Disclaimer: I wish!!

A/N: I received my companion book today!! It’s great!

A/N2: This piece has been haunting me for a few days. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s my father’s anniversary or maybe I just wanted to write some comfort but anyhow, it’s there.

--

Booth groaned as his home phone started ringing. He took one look at the clock and sighed. 5 AM! He got out of bed cursing his partner for being already at work because he had a feeling it was her.

"Why can’t you sleep like a normal human being, Bones?" Was his greeting as he was rubbing his eyes.

"It’s Cullen, Booth."

"I’m sorry, sir. Is there something new with the case we’re working on?" He was wide awake now.

Cullen sighed. "I’m not calling about the case. I’m calling about Max Keenan."

Booth sat down. His boss calling him this early meant something was wrong. "Is everything all right with him?"

"I just received the call that he died of a heart attack in his cell. I convinced the warden not to call Dr Brennan until you were noticed." He sighed again. "Listen, Booth, I think you should be the one to tell her."

"Why me?" His voice had clearly sounded like his 5 year-old son.

"You’re her partner. I think she’d want to hear it from someone she knew. The case you’re working on will be assigned to another agent so you can take some time off to help her."

He sighed. "I’m on my way to her apartment right away, sir. But for the record? I hate to be the bearer of bad news."

"I understand. Just let me know when the service is. The man may have been a criminal but he has my admiration." Booth heard the shuffle of papers. "Go and tell her, Booth."

--

He picked up coffee on his way to her apartment and made a quick phone call to Angela.

"This better be good!" The artist answered sleepily.

"It’s Booth, Angela. I don’t think Bones is going to come in today." He sighed.

She was fully awake now. "What’s wrong? What happened? Which hospital?"

Despite the situation, he chuckled. "She’s fine, Angela! Physically she is, at least. I’m on my way to her place."

She squealed. "You’re on your way to tell her you love her, right? And you’re hoping to spend all day in bed?"

"Angela!" He sighed. "It’s not what you think. Cullen called me this morning. Bones father died during the night."

"I’m on my way even if I know she’s going to throw us out of her apartment." He heard her get up.

"Thanks. I don’t want to be alone with her when I tell her. How much time?"

"I’ll be there in 10 minutes. You?"

"Meet you there." He hung up and parked in Bones parking lot waiting for Angela.

--

When she opened the door, the first thing she saw was her best friend’s tear streaked face then she saw Booth with a worried look on his face. She just knew something bad had happened.

"What’s wrong? What happened?" She was already starting to panic.

Booth handed her a coffee. "We need to talk, Bones." He led her to her couch and sat her down. He sat on one side of her with Angela on the other side.

"Booth, you’re scaring me. What’s wrong? Did something happen at the lab? It’s not Parker, is it?" She was trying to search his eyes for an answer. "Why is Angela here?"

He sighed. "Nothing is wrong at the lab or with Parker, Bones. Did you hear a news bulletin this morning?" She shook her head. "I don’t like to do this to you, Bones, but I have to."

She looked at him with tears in her eyes. "They re-assigned you, didn’t they?"

He shook his head. "I can’t do this!"

Angela looked at him. "You have to, Booth."

She looked from one to the other. "What’s happening?"

Booth sent up a small prayer and took his partner’s hands. "It’s about your Dad, Bones."

"What’s wrong with my father, Booth?" She looked him straight in the eyes and she heard Angela sob softly.

He sighed. "Your father had a heart attack, Bones. He didn’t make it."

He looked at her waiting for a reaction but none came for a few minutes. He expected tears, anger, a scream, anything but not what came.

"Get out!" She pointed to the door. "Both of you, get out!"

Angela started to sob. "Sweetie! I’m sorry."

Brennan then screamed. "Get out!"

Booth nodded and turned to Angela. "We should go." He grabbed Angela’s arm and dragged her outside the door before turning to his partner. "Call if you need anything, Bones."

Her only response was to slam the door in their faces.

--

The first thing she did was call the warden at the prison. Surely there had been a mistake! When he did confirm the bad news, her first thoughts were for Russ. Their father was dead and she didn’t even know how to reach him!

Her head was spinning as she tried to stay calm. She had to call a funeral home, she had to call the cemetery but when she started to pick up the phone, something inside of her would snap and she would put the phone down, afraid to face what was happening. She needed help for this and the one person that could help her, she couldn’t reach.

She decided to go make herself a cup of coffee and as she waited for the water to start boiling, she looked out her window. She couldn’t suppress a smile when she saw Booth’s car still there. She made two cups instead of one and headed to the parking lot.

She knocked on his window. "What are you still doing here? Don’t you have any work to do?"

He smiled. "It’s your lucky day, I’m off." As she glared at him, he told her about Cullen’s call and that he had told him to stay with her.

She sighed. "Why would he do that? He doesn’t like me and it’s not like you’re part of my family or anything."

He rolled his eyes. "We’re partners, Bones. He just thought you might need me for something. And he doesn’t hate you, he doesn’t really know you."

She nodded. "Do you know how I can reach my brother?"

"Angela is working on that. She was going to call his parole officer and then Cullen. Did you make the arrangements yet?" He looked at her and saw her chin start to tremble.

"I can’t do it." She whispered.

He got out of the car and wrapped an arm around her. "This is why I’m off today. Need any help?" He smiled as he felt her lean against him.

"Please." She sighed. "I have to stop leaning on you when something goes wrong."

They started to walk towards her apartment. "And why? I’m your friend and right now, you need me. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be, Bones."

She gave him a sad smile. "Thank you." She stayed silent until they reached her apartment. "I should call Angela to tell her I’m sorry for this morning." She picked up the phone before turning to him. "I’m sorry I threw you out also."

He smiled. "Just call Angela and then I’ll help you plan your father’s funeral, okay? Did you eat breakfast yet?" She shook her head. "Neither have I. I’ll fix us some toast then we can start planning."

She surprised him and herself when she pulled him in for a hug. "Thank you."