man once I get out of here."
"Yeah but it's not life." Booth stood up. He had did what he had gone there to do and now just wanted to go home. "You take care of yourself in here. Watch your back. I know what it's like."
For the third time, Logan wore a look of genuine surprise.
Booth didn't explain but knocked on the door of the small room. The warden who was standing outside unlocked the door, pulling it open. Booth felt as if he could breathe again. Before he could step out, Logan called to him. "Agent Booth?"
Booth turned to look back at Logan.
"Thanks."
…
As Booth walked in through the front door of his house that evening, his two children greeted him enthusiastically. Booth picked Hank up, swinging him round, as the boy burst out laughing, a sound that Booth would never tire of hearing. Settling Hank in his feet, he proceeded to do the same with Christine.
"Mind you back Booth." Brennan said as he approached his wife who was setting the table for dinner.
"Hey it's been awhile since I've felt a hundred percent and I just wanna enjoy it. How's the leg?"
"Not much different from this morning." Brennan glanced at her right ankle which was still encased in a brace. "It feels liberating not to need to reply on a crutch anymore though."
"Yeah, take it easy for now okay?"
Brennan glanced over at her children who seemed engrossed in their drawing. "How did it go?"
"Logan was surprised." Booth shrugged, "But I think I was doing it as much for him as it was for me. He had it rough. Least I could do to was to let him know that his old man wasn't gonna hurt anyone again. That we caught the guy who murdered his sister."
Brenan smiled warmly at her husband. She knew it hadn't been easy for him. She knew that ever since he had been wrongly imprisoned, Booth disliked going back.
"You're a very good man." She pressed a quick kiss to his lips.
"I just wanted to put what happened to us behind us you know?"
"I know. And I'm glad it's over."
He glanced at the spread of food on the table. "Smells good. I'm hungry."
"Then we should eat." Brennan called out to her children. "Hank! Christine!"
Both children, also hungry, came willingly at their mother's call.
"Wash your hands first." Brennan reminded.
"C'mon, I'll give you a boost Hank." Booth said as he scooped up their son.
Brennan smiled to herself. Knowing what they did for a living, she knew that normal was likely a rarity. But she was thankful nonetheless that they were back to the way things were. She endeavored to enjoy it for as long as it lasted.
Thanks for sticking with this story. We've come to the end of it. Thank you for your support. I have another story coming right up so stay tuned. Anyways, I'm back to being able to write more now, so happy.