"Who thinks whose pretty?" Max staggers into the room, smiling then glaring at the proximity of me to his daughter, "No funny business you two." He waves his finger in my face then slumps in the now vacant chair.

"Your daughter is pretty." I shift, practically falling off the bed. "Beautiful, actually." I mumble as my checks begin to burn.

"Of course we all knew that son but that sounded like it came from ol' Tempe there." He laughs lightly then leans in, "And boy… you might want to get that taken care of, she may be drool worthy but she still is my baby girl."

"Bones did not call…" I growl, trying to fix my increasingly adamant problem but as the smell of lavender engulfs my senses I find the battle is all but lost.

"Booth, it is fine." She turns to me and smiles, placing her hand on my thigh, oh great… can this day get any worse, "And Dad… guys can be pretty." She glares.

"Only the fruity types!" Max chuckles, leaning back against the chair and smirking.

"Dad! Are you drunk?" Bones shrieks.

"What? I… I only had a few." He slurs, "And if you haven't noticed… your little partner over there is clearly not one of those. You have nothing to worry about baby. He is one hundred percent hot for you. So… when am I getting those grandbabies?" He eyes us both then chuckles, "I want a football team, ya hear me?"

"Dad!" Bones screams as she attempts to lunge at her father but the fact that she is pinned between her tray and my body makes her attempt futile. "Booth…. Move!" She shoves my side but I refuse to budge.

"No, Bones." I turn to her, placing her hands in mine, "You are in no shape to deal with your father. Just let me handle this and you finish your sandwich."

I place a kiss on her forehead as I release her hands then turn back to Max.

"Come on Max… we need to talk." I grab him by the shoulders and stand him up, "Now Max!" I bark.

"Booth we can just talk here…" He tries to sit back down but I begin shoving him out the door.

"No Max, no we can't." I finally shove him out the door and into a chair right outside the door, making sure there will be no witnesses.

"Booth?"

I turn and instantly smile.

"Yes, Bones?"

"Thanks." She beams.

"Anytime. We are partners, remember that Bones. Partners. I would do anything for you." I briefly smile then turn back to the heap of a man before me.

"Max… Max… Max… what in the world have you been doing?" I stand over the slumbering shell of a man and sigh, knowing that could easily have been me but the woman in that room changed everything.